Vidal Sassoon Premium Base Care Shampoo & Conditioner

Yay Vidal Sassoon has finally returned to Philippine shores! Loyal users of this brand will surely rejoice over this news. As for me, I have honestly never tried this brand before, and I wasn't even given the chance to. So, it's really great that it's back! It's even better that Sample Room is giving out Vidal Sassoon full-sized samples. I immediately jumped at the opportunity to avail of the shampoo and conditioner under the Premium Base Care Series. They can be availed with 104 points. 

Getting two full-sized products at the shipping fee of only P100 is really worth it! The shampoo and conditioner costs P199 individually for 190ml and 184ml respectively. After computing the numbers, I realized that I was able to save a total of P298. That's quite a lot of money, and it wouldn't have been possible if not for Sample Room's services.

The main purpose of the Premium Base Care Series is to deeply penetrate into hair to target and help repair the most damaged parts of hair. It also enables deep moisture to be absorbed by every strand of hair to make it more manageable and easier to style.

After getting my package two days after payment, I tried out both products immediately. Here are my thoughts on the shampoo and conditioner:

I observed that the shampoo does not lather much even when combined with water. It's not foamy like most shampoos when applied on the hair. Its texture is quite watery and gel-like. I tend to apply more so that I can get enough to cover my long hair. Even though this shampoo is not foamy, I still feel that my hair is totally clean after using it. It does not have a strong scent either. My hair does not feel dry afterwards, but it's always best to still use a conditioner along with it.

For the conditioner, I only use a small amount on my hair. The texture is also gel-like but it's a bit thicker than that of the shampoo. A small amount put on the hair can make it feel quite oily. There's no strong scent either.

Would I repurchase this? Maybe the conditioner as it does make my hair feel really smooth afterwards. I'm not a big fan of the shampoo as it does not lather up and it's hard to apply on the hair. It's a good thing I got to try this out first at Sample Room first before purchasing it full-priced.

Do you also use Vidal Sassoon's shampoo and conditioner? What are your thoughts? :)

Ciao!

Kat <3 

My First Product from Sample Room: ZA Perfect Solution Cleansing Foam

Yay I finally got my 1st sample from Sample Room!!! It's the full sized product of the ZA Perfect Solution Cleansing Foam. I feel so lucky to be able to avail of this sample in a full sized version because the product is really worth P345 while I got it for free.

To those of you who are not familiar with Sample Room or how it works, here's a small summary. Sample Room gives out free samples (in sachets or full-sized versions) of new products that have just been launched in the market or products they get from their brand partners. 

If you register as a member of Sample Room, you immediately get 100 points for free. With this 100 points, you can avail of any item or items up to 100 points worth. If you want to get an item that is more than 100 points, you may opt to pay a certain amount to Sample Room to get more points. There is also the option to become a VIP member by paying P599 to get 1000 points. Of course, while the samples are free, you would still need to pay the shipping fee for the item to be delivered straight to your doorstep. The shipping fee varies according to the item's weight and the area of the delivery address. 

Okay so back to the ZA Cleansing Foam. Luckily, this item just needs 100 points to be availed, so I used up all my points to get this. I only paid the shipping fee of P100, so I guess all in all I saved P245. I pat myself on the back for a great buy! The samples for this item sold out in just an hour or so. Thank goodness I'm subscribed to their newsletter so I was immediately updated of this new sample product addition.

After receiving this item, I will need to review it to get back my 100 points, as well as to receive 2 more additional points: 1 point from getting and trying the sample and 1 point for reviewing the sample on their website. Cool huh? 

The samples really get sold out easily so there are times that when you check their site, there are not much samples to be availed. However, just be patient and wait for their new sample additions especially those from good brands giving out full-sized samples woohoo! Whew, that was a lot of explaining. Why don't you go check out their website for yourself and see if there's anything you like? 

Have you availed of samples from Sample Room? Share with me what you got! 

Keep safe from the storm everyone! :)

Ciao!

Kat <3

NOTD: Nature Republic Color Waltz Nail Polish in PK218 Daisy

Salmon pink nail polish here we come!!!

There are so many variations of the pink color, but I am in the mood for something a bit bright and girly. My eyes then zoom in on the salmon pink nail polish that's been patiently sitting on my dresser table. This seems like the perfect time to wear it!

This is Nature Republic's Color Waltz Nail Polish in PK218 Daisy.

Ohh wow I feel kind of like Barbie with my bright pink nails, but I love it. As usual, the Nature Republic nail polish is so easy to apply. I just used about 1 to 2 coats of polish for each nail. Anything more than 2 coats would make the polish crack easily or cause bubbles to appear within the polish.

Presenting my bright pink Barbie nails!

Without flash

With flash

That's all for now! Any nice pink nail polishes you would like to share?

Ciao!

Kat <3

The Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Adore

Hmmm what would be a great alternative to good ol' lipsticks? Aha I know! How about balm stains for the lips? Yes, can be, nice answer! However, this balm stain would need to have the staying powers of lipsticks. Is there even such a thing?

Ever since the Clinique Chubby Sticks came out, a lot of different cosmetic brands have followed suit. One of these brands is Revlon, and their version is called the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain (JBKBS). It's affordable enough at P575, compared to the chubby sticks which cost almost twice the amount. The stick looks like a fat crayon that is retractable so the amount of product can be adjusted when being applied to the lips. There are 12 shades to choose from so knock your socks off!

A friend had been telling me of the goodness of JBKBS for quite a while already, raving about how long lasting the balm stain is on the lips. I'm not really a fan of balm stains but her high praise for this stuff had got my senses tingling. Every time I pass by Watson's I would check out the Revlon counter just for kicks! It was one fateful day in August that I decided to check it out again. Okay good move, it was on sale, as in 50% off!!! Can you believe my good luck? I did not really have plans of purchasing this in the first place, but how can you say NO to 50% off? The price of P287.50 was calling out to me saying Buy Me, Buy Me! Fine, I give up, time to throw out some cash.

Of course, I had to check out the colors first. I wasn't really sure which shade to buy. I only knew that I wanted a red shade. It was that time of the year wherein I had been eyeing red lippie shades. This Watson's store only had 8 shades available, and oh fudge there was only 1 red shade available. I guess I'm stuck with this one.

This shade is called Adore and it was not the typical red shade we normally see. It's more of a brownish type of red. I was thinking yuck does brown even go well with red? After the SA helped me put it on, I was feeling ecstatic. It blended well with my skin tone, and it's like this color was meant for me as it looked so natural on my lips! Wow I can't believe a color that I did not really like would suit me so well. I guess it pays off to test out products first before buying. Just to share, the texture is really glossy when first applied. When the gloss has faded, the color still stays which is really a big plus so there's no need to keep on retouching. I put on this lippie before dinner, and after we finished eating, the color was still on my lips. Cool huh!

Here are my thoughts on the product:

- nice color payoff

- really pigmented

- long lasting (confirmed!), just add more layers to prolong the staying power

- has a hint of peppermint when put to the lips which gives a nice cool sensation

- handy to bring around which is why I always have it in my makeup kit

Adore on the lips

Picture of me wearing Adore

Would I repurchase this? Yes and double yes! I really love this product and I would like to try out the other colors as well. Who knows, it might also suit me surprisingly! Hope they have this item on sale again next time haha :)

Which color have you tried from this line? Do share as well!

Ciao!

Kat <3

15% off on all Shiseido Products from Oct 25-27!

I got a text from Shiseido Lucky Chinatown yesterday informing me that there is a 15% off discount on all Shiseido products from October 25 to 27. Shiseido rarely has a sale so what are you waiting for, better head on to the nearest stores available!

Just in time, I have been thinking of buying myself some eye cream to lessen the fine lines near my eye area. What better timing than this Shiseido sale? Here's what I got from their store today: it's the Benefiance Intensive Eye Contour cream!!! The original price is P2,850 but I got it at 15% off today yay!

Look at that nice gold packaging. It's really eye candy which is why I couldn't resist purchasing it. Of course, this also promises to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and lessen dark circles under the eyes. This sounds too good to be true! I hope that it really does the job though as I'm an avid believer of Shiseido products. I'll be posting a review of this after a few weeks as I need to test it out first. 

By the way, I also got Shiseido's Bioperformance Super Corrective Eye Cream sachets as samples from my purchase. Bioperformance's eye cream has almost the same purpose as Benefiance, but it's more intense and is also a bit more expensive. Will be testing these out, and I'll try to give out a review as well.

That's all for now! Hope you get to jump at the chance of getting something from this super rare Shiseido sale. Don't forget to share your purchases! :)

Ciao!

Kat <3

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks in Pale Pink

When buying beauty products, I always make sure to get my money's worth. It's okay for me to buy brands that are a little more on the expensive side just as long as they do what they are intended for. It's a big plus if they can do more than just one purpose.

This is exactly why the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks (P1,500) got me all interested. Not only can it be used as a cheek stain, but you can also use it to put more color on your lips. There are lots of shades for this product, but I chose the Pale Pink shade as I'm really more into pink than orange colored shades.

The size of this product is very handy so you can tote it along anywhere, be it just for everyday use or for travel purposes as well. I love it that the packaging already includes the mirror. The SA said that there was no mirror in the old packaging. Thank goodness my timing was just right or else I might not have bought it if there was no mirror.

Just use a finger to dab a little bit of the product into your cheeks or into your lips. Just make sure that you put face powder first before applying it into your cheeks so that the color will last long. I tried applying it into my bare cheeks and the color fades away really fast. 

For the lips, the color is just subtle, not as pigmented as normal lipsticks are. You would have to keep on retouching, because the color fades away after an hour or so. The texture of this lip rouge would be just like that of a tinted lip balm.

Here's a photo of me wearing it on my cheeks. The color is very natural, and it looks as if my cheeks are just rosy.

This is perfect for days when you are too lazy for makeup. This baby would be all you need to bring. Just don't forget your face powder though so that the color would last longer on your cheeks. The plus side of having this product around is that your makeup kit will surely become lighter.

So is this product worth the purchase? Yes, because a little goes a long way. Just two dabs with the fingers can cover the whole cheeks. Same with the lips. This is quite perfect for girls who don't like bringing along brushes to apply blush. Although, this product might be a bit of a problem for some girls who are OC as they may not want to touch their makeup directly with their hands.

Would I repurchase this product? Maybe, but in another shade. This is because I like trying out different products after I hit pan. There might be another lip and cheek rouge that will suit my skin color. It's nice to also try out different brands as well. However, this product is really on top of my dual purpose cosmetic products for now!

Have you tried this out yet? Share with me your experience. Happy weekend everyone!

Ciao!

Kat <3

Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil in Tu-Tu-Touquoise

Black eyeliners are normally staples in a girl's makeup kit. Have you thought of using eyeliners with colors other than black? Well, I have!!! I have long been searching for colored eyeliners that are affordable and will last a long time without creasing and fading. Sounds hard to find eh? Actually this product is already existent and within our wallet's reach.

Introducing the Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil! I will be reviewing the color Tu-Tu-Touquoise. I love turquoise because the color is so pleasant to the eyes. I'm really glad that I found this great product and the best thing is, it's only P109. You can find Essence in major SM department stores like SM MOA or SM Makati. Just check out their FB page to see if there are Essence branches near you.

Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil in Tu-tu-touquoise

When the name says long lasting, it's not joking. It can last the whole day without any smudge or creases. I remember putting it on for more than 8 hours and when I got home, it's still on my eyes exactly the way I put it. Just rubbing off the eyeliner will not work, you will really need hardcore eye makeup remover to get this off your eyes. It might even stay on longer if you put eye primer, but I think there's no need if your eyelids do not produce too much oil even with eye makeup on.

Another good thing about this product is that it's retractable which makes it even more convenient. There is no need to sharpen the product like normal eye pencils. Just be careful though, there was one time I retracted too much of the product while I was applying the eyeliner and a little bit came off. It was a good thing I could put the product back into the pencil hole as to not waste any of it.

Retractable eyeliner

I would definitely repurchase this when I finish. This is such a Holy Grail product for me and the affordability is a big plus!

Here's a picture of my eyes with the turquoise eyeliner.

Tu-tu-touquoise on my lids

Would you buy this after reading my review? Maybe you know other brands that are as good as this one. I'm interested to know if you have something to share :)

Ciao!

Kat <3

NOTD: Nature Republic Color Waltz Nail Polish in AGR601

Aside from Face Shop nail polishes, I have discovered another Korean brand of nail polish that are a dream to apply. This Korean brand is Nature Republic!

There are already Nature Republic branches in SM Megamall, SM North Edsa The Block, SM Fairview, Festival Supermall, Landmark Trinoma, Landmark Makati and Sta Lucia East Grandmall. The first branch was in Festival Supermall in Alabang which opened on Sept 2011. I had no clue at all until this month! I live so far from these places that I hadn't even noticed that this very cool Korean brand is already in our country. Crazy right?

I even hoarded so many colors of their nail polish last month in Korea just to find out that they already have branches here when I got home haha. Anyway, their nail polish line is called Color Waltz and they are super easy to apply, even the pastel colored ones! For my NOTD, I used the the AGR601. My alma mater DLSU just won the UAAP championship just a week ago, so of course my nails are green! Animo La Salle!!!

Their nail polishes are sold at P55 - P65. Not bad right? It's cheaper than Face Shop and Etude House, and the quality is just the same. If only their branches were just nearer my house. Open branches in Manila please? :)

Here are pictures of my nails with the green nail polish! I used two to three coatings to achieve this effect. Base coat used is from Nature Republic as well, while top coat used is from Face Shop.

This is in natural light.

This is with flash!

That's it! More NOTD with Nature Republic nail polishes to come soon. Thanks for reading!!!

Ciao!

Kat <3

MAC Ruby Woo Lipstick: My Current Fave

I believe every girl should have a red lipstick in her makeup bag. Red might seem to be a very intimidating color, but believe me, with all the shades available I am sure that there is a perfect red shade (or shades) for every girl out there.

So let me share with you my perfect shade of red lipstick! It's MAC Ruby Woo!!!

I purchased this at the duty free MAC store in Korea last September and all the brands were on sale so I got it for just P850. In MAC stores here in the Philippines, this lipstick is about ~P1,000.

Since last July, I have been in love with this baby when I tried out the tester at the MAC Store at SM MOA. I was actually eyeing the shade Russian Red but it seemed wrong on me when I tried it out. The red was somewhat too bright for me, or I was just not used to it. Since I was looking for a more toned down red, the SA suggested that I try Ruby Woo which she said is the exact red shade that Anne Curtis wears. 

After trying it on, I was like woah this is the perfect red for me! The finish is retro matte and definitely different from the satin finishes that lipsticks normally have. Ruby Woo is a red shade that's not too bright, and it felt oh so right when applied to my lips. I could not get this lipstick off my mind for a good 3 months, which was why I knew that I had to purchase it.

For those girls with dry lips, I would not recommend this. The texture of the lipstick is really dry as it is retro matte. Retro matte means that it is even dryer than the normal matte lipstick. Application on bare lips is not as easy as one swipe. You would need to carefully apply it swipe by swipe, or else the lipstick will bunch up or harden in one area of the lips making it harder to smoothen out the color. It would be suggested to put lip balm first before applying this lipstick. If your lips are naturally dry, this might not be for you as it may accentuate your lip lines and chap your lips even more.

Try the tester first before purchasing. Then, leave it on for a few hours to see how it looks on you before your decide. The price is not something for you to just throw your money away just like that. Better to make sure if the shade suits you to avoid wasting precious moolah.

For me, since I have non-drying lips, I love this!!! I feel even better when my friends all commented that I look good wearing this. This is one of my holy grail lipstick products! I have mostly pink lipsticks, and I'm really glad that I discovered the wondrous joy of putting on a red lipstick.

Ruby Woo on my lips

Picture of me wearing Ruby Woo

How about you? Have you found your perfect red shade yet? If you have, do share! :)

Ciao!

Kat <3

Majolica Majorca Perfect Automatic Liner in BK920 Review

I love eyeliners!!! Don't you?

I'm sure every girl loves eyeliners. No matter what type of eyes you have, double lids, monolids, hooded lids, eyeliners would still be your eyes' best friends. It just depends on how thin or thick you apply yours to make your eyes pop out.

So, are you still looking for that perfect eyeliner that will become a staple in your makeup kit? Well, look no more! Let me introduce you to the PERFECT eyeliner (pun intended) that I have been using lately. It's the Majolica Majorca Perfect Automatic Liner in BK920 color. There are actually 7 different colors for this particular product, but I have only the BK920 to review. The BK920 is a pearly black color wherein the black is coupled with some shimmer. It's not as black as BK999, but this is perfect for me since I already have an all black eyeliner, and there are lots of other brand alternatives for plain black liners which would cost even less for the same quality.

Perfect Automatic Liner in BK920

I bought this eyeliner at the BDJ Box 2013 Fair in MOA, where Majo products were on sale. This product was at 20% off so I got it for P550 instead of the regular price of P695. I had wanted to buy this for quite some time now, and when I saw the discount, I immediately bought it with no hesitations. Too bad the other colors like blue, red, green, gold, and brown eyeliners were not included in the sale or I might have grabbed another one of the colors. The colors are quite unique, and I don't know which other affordable brands carry liquid eyeliners with colors. I know that YSL has colored liquid eyeliner, but that's a high end brand that is quite expensive especially if it's not on sale.

Photo from Google Images

Let me show you how the product works! It is carefully packaged in plastic, and you can see inside that the eyeliner is totally sealed. You can be sure that the product you are purchasing is totally new and hasn't been used by others. 

New eyeliner sealed in the package

There is a stopper in between and a tape at the bottom to prevent the product from being twisted out. Take off the stopper and the tape. 

With stopper and tape

When the stopper is removed, you have to put the head back and push hard so that the brush will fall into place.

Remove stopper and put head back without stopper

Tada! Your eyeliner is ready for use.

The Perfect Automatic Liner ready for use

Just twist the end of the eyeliner to the right, about 4 to 5 clicks to get the liquid to come out. Normally, about 3 clicks will be able to cover one eye. Make sure that you don't twist too much to avoid product wastage. It is better to do the correct number of twists before applying so that when putting the product on your eye, one swipe will do the trick! I tried doing 2 clicks before applying and only half of the eye was covered so that I had to twist again.

After 4 to 5 clicks, liquid goes to the brush

This product takes quite some time to dry, not like other eyeliners that dries up immediately when applied. You would have to wait for a minute to be sure that it has dried. Also make sure that once swiped, you do not keep on re-swiping on the same areas that have eyeliner already as your eyelids will get all messy. Trust me! Better to practice first beforehand to make sure that you will get the hang of this product.

This product may be a bit of a hassle to apply but your efforts will not go unrewarded. I tried testing this eyeliner on how long it will go without smudging. Let me tell you the good news! I had it on for 15 hours and it did not smudge one bit, I even had a nap time in between with a pillow covering my face. This is great! No need for retouching any more during the day. How's that for (super) long lasting?

BK920 is not too black and has some shimmer (this pic taken after 15 hours of wear)

Once dried, the eyeliner is totally waterproof and smudgeproof. I tried testing it on my hand and putting my hand under the faucet's running water, and it did not smudge one bit! This baby will only be removed when you try to erase it directly with your fingers. Also, the texture of the eyeliner is flaky when removed with the fingers. Using a makeup remover will be easier, one swipe and the eyeliner will totally disappear.

Eyeliner dissolves into flakes when rubbed with fingers

So that's it! This product is totally worth purchasing. Try the other colors if you're already bored with your black eyeliners! 

Know of any good eyeliner products? Share it with me in the comments!

Ciao!

Kat <3 

Etude House Goodbye Pore Ever Primer Stick Review

Big pore problems anyone? I have big pores too, and I'm always on the radar for any product that would help minimize the appearance of big pores. So lo and behold, I have found it, and it's quite affordable too!

It's the Etude House Goodbye Pore Ever Primer Stick!!! I bought this in Korea at 30% off, so it cost me only 5600 won which is equivalent to P230. Here in the Philippines, it is priced at about P425.

So, how does this work? Actually, it's super easy. Just pull off the cap, twist the stick, and just apply the nude colored product to the parts of your face where you have big pores.

The appearance of pores will be instantly minimized. At first, I tried using the tester at the back of my hand, and it really works! I actually was not really solved on this product even after testing it on my hand because as I said, I have big pores on my cheeks. I then decided to try the tester on my face. Not really sure if it worked because I could still see my pores. I did not buy it immediately, but after a few hours, my friend was looking at my face, and she said that my face looked really clear. Wow, so it really is effective after all! I bought the product immediately the next day that we went shopping again.

The finish of this product is matte, which most of you would really like. It's just like Benefit's Porefessional but this Primer Stick is in solid form, while the Porefessional is in liquid form. I have the Porefessional as well, but that's for another review. Etude House actually has this Goodbye Pore Ever product in liquid form also, but the finish is glossy not matte. I did not buy this anymore since I just wanted to pick one only between the two. You can apply makeup after putting on this primer. This product serves as a good makeup base as well. There's also a nice fragrant smell after you apply this, a big plus!

Look at the 2 photos below. It shows how the Goodbye Pore Ever works at the back of my hand. See the part near the curve of my thumb? You can see that the lines are not visible anymore after using the product. There is really a difference!

Without Goodbye Pore Ever

With Goodbye Pore Ever

Here's a recap of the product:

Pros:

- affordable

- matte finish (really feels smooth on the skin)

- effective
- fragrant smell

- packaging is handy for travel or everyday use

Cons:

- hard to find (easily sold out in stores)

- only 4.5g worth of product

- product is easily consumed when used everyday

Would I repurchase this? Maybe. I like trying out different pore cover products and I might try another one after I finish consuming this product. Maybe I'll repurchase when I go back to Korea and this is on sale again haha.

There you have it! Have any of you tried this product? Would you prefer it in the solid or liquid form? Share your thoughts! 

Ciao!

Kat <3