My Burt's Bees Experience with Project Vanity

I have been an avid reader of Project Vanity's blog ever since last year. Her blog has really helped open my eyes to the wonderful world of makeup and skincare. It's also one of the reasons why I am concentrating on reviewing beauty products on my own blog as well. It has become such an interesting topic for me that I am totally hooked on anything beauty related. 

I've always wanted to meet Liz, the writer behind Project Vanity, so when I read in one of her posts that she's hosting a Burt's Bees workshop at Beauty Bar Glorietta, I immediately grabbed this once in a blue moon opportunity. She did host some past workshops for other brands before, but I was always busy during those times and missed the chance to meet her. This time, I made sure to set aside time for the workshop.

So, here's what went down at the Burt's Bees workshop!

My friend and I arrived at Beauty Bar Glorietta at about 340pm, but the workshop was scheduled to start at 4pm. Liz arrived at exactly 4pm. It was really great to finally meet her! She was very nice and started to talk to the attendees. She asked for our names and started to converse with us about anything under the sun, but mostly topics related to beauty of course. We waited a bit for the others and the workshop officially started at 415pm.

Maymay Samson of Burt's Bees gave us a brief background and history of Burt's Bees before we headed on to the main purpose of the workshop.

The Burt's Bees workshop is to introduce their new line Daisy White. Liz introduced to us all the uses of this new skincare line. There are basically 5 Daisy White products namely: facial wash, toner, serum, moisturizing cream, and eye cream.

Liz demonstrated to us how to use these products by calling for a volunteer from the attendees. While explaining the different uses of these 5 products, she was putting on the Burt's Bees Daisy White products to the face of the lovely lady.

As per Liz, most Filipinas only recognize one skincare product which is the facial wash. This is quite true as this was also my only regimen before. It was just last year that I started to incorporate toners, serums, and creams into my night regimen. Liz introduced to us the double-cleanse routine which is to use toners after cleansing the face with facial wash. This is to ensure that no trace of dirt is left on the face. 

After double cleansing, it's time to put on the serum. The reason why serums have a watery texture is for the skin to better absorb it. Serums can penetrate moisture and nutrients deeper into the skin to make it feel even more hydrated. Afterwards, apply the moisturizing cream to the face. The purpose of the moisturizing cream is also to make the skin feel hydrated as well, but the structure of the cream is quite thick and cannot be absorbed fully by the skin. This is why it's better to apply both serum and moisturizing cream to make the results doubly effective. When you wake up in the morning, your face will surely feel all soft and supple.

Last but not least, slather on some eye cream before going to sleep. Liz explained that eye creams have a thinner texture than moisturizing creams which is designed specially for the eyes. Moisturizing creams have thicker textures which is why they are not to be used near the eyes as it could lead to tiny bumps emerging in the skin. She also demonstrated using her fingers how to rub the eye cream correctly so that it would be better absorbed by the skin near the eyes as it could feel heavy once it's just sitting on top of the skin. Just massage your eyes using your finger in a counterclockwise manner for the left eye, and in a clockwise manner for the right eye.

A small Q&A portion followed afterwards, then we also had a group picture taking done. All the attendees received a small gift pack as thanks for attending the workshop. I got the Tinted Lip Balm in Hibiscus shade. I already have this tinted lip balm in the shade Pink Blossom. I will be reviewing both in a separate post for comparison. I'm very happy that I got to take a picture with Liz from Project Vanity, and also with the event's official photographer Shaira Luna.

With Liz of Project Vanity

With official photographer Shaira Luna

Small gift for all attendees

I'm really grateful to Liz for giving us the opportunity to attend workshops like these. I feel that my time spent in the workshop was really fruitful as I got to learn a lot on how to apply skincare correctly. I will surely be attending her future workshops as well.

By the way, the Daisy White line is having a promo of 20% off from May 1 to 31. If you've been wanting to try this out, I suggest you go to your nearest Beauty Bar now.

Ciao!

Kat <3

A Review of the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock with SPF50+

How was your Holy Week vacation everyone? Did you go on a trip with your families? As for me, I went hiking with my relatives at Mount Pinatubo. I will be posting my adventure about it soon. You might be thinking that I must be crazy hiking during summertime at Mount Pinatubo. You're right it was scorching hot!!! I did have fun though as I was with great company. I was even able to make a new friend because of this adventure. Well, actually I'm not talking about a person because I'm referring to a sunblock which really protected my skin from the sun and also helped in preventing sunburn. 

Let me introduce to you guys the Nivea Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock with SPF50+. It can protect skin from both UVA and UVB rays and it's also waterproof. I used this for the first time at my Mount Pinatubo adventure, and I wasn't really expecting how effective it would be. But it was! We were exposed to the sun for the whole morning, but my skin did not become red at all, and after our hike I did not even get a shade darker. To top it all off, the texture of this sunblock is not even sticky for a bit. As the name of the product says, it really is ultra sheer and it's easily absorbed by the skin.

Here's a breakdown of the product for you to see if this is something you would need:

Pros:

~ Ultra sheer and light

~ Easily absorbed by the skin

~ Prevents sunburn and skin darkening

~ Can protect skin from UVA/UVB rays

~ High SPF of 50+

~ Effect can last long on the skin

~ Sunblock scent is not too strong

~ Can easily be found in Watson's stores

Cons:

~ Somewhat expensive (price is P509.75 for 88ml)

~ Could be easily used up due to the small quantity of product

Texture of sunblock is watery

Ultra sheer and easily absorbed by skin

Overall, I really recommend this product as it's quite a plus that it does not feel sticky at all. This is the kind of sunblock that I have been looking for, something that is totally effective and at the same time absorbs easily like water. I was a bit surprised at how much it costs, but the results of the product easily compensates for the price. 

Hope this review has helped you find a new beach buddy for the summer!

Ciao!

Kat <3

Definitely Japan. Definitely Kojie.san

During my younger years, doing any activities that involved staying under the sun like swimming outdoors and trips to the beach would easily darken my skin. I'm not super fair to begin with, and once my skin darkens it's hard for it to go back to its original shade. There are even times when my body would have uneven skin color. It was my mission to look for a whitening product that would overcome this problem. Luckily 3 to 4 years ago, one of my friends was able to refer to me a whitening product that really does wonders for my skin. This is none other than Kojie.san soap. 

My own artwork of Kojie.san

Since then, I have been using Kojie.san thrice a week on my body. My skin color has been maintained, and I am not afraid of my skin getting darker anymore as I am sure that Kojie.san will be able to revert it back to its original shade in just a few days. I have tried switching to another whitening soap, but its effects were not as fast and effective so I ended up going back to using Kojie.san. I guess there is just no substitute for the original kojic acid soap, that's why it's important to use only the original Kojie.san. 

I would always refer Kojie.san to my friends as I'm really confident about its positive results, and here are some more info about Kojie.san worth knowing:

1. Kojie.san is the first kojic acid soap to be commercially available in the Philippine market.

2. Kojie.san has a micro peeling effect, which makes it a potent whitening product.

3. It does not contain any harmful chemicals.

4. It contains antioxidants and 100% all natural ingredients.

My stash of Kojie.san at home

Kojic acid soaps are known for their whitening properties and other benefits like getting rid of dark spots and skin discoloration. They exfoliate skin to remove the top layer of skin to peel away damaged skin to reveal fresh and healthy cells underneath. Based on my experience, my skin gets really dry and flaky whenever I use this soap, so I have to make sure to use creams and lotions after taking a bath to make sure that moisture in my skin is replenished. This is also why I only use it thrice a week. The reason for my skin becoming dry is because the kojic acid soap is actually peeling off the dead skin to help my skin become smoother and more radiant.

With my long-term experience with Kojie.san, I can definitely say that I have met the ultimate whitening soap that is safe to use and proven effective over the years. I will continue on choosing the bar that set the bar!

Any experience with Kojie.san dear readers? Let's talk about it in the comments!

Ciao!

Kat <3

The Cream Factory Bath Cream in Goat's Milk & Witch Hazel Review

Aside from using soap, I make it a point to use body wash and body moisturizer every time I take a bath. Soaps can be very drying, and my skin normally dries out after using only soap for my bath. It would be better if the body wash also acts as a moisturizer so that I don't have to use too many products when taking a bath. I wouldn't want to be late for work haha.

I discovered The Cream Factory Bath Cream last year when I first read about it being blogged by the beauty bloggers. At first it did not really pique my interest, but I started seeing them being sold in sets of 3 at Beauty Bar. I was really tempted to purchase a set, but I wanted to try them out first to see how they would fare against my skin. Luckily, Sample Room were giving out samples last January, and I immediately availed one after getting the email notification. The samples were out of stock really fast, and I felt so lucky to be able to avail one.

I got my sample after 2 days, and I was really excited to open my package. I got The Cream Factory in Goat's Milk and Witch Hazel: The Rejuvenating Soap. I got this one randomly as I forgot to state which variant I wanted to avail. I guess I just wanted the pink one out of all the colors, as it looks cuter on display in my bathroom. Ohh well, it's not really a big deal as any of the variants will do. I just wonder if all variants have the same scent.

Price I was able to avail this bath cream in 221ml for free in Sample Room paying only P100 for the shipping fee. The full-sized product in 768ml costs P699, while the set of 3 bottles of 221ml costs P799. What a sweet deal I got for the price of a hundred.

Packaging I simply adore the cute little packaging. It really looks like a small milk container when you first see this product. It's so eye-catching!

Scent This smells really nice, and it does smell like goat's milk with witch hazel. It has a perfume type of smell and it feels good to slather something that smells this good around the body. I observed that the scent does stay on the skin for quite some time after taking a bath.

Texture  I was expecting the color of rich white cream for this product, but this actually comes in a translucent white gel. It's not at all sticky and glides smoothly when applied to the body. It makes my skin feel squeaky clean after each usage. The gel easily lathers when combined with water, but it's not too foamy like other body washes. You can use either a loofah or just your hands to spread it around the body. 

Review What I love about this bath cream is that it doesn't dry out my skin while cleaning it thoroughly as well. It also has moisturizing properties because of the goat milk so it's really a big plus. A small dollop of the product goes a long way, as it can cover the whole body already. My body feels really soft and smooth after my bath because of The Cream Factory. I must say that I did feel rejuvenated after using this, and I would love to try the other variants as well. Truly a dessert for the skin!

Which variant of The Cream Factory have you tried? I hope Sample Room restocks on this soon! :)

Ciao!

Kat <3

A Review of the ZA Perfect Solution Cleansing Foam

If you guys remember my post from last November, I availed of the ZA Perfect Solution Cleansing Foam from Sample Room. I got a little busy afterwards and wasn't able to share with you what I thought of the product. So, this post is a review of this facial wash in bright pink. 

Just a brief summary, the ZA Perfect Solution line launched late last year here in the Philippines which is the reason why there were so many promos on how to avail it. I was lucky enough to be able to avail it from Sample Room as it sold out in a matter of minutes. It was full-size too so imagine how worth it my P100 fee was.

Front packaging

Back packaging

Price This product costs P345 for 100g. Sometimes you will see promos in Watsons or SM Department Stores that it's giving away this facial wash for free when you avail of their toner or moisturizer. You just have to be patient and wait for the promo.

Review I really love the scent of this facial wash. It smells really luxe, and you'll feel like you're using a high-end brand. I just use a pea-sized amount, and it can wash my entire face. This stuff really deep cleans, as in my face feels devoid of oil after washing. Just be careful not to use too much or your skin will feel really dry afterwards. I don't use this everyday as I only use it when I feel that my face is super oily and acne-prone. This will surely kill all the sebum and excessive oil in my face after every usage. 

How the facial wash looks like

ZA is a Shiseido brand by the way, even though this brand is obviously way more affordable than Shiseido products, the mere fact that it is under the same company makes me believe in the brand. I really love Japanese brands because I feel that they always make sure to produce the best quality products for consumers. 

Will I repurchase? Yes, I think so, though it will surely take me a while to finish this off since I do not use it everyday.

Do you have any experience with ZA's facial wash? Please share in the comments!

Ciao!

Kat <3

Neutrogena Alchohol-Free Toner: My Go-To Night Cleanser

I'm sure each one of us washes our face every night to keep it free of oil and dirt. Have you ever thought of using a toner afterwards? I have been using facial washes all my life, but the using a toner part just started last year. My mom had been pestering me ever since that a toner should be part of my regimen, but stubborn ol' me just wouldn't listen. Okay, so last year I decided to add it to my regimen just to lessen the number of unused toners in our house. 

What did I feel after using a toner? Well, the first toner I used contained alcohol so my face felt quite dry after using it, but it also felt really clean. It's as if all traces of dirt just disintegrated from my face. I thought that maybe using a toner with no alcohol would be better as it will not harm my skin. So, I went on a hunt to look for a toner that's alcohol-free and not too expensive.

Here it is, I found it! It's the Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner (P276.50). It's not expensive compared to other luxury brands, and it really does the job so I am super happy with it. You can purchase this in Watson's and in leading SM department stores.

The packaging is just very simple and blue in color, but it lets you see how much product is still left inside. I really like it because it really cleanses my face thoroughly leaving my face soft and smooth afterwards. Since it's alcohol-free, I also use it around my eyes and it doesn't get irritated. It can even remove traces of eye makeup. There's a slight fragrant scent also which I really like. I have been using it every night after my facial wash, and I don't get breakouts whatsoever. 

Just a tip, it's better to use square cotton pads when applying toner as it doesn't absorb all the toner. I have changed from using cotton as well and it does seem to be more effective in cleaning my face.

I will definitely repurchase this once I run out. This is now one of my HG products and it has become a staple in my night regimen. 

How about you? Do you use toners in your night regimen?

Ciao!

Kat <3

Talika Lipocils Expert Lash Conditioner

Have you ever wanted longer eyelashes? If yes, then I have the perfect product for you to try. It's the Talika Lipocils.

My friends have been telling me about this product ever since before, and they really vouch for its effectivity. Too bad, we do not have it here in the Philippines and it needs to be bought in Hong Kong or other countries that carry it. Luckily, my cousin went to Hong Kong last August 2013 and I asked her to buy it for me in Sasa.

It costs HKD150 approximately P850 if you convert it. The box contains two small tubes of Lipocils and 1 tube is just 2ml. You may think that it's so expensive for a small amount of product but 1 tube is already good for 1 whole month. I used up my 2 tubes in 2 months (September-October). The product I got only contained a wand tip for application. The more expensive ones would contain both a wand tip and mascara wand for a much easier and more effective application (see photo below). 

Talika Lipocils with wand tip only

Photo taken from Talika.com

I can conclude that this product really is effective. After a few weeks of using, I could already observe that my lashes were getting longer. After two months, I can say that my lashes really became longer. I decided to check if my lashes would go back to its original length after I stopped using the product for a few months. The result is no, it still stayed as long.

Here are pictures of my lashes before and after I used the product. (Photos were taken in different lighting conditions hence the difference in skin color.)

Photo taken April 2012

Photo taken February 2014

You can see in the pictures that my lashes really grew longer. I'm really happy about the effect because I do not need to use mascara anymore except during special occasions. I normally just use a clear mascara during regular days.

Just a tip to maximize the product, use a toothpick to scoop out the remaining products inside the tube as the wand tip cannot reach every part inside the tube.

Have you been wanting long eyelashes for the longest time? Maybe this product is the answer to your problem. Hope this post helped!

Ciao!

Kat <3

VMV Hypoallergenics Creammmy Rich Intensive Moisture Milk and the VMV Valentine's Sale

Sample of VMV Hypoallergenics Creammmy Rich Intensive Moisture Milk

How actual product looks like (photo grabbed from Google)

Starting last year, I've become more conscious of my skin. It must be the pressure of getting older bit by bit. Seeing wrinkles near my eyes makes me want to rush off to buy the best eye cream in the market. Even the slightest blemish and starting to enlarge pores make me realize that face creams are a must. 

Every night, our skin gets the much needed rest it craves. The only thing we can do to help is pat some night cream into our face so that we will wake up to smoother and more hydrated skin. 

Okay, so I'm sure that you'll be asking which night cream do you think is good for you? Well, luckily I have something affordable and effective that I can suggest. My friend gave me her sample of VMV Hypoallergenic's Creammmy Rich Intensive Moisture Milk for dry skin, and when I tried it out, it was really a nice surprise. For something that you can use for the face and the body, with a price tag of about P800, this really does wonders for the skin. 

The sample has 5ml worth of product housed in a packaging that looks like a mini test tube. It also contains a mini spatula to get small portions of the product out as the packaging is too small.

Sample comes with a small spatula to be able to get the product out

My thoughts on this are:

*On first application, your skin will instantly feel moisturized.

*There's no scent, so no worries if your nose is sensitive to any kind of perfumey smell. 

*There's no greasy feeling at all, you'll just feel that the cream is instantly absorbed into the skin. 

*The finish is almost near to matte, and it feels really good to run your finger through your face. *poke poke*

*You don't have to worry about sleeping with your face on the pillow as this will not transfer to the pillow as it's not sticky. 

*Waking up in the morning, you will feel that your face is super hydrated. (This is one of the main factors I look for in a night cream).

After applying the VMV Hypoallergenics Creammmy Rich Intensive Moisture Milk on my face

If I have totally convinced you to buy this product, then you're in luck as VMV is having a Valentine's sale of up to 50% off this February 10-16 at Lucky Chinatown Mall. This product is 30% off so this will amount to about P560 if I'm not mistaken.

I'm gonna be checking out the sale too as I'm thinking of purchasing the regular-sized item of this product!

Do share with me if you purchase anything from the sale! :)

Ciao!

Kat <3

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