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

NARS Orgasm Blush: Is It Worth the Hype?

Here we go again! I had been tempted into purchasing one of the most in demand makeup products of NARS which is the Orgasm blush. You know me, once I discover that something is well-loved by all, I tend to go impulse shopping. I'm trying to get rid of this impulse tendency this 2014 and I hope that I succeed with my resolution.

Anyhoo on to the review of the Orgasm blush!

Content It's a peachy gold blush with some gold glitters embedded in it. I am totally in love with the color! I really find peach shades gorgeous, and holy smokes added with the slight gold tint, this is the prettiest blush ever. I am just slightly against the glitters since I cannot wear it on a daily basis because of this. I wouldn't want people to see my cheeks always filled with glitters. It's not really obvious from afar, but the glitters are quite conspicuous when close up. 

Blush with transparent cover and mirror

Orgasm blush

Tips It would be better to wear this during evening events because of the shimmer or when there are special occasions that require a long-lasting blush. I wore this to my friend's wedding and it lasted for a good 8 hours, anything after that and there would be noticeable fading. It would be better to retouch as well to make sure that the color is still intact into the day. Just use a cheek brush to apply this as two to three swipes will really make the color come out.

Me wearing Orgasm blush here

Packaging This blush comes in NARS' classic rubberized black plastic, and it has a soft matte finish to it. It looks really sleek and elegant, but the rubberized plastic makes all sorts of dirt cling to it. Mine already has gold glitters and fingerprints all over, but I make sure to wipe it off after every use. Also store your blushes in a cool place as the rubber might get sticky over time yuck!

Front of the box

Back of the box

Front packaging

Back packaging

Price By the way, I bought this at Rustan's Glorietta for P1,550 if you're interested in purchasing as well. I really do recommend this shade as it's quite universal and would suit most skin tones. You may do a swatch of this in their store before purchasing just to be sure that it will suit you.

I would say that the Orgasm blush is really worth the hype, as I totally love how this looks on me. How about you, have you tried this or other NARS blushes?

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

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

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

Cure Natural Aqua Gel Review

Hi Gals!

I'm baaack! It's time for my review of the Cure Natural Aqua Gel from Japan. 

Cure in Beauty Bar stores

So, where did I first know of this product? I actually read about Cure from different skincare blogs. I got really really excited to buy this product immediately after I learned that this product can exfoliate skin and remove dead skin cells. 

I have some acne scars left on my cheeks because when I was in high school, I was very stubborn and did not heed the advice of my parents to not scratch off my pimples. So, I am now paying the price of having acne scars that are hard to get rid of. I have been on the lookout ever since for any product that can remove my acne scars.

After hearing that Cure is now being sold in Beauty Bar branches, I immediately set off to buy a bottle. Okay the P1,500 price tag is kind of heavy for a 250g product, but thinking that Cure may be the solution to my skincare problems, I felt that the price is very much worth it. No need to go to the dermatologist anymore that will cost hundreds and thousands of pesos every visit. See how much you will save in the long run?

Front view

Back View

Cure is said to be sold in Japan every 12 seconds! Wow, that good eh? I'm not really sure how accurate that phrase is, but if it really works that well, I'm sure customers like me will repurchase again and again.

How is Cure used anyway? You just put a pea-sized amount of product into your palm and then use your finger to rub it into your face. You will see white particles coming out as you start massaging your face. These are actually dead skin cells, and they kind of look like "libag" which is kind of gross, but actually the old skin from the upper layer of your face is being removed. The new skin is very soft and smooth like baby's skin. You can even use it on your lips, arms, neck, cuticles or anywhere you feel that you have rough and uneven skin.

Instructions on how to use

What I like about Cure is that the formula is very mild, and it doesn't hurt my skin at all. The texture is just like water, and when you rub it into your skin, it dissolves just like water and all you have to do is to keep on rubbing your skin to get the dead skin cells out. The packaging is also very simple, but quite effective as the pump is very sturdy so the product will not leak out. There is also a small stopper near the nozzle, so that you won't get to accidentally press the pump and waste the product.

See the white particles?

Stopper near the nozzle

Of course, this product should not be used everyday on the face. What I do is I use it after every 3 days. As indicated in the package, the ideal usage is twice every week and it will last about 4 months. I guess it will vary upon usage. Everyone in my family (4 of us) actually uses it, and 1/3 of the product has been used up already, and I just bought this product 1 month ago. 

The Verdict: After 1 month of continuous usage, I have observed that my acne scars have lightened considerably. They have not totally disappeared yet as the change is gradual. I should be religious in using this product, and I'm sure after a few more months the scars will totally fade away.

So, what do you gals think of my review? I hope you'll find my review useful. Do give me feedback also once you get to try out the product as well. :)

Note: This is not a sponsored post.

Ciao!

Kat <3

Wedding Makeup

Last Sunday was my cousin's wedding, and if there's a wedding, there is surely makeup involved. Who doesn't love weddings? You would get to dress up and feel all glam for a day. Of course, one of the primary concerns for us girls would be finding that perfect makeup artist who would let us feel that we are at our prettiest. Luckily for me, my friend Anna Co, is this upcoming makeup artist who has a good deal of experience in makeup and hair styling during wedding events. Why not check out Anna Co's photography portfolio, and book her for your next wedding event? I surely felt all chic and dolled up that day!

Ciao!

Kat <3