Innisfree Mineral Multiple Stick review

I am just raining Korean cosmetics these days! This makes me a bajillion times happy because they are handy items to have around especially if you're not feeling your best (personal kwento wanting to come out but will not post 'em here).

What can help you fake a rosy glow? A nice blush of course!

This is the Innisfree Mineral Multiple Stick. Its "multiple" because not only can you use it for your cheeks, it can also be used for your eyes and lips. I have to admit I haven't tried the last two ones, but I always always use it for my cheeks.

The multiple stick comes in 3 colors, #1, #2 and #3. I have the #2 shade.

I do think the #2 works best with fair skin tones while #1 and #3 for tanned girls.

I like the packaging because even though its plastic, its pretty sturdy and holds the stick (huh hahaha) well. The blush is very compact, and doesn't look like the usual mineral cosmetic.

One stroke comes out like this:

Its a bit pink on the stick but when on your skin it comes out a bit salmony. Or maybe that's my yellowish tone taking over.

Rub the product with your fingers to create a soft flush. Voila! Instant healthy looking person and not zombie-reading the night away from law school readings person!

Color can be built up pretty easily as well :)

I have to mention that Innisfree as a Korean make-up brand prides itself in using natural ingredients. So if you want to go the extra mile and ensure that the products you are using are safe, go for Innisfree!

The Innisfree Mineral Multiple Stick is available at GMarket for $9.08. I think that's a good price for so much blush in a stick!

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Holika Holika Face2Change Dial Gloss Review

If someone is going to Korea, particularly in Myeongdong, and you have no idea what to ask for (plus you like make-up or just looking pretty LOL), make them bring you home the Holika Holika Face2Change Dial Gloss. I swear you would be glad you did!

I've had this review stashed since FOREVER, and it has taken me ages to get it posted. I've been using this for more than 6 months, and it has never failed me.

The dial gloss comes in 6 shades, #1 Red, #2 Star Coral, #3 Pearly Purple, #4 Shine Pink and #5 Plum Pink. Mine is #5.

The gloss comes in a twisty stick form, one twist is enough for your lips. But I usually do 2 clicks so it has an impact on mine.

How the color looks like on my hand:

It's a gorgeous sheer pink that's suitable for all skin tones.

And...on the lips:

I love how this looks because its so clean-looking. Most glosses have an "oily" look to them, as if you've been gorging on fried chicken fat. This one is crisp and isn't sticky.

I'm not so sure on the price because this item was given to me as a gift. But there's a huuuuge Holika Holika flagship store in Myeongdong where you can buy it:

Photo taken from http://ariff83.tumblr.com/

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Hortaleza Professional Hair Coloring Cream Review: A DIY Hair Color tutorial as well!

I was desperate. I was sick and tired of my black black black hair (which I dyed because of depression? LOL) so I wanted to change it up. After a failed Revlon home color (nothing emerged), I went to HBC to try using their Hortaleza Hair Coloring Cream for a different perspective.

Here was my hair before:

What is black as night right!?!!? The dye I previously had before this coloring session had absolutely no effect on it.

And now on to the tools of the trade, you will need:
1) a plastic mixing bowl
2) Hortaleza Professional Oxidizing Lotion at 12% -- person from Hortaleza said that the lighter you want to go, get the higher number. Its available in 6%, 9% and 12%. This is peroxide I think and has AMMONIA, a word of caution to those who might have severe reactions tot his product.

3) Hortaleza Professional Coloring Cream (7.46) in Sunset Red

This hair coloring cream prevents damage to hair without the offensive odor and enriched with essential oils plus conditioners to achieve beautifully soft and long-lasting vibrant tones on hair.

3) Hortaleza Professional Hair Spa Treatment (or dollops of conditioner)

4) A fine toothed comb
5) Coloring brush
6) Lots of hair clips!!!

And of course, you have to ready your work-station, which in my case is my bathroom by layering lots of newspapers all over so that dye will not get anywhere:

To protect your clothes, grab a trash bag, cut a hole at the end and wear it over your head.

1 oxidizing lotion = 1 tube of hair coloring cream!
I poured the oxidizing lotion first into the plastic bowl. Its VERY IMPORTANT that you use plastic and NOT metal.

Next, pour out the coloring cream into the bowl:

YUMMMEEEEEH!!!^^

Then stir until everything's all mixed up:

Here's how to apply the color all over your hair:
1) I section my hair into 4 equal parts and start applying each section from the roots to the tip until each part is fully saturated with dye.
2) Upon reaching the area near the top, do not zero in on the scalp first.
3) Repeat until all sections are completely saturated. Do not skimp on the hair dye.
4) Wait for 20 minutes, then do your scalp. (I did this because my scalp already had re-growth)
5) Use a plastic cap to cover your hair so the dye doesn't go dripping down anywhere while you wait.

6) The recommended time is 30 minutes, but I did 1 hour to let the color really sink in.
7) Rinse your hair in warm water. Massage the color into you hair for a minute then rinse and rinse and rinse until the water turns clear.
8) Douse your hair with the hot oil sachet (use the whole thing) or with tons of conditioner. Rinse off.

Here's the color while waiting:

And the final result:

The hair dye couldn't just seem to work against the black.

I'm thinking of bleaching my hair at home during the Christmas break--yes that's how much I want to get red hair!!! I'm getting desperate here!

All in all though, the main difference I found between the HBC hair color from the Revlon hair color was the SMELL. HBC's had a strong smell while Revlon was very fragrant and smelled like shampoo. My hair also became coarser with HBC, but if I used Revlon, my hair is usually very soft after coloring. And finally, more color showed up when I used HBC, but didn't show up at all with Revlon.

Hortaleza Professional Hair Coloring Cream only costs P250, the Oxidizing Lotion at P90, and the Hot Oil Treatment for P20. Everything is available at any HBC store. They usually have sales!!!:D

NOTE: I went to another HBC store to get another supply of hair color but the ladies told me that the Oxidizing Lotiona at 6% is actually for coloring gray hair. You go higher the percentage if you want a lighter color.

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Tony Moly Berry Berry Magic Lip Tint 02 Review

Let me tell you some of the things I hate in make-up: I hate goopy things, lipgloss (the sticky kind), and dipping my fingers into sticky things and having to clean my finger off afterwards--and still not succeeding because the stickiness just sticks there. As you can see, I am not a big fan of lip balms or lip gloss.

But seeing the Tony Moly Berry Berry Magic Lip Tint made me rethink this make-up philosophy. I was unable to resist its nice green hue and how it "magically" changes color the moment it touches your lips! I mean, that is quite intriguing, right?

I also loved its packaging, which looks very similar to the Tony Moly Black Gel Liner but has a more round edge. Its also very affordable, and its the first product (together with 2 facial masks I forgot to make a review on) I bought in the Tony Moly Philippines branch.

The lip tint actually comes in 3 colors, namely: 01 in Strawberry, 02 in Apple Green, and 03 in Grape.

What Tony Moly says:

It is a gel typed lip tint to make lips red.

It contains of Vitamin E derivatives which Promote Blood Flow and help to have a fast metabolism.

Have a soft, moist and elastic lips!

[HOW TO USE] Coat in brush or hand slightly and pat it on your lips and spread out. After a while, your lips will be natural and cute red-colors.

 Has a hint of green apple-ish scent, nothing too overpowering though. I love how solid the gel-like lip tint is!

After putting my finger on the lip tint, immediately turns into a pinkish color!

And now on my lips:

I've seen other reviews of this product, and the color outcome is different for all lip shades. My lips are on the reddish side and this is what turns out!

By the way, the lip tint isn't as sticky as it looks. One wipe of my finger on a tissue paper is enough to remove it entirely.

I like its appearance when applied; doesn't look like I've been gorging on lechon.

This lip tint is perpetually stashed inside my bag. Whenever I feel like going out sans heavy make-up, I usually go for just mascara and this lip tint. Instant gorgeousness!^^

The Tony Moly Berry Berry Magic Lip Tint 02 is only P198.00 and is available at all Tony Moly stores located in SM!

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Majolica Majorca Trick On Powder Review

I haven't tried a new eyeshadow palette for some time, but an opportunity presented itself when the Majolica Majorca Trick On Powder was given to me as a gift for my birthday!

The palette is a wee bit smaller than your palm, but there is a lot of product in this one.

The shadows are not extremely pigmented, but color can be built by layering the shadows. I like how smooth they are when applied. I especially love the second shade from the left, because it can be used everyday. Actually the whole palette can be used everyday. Although the shadows look pretty shimmery in their cases, it only reflects a lot of light when applied.

The palette has instructions on how to apply each shadow at the back, and I did the look for my first try:

1) Apply the olive green shadow all over your lid, while leaving your inner corners bare:

2) Take the white shadow on the lower right of the palette and apply it on the inner corners of your eye. Blend the shadow with the green to blur any lines between the two shades. As you can see, the whitish shadow is a bit on the gold side. Extend the white shade to the lower inner lid.

3) Take the upper left beige shadow and apply it on your browbone as a highlight.

4) Using the applicator's narrow end, pat  the pointy tip on the black shadow.

5) Then line your waterline with the black shadow. I smudged it out for a soft look. Also apply some of the black shadow to the upper lashline, from the outside but stopping in the middle.

And now...the finished look:

I just applied 1 coat of mascara in addition to all the shadows.

Here's me wearing the palette the traditional way:

I am so sorry for the wet hair effect, clearly I just got out of the shower when I did the look.
Foundation: Hera HD Founadtion
Lips: Holika Holika Face2Change Dial Gloss
Cheeks: Innisfree Mineral Stick Blush


As you can see, the colors are pretty subtle and you don't really notice the green too much.


The Majolica Majorca Trick On Powder costs P795 and is available in most SM Department stores.

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Human Heart Nature's Natural Feminine Wash Review

After trying out several feminine washes out there (tried 3 brands so far to date, this is the fourth), I decided to grab Human Heart Nature's Natural Feminine Wash in Chamomile Fresh.

As I've said previously in other blog posts, I'm not a huge fan of "natural" products because I have this weird thought they might go bad on me, like they'll spoil or something like that. "Natural" also means more expensive!

What Human Heart Nature says:

Wouldn’t you want only the gentlest purest and most soothing care for your feminine hygiene? Halt the soap! Start using the first all-natural Feminine Wash available in the Philippines. 100% natural,pH-balanced feminine care to gently cleanse and freshen you without irritating your sensitive skin. Soothing Aloe Vera and chamomile, natural cleansing agents from coconut and sunflower, plus natural preservatives from rice and anise make this the SAFEST and GENTLEST way to care for yourself.

I really like the bottle because its easy to open while you're washing up and the bottle makes it easy to squeeze a small amount:

The feminine wash has no harsh smell, wasn't drying when I used it, and its pretty cheap for a feminine wash! A small amount also goes a long way, becomes super sudsy and the small bottle takes me awhile to finish it.

After trying this one, I now want to try other Human Heart Nature products such as their shampoo and conditioner lines!


Human Heart Nature's Natural Feminine Wash in Chamomile Fresh is available in Rustan's Fresh supermarkets or at their online store HERE for only P59.75 for the 50ml bottle and P159.75 for the 200ml bottle!

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Oils and Scrubs SPA: Perfect massage for a good good deal!

Thanks to CashCashPinoy, I found a new go-to spa in Makati whenever I want a cheaper relaxing experience! Around 2 months ago, I availed of their promo which offered a 3-in-1 Rejuvenating Pack at Oils & Scrubs Spa for only P579 (original price was P1,548)!

The package consisted of the Glutathione with Apricot Scrub, which is a "whitening body scrub is formulated with Glutathione which is popularly known to effectively whiten the skin. Regular treatment will make skin lighter while Apricot Scrub gently exfoliates;" the Honey and Oatmeal Treatment and a Body Massage.

The rooms in the spa are only divided by curtains. Before you get started, you're given disposable underwear to change into. Since the room was pretty dark, it took me around 15 minutes how to get the underwear on correctly! Embarrassing experience really, it took all my patience not to call the attendant and have her put on th underwear on me! Haha. But she was very patient with me and gave me instructions from behind the curtain on how to put it on.

It was my first time getting a body scrub as I thought it was a very expensive thing to buy--I mean I can just scrub myself down at home, right? Getting the Glutathione with Apricot Scrub was a very luxurious experience. I was scrubbed down pretty well too, from the back to the front. The Honey and Oatmeal treatment was added, just a quick rubdown of your body with the honey.

After the body scrub, they'll let you rinse yourself off in a small shower. Remember to ask for a fresh towel because the attendants seem to forget to give you one.

The massage? HEAVENLY! It was definitely around 2 hours of relaxation for under P600! So so worth it. My only complaint is that they should advise customers to put their cellphones in silent mode because you can totally here cellphones ringing off everywhere which kind of disrupts the mood inside the spa.

Oils & Scrubs also offers freebies on your birthday, which I definitely love! I do encourage every spa-holic to try it. The massages are reasonably priced and its located near most offices in Makati.


Oils & Scrubs SPA is located at Ground Floor, Gervasia Centre, Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City Philippines. For a map for the exact location, check out their website HERE.

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Etude House's Be Clear Sheet Mask Review

I know I haven't been updating for quite some time and I have tons of backlog blog posts so here I go with a ton of updates!:))

Let's start with my most favorite product of all, face masks!

Here is the Etude House Be Clear Sheet Mask. I bought it because the tea tree oil mask that Etude House has was out of stock.

What Etude House says:

It has the paper mulberry extract, which makes the skin clean and transparent, and the patented ingredient of whitening beauty expenses composite containing natural vitamins. It removes dead skin cells with dark tone and wastes effectively and supplies plentiful moisture. So, it is a whitening functional Mask Sheet which makes the skin clear and fair.

[Directions] Remove and unfold mask. Use tabs to grip and place mask on face. Leave on for 15-20 minutes. Remove mask and massage remaining essence into skin. 

Definitely sounds promising, right?

For me, no big complaints about this one. I left it on for 30 minutes so I could absorb all the stuff in the paper mask. It left my face brighter and made some of the blemishes a little lighter. No drastic changes though, you should use a mask consistently for long-term results.

Etude House Be Clear Sheet Mask is available in Etude House stores for only P65!

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A Visit to Moonleaf Tea Shop!

With the milk craze still on its high season here in Manila, its no wonder a lot of tea shops have been spurting all over the city. One particular tea shop that friends have been highly recommending is the Moon Leaf Tea Shop, which is conveniently (well, not really for me) located in Quezon City.

Like all other tea shops, Moonleaf also offers the usual milk tea with pearls. I had the Wintermelon Milk Tea (P75) (with less pearls as my preference).

I personally loved it! Very very yummy and definitely hits that milk tea craving. But it was a bit on the sweet side, I'm not sure if they have a sweetness preference scale because they didn't ask me.

Unlike other milk tea shops, they only have one size. The drinks are also a lot cheaper. When I got there, there was a long queue of students waiting to buy their milk teas! The drinks were served quickly but they don't call your name immediately. The branch in Katipunan is only a small kiosk where you order your drink from the outside. Maybe they should keep it air-conditioned because the line gets too long?

So now on my milk tea scale, here are the current players:
1st- Ersao (for being the cheapest and most satisfying, especially when you pair it with their crunchy squid and rice--suuuuhrap!)
2nd- Happy Lemon (really highest for me because I haven't tried any drink of theirs that was bad, well we'll see!)
3rd- Cha Time! (review on this next time when I bring a camera)
4th- Moonleaf
5th- Serenitea (been served by watered down milk tea whenever I order)


I do highly recommend giving this tea shop a visit!


Moonleaf Tea Shop has branches in Esteban Abada Street near Katipunan Ave., and also in Maginhawa Street in the UP Village.

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Majolica Majorca Perfect Automatic Liner Review

The search for the next perfect liquid eyeliner is on: I've been eyeing this one for quite some time because it looks similar to my HG eyeliner (the much famed Clio Kill Black which I've reviewed here). It has a brush tip and the thickness of the pen is just right. Plus its in pen form!

I have to say that when I swatched this in the store, it turned out fine which is why I still bought it. I must've not followed the instructions correctly because I can't seem to use this now. :((

What Majolica Majorca says:

Deep, dense, bold jet black! Eye line emphasized -- no smudging, no fading. BK 999.

Black base and colored pearl: Shimmering!

For all of you girls who've purchased this, remember to follow these instructions before using:

1. Before using eyeliner for the first time, pull out the pink stopper mounted between the cap and the eyeliner.

2. Press the cap firmly towards the eyeliner completely until there is no gap. (incomplete closure may result in a leak)

3. Shake well with the cap on (THIS IS WHAT I FORGOT TO DO I HATE MYSEEEELF!:(( ). Remove the cap, gently flatten the edge of the felt-type eyeliner, and turn the dial about 10 times (10 clicks) before using it. 

BEFORE EVERY SUBSEQUENT USE: Shake well with the cap on, remove the cap, and turn the dial about 1 or 2 times before using it.

*In the event of excessive fluid delivery use tissue paper or similar paper to reduce the amount of fluid.

The tip is a light brush that I didn't have trouble controlling. The liner comes out really wet so when you apply it to your lids, you have to let it dry first for a minute or two before you do any eye movements. I usually end up with streaks on my crease which is why I have my cotton buds ready at all times.

The light ones were the initial swatches I made when I rotated the dial for around two times only, it best to wipe the excess first off your hand, I think. But like I said, I opened it wrong which is why I think I'm paying the price now.

My left eye which I successfully applied the liner to.

And...my right eye which isn't quite as successful as the other one.

It takes a lot of practice to get used to using the Perfect Automatic Liner! Whew!

The Majolica Majorca Perfect Automatic Liner is available for around P800 at any SM Department store.

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