April 2018
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Like most of you, I have watched and read a handful of reviews on Nadine Lustre's much- awaited and controversial makeup collection, Lustrous. And like most of you, I've had pre-conceived notions about the product which almost drove me to conclude not to spend time acquiring and reviewing the product, but then again experience taught me to never arrive at a conclusion without trying. After all, a good Beauty Blogger will try first then review.
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'Tis the season to sweaty because it's officially summer in the Philippines! Last Wednesday, the temperature hit 41 degrees! I commuted that day and the heat was so grueling, I felt dizzy a couple of times while commuting. Good thing I had water with me! Always stay hydrated, guys, to prevent heat stroke and dehydration!

It's also the season to be oily; I don't know 'bout you, but my skin's so oily lately that's why I've been abusing my clay masks!

Here are 5 of my favorite clay masks that are effective in removing extra oil from your face!

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The Balm Meet Matte Hughes Long- Lasting Liquid Lipstick.

PRICE: P1,195.00
FROM: Free
OTHER LOCATIONS: Available in Beauty Bar stores

THE VERDICT:

Oh, don't you ever wish that some men are like lipstick: dependable, trustworthy, loyal, gentle, and will stick with you no matter what. #Hugot LOL.

Look no further because the man of your dreams is here...or shall I say, lipstick of your dreams.

I recently tried The Balm Meet Matte Hughes, one of the popular liquid matte lipsticks; I've been seeing a lot of swatches, reviews, and inquiries about this product. Now it's one of my liquid lipstick faves!
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Last day of the week and just two weeks closer to TBJ 9th Mega Anniversary! I'm so excited and I just can't hide it! LOL! :D

Today's quite a busy day for me, but of course, I can't leave you today without your daily dose of Fan Mail Fridays. Question is from Mina:

Hi Ms. Martha,

I follow you on Instagram because I realized we have the same skin tone so most of your favorites, I check out or buy.
I'm into highlighters lately and I'm wondering if you can give me a list of highlighters that are perfect for our skin tone? I'm planning to buy a new highlighter when I hit the mall and a list from you will help. Thanks a lot!
Mina

Hi Mina!

Cheers, fellow morena!

Morenas like us will benefit from highlighters with champagne, gold, and rose gold hues. Here are some of my favorites that I use on rotation, from affordable to expensive ones!

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Summer is sizzling with the hottest celebrity and makeup collaborations here and abroad, a cute pop culture icon becomes the face of a popular Korean brand, Benefit adds another gorgeous blush to the cult favorite Box O' Powder collection, and a crowd favorite setting powder is released in another super cute packaging!
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Yesterday, I attended a get- together with the team behind good ol' Kiehl's Philippines. Long time readers of my blog will know that Kiehl's is one of my staple skin care brands just because everything I try from the brand fits my skin! It's true-you really find a brand that will perfectly suit your skin and I found mine in Kiehl's.

We got acquainted with Kiehl's Power Serums, 6 of their best- selling serums that are perfect for any Kiehl's regimen or can be used in conjunction with other skin care products. Get to know the 6 mighty serums and find out which one is best for you!

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Colourette Face Gloss review.

PRICE: P799.00
FROM: Free
OTHER LOCATIONS: Available at Colourette's official website and pop- up stores

THE VERDICT:

Face Gloss is one of the trendiest makeup products of today and Colourette is quick to jump on the trend by releasing their own; but this is not a liquid/jelly highlighter; it's powder! Colourette Face Gloss is the final touch to your makeup, giving you customizable glow from natural to fabulous!
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Perfumes are always aspirational; they're always patterned either after a persona, a celebrity, or a certain disposition in life. While it's great to be promised these aspirations that will bring out the best in you, take you on a different level, and put you in a different light, sometimes, you just want a scent that simply describes YOU; all your sensibilities, your passions, and all things that are essential to you.

I believe we are now in a time where beauty is becoming more and more personal, hence niche brands with curated offerings and sans heavy tones of commercialism are on the rise like Commodity, a luxury lifestyle beauty brand that's apparently taking Sephora by storm since its launch in 2015.
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Kanebo Luster Cream Foundation Ochre 5 and Intense Crayon Rouge 06 Stylish Bordeaux review.

PRICE: Foundation- P7,200.00; Intense Crayon Rouge- P3,000+
FROM: Free
OTHER LOCATIONS: Available in all Rustans department stores

THE VERDICT:

After trying out these precious makeup items from Kanebo, I learned two things:

1. Kanebo is a luxury Japanese beauty brand (Yeah, just found out about this lately)
2. Kanebo Luster Cream Foundation is seriously expensive, but seriously good.

I'll be honest with you; I freaked out when I learned about the SRP of the foundation and immediately had reservations about it, but when I tried it, I realized that cream foundation can indeed be soft, luminous, and skin like while still retaining its precious full coverage!

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It all started with the photo of a girl trying out bubble mask that I saw on the Internet. And then I wondered, "what are the weirdest beauty masks I can find on the Internet?" And then the search began.

Here are five of the weirdest beauty masks I've seen!

Photo credit: trendr.dk

1. BUBBLE MASKS

- The most hilarious mask I've seen to date! Bubble Masks use the concept of oxygenation where pockets within the bubble trap air and fusing it back into your skin to supposedly help circulation. I'd love to put this mask on on a drunk night with friends and for sure, we'll be laughing non- stop!

P.S. It's now your chance to become a marshmallow!

Photo credit: pinterest.com

2. BUTT MASK

- I've been seeing Butt Masks all around my insta these past few weeks. Is this a thing or is a brand trying to make it a thing? I don't know. I'm at odds with the product. Not really sure if there's a need for it, unless I decide to walk butt- naked down the street at least three times a week.

Photo credit: douglas.co

3. GLITTER MASK

- I love Glamglow; they have amazing masks, but tbh, this looks a little too excessive..for the environment. Glitter mask is cute, instaworthy, and makes you feel like a star, but I definitely won't feel good knowing that the glitters get washed down into the ocean and are eventually swallowed by marine life. Because whatever goes into the ocean, goes back to you. To be perfectly blunt, if edible fishes swallow these glitters, you're highly likely to swallow them too.

But if these are made from proven food grade, safe-for-ingestion, ocean- friendly material, then let the party begin.

Photo credit: puretechnol.com

4. MAGNET MASK

- The mask that left me asking so many questions. What's this thing for? Does it really pull out lodged oil and daily crap out of your pores? Does it contain metal and if yes, what are the implications of metal applied directly to your skin? Can it pull out negative people from your life too? Why the F is it so expensive?

Magnetic Mud Masks are becoming a thing nowadays. Madonna's pilot product in her first beauty brand is...yup, you guessed it; a $600 magnetic mud mask (WTF!). Apparently, magnetic mud masks help encourage cell turnover, lift the skin by inducing collagen production, and makes the skin appear visibly plump instantly. Sounds like what my 200-peso mud mask can do! LOL!

Magnetic healing is not new in the wellness field; it's being used in some medical procedures such as closing wounds, for example; nowadays, it's being explored in the realm of anti-aging skin care. However, there are not enough studies to back up the claims of various magnetic mask brands. Also, there are not enough studies conducted on a lot of ladies who can back up an astronomically- priced mud mask purchase right now.

But still, just for the fun of it, I want to try Magnetic Mud Masks and I won't say no if someone gives me one!

Photo credit: cosmic.com

5. LAUGH LINE MASK

- A Korean beauty creation. One brand that stands out is Tony Moly Mr. Smile Patch; I'm pretty sure there are other Korean brands out there that have come out with the same thing too.

I get it, laugh lines are not a laughing matter as overtime, pronounced LLs can make skin look dull, sagging, and tired. The laugh line mask is supposed to help stall this phenomenon, but I seriously think that you can do away with a regular sheet mask because it reaches that portion too, plus you can always slather creams on those parts anytime, any day. Do nature a favor and cut down mask usage by sticking to the good ol' sheet mask.

Have you tried any of these masks? What are your thoughts?

Join my biggest anniversary giveaway and party of the year! TBJ 9th Mega Anniversary. 60 guests. Amazing talks and workshops. P4,000-P6,000 worth of beauty bags for each guest.Click HERE to join now!
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Jordana Glow N Go and Sculpt N Go review.

PRICE: Around P400.00 each
FROM: Free
OTHER LOCATION: Available in SM department stores

THE VERDICT:

There are days when you want to shine bright like a diamond with the namesake Rihanna song on repeat in your head and be sculpted like a Kardashian, and there are days when you just want that low key sculpt and glow. For the latter days, there's a product I would suggest and it's Jordana Sculpt N Go and Glow N Go. Aside from giving you that natural sculpt and glow, these creamy, easy sticks can be used to touch up too!
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THE VERDICT:

Last year, Ever Bilena came out with a big range of matte liquid lipsticks, an answer to the rising liquid lipstick trend. There aren't a lot of good and affordable liquid lipsticks around, But Ever Bilena changed the game with Matte Liquid Lipstick. If you want your P195.00 to go a long way in makeup, you gotta try these!
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Oh hey! I did not realize that my two blog posts are related today! :D The previous one is a good foundation for teens that I discovered and today, I'll share drugstore makeup brands that are fun, affordable, and totally teen- friendly! Thanks Lady for the question!

Hi Ms. Martha,
I'm Lady, 16 years old, and a huge lover of makeup. I'm currently building my makeup kit and I'm wondering if you can suggest makeup brands that are affordable for teens like me. I also want the colors and packaging to be fun. Thanks for your advice! I love your Instagram feed! #goals!
Lady



Hey Lady!

Thank you for writing! And thanks also for appreciating my Instagram content! Without further ado, let me list down five affordable beauty brands that you can easily access in drugstores (or department stores) that fit you criteria for makeup: fun and affordable. I personally use their brands too for the same reason!
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Jordana Oil- Free Creamy Liquid Foundation 04 Tan.

PRICE: Around P400.00+
FROM: Free
OTHER LOCATIONS: Available in SM department stores

THE VERDICT:

With its price point, trendy shades, and generally basic makeup range, I think Jordana is one of the best starter makeup brands for teenage girls who are starting to explore makeup application.

I recently received Jordana Oil- Free Creamy Liquid Foundation (this will be part of the giveaways at TBJ 9th Mega Anniversary!), a light, straightforward foundation with a teen skin- friendly finish and price point!
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It is no secret that one of the best ways to measure personal success in fitness is through tracking; before, fitness enthusiasts and health buffs (including myself) would record progress the good ol' fashioned way by either writing on a journal or logging in updates onto a mobile app. But with the outdated method of notebooks and the fact that smartphones are getting bigger and bigger, not to mention there's the human factor of forgetfulness, how do you track your fitness progress effectively and efficiently? I think this need for efficient tracking gave rise to wearables.

Wearables Technology is a fairly new technology and a rising one, and one of its biggest entry points is the industry of fitness and health. As more and more people are becoming health- conscious and sophisticated with their choice of technology, I believe Wearables will become the new frontier in health monitoring; the future of Wearables is indeed looking healthy.

Fitbit is one of the leading wearable device brands in the world and I recently received Fitbit Alta HR. I've been using it for nearly a month with all honesty, I could say that this is what made me love tracking my fitness progress again, plus the Sleep Monitoring feature is legit!
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While browsing Facebook, I saw the #LookGoodFeelGreat campaign video by Watsons featuring people who talked about what they loved about their life; they mentioned everything they loved about their careers and possessions, but had a hard time answering the very simple question "What do you love about yourself?"

I found myself asking the same question too and then came the painful realization that even if people say a lot of good things about me, most of the time, I'm really having a hard time realizing what I love about myself.
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I love me some lip balms just because I have perpetually dry lips. A lip balm is an important part of my daily beauty routine because during the day, I use it to prep my lips before matte lipstick application and at night, I use it to keep my lips from turning into crackland due to cold temperature.

Call me a lip balm guru, will ya'. Because I have literally tried A LOT of lip balms already. So here's a handy list of lip balms that were tried and tested by yours truly, are super moisturizing, perfect for protecting your lips from the sun's moisture- sucking powers, and best of all, they're below P400!
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Are you looking to update your summer skin care and makeup stash? Here are some fresh pieces that landed on my doorstep and right away, I knew instantly that these will be part of your must- buy list!

Beach Hut, a cool, modern sunscreen brand has you covered the entire summer; from skin, hair, pre- sun care, post- sun care, and even out of this world sunscreen, there's one in Beach Hut!

Beach Hut Max SPF 100++ Clear Spray (P549.00)- maximum, very (very!) high protection in clear spray format that sets easily and instantly.

Beach Hut Hair and Scalp Spray SPF 20 (80ml- P299; 140ml- P349.00)- protect and keeps hair from drying from exposure in chlorine water, sea air, and saltwater.

Beach Hut Max 100+ Sunblock (P499.00)- a light, non- sticky lotion made with micronized zinc oxide and very high SPF protection.

Beach Hut Face Sunscreen SPF 65 (P419.00)- a sheer, light cream that's suitable for sensitive skin and claims that it won't sting the eyes. 

Beach Hut After Sun Gel (P249.00)- with D-Panthenol that soothes, cools, and protects skin from over drying after sun exposure.

Beach Hut Surfer's Block (P399.00)- a fun way to protect your skin! Surfer's Block comes in nude light, nude dark, hot pink, and sea blue that you can use to cover your nose and protect the corners of your face.

You can order Beach Hut through Lazada and Zalora; it is also available in leading department stores, drugstores, and supermarkets. Visit BEACH HUT SUNBLOCK on Facebook for more information about these products.

Colourette unveils the summer newest babies to join their ever growing makeup range:

Face Gloss (P799.00)- ultra fine, pressed highlighting powder pigment in three trendy shades: Northern Beam (light gold), Purple Haze (icy lavender), and Dream Quartz (light bronze).

Lush Lips (P349.00)- buttery, moisturizing satin lipstick with Vitamin E and Shea Butter. Comes in five luscious shades.

There's also a new shade for Liclacquer Liquid Matte Lipstick called Miranda, a garnet red shade.

Visit COLOURETTE COSMETICS on Facebook for more information about these new products.

Gloss is the new lipstick and go crazy with colors with Careline Extra Shine Lip Gloss. 12 shades of sweet, sexy, fun colors in a high shine, moisturizing finish.

Don't like wearing anything on your lips except moisture? Grab Careline's lip balms (P60.00) that come in summery, fruity scents.

Play your pout with Liquid Lippie (P125.00) for an intense dose of color or Magic Lipstick (P75.00) for a hint of tint.

Careline is available in leading department stores, drugstores, supermarkets, and online at careline.com.ph.

Visit CARELINE COSMETICS on Facebook for more information about these products.

For post- sun care, even a good ol' lotion can do the trick. Be sure to go for a mild, highly moisturizing and hydrating product like Jergens Hydrating Coconut and Soothing Aloe lotions. Coconut is highly hydrating while Aloe is highly soothing.

Jergens is available in leading drugstores, department stores, and drugstores.

Visit JERGENS PHILIPPINES on Facebook for more details about this product.
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Sleek Matte Me Lipstick Browns (NEW) review.

PRICE: P450.00
FROM: Free
OTHER LOCATIONS: Available in SM department stores

THE VERDICT:

Coachella, one of the biggest music festivals of the year has concluded this weekend. It's a dream destination for a lot of people. I won't say that it's my dream to attend a Coachella event, but if I were given a chance, why not!?

If by some sort of magical luck, I was able to attend this year's Coachella, I would have worn a vintage brown lipstick; something chocolate-y and dark, like Sleek Makeup's new collection of brown liquid lipsticks! Best part is there's one for each common skin type!

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Lucas Papaw- a 100- year old all- around salve that's a staple in Australia's households; it has had a resurgence and people are super curious about this product, making it one of the IT beauty products as of late. I encountered Lucas Papaw in 2012 and have been using it ever since. Every chance I get to replenish my Lucas Papaw stocks, I grab because this stuff is legit. I love using it on my insect bites and works well in soothing my lips whenever I get cold sores.

A couple of weeks ago, I got this email from Koji:

Hi,
I would like to know if the original Lucas Papaw cream still has this triangular seal? I would appreciate if you could answer this. There's a lot of fake Lucas Papaw in the market today.
Koji



Hi Koji!

Thanks for writing and OMG! I did not know that Lucas Papaw is being duped heavily nowadays! Ah, the price a brand has to pay when they get really famous! :(

After reading your email, I went immediately to Lucas Papaw's official website and this official statement confirmed that indeed, their proprietary product is being counterfeited. Read the statement HERE.

So why should you worry if your Lucas Papaw is fake or authentic?
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Wunder2 Wunderbrow Brow Gel and D-Fine in Black/Brown review.

PRICE: Brow Gel and D-Fine- P1,600.00
FROM: Free
OTHER LOCATIONS: Available at Wunder2 Philippines Official website

THE VERDICT:

Wunderbrow is one of those beauty products that spread like wildfire on the Internet. Left and right, videos, testimonials, tutorials, and blog posts about Wunderbrow kept on sprouting like mushrooms sometime around 2-3 years ago. Just last year, the brand has finally reached the Philippines. The product is Wunderbrow, but the brand that owns it is called Wunder2.

I was able to try out the famous Wunderbrow Brow Gel and also one of their eyebrow products, Wunderbrow D-Fine.

Indeed, the hype on Wunderbrow Brow Gel is real and more than the staying power, I'm smitten by its finish!

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Hey guys! I'm doing a talk on how to turn your passion into profit this Saturday, April 14, 2018, at Blogopolis 2018 in Dusit Thani, Makati City. I'm doing this to give back not only to Nuffnang, one of the first companies who trusted in my skills, but also to the new generation of Bloggers who are keeping the flame of Blogging alive (despite some people saying that it's dead!). Tickets are at P500.00 each. I hope to see you there!

Today, let me share with you my beauty favorites for March 2018.
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BLK K-Beauty Collection review.

PRICE: Listed within the blog post
FROM: FREE
OTHER LOCATIONS: Available in SM Department Stores

THE VERDICT:

I already did videos for this collection, one on my Facebook fan page and one on my Youtube channel; if you're more of a video person, go ahead and watch them. :)

In this blog post, I'll write my final verdict on this collection. Read on find out which item from BLK Cosmetics K-Beauty collection is worth buying and worth passing up on.

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Revlon Colorstay Brow Crayon Dark Brown and Brow Pencil Dark Brown.

PRICE: Brow Crayon- P375.00; Brow Pencil- P575.00
FROM: Free
OTHER LOCATIONS: Available in leading department stores, supermarkets, and drugstores

THE VERDICT:

I haven't tried a bunch of Revlon brow products so this should be interesting. I received two of Revlon's brow products, Colorstay Brow Pencil and Brow Crayon, both that a lot claim to be long- lasting. I tried them to find out.

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Colourette Colourtint review.

PRICE:
FROM: Free
OTHER LOCATIONS: Available through Colourette distributors; Colourette stalls in malls; Colourette online

THE VERDICT:

You all know that Colourette Colourtint is my favorite cheek tint because of its lasting power, pigmentation, and the fact that it's perfect for use on top of my makeup, my favorite method of cheek tint application. I have here a couple of best- selling Colourtints to swatch for your today!
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Chihuahua Cosmetics review.

PRICE: Lipstick- P159.00; Blush- P259.00; Eyebrow Pencil- P129.00; Eye Pencil- P129.00; Kabuki Brush- P239.00
FROM: Free
OTHER LOCATIONS: Available online; Eastwood Mall

THE VERDICT:


Full- sized products are great, but the problem is they take a while to empty. There are so many interesting beauty products that come out almost every month that we'd love to try, but buying a new one without merely putting a dent on the other seems quite impractical. This problem is real especially for makeup lovers!

Chihuahua Cosmetics, a new local beauty brand is changing the game with bite- sized makeup that you can finish faster than regular- sized makeup so you can move on faster to a new product; it's makeup that's half the size and half the price!
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L'Oreal Pure Clay Mask Detoxify and Anti-Pores review.

PRICE: P399.00
FROM: Free
OTHER LOCATIONS: Available in all leading department stores and drugstores

THE VERDICT:

It's quite refreshing to have a collection of the good ol' clay mask in this era of sleeping masks and sheet masks. I mean, the latter, they're great, but for oily- skinned gals living in the tropics, clay mask is literally a best friend.

L'Oreal Pure Clay Masks is your new best friend if you have oily skin with the usual concerns to take care of like enlarged pores and blemishes. It's also very concentrated and it works that I can't believe it's P399 only!
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Back then, they were simply either White Flower, Vicks Vapor Rub, or Tiger Balm for our moms, aunts, and grandmothers. Now, they're called Wellness oils.

Before wellness oil were cool, I have been an avid user of it; I sometimes dab some on my wrist or sniff them right off the container. I simply loved them. I have the same love for fragrant essential oils as perfumes because even as a young girl, I loved anything that smelled good. What I love more about wellness oils is that more than the average inhaler or mentholated rubs, you have the freedom to mix and match them to your heart's content so you can customize a blend that addresses your needs plus you get to take advantage of the bevy of benefits these oils bring in one go.
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When I'm beginning to sweat profusely, to me, that could only mean summer is here haha! Seriously, I get extra sweaty when it's summer!

Most of you will surely be traveling this time of the year. Have fun, but don't neglect your skin! Here are some beauty products, both classic and new, that I recommend you take with you to your trips and use to keep your skin protected and healthy no matter where you go!

Traveling, though fun, can be a source of sleepless days and nights running around catching tours and flights, plus stress, UV rays, and environmental pollution, all of which can cause skin to turn dull, look tired, and develop spots.

One of my favorite Kiehl's line, Dermatologist Solution, clearly has a solution for this through Clearly Corrective skin care range.
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I got some few questions for you:

1. Are you more of a coffee shop person now than a bar person?
2. Do you find yourself eating more and more at Mary Grace and enjoying the vibe of the place?
3. Is your outfit becoming more and more baggy, loose, comfortable, and minimalist?
4. Do you find yourself attending more and more baptism parties and kiddie parties?
5. Most of all, are you in your late 20s or 30s?
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K Palette 1 Day Tattoo Lasting Lip Tint Stick Review.

PRICE: P795.00
FROM: Free
OTHER LOCATIONS: Available in Beauty Bar, SM department stores, Watsons, Landmark, Metro department stores, and Zalora

THE VERDICT:

I love lip and cheek tints, but my problem with most products is it's shared by the lips and cheeks, which means whatever dirt is on your cheeks goes onto your lips (not to mention saliva) and vice versa. Lip and cheek tints are great, but definitely not the most hygienic makeup product. Call me meticulous, but I use separate tints for my lips and cheeks, and would only resort to using it on both facial parts if product's in a tube or I really have no choice.

At long last, a solution to my hygiene problems! K Palette came out with another product for the popular 1 Day Tattoo range, which is a lip tint! For neat freak, tint lovers like me, this is godsend!
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Sunscreens that are only meant to shield UV rays are now becoming a thing of the past as brands veer towards innovating an essential classic, giving it more benefits to eliminate the need for using additional products. Enter beauty sunscreens.

I think the concept of beauty sunscreens came to light because I believe more and more women are looking for ways to cut down on product usage in order to shorten their preparation time and minimize environmental footprint; and here we are!

Here are some of the beauty sunscreens I've used and will recommend; I'll share not only their SPF level, but also the beauty benefits you can get from them.
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