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    Beauty, Reviews

    Bench Fix Salon by Alex Carbonell

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    I had the opportunity to let Mr. Alex Carbonell touch my hair back when I was in high school. I remember fondly how the whole experience was a stress-free experience.

    I’ve had my fair share of bad haircuts which is why I think I always get anxious when I get a haircut. I guess it’s because I often get attached to my hair and I always say that I’ll be embracing change right before I get the haircut. But I almost always feel bad right after my haircuts. *yikes*

    I considered some salons for my new haircut and color because I honestly could not recall the last time I had my hair cut. I remember Sir Alex asking me if I wanted to get a dye job then but I had virgin hair then so I refused the offer. Now that I’m all grown up and addicted to getting my hair colored, I decided that maybe it was time to revisit Bench Fix by Alex Carbonell salon. I did my research as always and found out that sir Alex is an expert in doing makeovers and hair coloring as well. At the end of my research, I knew that going with sir Alex was a fool proof way to make sure my hair would be in good hands.

    A strong sense of familiarity hit me as I entered their branch in Greenbelt 5. Everything looked the same except for some minor changes in the colors of the interiors. I was led to my chair and after a few minutes, Sir Alex sat on the chair beside me as if we were girlfriends and asked me about my concerns. Despite that fact that he’s made a name for himself in the beauty industry, he made me feel so comfortable talking to him. I told him some of my concerns. His first comment about my hair was that it was a bit to “warm”. He suggested that I could “cool” it down with a “matte” hair color with a dark blonde/light bron shade. He then showed me some examples and I immediately agreed.

    After he cut my hair, I kind of got stunned at the sight of my new bangs. I did say earlier that I have some attachment issues to my hair so I asked about his thoughts and just having my hair color retouched. That way, I could keep a part of my old hair. He thought that it wasn’t a bad idea so he instructed his junior stylist to mix the colors for me. I had a total of three people who worked on my hair. Sir Alex for the haircut, his junior stylist for my color, and a shampoo-ist (haha i don’t know what the right term is).

    What I Love:

    The whole experience was really relaxing and at one point, I was falling alseep and my head kept on moving so my stylist offered me ice coffee. haha! The shampoo-ist massaged my hair for quite sometime while she was rinsing it.  I also love how they only charged me for the hair coloring service despite the fact that they had to mix some colors to get my shade right. Sir alex went back to me after my hair was rinsed and my hair was blow dried and inspected everything. I also like how professional everyone was in the salon. The stylist assigned to me ligned up some products in front of me but never pushed me to buy any of them. I looked to the customer beside and noticed that the stylist only told her about the hair products when she asked the stylist about them. I really admire their system because no one likes to be pushed to spend tons of money on hair products. I LOVE how my hair looked so much healthier and vibrant after the cut and color. Sir Alex even said that I looked liked I had highlights and I agree!

    What I don’t like:

    This isn’t something that I hated but I always enjoy reading the latest fashion magazines in salons and I wish they had more magazine selections to keep customers occupied while waiting for their treatments. :)

    Before and After

    huhu i super dread this photo because I look DEAD but I was too shy to ask for retakes. <//3

    The stylist offered to curl my hair and I gladly accepted. :)

    selfie at home. hehe.

    after my hair settled down. :)

    Final thoughts and Recommendations

    My blog followers might have noticed that I wrote this review differently than how I normally write my reviews. However, I felt like writing my whole experience in a narrative style of writing so that I could adequately describe my whole experience. I really enjoyed my entire experience and of course, I loved the outcome of my look. Aside from skill, I value professionalism and I feel like I saw both in all the people who handled my hair that day. The whole vibe of the salon is cleans and refreshing to the eyes too. :) I spent PHP1,200 for the hair cut and around 2,800 for the retouching of my hair color. Their services are bit on the pricey side but I feel like the outcome was worth every peso. I recommend the salon to people who want to make sure that their hair is in good hands. :)

     

    Studio Fix Salon by Alex Carbonell

    Level 4, Greenbelt 5
    +632 5013062 / +632 501 3064 / mobile +639275767698

     

    xoxo,

     

     

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    Beauty, Reviews

    Review: Karadium Lipstick Review

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    Hi guys!

    I’m so excited to write this post because today I’m going to share with you my latest lipstick discovery! Those who have been following my blog know that I kind of have a lipstick obsession! I just feel like a girl can’t have enough lipsticks!

    I found out that one of my class mates in MUD (make-up designory Manila) distributes various korean cosmetics in Cebu. She carries the brands Karadium and Ddung for her lipsticks. I haven’t heard of both of those brands so I purchased 1 shade from each brand. She described Karadium lipsticks to be super luxurious lipsticks. Ddung, on the other hand, would be a good choice if you’re looking for fun and youthful shades.

     Packaging

    I’m not so sure about the actual design of the drawing and logo on the lipstick case but I like how the lipstick is enclosed in a smooth casing. I’m not entirely sure if the casing is made out of plastic. It reminds me of metal but it’s probably be made out of high quality plastic. The bottom line is the casing seems strong and sturdy. I also like that I can use the case as mirror because I can see my reflection on the case quite clearly. This is perfect especially when I’m on the go and I have no mirror with me.

    What I Love:

     I think it’s quite obvious how much I like my pink lipsticks! I’m so happy to have added another pink lippie in my collection. I chose this shade because it looks like a plum-my pink and I don’t think I have a shade similar to this yet.

    I got the shade in 206.

    My friend said that these lipstick feel extremely luxurious on the lips and TRUE ENOUGH, they DO feel sooo luxurious on my lips! The apply like butter on my lips and they are incredibly moisturizing. The lipstick also has an excellent color pay off. This lipstick feels like a lipstick AND lipgloss in one product!

    What I don’t like:

    There isn’t much to dislike about this product. I just think that it could have a better print design on the lipstick case. The product itself deserves a nicer packaging. :)

    When worn:

    emote kung emote. CAN YOU SEE HOW SHINY MY LIPS LOOK?! I didn’t even put any lipgloss on!! THIS STUFF IS AMAAAZING.

    Final Thoughts:

    I was surprised that I did not see a lot of write-ups about Karadium products when I checked it out in the internet because this product is really worth knowing. :) It costs less than 500 pesos but its performance is up to par with some high-end lipsticks that I know of. I really love this lippie and I’ll probably buy more of this in different shades in the future. :) This is soo perfect for me because I have dry lips. We’re a match made in heaven! <3 You may purchase this lippie here!

    xoxo,

     

     

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    Beauty, Reviews

    Revlon Photoready Cream Blush

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    For some reason, I don’t own a lot of cream blushes. I’ve been wanting to buy the cream blush from MUF but I had a hard time using it when I swatched it because I didn’t know that you need a really small amount of product to make the product work. I’ll probably give it another try and purchase it some time! I was in the states when I purchased this Revlon cream blush influshed rougissant 200 and the bright pink color just caught my eye. I wasn’t able to hear a lot of reviews about this and bought it out of a whim.

    What I Love:

    There’s a decent amount of product in the pot and you need only a few product to get a nice color pay-off. The packaging seems sturdy and not prone to breakage. The blush gave me a nice natural flush and it reminded me of the flush that I normally get from cheek tints. The colors isn’t as scary as it look from the pot because the color from the pot gets toned down after application.

    What I don’t like:

    The packaging isn’t very sanitary because it come in a pot. Also, the formula of the blush isn’t as creamy as I would want it to be. The fact that the shade gets toned down after application could also be a bit of a downside for me because the pigmentation and color pay-off could use more intensity.

    On Me:

    *sorry for the million selfies heheeh

    Final Thoughts and Recommendations

    • you may use your fingers or a stipling brush to apply this on the temples of your cheeks
    • be sure to blend carefully
    • this could work both for women with fair skin and women who are tan

    Overall, this blush isn’t a total waste of money. I really like how it shows up on my skin but it can work on some improvements such as it’s formulation and pigmentation. I’d still use it everyday though because it gives me really nice rosy cheeks. :)

    xoxo,

     

     

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    Beauty, Reviews

    Review: Fuwarie Styling Mist

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    I’ve never been the type of girl to do a lot of things with my hair. I don’t really know how to curl my hair using a curling iron so I just flat iron my hair. I flat iron my hair a lot which is why I was so happy when I read about the Fuwarie Styling Mist in various beauty blogs all over the web. I was in Hong Kong when my eyes laid on the actual product. I found out that it was cheaper (around php350) than the ones being sold here for around php450. I don’t curl my hair so I only bought the mist for straightening the hair and the mist for helping the hair curve inwards.

    Product:

    It’s supposed to set the hair and keep it straight. It has amino acid which is supposed to repair the hair cuticles to produce shinier hair. IT protects hair from UV rays and has a fruity scent.

    What I Like:

    • it comes in a cute spray bottle
    • a nice amount of product comes out from the nozzle
    • the scent of the product is not bad; it does not bother my nose at all
    • the product does not feel tacky ir heavy after I ironed my hair
    • my iron did not “sizzle” when I used it on my hair after I sprayed the product (this makes me feel like my hair is protected haha)
    • made my hair straighter than usual
    • made my hair shiny

    What I don’t like: 

    • none really. :)
    my hair with nothing on it
    inward curl mist on the left, straightening mist on the right 
    Final Thoughts

    I really like this styling mist. I don’t think there’s much of a difference in the results that were produced by the straightening mist and the inward curl mist though. If you like to straighten your hair, you’re good with either of these. They sold cheaper in HK but PHP450 from the Beauty BAr is a good deal as well if you aren’t going to HK anytime soon. :)

     

     

     

     

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    Beauty, Reviews

    Review: MAC Archie’s Girls Collection Daddy’s Little Girl

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    I always try my best to purchase at least one item from every MAC collection. I’ve started following the MAC collections when the MAC Hey Sailor collection came out last year. I can’t say that I was a die hard fan of Archie Comics when I was younger. However, I knew that I wanted to get my hands on the MAC Archie’s Girls collection the moment I found out about it just because I’ve grown fond of collecting MAC lippies in special packaging. They add such a nice splash of color to my lippie collection! :)


    I’d just like to share how I was able to buy this lipstick! I found out that it was launching in Shang-Rila Plaza Mall last Saturday from my friend, Kate of MAC Trinoma. I’m always late when it comes to collection launches so I made sure to do everything right for this collection! know how MAC fanatics in the Philippines can get. Ideally, every time a collection is launched, MAC fanatics have to line up right when to store opens to get a number and RESERVE their items. They then have to wait until the after the formal launch in the afternoon to be able to purchase and bring home their items.  I had class in the morning so I couldn’t reserve my items myself.  So, my loving mother agreed to let one of her employees reserve my items for me. I went to shangrila plaza at 8am (right before me class) just to give our employee instructions and he waited for almost 2 hours for the mall to open. He was 12th in line despite the fact that he already waited for the mall to open. HAHA

    Product

    MAC Daddy’s little girl is a purplish fuschia pink lipstick. It has blue undertones and has a satin finish. And yes, it is limited edition.

    What I Love:

    This product has a very creamy texture and applies like a dream! I also really like the shade because this is the first pink lipstick that I have in the purple/magenta family. The pigmentation is also very good. I get to apply a nice amount of product on my lips even with just one swipe. It has a nice wearing time too; it stayed on my lips for around 5 hours. It comes i with mac signature scent: a faint scent of vanilla. :)

    What I don’t like:

    NONEE. I really like this lipstick!!

    Final Thoughts

    This lipstick is a treat to have in my collection. It’s also perfect for the summer/spring season! It’s time to let the wine and Burgundy shades take a backseat and let the pinks and fuchsias run the show! this shade might be sold out now but I recommend that you get one if you still can. If you don’t have a similar shade yet and if you want to try something bold and bright, then this lippie is for you. <3

    gorgeous color~~~

    What did you haul from the collection? :) Let me know in the comments below!! :)

    xoxo,

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    Beauty, Reviews, Tips

    Review: MAC Archie’s Girls Collection Ronnie Red

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    When I found out about the MAC Archie’s Collection, I knew right away that I wanted to get my hands on some of the pieces! I wanted to secure a product or two from the collection even more when I read Temptalia’s review on the lipsticks from the collection. I  ended up loving the products from Veronica’s line more than then products from Betty’s line which is why I purchased two lippies from Veronica’s line: Ronnie Red and Daddy’s little girl. Both lipsticks have different finishes so I chose to review each separately.


    I just wanna share how I was able to get my little brother to sponsor my newest acquisitions! HAHA! So my brother’s currently graduating and it’s a pre-requisite for all the seniors in his high school to accomplish a mini thesis paper worth 15-20 pages without the table of contents and bibliography. He was preparing his powerpoint the night before his defense while I was trying to study for my pol sci finals. He started bugging me to help him prettify his powerpoint (cuz I make fabulous powerpoints) and I told him I couldn’t help him because I was busy studying for my finals. He knew that I’ve been obsessing over the MAC Archie’s Girls collection lipsticks so he suddenly offered to buy the lipsticks for me (he’s filthy richer than me because he’s crazy frugal) ! He was like dangling a bone in front of a hungry dog. Being the makeup addict that I am, I jumped on the offer and gladly fixed his powerpoint and decided to study for my finals right before my exam. HA HA.

    Anyway, enough about that. Let’s talk about my newest one true love!!!

    Product

    I would consider this lipstick a true red lipstick that has a touch of pink to it. It also has blue undertones which helps make your teeth look whiter. It comes in a limited edition packaging which is a shiny white case with veronica’s face on it.

    What I love:

    I still can’t decide if I fancy the fact that the lipstick has Veronica’s face on it but I do like collecting products with limited edition packaging so I guess that’s good. I really like the shade because even if the lipstick has a pink tone to it, it’s still dominantly red. The formulation is also amazing because of it has excellent pigmentation and it’s not drying at all, considering that it has a matte finish. I can’t bring myself to purchase the classic reds from MAC such as Ruby Woo and Russian Red because they both look so drying and I have really dry lips. It also has an incredibly long wearing power. It left a stain on my lips even after I tried wiping it off with my makeup remover.

    What I don’t like:

    none!

    Recommendations

    I really like this lipstick! I recommend this to those who have cool-toned skin. To find out if you’re cool toned, look at your veins on your upper arm. If your veins are bluish, you’re cool-toned. If they are greenish, you are on the warmer side. I also recommend this to those who have really dry lips! If you have Dry lips then this is the red for you! :) However, this is a bit similar to the MAC Marilyn Monroe collection’s Charmed I’m Sure. I already have Charmed I’m Sure which is how I noticed the similarities. If you have it, you may skip on this one. :)

    lol awkward angle but i think this photo shocases the sahde pretty well. :))

    What did you haul from the collection? Thoughts? do share on the comments section below! <3

    xoxo,

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    Beauty, Reviews, Tips

    Review: Benefit Bella bamba

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    I’ve always been a fan of Benefit boxed powders. The first Benefit boxed powder that I’ve purchased is Coralista which is a cult favorite. My second Benefit boxed powder is the Benefit 10 which is a bronzer and highlighter duo. Bellebamba was released quite a while ago and I heard that it was just a better version of Coralista which is why it took me a long time to finally decide to purchase it and try it out for myself.


    Product

    This blush promises not to be the traditional blush and it’s supposed to be a 3d watermelon blush (I don’t know how it’s a 3D blush) with gold shimmer.

    What I Love

    Improvements

    I love that they finally changed their packaging. The old benefit boxed powders come with a detachable lid while this new and improved boxed powder now comes with a flip-top cover that stays shut using a magnet.

    I also like that the blush it comes with is a bit softer than the traditional brush/applicator that came with the old boxed powders. The brush is now also shaped in a way that improves blush application. I used to just chuck out the old brushes because they were pretty much useless to me and my normal blush brushes were a lot better. Although I still prefer using my old brushes but i’m willing to use the brush that came with this boxed powder in case of emergencies.

    Shade and Product

     The initial swatch of this product got me scared because this product is LOADED with shimmer. However, it settles on my skin perfectly after I blended it using a fluffy brush. The watermelon pink shade is also divine and makes me look flushed in a nice way. I think that Benefit was able to balance out the shimmer perfectly by packing in tons of pigment into the product as well. It is also very finely milled just like my other two benefit boxed powders. This also has a huge amount of product with 0.28 oz. A typical MAC blush contains 0.21 oz. This costs 1800 a piece. :)

    What I don’t Like

    I honestly have nothing bad to say about this blush! :)

     

    Tips

    A lot of fake Benefit products have been popping up. To verify their authenticity, flip the product on it’s back and you should be able to peel off a sticker attached on the product.

    Also, like I said, this blush is highly pigmented and has lots of shimmer. If you’re a type of girl who’s scared of shimmer, start by patting this gently onto your cheeks. You may then build up the color as you wish. :)

    Recommendations

    I LOOVE this blush and I recommend this to both fair skinned and olive skinned girls! I think it’s a very wearable shade. The pinkish side of the blush makes it perfect for fair skinned girls while the gold shimmer makes it suitable to olive skinned girls as well.

    What are your favorite benefit boxed powders? :) Let me now in your comments below! <3

     

    xoxo,

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    Reviews

    Review: Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm

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    I’ve been hearing about the Maybelline Baby Lips lip balm from beauty bloggers all over the net. As I went to my local drugstore, I found out that the local Maybelline counters unfortunately carry a different version of the Maybelline Baby Lips lip balm. The ones that are sold in the US are supposed to be tinted while the ones sold here are barely tinted.

    Product

    The product is a lip balm in form of a stick with a packaging that is made out of plastic. It claims to last up to 8 hours and to rejuvenate the lips in one week.  It contains the essence of centella which is an herb that has been used in China, India, and Indonesia for thousands of years. The essence of centella is supposed to be able to let the product reduce fine lines, increase elasticity, and increase suppleness. 

    I purchased my Maybelline Bably Lips lip balm in  smoothing cherry.

    What I Love:

    I like how the graphics of the tube makes the lip balm look so young and fun! The youthful packaging really makes the whole product look very appealing. It smoothens my lips to a certain extent. I also like that it comes in 4 different flavours. All of which have really catchy names such as: smoothing cherry, energizing orange, anti-oxidant berry, and relieving menthol. This lip balm is also very affordable at PHP79 a pop!

    What I don’t like:

    Although it significantly moisturizes my lips, I feel like other lip balms have done a better job at moisturizing my lips. It did not really last all day on my lips but I don’t really mind reapplying. I’m also not a big fan of the scent/taste of this lip balm but this is a very minor complaint on my part. Lastly, the flavor did not really taste anything like the typical cherry flavored candies or lip products that I’m used to. haha!

     

    Overall Recommendations

    Although this lip balm should improve on the moisturizing department, I still like it overall.I believe that a girl can never have too many lip balms! I keep lip balms everywhere. I have a lip balm in my make up kit, my pencil case, my vanity, and other similar strategic places because I tend to mysteriously lose lip balms all the time. teehee!

    I recommend this to those who are looking for flavored lip balms while I would not recommend this to those who get bothered with scents and flavors easily. I also would recommend this to those who have naturally hydrated lips. I think one of the reasons why this product did not work very well with my lips is because I have extremely dry and chapped lips.

    This product isn’t a total bust and it’s still something that I’ll use. It’s not something I’ll repurchase though because I have tried others that have smoothened out my lips more effectively.

     

    Do you have this product? What are your favorite lip balms? Do share them on the comments section below! :)
    xoxo,

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