Review: Nichido Matte Finish Make-Up Setting Spray

Finally, I bought this raved setting spray. It’s a product of Nichido, a local makeup brand. I read a lot of reviews on this. My buying decisions are based on customer experiences. Makeup products are quite expensive lately. Better do your research before buying anything.☺

Description:
Matte Finish Make-Up Setting Spray is a lightweight, easy to use spray to keep your makeup fresh and stays longer.

Instructions:
Hold the bottle 8 to 10 inches away from the face. Close eyes and mist face 2 to 4 times.

Pros:
– Local product
– Affordable, 60 ml for 288 pesos
– Simple plastic packaging
– Floral scent
– Lightweight
– No warm feeling/itchiness
– The spray dispenses the product evenly
– Great oil control
– Did not trigger my contact dermatitis

Cons:
– None

I’m using this for a few days now and I can say that it’s effective. You guys know I have the oiliest skin. Before I’d blot almost every 30 minutes. That’s how oily and sweaty my skin is. But when I started using this setting spray, blotting is reduced to every 2 to 4 hours. It really has great oil control. My makeup is in place for the whole day without retouching! Now I know why many people love this.☺

288 pesos is affordable, right? You will get your money’s worth. Few spritz and you’re good to go. I personally spray it twice on the cheeks and forehead area. I highly recommend this to my oily and sweaty guys and gals out there. Always remember to moisturize because alcohol is the second active ingredient in this. It’s definitely mattifying AF. Other skin types can use it too but be sure to put highlighter or blush to bring back life to your skin. Oily skin can get away without applying those.☺

This is available at Watsons and department stores.

Review: BENTON Snail Bee High Content Skin & Steam Cream

We’ll review two products today. These products were sent to me as a reward for being one of the best reviewers for Benton’s Sun Cream before. I wanted to try this line ever since they were released. I still had hesitations although they’re hyped. *sensitive skin problems*

 

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Snail Bee High Content Skin

DESCRIPTION:
SNAIL BEE HIGH CONTENT Skin is for all types of skin including sensitive and troubled skin. Snail Secretion Filtrate, Bee Venom, sh-Oligopeptide-1, and various botanical extracts are further added to improve rough and skin. Containing Niacinamide and Adenosine, this multifunctional skin toner helps achieve a bright and smooth complexion while moisturizing and soothing.

INGREDIENTS:
Aqua (Water), Snail Secretion Filtrate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, sh-Oligopeptide-1, Bee Venom, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Plantago Asiatica Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Ulmus Campestris (Elm) Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, Althaea Rosea Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Betaine, Panthenol, Beta-Glucan, Allantoin, Adenosine, Polysorbate 20, Lecithin

PROS:
– Fairly priced, 900 pesos (around $18)
– Locally available on BeautyMNL
– Huge bottle, 150 ml
– Lightweight and watery
– Simple plastic packaging
– Fragrance-free
– Packed with natural ingredients
– Non sticky
– Can be used as a toner or light moisturizer

CONS:
– Triggered my dermatitis

It has a lot of great ingredients and fragrance-free. It feels lightweight just like water. To me, it felt a bit warm and sticky after application but doesnt last long. You will get your money’s worth if it wont cause any negative reaction. I was satisfied with the healing properties. It helps to heal existing acne slowly. Yes, slowly but it helps to reduce hyperpigmentation.

The shelf life is 6 months after opening. I think that’s enough time to use it all up. Unless you’re switching to different products. I really really want to finish the whole bottle but I can’t. It triggered my dermatitis resulting to rashes and acne. I’m planning to use it on the neck area so it wont go to waste.

 

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SNAIL BEE HIGH CONTENT STEAM CREAM

DESCRIPTION:
SNAIL BEE HIGH CONTENT STEAM CREAM is for all types of skin including sensitive and troubled skin. Snail Secretion Filtrate, Bee Venom, sh-Oligopeptide-1, Hyaluronic Acid and various botanical extracts are used to improve rough skin. The creamy formula, blended at high temperature using steam method, provides long-lasting moisture. Containing Niacinamide and Adenosine, this multifunctional cream helps achieve a bright and smooth complexion, while moisturizing and soothing

INGREDIENTS:
Snail Secretion Filtrate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, Stearic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Phytosqualane, sh-Oligopeptide-1, Bee Venom, Arbutin, Adenosine, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Arginine,Carbomer Urea, Tocopheryl Acetate, Plantago Asiatica Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract,Ulmus Campestris (Elm) Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract

PROS:
– Fairly priced at 900 pesos on BeautyMNL.com
– Simple plastic packaging
– Fragrance-free
– Doesn’t feel warm
– Doesn’t feel heavy
– Doesn’t make my skin oilier
– Moisturizes skin instantly
– Did not trigger my dermatitis

CONS:
– None

It’s fairly priced in my opinion considering the ingredients. This cream also has 6 months shelf life. It helps to heal existing acne. Faster than the Skin variant. I was more skeptical to try this compared to the product above. It’s because I stay away from using creams. I think they’re all heavy especially for my skin type. I prefer essence and serums. I have dry patches lately. This cream worked really well to moisturize those areas.

I tried a technique so I can use it for the whole face. After washing my face, I dont wipe the excess water. I proceed to the toning step. Skin is still wet after toning. That’s the time I apply this cream. It’s absorbed quicker and feels lighter. This is my current moisturizer. I use this during daytime when I don’t have heavy activities. I’m glad this didn’t trigger my dermatitis. I’m using this for a week straight already without needing my steroid cream. Yaaas!

I’m very pleased with Steam Cream. I really want the High Content Skin to work out too.  You can check out the rest of this line here. I’m thankful to Benton for letting me try their products. Their products have short shelf life compared to other brands. That’s when you know they’re using quality ingredients.☺

Review: LUSH Herbalism Face & Body Cleanser

I wanted to get my hands on this ever since I knew Lush. Their cleansing rolls are unique. They’re the first to make this kind of formula. Lushies on Youtube usually recommend Herbalism out of all their cleansing roll variants. I finally bought one to see if it’s worth it.

Description:
Battling with oily, troubled skin? Cleanse with the power of herbs. Our gentle green giant has an exfoliating, deep-cleansing base of kaolin clay and rice bran to mop up excess oils, and a toning blend of rosemary, nettle and chamomile to leave skin feeling fresh, clean and calm. Herbalism gets its color from chlorophyllin, which is extracted from alfalfa plants: it’s rich in nourishing vitamins and minerals and helps to balance out your skin’s oil production. Say hello to clear, balanced skin!

How to use:
Take a small amount in your hand, add a little water and mix into a paste. Massage into skin to gently cleanse, then rinse clean. Use all over your body for soft skin everywhere!

TIP:
Water activates clay. Before getting a chunk of this, make sure your hands are clean and dry. You dont want to get water in the tub because the rest will be ineffective already.

Ingredients:

Pros:
– Most of its ingredients are natural
– Free from artificial preservatives
– Smells good in my opinion
– Innovative product
– Little goes a long way
– Gentle exfoliant
– Non drying and adds moisture
– Skin feels soft and smooth
– Did not trigger my contact dermatitis
– Did not cause breakouts

Cons:
– Wont remove makeup if used alone
– Can be quite expensive if bought in Manila because it expires in a few weeks

It’s made from Kaolin clay, rice vinegar, rose and chamomile. These are known for their cleansing and soothing properties. It’s self-preserving, meaning the rice vinegar acts as natural presevative. Some people think it smells bad. To me, it smells good. It has a subtle vinegar-y and fresh scent. It’s like I’m one with nature. Haha!

The ground almonds are exfoliants. I thought it would be harsh but I was wrong! It’s gentle and did not irritate me. Note that you have to use gentle motions with any kind of scrubs. After rinsing, skin feels soft and smooth. I got dry and flaky patches from using an antibiotic cream for dermatitis. The main reason why I bought this is to help in moisturizing. It does the job without making my skin oilier. FYI, flare up was gone already when I used Herbalism.

I have two cons for this. It doesn’t remove makeup residue if used alone. Always use makeup remover before doing your routine. I use this for double cleansing when I had long day. I rinse my cleansing soap first then this. I use this alone when I’m just at home or did not wear makeup. Some reviewers complain about the green tinge after rinsing. I didn’t experience that when I saw the cotton ball after toning.

Oh hey it’s you again Tetsu! Thanks for making this. Anyway, it’s quite expensive here in Manila. Why? Because we dont have our own Lush Kitchen (a.k.a factory). The stocks are imported from Japan. Cleanser rolls here can be used up to 6 weeks only before they expire. Little goes a long way so it’s quite difficult to use it all up. I bought one last August 15. It’s 545 pesos. The SA told me it was just delivered. Nag improve na yon. Dati kasi 3 to 4 weeks lang expired na. This is reasonably priced if bought in other countries with Kitchen. Fresh batches expire after 4 months. You’ll have enough time to finish a tub.

I use this at night only. Others prefer it twice daily. I just don’t want to over exfoliate. It’s clay based already so I skip my trusty aztec healing mask. Overall I really like Herbalism. This will be a staple for me if we have our own Lush Kitchen. I’d recommend it for all skin types that are not prone to breakouts.

Review: Himalaya Herbals Purifying Neem Facial Wash

This is my first “drugstore” cleanser for this year and first Indian brand as well. Meaning it’s something you could easily get almost anywhere. I bought a small tube in SM Department Store. It’s been three weeks already. I think I’m ready to share my experience with it.

Description:
Purifying Neem Face Wash is loaded with the natural goodness of neem, a time-tested natural ingredient revered for its antibacterial property, which keeps Pimples at bay! It is also enriched with Turmeric, an antiseptic agent that soothes skin, leaving it healthy, clean and radiant! Himalaya Herbals Purifying Neem Face Wash, is a soap-free herbal face wash that helps prevent pimples by removing impurities, unclogging pores, while being extremely gentle on skin as it is formulated with 100% herbal actives and is free from skin harming chemicals like Paraben, SLS/ SLES. Daily use of this face wash avoids deposition of pimple-causing bacteria, oil and dirt and prevents occurrence of pimples. This face wash is suitable for all skin types (normal, oily, combination, sensitive) & is best for acne-prone

Ingredients:

Pros:
– Affordable, 50 grams for 69 pesos at Watsons
– Simple tube packaging, no spills
– Love the fragrance
– SLS-free
– Milky lather
– Non drying
– Doesn’t leave film or sticky residue
– Did not cause breakouts
– Did not trigger contact dermatitis

Cons:
– Didn’t do anything on existing breakouts

I brought this for our Hong Kong trip. The tube had no spills. It has milky and powdery scent which reminds me of Lactacyd. It doesn’t have a rich lather because it’s SLS-free… But it’s enough for cleansing in my opinion. It doesnt leave sticky or slimy film when rinsed. It’s very affordable and accessible. You can get this in supermarkets, drugstores and department stores.

Neem extract is new to me so I was quite nervous to try this facial wash. Thank goodness it did not cause purging unlike other cleansers. I first knew about Neem extract from Phina’s Little Factory Cure Soap…which I’m planning to buy soon. I think this cleanser did not heal my existing breakouts. That’s the only down side I could give. So I’d recommend this for sensitive skin, mild acne and for maintenance.

Have you tried this product? What’s your all time favorite cleanser?

Review: MUMUSO Cleansing Wipes

Mumuso and Miniso are already popular for pinay beauty junkies. At first I was confused. Thanks to a blogger who explained their difference. Miniso is a japanese brand while Mumuso is korean. These stores are like the drugstore Muji.

Mumuso has wide makeup and skin care range. You know what that means. I have to try them personally. I went to their store in Venice Grand Canal Mall. I’m surprised that most of the items are 99 pesos only. I bought this pink cleansing wipes and the aloe variant which my sister gave for my birthday.

Pros:
– Accessible, Mumuso is still adding up stores in the metro
– Very affordable, 99 pesos ($2) for 2 packs.
– Has hard plastic lid
– Each pack has 30 sheets.
– Powdery scent
– Did not cause breakouts
– Thick sheets
– Completely removes my medium-coverage makeup

Cons:
– The sheets might not be moist enough to remove heavy/full coverage makeup

It did not cause breakouts or contact dermatitis. Yay, answered prayers!😛 It has powdery scent, k-brands refer to it as cotton. Its hard plastic lid ensures that the tissues will stay moist. The tissue is thick enough to remove my medium coverage makeup. Here’s my makeup routine if you’re wondering: cream concealer ➡ powder foundation (applied with sponge) ➡ brow pencil ➡ lip tint/lipstick.

So if you’re a full face type of person (primer, foundation, powder, eyeshadow, setting spray and etc.), you might need two sheets to completely remove your makeup. That’ll be too much work in my opinion. But the price can’t be beaten. 99 pesos for 60 sheets? This is my new favorite. I recommend it for light to medium coverage makeup.

Review: T.N. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel

Hi readers, did you miss me? Haha. I was on a short break from blogging. I needed to sort all my new product reviews. My last post was a hit. And in relation to that, I’ll talk about my #1 favorite toner. Last month I bought a tiny bottle of T.N. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel. People are raving about it. I wanted to know what’s so good about it. I’m using this for 1 month+ now.

Description:
The only 100% natural astringent that effectively cleanses, soothes and treats everyday skin irritations, without overdrying or leaving behind irritating residue.

Ingredients:
All natural witch hazel (100%)

Pros:
– Affordable, 58ml for 85 pesos & 237ml for 269 pesos
– Available locally at Healthy Options branches
– Has one ingredient only
– Watery
– Non-drying
– No film & no sticky residue
– Adds little hydration
– Stops the blemish from getting bigger
– Helps to heal acne / breakouts

Cons:
– None

Neutral:
– Has medicine-like scent

I’m sure you’ve heard about this product. I’m very happy that it’s affordable. It’s actually cheap compared to other toners I’ve used before. It’s pure witch hazel and that’s equivalent to 14% alcohol. That’s enough to cleanse the skin without causing dryness. Great toner if you’re into a minimalist routine. It’s non drying. It hydrates my skin without leaving film or stickiness.

I still get breakouts when I’m on my period. But I observed this toner helps to heal them in a few days, the fastest is 2 days. You know that a spot going to be a cystic acne when it starts to hurt. In my experience, this toner stops that from happening. I highly recommend it for normal to oily skin. You can get this at Healthy Options.

What’s your favorite toner?

Review + Before & After: Maybelline Clear Smooth All in One Oil Control Two-Way Cake

I switched back to my all time favorite powder from Maybelline. I was surprised it’s now a two-way cake. You can use it dry or with a wet sponge. I was bothered at first because my dermatologist told me to stay away from two-way powders as it’s heavy for the skin. I want coverage so I’m still using it anyway.

Description:
Maybelline Clear Smooth All in One is a shine-free powder foundation that provides good coverage and keeps you looking naturally beautiful.

Ingredients:
Talc, Perlite, Titanium Dioxide [Nano] / Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Dimethicone, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Silica, Methicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Squalane, Parfum / Fragrance, Tocopherol, Linalool, Bht, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnama

I got the lightest shade, 02 Nude Beige

Pros:
-Affordable, refill is 169 pesos for 9g
-Accessible, you can get it in department stores, drugstores and supermarkets
-Can be used wet or dry
-Has SPF 32
-Has more coverage than the old formula
-Light to medium coverage
-Great for setting makeup
-Didnt cause breakouts

Cons:
-Might get cakey
-Might feel heavy for others
-Need more shades

Before and after:

It can get cakey depending on the base/foundation you’re using. Use a brush instead if your liquid foundation is already mattifying. Just be careful as it can be “too matte” if applied with the sponge. We know too much matte can suck the life out of our skin. Apply highlighter if needed. It felt heavy the first time I used this Maybelline powder. I got used to it and it doesnt bother me anymore.

I noticed that it gives more coverage than the old formula. Take note that I’m applying it dry with sponge. I just used a wet sponge in this review to test its coverage alone. You can get light to medium coverage. It’s great that they didnt change the price! This variant only has 4 colors until now. Lightest shade is a bit dark on me. More skin tones should have this great stuff. This is still the best powder in my book. Hands down.

Review + Swatches: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Transylvania

Hello everyone. I should’ve posted this last year. But I feel like I didnt use it enough so I decided to schedule it this month. This was an impulse buy. I was in SM Aura and had nothing to do. I went to the department store and did a few swatches. I usually dont wear dark lippies but this shade is always sold out in-stores. I grabbed the opportunity. Hahaha.

Description:
Now available in twelve more statement-making shades, our velvety smooth Soft Matte Lip Cream delivers a burst of creamy color and sets to a stunning matte finish.

Ingredients:
All shades contain the following unless otherwise noted: Isohexadecane, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Dimethicone, Beeswax/Cera Alba/Cire d’Abeille, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Talc, Cyclopentasiloxane, Propylene Carbonate, Silica, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Rosin/Colophonium/Colophane, Barium Sulfate (CI 77120), Phenoxyethanol, Flavor/Aroma, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal. MAY CONTAIN / PEUT CONTENIR (+/-): Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 7 (CI 15850), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410).

Pros:
– Cruelty-free
– Glides smoothly
– Affordable; 390 pesos
– Feels like butter
– Can last long depending on your drinking and eating habits
– Lightweight once it sets
– Sets to a beautiful matte finish
– Doesnt cause dryness, no chapped lips

Cons:
– Not transfer proof for me

Swatch:

It has a whipped texture while gliding it on the lips. It’s matte but suprisingly it feels light. My lips are prone to dryness. This didnt cause chapped lips. The only con I have for this is it’s not transfer proof for me. It got on my teeth but that’s just me. I guess my two front teeth are too big. Hahaha. It’s a great color although I’m not confident to wear dark lipsticks. No wonder it’s out of stock most of the time at their local stores and kiosks.