The new Cream Silk Triple Keratin Rescue Ultimate Color Revive is a sulfate-free conditioner infused with Triple Keratin Complex. It is formulated to replenish lost nutrients from coloring and revive chemically-treated strands to make your brilliant browns, stunning blondes, and awesome ash stay strikingly vibrant.

Triple Keratin Complex is an advanced formula that contains three times the Keratin than regular conditioners to restore the natural shine and smoothness of your hair. It has Keratin Relaxers to tame rebellious frizz, Keratin Serum to revive intense damage, and Keratin Essence to restore extreme dullness.
-details taken from www.sampleroom.ph

Cream Silk’s first potent treatment crème infused with our most advanced Triple Keratin Formula that deeply penetrates to treat every strand and instantly transform hair to ultimately beautiful.

With KERATIN RELAXERS to tame rebellious frizz, KERATIN SERUM to revive intense damage, KERATIN ESSENCE to restore extreme dullness.
-details taken from www.sampleroom.ph

Get all of the fairness and protection without the stickiness with Vaseline’s first non-sticky lotion, Vaseline Healthy White Fresh & Fair Cooling UV Gel Lotion! It comes in a light, non-greasy gel formulation that contains 10x Vitamin B3, SPF, and cooling menthol to restore skin fairness, to protect the skin from sun’s UV damage, and to provide a fresh feel throughout the day under hot and humid climates. It’s also infused with micro-droplets of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly, the holy grail of skin healing, to provide moisture to the skin and to help repair the damage deep within.
-details taken from www.sampleroom.ph

This lotion, being the gel type, is perfect for those who can't take the heavy feeling of having creamy or sticky lotion on the skin. Yes, they exist. :) Thankfully I am just chill about it when it comes to lotions; I can take the creamy type or gel type. However, I want it to be something that is easily absorbed by the skin and something that will keep it feeling soft and smooth. This Vaseline lotion does both of that. I also love the light and fresh scent. It says that it has UV protection however it is not indicated if how much is the SPF content. That's a bummer for since I prefer something that has SPF 15 or more with it. On making the skin fairer in 2 weeks, I also did not notice any changes on my skin based on those claims.

Will I purchase this? I would say no. But there is another Vaseline product that I have used previously and I'm glad that I decided to take a photo of it for reference. It's the Vaseline Healthy White Serum with SPF 30 PA +++. It' s also lightweight but it has everything else that I was looking for in the Gel Lotion like the SPF and the brightening effects. So don't fret Vaseline. You didn't loose a customer in me, it's just a matter of preference. ;)

        See? I'm always a winner when I order stuff from Sample Room. 

Until our next transaction. ;)

XO,

Carissa

Shirataki Noodles? Hmm... What shall we do with you?

Can I make chika first before delving into the recipes?
Okay folks, this blog o' mine just took a new turn : I'm posting something about food! Kind of. My cooking skills are mediocre at best. Chamba chamba ang timpla (sorry mama, hello husband 😉) so I won't pull off complicated dishes.  But Imma discuss the change in my life in relation to food.

When I decided to cut my sugar and carbohydrate intake last August, I meant just that: to slowly reduce my rice intake and to stop sneaking cookies at midnight or running to the nearest milk tea shop just because.

I did well by the way. I wasn't a fan of soda to begin with so I had no trouble of getting rid of that in my diet. Even the milk tea I was able to cut out. I just had to curb my appetite in the cookies, biscuits and cakes department.

I did well too on that area. I'd imagined it would be a lot harder. But when I imagined the grains of white sugar going into it, I'd be like, nooooooooo!

So, what have I been consuming lately?

Eggs - lots of it. Chicken.Duh. Chicharon (I'm no fan of pork meat, something to do with my upbringing and now that I am an adult it's more of a preference but I am so down for chicharon!)

Fish and other seafoods. Avocado (when it was available). Leafy greens and other vegies.

Decaf coffee/Ricoa Cocoa with Nestle All Purpose Cream as creamer and Equal or Splenda as sweetener. Somehow it got to a point where I didn't even add a sweetener. IKR. Nuts (Almond, Peanuts, Cashews)

At this point, I am not suffering, so don't worry about me. I'm doing the #DirtyLC so they say.

I am not missing rice, thank you very much. I've been eating rice minimally since 2016 anyway so it wasn't hard to let go. It got to a point though when I got bored with eating the same stuff and I just knew I had to explore other ways to get my fix without having to consume too much carbs.

Luckily, my younger brother, another LCIF practitioner added me to a Facebook Group called Low Carb Intermittent Fasting™ and that is how I discovered stuff like shirataki noodles and coconut flour. 

Shirataki noodles are thin, translucent, gelatinous traditional Japanese noodles made from the konjac yam (devil's tongue yam or elephant yam). The word "shirataki" means white waterfall, referring to the appearance of these noodles. Largely composed of water and glucomannan, a water-soluble dietary fiber, they are very low in digestible carbohydrates and calories, and have little flavor of their own. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirataki_noodles

Coconut flour on the other hand is a soft, naturally grain- and gluten-free flour produced from dried coconut meat. It is a natural byproduct of coconut milk production. When producers press coconut for its milk, bits of coconut meat remains. They then dry the coconut meat at low temperature and grind it until it produces a soft, fine powder which is then suitable for baking. Source: https://nourishedkitchen.com/baking-with-coconut-flour/

I bought my shirataki noodles and coconut flour at Shopee, from a seller called Nutrifinds. The coconut flour was Php 98.00 for 1 kl, while the shirataki noodles are Php 85.00 for 200g. 

Here's how I made my Low Carb Carbonara and Pancakes. ;)

Low Carb Pasta Carbonara
Ingredients:
1 200g shirataki noodles cooked according to package instructions
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup chicken breast, chopped
5 tbsp Nestle All Purpose Cream
1 can mushrooms
salt (I use pink Himalayan salt) and powdered black pepper to taste

How to cook:
1. Cook the shirataki noodles according to package instructions. It involves  a bit of boiling and pan fying. ;) Very easy. Set aside.
2. In a pan, heat the coconut oil then saute the garlic and the onion until golden brown.
3. Add the mushroom and the chicken. Cover the pan and let it simmer, until the chicken is cooked.
4. Add the Nestle All Purpose Cream let it simmer.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


Low Carb Pancake
Ingredients:
2 pcs eggs
2 tbsp coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
a dash of vanilla
1 tbsp Nestle All Purpose Cream
2 sticks of sweetener (but sometimes I don't even use one)

How to Cook:
1. Beat the eggs and add all the other ingredients.
2. Mix thoroughly because the coconut flour tends to get lumpy.
3. Drizzle a bit of oil on a pan so that the pancake won't stick
4. Cook over low fire.

Serum Foundations are lightweight medium-coverage formulations available in a comprehensive shade range across 21 shades. These foundations offer moderate coverage that looks natural with a very lightweight serum feel. (https://theordinary.com) 

We all have different skin conditions and preferences. The Ordinary's website have sort of summarized the important attributes of this product for easy reference. This is alcohol-free, oil-free, gluten-free, cruelty-free, nut-free and vegan. Personally, I am concerned about the oil content of any product because I have an oily and pimple-prone skin so I'm glad that this one fits the bill. For those who prefer it, this isn't a  silicone-free product. Here's the ingredients list.

As you can see, my skin is pretty much textured, with pores and dark spots here and there. I chose the problematic side of my face to see how The Ordinary Serum Foundation would hold up. You can see that indeed it renders a light coverage but was able to lessen the reddish areas of my face. My pimples and pimple scars were lightly covered and even my dark circle is noticeably lighter. In real life my skin feels soft to touch and instantly looks brighter and more alive.

For the photo on your left, I only prepped my skin with the Celeteque Acne Solutions Oil Control Toner and Elujai Serum On the right is my photo after applying two layers of The Ordinary Serum Foundation

I blindly bought the shade 2.0 YG which is meant for light to medium skin tones with yellow undertones and gold highlights. The mouthful of a description seemed to speak to me and I'm glad that the shade fits me to a T. The big reason why I purchased this because I wanted to try a foundation that doesn't feel heavy and as the description says, it has a "very lightweight serum feel".

As you can deduce from the photo above, the formula is watery, but not too runny. I love applying it with my fingers or with a damp sponge. It applies smoothly and there's no draggy, thick or heavy feeling. Finish is semi-matte. I bet you can also see from my photo that it didn't do well in concealing deep acne scars so if your skin is more on the textured side, this product might not be your best bet. I have huge pores also and I do not blame this product if the pores are visible because I love using a primer for a reason. Even with a powder on top, I start oiling up at around the 2 or 3 hour mark.

For all this talk of this product having a light coverage and not being able to fully conceal my imperfections, I still love it! Wanna know why? Yep, I see the scars, I see the redness, I see the remnants of the dark circles , I see the dark spots, I see the dewiness after a few hours of wear but at the end of the day, I love the glow and the brightness that it brings to my face. I don't look weighed down or haggard or ashy gray after a few hours of wear because some foundations tend to do that.

Would I Buy It Again? Yes! But not at the moment. I would love to try The Ordinary Coverage Foundation just to see the difference in the formulation.
Would I Recommend It? It would depend on your skin type and your preference.

For the look of the day, this is me, sans photo filter or primer, wearing the The Ordinary Serum Foundation in 2.0 YG as base. On the right are the makeup products I used to create this look.
I have enlisted the help of the Clio Kill Cover Highest Wear Pact with SPF 30 PA++ in #6 BO Tan in setting the serum foundation and I know it helped much in lessening the appearance of my pores. These are the other items I used to create this makeup look.

• The Face Shop Style My Eyebrow in 02 Black Brown 
• Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder in Bronze-03 (my favorite!)
• Butter London Double Decker Lashes Mascara
• Kat Von D Lipstick in Underage Red (sampler)
• Zoeva En Taupe Palette (although it's not so obvious)
• Eyeshadow brush from Suesh, spoolie and powder brush

My Take

A confession here: this is an impulse buy. I wanted to try out the very popular NARS Orgasm Blush  that when I saw the word slapped on this lipstick, I wanted to have it too. I don't have the NARS Orgasm Blush - yet! I am currently on a buying ban, at least until the end of this year because I want to consume all the remaining blushes and lipsticks that I have in my stash. So, laters, Baby. Ha ha! 

Another confession (I am so rife with confessions these days!) : I love my lipsticks matte or creamy matte in bold colors that really pop. That being said,  this product does not tick the boxes.

When I first received it, my first instinct is to always sniff it and I love the faint tangy scent. The golden spackles are very visible on the tube and I was afraid that it would look chunky when applied. Fortunately, the shimmers are very tiny that when you apply the lipstick, the shimmers look well embedded and gives off a lovely golden sheen. Unfortunately, my lips are a bit dark so the peachy pink color does not seem obvious and I can only see the golden sheen.

I'll get it straight: this lipstick won't be everyone's cup of tea, especially for me who loves matte and bold. However, I am also moody when it comes to what particular color or formula I want to wear and sometimes I am in the mood for something like this which is light, sheer and with a hint of shimmer. Whenever I wanna cop Kelsey Merritt's bronzy-just-had-a-photo-shoot-in-the-Bahamas look, I reach for my favorite Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder in Bronze -03 (photographed above with the swatch), dust it all over my face and finish off with this NARS Lipstick in Orgasm. And okay, I also wear it even when running errands, when I want to wear something on my lips but don't want him raising an eyebrow. Sometimes, I use it on top of another lipstick so that it won't look washed out on me.

I have no qualms about the texture or the formula. It applies really smoothly and I have never experienced dryness or chapped lips after using it. I love how it doesn't feel slippery on the lips. Being on the sheerer side, the staying power is not that long and lasted about 2 to 3 hours on me.

Nars Orgasm Lipstick Rating: 3/5
Would I Recommend It? No. Ha ha! Let's just hang out and find a dupe, half its price tag.
Would I Buy It Again? I would skip buying this one, I'll put my money on the NARS Orgasm Blush or Liquid Blush instead because it seems to be everyone's favorite.

All I can say is, when you think of Capul, think of Acapulco Beach Resort.

XOXO,

Carissa

One of my readers left a comment on my previous QUICK FX review and she inquired if I would recommend the Quick FX No Shine Mattifier as a sleeping mask. I discouraged her and my reason was that that it  was formulated to serve as a makeup primer and I suggested that for a sleep mask, she should opt for something with more nourishing ingredients. It seems that QUICK FX has filled that void when hey came out with this sleep mask. I already mentioned the benefits and the ingredients above and they are all beneficial for the skin. The product is gel-type and I love how non- greasy it is which makes it comfortable to wear in your sleep. More than the dewy glow and hydration that it brings, I did observe that my skin felt less saggy after using it. It only contains 10g and the thing about sleep masks, at least for me, is that I love to lather it on richly so this size won't really last long. Well, I'm sure QUICKFX is already working on making a bigger size on a tube, just like they did with their No Shine Mattiffier.

Aside from the sleep mask QUICK FX has also released this clay mask for target oily/pimple prone skin, such as mine and that's why it's right up my alley. I am a fan of clay masks because they really help in absorbing excess sebum and unclogging the pores, and this one from QUICKFX is no exemption. Moreover, I also love the cool sensation (because of the Menthol) it brings when I am wearing this, which makes me relaxed and pampered. Take note though that people are sensitive to Menthol so heads up to that if you are sensitive to this ingredient. It also contains Salicylic Acid which based on my experience really does wonder in getting rid of pimples.

Provides intense hydration and deep cooling effect which can calm and rejuvenate tired skin from constant environmental stress

Enhances skin elasticity with its collagen-producing peptides. It helps the skin appear healthier and younger-looking with continuous use

The Cooling Face Mask is obviously my favorite! Face masks per se bring a cooling effect but this one really brings in the extra! My skin felt re-invigorated and re-energized after using it. Actually, all three of them are good and I won't hesitate to pick them up when I chance upon them at Watsons. They target different skin concerns but all revolve on the common goal, which it to keep the skin hydrated to make it healthy.

Overall, I am happy with these brand new products from QUICK FX. They didn't break me out and they worked really well on my skin.

As always, they combined affordability and quality, and I love their packaging too!!!

Have you tried anything from QUICK FX lately?

Share your experience in the comment box below.

XO,

Carissa

A full coverage, vegan liquid lipstick with a light, velvet texture & a vibrant, non-drying matte finish.

It provides a bold, matte look with a weightless, whipped texture & super-concentrated, non-drying mineral pigments. The longwear formula glides on without settling into fine lines, while the tarteist™ paint brush wand provides easy, single-swipe applications. - www.tartecosmetics.com

I’ve been hearing so much about this product over the internet that’s why I wanted to try it out for myself. It seems that every list of “Nude Liquid Lipsticks” included this one so I got really curious.

Well, first of all, forgive me if I couldn’t put my own photo of this product back when the labels have not yet faded. Like I said, I was uber excited to try it out that I forgot to get a decent shot. 

Check out the photo of the doe foot applicator. You can see that it is bent at an angle and it is pliable. I only have the mini or the deluxe size but I am glad that the applicator is made of good material and even if I have used for it for a while now, it is still in good shape. 

The product smells like chocolate-y mint and I won’t say I’m all for it, but it’s something I can tolerate because it tones down after a while. True enough, this shade is all that I would ask for in a nude lipstick. It comes close to my natural lip color but with more hint of pink. You can see the swatch and I would describe it as a pinky-peach nude but on the photo of me wearing it, it pulls more pink. It comes in a whipped cream-like consistency. When applied it leaves a cushion-y feel on the lips. It feels light and non-drying but on me, it does accentuate the lines of my lips. It doesn’t completely dry down so even if you’ve worn it for a while it still transfers. Having said that, I really wish that it had better staying power because I barely notice it on my lips within an hour of wearing it, moreso if I do a lot of drinking and eating in between. Great nude shade, I just wish it stayed. Shoot! I made that rhyme!

The shade Cerise Noir is described as a Matte Cool Black Cherry which is included in the Best of Deeps set of minis.

The photo above looks pretty washed and in person, on the tube, this shade: Black Cherry is something I would steer clear from years ago. However, after trying out the Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick in Nude Nuance, I realized that dark reddish-brown shades flatters my skin tone.

The Jouer Lip Cream in Cerise Noir smells like chocolate-y butter and that’s just the start of it. It has a creamy texture and applies smoothly, like there aren’t any issues with the application. It looks so divine on the lips and doesn’t accentuate the lines. It feels comfortable to wear and doesn’t feel tight, heavy or sticky. I’m also a fan of its staying power. It dries down to a matte finish and boy once its on, its on. It doesn’t transfer and it’s not the kind that goes away easily, unless of course you eat something oily, which is really the Waterloo of every matte liquid lipstick. It’s good and surprisingly or not surprisingly, even if its good matte, I have never experience dryness of the lips after using it. Of the three liquid lips I reviewed here today, this one is obviously my favorite. It just has a way pulling my look together and when I am wearing this, it always feels like I put on so much effort to look good, even if I did not. Does that make sense? I always get an extra kick of confidence. I wear two layers to make it darker, when I want to convey the message of "Stay away from me" without having to say it. Ah yes, my villainous side. Ha ha!

L’Oreal’s 1st whipped gloss with a gorgeous matte finish. Intense high-pigment shades create lasting color; dries to a solid matte look; lush velvety texture goes on softly for all-day comfort; unique pro-sculpt applicator shapes as it adds dimension to lips. 

A little over two years ago I reviewed the L’Oreal Paris Color Riche L’Extraordinaire Matte Moisturizing Lip Color in Jardin Pamplemousse. I liked the formula but I just felt that I picked the wrong shade. Now, fast forward to 2019, when I opened this L’Oreal Paris Infallible Pro Matte Gloss, I was immediately reminded of the latter. Right off the cap, they have a very similar distinct smell that’s hard to describe but easy to remember because, gosh I didn’t like that smell. Unfortunately I no longer have that lippie so I won’t be able to make an in depth comparison. 

I’ll just focus on this Pro Matte Gloss in Statement Nude. Again, I also love this nude shade because it’s not too light and is perfect for someone like me who has a light-medium skin tone. I would describe it as a peachy-brown nude. However, the name just didn’t make sense to me at first. For us makeup enthusiasts, matte is matte and gloss is gloss. But when I tried it on, I felt like it made sense. They did mix the two and this is how I would imagine it would feel if I put a gloss on top a matte liquid lipstick in a good way, because I have done that quiet a few times and I ended up with a thick hot mess. Forget the matte part because the finish is glossy, but not in the slick kind of way. But if you wanna get rid of the glossy finish, you can dab a tissue on top and what’ll stay behind is the cushion-y feel. Being not truly matte though, it does transfer, if you drink coffee it’ll be on that coffee cup over there, or that pizza. But I love how it nicely fades and you are left with a light brownish stain that still looks okay. It’s comfortable to wear and non drying. Again, if you can’t reconcile matte and gloss, it feels like matte topped with gloss, but not too thick and not too slick.

***

And here are various photos of me wearing the said liquid lipsticks. The Tarte Birthday Suit and L'Oreal Statement Nude look pretty natural on me and the Jouer Cerise Noir is something I would wear when I am on a certain mood.  

Overall, for Tarte Birthday Suit's weak staying power, I don't think I would buy a full sized one. I don't know if the same goes for the other shades of this line though. But it's quiet pricey so I really expected something better.
For L'Oreal's, I wouldn't mind trying out other shades, especially a rosy pink one. I mean, it would save me the time and the dime if I can hit two birds with one stone.
For Jouer, Jouer, Jouer, I'm glad I got a first hand experience on this brand because I loved it. I think I even prefer this one to Kylie's (Review of Kylie Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in Posie K).

Have you tried any of these liquid lipsticks?
Drop a comment below.

XO,
Carissa

What Is It?
Made for acne-prone skin, with its Advanced Micellar Technology, it deeply cleanses dirt, oil, and even hard-to-remove make up and brings back moisture for clear, baby soft and smooth skin. It also contains Magnolia Bark Extracts that act as an anti-inflammatory agent and which also helps prevent new acne from forming by increasing skin cells resistance to external stresses and inflammation.

I didn't break out while using this, which is always a plus in my book. It didn't dry out my skin either. My skin does feel soft and smooth after using it. The only hitch that I experienced while using it was that it had a bit of difficulty in removing mascaras. But otherwise, I love this product.

I could bore you out with words but instead of doing that, I would just show you a photo comparing the cleaning capabilities of the two products when used in the eye area. On your left it the cotton pad with the Nivea MicellAIR Water and on your right is the cotton pad with the Nivea Eye Make-up Remover. I had a mascara on plus I also smudged some dark eyeshadow. Needless to say, the Nivea Eye Make-up Remover is the clear winner. 

***

These are good products indeed and they are all very affordable.

Oh, I'm running low on my MicellAIR Water, I may have to repurchase in a few.

Have you tried any of these new products from Nivea?

Share your experience in the comment section below.

XO, 

Carisa

*Disclaimer: This is not a paid post. I bought all the products with my own dough. What I've written : cool or uncool, great or not so great, is purely based on my experience. Whatever works for me my not work for you. *