Using Hayabayabayu brought in a big surprise. I was expecting it to be so much alike in formula with Pak Ganern since they are both from the Good Vibes Matte Lipstick line but Hayabayayu is really on the creamier side that it feels like a natural finish already. It transfers and does not seem to dry down to a matte finish. The pigmentation is also different that I take more than one swipe to color my lips during application. However, if you think that I am complaining about this lipstick because of how different it is from Pak Ganern, besh, you are wrong. I LOOOOOVE IT! Here's why. I guess I've been using matte lipsticks a lot that I've forgotten how comfortable it is to wear a creamy finish, especially at work. The shade is also very close to the natural color of my lips so it looks very natural on me too. Yes it transfers but since it is similar to my lip color, it doesn't look bad or messy even if it wears off during a meal. I don't mind reapplying. So that's basically the verdict here: it's not matte when it's supposed to be, it's not long wearing and I was left wanting for a more opaque application in one swipe...but by some happy accident, I love it! 😆

Here's my before and after. See how natural the color looks on me. 

Packaging: 4/5

Quality: 3/5

Performance: 3/5

User-friendliness: 4/5

Overall: 3.5/5

Would I buy it again? I would say yes. There are tons of other shades in the Good Vibes Matte line that I would still love to try.

Would I recommend it? It would depend on what you want since it is only by accident that I ended up liking it. If you want long-wearing matte then this won't work for you.

And as promised, here's my FOTD for my simple office look. I have listed down all the makeup products that I used to achieve this look. This may seem like a simple makeup look but you'd be surprised at how many products are involved. This photo hasn't been filtered or edited so I would say that the primer and the foundation really worked hard on this photo because I don't wake up like that. 😄 

xo,

caRissa 🌼

Small talk first.

Online shopping is something I really enjoy, OBVSLY. I've done it as far back as 2008, I guess. Even before the existence of formal online selling platforms such as Zalora or Lazada, I've had shopping experiences through online sellers at Multiply. So far, I have never experienced being scammed. 😆 But I've learned to adjust my expectations: if I bought something at a really cheap price, I don't expect too much about the quality. There are times that I get lucky tho. I do my own research about products. As someone who blogs about product reviews, I am very diligent about reading reviews myself. I compare prices from different shops and I always try to make the most out of the shipping fee that I pay. Ahhh...I feel nostalgic about the time when Lazada still offered free shipping for a minimum amount spent of Php 995.00. Sigh...those were the days. 😆 Nowadays, I frequent Shopee, and it's not a bad choice either. I can find almost anything there, shipping fee is subsidized, and there are official shops (products with "Mall" label) for different brands so I am assured that I am able to get authentic products. I was delighted that some shops remained open during the community quarantine. I also commend J&T Express for keeping things moving even during the lockdown. Take a look at some some of the stuff that I grabbed.

Where I Bought: Shopee, Morui Official Shop (https://shopee.ph/moruiph)

Price: approximately Php 900.00

Where I Bought It: Shopee, Strontium Official Shop (https://shopee.ph/strontiumphilippines)

Prices:  64 GB USB Ammo Flash Drive - Php 398.00 (discounted from 599.00)

             32 GB USB Pollex Flash Drive - Php 215.00 (discounted from 899)

             32 GB Ammo USB 3.1 - Php 279.00 (discounted from 799)

             16 GB Nitro Micro Memory Card - Php 145 (discounted from 499)

Another sweet deal. USB drives are literally a dime-a-dozen in Shopee so I made sure to purchase branded ones. I bought these to save backup files of work-related and personal stuff. They are all working great. That's another one off my to-buy list.

Where I Bought: Shopee Seller @ezfindz (https://shopee.ph/ezfindz)

I've been a Human Nature fan for a long time and I plan to repurchase more of their products in the coming days. My most favorite in this bunch is the body wash. The toner has always been a favorite too. I will be reviewing these products soon.

Where I Bought: Shopee Seller @sophiaandkalel (https://shopee.ph/sophiaandkalel)

I was literally shocked at how fast these products arrived considering the community quarantine. I ordered on a Saturday and by Monday I received a call that the package was ready for pickup at my local J&T. Just more skin care and a bit of makeup products here.

CosRX Acne Pimple Master Patch - Php 129.00 (from 250.00)

Purederm Collagen Eye Zone Mask - Php 58.00 (from 60.00)

 Farmstay Snail Repair Eye Cream - Php 145.00 (from 350)

Pyunkang Yul Low pH Pore Deep Cleansing Foam - Php Php 85.00 (from 150.00)

The Face Shop Air Cotton Makeup Base in 02 Lavender - Php 175.00 (from 350.00)

Varpsys My Real Touch Puff - Php 99.00 (from 190.00)

I have not yet used some of the products here so I won't be able to make a full review yet. But so far, I love that makeup base from The Face Shop and the Varpsys sponge is a real steal at Php 99.00! 

***

During the community quarantine, so many Filipinos lost their jobs. I am fortunate to be working in the government sector so I did not suffer the same fate. With this simple gesture of shopping from Filipino sellers, I believe I am able to help keep people's livelihood afloat, even just on a micro level. Let us keep supporting online sellers, and  local sellers in our communities. Ika nga, para sa ekonomiya! 😉

Xo,

caRissa 🍀

Variant: Gentle Berry

Price: Php 179.75 for 200 mL

Where to buy: www.humanheartnature.com, resellers/dealers at Shopee

What is it? 

We've had another merciless dry season, with the unrelenting hot temperature and humid air. Think of this, as early as 10:00 am at the office, I am already imagining going home and heading straight to the bath to wash off the stickiness. In truth, I can only have another bath after a long day's work and the simple process felt like cleansing my soul. No, actually it was heaven on earth. 😂

I wanted to elevate my experience while taking my evening baths and that is how I started missing Human Heart Nature. I wanted to have something that smells really nice and to me, HHN products always smell good in a non-synthetic way. I've been an HHN fan for a long time but it's been a while since my last purchase so I decided to order some over Shopee. Moreover, I also noticed that taking multiple baths in a day using soap has started to take a toll on my skin. I could feel that it was making me dry so I knew that I needed something mild and HHN fits the bill. 

I was so excited when my package arrived that I couldn't wait to take a bath. 😆 And because of this product, my quick bath took twice the usual time. You know why? Well, I spent a great amount of time just sniffing the symphony of fruity scents coming right off the bottle. The body wash comes in a transparent gel form and it lathers well - but not in a big bubble type of way. Just small suds but I can feel how well it cleanses my skin. I took the time to massage the whole stuff all over my body to make me feel relaxed. When it came to washing off I 'm glad that there is no sticky or greasy after-feel. Above all, my skin felt clean but it didn't feel dry. Clean ingredients and clean feeling for the win! ✔️✔️

Packaging : 5/5

Quality: 5/5

Performance: 5/5

User-friendliness: 5/5

Overall Rating: 5/5

Would I buy it again? Yes

Would I recommend it? Yes

More goodness... 

It is indicated in the bottle that a portion of the proceeds of this product goes to the Philippine Foundation for Breast Cancer Inc to help indigenous women who have breast cancer. So with this, I am not just getting an amazing product with clean ingredients, I am also helping the environment and helping my countrymen. I will always be in awe of Human Heart Nature.

Xo, 

caRissa 🌻

L-R: Celeteque Acne Solutions Oil Control Toner, RYX Skincerity Deep Cleansing Water, Belo AcnePro Treatment Toner, Kojie San Cleanser + Toner, and Mamonde Rose Water Toner

Currently Using

Celeteque Dermoscience Acne Solutions Oil Control Toner

Just like the other variant of Celeteque that I have reviewed in the past (read here), I also liked this toner. It contains alcohol but is balanced with other moisturizing ingredients such as glycerin and aloe vera extracts. It also contains chamomile extracts which has antiseptic and anti-inflamatory properties. I also won't hesitate to rebuy this in the future. But if it came down to this and the Moringa O2 toner that I mentioned earlier, I would go for the latter. 😉

RYX Skincerity Deep Cleansing Water

After using the RYX Skincerity Rejuvenating set that brought on a lot of peeling, this toner is a welcome change in its mildness. Indeed, it feels like water but it draws out the dirt that's still left after washing. The ingredients list brings in a bevy of plant based elements such Centella Asiatica, Polygonum Cuspidate, Scutellaria Baicalensis, Camelia Sinensis, and Rosemary that gives lots of benefits for the skin (yep, Googled them all). It makes the skin feel soft and smooth and it really does the job well as it preps it for serums/moisturizers. 

This toner is available online so I always have trouble procuring it as I get lazy sometimes. 😆 The price is also steeper than how much I usually spend on toners which is around 100s. If you'll ask me, I can tell you that this is a good mild toner with other wonderful benefits, especially in the whitening department, if that is your thing, plus it balances the skkn's ph level and minimizes the pores. But the crux for me is that I can't buy it easily and buying it entails additional shipping fee, on top of it being pricey. Other than that, I have no beef about this toner.

Belo Essentials AcnePro Treatment Toner

This was part of the Sample Room haul last year and you can read my thoughts about this product in this link.

Kojie San Cleanser + Toner Ingredients and other details

Kojie San Cleanser + Toner Dual Action

This is another quick buy from Mercury Drug. It's meant to be a cleanser and toner in one and indeed it effectively draws out the dirt after washing. Over the past year I have learned to love the Korean way of doing skin care and that means using products that are gentler on the skin. I do find this one drying. Although I didn't experience excessive stinging or that kind of stuff, I just feel in my gut that this isn't the product for me. Must be because the alcohol content is high up on the list or maybe the menthol content. I used it less frequently, like three times a week and I alternated it with the Mamonde Rose Toner. It didn't help with the pimples either. I don't think I will be repurchasing this even if it's pretty affordable and readily available. In case you're wondering, the bottle is really not emptied but I decided to give this a rest already.

Check out: My other favorite toners: 

The Mask Sheets

Eenie meenie miney mo...

I have a few here. I enjoyed collecting mask sheets and in the back of my head, I planned to use one weekly but that never happened. It became more like a once-every-3-months thing. 😆

I ordered these mask sheets, save for the first two, at BeautyMNL during their annual holiday sale. I promised myself that this will be the last batch of mask sheets that I will be purchasing as I will be slowly switching to the wash off/peel off types (see photo below). I heard that the sheets don't easily decompose and I feel bad about what it does to the environment. 

Thank you for reading and see you on my next post.

Xo,

caRissa 🖤

Heyyah!

Penshoppe Hustle EDT for Men 

Price: Php 329.00 for 50 mL

Fragrance Details (as taken from www.penshoppe.com)

Olfactive - Floral Musk
Top Notes - Absinthe, Anise, Fennel
Middle Notes - Lavender
Base Notes - Vanilla, Musk

Penshoppe DenimLove EDT for Men

Price: Php 399 for 70 mL

Fragrance Details (as taken from www.penshoppe.com)

Olfactive - Citrus Fruity Musky

Top Notes - Ozone, Bergamot, Lime, Lemon, Orange

Middle Notes - Coriander, Fruity, Jasmine, Muguet

Base Notes - Musk, Moss, Sandalwood, Cedar, Olibanum, Caramel, Amber

caRissa 🖤

And there she is... my daughter got the Witchay Babay. Again, this is a surprise doll so you don't get to choose who you get. 

The removable top can be used as a stand. Here's our Witchay Babay in her full glory. 

The funny thing about kids: they seem to loose interest the moment they get what they want. Or is it just my observation, but I have barely seen Celestine play with this.

When I asked her, she said that she's just being careful because she doesn't want to loose the tiny pieces of this toy. Okuuuur.

But the last time I checked, she's always on Minecraft and it seems that she has already moved on to a Barbie-looking doll.
She's moving on so fast.

Well, this is a P 1, 375.00 doll so Imma take care of it. 

She will whip out her collection of Twilight merch, just because.

She's been watching the five Twilight Saga movies over and over but it won't hurt to watch again. She could watch it with you and she'd gladly narrate some trivia while she's at it. She's generous when it comes to information.

I was a quick, wet boy, diving too deep for coins...-Flightless Bird, American Mouth by Iron & Wine

Who knew a "paper cut" could change the course of things?

Fire and Ice.

An anti-acne toner that is infused with Purified Bee Venom which is clinically proven to treat mild to moderate acne and reduce inflammation. It unclogs congested pores & dries up pimples, reduces inflammation and red marks and soothes skin from irritation. It is oil-free, fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, and non-comedogenic.

When I read the details of this toner, it felt like this is THE ONE made for me. Those ⬆️ are the skin problems that I always encounter, albeit not on a large scale. And I enjoyed using every single bit of this product because it really helped in calming down the zits and the oiliness. What saddens me is that this isn't the usual Belo toner that I see in the local stores because I've only seen the pink and orange ones. I haven't spotted this toner in town. If it were available, I'm pretty sure I would always purchase this one. 

Rating: 4.5/5

Vitapack Whitening UV Sunscreen

It is a soft cream that protects the skin from harmful UV rays to prevent premature skin ageing while keeping the skin light and moisturized. It is infused with antioxidants in Sunflower Oil and Vitamin E to nourish, speed up rejuvenation and even out skin tone, and Sodium Hyaluronate to plump up skin for a lightweight, non-sticky and water-resistant finish.

I've always associated suncreens with stickiness so I was overjoyed when I road tested the Vitapack Whitening UV Sunscreen. It comes in a creamy formula but when applied to the skin, it leaves a matte finish. It also spreads easily on the skin so it's hassle-free. It makes the skin look smooth and at times, I would apply it and skip the bb cream or liquid foundation and just top it with powder. Even when I sweat out, my skin doesn't look oily or sticky. The label says that it is water-resistant, however I was not able to try it out because swimming got canceldt because of COVID19, so I won't be able to make a sound comment on that aspect.

The BIG problem that I had is that I believe it has been causing my pimples on my temple area. I used this a lot earlier this year and I kept having pimples on the same area. And then I stopped using it for a while, but not because I suspected that it was causing me pimples but just because I had other products to try out. And then a week ago, I used this because I was in a hurry to go out and it was the only sun protecting product I could grab. And voila, within that day, I had a painful red bump and I am still currently dealing with it. So. And there isn't a chance that I'll be using this sunscreen again because it is about to reach the end of its life, according to the label.
Rating: 3/5 (Truly, I wanted to love it, but.)

Papa Recipe Bombee Honey Mask
Price: Php 149.00

***

And now it's time to calculate how much these products cost versus how much I spent to get them. 

Belo Essentials Acne Pro Treatment Toner   -  Php   79.75

Vitapack Whitening UV Sunscree                   - Php 449.00

Papa Recipe Bombee Honey Mask                  - Php 149.00

Total                                                                  - Php 677.95

I got all of these items for only Php 150.00 because of the shipping fee.

Isn't it that a delight?

Thank you again Sample Room! Until next transaction!

XO, 

caRissa ♥️ 

Smith & Cult The Shining Lip Lacquer

Shade: Her Name Bubbles

Price: $22.00
Where I Bought It: Instagram seller

My Take

I am not a fan of glossy lips! Something about flying hair clashing with it spells hot mess for me. But I am willing to make an exception for Smith & Cult's The Shining Lip Lacquer! Everything about it, from the unique dented cap to the sweet tangy scent and the cushiony feel on the lips, is worth all the love. It is long-wearing, something that I do not expect about lip glosses or lacquers because it transfers. But somehow, even if it transfers, it still looks fine on the lips. I don't even need to reapply and I just press my lips together and they're fixed. They look lovely and the second next best thing about it is what happens after I've taken it off: my lips look and feel baby smooth. Like, it sloughs off every flaky bit of dry skin off the lips, like a lip balm would,  without leaving it dry. Find out more about this product after the jump!

Packaging and Applicator

At first I thought that my cap was damaged or dented. Then I saw on the S&C site that it is just the design. It gives you a good grip of the cap.