Archives for August 2017

Purging My Closet + Recos for Basic Essentials!

August 28, 2017 by Tina Lee Leave a Comment

When you reach a certain age, you start changing the way you dress. I’m at a point where I could no longer wear my band shirts and Chucks… not because I lost all that angst (hah!) but mostly because they no longer fit my aesthetics. I think pushing 35 made me realize I could no longer dress like a teen.

Until a couple of months ago, my closet was packed with loud clothes. Most of these clothes I no longer want to wear. So I decided to purge my closet. I want to remove all the items that I’ve outgrown or those that are just wasting space in my closet.

Also, I gained a lot of weight since I got married so the majority of my clothes no longer fit. I’m not sure how I feel about the weight gain but I suppose being married made eating much more fun.

I’ve been on a minimalist kick lately, preferring plain tees and bottoms over loud shirts or graphic bottoms anyway. Slowly, I started filling my closet with basic tees, basic bottoms, even basic undies.

In case you’re wondering, this is my everyday uniform

The process made me realize that I’ve been buying stuff from really great places and I should do a recommendation post. You know, just in case you’re looking for a great place to shop for basic essentials too!

UNIQLO Tees

I’ve been a huge fan of Uniqlo way before it hit the PH shores. The quality, fit, and material of the clothes are terrific. I used to buy a shitload of graphic tees here but since I’ve been transforming my closet, I started shopping for plain tees.

As you know, Uniqlo has an extensive selection of tees. The company basically build its brand around that fact. Personally, I recommend the undershirts, those PHP 290 shirt packs set near the undies aisle. Those shirts are noice!

Sure, the material is thinner than a department store tee, but the shirt is surprisingly resilient and so, so soft. The fit is great too! I prefer simple tees with a scooped neck rather than a round neck because the style is more flattering and feminine.

Uniqlo undershirts are affordable and they come in a variety of colors to choose from. My favorites are the black and white ones. I bought another two for my growing collection because one of my cats, Jelly Bean, clawed one of my new shirts!

PS: I managed to snag the last two skinny jeans (different styles) in my size, hurray!

UNIQLO Wireless Bras

… and speaking of undies, Uniqlo has the best wireless, clasp-less bras! I saw these bras on a commercial and decided to buy a couple. I loved it and got a few more!

I do love a good underwire bra but wearing one can uncomfortable for every day. Wireless bras feel less constricting for daily use and these soft cup bras are perfect. The design isn’t the most exciting but this is a staple bra, every woman should have one.

The material is sturdy, seamless, and soft. The fit is comfortable. The molded cups are smooth, offering light support. The bra literally feels like nothing when worn! Love the fact that it doesn’t cause unsightly bra lines under tight-fitting shirts.

The only downside is the price, Uniqlo bras are pricier than most department store bras. But the construction, fit, and durability of these basic bras are top-notch! Highly recommended for girls who do not need the extra boost.

UNIQLO Boxer Shorts

A great alternative to the classic jammies is a well-worn pair of boxer shorts! I’m in dire need of new shorts to wear for bed. My old ones are just plain ratty because they’ve been abused for years.

I decided to get boxer shorts instead of the usual jammies because they’re so comfortable and light. Also, I keep stealing my husband’s boxers so I figured he needed a break from that, hahaha!

Initially, I was planning to get those 3-in-1 packs I kept seeing at my local department store. But my husband says Uniqlo’s 2-in-1s are actually more affordable and better in terms of quality. So I decided to get several of the shorts in the same style and color because even when I’m set for bed I’m all about uniformity.

I’ve been using them ever since and they are so fabulous. The material is airy, the stitches are even and durable. The gartered waist doesn’t look nor feel flimsy at all. Amazing quality!

Marks & Spencer: Seamless Panties

You’d think I’d buy undies at Uniqlo after discovering how good their seamless bras were but no. I’ve always bought my undies at Marks & Spencer for years, years! I discovered how good their seamless boy shorts were back when I still held an office-based job and I’ve been a fan ever since.

Marks & Spencer has a great selection of undies, individually packed and packs of 5s. I always get the packs of 5 because they’re much affordable this way. My fave is the boy shorts style, which is a low-rise Lycra panty set with seamless trims.

The material is soft, a little thin but surprisingly durable. These undies come with “stay-new” tech. I think this means the material is much more resilient to hand or machine washing and it is!

I thought the undies at M&S were part of the mid-year sale but sadly, they’re not. Still, I got a couple of packs because I was purging my closet and most of my old stuff need to go.

The only thing that I’m not too crazy about these undies is that the crotch area is prone to discoloration. This goes especially if you hand wash your undies, the crotch area turns a deep red or maroon over time but the rest of the material remains black as night.

My closet is still in the process of transforming into a minimalist dream but I’m getting there! It’s quite liberating, letting go of clothes that I keep for their sentimental value. My closet is much more organized now!

Review: COW Beauty Soap in Blue

August 24, 2017 by Tina Lee Leave a Comment

Ah Japan, my favorite country… it’s such a wonderful place for skin care products! I’m set for another Japan trip sometime next year and I’m giddy with excitement already. But before that, let’s go ahead and start with a review of a really cool Japanese beauty product: Cow Beauty Soap!

Cow Beauty Soap is an ubiquitous beauty bar that’s often found in drugstores all over Japan. I was not able to hoard these soap bars during my Japan trip because of luggage issues. Good thing I got gifted with Cow Beauty soaps when a cousin came to Japan!

What is it: Cow Beauty Soap

The Cow Beauty soap is a milk-based beauty bar so popular, it’s considered as Japan’s version of the iconic Ivory soap (more on this later). The heritage brand that produces this soap was founded in 1909. The soap’s main ingredients are milk, milk fat, and squalene, no doubt to boost skin moisture, brighten the skin tone, and reduce wrinkles.

Cow Beauty soap has a strong jasmine scent that’s almost identical to Ivory soap’s signature fragrance. The Cow Beauty soap is a body soap and facial soap in one, it comes in individual packs as well as packs of 3s.

Performance

Ivory soap was our household soap as a child. This was during the 90s when Pure Gold was not a Filipino supermarket chain but a source of imported or Duty-Free products. My dad would drive all the way to Clark Airbase to hoard Ivory soaps (they come in these hugeass packs of 10s) and Hershey’s Kisses, hahaha!

A whiff of Cow Beauty soap brought me back to simpler times. I know the scent so well! I was surprised that the Cow beauty soap smells just like an Ivory soap because it’s supposed to be a milk soap. The difference is that the Cow’s scent is powdery, less floral. But this distinction is almost imperceptible.

I don’t know which brand copied which because Ivory and Cow are both heritage brands. I will say that Cow’s scent isn’t as cloying or sharp as Ivory’s signature scent.

The beauty soap does lather well, it produces a moderately-thick lather that feels so good against the skin. The soap lather washes off easily and you do feel a squeaky kind of clean. I have a mixed feeling about this. I feel that the soap is somewhat drying when used on the face but not so much when used all over the body.

Since the soap contains milk and milk fats, it’s supposed to hydrate, soften, as well as brighten the skin. I’ve used this soap close to a month and so far, there’s no noticeable difference as far as my skin tone is concerned. I don’t think it lightened my skin or whitened dark areas. However, this soap isn’t as drying as a regular soap. I do feel like my skin is smoother.

I used this as a face soap for about a week and I don’t recommend it. I was somewhat apprehensive about using this for the face but I did it anyway. Left my skin rough and bumpy so I decided to quit it after 7 days.

Final Thoughts

Is Cow beauty soap better than Dove or Ivory? I’ve used Dove and Ivory extensively for years and I can say that the Cow Beauty soap is not milder in comparison. It just felt like an ordinary bath soap when compared with Dove and Ivory, to be honest. That being said, it doesn’t leave my skin dry as the Sahara. I feel that it didn’t brighten my skin tone but then again, I do have fair skin so any changes won’t be as noticeable.

Review: Kiko Unlimited Stylo Lipstick

August 17, 2017 by Tina Lee Leave a Comment

I’ve been wearing lipstick since I was 12 years old. It’s just one of those staple beauty items that I have in my bag, always. I feel naked without a swipe of color on my lips. I don’t discriminate either, I’m perfectly happy with el cheapo lippies like Avon or CoverGirl lipsticks.

Today’s review was a gift from a friend: Kiko Unlimited Stylo lipstick in shade number 04 or Pearly Tangerine. This lipstick has been left unused for months because I wasn’t too crazy about the almost neon shade. Now I’m sort of sorry for ignoring this lipstick because it’s a really nice shade. It suits my skin tone so well (although it made my teeth appear yellowish).

What is it: Kiko Unlimited Stylo Lipstick

For those who are not familiar, Kiko is a Milan-based drugstore makeup brand. Kiko has yet to hit PH shores but I’m hoping for their entry in the local market! They really offer a great selection of makeup in trendy colors.

Kiko Unlimited Stylo Lipstick is hypo-allergenic and transfer-resistant lip color. It boasts a highly pigmented semi-matte finish. It has a staying power of 8 hours but is comfortable to wear. The weightless formula will make the lips appear soft and smooth. The consistency is “ultra-melting,” adhering perfectly onto the lips with extreme precision.

Performance

Pearly Tangerine is a bright, almost neon coral lipstick that goes on smooth then dries down to a pretty demi-matte. When it sets, it stays put as long as you don’t eat.

The formula is indeed light and comfortable. Swiping the lipstick, it has a nice slip to it, quite smooth and silky. Initial application can be patchy but the product is buildable. You can layer the lip color to get the intensity you want. I don’t recommend layering the product after the first layer has been set. When you do this, the lipstick doesn’t settle well on the lips. I suggest layering the product immediately so it dries down evenly.

One trick to get an even application is to pat the lips lightly with a fingertip. This will break apart the clumping pigment. Also, it helps to apply a thin swipe of lip balm prior to application. Wipe the excess balm with tissue so the lipstick won’t slip and slide. Don’t touch the lipstick or press your lips together as it starts to set or you’ll ruin the finish.

The lipstick feels comfortable when worn although it doesn’t make the lips appear smooth or line-free. In anything, the lipstick made the lines on my lips obvious but this is a common issue among matte lipsticks. The pigment tends to pool into the lip lines too.

The staying power is great, it will survive a coffee break but expect the lipstick to fade significantly after an oily meal. I can’t say this is completely transfer-proof.

2 and a half hours into wear (ate fried peanuts)

Sure, it doesn’t budge once it sets but it still smears during a meal. If you don’t eat anything, this will stay on for hours! On me, it stayed budge-free for 4 to 6 hours. As you can see from the picture above, the lippie doesn’t mix well with oily food.

Swatch Party!

This is the kind of lipstick that’s best applied on freshly exfoliated lips. The pigment is prone to catching on flakes. It will certainly make dry lips look extra gnarly so prep the lips properly prior to application.

Final Thoughts

The Kiko Unlimited Stylo lipstick is one pigment-packed lipstick with a budge-proof formula. It’s budge proof as long as you don’t eat. I love the shade and I find myself reaching for this lippy all the time. I just wish the formula is fuss-free, you know? I feel that for a simple demi-matte lipstick, the Kiko Unlimited Stylo lipstick is making users work a lot to get a decent application.

Apart from prepping the lips, you gotta apply a lip balm and be mindful of the food you eat. The lipstick doesn’t fade evenly so you have to constantly check your lips throughout the wear. It doesn’t feel drying although it emphasized the lines on my lips.

MOTD… More Like MOTY

August 9, 2017 by Tina Lee Leave a Comment

It wasn’t too long ago when I was rocking a full face every day. It took me at least an hour to make my face but I loved every second of it. Since I move into in our new home, I’ve gotten hella lazy.

These days, I’m content with a barely-there makeup and I’m sharing my favorite look. This MOTD only takes me 5 to 10 minutes to complete and it’s devoid of blushers and contouring. Nothing fancy or fussy about it.

I start by applying lip balm to prep the lips. My favorite is the Nivea lip balm in Peach. Then, I used the sheerest base in my kit, which is MAC Face and Body foundation.

The application is tricky but once you get the hang of it, you get a beautiful skin-like finish that glows. The idea here is to let the real skin show through without the blemishes.

With a Real Techniques buffing brush, I apply the foundation in layers, working on sections. The Face and Body foundation won’t cover redness or blemishes so I pat a little concealer to even out my skin tone. Finally, I set the foundie with Ben Nye banana powder then a light spritz of Avene facial spray to cut the powderiness.

Using the K-Palette 24 Hour Real Lasting eyebrow, I draw my brows. This takes me a couple of minutes to complete. I finish up the eyes with an eyeliner. I use Maybelline Hyper Impact eyeliner because it’s BOMB.

Now, this is my favorite part: I apply highlighter all over the cheekbones and above the brows. With a Sonia Kashuk fan brush, I give the cheeks a light sweep of theBalm Mary-Lou-manizer. I wear eyeglasses every day so I don’t bother highlighting my nose bridge but I would if I’m wearing contact lenses.

To finish this look, I apply a peach lipstick. I always go for a lipstick shade that’s close to my natural lip color to maintain the all-natural look. The finish has to be glossy and sheer like the Avon Ultra Moisture Rich in Peach-Fection (shall I do a review?). I freakin’ love this cheapass lipstick and I’d be so sad if this shade is discontinued. Staying power is zero to nil but the finish is so lovely.

A few points to ponder:

I don’t carve my brows with a concealer after. I want to keep the makeup minimal.
Lined eyes keep this look from looking too plain.
No blush on, no contour, no color correction. And with this look, a little blush and I’d look too made up.

And there you have it, my fancy-free MOTD (… or MOTY let’s be real)!

Review: MAC Pro Longwear Concealer

August 1, 2017 by Tina Lee Leave a Comment

Personally, I believe that the secret to the perfect no-make-up look is a good concealer. Most days, I don’t wear a full face. Instead of applying foundation on this fez, I use the MAC Pro Longwear concealer to hide blemishes. This stuff is good:

What is it: MAC Pro Longwear Concealer

The MAC Pro Longwear concealer is a light to full coverage concealer packed in a dinky pump-up glass bottle. The consistency is like a runny cream but it blends like a dream! This concealer has a fast drying time so better pat that shit on quick before it sets. And once it sets, it’s not going anywhere.

According to MAC, this concealer can be used to hide blemishes and lighten dark under eyes. However, I don’t use this under the eyes because the formula is too creamy for my liking. I prefer a thinner formula under the eyes so I use the MAC Select Cover-Up to banish my panda eyes (review soon)!

Performance

For reference, I’m an NC30 in MAC but for concealing, I use NW20 and NC20.

MAC Pro Longwear boasts of a 12-hour staying power but there was never a time that I wore this concealer for this long. I will say that, on me, it wears like iron. I have combination (oily in the T-zone but dry on the cheeks) skin so the staying power is pretty great.

I love the formula because I can layer it according to the coverage that I want. In my experience, a couple of layers is enough to cover an extremely dark blemish. The coverage is fantastic, it erases blemishes, no color correcting needed.

Under the eyes, a single swipe is all it takes to even out the darkness on these areas. I don’t like using the MAC Pro Longwear concealer under the eyes because it’s slightly drying. And it seems to bring more attention to my fine lines. This product I use strictly for blemishes.

To conceal a blemish, just pat a small amount of the product on. Pat gently and continuously so the warmth of your fingers melts and blends the product evenly. This way, the concealer doesn’t look like it’s sitting on your skin. Because the MAC Pro Longwear concealer sets so fast, you have to blend quickly. Otherwise, the concealer won’t blend well properly. The end result will be a patchy mess and that’s not a good look!

In many ways, this concealer reminds me of an old favorite, the MUFE Full Cover Concealer. Both concealers are similar in texture, coverage, and setting time. A little goes a long, long way!

Swatch Party

As you can see, the MAC Pro Longwear concealer is incredibly pigmented. My only gripe is the pump-up glass bottle. Sure, it makes the concealer look even more luxe but it dispenses too much product.

Something about the pump’s mechanism makes it hard to control the amount of product it dispenses. You really need to control your own strength as you pump or you’ll end up wasting a lot of product! Unfortunately, you can’t unscrew the pump so there’s no choice but to deal with the pump.

Christine has a tip for those who are having trouble with the pump, worth a shot.

Also, the glass bottle is quite fragile. As you can see, mine is wrapped in a scrunchie because girlfriend’s got butterfingers. I’ll be damned if this thing shatters into a million pieces on the floor!

Final Thoughts

In terms of performance and staying power, the MAC Pro Longwear concealer is a fantastic concealer. This is a great choice for those who live in hot humid weather. You can layer the product for heavy concealing or pat a light layer for everyday makeup.

This concealer could be used to hide blemishes and dark under eyes. However, I don’t recommend this for the under eyes because the consistency is on the thick side. But then again, different strokes for different folks. My advice is to prep the skin so the concealer applies smoothly.

A single bottle contains about 9 ML of the product. That’s more than the usual amount you get from a mid-range concealer! I wish MAC would change the packaging though. A small squirt tube would’ve been nice but this is just a minor gripe.