Product Review

What the Heck is a Beauty Fridge (and Why You NEED One Right Now)

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Let’s talk about something totally frivolous but surprisingly useful: a beauty fridge. Also known as a cosmetics fridge, a kikay fridge, a car fridge, or a skincare fridge, a beauty fridge is exactly that: it’s a small fridge for your skincare products.

My dwindling passion for self-care was all fired up once again after trying out this really good Japanese toner, which I will review very soon. This led to me, going on a shopping spree, for more beauty products because, you know, why not.

As I was going through product after product, I realized that skincare products feel nicer when they cool the skin. This isn’t a unique idea at all, in fact, I know most beauty junkies store their skincare products in the fridge.

But I thought, I know some Asian beauty junkies use an actual mini fridge for their skincare products and perhaps, I should get one too. For, you know, research. What followed was a fervent, two-hour e-window shopping on Lazada looking for the most perfect skincare fridge and when I found ~THE ONE~, I shamelessly asked my husband to get it for me.

[Thank you to my dashing benefactor for giving me all the useless, most ridiculous things that I ask for]

Two days later, my beauty fridge came, behold:

I chose the white one because I’ve plans of filling the door with stickers. The stickers are taking too long to arrive but whatever. I ordered this from Lazada via Latest Gadget and honestly, this is the same model that some insta stores are selling but is much, much cheaper from this store. There are even cheaper ones but I chose this model because the side door has a tiny shelf for more beauty stuff. See?

Setting up this baby is easy because it’s essentially a plug and play device but it does have a cooling/heating option so you have to choose the right setting first.

Once plugged in, it works quietly, I couldn’t even hear it humming. This beauty fridge comes with a removable horizontal divider but I took it off because some of my skincare products are tall. Filled it with stuff and waited for the mini-fridge to do its magic (the orange bottle is the toner I was talking about!)

Don’t expect the mini-fridge to be freezing cold though. It won’t produce ice at all. On the manual, it says that this is more of a cooler than a mini-fridge and I agree, it will just leave your stuff cool to the touch. I love how it cools my toners, the application feels so nice and refreshing.

The body of the mini-fridge itself is made from hard, durable plastic.  It’s not gonna survive WWIII but I think it’s durable enough to withstand a few bumps. There is a handle at the top of the mini-fridge so you can tote this baby around like the badass that you are, lol It also comes with two types of electric cords, one for home use and another for car use.

The white mini-fridges are currently sold out but the pink ones are still available in case you’d like to score a beauty fridge [NOT A SPONSORED POST, just helping a sister out]. So ya, I suggest you get one. It’s not expensive at all. I know cooling your skincare products won’t extend the shelf life of the products but it does make application even more pleasant.

BTW, My website is in the midst of a migration process so not sure if everything’s showing right.

Review: Origins™ Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Advanced Face Serum

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Some skin care products are good, others just leave you speechless. When it comes to the results, the Origins Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins™ Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Advanced Face Serum just leaves you speechless. It’s so good. If it wasn’t for the steep price, I would add this to my skin care regimen, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

What is it: Origins™ Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Advanced Face Serum

This potent serum by Dr. Andrew Weil is fortified with Sea Buckthorn plus skin-repairing Reishi, irritant-soothing Chaga and Cordyceps mushrooms, long used in Chinese medicine to heal, promote longevity and improve health. Used faithfully, skin is transformed from reactive to resilient and from stressed to soothed to reveal a healthier, more radiant appearance.

This is a lightweight serum that skins in the skin within seconds. It has a light, herbal scent that dissipates quickly.

Quality and Packaging

The Origins™ Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Advanced Face Serum comes in a green plastic bottle with a compact pump. I love a skin care product that comes with this kind of pump because you have more control over the amount of product as you pump. Also, the pump has a twist lock so it’s travel-friendly! Overall, the packaging is top-notch. We go to the city fairly regularly and I’ve zero problems traveling with this serum, it’s so handy.

The quality of the product itself is equally amazing. The serum is formulated for stressed skin, which is pretty much the kind of skin I have post-partum. I use this serum in conjunction with the FRESH Vitamin Nectar Moisture Glow face cream.

Performance

I know I mentioned the current state of my skin after giving birth, but FYI, my skin took on a leathery, rough texture post-partum. It’s been like this for weeks! I’m not sure what happened, but my skin has never been this dry before. And I am drinking a lot of water these days!

I use the serum at night after washing and patting my face dry. I then apply a layer of moisturizer over the serum.

Because this product is not designed to hydrate the skin, it’s not really doing much about my dry patches. However, using this serum consistently made my skin bright and bouncy. My skin is not prone to redness although it can get splotchy sometimes. With this, I don’t have to worry about discoloration at all. My skin looks even toned.

Final Thoughts

I love this serum! It works so well, especially for skin that’s prone to irritation, redness, and/or inflammation. It’s hella expensive, but it works and I highly recommend it if you have the extra dough to spare. I suggest getting this as a part of a gift set so you could save more. I got mine from Origins’ holiday gift set and the serum came in full size, which was awesome.

Review: Banila Co. Liplike Moist Tint in Red Berry

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I love a good Korean lip, especially now that my beauty routine is simpler. Back in the day, I would layer two to three different lip shades to create a new shade or layer the same shade repeatedly to achieve a certain level of opacity. These days, however, I’m into translucent colors, sheer hues that let the skin breathe. That’s the reason why I love the Banila Co. Liplike Moist tint, it’s a lip product that imparts sheer to opaque color to the lips.

What is it: Banila Co. Lip Like Moist Tint

The Banila Co. Lip Like Moist Tint is “a long-wearing lip tint with a high color payoff. ”

According to the brand, this product:

Provides buildable coverage to achieve your desired look; paints on vivid color for a pretty pout; lightweight, hydrating formula feels comfortable on the lips; doe-foot applicator lets you apply the product with precision.

The product also promises to be “light and hydrating” with its “skin-conditioning properties.”

Quality and Packaging

I love Banila Co.’s packaging. The component is made from a thick and somewhat hefty plastic material so it doesn’t feel cheap at all. The plastic tube is clear so you can see the actual shade of the lip tint.

The twist cap features an angled doe-foot applicator that applies the product evenly. The applicator has a pointed tip so you have more control over the amount of product to apply. This was done on purpose because a Korean lip requires subtle color gradients.

Performance

Essentially, this lip tint is similar to all the other Korean lip tints. It has a thin consistency and a sweet, almost candy-like scent.

As you know, I’ve reviewed a similar product in the past, the Dear Darling Lip Tint by Etude House. I can say with utter certainty that the Banila Co. Liplike Moist tint is better than Etude’s lip tint.

For one thing, this lip tint doesn’t fade after a meal. And when it does fade, it fades evenly. There’s no crusty, ugleh crimson line left on the lip, which was my problem with the Etude lip tint.

I also like the consistency of the Banila Co. Liplike Moist tint. It’s not too thin that it spreads everywhere and not too thick that it’s hard to control. The consistency is just right for a good pat down to soften the color along the edge of the lips. The formula is terrific. It’s light, non-drying, and non-sticky. I hate lip tints that are unnecessarily sticky. I can’t say for sure that this tint kept my lips hydrated but it’s not drying at all.

The shade I got is a pretty tomato red (red-orange) and it flatters my skin perfectly. When I use this, I feel like my face brightens up, you know? The downside is that there is a subtle flavor to it, which I dislike.

Swatch Party!

Freshly applied
Faded a bit

Final Thoughts

I’m a huge fan of the Korean lip and I love the Banila Co. Liplike Moist tint! I like the quality of the product itself and the budge-proof formula. I’m so happy with it that I am planning to get more shades soon. The color selection is pretty diverse for a lip tint, which is another plus for the brand. Overall, highly recommended!

 

 

Review: Snug-A-Hug Maternity Nursing Post Op Everyday Pillow

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This post has been updated recently

My belly is getting rounder and rounder and it’s throwing my center of gravity off. As you can imagine, my lower back is always hurting these days.I’vee always wanted to get a body pillow but it’s only now that I decided to actually get one.

The most popular maternity pillow I’ve seen online is the Snug-a-Hug Maternity Nursing Post Op Everyday Pillow. As the name implies, this is a multi-purpose pillow. It’s designed to ease the pressure of a growing belly on the spine for better sleep. Does it work? I have my doubts but I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s review!

What is it: Snug-a-Hug Maternity Nursing Post Op Everyday Pillow

According to Snug-a-Hug Lazada:

Snug-a-hug is a Maternity Nursing Post-op Everyday Pillow used primarily by expecting moms, nursing mothers, recuperating patients and the like, but generally, this product can be used on a daily basis by anyone or anybody who just love a decent sleep! Made of 100% US Cotton, high-quality synthetic fibers, and Jersey knit cotton covers, it offers full back support that helps in correcting posture while sleeping

This is a fairly sizable pillow. I know it’s a body pillow and it’s supposed to be huge but I guess I didn’t know what to expect. I got this at Lazada via Snug-a-Hug’s official store but in hindsight, I should’ve gotten this at https://www.snugahug.net/ because it’s cheaper.

Quality and Packaging

The pillow came in a hugeass box, about 3 days after ordering. I was surprised at how fast the shipping was considering that this came from Lazada (haha). The pillow was well-packed and it came with its own reusable bag + instruction booklet. I was not able to take a picture of the entire shebang because I was excitedly ripping the packaging to pieces, hahaha!

I got the black one and the package came with the pillowcase and a storage bag. I like the softness of the pillowcase but I’m not impressed by the quality. The fabric is so thin, the pillow’s actual cover is peeking through. I suppose the material will tear easily too since it’s so thin and stretchy.

The actual pillow is quite robust, the stitching seems strong. I dislike how bulky the stuffing is though, I will get to the why later. Overall, the pillow looks like it’s durable so the PhP2,300 price tag seems fair. The pillowcase, on the other hand, is so cheap looking. I won’t be surprised if this gets ripped to shreds easily.

Performance

At first, I was excited to use the pillow. Again, my back is killing me and it takes a while before I get comfortable at night. I gave this a test run during an afternoon nap, not at night. Why?

The second I felt the bulging stuffing, I knew that the pillow is too firm. If I give this a test run at night, I might not get a wink of sleep. Yes, I’m sensitive that way. My pillows mustn’t be too firm nor too soft otherwise, I will have a hard time sleeping. My neck, in particular, is sensitive to the pillow height. The height of the pillow should be just right. Otherwise, my neck muscles stiff right up.

And you know, I was right, it was too damn firm. The hooked ends are too hooked too, gave me a fucking crick in the neck! When you lie on the hooked end, you have to kinda anchor that shit on the side of the neck, which is so uncomfortable. And when you move, it sorta grabs ahold of you too, wouldn’t let go!

Worse, if you lie on the hooked end as opposed to anchoring it on your neck, the end of the pillow is so big, it goes all the way to the middle of my back and the sleeping surface becomes uneven. Does that make sense? Essentially, the design of the hooked ends is so bothersome. I wish it wasn’t hooked this way, more like L-shaped, get it? So when you don’t want to anchor your neck, you can still lie on it without getting an uneven sleeping surface. Basta, mahirap i-explain, you have to experience it yourself to know what I’m talking about.

I had the most uncomfortable nap of my life, I was so disappointed. I was seriously thinking about sending the pillow back but I didn’t. I was hoping that when my belly gets even bigger, I might learn to like it. At the moment, the pillow is back in its bag, ignored since I tested it.

It’s also worth noting that the pillow is best for large beds. Or if you sleep alone. It’s that huge. We have a queen sized mattress and it does take a lotta room still.

Final Thoughts

Well, that’s PhP2000+ I can’t get back. I wish I bought a hotdog pillow instead T_T I wish I understand the raves but the Snug-a-Hug Maternity Nursing Post Op Everyday Pillow is useless to me. It’s so firm, bulky, uncomfortable. The design isn’t as intuitive as I was led to believe. This is what I get for believing the hype.

UPDATE: Just so you know I didn’t test this pillow willy-nilly, I slept using the Snug-a-Hug pillow for three nights in a row. I got a stiff neck and a migraine because the pillow is so damn firm. I gave up after the third day. Gave it to the husband and he used it for three days too. Binalik sakin (he gave it back to me) saying he can’t move freely at night so back to the bag the pillow went.

 

South Sea Pearls Palawan: My Experience Ordering from an Online Seller

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NOTE: BTW, for those wondering why I keep writing my shopping experiences, I don’t do this to gloat. I noticed that one of my most popular posts is the Lux Online PH review, so I know there is a clamor for information about local online sellers. The problem is, there is limited information about these sellers online. There’s really not much of a choice but to take a leap of faith. I’m quite happy that my review has been helping other customers!

I have a love-hate relationship with Instagram. I love the app because it allows me to showcase my life in pictures. I hate the app because it makes cash-burning so much easier thanks to Insta-sellers, hahaha!

The hubs and I decided to get my mother a pearl necklace for Christmas. I know four different vendors that sell freshwater and South Sea pearls online and it was hard to choose just one. I chose South Sea Pearls Palawan because it was the first seller that I added on Facebook. This was around the time I was obsessing over SSP studs, heh.

I didn’t order anything until recently because I’m wary of ordering jewelry online. There’s always the danger of getting fakes, being scammed, or getting your stuff stolen when you buy jewelry over the net. I’ve heard the horror stories! But you know what, fuck it. Christmas is coming and this needs to be ticked off my list.

South Sea Pearls Palawan: Ordering Online

First off, the seller was really nice. I was working on a limited budget and was vocal about it. She was quite understanding about the whole thing and gave me a great price. I ordered an 18″ necklace comprised of 8 mm top-quality freshwater pearls. Yes, I wish I got the SSPs but for a Christmas gift, that was pushing it.

I paid via bank deposit but I think the seller accepts PayPal payments too! I love sellers that accept PP payments because there are lots of scammers out there. With PP payments, the seller receives the money right away + I get a receipt in case things go south. After paying for the necklace, I got regular updates from the seller. She gave me updates on the shipping infos, delivery process + provided the shipping receipt so I can track the parcel while in transit.

Not sure if this is how she operates but as a customer, I appreciate all these things. The updates gave me the peace of mind knowing that I’m dealing with a legitimate business.

Overall, the ordering process was pretty straightforward and hassle-free. One thing though, if you can’t tell a real pearl from a fake one, I don’t recommend buying something like this online. Unless of course, you have an online alahera you can trust. Just sayin’.

The Product

The necklace arrived a day after it’s been shipped, which was impressive, to say the least. It was wrapped in a cardboard box. Inside the cardboard box is a red cardboard box. Here’s what the necklace looks like:

Isn’t she pretty? I love the quality of the pearls, especially the satiny luster! My husband gifted me a similar necklace and side by side, I can see the difference between the pearls. These pearls have a beautiful glow!

Before finalizing the order, I had a few requests, customization for the product. True to her word, the seller customized the necklace accordingly. I loved the results.

Final Thoughts

Quite happy with my new purchase and I’m pretty sure my mother will be pleased with this gift too! I highly recommend South Sea Pearls Palawan and would definitely repurchase. The seller is nice, the prices are fair, the product is high quality and more importantly, the biz is legit. Delivery was exceptional too! To know more about this seller, click here.

Since this deal was quite successful, I became more confident in terms of buying jewelry online. I’ve already ordered a little Christmas treat for myself (through a different seller) and I’m chronicling the experience as I write this. So those of you who are looking for similar items online but are wary of the sellers’ legitimacy, know that I’m taking one for the team!

Review: Tribord Easybreath Full-Face Snorkeling Mask + Overcoming (ish) My Fear of Deep Water

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Remember when I said I shopped for simple snorkel gears to prepare for our Davao trip? Total lie, I actually picked up a couple of full-face snorkel masks at Decathlon PH. And these masks, there’s nothing simple about them at all. They’re definitely not your ordinary swimming goggles.

I am petrified of deep waters. My husband is a confident swimmer while I’m an anxious floater. This is ironic considering my love for the beach.

During our last beach trip, I learned how to surface snorkel.  I mean, sort of. Wasn’t really good at it but it’s a start. I was hoping that the Tribord Easy Breath Full-Face snorkeling mask would help build my confidence so I’d become more comfortable in deeper water. And you know what? It did!

Tribord Easybreath Full-Face Snorkel Mask

What is it: Tribord EasyBreath Full-Face Snorkeling Mask

Meet the Tribord Easy Breath Full-Face snorkeling mask! This mask allows users to breathe underwater while surface snorkeling. How awesome is this?

I found out about this product while casually surfing the net. This happened about four days before our Davao trip. If there’s one thing you need to know about me, I can be pretty persistent and obsessive when I want something. I pored over reviews, compared rates, and learned how to use the mask in like an hour. I convinced myself that the masks will be critical to the success of the trip. I needed to get my hands on these.

I could’ve ordered the masks at Lazada but from my experience, delivery could take two weeks. I need this shit before the trip and I’ve only three days to spare. Also, I wanted the original snorkel mask, no copycat nonsense, the one by Tribord. Luckily, Decathlon just arrived in the PH and the brand has an online store.

Even better, the delivery service (Ninja Van) is extremely fast (still based on experience) and offers cash on delivery. So I was able to order the masks online easily enough. The only downside is that you have to create an account via the Decathlon website to finalize the order. You can’t seal the deal as a guest, which I thought was ridiculous but did it anyway. I received the package the day before the trip, how awesome was that?

Packaging

So the parcel arrived in a sizable brown box. I got a pink one for moi and a blue one for the hubs. Each mask is packed neatly in its own mesh bag but I noticed that the products were not bubble-wrapped. I thought was a little careless. The box is quite big so there’s a lot of free space. There was enough room for the masks to move around, which means they could’ve sustained scratches during shipping. I wish Decathlon would pack their products well to protect them from damages while in transit.

Performance

To know your size, get a measuring tape. Measure the space between the spot where the nose bridge starts and the chin. My size is S/M while the hubs is M/L.

tribord easybreath snorkel mask
Photo Credit: tribord.co.uk

It works, by the way! The mask provided a clear view of the surroundings. It didn’t distort my perspective at all! Breathing while snorkeling was easy although it can get a little stuffy at some point. We noticed, though, that using the mask for some time left us huffing and puffing after snorkeling. Like we just ran a marathon or something, hahaha! The key is to relax and breathe normally while surface snorkeling so the lungs won’t work too hard.

As long as the antenna thing isn’t submerged in water, you can breathe underwater. If the antenna thing is submerged in water, the little ball inside it seals the opening so air supply will be cut off. That’s a good feature because I can only imagine the panic that will set in if the mask fills with water! The mask is not meant to be used in deeper waters for snorkeling. It is only meant for surface snorkeling.

The mask gave me the confidence to surface snorkel in deeper waters too, about 10 to 15 feet in depth. Usually, I refuse to venture to water deeper than 5 feet. Although I was able to snorkel in deeper waters, my husband had to hold my hand while doing it. Otherwise, I freak the fuck out man. This, even when I’m wearing a freaking life vest.

I dunno man, the sensation of my feet floating into nothingness scares me to the core. If I can’t feel the ground while swimming, I freak out, that’s just how it is. Bless my husband for patiently holding my hand and steering this deadweight to the best spots while I happily look at fishies. This dude.

The mouthpiece gets a little hazy when in use but the mask doesn’t fog up at all. I thought that was awesome because my old snorkeling gears kept fogging up, it was annoying!

Quality

I was expecting a little flimsiness because the masks were pretty affordable at PhP 1,200 a pop. I was pleasantly surprised, the masks looked and felt durable. Each one has a nice heft to it. They’re not a pain to use, but there’s substantial weight to them that gives the impression of durability.

My husband’s mask was a perfect fit. The silicone flap creates a tight seal that prevents water from seeping inside the mask. Mine’s a great fit although the seal on the upper part of the mask isn’t as tight so water seeps in a little. That’s okay because the water drains to the bottom of the mask, seen below:

My only gripe is the elastic band that secures the mask on the head when worn. The sewn areas are prone to tearing. You have to be careful when wearing or removing the mask. I was careful with mine but the elastic band of my hub’s mask had signs of tearing.

The antenna tube-thing can be bought separately BTW. In case you lose it, you can order another antenna for PhP300+++ I think.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Tribord Easy Breath Full-Face snorkeling mask lives up to its promise. It is a well-designed product and the performance blew me away. I’m so impressed with this product that I’m planning to buy another one for my baby brother for our upcoming Caramoan adventure next summer! I cannot recommend this enough, especially for peeps like me who are not confident swimmers!