January Favourites

Likas Papaya Soap // Olive Make-up Wipes

Kiehl's Creme de Corps Soy Milk & Honey // Make Me Star Gel Liner // The Balm Blush in Cabana Boy

The Face Shop Rice Sheet Mask // Forever 21 statement necklace // Laura Secord Mint Chocolates

Likas Papaya Soap - If you're in need of a gentle bar soap that isn't too fragrant, I highly recommend picking up a papaya-based soap. I have very sensitive skin and used to have eczema patches here and there, so I'm always looking for natural ingredients that are known to help heal, soothe and repair skin problems. I don't really notice any "skin-whitening" but that's not why I picked it up anyway. You can usually find bars like these in Filipino food stores. I found mine at an Asian supermarket and was tempted to just stock up on a few. 

Olive Make-up Wipes - I used to use Yes to Cucumber Wipes, but I found that it sometimes dried out my skin, especially around my eyes. Getting tough eye make-up off is the worst so I needed to find a wipe that could do the trick, but not bruise my eyelids or dry out any part of my face. Tada! This one is a lifesaver for the lazy girls out there. You can rest assured that everything will come off (as far as make-up wipes typically go) and your skin will have a nice moisturising layer that you can just pat-in and sleep with. Much like papaya, olive oil is also really great for dry skin.

Kiehl's Creme de Corps - This is by far, the creamiest body butter I've ever tried. It's probably the most luxurious feeling cream that you'll ever slather on your body. Texture aside, the whole reason this tub was on my wishlist was because of it's warm, sugary, coconut smell. If you've ever had a Chinese buttercream bun, with the coconut shavings on the side, this is the non-edible version for your skin. One thing to note is that it doesn't absorb very quickly, so it can leave you feeling greasier than your average lotion.

Make Me Star Gel Liner - There was this huge craze with white waterliners last year (or perhaps the year before that) and I tried to jump on the bandwagon but the products I tried looked like chalk - it just never came out right. So here's the new thing - rose gold eyeliner that does the same thing to wake up your face, but isn't as obvious as a white-out shaded version. I like it a lot. Glides on smooth, lasts all day, and makes Monday mornings look like I already had some caffeine.

The Balm Blush in Cabana Boy - I was taken by the packaging and the colour was a pigmented mauve-y purple with a hint of golden shimmer. That's all I really needed in a blush for January.

The Face Shop Rice Sheet Mask - I have a new obsession with the skin benefits of rice. I've always heard that it helps brighten and exfoliate without being too abrasive. Perhaps it's a psychological thing, but after I put this mask on for 10 minutes, I felt soft and smooth and healthy and nice. I will be re-purchasing a good set of these and pampering myself regularly.

Forever 21 statement necklace - Winter can get really boring with the constant fat, chunky sweaters that we have to pair with other things to avoid looking like cows. Enter the statement necklace. This inexpensive beauty has saved me many times from sporting the too-lazy-to-put-myself-together look. It's the ultimate add-on that can take your outfit from blah to boomshakala.

Laura Secord Mint Chocolates - Ah, chocolates...where would I be without you? Stuck at home? Eat some chocolate. Had a hard day? Eat some chocolate. Hungry and you're too lazy to fix a proper snack? Eat some chocolate. My box is now done. (I apologize for promoting bad eating habits. I know we're all trying with our new year's resolutions, but sometimes you just have to indulge. So #sorrynotsorry.)

Drugstore Makeup Review: Wet N Wild Lipsticks and NYC Colour Wheel

Like the average consumer, I appreciate a good deal. These are all seriously bomb for their price. Each lipstick was around $2 and the Mosaic Face Powder was around $5. They were all impulse buys, but seriously, can you go wrong with $9? No, you really can't, unless it gives you a rash.

Black Orchid on the left, Dark Wine on the right.

Your lips need to be smooth and hydrated prior to application, otherwise this lipstick has a tendency of staying in creases. Their pigments are great though! One or two strokes and it's a wonderfully solid, silk finish. Lasting power isn't their strong point, you'll need to apply throughout the day, especially after eating anything (although it will leave a stain). That said, my favourite thing about these are their colours. The dark plums are absolutely perfect. Black Orchid has that ideal red undertone, and Dark Wine is a daring, but not-crazy magenta. They don't smell like anything, for those of you who are weary of fragranced lip products, and I wouldn't say they're drying. I would recommend using a lip balm beforehand though (as I would with any lip colour).

The Colour Wheel Mosaic Face Powder in All Over Bronze Glow (724) is an inexpensive alternative to my Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer ($51). It's the most uncomplicated bronzer - it's matte, subtle, and has a plastic casing so it's not heavy to carry around with you.  I've tried to use the lighter powder in the mix for a highlighter, but it ends up looking whiter than I want it to. I think it will require more experimentation to get this right. Though, if you take a good swirl of all the shades, you'll get a nice glow. Plus it lasts all day.

Absolutely love these three. Will definitely try Wet N Wild's and NYC's other products now. So excited to pick up a few more lipsticks!

Review: Dove Fresh + Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo usually comes in a powder format or aerosol can and is made to absorb oil between regular washes so that your hair looks and feels refreshed.  There have been many mornings where I was in a rush and just could not manage to wash and dry my hair before my next appointment, or just times when my hair needed a refresher before a spontaneous outing.  Props to the beauty community for developing a product to tackle these exact issues.

You probably will not see a huge selection of brands with an extension of their own right now, but there are a few forward-thinking drugstore brands that have put some dry shampoos on the shelves already.  Some of them include Suave, TRESemmé, and Dove.  Of course, you can also try the more expensive brands like Bumble and Bumble, but I look to dry shampoo as a convenient alternative to hair washing, which means an affordable price.

I have previously tried the TRESemmé dry shampoo and I can't say that it's my favourite, but it does give my hair a refreshing scent.  In all honesty, my hair feels pretty gross by the end of the day and I seriously consider never using it again.

I started hearing really good things about the Dove version, so I decided to give it a try.  If I were to rate this product based on size, price, and performance (both look and feel), I would give it a 9.  It has a really nice, feminine smell, makes your hair feel lighter and its regular price is only $6.  I got it on sale for around $3.  You can't go wrong with $3.

Or so I thought.  I used this baby a total of two times before the can was empty.  At first, I thought that the can was damaged, but then I did some research and discovered that many other people have had this problem.  Here are some YouTube comments from warmvanillasugar0823's channel.

i bought this dry shampoo... and i like it, the smell, volume is ok, but it doest leave a sticky residue in your hair... downfall, is it me or does it seem like after 1-2 uses, the can seems close to empty? i threw one can away thinking it was a defect, bought my 2nd one yesterday, used it, used it again this morning and i swear the can feels 75% lighter! like i had been using it for 3-4 wks! i dont get that with my psst dry shampoo. it only costs $5, but still!

jjjennq

the nozzle gets stopped up and the product won't come out-it happened to me on two cans-I posted on the website-there were about 20 complaints all about the same issue-they have all been deleted now

elenah

I agree I think im going to try one more bottle and then ditch it if it happens again because my bf used it try it out, and It felt full then I checked it the next day it was empty, and i had only tried a bit on one strand on myself I blamed him, and he sweared it wasnt him. I loved the bottle, the smell, and the way my hair felt.. such a waste of a good product =(

FishnetLullaby

I do not appreciate having to wonder where my product went after only two uses.  This shouldn't even be a concern unless it's a tester.  And for that reason, I give this product a 0 on a scale of 1-10.  Hopefully, Dove takes this highly important concern into consideration and fixes the problem.  Until then, I might as well stick with simple baby powder.