Posts
February 8, 2012 5:41 pm
There I was, all gussied up and before I knew it I was standing between the Two Towers. The Benefit Cosmetics princesses themselves, Maggie and Annie Ford Danielson, daughters of Benefit Co-Founder, Jean Ford! They arrived in Manila two days ago for their Worldwide Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation promotions tour and I was invited to the exclusive launch held at the Greenbelt 5 Gallery, last night. They were tall, pretty, and very obliging, but way too busy during the event for me to take exclusive time to ask anything substantial. Still, I’m quite psyched that I got to meet them and have my photo taken with them, too.
MY OUTFIT: Forever21 dress (had the straps taken in at the back because I’m so petite) given by YoSameti , Yellow patent peep-toe wedges by U Rustans, carrying my Stella McCartney shrug by Adidas given by mom, and a pre-loved patent mustard LV bag that only cost me Php4000 from a garage sale. Goodness, the Two Towers talaga itong dalawang katabi ko.
It was a night of pink partying, energetic welcome and a long presentation of some of Benefit’s bestselling products including the new and much awaited Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation which I’ve already reviewed. When I arrived, the earlybird (as usual), I loved what the Benefit team did with the place.
They decorated the tables with chocolate sweeties plus salted caramel and chocolate-filled macarons! Of course I started taking pictures of all the sweets before any makeup. I was responsible for the disappearance of most of the blue macarons filled with dark chocolate. Read more to see who I hung out with at the event and find out who were the models Maggie and Annie demonstrated their new foundation on!
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1:02 pm
I was super blessed to be a part of Benefit Cosmetics’ BIG exclusive brand launch last night, heaps of thanks to Benefit! The best part was meeting Annie and Maggie Ford Danielson, the daughters of one of the founders of Benefit Cosmetics, you’ll see photos of the event in my upcoming event post. The second best part was when Benefit Philippines handed me a gift bag containing these. I was so excited about this that the review on the product had to come before my post on the event. 
Benefit only gave me 3 sample sizes in the same shade, Champagne, but I do love how the samples are perfect baby versions of the full size bottles, inclusive of a nifty pump. The packaging of these samples, no difference from the full size, is clean, minimalist and feminine and I love how there are no bells and whistles, you see the product immediately inside. I hope my first photo didn’t deceive you into thinking they gave me three full size bottles in 3 different shades, in a perfect world that might be possible, LOL.
“Our brightening liquid foundation builds from light to medium coverage for a natural complexion you can believe in. The formula featuring the exclusive Oxygen Wow Hydrating complex delivers instant results that will have you looking flawless in a flash. Nine out-of-this-world shades, one flawless match for you.” – BENEFIT COSMETICS
Ideally, my shade is Petal (I’m a MAC NC30-35), a shade one step up which Liz of Project Vanity generously showed me while we had cups of frozen yoghurt at Pinkberry before the Benefit event. The difference between Petal and Champagne is a mere fraction, but yes that fraction of difference matters to me. I might choose to own both full sizes of Petal and Champagne since summer is approaching. Any bloggers out there who got samples of Petal and want to trade 1 for Champagne? See me! Read more to jump to the full post inclusive of swatches and Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow on my face!
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February 7, 2012 12:35 pm
I suspected, but did not 100% expect that this cream might fulfill the hope I had, that I might replace my lovely French Embryolisse moisturizer (which the Pixiwoo sisters swear by) with something off a drugstore shelf. Nivea Baby Smoothy Cream with Natural Calendula blew my “Skinsitive” self away…I am sooo impressed and thankful that the wonderful people of Nivea sent this tub of hypoallergenic love to me, one big thank you. This is now my go to daily facial and body moisturizer. I put it on my face after baths and before bed, and elbows and shins as needed. It literally smoothed away the rough constantly irritated patches along my chin and cheeks without that heavy greasy feeling and my mom noticed.
The scent is a comforting soapy, powdery baby sort of fragrance that isn’t overpowering and simply smells like a baby (I suggest they release a fragrance-free version to widen the market). The texture of Nivea Smoothy Baby Cream is like a body butter. It contains natural Calendula or “Pot Marigold” which is known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-genotoxic calming properties. It certainly calmed my hyper-sensitive skin.
NIVEA Baby Smoothy Cream is:
- Free of parabens
- Free of alcohol and colorants
- Especially skin-friendly ingredients
- Developed in cooperation with dermatologists and paediatricians
- Skin compatibility clinically and dermatologically approved
- Hypoallergenic, reduces the risk of allergies
How it works
“The formula with natural calendula protects with 24 hours of continuous moisturizing action and strenghtens the skin barrier supporting the own protective function. The Smoothy Cream is an ideal skin care product with especially rich moisturizing properties. It has a non-greasy and easily absorbed formulation.”
Closest item I’ve tried resembling this product in terms of texture is Body Shop’s super comforting body butters, but those have more of an oily, greasy slip specifically meant for massages and this doesn’t have a greasy feel at all. Embryolisse is more dense and rich, it works well for me but only if I apply it and wait for it to sink in after a few hours, and of course it’s more expensive and not available here. Nivea Baby Smoothy Cream is currently available for the SRP of Php165.00 at PCX and Watsons outlets and wherever complete Nivea ranges are sold nationwide. This is a new daily favorite, I can’t help but open the tub to get a whiff of that nice, light, baby scent. So it turns out if you want your face to be as smooth as a baby’s bum, you need to use the appropriate cream used on the same area, haha. On babies, this cream is recommended for face and body as well, that sits well with me alright.
10:29 am
The chilly winds haven’t completely let up…but Valentine’s Day and summer are slowly creeping in. Just wanted to share a sequence of some images that have brightened up my day and never fail to make me wish for summer to arrive sooner! (reblogged sources at bottom).
REBLOGGED FROM:
February 6, 2012 9:17 am
Like pop quizzes there are pop giveaways like this one day giveaway! On top of my existing Nationwide Twitter Giveaway for Valentine’s, every week for the next 6 weeks I’ll be testing Neutrogena’s New Fine Fairness BB Cream and every update post like this one gives a chance for TWO (2) very BLESSED readers (within Metro Manila) to win 1 bottle each of Neutrogena Fine Fairness BB cream!
HOW TO JOIN TODAY’S POP GUESS GIVEAWAY
To join this first weekly giveaway look at this photo and the multiple choice answers beneath it and comment with your choice answer below this post e.g. “A. NOT WEARING BB CREAM” .
CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER
- A. NOT WEARING BB CREAM
- B. WEARING BB CREAM ON ENTIRE FACE
- C. WEARING BB CREAM ON A CERTAIN FACIAL AREA
This giveaway is open until 11pm tonight and the TWO (2) winners will be randomly picked from the batch of correct answers in the comment thread below. Winners will be announced within the week before the next Pop Guess Giveaway. God bless!
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- Entry open to Metro Manila residents only.
- Two winners will be picked randomly from correct answers
- Blessmybag.com and Neutrogena are the sole promoters of this competition
- Competition closes tonight at 23:00/11pm
- Winner will be notified within the week before the 2nd Pop Guess giveaway
- Prizes are for claiming from the Neutrogena Headquarters, location will be disclosed to the winners.
February 4, 2012 9:44 pm
Brace yourselves. Have a good look in the the mirror, cradle those cheeks, pat them and say “Soon, very soon…hold on…” What really got me excited bout Benefit’s new foundation, Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow was the mention of its consistency being like a tinted moisturizer with the coverage of a medium to full cover foundation.
Annie’s before and after photos on the official Benefit Cosmetics beauty blog, Secret Life of a Benefit Gal led to this teaser post. You can blame her then blame me for blaming her LOL. Click on the link in bold to see how the finish is even but doesn’t look like a mask at all.
The range impressively comes in 9 adorably named shades that don’t look overtly cool to me and some seem neutral (hallelujah). The U.S. standard retail price for this product is $34.00 and it’s already currently sold out on the website.
February 3, 2012 5:31 pm
Yes, I know there’s a sizeable outbreak of the neon trend which has already infected a TON of blogs. I don’t think I’d readily rock a neon eyeshadow if I could help it, only if there were a theme going and if there was a prize in store so on a normal day I guess not. BUT I have something else up my sleeve, para lang makikisama.
THE LOOK (Reviewed Items in Bold): Estee Lauder Sumptuous Color Mascara in Sapphire, MUD Cream Foundation in YG2, Benefit Watts Up Highlighter, Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait, 1-Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eyeliner, Permalash Andrea Individual lash clusters (Flair Short Black).
I kind of did like a minor tutorial on how I achieved the full on lashes. The clumpy finish of the mascara I purposely exaggerated because the look is all about tons of color with a bit of grunge inspired imperfect texture. I layered lashing after lashing of mascara till the lash curl would hold up as if it were coated with old hairspray. So the operative words for this look are CURL and COLOR. Read more to get to the full post on how I used individual lashes with the bright Sapphire Estee Lauder mascara.
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February 2, 2012 5:57 pm
Impossible not to share. Simply impossible. I thought nothing could get more luxurious than a Rouge Bunny Rouge or Burberry eyeshadow until I saw Charlotte’s brand new purchase, a Kjaer Weis single eyeshadow *Faints*. She blames Modesty Brown for making her get it LOL.
Photo by: Charlotte Thompson aka Lipglossiping.com
Get the full post on Charlotte’s shiny new Kjaer Weis Eyeshadow in “Wisdom”. You can also go to the full review by clicking on her gorgeous photo. The products, similar to Clarins in this trend, are created from natural, plant derived ingredients and advanced botanical formulations thus promoting “green beauty”. If you go to the Kjaer Weis website you’re bound to be awestruck like I was because of the simplicity and smart design.
The range was put forth by Danish NY based Makeup Artist Kjaer Weis. These products are exquisite, they won a 2011 Wallpaper design award for “Best New Grooming Product”. Oh, to hope for a gift like this, someday, somewhere.
3:52 pm
She’s no cat in the hat. Cloud Mine…
"What did wee uses, Human?"
IN2IT Pink Alarm Lipstick straight from my finger.
11:34 am
The other day, Bigtime U.S. Women’s “Blogazine” We Heart this featured Sally Hansen’s Salon Effects Nail Wraps in a new Valentine design offering, “Love Letter’. Read the full post on Sally Hansen’s Salon Effects Love Letter or click on their photo of it below.
Photo Credit: weheartthis.com
For those of you who don’t know what nail wraps are, they’re designed ultra thin adhesive sheets kind of like stickers but a of a thinner malleable make, like ultra thin foil that adheres to the nail surface then you file off or rub away the excess around for it to fit the nail. It’s an ultra dry convenience for people who can’t apply nail polish perfectly nor have the time to wait for it to dry.
Photo Credit: weheartthis.com
Gosh, it is quite pretty, am not quite sure if this is a limited edition product for Valentine’s or if Sally Hansen is adding it to the permanent range of Salon Nail Effects wraps. I hope this shows up in local department stores, soon. I’ll try and check out what’s available here.
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