Hey everyone! I'm back with another empties haul for today. I've actually been using up every stuff I have opened whether hair care, skin care or makeup just to be certain I'm not wasting any in storage. Although I still try new products here and there, recently I decided to use just one of each kind. I chose the title "gone too soon" because of several reasons I'll be disclosing as I feature each product. Have I got you intrigued yet? Good! So without further introductions here are my product empties.

BDJ BOX ELITE: Celeteque DermoCosmetics+ and DermoScience+

Hey everyone! Just to give you a background, I've been a patron of Manila's leading beauty box subscription, the BDJ Box, since it debuted in October of 2014. I remember eagerly awaiting what I'd get each month and being happy every single time my box arrives. This month, I'm reminded of the same feeling when my December BDJ Box Elite turned up filled with goodies exclusively from Celeteque. Read more to find out which products are included.

CELETEQUE: Classified Dermo Mission

Hello everyone! If you've been reading my blog for some time now, you can probably tell that I'm a skincare advocate. This interest dates back in my teenage years and has evolved from acne treatment and prevention, to sun protection, brightening and anti-aging. My skin condition was at its worst throughout my teens and early 20's due to acne. This is why I've always been very careful in choosing what products to apply on my face because most often than not I end up with multiple cystic acne the following day. 

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CELETEQUE: Acne Solutions Oil Control Toner and Facial Moisturizer Gel

Hey guys! I've been suffering from a few break outs here and there since last week and my usual regimen doesn't seem to make it any better. Good thing I got samples of Celeteque Acne Solutions Facial Moisturizing Gel from the BDJ Beauty Social I attended last month. It didn't take long for me to decide on getting the full size and check out the other products included in the Acne Solutions line. 

I only thought of getting the Facial Moisturizer Gel but since Landmark was on sale, I bought the Oil Control Toner as well. I also got a silver cosmetic pouch for free since I reached the minimum required purchase of 300 Php. 

The Celeteque Facial Moisturizer Gel comes in this 50ml squeeze type tube. I bought it at 10% off, from its original tag of 335 Php down to 301.50 Php.

This moisturizer is unscented, looks clear and is in gel form as the name implies. It spreads easily, feels a little sticky at first, dries off easily then you will feel your skin tighten a little. I've been using this continuously for more than a week and after running out of samples, I bought the full size without thinking twice. This moisturizer miraculously helped clear my skin. Newly emerging break outs were dried off and halted in just a few days of continued use. I also noticed my post acne marks didn't look too dark the way they used to before I started using Celeteque. Although I'm not a fan of how it feels after application, adding a moisturizer on top seem to help fix it.

Miss Jenny, Celeteque's sales assistant in Landmark, recommended the rest of the Acne Solutions line including the Oil Control Toner. According to her, it can also double as your makeup remover at the end of the day.

It comes in this 125 ml bottle with a flip top cover. This is a clear toner that reeks of alcohol on initial application. I suggest you use it sparingly and dab on problem areas first then swiftly go over your entire face. This toner doesn't sting or cause any untoward skin reactions. I haven't used it on an active pimple since all of mine were already dried by the Moisturizing gel from a week's use. I can't tell yet if this is a good toner since I only started using it yesterday but I promise to get back to you with an update soon. 

Again, I bought this at 10% off, for only 103.28 Php from its original price of 114.75 Php. 

Since my entire purchase exceeded 300 Php, Celeteque threw in a silver cosmetic pouch as a gift. 

I like this small pouch and how it opens up into 2 transparent compartments. I think I can use this for travel or make it my dental hygiene kit.

Overall, I am pretty happy with this purchase as well as the gift that came with it. I love the Moisturizing Gel so much that I urge you to try it too if you have pimple problems like me. Although it may not work exactly the same way with others, still the tag isn't too hefty so you won't be losing much if it doesn't turn out that good for you. I haven't figured out the Oil Control Toner yet but I think it's a really promising product. I will update you soon so do check back in when you can. 

Celeteque is available at all leading department stores nationwide. You may get them at 10% off in Landmark, Trinoma until the end of October with a free pouch for a minimum purchase of 300 Php worth of Celeteque products. So have you tried any of the Celeteque Acne Solutions line? Do share your thoughts on the comments section below. Thanks for reading and have a great week ahead!

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BDJ Box Beauty Social, Primp and Prettify

Hey guys! BDJ Box, the country's leading beauty box subscription, held another successful Beauty Social last September 29 at the Skydome in SM North Edsa. I knew there will be a lot of bellas out there so I preregistered and got sure seats for the first 2 talks and a guaranteed loot bag full of goodies! 

Good thing I have a fellow beauty enthusiast, Miss Kleng of all All About Beauty 101, a good friend who was as excited as I was to attend the event. Although the talks were scheduled to start by 1:00 PM, we opted to be there during opening at 10 AM to scan the place.

Image courtesy of BDJ Box

Upon registration, we were given a passport which contains a lineup of activities and a really helpful floor map for a bird's eye view of the whole place. There were a total of 12 booths in the event providing a variety of fun activities and services that promote each brand. 

First booth we visited was that of Cure since they were already entertaining participants by the time we got there. Sorry I really have a hard time remembering names but the one who assisted me was really nice. She showed me how to use Cure Natural Aqua Gel by demonstrating it on my hand. I actually love how it felt as she gently rubbed the gel in a circular motion. In a few seconds, dead skin was beginning to come off leaving my skin feeling soft and smooth without a trace of dryness that other exfoliants tend to do. I also noticed my skin looking a bit lighter with a fresh, clean scent. 

Cure is available in all beauty bar stores nationwide and the full size retails for 1,500 Php, not bad for a 250 ml product that can last up to 8 months! After the demo, we were given 2 sachets to bring home.

 

Next stop, Too Cool for School (TCFS), a fast rising Korean brand known for its cute packaging. TCFS recently hit Manila on the 2nd quarter of 2013 when it opened its flagship store in SM Mall of Asia and was followed by another branch in SM North Edsa 3 months later. I've only tried their BB Cream and loved it to bits. I was surprised with the variety of products they offer. 

Image courtesy of Too Cool for School

One product which caught our attention was the Rules of Pore Magic Pore Balm used to minimize the appearance of pores and wrinkles. It comes in a tin pot, has the texture of a balm but finishes off smooth and powdery. It can be used as a primer to your foundation or BB Cream. 

TCFS also made us participate in a classic Korean game and we luckily won sample sachets of assorted products.

Then we headed to the Cover Girl booth where we took the clump crusher challenge. After repeatedly applying Cover Girl's Clump Crusher Mascara for 30 strokes, I couldn't believe my lashes were thicker and longer without clumping! It was such an amazing product that my friend has claimed it to be her holy grail when it comes to mascara. 

As for me, I really haven't found mine yet but this CG clump crusher is an excellent candidate. Participants were given discount coupons worth 95 Php each and I can't wait to use mine soon.

 

At the Bifesta booth, they gave away different prizes including sachets of Bifesta cleansing lotion and a pink velcro head band. They were also giving free hair makeover using Lucido-L products. Although we wanted a new do, we opted to skip it since the line was already building up and the talks were about to start.

Things were really heating up at the Beauty Social especially when the crowd was getting bigger towards the afternoon. Luckily, Garnier was giving out mocktails for everyone! The lovely ladies manning the booth also introduced us to Garnier Pure Active Fruit Energy Energizing Facial Foam, a refreshing face wash which I'll be reviewing soon.

The staff in the Ralph Lauren booth gave us an idea of which scent best suits our personality and lifestyle. I was given a choice between sporty fresh and fruity floral scents but I prefer the latter since it radiates a more feminine vibe so they handed me a sample tube of Ralph Lauren for Women 3. 

The Celeteque booth was also starting to build a long line for their free skin analysis. Although we wanted to get our skin analyzed, we were told that they have to remove our makeup so we opted to try it towards the end of the event.

Yves Rocher gave us an idea on what skin care products to use for our particular skin type. Of all the different lines they carry, Hydra Vegetal has always been my favorite.

The Shiseido booth offered a free facial and makeover with every purchase of any product from their Ibuki line. They were also giving a free Ibuki Cleanser for every purchase of Shiseido Softening Concentrate and Moisturizer. We were so tempted to avail of the promo but didn't have enough resources to do it. I hope they get to do another promo by the time I saved enough to buy the Ibuki line. 

Max Factor's booth was offering free makeup tutorial while Revlon was offering free hair color application. I was really looking forward to a new hair color but we didn't have enough time to go in the mall and buy the product to be used for the procedure so we skipped that as well.

 

I was preregistered to attend two talks. Get Real with the BDJ Box Beauty Ministry at 1:00 PM was really fun! We got to hear tips first hand from Kate Alvarez, Nicole Romero and Tara Cabullo, members of the BDJ Box Beauty Ministry. The best part was, I got to ask my own question! I asked their opinion on getting facials and if they recommend non doctors performing them. Both Nicole and Tara said it's still best to visit your Dermatologist but it's okay to get facials from a trained personnel under the supervision of a Dermatologist. Both ladies also recommend the Shiseido's Oxygen Lounge for a rejuvenating experience. 

Ready for Anything Skin with Shiseido by Carmel Villongco at 1:50 PM was very informative especially of the newly released Ibuki line. Although I wasn't one of the four lucky ladies who got a full size Ibuki product, I'm still fortunate to try the entire line in sample sizes and will update you soon on the details.

Surprisingly, I was also preregistered for the Parisian Pretty with L'oreal Paris at 3:30 PM. I love how they taught us to wear vibrant colors and balance it at the same time. 

After the talks, each bella was handed with a loot bag containing an assortment of beauty products. Hooray to BDJ Box team for the orderly distribution of loot bags to all participants.

The event, for me, was a huge success! It's the very first beauty event I've been to and I'd like to thank BDJ Box for providing us bellas with such a memorable experience. I am definitely attending BDJ Box Beauty Socials in the future and so should you! Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

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CELETEQUE: DermoScience Brightening Multi-benefit BB Cream with SPF 15

Hey everyone! I can't wait to share with you another amazing local product I just started using, the Celeteque DermoScience Brightening Multi-benefit BB Cream  with SPF 15. It retails for 325 Php but I got mine free from Sample Room together with Nivea Black and White Deodorant ( 170 Php) for men and paid only 100 Php for shipping.

This BB Cream comes in a convenient easy to squeeze 30ml tube with a twist off cap. The packaging is quite similar to my second most favorite BB Cream, Clinique but looks more simple. I can't make out the scent but it's so subtle it can pass as scent free. 

It has a creamy texture which can be applied and spread effortlessly on your skin. I love that it blends well with my medium complexion without leaving a ghostly white cast. It feels light on your skin and gives a moisturized finish without the shine. It offers minimal coverage hence reducing the appearance of minor skin imperfections. It offers SPF 15 and didn't irritate my skin or cause me to break out. I find this product very affordable and economical since a little amount goes a long way. 

Others might find it odd but I like that it only comes in one shade because I won't have to decide what to get. The only thing I don't like about the Celeteque BB Cream is the staying power because it already started to fade after approximately three hours however you may top it with finishing powder to extend it to a couple of hours more. 

Overall, I am impressed with this locally manufactured BB Cream from Celeteque and it will definitely be a main stay on my list. If you have minimal skin blemishes and are still looking for good quality BB Cream that don't cost much, then your search is finally over. If you need more coverage, this might not be the best product for you although you may use a concealer or top it with foundation for better coverage.

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SAMPLE ROOM: C-Lium, Nivea, Celeteque

Hi everyone! A week ago I got another goody bag from none other than the fast growing sampling site in the country, Sample Room. If you haven't heard or read about Sample Room, seriously where have you been??? Sample Room is, by far, the only sampling site in the country that aims to educate consumers about products before buying them. You may visit their website and learn more about them by clicking here.

Anyway, I was really excited when I received my package because it's the biggest I've gotten so far from Sample Room. It was indeed packed with all the good stuff I ordered namely C-Lium Fibre Husk, C-Lium Fibre Capsules, Nivea Cooling Volcanic Mud Foam and Celeteque Make-up Remover Cleansing Facial Wipes.

I got 12 sachets of C-Lium Fibre Husk containing 100% natural psyllium which is believed to be more natural than oatmeal and cereal. It has all the benefits you need to remain healthy like lowering blood cholesterol, controlling blood sugar, eliminating excess fats and promoting good digestion. They recommend one sachet per day with regular fluid intake for best results.

I also got 60 capsules of C-Lium Fibre. These are great for those who prefer taking capsules over drinking the mixture that tends to be harder to swallow with its gritty texture. A dose of 5 capsules twice a day is needed to get the same benefits of taking the mixture form.

I also chose to get this Nivea Cooling Volcanic Mud Foam for my brother. I love that it's in full size because having cleansers in sachets can be really messy and you don't get to really try the product long enough to make a conclusion. 

Sample Room also threw in a sachet of Celeteque Make-up Remover Cleansing Facial Wipes which I was able to try immediately. I love that the sheet is thick and strong enough that it doesn't stretch out when used to wipe off your makeup. It's also well soaked that it can really cleanse your face of excess dirt. What I don't like about it is the masculine scent which reminds me so much of men's cologne. This would've been better unscented.

This isn't really a review but just a preview of what Sample Room recently sent me. I will be reviewing each product soon so please do check back in to read my thoughts on them. Thanks for reading and have a great day!

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