Video taken during Miss Universe 2018

Hello everyone! A couple of weeks ago, Miss Philippines Catriona Gray made us all proud by representing our country and bagging the Miss Universe 2018 title. She dazzled us with her beauty, even more so with her performance from the iconic lava walk down to her heartfelt answer during the final Q&A.

2017 FAVORITES: Skin Care

2017 is about to conclude in a few hours and now is probably the best time to round up everything that made this year worth reminiscing. Over the past years, I've shared with you my favorites in skincare and makeup but this time I thought of adding more categories like body/hair care, tech stuff and travel. This way, you can just choose to browse a category you like instead of going through tons of products or information that don't really interest you.

ULTA: beauty haul

Every skincare and makeup junkie out there can understand how thrilled I was after finally stepping inside an ULTA store. I was in awe seeing the display of various brands and products that I literally gasped. There was just too much to see but I had to browse through them quickly since we had to leave for a lunch meeting with friends.  

2016 FAVORITES: Skin Care

Hey guys! I'm happily ending the year by featuring my favorite skin care products of 2016. Since I've been following the Korean 10-step skincare routine for about a month now, I might as well let you in on the products I've been using to stick to this regimen. Needless to mention that items included in each category are the best ones I've tried so far. Let's get it on shall we?

My Updated Travel Essentials

Hello everyone! I really enjoy taking time off especially when I feel saturated with work like in the past weeks. Fortunately, I was invited to an event at the Conrad Manila and got to stay there for 2 days. If you're not yet aware, allow me to inform you that I'm a skincare junkie and I don't mind taking an army of products with me when I'm away from home.

CLINIQUE: Even Better Compact Makeup SPF 15

Hey guys! I've always been a minimalist when it comes to makeup. Most of the time, I prefer using tinted moisturizer or BB Cream and reserve the use of foundation on days that I need more coverage. This is why I don't stock up on foundations and just make do with what I have until I find one that I can't resist to try like the Clinique Even Better Compact Makeup with SPF 15. I got this little baby from an online seller for half the price thinking that it's a compact powder foundation but I wasn't too disappointed to find out that it's actually a compact cream foundation. 

CLINIQUE: 3-Step System Package

Hey guys! I'm sort of getting on a roll here with enough time to pitch in another post before the "ber" months come marching in. I was out with friends weeks ago to watch the screening of Fantastic 4 but I got to the mall too early giving me enough time to visit a few shops. I was holding back from making any unnecessary purchases especially related to beauty products but seeing a neatly assembled package of skin care goodies from Clinique at a reasonable price literally shook me. 

See what I mean? There's no way anyone (well anyone who's a skin care devotee like me) can pass by the Clinique counter without noticing what an awesome deal this is! Imagine having the chance to try out Clinique's world famous 3-Step System for the low price of Php 495. 

The Clinique set consists of the Clarifying Lotion #2, Liquid Facial Soap Mild and Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion +. All the remaining packages available have these specific products for dry combination skin and there were no other varieties left. Good thing my current skin condition is more on the dry than the oily combination. 

The Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild comes in a 30ml tube which I'm really loving for travel. It's unscented and clear with a slightly runny gel like consistency. A small amount, about the size of a 25 centavo coin, is all you need to cover your entire face and neck. It gives a subtle cooling feel on application and builds up into a rich lather. It washes off completely leaving your skin freshly clean without any dryness. I've tried tons of liquid facial wash brands but I always go back to Clinique especially during bad skin days. 

The second step features the Clinique Clarifying Lotion #2 housed in a 100ml bottle which again is great for travel. Is it just me or the wash of lilac already looks refreshing? This toner is fragrance free although I still get a whiff of minty scent on application. I love that it gives my skin an invigorating feeling without the sting. It effectively removes the remaining impurities on your face and neck after cleansing. 

Lastly is the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion + in a tiny 15ml tube. Okay, it's disappointingly small for everyday use but look on the bright side, this will barely take up space in your travel kit. I know I'll be enjoying this on my next trip. This moisturizing lotion is light yellow and unscented. It has a very light texture that melts like butter on your skin. It instantly moisturizes your skin without the heavy feeling or oily finish. I love that it doesn't irritate my skin or cause pimple break outs. 

Overall, this travel set of the Clinique 3-Step System rocks! If you have dry combination skin, do drop by a Clinique counter near you and avail of this amazing offer. I'm not so sure if other branches have sets for other skin types but you may still want to check out their other products. Probably the only downside here is availability of stocks. Last time I checked, Trinoma still has 6 of these so don't wait too long to get your own set. Any questions in mind? Ask away and I'll get back to you soon. Thank you for reading this post and have an amazing week!

J ♥ I ♥ N ♥ G

Random Favorites

Hey guys! I seriously need a ton of free time to catch up on my blogging. I've been putting this off for more than 3 weeks now due to a crazy schedule. I also notice my phone's memory is getting dangerously low with all the unused blogging pictures taking up much space. Anyway, I'll just assemble a few random things I'm currently obssesing on and make a series of collective reviews. First items I'll be talking about are my everyday essentials.

The Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Scent Spray has been on my radar for years but I sort of got strayed by other perfume brands that are equally great in our tropical weather like Incanto Shine by Salvatore Ferragamo and Moschino Funny. A little over a year ago, I finally bought one for 50% off the tag, an awesome deal that's too tempting to pass up. Now this bottle, though too bulky to carry around, has never left my bag since I started using it. I love the cool and clean scent it gives off, so perfect for hot days to freshen up the mood. 

Next item I have is the Benefit Hello Flawless Custom Powder Cover-Up in Toasted Beige. I can't help but admire the packaging every time I use this compact. I find the magnetic closure so chic and the large mirror an added bonus. It also comes with a small brush and sponge housed in a separate compartment. The compact instantly turns into a fine textured powder after a few gentle strokes of the brush. It applies smoothly and blends like a dream. It offers light to medium coverage and can cover up minor blemishes. You may still use concealer underneath to amp up the coverage. Staying power is quite decent, keeping your face shine free for up to 6 hours max. 

A recent favorite is the Nature Republic By Flower Wood Eyebrow Pencil. I am currently obsessed with this product because it instantly grooms my brows with just a few gentle strokes. This wonder product allows me to beautifully sculpt my untamed brows and stay that way for hours. I got the #2 shade which has a light charcoal hue. This tool has a spoolie on the other end that works perfectly in smudging the shade for a natural look. 

An all time favorite is the MAC Eye Shadow Lustre in the shade Honesty. This has been my go to eye color for a year now and it still hasn't hit pan. It comes in a cute tiny compact with a see-through top so you can spot the shade right away. I literally cried out after accidentally dropping it on the floor one time. The transparent cover went off but I got to snap it back on like nothing happened. Thank goodness the product remains unharmed. This shade gives off a coppery bronze with tiny bits of golden sparkle. Color pay off is excellent and the velvety texture makes it a breeze to apply and blend. 

Lastly is the Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Color Balm in Chunkiest Chili. This lip product is my most recent purchase among the group and it has become an instant favorite. Packaging is pretty much the same with its predecessor, the Chubby Stick. It applies smoothly on the lips giving them just the right pop of color that's not opaque nor too sheer. Staying power may not be too long but I really don't mind since I love redoing my lip color as often as I can. It has a deep berry color that looks really flattering on medium to dark colored skin. 

So those are my random favorites. Let me know if you have questions about any of the products I mentioned and I'll get back to you with hopefully satisfying answers as soon as I can. Thank you for taking the time to read this entry. Have a wonderful day!

J ♥ I ♥ N ♥ G

What's in My Makeup Bag

Hey guys! I guess most of you will agree with me when I say that it's really interesting to know what other ladies keep in their makeup bags. I think these types of hauls are very honest and truly reliable.  Besides, no one would even bother keeping a product in their stash if it doesn't do wonders right? Come to think of it, I've had this blog running for almost four years now but I can't seem to remember ever doing a what's-in-my-makeup-bag post. Well, it's never too late to do one so read on and find out what I love bringing with me all day, everyday. 

CLINIQUE: Long Last Lipstick & Different Lipstick

Hey guys! I'm the girl who's not fond of wearing lipstick which is why I'm so happy with the advent of lip butters, tinted lip balms and others thereafter. Although these revolutionary products seem to dominate makeup counters nowadays, I still think a good old lipstick either in classic or trendy shade will never go out of style. 

TRAVEL: Skin Care Essentials

Hey guys! You know what else I love about staycations? Well, aside from being away from stress, I enjoy the opportunity of having to use mini products I've accumulated over time. Okay, I have to admit I'm that weird but seriously I get really excited about (finally) having the excuse of putting these small wonders to use. Read on to find out what these products are.

New Year: Gifts of Beauty

Image courtesy of fun2smiles.com

Hey guys! How's your new year so far? I hope you had a wonderful vacation with your loved ones the way I did. There's something about holidays that makes us all feel thankful for the year that passed and feel hopeful for the next. This is exactly what sets the new year apart from all other occasions in the calendar. The delightful feeling of gratitude for all the experiences brought by the previous year and that feeling of excitement over starting another year with a clean slate can really jump start your day.

Speaking of being thankful, I would like to make a shout out to all my loved ones who generously imparted their blessings. I would very much like to feature every single gift I received but I narrowed them down to skin care and make up for the benefit of my kikay readers like you. I'll be mentioning the items in the order of when I received them. 

Michelle Phan Make Up: Your Life Guide to Beauty, Style and Success -- Online and Off is my very first beauty related book. This was a Christmas gift from my loving husband who back in December was still my fiance. 

Michelle Phan is a beauty guru who became a YouTube sensation for her make up tutorials. She has come a long way since she started making videos in 2007. Apart from having written her own book, Michelle currently has a make up line called em and a beauty subscription box named ipsy. I've always wanted to have a beauty related book and getting Michelle's for Christmas is really a treat! 

I've been a skin care advocate since the day my pimples got out of hand in my teen age years. I tried almost everything just to keep my break outs manageable and one of my most trusted brands is Clinique. Receiving the 3-step skin care system in full and travel sizes plus freebies of their cosmetics is a dream come true! Kisses to my loving husband for spoiling me this Christmas. 

I'm not so much adventurous when it comes to fragrance and I often stick to one scent. Good thing my cousin gave me something new to try from United Colors of Benetton Let's Love for women. It has a fruity floral scent that lingers decently.

Another thing I always fail to do is use a face mask. It's something that I wish I could do more often to pamper my skin. Thanks to a good friend, I can try one that contains collagen from Etude House. 

I'm excited about this gift from a friend, Tony Moly tony tint. I'm not fond of using tints because I find them hard and quite tricky to blend. Despite that, I'm still looking forward to giving this a try and probably I can make it work this time.

I love a good hand wash by my sink and this Bath & Body Works gentle foaming hand soap in Warm Vanilla Sugar given by a friend came just in time to replace my old one. 

Last but not the least is a gift I got from our annual gift giving, the original beauty blender. I've been meaning to get one but the hefty tag that comes with such a tiny and simple tool kept me from buying. I remember having second thoughts every time I go to Purebeauty. Good thing I thought of putting it on my wish list. Thank you to my mommy!

That's about it. I feel so blessed being given these amazing gifts. I'll be posting separate reviews on some of them soon. Thank you for taking the time to read my post and have a great day!

♥♥♥

CLINIQUE: Makeup Tutorial Session

Hey guys! A few days ago I was fortunate enough to get a complimentary makeup tutorial from Clinique. A good friend got me into it and I'm so thankful she did because I really had an amazing time!

I chose to attend the session in Clnique Trinoma and was too eager I went there a couple of hours early. Miss Catherine Panteria or Cathy was the accredited consultant who assisted me. She asked basic questions about my skin then started assembling the products needed for the tutorial. 

I love that Cathy began with Clinique's 3-Step System which consists of cleansing, toning and moisturizing the skin before applying makeup.

Next was to find the foundation shade for my skin tone. Although there were an array of shades available, my perfect match turned out to be a combination of two, cashew and warm sunny. Cathy used a wedge sponge and initially tried the mixture on my jaw line. After seeing how it looked, she began spreading it all over my face with a patting motion. I was really impressed with how light and natural it looked on my face. 

My eyelids were primed with the Clinique Lid Smoothie in Bit O' Honey. It has a creamy texture that applies easily, giving your lids a pop of color with a bit of shimmer. You may use this alone for an everyday look but it can also serve as your primer if you want to blend more colors. 

I almost gasped for air after seeing the intense colors from the palette. I'm used to neutral shades so this was just what I needed to break away from my usual look. 

One technique Cathy taught me was how to create cat's eye with a swipe of a pointed cotton tip applicator. It totally blew my mind how a polished look can be achieved in a simple swipe. The Clinique Quickliner For Eyes Intense (#01 Intense Black) glides on smoothly with very minimal to zero tugging. It comes with a pointed sponge tip on one end and a retractable stick on the other. 

There were two types of mascaras used on my lashes, one for lengthening and another for curling. How I wish they come in one tube because they really work well together. Both dried off easily without clumping and made my lashes look more noticeable. 

If I were to choose a favorite in my entire look, it would be my brows. Thanks to Cathy's skilled hands and Clinique's Quickliner For Eyes Intense (#03 Roast Coffee), my brows looked naturally tamed. I love that the shade matched me perfectly, not at all villain or monster looking the way I always tend to make my brows look whenever I try grooming them. 

My under eye areas have always been a problem but thanks to Clinique's All About Eyes Concealer, they became less noticeable with just a few dabs.

My cheeks were contoured with the Clinique Powder Blush in Enchanted Bronze. This was layered with the shade Berry Delight that added a lovely flush to my skin. You may want to use this sparingly or apply it using light pressure because it can be a bit shimmery when overdone. 

For the lips, a combination of two shades of the Chubby Stick Intense were used, Curviest Caramel and Broadest Berry. I never imagined them to appear good when layered together but thank goodness they do. 

My entire look was finished off with Clinique Translucent Loose Powder. It's an effective product that takes the shine off revealing a natural matte finish. 

This is my finished look! Many thanks to Clinique Philippines' generosity and the expertise of their accredited consultant Cathy, I was granted with a much needed makeover. I had everything done in an hour and this look lasted until late night with minimal creasing of the eye shadow and a few shine on my T-zone. 

Clinique's hospitality didn't end with a makeover, they also gave us wonderful treats just in time for Chinese New Year! Different sets of Clinique products were prepacked and ready to be given away.

Can you beleive I got these for FREE?! It's like experiencing Clinique Bonus Time minus the hefty purchase. I'm so happy about the set I got because it contains everything I've been aching to repurchase like the Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief (7 ml), All About Eyes (5 ml), Long Last Lipstick in All Heart and sachets of Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & Photo Damage Corrector. So what are you waiting for? Book a makeup tutorial now with Clinique and have all your questions about skin care and makeup answered by no less than their excellent team of consultants. 

♥♥♥

My Current Skincare Regimen

Hey guys! I've been loving the effects of my current skincare regimen which consists of different product brands that thankfully work well together on me. Read further and see if we have some things in common. 

I start the day with cleansing my face using the Shiseido Ibuki Purifying Cleanser. This has got to be the gentlest facial scrub I've ever tried. It has fine micro beads that effectively penetrate your pores yet gently formulated for everyday use. I love that a small amount is all you need to cleanse your face and neck. It retails for 1,495 Php/125 ml tube which I'm pretty sure will last a long time. 

Dr. Lopez-Nazal's Acne lotion is my holy grail for pimple prevention and treatment. I've been using it for more than a decade and though the bottle has changed several times throughout the years, the formula remains as effective. You know how some acne treatment products tend to desensitize or get less effective in time? Well this hasn't and it never failed me each time I reach out for it. You may buy this from Dr. Lopez-Nazal's Clinic in St. Luke's or at all branches of YSA Skincare Center for 492.80 Php/200 ml bottle. 

You're probably wondering why the eos lip balm made it to this list. I tell you, it's an integral part of my skin care routine. You know how your lips tend dry up after washing your face and applying toner? Well thanks to this lip balm it feels like my lips are getting the same TLC as my skin. It retails for 250 Php and you may buy it locally from online sellers. Beware of imitations though and buy only from trusted sellers like The Fab Panda. 

I recently blogged about the wonders of this Youth Code Pre-Essence from L'oréal. The effects are so good and visible that I never stopped using it, you can definitely tell from the amount of product left on the bottle. Although L'oréal specifically indicated to use it before your usual skin care routine, I bent a little and use it after applying my toner. I love that it has a runny consistency, spreads easily, feels light and melts easily on my skin. This is available in all L'oréal counters in leading department stores for 1,495 Php. 

My current moisturizer is none other than my all-time favorite Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. I've been wanting to get the "plus" version but I still have this tube in my stash so I opted to finish it before splurging on another. I love how this moisturizer feels light yet effectively keeps your skin hydrated without looking too oily. A little goes a long way so I just put a pea size on my forehead, cheeks and chin each time. You may get this from Clinique counters in department stores and you might want to do it by March or September during Clinique Bonus Time to avail of their freebies for a minimum amount of purchase. I got this for free from Clinique Bonus Time but the full size is almost twice as big (50 ml) and comes with a pump dispenser which retails for only 1,350 Php. 

I'm slowly easing into using Shiseido products and it all started with this Extra Smooth Sun Protection Cream with SPF 38, a gift from my loving fiancé. I love to use this as base for my BB Cream because it doesn't leave a white cast or feel heavy on my skin and the scent isn't to strong that it fades almost instantly after application. I'm not so sure how much this product is but my fiancé got it on sale for less than $10. I tried looking for this locally but Shiseido said we don't have it here.

Tony Moly Luminous Goddess Aura BB Cream has always been part of my daily routine. I love the coverage and how it can go from light to medium. It gives you a brightening effect without being shiny. It has a decent staying power and still looks radiant after several hours. This 30 ml tube comes with a CC Cream of the same size and retails for 948 Php. You can also get the full size without the CC Cream for 748 Php/45 ml tube. 

After a long day, I use Ziaja Jasmine Micellar Water to remove my makeup. This product is water based but may sting a little so don't soak your cotton too much especially around your eye area. A tiny bit is all you need to melt your eye makeup and BB Cream. This 200 ml bottle has been with me for 3 months and will probably last 3 months more. It's available in Beauty Bar for only 295 Php. 

You may be wondering why I didn't mention an eye cream, this is because I haven't been using one religiously but I really plan to just as soon as I figure out which eye cream to get. So that wraps up my skin care routine for the past months. I hope you saw something that tickled your interest. Feel free to shoot me a question on any of the products mentioned and I'll attend to you as soon as I can. Thanks for reading and have a blessed week!

 ♥♥♥