Hey guys! I hope you miss reading my posts as much as I miss doing reviews at my usual pace. I recently started a new chapter of my life and got so hooked that my blogging days were put aside temporarily. Anyway, this post is all about a skin care regimen I started sometime November of last year. I've been reading great reviews about Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate that I decided to save up for it. Good thing Kiehl's Holiday Collection went out a bit early so I had the chance to grab one that included both the serum and under eye concentrate. 

The Midnight Recovery Concentrate is housed in a 30 ml glass bottle with a screw-on cap which also  doubles as a dropper for dispensing the product.

The dropper looks really fancy being made of clear glass making it easier to see right through and know how much product you're dispensing. 

This is a clear serum that has the consistency of oil but thinner. It has a distinct herbal and subtle menthol scent that's quite soothing yet doesn't linger. The label says to use 2 to 3 drops to cover your face so I apply a drop each on my forehead, cheeks and chin. It may appear and feel a bit greasy on application but it gets easily absorbed by the skin leaving it supple to touch. I love waking up to a healthy-looking skin the next day. I also noticed how this night ritual kept my skin looking refreshed and hydrated. It has totally improved the overall condition of my skin in 2 weeks of continued use.

The Midnight Recovery Eye comes in this 15 ml tube. 

It has a tapered nozzle that works so well in dispensing just the right amount of product.

This eye concentrate is opaque white in color and shares the same scent as the serum. It applies smoothly on your skin and gets absorbed after a while. It's lightweight and gentle on your under eye area that you won't feel a sting. The Kiehl's sales rep suggested to put just a tiny bit (half a grain of rice) on each area so this tube will definitely last. I love having to wake up with less puffiness. Though I haven't seen significant results with regards to reduction of fine wrinkles, I love that it somehow made my under eyes look lighter after a month's use.

Overall, I love both products that I intend to make them part of my night ritual. I recommend it to everyone who wants to improve their current skin condition especially those who want to delay signs of aging like dryness. You may get these wonder products from all Kiehl's branches nationwide. 

Any thoughts on these products? Do share them on the comments section below. Thank you for visiting and have a great week ahead!

NYX: Nude on Nude Palette

Hey guys, this is just a quick entry of a product I can't wait to share with all of you. Remember how I've been lusting over Urban Decay Naked palettes for the longest time? Well, before the Naked 3 palette was released, the pioneer Naked palette has been on my mind since the day I learned how to apply eye shadow.

Image courtesy of Urban Decay

I've seen countless reviews on how amazing this palette is and I have always wanted one for myself but the hefty tag ($52) kept me from getting one. Good thing NYX came out with the Nude on Nude palette. 

It comes in a box which is double the thickness of an Iphone 5 and almost double the length. 

On the bottom of the box is an illustration of the shades included in the palette. The colors aren't named like that of Urban Decay's palettes but that's just fine.

The packaging is made of hard plastic which really appeals to me but I'm afraid this isn't sturdy enough and might break apart if I accidentally drop it. Regardless, I still love the rich brown casing and transparent windows on top of each shade.

Once opened, the palette reveals a slim mirror and 20 different shades of eye shadow.

The palette consists of neutral shades in matte, satin and metallic finishes. I'm loving the array of colors that you can mix and match to achieve different looks from a basic day time makeup to a gorgeous night time look. These are well pigmented shadows with great color pay-off especially when paired with a good primer. They're a bit powdery so you only need to dip your brush lightly to pick up your desired color otherwise you have to tap off the excess to prevent fall-outs. They last for a decent amount of time and still look vibrant towards the end of the day.

This palette also has a pull-out compartment on the bottom that houses 10 lip colors. These are mostly pink shades with a few reds and berries. They feel creamy and apply smoothly on your lips with sheer finish that you can layer for a bolder look. Half of them are shimmery and don't appeal to me much but the remaining lip colors are glossy and look very lovely. Notice that NYX included a double ended eye shadow applicator and lip brush that I don't actually use but are okay to have just in case I need to do touch-ups. 

 

Image courtesy of NYX

 

Overall, the NYX Nude on Nude palette is a great value for your money. You're getting 20 lovely shades of eye shadow and 10 lip colors for just $25 (roughly 1,100 Php). The colors may not be exact dupes of Urban Decay's Naked series but still it's a decent palette that you can start with if you're new to the makeup world. This can also be a good addition to your growing number of makeup collection without causing much dent on your budget. NYX products are widely available in the US but you can also get them locally from online sellers.

Have you tried the NYX Nude on Nude palette? Share your thoughts on the comments section below. Thanks for reading and have a beautiful weekend!

♥♥♥

Flexwear Colors Contact Lenses

My affair with contact lenses started in med school. I got tired of wearing glasses but couldn't live without them either. Eventually, I was able to find suitabale lenses, but I guess like most people who are new to wearing them, I had a really hard time putting them on. I kept shutting my lids before fitting the lenses in place. It became so fustrating that I had to put it off for a while. After several years of sticking to my glasses, I finally gave contact lenses another try. I was able to overcome the fear of hurting my eyes and have been occasionally wearing lenses for five years now.

Years ago, contact  lenses weren't so affordable. A pair of graded clear lenses costs more than a thousand pesos and colored lenses were even more expensive. Good thing that nowadays, there are a lot of affordable lenses available in the market but this doesn't mean they're all safe to use. It's still best to have your eyes checked by a specialist and purchase the lenses from reputable sellers.

I've been having my eyes checked by in house Optometrists at Executive Optical and they actually assist you in finding the lenses best suited for your needs and budget. They also have a wide range of contact lenses to choose from and among them, EO's Flexwear Colors in coffee is my favorite.

This has been my all time favorite since I started using colored lenses.  They come in a sterile plastic container, sealed to ensure good quality. They're so soft but not to the point of losing the curved shape. I love that they have the right thickness because I tend to accidentally tear thin lenses easily. They are sturdy enough to last for 3 months and may extend in some instances when you don't use them often. Nevertheless, it's still best to dispose them as recommended by the manufacturer to avoid eye irritation.

Above image shows how coffee looks on me.

Amethyst is another shade I've already tried and I've been using this alternately with coffee. Above image shows you a comparison of how they look when worn.

What I ultimately like about these lenses is the natural look they offer. The colors aren't too loud or obviously fake. They just give a hint of hue that becomes noticeable only when seen at a near distance or under direct light. 

Images courtesy of Executive Optical

Flexwear Colors also come in four other shades as illustrated above. It costs P595.00/pair but if you get 2 pairs the price goes down to P547.50/pair. 

You may also try out Flexwear's all-in-one solution which comes with a free lens container. This solution is all you need to clean and lubricate your lenses. It only costs P158.00 and is more affordable than the other solutions available at EO. To know more about Executive Optical's latest products and services, please click here.

Wearing contact lenses is actually fun and may prove to be beneficial but I still recommend you to consult an eye specialist first before giving this a try. After all, the eyes are windows to our souls so we need to take care of them in the best possible way we can.