Victoria’s Secret: Emerald Crush Winter Dazzle Fragrance Mist Review

I have never actually bought any Victoria’s Secret item in my life. The first time I heard about the brand was back in High school. Some girls from my class would wear it and I vividly remember that they would flaunt their VS Bare Vanilla fragrance mist during break time. The perfumes I used back then were cheap but it did the job, yes, those grocery store perfumes, Bench, Penshoppe you name it. Don’t get me wrong, Bench perfumes hold a special place in my heart. They don’t smell that grand as high end brand perfumes but it works. I guess the most price-y perfume I bought when I joined the workforce was the Taylor Swift Invisible Things Body Mist. I was satisfied with that…until I got a job in the beauty industry and I was gifted a perfume for my first day of work. Ever since then, I guess my love for perfumes grew so I decided to do a mini review of the VS Emerald Crush. This is my first ever Victoria’s Secret fragrance and I don’t usually splurge on these types of things but since it’s my birth month. Why not.

I just discovered Victoria’s Secret Philippines recently offered online deliveries partly because of the quarantine. A limited amount of people are allowed to visit the stores and you have to set an appointment to visit Victoria’s Secret in Megamall according to their Facebook page.

I inquired about their online delivery and the staff was really helpful and accommodating. I was eyeing for the Bare Vanilla Mist and Body Lotion when I found out that they have a Buy 1 Take 1 promo. So I got to choose one body lotion/ mist for free and I chose the Emerald Crush Mist. The name is a mouthful though so don’t be surprised if I shortened it on my review. 😆

The Victoria’s Secret Emerald Crush Winter Dazzle Fragrance Mist is a limited edition perfume, it’s part of their Winter Dazzle collection that was released last 2019.

Winter collection: Inspired by the trend for sparkling fragrances, offering a multi-faceted, dazzling twist on floral, fruity and warm scents. It’s a fragrance adventure, and it starts with you.
Image Source: Nakano Store, Yahoo Japan

Packaging:

The one that caught my eye was the sparkly and shimmery bokeh effect on the back. It reminded me of bright, sparkly jewels. The Emerald green colour and bejewelled print design made the packaging even more sophisticated and elegant.

Scent:

It took me a long time to choose which free item should I get, thankfully the one who was handling my order was very patient and I took the time to research the perfumes that I can choose for free. In one of the sites I checked the Emerald Crush mist would be described as a “dazzling twist on floral, fruity and warm scents”. True enough it does. When you spray it the fruity floral scent will come off strong then fades down to a warm subtle scent that’s not overpowering. I started wearing this scent everyday but personally I think it’s suitable for date night or late night parties.

Overall:

What I’d notice about Victoria’s secret perfumes is that it has a really strong scent so if you have a sensitive nose like mine you’d think twice purchasing products from this brand. Though, surprisingly, the Victoria’s Secret Emerald Crush Mist wasn’t overbearing. It had that sweet subtle, vanilla, floral scent as it fades down which I really like so I’m in love with this perfume I can’t wait to try their other collection as I’m just getting started with exploring the brand.

Anyway, hope you guys like the review!

Leave a comment on what you think about the post or is there any Victoria’s secret perfumes that you’d love? I’d like to know! Cheers ❤️

Victoria’s Secret Philippines Facebook Page

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Spa Day in Quarantine: Marina Bay Spa & Lifestyle Club

If there’s one thing I would splurge every month it would be having massages because of the stress I get from work everyday. Last year, my work was a little far from home and I would commute long hours every single day so going to a spa would be a real treat to me. So much so that I’ve tried the best spa’s in Manila and I could definitely write a top 10 list of my favorite spa places in the metro but maybe next time.

Since I believe Spa’s are now allowed to operate during GCQ I tried the Marina Bay Spa & Lifestyle Club in Pasay. The place is a high end spa centre that’s known to offer the most luxurious massage treatments in the metro. They have fitness facilities, Sauna, Hot and Cold bath spa, KTV Rooms and lounge games.

I’ve inquired at other spa’s to see if they offer a full body massage as that’s what i badly needed the most. Some spa places would offer only hand massage, feet massage or back massage so there’s a lack of full body massage options right now. I’m guessing it’s because of the lack of staff since it has been 6 months or so that some spa’s have last opened. I had no choice but to try Marina Bay Spa & Lifestyle club. No regrets though since it’s also my birthday month and I’ve been meaning to try this last year but didn’t have the time. Also it’s been almost a year since I went to a spa salon or a massage place so it got me really excited to be able to finally visit one during quarantine.

The place is located near SM Mall of Asia and the building was not hard to spot since it’s sandwiched between a hotel and a terminal.

Christmas feels~ Does anybody feel the holiday cheers this year because I do not due to the pandemic. 2020 feels hella sad.

Upon entering the building it made me think it’s a little small for a luxurious spa club. It reminds of those skinny houses in Japan.

Heck, I was wrong because after checking in the reception they led me to the buffet area since their lounge area wasn’t available. We went to a hallway that was connected to other rooms and I spoke too soon, this place was a little huge.

The staff let me choose any seat as there was no one around and told me to wait while she calls the masseuse.

Buffet area

Usually when you avail any of their massage services, a buffet option is included but since they’ve just opened after several months and are on skeletal work force while following safety measures their buffet area is currently closed. I believe this also applies for the pool. The infinity pool and gym are only available for club members as of now.

I had to take the opportunity to record this relaxing moment as no one was around. It has been a while since I’ve felt this relaxed. Sometimes I badly want to go somewhere outside of the city due to the fact that i’m stuck at home. I felt like I had a burnout even though I’m just in the house maybe because of quarantine and just want time away but I could not take any risk of course~

After 30 minutes, the masseuse arrived and she was dressed in PPE and had a face shield with face mask on. I was thinking how is she able to massage customers with those on and I was actually kinda worried that she’ll have difficulty breathing during the massage time. Since wearing face masks feels really suffocating, I suddenly remembered those times I climbed a flights of stairs in Taiwan with a friend or in a parking lot. Me and my friends end up gasping for breaths and would remove our mask especially when we’re in the parking lot since there’s not a lot of air in there.

I was led to a room nearby the reception area. She slides the door open and we walked in to a huge massage place. It looked really classy and luxurious.

Then I was led to their private massage room where there was one massage bed and one convertible massage chair. I availed of the 60 minute, Marina Signature massage. The technique felt really unique than any other massages I’ve experienced. They’ve used a signature oil that smells like the ones in high-end hotels while the massage strokes was very relaxing even though the masseuse was wearing plastic gloves and donning a PPE suit the whole time. It truly felt relaxing and blissful especially after many months of not being able to have a massage and just use a facial massage roller for your back. Yes I was desperate since my shoulders hurt lol.

I also had a chance to talk to her during the massage time. She talked about how difficult the quarantine was for her and the staff. She hopes that everything is back to normal as the venue was really lively and happy before the quarantine as there was a lot of customers. Throughout the massage she was very friendly and would ask if the palm pressure would be okay especially when she went to my shoulder area where I knew there was a lot of tension as I work in front of the computer at home for long hours. It was the sole reason why I went. My shoulders were very stiff before going here and I tried to roll them but still ached.

As of this writing I’m glad to say that my shoulders aren’t stiff af anymore thanks to the massage and it was a great treat to visit the place. I just hope that quarantine comes to an end soon and everything goes back to normal as well. I’m dying to take a dip in the pool and would like to try their hot bath spa and pool area next time.

Hope you enjoyed this blog post.

Thanks for reading~ ☺️

Marina Bay Spa and Lifestyle Club

Esplanade Seaside Terminal, Seaside Blvd, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay, 1300 Metro Manila

Website: Marina Bay Spa and Lifestyle Club

FB: Marina Bay Spa and Lifestyle Club

Here’s Where To Get That Anime Face Filter That’s Been Trending Lately

I just noticed that there’s been an ongoing trend with Anime filters lately even Etude House adapted the trend and used it as one of their marketing material on Instagram for their newly released collection, Vintage Camellia. Very trendy! It’s amazing how A.I technology has been rapidly advancing these days.

Source: Tiktok

I find it really strange that it just became a trend now since camera apps like Snow and B612, have released the anime filter last year and people didn’t pay much attention to it. I guess since we’re still in lockdown, people are finding more ways to entertain themselves so go ahead and check out the fun filter that’s available from these camera apps below:

Snapchat

Where the trend all began. Just download the Snapchat app and head on to Camera and click the smiley face on the right side then on the top there’s a search bar for the filters. Type in ‘Anime Style’ and there you have it:

Sample video of the filter

Available on Google Play Store and App Store

B612

Some users get their Anime filters from this app. The app is developed by a South Korean company so expect the filters to be more Manhwa-like characters:

Available on Google Play Store and App Store

Soda

This app’s developer is the same as B612 and Snow so there’s similarities with their Anime filters.

The Anime filters are limited but personally I like them. They don’t have much distortion as B612.

Available on Google Play Store and App Store

Snow

The Snow app is really good at making makeup and effect filters so it’s no wonder a lot of K-pop celebrities use this aside for B612.

Available on Google Play Store and App Store

So far, that’s all the apps I know that has these filters. Anyway, hope you guys like this post and have fun using them! ✨

If you’re a K-pop Fan Then You Should Definitely Check Out These App Games

Zepeto

I just discovered Zepeto because they had a collaboration with Blackpink! Zepeto is a mini virtual world where you can personalize your avatar. You can explore different virtual words which they call Map. They have virtual classrooms, parks and you can even build your own.

Selfie with Jennie and Rosé from Blackpink

At BTS World. Left – Me in a roller coaster || Right – Me trying to attempt a selfie while falling off a roller coaster

Visited the BTS Dynamite MV Map. I’m so addicted to this song! I’m just gonna link it here 😙

The game’s cute instagram-ish feed

The great thing about it is they collaborate with different brands and artists. So right now they’ve collaborated with Blackpink and BTS. If you’re a Disney fan they have a virtual world of Toy Story and Beauty and The Beast. You can customize your character in Disney merch available in the customization store. My favorite is The Little Mermaid. They’ve also collaborated with the NIKI, Snoopy, and a lot more!

Another unique thing about this game is it has its own social feed. It’s like Instagram and Messenger’s lovechild. I also like how you can interact with the virtual worlds, you can take a selfie, watch t.v something similar to a Sims character. Oh and did i mention you can currently take a selfie with Blackpink’s avatars? Honestly, the game is pretty neat. The last time I liked a game similar to this was LINE PLAY – Our Avatar World. I suggest you guys check it out it’s available on both Google Play Store and App Store that’s free to download but offers in-app purchases of course.

Superstar SMTOWN

If your bias is Girls Generation, f(x), EXO or kpop groups under the SM Agency then you should definitely check out this rhythm game. The design of the game is pretty straightforward and not flashy unlike other rhythm games released such as Audition or Voez but hey as long as you play your favorite K-pop songs right?

This game is developed by south korean company, Dalcomsoft, Inc. so they also have other K-pop app games but sorted by Korean agencies such as Superstar JYPNation, Superstar PLEDIS, Superstar GFRIEND, Superstar WOOLIM and Superstar Starship.

Available on both Google playstore and App store

Cost: Free, offers in-app purchase

KPOP Idol Producer

Don’t let this 2-bit, retro themed game fool you. It’s actually pretty addicting. If you want to experience being a K-pop Idol producer then try checking out this game. It’s a game about producing a Kpop group. It lets you pick trainee, dress up and promote your K-pop group. You have the option to choose if it’s a group of male or female idols. It also lets you produce and promote the groups’ songs from their concept on to their album and it’s up to you to make them famous. 😎

As you progress, you have the option to improve your company’s building design. Personally, it’s really entertaining and they’ve summarized promoting K-pop idols up to a tee or at least to what I’ve seen on those K-pop contests shows at TvN. It’s the kind of game that would help you pass the time at work or commute.

Available on both Google playstore and App store

Cost: Free, Offers In-app purchase

National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung Taiwan

Taichung

National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts

Established in 1988, the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts houses collections and works by Taiwanese artists. The artwork ranges from traditional Taiwanese art, contemporary art to modern art. It was temporarily closed for renovation in 1999 due to the damage caused by the 921 earthquake and reopened in July 2004. Since then the museum began to showcase digital art related exhibitions, events and forums. Below are videos of place from my IG story.

Upon visiting the art museum, you’ll chance upon two shops that sells mostly art related supplies, books, trinkets, and a lot more. The choices were endless. The one that I wanted to purchase was a Van Gogh merch and an Alphonse Mucha item but it was so pricey so I didn’t bother to get it but when I visit again. I might.

The Alphonse Mucha items on display in the NMoFA store.

The Museum also has an art library, cafeteria and areas for kids and teachers. The whole area measures 102,000 square meters making it the largest art museum in Asia. It’s a great place to visit and explore because of the endless display of artworks that were definitely a feast to the eyes.

Take note, I did not show too much photos of the artworks displayed in the museum since for some collections, the artist would not allow to take a photo of it. I believe it is because many people take photos of artworks for social media when they visit a museum and never fully grasp the meaning and some would just read the description then take a photo. Artwork whether traditional or digital takes long hours to do and some artists would finish their work for as long as two years so I guess it’s also a sign of disrespect if you just take a photo of works of art and think it’s aesthetically pleasing.  I remember back in college when I took a life drawing class, we were going to imitate my professor’s work. He neatly displayed it in-front but we can’t all see it especially at the back row. It’s like a dot to us so we all started taking a photo of the artwork and he just go really angry and said that if we want to draw it. We should come forward.. yeah.. I guess my prof was a camera hater loljk but I would always vividly remember that scene so I was always careful if I would take a photo of artworks in museum.

Either way, it’s 2020 and we are in a technologically driven world. We’re stuck in quarantine and some museums are having virtual tours. Maybe soon it won’t be a big thing taking photos of works of art. Anyway, It is better to visit the place, it’s definitely worth it.

Official Website

Entrance Fee: FREE

Opening Hours:

Address:

Address No.2, Sec. 1, Wuquan W. Rd., West Dist., Taichung City

Transportation:

From Taipei, you can ride a bus or Train (TRA) going to Taichung. For more information, you can check this link here. Taxi is also a good option if you’re crunch for time. Note that it’ll be too expensive though.

If you’re in Taichung:

Travel to TRA Taichung Station → Taichung City Bus (No. 71, 75, or 89) to National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts

Source: Tourism Bureau, Taiwan

For me, usually, I just wing it since traveling in Taiwan is pretty easy and simple. I use google maps or a Taiwan bus app.

Re-creating Jennie’s Makeup Look from Blackpink’s ft. Selena Gomez ICE CREAM MV

Blackpink just released their latest MV which was ‘Ice Cream’ featuring Selena Gomez. I’ve been a K-pop fan since my college days and I find it really cool that K-pop groups nowadays are now able to collaborate with western artists when it comes to music.

I’ve watched the MV of Ice Cream and I loved Rosé’s overall style:

It looks so dreamy!

I’m in love with her aesthetic that leaned toward pastel pinks and lavender tones. I’m in love with her hair color as well! I would have re-created Rosé’s look but I use that makeup style most of the time so I decided to do Jennie’s look which was a watercolor wash of pink, lavender and mint:

Source: Allure

Here’s my take on it:

I had a lot of fun re-creating this look especially since I don’t do colorful eyeshadows. I mostly go with two-toned eyeshadows or just one shade. I definitely stepped out of my comfort zone because of her look, this made me realize that no wonder people are so into this kind of look nowadays. If you’ve been checking out Instagram’s beauty community, there’s a lot of people sporting artsy, ethereal makeup looks. I don’t have the skills to do that yet but I might try soon. ✨

I also created a Youtube video about the look and I usually don’t do videos but since I have some free time because of this pandemic I decided to go for it. You can check it out below and tell me what you think ☺️:

Benton Fermentation Eye Cream Review

It’s inevitable that fine lines and wrinkles will slowly start to become visible as we age. In Korea, young women particularly in the showbiz industry are already including anti-aging products in their early 20s. I’ve noticed this whenever I would watch Korean reality shows as well as K-Beauty & Skincare Vloggers in my spare time. This is not surprising since appearance is very important in the Korean entertainment industry.

I’ve started researching heavily on what anti-aging products I’m supposed to be using at my age. I’m in my mid 20’s and what I noticed over the last few years is that I was more conscious on what skincare products I use and would spend more on them rather than makeup. I guess it was because of how K-beauty has influenced me and so I’ve started my journey in using anti-aging products last 2018.

When it comes to anti-aging, prevention is better than cure as they say. In my quest of hunting out the best anti-aging products in the market, I was deciding between the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II or the Benton Fermentation Eye Cream and after careful consideration I chose the Benton Fermentation Eye Cream. I’ve seen reviews that the product didn’t give any harsh reactions because what I have always been worried about eye cream products is that some of it tend to cause milia and let’s be real here we don’t want that on our skin.

About the brand:

Benton is famous for its best-selling products which are the Benton Fermentation Essence and Snail Bee High Content Lotion. The brand name was inspired by the movie “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” where the main character (played by Brad Pitt) suffers from a rare ailment wherein he ages backwards. He had to leave his lover Daisy (played by Cate Blanchett) because of the disease and with that concept in mind Benton aims to help keep your skin youthful with the use of their products.

The brand is part of the Clean Beauty movement in Korea since they provide natural quality ingredients that are dermatologically tested and cruelty-free.

The Benton Fermentation Eye cream is recommended for:

• Sensitive/ Dry Skin
• Anti-aging
• Dull Complexion

Main Ingredients:

• Galactomytes Ferment Filtrate is a by-product of fermented sake that originated in Japan. This ingredient is used in skincare products since its beneficial use is to help brighten and provide hydration to the skin as well as delay the signs of ageing.
• Bifida Ferment Lysate another fermented ingredient that helps soothe skin inflammation, reduces dryness and improve skin elasticity.
• Ceramide / SH-OLIGOPEPTIDE-1 helps combat the signs of ageing, restore moisture, reinforce the skin’s natural barrier and protects your skin from everyday environmental stressors such as air pollution, UV rays and sun damage.
• Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil is full of antioxidants and other skincare benefits. This ingredient helps hydrate, soothe and moisturizes the skin and create natural barrier protection.

Full list of Ingredients: Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Aqua (Water), Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Ceramide NP, Althaea Rosea Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sorbitan Olivate, Sorbitan Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Betaine, Beta-Glucan, Panthenol, sh-Oligopeptide-1, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine,1,2-Hexanediol, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Adenosine, Polysorbate 20, Lecithin – Benton Cosmetics

How to use:

Use the product after cleanser, toner and essence. Squeeze out the product then pat it lightly around the eye area.

Product:

The packaging is in a tube type container so it’s very easy to apply and convenient since you can easily bring this for when you go to the office or travel. The product itself has a thick yet creamy texture and easily absorbs on to the skin.

I have been using this since February of 2018 and I haven’t notice any changes on my under-eye area, It also didn’t help with my dark circles but it did moisturize and hydrate it. A little goes a long way with this product as this lasted me for more than a year and I’m happy to say that this didn’t have a bad reaction to my skin.

Will I be repurchasing?

No. I’ve been using this for 2 years and I haven’t seen any changes so I’m still on the hunt for a different eye cream product. 😎

Online Shopping Haul (Books + Skincare)

I just realised I never shared an online shopping haul on my blog ever since. I always feel like an excited little kid on Christmas Day when my order arrives, I would immediately tear up the packaging and use it on the spot. I buy mostly skincare and makeup online but I’ll be sharing that later since I’m pretty excited to share about the 2 books I bought. 

Alexander Hamilton

by Ron Chernow

The first one is a book entitled Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. The book is second hand and I bought from @haullo.ph on carousell.ph! This book is a biography about one of America’s founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton. And YEP, you guessed that right. I bought it because I LOOOVE the musical HAMILTON and not because it’s now on Disney+. Sadly, Disney+ isn’t available in the Philippines. They were available a few months back I believe but I guess the contract ended with their partnered mobile brand here so now there’s currently no Disney+ but I hope they will consider coming back to the Philippines!

Anyway, I’m a musical theatre geek. I love broadway and my favorites are Wicked, Les Miserables, Rent, The Sound of Music, Hairspray and La La Land. There was no doubt that Hamilton would always pop-up into my recommendation list on Youtube or on a musical theatre article I’d read or listen to, so I was curious what the fuss was all about with this musical?! I’ve never watched it live but I got the chance to watch it online…and a blurry one at that but hey at least I got to watch it somewhere in the deep dark depths of Youtube. Please don’t tell Lin-Manual Miranda! 🤫 I kid. But seriously speaking, If you further research about him he is against piracy so there’s no pirated copy of the musical online.

There’s a lot I love about the musical first it’s the music style. The show greatly portrayed Alexander Hamilton’s story with a fusion of Hip-Hop or R&B that’s sung by actors of different backgrounds. I noticed that the performers were an ethnically diverse cast! Even in Hamilton’s UK version of the musical where Eliza Schuyler was portrayed by Rachelle Ann Go, A Filipina. 💙 I believe the reason the musical wanted to keep it real as I read in the book, Alexander Hamilton didn’t have American roots. He did not come from a wealthy family and he worked hard at a young age. He worked as a trader for a freight company and there he became more aware of the huge racial gap that’s happening in his hometown (Yeah, I already read the first 30 pages of the book since it’s opened already and I couldn’t wait!).

The musical was released back in 2015 and it addressed the issues that are still relevant until this day such as racial inequality, political mudslinging, war and revolution which is why it’s a hit and a definite game-changer in the musical theatre industry. I’m not American but since we’re in the Philippines I did have an idea who the founding fathers were. I’m familiar with the famous George Washington & Thomas Jefferson since it’s always depicted on American shows but I wasn’t familiar with the others, even Alexander Hamilton so thank you Lin Manuel Miranda. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m gonna go read.

Bye.

Just kidding there’s one more book haul.

A Little Life by

Hanya Yanagihara

I found out about this book while watching a Queer Eye interview on Youtube. Aside from JVN, I love Antoni Porowski! Antoni mentioned that this book was his favorite and I had to search it up. The book’s plot looked very interesting. It’s about four college classmates from Massachusetts that moved to New York. They’re broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction success and pride. Yet their greatest challenge, each comes to realise, is Jude himself, by midlife a terrifyingly talented litigator yet an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by an unspeakable childhood, and haunted by what he fears is a degree of trauma that he’ll not only be unable to overcome—but that will define his life forever.

This book also won multiple awards and was a National Book Award finalist. It looks like a pretty deep and dark story but still I went ahead and checked if someone was selling it online. Thankfully, someone on Shopee.ph had it so I bought it from the store @essentialfindsph in Shopee! Can’t wait to start reading it after I’m done with the first book 😎

Now let’s move on to skincare and essentials:

I bought 2 Cath Kidston Hand Sanitisers from Rustan’s online and I was kind of disappointed with the item as it looked bigger on the website’s product photo. When it came it was a slim packaging and small and I don’t think it can be refilled. It got me there.

Still, I love the packaging it’s very cute and I need this for when I go out or use it in the office.

Last but definitely not the least the Estee Lauder Skincare Set.

I’ve been noticing a lot of brands are selling sample size products online now as most of the stores are temporarily closed because of the lockdown they had to find a way to sell out all of their products that’s been stuck for 3 months. As for me, I like trying out products and buying the sample size because you’ll never know if the product is good for your skin or not. I also don’t finish up a full sized bottle so I always, always either buy a small or a medium sized product.

One of the brands that were selling sample sized items were Estee Lauder. I always wanted to try out their brand but it’s just too expensive! The products I always had my eye on from Estee Lauder were the Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II and the Eye cream. I was so giddy when I saw that both the products I wanted to try is included in a set so I bought their Skincare Set with Advanced Night Repair Serum which includes the Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II – Serum, Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion and Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex Synchronized Recovery – Eye Cream. I can’t wait to test it out and see how it goes so I’ll be posting a review here or on my IG soon!

That’s all for my haul hope you enjoy!

Is It Worth The Hype: Senka Perfect Whip Cleansing Foam Review

Another new post from my Is it worth the hype? series~ Although I might be changing the series title in my future posts so stay tuned!

While I was browsing Watson’s months ago I was shocked to find a couple of Japanese and Korean beauty products on display and not only that I came across an aisle that displayed the Senka Perfect Whip Foam Cleanser along with a few Hada Labo products! I was flabbergasted! I have only come across these products in departments stores at Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong and now it’s in the Philippines!

I immediately grabbed the Senka Perfect Whip Cleanser. I remembered that this product had rave reviews years ago in the beauty community back when there was a growing trend for Japanese beauty and skincare products. I read a lot of reviews about this from Singaporean bloggers I followed back in the day since they had a wealth of access with Japanese beauty brands and skincare, I would just be at awe wishing I could try it. Those were my “Japanese skincare brand addiction” days. I’m happy that now it’s readily available in the Philippines. The Senka Perfect Whip Cleanser is also dubbed as the No. 1 facial cleanser in Japan so my expectations for this product is pretty high. I’ve also read an article recently about products to get as souvenirs when you travel to Japan and it mentioned that tourists in Japan would hoard a lot of these products so let’s check if it’s really worth the hype!

About the brand:

Senka is a Japanese skincare brand developed by Shiseido — a Japanese multinational company that started in 1872. It first started out as a pharmaceutical company then later expanded to beauty. The brand’s first beauty product was a softening lotion called Eudermine launched in 1897 and it’s still sold in their counters to this day!

The brand continued to create more iconic beauty products making Shiseido a household name in Japan. Can you guys imagine that the company is now 148 years old? It’s one of the oldest cosmetic companies in the world establishing itself as a global beauty giant that continues to produce different beauty and skincare products that caters to all skin types. 

Shiseido produced Senka to create a more affordable range for their consumers. Of course, the best-selling product from this range is the Senka Perfect Whip Cleansing Foam and because of its popularity the brand produced different variations of the cleanser to address different skin issues.

Product Description:

This cleanser is enhanced with Shiseido’s exclusive ingredient which is Aqua-In-Pool a moisture-boosting ingredient that helps protect and strengthen skin against day to day damage. It also contains Senka Perfect Whip’s signature silk cocoon essence, an ingredient known to improve skin’s resilience for long lasting moisture (Silk Cocoon Essence has also been used by Japanese women for centuries to help increase skin cell regeneration). It also includes other ingredients such as amino acids, natural sericin, and potent hydrating agents.

Lastly the product is known for its rich white foam and dense texture to gently yet effectively cleanse your face without stripping off nutrients and moisture.

Ingredients:

Ingredients. Water, Potassium Stearate, PEG-8, Potassium Myristate, Glycerin, Potassium Laurate, Dipropylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Polyquaternium-7, Beeswax, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance.

Product & Packaging:

The product is available in two sizes: Large – 150g and Small – 50g. I grabbed the small one to test if it works for my skin and it cost me at about Php 139. Not bad!

The small packaging comes in a tube type container so when you squeeze out the product you’ll likely get an excess amount since you’ll be making the product a bit more foamy. Honestly I was unsure on how to use it though. While trying out this product and reading the direction on the bottle, it says to put 2cm of product on the palm and gurlllllll I sucked at doing it. I tried putting a thin layer, lathered and put it on my skin and it felt really weird on my face. It felt like some goop was all over my skin, it made me feel uncomfortable as I massaged the product. Then suddenly, it hit me I remembered that this product can create a fluffy, marshmallow foam like solution (I’m getting old lol). I tried adding a little more water then lathered more lo and behold the product became a little more bubbly.

I had fun washing my face with this because of the fluffy consistency and to my surprise, after washing it off my skin felt brighter and cleaner.

I also used this to cleanse off my makeup and it definitely did not disappoint. All the makeup and gunk on my face has been effectively removed.

Would I repurchase?

No, sad as it may be my skin did not agree with the product. I believe that there were some ingredients that my skin wasn’t suitable with as after washing the product off, my skin felt so itchy and I had a few pimples after a few days. I am willing to try the other Perfect Whip range from Senka though as I loved how it effectively removed makeup, dirt and sebum on my skin with just one wash.

Thank you for reading my review!

Favorite Human Nature Essentials I Use During Quarantine

When it comes to basic essentials, I always include Human Nature since the brand uses natural ingredients and is cruelty-free. My love for the brand started last 2015 back when I used their Sunflower Beauty Oil ever since then I’ve been interested in natural and organic beauty products and I’ve never stopped trying out their products since!

Human Nature – Sunflower Beauty Body Scrub

I never forget to give my skin some love every now and then especially with the summer weather we’re experiencing in the Philippines. My skin gets very dry so I always exfoliate once a week and I’ve been using the Human Nature Sunflower Body Scrub. I tried this out because their best selling Sunflower Beauty Oil is one of my holy grails so I thought I should try their new Sunflower Body scrub too. The main ingredient of this product is of course, Sunflower seed oil known for its effective moisturizing properties. It also contains Vitamin A & Vitamin E. I love how it deeply cleanses my skin while making it feel smooth, supple and moisturized after washing off the product. 

Human Nature – Acne Defense Solution Gel

Another one of my HG is the Human Nature Acne Defense Solution Gel. The product’s main ingredient is Tea tree oil which is well known to have antibacterial, antimicrobial, and anti-fungal properties. It’s also moisturizing as well so if you apply it on your skin it won’t dry it out unlike other over-the-counter acne treatments. The summer weather can have a harsh effect on our skin, for me my skin gets really oily this time around because of the heat and humidity so there’s more sebum production which leads to clogging of pores due to buildup of the nasties a.k.a dead skin cells and when that happens of course, pimples will form. That’s why I get pimples a lot these days so I use this whenever I see pimples forming on my face and after applying this my pimples have either lessend or is almost gone.

Human Nature – Protection For Red Days Feminine Wash

I actually didn’t know that there’s a feminine wash to use when we women get our period so this was an interesting product for me. This product contains natural Tea tree oil and Aloe vera to effectively deodorize and help soothe skin discomfort during Red days. I loved the cooling effect when used and how it dispels period odor. It makes me feel clean and refreshed throughout my red days.

Human Nature – Natural Lip Scrub in Peppermint

Another one of my skincare woes is that my lips get really dry during the summer so I also exfoliate my lips as well and this Human Nature Lip Scrub is just divine, with the help of Sugar crystals it helps lift away the dead skin cells on your lips leaving it smooth and supple as it also contains Sunflower oil, Jojoba oil and Beeswax. Another great thing I love about this lip scrub is the peppermint flavor! You’ll immediately feel the coolness of it after rubbing it on your lips and stays even after removing the product. Quite refreshing!

Image source: BeautyMNL

I’m so in love with this product that I lost it somewhere at home so I had to use an alternative photo. 😅

Human Nature – Natural Sanitizer in Cool Burst

While hunting the shelves for alcohol before the lockdown happened this product was the only one available so I decided to buy it. I needed alcohol for my trip to Taiwan as the last time I went there I think I never found a hand sanitizer/alcohol in their Supermarket or convenience stores so I really needed one especially since I’m traveling. No regrets though, This Natural Sanitizer contains 60% Alcohol (sugarcane-derived ethyl), Mentha piperita (peppermint) leaf essential oil and skin-loving ingredients such as Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, Vitamins B1, B2, B6, and C. What I like is the scent, it doesn’t have the strong smelling chemical scent of alcohol but a really refreshing, minty-scent that’s very relaxing. So everytime I spray my hands with this I would immediately smell my hands because of the relaxing after-scent. It reminds me of peppermint, mentos and Christmas? 😆

Hope you guys enjoyed the post, have you tried any Human Nature products? Share in the comments below! 💖