Mini Sephora Haul

Sharing my mini Sephora haul! Mini, not just because of the quantity, but also because I got items in travel size LOL.

I wasn't actually ready for a Sephora trip (I haven't done research so I spent a considerable amount of time going through the items in the Sephora Georgetown branch.) I visited 3 more Sephora branches and ended up buying some more stuff--none I'm guilty about.

01. TATCHA Luminous Dewy Skin Mist

My skin was super dry during our visit--heck, it was flaky, even. So I was itching to buy a mist on the first day. I couldn't bring my Avene Mist because I was concerned it would be seized at the airport. This mist however comes in the usual spray and not the pressurized one and is just 15 ml so I knew it was perfect for the plane ride home.

Pros:

+ No adverse reactions, but sadly, not enough to keep flaking skin at bay. Unless I spray every so often. Back in Manila though, this is just perfect.

Cons:
- I'm not a fan of the scent, it has a weird scent which goes away after a while (luckily)
- It's pretty pricey for such a small bottle
- As opposed to other mists, this leaves little white spots on your face upon initial spray-- it kind of looks weird so it's not something I'd put on at work, while working away behind my computer.
- I have yet to see any brightening effects though... So I don't know if I would still purchase...

02. Milk Holographic Stick in Supernova

I actually didn't plan on buying a highlighter on our trip--especially since I love my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish (Separate review on this!!!), but I saw this little stick and thought, what the heck, I can use this on days I don't want to go with a powder highlighter. Also! It's packed with mango butter and coconut oil, which were exactly what my skin needed at that point in time. 

Pros:

+ Perfect for those who prefer liquid/cream blushers (I am, on some days)

+ Moisturizing (See ingredients list HERE)

+ The glow is subtle.

+ A little goes a long way-- I have been using this for months and it seems like I haven't made any significant dent on the stick!

+ The shimmer doesn't go on other areas of my face...

Cons:

- With that last point said, I noticed it doesn't stay on very long on my face either. I need to reapply throughout the day if I want to keep the shimmer. 

03. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

They weren't kidding when they said creamy! This is the best concealer I have tried EVER. This is actually my favorite from my mini-haul (and from all the makeup products I bought on the trip!). This concealer does not budge, cake, or dry around the area you want to conceal. IT. IS. THE. BEST. I had the Makeup For Ever HD concealer before I tried this and I hated it. It dried the skin around the area I'm trying to conceal making it even more obvious! 

I actually don't have any cons for this product! I love this so much. 

Have you tried any of these products? Let me know in the comments section below! xx

I Vlogged!!! // First Impressions

My apologies for the very late post, but I'd like to announce that I've made my first vlog! I expected it to be much harder, but I didn't expect editing the video to be that hard. Anyway, I'm just glad the Vlog is now up on YouTube! Please watch the video, comment (and maybe subscribe? <3)!

Products featured in the Vlog are the following:

01. COSRX Blackhead Power Liquid (This is on sale on BeautyMnl!);

02. Ellana Mineral Makeup Loose Mineral Concealer and Foundation (I use the shade Cheer);

03. NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment in Light My Fire ( I really love this product); and

04. MAC Eye Kohl in Teddy (Bronze, matte liner).

Keep Me Clean

Sharing two of my favorite makeup removers today! The Avene Micellar Lotion and the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil. The latter of course, was an afterthought purchase while I was in Tokyo.

01. Avene Micellar Lotion

Truth be told, sometimes I get home super tired from work and the first thing I do is remove my makeup with this and then... I end up falling asleep. LOL, disgusting I know, but I'm getting old and not as energetic as I once was. 

Anyway, I found out about Avene way back in high school (more than 10 years ago). My dermatologist suggested I try out their facial mist to keep my face calm. Back then Avene wasn't in the Philippines yet and I had to get my Avene from my dermatologist. And it was so costly! Luckily, Avene's here now and my skincare routine is largely powered by maaaany Avene products. 

Their Micellar lotion was also suggested by the same dermatologist, whom i still go to actually. When I'm in a hurry (most of the time) I use this to remove my makeup. I love that this is gentle enough to use for the eyes and lips. 

There's no cloying chemical scent to it and does the job real well. It removes makeup without feeling like I removed my skin as well.

02. DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

This was not on my To Buy List for our Tokyo trip in January, but I kept seeing this on each and every drugstore I went into so I thought I'd get a bottle and try it out. 

According to DHC, the Deep Cleansing Oil is ideal for those with normal and combination skin, but I'm stubborn like that so I still tried it even though I have Oily and Sensitive skin. No negative reactions from my skin though!

I like to use this product when I feel like my face is so blah and needs a bit of pampering. The Deep Cleansing Oil is meant to be massaged onto the face and then rinsed off with lukewarm water. So when I'm not rushing to go to bed, I spend a significant amount of time massaging onto my face before rinsing it off. 

Tried this on my eyes, but found it too thick for my liking. So I stick with my Avene Micellar Lotion for the eye area. 

I didn't expect much from this product, but after trying it out it looks like I'm going to be incorporating this to my skincare routine. Definitely buying this again!

What's your go-to makeup remover? Let me know in the Comments Section below!

Pom-pom Pretty

It's been a while since I last did an interiors post! Sharing with you these pom-pom throw pillow covers I recently got. I wasn't actively seeking out new pillow covers, but I chanced upon one of the posts of the seller on Instagram and thought I'd check out the account. Saw these designs and thought they were just too cute. These throw pillow covers are P320 each from The Nifty Decorator.

Is it just me? Or is the minimal style on its way out? Or maybe I'm growing out of of my minimalist phase and slowly embracing color. Our living room is where we usually spend most of our time. I've slowly veered away from white, gray, and brown (Oh and black-- Kevin's PS4 Pro and Xbox) and incorporated little elements to spruce up the area. Our huge couch is gray and our walls white so I thought the contrast of these two colorful pom-pom throw pillow covers serve a nice little contrast.  

While I like to keep our bedroom white, clean, and bright (I think Kevin thinks so too because he rarely stays in the bedroom even though we have a TV there. Once I've made the bed he'll prefer lounging around in the living room)--I'd like our living room to look cozy and inviting, and adding pops of color looks like it certainly helps. 

What do you think of the new addition? 

Three Things to do More Of and Less Of

MORE

1. Sleep more. Gosh this has been on my to-do list and my new year's resolutions SINCE I WAS A CHILD. But, I really need to work on this one. I'm lucky my husband goes to sleep early and is slowly influencing me to do the same. Prior to getting married I can stay up until 2 or 3AM. Now though, my latest is at 11PM. Or maybe I'm just getting old?

2. Incorporate more vegetables in home meals. This is more for my husband than for me, really. Whenever I'm in the office I'd usually order a dish that's heavy on vegetables. Whereas my husband prefers fast food whenever we are not at home and I'm not monitoring his meals.

3. Read More. As a child I grew up surrounded by books. My parents made it a point to fill my childhood with as much books. Growing up, they supported my habit of reading (they're pretty big readers, too) which started with picture books, moved on to graphic novels, and on to novels. I was fortunate to have gone to a school with the latest book titles so a huge chunk of student life was spent at the library. In college however, reading for pleasure was taken over by required reading. I'd still be able to read books, but the quantity has greatly diminished. That continued until the day I started working. My current job requires us to read, read, read that reading has become work to me. That I would rather watch or do something else on my spare time. But lately, I've made it a point to start reading again. In fact, I have made it a point to take note of books to include in my reading list. 

LESS

1. Complain. I have this bad habit of making small talk by starting with a complaint normally about the weather (Always a safe topic though not the best conversation-starter). Though I've never been one who's excellent with conversations anyway. But hearing someone complain can be annoying, especially if a complaint is the first thing you'll hear from someone you meet. Also, complaining can be quite counter-productive as you just tend to dwell on the negativity rather than look for a solution.

2. Hold on to Stuff in my Closet. I've always been sentimental / a bit of a hoarder. I had to put a stop to that when Kevin and I moved in to a condo (Most of my stuff are left at my parents'-- which I will purge soon) since cleaning is a pain. What I failed to put an end to is the auditing of my closet. With a small space, I need to just stick with what I really use and let go of things that might come in handy when I go to the beach or in the future.

3. Phone. I don't know when it started--might have been since I moved in with Kevin who is so particular with internet speed--but I've been super hooked on my phone as of late. Constantly scrolling through Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Even when Kevin and I are binge watching a TV series or on Movie Nights. Kevin has pointed this out twice already so I'm making an effort to disconnect when I need to.

I bet my husband would have preferred if I included "Shop" under the LESS List-- HAH. NOPE.

I'd like to know if you have your own More of/Less of! Do share in the comments section below.

Just Begin

It feels weird to be writing about this topic. A few posts ago, I wrote about what's been keeping me busy lately (apart from my day job, of course). 

In 2014, after having just finished a commissioned wedding invitation suite, I revisited the idea of making my own social stationery and paper goods. Obviously I did not act on that idea right away. I have a strong tendency to overthink, I can also be a big worrier. From that point on, until around October or November of last year, the idea of making my own stationery would pop up. I'd think on it--but the things that I would have to consider just overwhelmed me-- and so the plan of setting up a stationery business would be shelved. 

At the last minute in December 2017 however, I thought, I'd take a chance-- come up with some designs and see if anyone would patronize the designs I worked on. AND OH BOY WAS I SURPRISED. Not only did I get orders from friends, but also from complete strangers! So now, looking back, I'd like to share some of my realizations on working on a new venture / taking a leap / or whatever it is you'd like to start on.

01. The Right Mindset. I am all about planning and not just rushing into things. But, I wouldn't recommend planning so hard as I did that it was detrimental to me just starting on my stationery venture. December of last year was when I told myself "No time like the present". What do I have to lose? Well, a significant amount of money, but... I didn't want that stationery business idea to remain just that. I wanted to see for myself if it would do well. 

02. List them down. It helps to do your research. List down all the things you need to learn or find out about, then slowly work your way through that. Making a list of what I had to do or have beforehand made the jump a bit easier. Having all these thoughts in my head made the task so daunting--but listing them down (in pretty stationery, of course) made them easier to tackle. 

03. Be Passionate. It's easier to keep pushing if you are passionate about what you are doing. If you just started because everyone's doing it too and it seems easy enough, then that might not be a good push for you. Chances are, after you've mustered up the courage to take a leap-- there will be several hurdles still down the line. Your passionate for your venture or project will fuel if you'd still go through the hurdles or just give up. 

I'm a firm believer that milestones--big or small, should be celebrated. Having a tendency to overthink and worry, just taking a  leap with social stationery means a lot to me. I'd like to know about what hurdle you've recently gone through or if you've had the same experience about starting on a new venture!

February Faves // Japan Skincare Haul

Contrary to our first trip to Tokyo, on our second visit, I did not go crazy on makeup. This time, I made a list of things to get-- all skincare. Well there was a mascara.. and a Dior Lip Glow.. ANYWAY. So i tried very hard to stick to that list and I was pretty successful in hunting them down. It wasn't very hard really, since they were EVERYWHERE. Much to my husband's disappointment, I think...

Product description: Hada Labo Goku-jun super hyaluronic acid hydrating milk moisturizes deeply, offering nourishing hydration and skin-smoothing conditioners. Infuses your skin with moisture and leaves it with a natural, healthy-looking glow. Skin becomes smoother, softer and richly hydrated. Skin pH balanced, low irritation. Free of fragrances, mineral oil, alcohol and colorant.

There's a special technique to applying this on Youtube! I've seen other vloggers apply their serums/essence/moisturizer the same way so I've adapted the same technique to most of the skincare I use. 

I really love this product. There's no annoying scent, and it really did wonders for my skin. I've been using this DAILY (twice on some days) and it really made my skin so much smoother and softer. It would leave a very shiny effect on my face but it doesn't bother me since I put other products after it in the morning, and in the evening I like to seal this in with an Avene moisturizer. 

When I was still thinking about this post I was going to say that I haven't had breakouts since I used it. But come my period, I had two zits! Sooooooo I can't say that it totally cured my pimple problems. Maybe my pimples are just way too determined. 

According to DHC, the Lip Cream "Softens lips with aloe leaf extract and vitamin E, and gives lips a polished, neutral shine. Free of fragrance and added colorants".

I have gone through soooooooooo many lip balms, both cheap and expensive, and this is by far the one that I can honestly say, WORKS. I have extremely dry lips and lip balms are a necessity. Prior to trying this out, I was using Carmex and it worked alright. But this one! I love this so much. I've been using mine since January 24 of this year and I don't think I'm using any other lip balm. Luckily I found an online seller based in Japan who can buy this for me!

The Shiseido Oil Control Blotting Paper is a powder coated type of blotting paper. You can barely notice the powder though--or feel it. This wasn't really on my list of things to buy but I thought I'd give it a try. I really just bought it because I love that it came with this reusable little pouch, LOL. And yeah, it keeps oil at bay. On days when I cannot reapply powder on, this is a lifesaver. 

We've been to Tokyo twice in a year, and I'm making sure that we will return to Japan again in succeeding years. Until then, I'd like to know what other Japanese products you recommend I try!

Beauty Review // Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso

I've been seeing this blush from beauty vloggers long before I purchased it. I thought, I don't need a coral blush. I'm fine with the pink ones I have. Besides, I don't have a coral lip product to pair it with. HOWEVER. While we were at a mall in Tokyo, I saw A LOT of Japanese ladies buying the Dior Lip Glow and I saw this coral shade that I really, really liked. I didn't buy it right then and there however as it was EXPENSIVE. On our way home however, while we were at Duty Free, I saw the Dior Lip Glow in the shade I wanted and at a lower, more reasonable (I think) price so I bought it! So anyway, I had a coral lip, without a coral blush to match HAHA and so that was my push to buy this blush already.

This blush is beautiful. I love it since it combines both color and highlight. Therefor minimizing  my makeup time in the morning. I thought this was going to be expensive and unavailable in Manila, but I was so happy I found it on Beauty MNL.

Here's how Milani describes the Baked Blush-- 

At first I thought the product was really powdery on the pan, but I was pleasantly surprised as it was powdery but it didn't go all over the place. The color is also very buildable and gives that glowy look. As I have very visible pores, I make sure that I double up on pore primer with this one as it can really highlight visible pores with the fine shimmer.

I haven't seen what other people have said about Luminoso but this really reminds me of the NARS Orgasm. The color is peachy-coral and the shimmer is GOLD. I love it. It's like NARS Orgasm at a better price. 

See how pretty? SWOONING. 

Anyway, here are the pros and cons:

PROS:

+ affordable

+ combines two products : blush and highlight

+ this is a product that will go well on any skin tone; but will flatter medium to dark tones more I think

+ staying power is pretty impressive

+ that's a lot of product in the pan. I've been using this very often and it still seems new!

CONS:

- the brush. Never mind the brush, get yourself a better one.

- can highlight visible pores; primer necessary!

- will take some time to get used to where to put the product on because you want the shimmer to just highlight the apples of your cheeks, right? Not the entire cheek

If you're on the lookout for an inexpensive coral blush (with a highlighter!) I highly recommend this xxx

The Milani Baked Blush Luminoso is available at BeautyMNL for P499. 

Marriage, A Year Later

And just like that, KFC (Kevin and Fran Cruz) is officially a year old! We just celebrated a year of married life and I still cannot believe how quickly a year went by! I thought it would be apt to share some things I've learned during my first year as a wife:

I set some pretty lofty expectations for myself pretty much right after we got back from our honeymoon-- which was immediately after our wedding. I had this idea that in order for me to be a good wife, I should be able to prepare breakfast before my husband wakes up, clean our tiny home, shower, dress up, look pretty, prepare his attire for the day, make him coffee, then come home on time to prepare dinner. BOY WAS I DISAPPOINTED. I couldn't even make breakfast in the morning because I was rushing to get ready for work! I was so disappointed with myself that I told my husband how i felt like a failure. Luckily for me, he said that he did not expect me to accomplish all these AND THAT HE WAS WILLING TO HELP OUT AROUND THE HOUSE. <3

I think it's important to sit down and talk to each other on what your expectations are, and also, what you can both do around the house. 

Also, I don't know why I haven't learned in spite of being in a relationship for 10 years, that I should not expect him to know what's on my mind or what I'm feeling. MARRIAGE DOESN'T CHANGE THAT. Boys / Men need you to talk and speak your mind. 

Not to be a drama queen, but I was BUMMED when we had our first disagreement. I thought, we were still in our honeymoon stage so why are we like this? Well guess what, disagreements are bound to happen! People will tell you that it's all lovey-dovey during the first year. And it's true, but since the first year is usually the adjustment period, it's inevitable to have a fight or two. 

To be honest, it took a while for me to accept this. The whole "honeymoon stage" made me expect that we will be on Cloud nine all the time-- which of course was not the case. During the initial part of our marriage, a fight would make internally freak out about the state of our marriage--and of course Kevin would just be soooooo calm about everything. Pissed, but nowhere near my thoughts of breaking up (I have a tendency to be dramatic). 

But as soon as I had a more reasonable approach to marriage, I treated disagreements as lessons on how Kevin and I can get along better--not little proofs that Kevin should just tell me to go back to my Parents'.

In relation to point no. 2, marriage, as with other relationships, is give and take. There will be times when  you will be irritated with some things, but you have to choose when to turn it into an argument or to let it slide. For instance, at the start of our marriage, I've asked Kevin to hang our towels after every use in order for it to dry properly-- there are times when he forgets to do so and leaves it in the bathroom. It does not make sense to fume over and pick a fight over something as petty as that. 

Also, there are times when he will be extra tired from work and he won't be as chatty when he gets home, or he might be cranky--whenever this happens, I make an effort to not snap and attack him for being cranky. Not that I'm being a doormat, but I've learned to not match his anger whenever his patience is noticeably shorter than usual. Not that I'm being a doormat or anything, but sometimes you have to let things slide. 

Another thing, learn to say sorry. Between us, I'm probably pretty sure I'm the crabby one. There are times (usually around that time of the month), I have a tendency to be irritable and to snap--I know that in spite of being my boyfriend for 10 years prior to getting married, he hasn't fully understood how this happens and though he tries very hard to be understanding, he gets hurt sometimes. When my hormones have calmed down, I make sure to apologize. 

AH THIS. I rolled my eyes when I made the header for this point. Fresh from our honeymoon, one of our principal sponsors, upon seeing me, looked at my face then looked at my belly right away. Then asked, "wala pa ba?" / "No baby yet?"

This is a question we get asked SO OFTEN that it gets soooooooo annoying it's hard to stay polite when we try to explain that we are not trying yet. I read one tip that instead of saying you're not trying to conceive yet, just say, we cannot conceive. LOL. 

I have no tips for this (apart from the above mentioned that we have yet to try), but to try, try, TRY very hard to be patient as people will use this as a conversation starter very, very, VERY often. 

I'd like to know, what were your realizations on your first year of marriage? Leave them on the comments section below x

What's Been Keeping Me Extra Busy Lately

When I was much, much smaller-- and well, younger-- I was extremely fascinated with pretty paper and writing. I collected and swapped scented stationery and metallic pens (these were all the rage in fourth grade) with my friends and classmates. Aside from the pens, I never used the stationery. I just loved looking at them. I would reserve them for more importance use and for extra special recipients. That would happen once a year for the annual school recollection/retreat. 

The love for stationery went on until I was in high school, this time, colored post-its were part of my fascination, and with better motor skills (I guess), doodles had filled out my notebooks and the notes and letters I would give to friends. 

Having gone to a non-sectarian University, there were no recollections or retreats to save and use stationery for anymore. Doodling persisted and a collection for pretty notebooks ensued. 

When I started working, notebooks were replaced by notepads. I collected, no hoarded, pretty notebooks that I did not use until I decided to get into calligraphy. My doodles graduated into beautiful letter forms! 

My calligraphy projects turned into commissioned works for weddings (our own included!), but I felt limited. So late last year, very close to Christmas, I thought I'd venture into designing my own notepads and other personalized merchandise. Luckily, I had supportive friends and colleagues who trusted me to make for them (and for their friends and family!). 

So now, apart from working as a researcher, I'm inching my way towards setting up a stationery business. And this has been making me blissfully extra busy, and happy, lately xxx

Sharing some of my works below xxx And if you're looking to buy bespoke notepads, ribbons, or thinking of someone to help you with branding, hit me up on Facebook. xxx

 (Photo by Daniel Talavera)

 (Photo by Daniel Talavera)

 (Photo by Daniel Talavera)

 (Photo by Anne Naig Photography)

  (Photo by Anne Naig Photography)

  (Photo by Anne Naig Photography)

  (Photo by Anne Naig Photography)

 (Photo by Anne Naig Photography)

 (Photo by Mediarama Creatives)

 (Photo by Mediarama Creatives)