Zoya Nail Polish Review

Zoya came out with some amazing nail polish Dream Boxes plus some new mini sized nail polishes.

I swear they know when I get paid and I can’t resist new nail polishes.

Right now they have 12 minis that you can select from for $5, two pre-selected mini sets of 3 for $12, and 14 full-sized pre-selected sets of 3 Dream Boxes. Damn you Zoya!

You can check out the Zoya Holiday Gift sets and minis. These are great for gifts for yourself or for your nail polish addicts friends and family like myself.

One of the boxes I bought is the Zoya Sugar Plum Trio that has Haven, Thea, and Margo.

I used Haven and Thea on my nails for the look for today.

Haven by Zoya can best be described as a true holiday plum liquid metal with a thin vein of orchid to ensure brilliance.

Color Family - Purple 
Finish - Metallic 

Thea by Zoya can be best described as a deep amethyst Magical PixieDust with an orchid flash, packed full of party-ready holographic hex glitter.

Color Family - Purple 
Finish - PixieDust 

I used two coats of Zoya Haven then on my accent nail, I painted my tips with Zoya Thea and on my middle finger I did some polka dots, then topped it off with a top coat.

At first I only did the tips of my accent nails. Then later decided to do the polka dots on my middle fingers.

I wish I could wear any color and designs at work but I have to wait for my days off and vacations to wear them. I will rock them out when I can though!

Have you ordered any of the Zoya Dream Box sets yet?

If your a purple lover, hen this set is definitely something you can rock.

Until next time Dolls!

Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner Review

By the time our Skin Food Gold Kiwi Toner was almost empty, I began my search for another toner.

I really want a toner that can help minimize the appearance of pores on my nose.

Etude House is another Korean Cosmetic company that is getting a loyal local fan base. It is mainly because of their good marketing strategy. Their image is more on the feminine and cute side of skin care and cosmetics.

I and my sister tried one of Etude House Philippines' best selling toner- The Wonder Pore Freshner. This is one of the products in the Wonder Pore Line of Etude House.

The tagline- "I'm the Wonder Woman for your Pores" at the back of the packaging made it more interesting for me to try this product. I told myself that time that I'll see for myself if this will really do wonders for my skin.

Fast forward to 2 weeks after we bought the toner is my review on this product.

This toner claims to do the following (as seen in the photo above):

1. Deep cleanse pores.
2. Maintain ph 4.5, +1,-1
3. Control a large amount of sebum (oil)
4. Minimize appearance of pores
5. Refine skin tones
6.Keep the elasticity of pores
7. Moisturize the inside and outside of the skin

Pros:
a. It comes in an interesting packaging. The bottle is made from plastic. Unlike the Skin Food skin care bottles which are fragile, this is more user-friendly specially for travels.

b. The plastic box packaging is eye catching. It is colorful and has illustrations (though the captions are in Korean language).

c. The toner itself is water-based. Thus, the consistency is just like water. For me it's a pro since it's not sticky or messy to use.

Cons:
a. The smell- I can't figure out what kind of smell it has. It's very light and it smells a little like "water stored in a mineral water bottle for days". Can you imagine?

c. After applying the toner on my face, it had been successful in its claim on moisturizing the skin. As a pore minimizer, it wasn't very successful though. I think I still haven't found the right the product to help me minimize my pores on my nose area. :(

d. It made my face a little bit itchy. I know the toner is water-based and very light but after a few minutes of applying it I feel some itchiness on some parts of my face. I didn't develop any rashes or anything but every now and then I have this urge of  gently patting my nose area or some other parts of my face. I realized it is because it felt a little bit itchy.

Verdict:

If the itchiness continues, I will stop using this toner. I have only used 1/4 of the bottle though. It helps remove the dirt and grime on my face and can moisturize too, but I don't think I can handle the sudden urge to pat my face every now and then after applying this toner. I might as well find another toner from another brand that is a pore minimizer. My skin type by the way is a little bit on the oily side and pores are visible on the nose area. It's effects might be different depending on your skin type.

Kiss Skincare Whitening Collagen Face Mask Review

What's up my lovelies,

Today I'm here to introduce you to a miracle potion for your face - Kiss Skincare Whitening Collagen Face Mask

Keep reading for the full review!

This product is an overnight face mask that targets large poles and skin discoloration. It also gives you soft, supple and youthful skin. 

Let me tell you one thing, this is no gimmick, this product actually works!

All you do is apply a rich layer of this face mask, instead of your night cream all over your face and neck and go to sleep. Wash it off in the morning with cool water. 

You will wake up to the most beautiful glowing skin ever!

And the best part of it all? There are no chemicals in it. it's made of 100% natural ingredients! They're even certified by the Thai ministry to confirm that this product contains no steroids or mercury, or anything that's harmful to your health!

Talking about the packaging, it comes in a pretty cool acrylic container. What impressed me most was the really cool, innovative pump! 

You apply pressure on the top disk and the product squirts out from the middle, how cool is that??

 ok, keeping my excitement aside, let me tell you that a pump dispenser is very hygienic, since you will not be dipping and re-dipping your dirty little fingers into the face mask every time you want to use it. :p

Also, it keep the product away from air and light, thus, keeping the potency of the ingredients safe!

The pump dispenses just the right amount of product each time. Never any excess or waste!

All in all , I absolutely love it, and I highly recommend it. Watch my video for a more detailed review on benefits, texture and application of this product

Avène Skincare Review

When it comes to what I put on my skin, I am incredibly picky. My skin is sensitive, and trying out new products really isn't something I do often because I worry how it'll effect my skin. Many times I have tried new skin masques out and been left with terribly dry, red, and irritated skin. So when I was recently send a few items from Avène, I was initially quite hesitant to give it a whirl. But, after a few days of battling intensely dry skin, I decided to give Avène's skincare a try and all I can say is that it is simply amazing. 

Soothing Moisture Masque: I started with the Soothing Moisture Masque which is described by Avène as a "creamy, non-setting skincare masque which provides soothing care to dehydrated, overstressed skin". I left this masque on for about 10 minutes, and then blotted it off with a cotton swab. As soon as I tried this masque I found my skin felt smoother, softer, and that all my dry spots were gone. What I really loved about this masque was the fact that it didn't make my skin feel tacky or oily, which is a problem I've found with many other hydrating masques. Instead it slowly absorbed into my skin, and left it feel hydrated and smooth. 

Thermal Spring Water Spray: I followed up my masque with the Thermal Spring Water spray. I always love hydrating sprays for my face, that blast of hydration is not only so great for your skin - it also feels so refreshing. 

Hydrance Optimale Hydrating Serum: Though I'd usually use this serum before bed so that it could have all night to really absorb in; I decided to try it out after using the Thermal Spring Water Spray to get the full effect of how all the Avène products work together. Out of al the products, this one had to be my favourite. I loved how light this applied, and how hydrated it made my skin feel; best of all, once the serum absorbed in I found that it had made my skin look incredibly smooth. 

XERACALM A.D. LIPID REPLENISHING CREAM: The lotion says it can be used on your face and body, but whenever anything says "face and body" I typically just use it on my body because I typically find body-care too heavy for my face. I have to say though, as a body lotion this is simply wonderful. My skin has been exceptionally dry this winter, and this lotion fixed that pretty much instantly!

Denise Richards Perfume Review

The Denise Richards Eau de Parfum is a sexy, beachy, white floral bouquet. White flowers have the most voluptuous and sensual floral aromas. Denise’s scent has the natural, relaxed feeling of sun drenched tropical white flowers on a warm breeze.

My Review

I am very set in my ways when it comes to perfume and body sprays. There are scents I like and I stick with those and don't usually try different ones very often.  I really like scents that are from nature and that are light and sweet. When I got the chance to try this Denise Richards perfume I was excited. This scent is perfect for someone like me. It's sweet and light and makes you think of flowers on a tropical breeze. This perfume lasts quite a while. I put it on in the morning before work and when I get home my husband can still smell it. I have gotten so many compliments on this scent when I wear it and I've been happy to tell people what it is and where to get it. The bottle is gorgeous and the color is beautiful. I am in love with the design and the scent and I will definitely keep buying this perfume. It's also very affordable which is an important sticking point for me. A big 5/5!!

Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion

I don't know about you but I just love applying lotion all over my body after taking a bath. It's something I actually look forward to, as I love having the feeling of soft, freshly scented skin after.  But  yes, there are some who hates applying lotion. Aside from it takes a few more minutes of their time, they also say that what they hate the most is the greasy feeling.  

But moisturizing is a must.  It's like giving your skin its needed drink.  And I'm sure you all know what happens if skin is dehydrated.  Definitely, not good.

If you're one of those who struggle to find the time or simply can't be bothered to moisturize, Nivea's latest breakthrough might just be what your beauty routine has been waiting for...

NIVEA In-Shower Body Lotion

A revolution in time saving and moisturising, our In-Shower Body Lotion gives you that silky-smooth feeling all day, every day. Simply apply to wet skin, rinse and towel dry as usual. Now you don't need to reserve supple skin days for special occasions only.

This product is designed to be used for wet skin to absorb the formula and claims to leave the skin silky soft without the need to apply a separate body lotion after a shower.

I first saw this on a TV commercial here in Dubai and the next day, I was already on my way to the grocery to get myself one.  I love Nivea products, have been a long-time user of their lotions and body creams and I wouldn't mind having this baby on board. Usually, I'd be a bit skeptical with body care products at first, but with a trusted brand like Nivea, I will never be.

There are two variants: the white one for Normal skin and this, the blue one for Dry skin. 

It comes in a plastic bottle (yay, no breakage!) with a flip-top cap and is designed to stand on its lid so the product drops down out of the bottle as you use it.  

It has a very creamy consistency with a nice, subtle scent…the exact typical Nivea scent that we all know and love.  It contains almond oil to soothe, relax and soften the skin.

How to use:

1. Cleanse your body with your usual body wash then rinse.

2. Apply the Nivea In-shower body lotion as you would do a lotion all over your body. You'll be amazed as to how quick it gets rubbed in.  You can actually finish applying it all over in less than a minute!

3. Rinse. I would usually wait for a few more minutes before rinsing off but actually, you don't need to!

4. Towel dry your body and you're ready to slip into your clothes!

Easy, huh!?

After rinsing, you'll be left with a slight slippery coating on your skin. I honestly spent more time (and water) trying to rinse it off but I realised it's just the almond oil. You don't need to totally get rid of that as it is designed to be like that in the first place, but don't you worry as you would know when you've had enough rinsing. Trust me!

I don't usually slip into my clothes immediately after a bath as I wash my face then brush my teeth first, but I feel like I can do just that right after!  When you moisturise the usual way, you need to wait for a couple of minutes more for the lotion to fully sink in before you can get dressed. And yes, it does deliver its promise of keeping your skin smooth even without using a separate lotion.  And it does last the whole day!  

What I like:

The packaging. It's light, easy to use in the shower and most importantly, no breakage!

Can be applied on the skin easily.  It sort of liquefies once on contact with wet skin.

It keeps my skin hydrated and feeling soft all day. The subtle fresh, clean scent

What I don't like:

The scent doesn't stay long.  I wish it does.  But I guess this would become a problem if you are using a perfume.

Since it doesn't have SPF, I still apply a different lotion with SPF at day time.  But it's a dream using at night, when I'm sometimes to sleepy to moisturize after a shower. 

I use more than I would a normal body lotion, but since this comes in a big bottle with an  affordable price tag, I guess it's okay.

I find that I still need to use a separate lotion or cream on drier areas like elbows, knees and feet.  But I read online that Nivea has a "For very dry skin" variant, so I guess that would solve this problem for me.  

So that's it for my product review.  'til next time!

Boots No 7 Protect & Perfect Advanced Serum Review

I firmly believe that a good serum is 1 of the most important part of skincare. If you wish to invest in any 1 skin care product, it should be a serum!

Good face cleansers and moisturizers are easy to find even at lower price points.

Having said that let's get on with the review of the new & improved Boots Protect & Perfect Advanced and Intense Advanced serum.

The award winning Boots No7 Protect & Perfect range has been a cult favorite of women around the globe for years now. Boots has gone a step further and released the new & improved version which is even better than the original formula.

You can buy the  No7 Protect & Perfect Advanced serum to take care of first signs of aging (between ages 18 - 35), or buy the  No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum if you have more mature skin and deeper wrinkles. 

Packaging: Comes in a simple plastic squeeze tube with a narrow nozzle with a twist up cap. This gives you a control of how much product you need and hence, there is product no wastage.

My review: I love it! This is the only potent skincare product I took to my recent holiday, and my skin feels amazing. You know how your skin is beat up and dead by the end of a vacation? Nope, non of that happened to me. My skin is happy, thanks to this serum!

It promises to target your skin concerns and fix them. It did help in evening out my complexion and brighten my skin. I don't have many wrinkles, a few fine lines under my eyes , which I'm sure is just going to stay. But I'm sure the serum is helping prevent premature skin aging. The only down side is that you have to use slightly more than you would with any other serum. I let my mom try the intense version, and she is happy with it too.

Usage: I apply a good amount onto my face, neck and sometimes even my decolletage after cleansing, before moisturizing.