The Brush Guard

Mail time has come once again! I finally received my brush guards yesterday. I ordered this in early January but the first parcel Diane sent got lost in the mail, so she sent me another one.

So what exactly are Brush Guards? 

Brush Guards are stretchable mesh tubes which will help protect our precious brushes from dirt, dust and deforming. It is also useful in drying brushes after washing or cleaning, it helps the bristles stay in shape. 

Which makes me wonder, how do you dry your brushes? I personally like to lay them flat in a table with the bristles hanging out so that they don't get flat, especially the rounded ones (got this tip from Bobbi Brown's Beauty Evolution). But now that I have Brush Guards, I can just wash my brushes, put the Brush Guards on and dry them bristles down in a cup. Just as stated in the instructions. Not only will the brushes dry nicely, the ferrule will also be protected from water. 

I got 2 Variety Packs ($5.50 inc. tax) which contains 6 pieces of Brush Guards per pack

1 extra small BG for an eye liner brush

2 small BGs for blush brush

2 medium BGs for foundation brush

1 large BG for a kabuki or powder brush

My happy brushes :)

now I can safely store them in a brush roll. yay! :)

NOTE: It is important to read instructions as these Brush Guards are not meant to be pulled towards the handle, it might destroy your brush. ALWAYS slide Brush Guards from the handles towards the bristles.

Happy weekend everyone! ^.^

♡ coffretgorge

Rakuten Goodie: La Sana Hair Essence

Ever since I tried the La Sana Hair Essence sample Kelly (Ichibankao) gave me, I was in hair product heaven. I immediately googled it and found it on my new favorite online store, Rakuten, I also found one on eBay but the Rakuten seller had a waaay better price for a much bigger bottle (would you believe?) Rakuten rocks! :)

got my parcel from Rakuten in 2 days

I LOVE EMS! It's so fast and efficient, you get what you pay for shipping.

I give it 5 st✩✩✩✩✩rs! ^_~

the goodies

It came in bundled with a free La Sana Hair Suppli Mist - I believe it has a lighter formulation for daytime use.

I can't wait to try it!

product close-up

La Sana Hair Essence is made up of japanese sea weeds, it is rich in minerals & nutrients which help make hair look so naturally shiny. I just put a drop or two in my palm, gently rub it and smooth it over my hair. It has no scent and not greasy at all. It makes my hair so beautifully soft and frizz free. Supposedly, the essence is for night-time use but I use for day anyway. The only downside is that its not available locally, and it doesn't come cheap, the 60ml bottle costs ¥2,800 plus ¥900 EMS. Other than that, I only have nice words to say on this product. I have found a new hair care HG! Happiness! :)

If your locks need some shine and a major taming from the frizz, La Sana is worth a try imho.

oh SHIT! (So Happy It's Thursday!) so exciting, the weekend is coming! woot woot!

Be safe & healthy! Drink lots of h2O and stay in the shade my fellow filipinos! The hot weather is dehydrating!

♡ coffretgorge

Feng Shui For The Heart

Warning: A sappy hopeless romantic blogger writing. ;)

Does my post title sound like a melodrama on television or what? LOL. I'd like to share with you a little present my sister gave me recently (CNY), a Mandarin Duck Rose Quartz bracelet.

Mandarin Ducks are known to mate for life, their togetherness represents fidelity in Feng Shui. According to Feng Shui experts and aficionados, the Mandarin Duck symbolizes lifelong love and loyalty, if you wear this, it will help you improve relationships and become lucky when it comes to matters regarding the heart. 

As Mandarin Ducks are always close together, they find it hard to survive if they are separated from their partner, even dying of loneliness and grief (aww) just as married human beings are supposed to be (^_~). I see why its very popular with married women.

It is made of rose quartz which is also popular for those who are looking for someone to love...

to bring good luck in finding a lifelong partner.

I don't mind wearing it, because its pink & pretty! :)

and if it really enhances luck in love, why not?

...more pink, more love! :)

I have another bracelet which helps bring good fortune, health, etc. an all-in-one they say, and yes, it is colorful. ^.^

 Do you wear any Feng Shui accessories?

Bath & Body Works Goodies

Pasalubong is a tagalog term for a present given by someone (friend or relative) returning from an out of town/country trip. The wonderful couple, Mike & Kat from Urbanity.ph surprised me with a bag of pasalubong with Bath and Body Works goodies during our weekend meet-up.

Japanese Cherry Blossom Hand Cream & Sanitizer

I am familiar with the Japanese Cherry Blossom scent from B&BW, I've purchased body lotions and shower gels in this range, needless to say, I love everything cherry blossom and I'm really excited to try the hand cream. I'm going to share this with my Mom 'cause she likes this scent too! :)

PocketBac Anti-Bacterial Hand Gels

The Sea Island Cotton smells wonderful! I can't stop sniffing the smell from the bottle. haha :)

Thank you beachbums! See you on our next weekend escapade! ^_^

♡ coffretgorge

UPDATE: Prettia Bubble Hair Dye in Royal Brown

Just an update on the Prettia Bubble Hair Dye in Royal Brown after 3 weeks. Please note that I wash my hair everyday.

roots are showing...

As you can see the color already faded a bit, but its still nice in person imho.

My long hair. :)

I saw on Ichibankao that Prettia released new colors for this line. I'm already thinking of a new shade to try, any suggestions? :)

Bowie The Fashionista

Happy weekend everyone! Just wanted to share some photos of Bowie wearing some hoodies i got from Rakuten. I'm so happy i found this site, they have a lot of really kawaii stuff and japanese beauty goodies of course! It was just a little challenging communicating with the sellers because they're japanese, but a good friend helped me out with that. (Thanks Ari! *.*)

Star Hoodie by COMOVI

i also have a hoodie similar to what Bowie is wearing, I'm going to take a photo and share it here soon. :)

its still a bit loose as you can see, but this is the smallest size available for this style.

Red Skull Hoodie by iDog

It perfectly fits Bowie! *love*

back view

cute felt skull with heart eyes applique!

I'm still waiting for a beauty product I also purchased from Rakuten. I'm so excited! I'll keep you posted. :)

Happy Hearts

To my dear readers and beauty blogging friends, Happy Valentines to you! :)

wishing you wonderful days of hearts and flowers all year round! ^.^

photo from flickr

♡ coffretgorge

McQueen, 1969-2010

February 11, 2010 - Designer Lee McQueen has been found dead inside his London home.

His elaborately extravagant pieces will always be wish list material for most of us who don't have bazillions of moolah, but I have always admired Lee Alexander McQueen's creativity and ability to bring edgy avant-garde shows to the runway, pleasantly shocking fashionistas around the globe. (On a side note - Lady Gaga must be devastated.)

"killer hooves" shown in Alexander McQueen's Spring 2010 collection, Plato's Atlantis

He may very well be designing outrageous new clothes and halos for the angels in heaven now...

May you rest in peace, make the heavens fashion forward. 0:)

Skinfatuated

I don't think I've blogged about something proudly made in the Philippines just yet, so today I'm going to introduce you to a skin care/cosmetic brand VMV Hypoallergenics. As the name suggests, all of their products are allergen free, its such a short list for products like these don't you think? I think their best selling item is Armada - their sunscreen line which offers the highest SPF available in the market, 70 up to 90. (I know, Whoa! @.@-)

I purchased some goodies yesterday, a GLOW lip & cheek tint and an ESSENCE Skin-saving anti-perspirant.

Glow Lip & Cheek Tint in Watermelon

A two in one product, this is great for traveling. No need to think of colors to match your blush to your lips! ;)

I'd say the color is a glowing pink color, it makes you look like you've naturally blushed. Really nice for ladies with fair to medium skin tones.

As lip gloss, I find it a little sticky for me, so i like it better as a blush.

It gives a nice glow. (photo taken with outdoor lighting)

(indoor lighting)

I recommend this as a blush to those who have smooth facial skin because it needs moderate blending in the cheeks, if you have a lot of bumps it could be a little difficult and frustrating. But if blended properly and seamlessly, you will be rewarded with pretty, natural looking blush which stays on the whole day! Perfect for the upcoming summer season! :)

I also got this Essence Skin Saving Anti-Perspirant

I bought this because it doesn't contain harsh ingredients which may cause darkening, bumps and irritation to the underarms. Its also great for traveling, you can share it with your family since it comes in a spray bottle, you save luggage space and weight. ;)

I'm going to let the photos speak for themselves. :)

Oh yes, I'm skinfatuated. ^^

Weekend DIY: Prettia Bubble Hair Dye in Royal Brown

I like it when I have laid back weekends because it gives me time to do things for myself without being in a such a rush. My latest self-improvisation project was to dye my hair using the Prettia bubble hair dye i got from ichibankao. 

Here's what's inside the carton:

1 pair of disposable gloves, 1 bottle pump, the 2 bottles of hair colorants (to mix), 1 packet of hair treatment essence and instructions (in japanese)

 Instructions:

1) Put on gloves

2) Pour contents of bottle 1 to the larger bottle 2, close cap

3) Mix in a gentle, see-saw motion, DO NOT SHAKE

4) Take off cap and put on pump, Press bottle UPRIGHT to get bubble hair dye

5) Apply evenly on hair as if shampooing

6) Leave on for 30 minutes.

7) Rinse, Shampoo

8) Apply treatment essence afterwards

Here's my hair before the treatment, this is my natural hair color, I've never dyed my hair prior to this, I was just dead curious about this product as it looks super fun and easy to do. Plus I have read good reviews from fellow bloggers Lisa and Kathi :)

oooh *bubbles* @.@

and 45 minutes later, TADAH! Royal brown tresses! I was pleasantly surprised that the color on the box matched the color outcome on my hair. :)

CONFESSION: I accidentally left it on longer than I should have (about 15 minutes longer) because I was chatting on the phone with a friend, I was really afraid my hair would come out "burned", but when I rinsed my hair it came out alright.

The only thing i forgot to do was to dye my eyebrows too! Has anyone tried dying their brows with this? I find the chemical smell overwhelming whenever I sniff it so I'm not sure if its safe to use near the eyes.

EDIT: This product is NOT meant to be used on eyebrows. It is also not suitable for gray hair.

^.^

BEBICHHICHI Octopus Ornament

Calling on all Hong Kong beauties! Pay for your MTR fare and other goodies in style with these charmingly cuddly Bebichhichi Octopus Ornaments. 

It comes in three delightful designs:

Panda Bebichhichi (this one's sold out)

Piggy Bebichhichi

and little Bunny Bebichhichi

Fun and function in a cuddly Bebichhichi, you can accessorize your gadgets @ HKD230 each (considered as a sold octopus, has no stored value). For complete details, please head on over to the Octopus Online Shop.

*sigh* This gives me another reason to love Hong Kong, seriously, i want to live there! :)

Beauties, meet Bowie :)

Happy first of February everyone!  The LOVE month has officially begun and what better way to start it off than to share something personal and precious for me. 

*all photos are by my Lurvey, Kris Loo*

Ladies, meet Bowie, our cutie patootie apple-head Chihuahua pup. (@ 2 mos.)

yes, I made him wear my bangles. lol :P

I chose the name Bowie, taken after iconic rock star David Bowie and my fondness of bows. We've had him since mid-January and he is really adorable, very playful, a tad spoiled but still affectionate and loving. He can be really needy too! But I'm not complaining (Lurvey is. lol) He loves to cuddle with us. So sweet! Awww.

A simple size comparison, he is tiny! :)

Here he is taking a nap inside his little puppy purse.

This señorito sleeps a looooot, just like a real baby! ^-.-^

Isn't he a darling? I love shopping for dog stuff now! I recently bought him a Tigi PetHead Poof! Magical deodorizing spray for those days when he can't take baths (vaccine shots). I have to say, this made me love Tigi even more (I love their HUMAN hair products). ^_~

Tigi PetHead Poof! Magical Deodorizing Spray

the SA told me this is a bestseller among pet owners/dog lovers and its not hard to understand why. I love how it smells like sweet pears, so good it makes Bowie smell like fruit! hahaha ^.^

Wishing you all the greatest love month everrr!

♡ coffretgorge