I haven't posted a haul in a really long time. However, I got a few checks off my To-Buy list so I'm happily sharing this with you. I know it's not a huge haul like the ones you've seen from other beauty enthusiasts who tend to go crazy with their spending. (I don't have that kind of luxury LOL) I just buy those makeup products that I really want in my kit.

Gah! my apologies for the 10-day hiatus! I haven't had the chance to blog about anything last week since my brother borrowed my Canon (point & shoot) Camera. I use that particular camera whenever I take swatches of products since it is lightweight and easy to use. I always have a hard time taking swatches using my DSLR camera because it's too heavy to take a steady shot with just one hand.

Anyway, I'm back and happy to share with you some products that I emptied for the past few months. I had another batch of empties earlier this year but I decided to skip blogging about it since most of the products from that batch are items that I already talked about.


I know these are just basic hair and body products, but I though you might be interested to know what I've been using at the moment.


Watsons Hair Removal Cream for Sensitive Skin - the tube says it contains Aloe vera and Vitamin E. This is actually my second tube and it's pretty good, to be honest. It really works and it's affordable too. It also comes with it's own unique plastic spatula thingy, which I use to apply the cream on my legs and remove them after a good 15 minutes.  This big tube is regularly priced at 199, but I got it for Php150 during their sale last spring. I use the hair removal cream on both my legs and the tube can last for 2 - 3 uses depending on your leg size. This also comes in a smaller tube priced at Php 99 only.

Human Nature Natural Feminine Wash in Chamomile Cool - This is my all time favorite feminine wash. It really does relieve itchiness and keeps me feeling fresh all day. This 50ml bottle can last for up to 3 months, depending on usage. (this is actually my 5th bottle of this variant) The best part is, it's super affordable at Php 54.75 only.


H2O Plus Face Oasis Dual-Action Exfoliation Cleanser - the tube says, it refines texture and energizes tone. I got this product from my Sample Room Holiday Goodie Bag. It costs Php1,750 for 120ml at the SM Beauty Section. I've been using this 30ml sample tube day and night for almost 4 months, and I have to say, it does what it is supposed to do. I'm even surprised that this tiny tube lasted this long. 


I only need a pea-sized amount of this product to wash my entire face and neck. It smells nice, similar to that of mild ocean scents. It lathers really well and also contains tiny beads that melts while I massage it on my face. I actually really like this cleanser, since it leaves my face feeling smooth and well hydrated. I would have bought this cleanser, if only it wasn't so expensive.

Marks & Spencer Warm Pomegranate Shower Gel - (the pink tube in the first photo) It's just a regular shower gel that smells like pomegranate. It's not as moisturizing as the other ones I've tried before, but doesn't leave my skin feeling dry at all. I got this as a Christmas present from my best friend last December, so I don't know how much this cost.

Syoss Repair Therapy Shampoo - this 190ml bottle cost around Php85 pesos only. It says, Intensive repair for smooth and shiny hair. It's my second time using this shampoo, it helped my hair feel soft and smooth. I didn't notice if it made my hair shiny though, but I think the Keratin content helped revived my dry and frizzy hair. I also don't feel the need to use a conditioner every time I use this shampoo. It's not bad all considering the affordable price.

Vitress Heat Protect Cuticle Coat - I like to apply this while my hair is damp since it can be a bit sticky on the palm of my hands. Once my hair dries, I noticed how easy it is to DE-tangle and hand-comb my hair. It keeps my hair looking healthy (not shiny) and has minimal frizz with this cuticle coat on. It retails around Php60+

Pantene All Day Smooth Miracle Water - This is actually my second bottle already and overall, I like it. It's an awesome product, especially if you don't like sticky creams or oils since this is water-based. I apply about three pumps of this product while my hair is still damp. It helps my hair become less frizzy. When my hair dries, it looks healthier, it feels softer and smoother but not shiny. If you just want a hair product that helps tame your hair without looking greasy, this would be it.

Lacoste Touch of Pink perfume - I received this as a Christmas present from one of my girl friends, last December 2013. This isn't a typical scent that I'd enjoy, but it's not bad at all. It is not overpowering like I thought it would be, it actually smells fresh, sporty and feminine, but a little sharp on the first spray.

I'm back! I have been really busy with taking care of my kiddos after work, so I didn't have time to blog for almost two weeks. Long story, short... my baby's nanny didn't come back. She was supposed to take a one week leave. We waited 2 weeks for her to come back, but she didn't and we never heard from her again. I had to find a replacement asap, and I finally found one... Okay nuff talk about me.

I got the Ellana Minerals Lip and Cheek Gel from my January BDJ Box subscription early this year. I've been using it on days when I just need a quick makeup fix.

Yep! it's another eyeshadow palette to love. Wet n Wild eyeshadow palettes are already popular amongst beauty enthusiasts and definitely one of those drugstore must-haves! I've been using their singles, trios, 6-pan and 8-pan palettes for a while now and they never disappoint. So, here's another trio that I think most of you will want.

Good Day ladies! Since it is technically still the summer season. (it has been raining all week here in the Philippines) I'd like to show you gals this cheap drugstore find, which I thought would be perferct for your spring or summer look.

I accidentally found this at ebay.ph early this year and was hoping that I could use it this summer, unfortunately, I forgot this actually existed, until recently. LOL

Some of you might have heard about "Collection Cosmetics" and I know that some are already fans of the brand here in PH. I was just browsing through Zalora PH last May when I was shopping for things that I needed to bring for our summer team getaway and accidentally saw that they carry a lot of Collection Cosmetics products, and then I saw this...

I was in need of a gel eyeliner at the time, since the one that I had on my kit already dried up. Seeing that it was affordable and received a lot of great reviews from other bloggers, I decided to buy it.


The pot came with a free, tiny eyeliner brush. You can choose to disregard the brush that came with it. I used the brush for review purposes and it actually wasn't that bad. It did what it was meant to do.


I was happy to see that the gel eyeliner was cased in a glass pot and not made of plastic material. I did not notice any kind of scent when I opened the pot, so that's a good sign.

The Collection Lasting Colour Gel Eyeliner has a creamy and very smooth texture, so it glides like a breeze and super easy to apply.  I used the free brush that came with the pot on the photo below and I was surprised to see that the tiny brush actually works.


The label on the box claims to last for up to 12 hours, so I had to do a test. I wore the eyeliner for 9 hours max while I was at work. And I was impressed with the results, it stayed! For your reference, I don't have oily lids, so I can't vouch how long it will last with others. It is totally smudge proof, budge proof and water proof.  It did smudge a little bit on my waterline and also left a gunk on the corner of my eye, but that's pretty normal with liners applied on the waterline.

The quality and performance actually reminded me of my Catrice gel eyeliner which I reviewed HERE. The only difference is that, the collection lasting colour gel eyeliner is more pigmented and extremely black.


What I like about it...
* affordable
* actually lasts the whole day
* does not smudge at all
* waterproof, I even tested it with running water on my hand, it didn't smear at all
* has a creamy and smooth texture, which makes it easy to apply
* the product sets quickly upon application, so you don't need to worry about it transferring on your crease area, you just need to practice using it to avoid mistakes
* fragrance-free
* it is extremely black
* easy to remove with a makeup remover
* did not experience any itch or irritation on my eye
* can be bought online or at malls

What I don't like...
* I've had it for only about 2 months now, and it is already starting to dry up in the pot

My rating: 4 / 5

If only it didn't start to dry out in just a couple of months, this would have been an HG (holy grail) black gel eyeliner. Oh well, I guess most gel eyeliners are the same. Let me know if you have any other gel eyeliner recommendations that does not dry up quickly.

Until next time.

Cheerios!
***Hollie***

First off, I'd like to say that I seldom use face mask sheets simply because I'm lazy. LOL I know that you've probably already seen a lot of reviews for the My Beauty Diary facial masks from fellow beauty enthusiasts, but I'd like to share my experience with this product.

I got this around February this year, through my bestie Khymm of Miss Shopcoholic. She went for a short trip in Hong Kong early this year and I asked her to buy this for me. I've been so curious for the longest time why face mask addicts are loving this stuff.

My Beauty Diary Masks are face masks which originates from Taiwan. My Beauty Diary is very popular in Asia as My Beauty Diary Masks are suitable for Asian skins, made of natural ingredients, proven effective and most of all, they are affordable! Even Taiwanese actresses recommend the masks.

The box contains 10 face mask sheets, so it's very affordable considering the price. (it would go for less than a dollar per piece). I found out about My Beauty Diary face masks a few years ago (around 2011 I think), but I never got the chance to try it. So, imagine my excitement when I finally got my hands on one of these.




They offer a wide selection of face masks which offer different results, but I decided to try the Black Pearl variant because of it's brightening effect, plus it's one of their best sellers.

I know that summer here in the Philippines is about to end, but I just had to show you girls how much I adore these Happy Skin Shut Up and Kiss Me Moisturizing Lippies from their Turn Up the Heat Summer Collection which I talked about last month HERE.

If you have been following my blog, you probably already know how much I'm drawn to bright lipsticks and this Happy Skin lipstick trio are no exception.  So, when the Happy Skin team sent me these lippies, I was ecstatic! I've been using these lippies all summer and I honestly plan on using them all year long. hehe



What I like about it...
* it is a Filipino brand
* has an eye catching twist type packaging
* has a creamy texture which glides easily on my lips
* has excellent color payoff, very opaque and pigmented
* fragrance free, no scent at all
* lasts long on my lips, starts to fade after 4-5 hours on me
* the shade sunset kiss leaves a stain which I really like
* it is moisturizing, so I don't need to use lip balm prior to application
* does not dry out my lips at all
* does not settle on lips' fine lines
* I can layer it on top of each other and create a new shade
* no irritation or allergies experienced

What I don't like...
* I find it a bit pricey for a local brand, but the quality is at par which mid-range to high-end brands in my opinion, so it's understandable
* not all of their lippies leaves a stain, I prefer lipsticks that stain a bit

My rating: 4 / 5



As mentioned in their box, these lippies can be layered so you can create another range of colors. Depending on how much product you apply, the shades can vary.

Overall, I am honestly loving these lippies and I definitely get the hype now. It actually performs and I'm sure you will get your money's worth. These are Hollie Approved!!!

Have girls tried their Shut Up & Kiss Me lippies yet? If so, what colors did you pick?

Until next time.

Cheerios!
***Hollie***