First Aid Beauty: FAB Faves To Go Kit

I have been on the look out for new products to add to my skincare regimen and I found the First Aid Beauty's' FAB Faves To Go" kit while I was browsing in Sephora:

FAB Face Cleanser, FAB Facial Radiance Pads, FAB Ultra Repair Cream

I actually heard of First Aid Beauty even before I bought this set (I've heard a lot of people raving about this brand on YouTube). And I've been wanting to try their products because I heard they really work but are also very affordable, as compared to other high-end skincare products out in the market now. 

This set includes 3 of their bestseller products in mini-size version and only costs a total of $28 (approximately Php1,200.00). I think that's an amazing deal considering how much product you actually get from this set.

I've been using this for about a solid 2 weeks now, so i think i can give a thorough review about these products.

"FAB Face Cleanser (2 oz): This mild, nourishing cleanser is ideal for all skin types. Regular use calms redness and reduces skin reactivity."

This cleanser is very gentle and mild. It leaves my skin feeling silky after each wash. It removes all the make up that's left from my face after I use a makeup cleansing oil. It doesn't have a strong scent but it's not exceptionally pleasant-smelling either. The only downside to this product, I think, is that it doesn't foam as much as I'd like but I guess that's the trade off for it being a mild cleanser.

 "FAB Facial Radiance Pads (28 pads): Brighten, tone and exfoliate in one step. This daily exfoliating treatment contains just the right amount of lactic and glycolic acids to make it safe and effective for daily use."

I'm not sure if it's clear in the picture but the pads have a texture to it. It's probably to ensure that it actually exfoliates the skin. And it definitely makes my skin feel a bit healthier after each pad I use. The only thing that I don't like about this product is that it has a weird scent. I'm not sure if that's really the scent or I just got a bad one. I couldn't have it changed because I only tried using it when I got back to the Philippines.

"FAB Ultra Repair Cream (2 oz): An over-the-counter, super-emollient cream with a spectacular whipped, non-greasy texture that treats severely dry skin, whatever the cause, even eczema"

This has got to be my favorite product from the kit. I use this on my elbows and heels to keep them from getting dry but regularly, I just use this cream as a facial moisturizer. It gives just the right amount of moisture on the face and everywhere else. I used this after coming back from the US and my body was still trying to recover from the dry air. I used this and it instantly felt moisturized and made it heal quickly! 

OVERALL REMARKS:

Overall, I was not WOW-ed by this kit. The only thing I noticed that gave a dramatic change was the Ultra Repair Cream. But other than that, nothing actually did wonders for my skin. Although, these products specifically cater to sensitive and dry skin... I have normal skin and I've no major problems about it. So maybe that's why I didn't really see a big difference. Don't get me wrong, the kit does the job and plus, it doesn't cost a lot! I just wished that First Aid Beauty was sold here in the Philippines so i could try their other products. SO LADIES, if you're in the US, don't miss out on getting yourselves some FAB products!

Too Faced Chocolate Bar: Swatches + Review

On the last leg of my trip to USA, I had money saved up because i knew, from the very beginning of this trip, that I wanted to get myself a new palette. I was choosing between 3 different ones that ranged in prices, but I only had enough to get just one (*tears*). So, I ended up getting the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette. I've heard so many good things about this palette and, to no surprise, it definitely lived up to my expectations about it. Although, I have to be honest, I was mostly sold by the yummy chocolate scent. If only we had some sort of smell-o-vision technology, I would let you guys smell the deliciousness of this palette!!!!

This palette has 16 decadent cocoa powder infused shades, some of which are matte, some satin, but most of the shades are shimmery. I think this is a wonderful all-around palette because it has a variety of neutral shades, highlight shades and a few pop of perfectly-wearable colors as well!

Here are the swatches by row:

Gilded Ganache, White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Black Forrest Truffle, Triple Fudge

Salted Caramel, Marzipan, Semi-Sweet, Strawberry Bon Bon, Candied Violet, Amaretto

Hazelnut, Creme Brulee, Haute Chocolate, Cherry Cordial, Champagne Truffle

OVERALL REMARKS:

This palette has a great selection of colors but i think it needs a shadow that has a gray tone to it to make it have a complete range of neutrals (what do you guys think?). When it comes to pigmentation, not all the shadows apply smoothly. White Chocolate and Semi-Sweet, for example,were a tad too chalky and had to be layered on a bit for it to look opaque. But other than that, the texture of the shadows were easy to work with. This is the perfect palette to have if you're someone who is very into neutrals but at the same time like a pop of color from time to time. But fair warning, i wouldn't recommend this if you don't like chocolate because it is made with 100% natural cocoa powder. I, however, think that this was a solid investment because this product has 2 of my favorite things: makeup and chocolate!

May '14 Favorites

L to R: Garnier clean+ nourishing cleansing oil; Maybelline the rocket volume express mascara (waterproof); Benefit the porefessional; OGX renewing argan oil of morocco weightless healing dry oil; NARS radiant creamy concealer; Taylor Swift's wonderstruck fragrance; Tarte amazonian clay 12-hour blush; Loreal colour riche extraordinaire; Beauty blender sponge

The month of May was craaaaazy busy because ever since April until more than half of May, I was abroad (USA). While the rest of May was dedicated to recovering from jetlag, catching up on org work, and spending time with the people i missed. Even though i was all over the place, these products remained constant and i just couldn't not reach for them!

I bought most of these products while I was abroad. Actually, the only thing that I didn't get from my trip was Benefit's the Porefessional. I've been using these products almost daily ever since I got them and I definitely don't regret buying any of it. I would even repurchase all of them! That's how good they are!!!

• Garnier Clean+ Nourishing Cleansing Oil - It's amazing how this product works. Basically, it is what it is: a cleansing oil. You pump out some product onto your palm and then massage it on wherever you want makeup to be removed. BUT. The one reason why i really love this product is, once it comes in contact with water, it just dissolves like it's not even oil in the first place. What... What.... What. It not only does its job but it doesn't leave that oily residue if it were a real oil-based product.
• Maybelline the Rocket Volume Express Mascara (waterproof) - This mascara...mmm... I don't even want to use another mascara... ever (well maybe this and Benefit's They're Real mascara). It's super mega volume + extra length in a tube for your lashes. This is a must try for all of you mascara junkies out there.
• Benefit the Porefessional - Yet another, amazing product! I use this as a primer before i put my foundation on and it just makes my face look so smooth. I find that this product makes my concealer crease less and just makes my overall make up stay on longer.
• OGX Renewing Argan Oil of Morocco Weightless Healing Dry Oil - All the traveling messed up my hair's mojo. It became dry and brittle. But with this product, it gave my ends a glossy shine without that heavy feeling. It also doesn't leave any form of residue since it was a dry oil.
• NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer - I finally found my holy grail concealer!! I've tried and tested a lot of concealers in my life and so far, nothing compares to the coverage, consistency, and lasting power of this one!! Nothing but good things to say about this product.
• Taylor Swift's Wonderstruck fragrance - This fragrance definitely lives up to its name. I can't even begin to describe how good this smells!! It smells like a mixture of vanilla with a floral plus fruity scent, and it also has this musky tone to it—which I love because it can be used both in the day time and the night time! The longevity of this on the skin is crazy. I remember, on multiple occasions, spritzing this on before leaving the house (i'd say about lunch time) and I'd come home still smelling it on myself despite the long hot day. ALSO, how cute is the packaging?! 
• Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in Dollface - Dollface is a baby pink color with a blue undertone to it. It has beautiful color payout (which Tarte blushes are known for anyway) and since it is highly pigmented, a little definitely goes a long way. I like to apply this blush using the Real Techniques stippling brush.

• Loreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire in Blushing Harmony - This is supposed to act like a lipstick but in liquid form but i treat it as a highly-pigmented lip gloss. It's not sticky at all, which is how I like all my lipglosses to be. This color, in particular, is very versatile. It can be worn in the day time because of its natural pink color and can also be worn during the night time because it has a purple tone to it as well.

• Beauty Blender sponge - You guys should invest in a beauty blender, it does wonders when it comes to applying foundation!! Before, I would just use those cheap makeup sponges (you know, the triangular ones) but ever since I got myself a beauty blender, it's the only thing I've been using to blend my foundation with. Other applicators just doesn't give the same natural finish. With this, I am most probably set for life.

Now... on to June!!!!

Hello!!

Hi everyone!! I'm Aya, an AB Psych major from the Ateneo de Manila University and welcome to my blog!

My favorite guilty pleasure would have to be cosmetics and beauty products. It all started when I stumbled upon Blair Fowler's Youtube channel, watched a few videos and I was hooked! From there, I started subscribing to other well-known Youtube beauty gurus like Elle Fowler, Michelle Phan, Bethany Mota, and Ingrid Nilsen. I absolutely love watching videos of these beauty gurus as they talk about products that are out in the market. And after watching countless haul videos, monthly favorites videos, make up tutorials, etc., I thought to myself: "why isn't this a thing here in the Philippines?"—well maybe it is but it's not highly raved about. Anyway, I really wanted to do something similar to this but I knew it in myself that I am too shy and awkward to film videos and put them up on Youtube (plus editing videos is a whole other issue) so i decided to just make a beauty-related blog instead! 

So here it is!

Pulchritudinous describes anything that is pleasing in appearance—and what better word to relate my blog to! I mean, the main function of a beauty product is pretty self-explanatory in itself. But other than that, I wanted to point out that I am not here to tell you to wear make-up (since it is also tricky to maintain due to the scorching heat) or use the products I'm using or to forget about the value of  simplicity. I'd like to believe that the use of these kinds of products, is to gain an extra boost of confidence. But of course, at the end of the day, inner beauty will radiate through any cosmetic/beauty-related product. Think of it this way: these products exist to enhance that beauty :-) 

So I hope you guys enjoy!

Just a disclaimer, my intention is not to brag about the things I have, or anything to that extent, but to share information with those who are interested in finding out about the products I mention. And hey, maybe it will help in some way!