The Exclusive Heroine Make BDJ BOX Elite is this year's first Elite box being offered by the awesome beauty box subscription company, BDJ Box. There is a total of six boxes you can choose from but I opted for the SWEET MEDIUM box containing the following products:


- Heroine Make Volume and Curl Mascara #02
- Heavy Rotation Jewel Eyeliner #02
- Heroine Make Quick Eyebrow #03
- Heroine Make Protect UV Mineral BB Cream #02
- Heroine Make Smooth Cover Powder Clear #02
- Sun Killer Perfect Strong Plus
- Heroine Make Impact Eyelash #10
- Heroine Make Eyelash Fixer

That's eight (8) full-sized budge-proof makeup products worth a total of Php 3,860 and you can get it for just Php 1,480 from BDJ Box! You save Php 2,380!

Now let's take a look at these babies one by one. But first, let me just say that I had no idea about this brand Heroine Make (Kiss Me or Isehan Kiss Me) until I saw the poster of Himeko Elizabeth (Princess Elizabeth) and her cat, Sliphead. At first glance I thought I was looking at an anime series being promoted but then I found out that it's a Japanese cosmetic line! OMG! Could it get any better? YES! Because the products are really good and I'm not saying that because I'm partial to anything Japanese. You'll have to check it out for yourself if you don't take my word for it. Though I should say this right off the bat that I am pretty impressed at how these products perform.

  Even their packaging is so kawaii! Some might not be too happy but I for one am extremely delighted just looking at the packaging. I mean, the Japanese are pretty cool like that.  (｡◕‿◕｡)


Face sunblocks tend to break me out so I don't really use them unless I have to, like when I'm subjected to sun exposure for a prolonged period. But when comparing this to my Belo Sun Expert Face Cover SPF40, I am loving the Heroine Make Sun Killer Perfect Strong Plus SPF 50+ because it feels like a light moisturizer that dries up to a non-sticky finish. They have another facial sublock which has a menthol one and I think I'd love that even more. Must check that out, too.



For a BB cream, this one certainly delivers! Instant brightening effect, although even the shade #02 seems pretty light on my face. It also acts like a primer because it hides pores! It did blend into my skin and applying powder was so much easier afterwards and also I didn't even have to use a lot. It's fairly affordable, too! It's got SPF 50 so expect to get a white cast on your face when you use flash photography. For daytime use, I'd say this is a product you should check out.



If you don't like wearing foundation, then this powder is your best bet. Why? Because it makes skin look super flawless! I haven't tried any powder that worked as good as this and kept my face matte and shine-free. It's a bit expensive for a powder but for me it's worth every centavo. I love the powder puff because it's so fluffy and it's such a joy to pat the powder on your face with to make sure the product is absorbed.



To be honest, liquid eyeliners scare me. I can't even get my Lancome Artliner to work properly on my eyes. When I saw that this eyeliner's brush was super thin, I realized it shouldn't at all be difficult. I'm used to lining my eyes now with gel liner and the consistency of this product is somewhat thick and not "wet" that it's pretty easy to apply and line my eyes. It looks really natural with a touch of shimmer, great for casual days and when you just want to dress up those peepers but want to skip eyeshadows. It also stays put once it has dried so no worries about panda eyes.



Because it comes with a brush I find it so much easier to apply glue on false eyelashes. I used those tube types before and I always make a mess with them especially when I'm in a hurry but with this wand, I can control the amount of glue I put on the lashes. The product's consistency is somewhat wet so it takes time to dry but not really long. It's just a bit longer than those stickier types of glue from tubes.

After 5 hours, mascara, eyeliner, and eyebrow still intact!

(✿◠‿◠) So in a nutshell, I'm loving these products because these are meant to be sweat and sebum resistant, budge proof, if not totally waterproof. The humid weather here definitely is something to consider when buying makeup so I definitely recommend Heroine Make if you want long-lasting makeup.


Do you want to see how I use these products LIVE? Then please watch my YouTube video below or click here: http://youtu.be/03QY50k9HA8


Additional products used in the video:
- Naturactor Cover Face 171 & 151 as concealer (Check out my How to Cover & Conceal - Acne/Pimples - with Naturactor video at http://youtu.be/buCfnp-_wrg)
- Benefit Hoola bronzer and Lollitint
- Canmake powder blush
- Vanilla Eyes Philippines Moss Gray Circle Lens
- Makeup Brushes from Beauty Cosmetics and Real Techniques
- Generic blonde wig from the department store
 

Be Your Own Heroine!

Thanks for reading my blog and please do let me know what other products you want to see me do a review on as well as any videos you'd like to see in the future. Your comments are valuable as it motivates me to do better and improve my craft.

Until then!


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ADVERTORIAL

Everyone agrees that the only thing in life that is constant is change and sometimes when we’re so used to something, it’s hard to move on from it even though there’s something else better waiting for us. Take for example, my favorite kojic soap. Ever since discovering it in 2007, I’ve been using the same kojic soap for years. It aids in keeping my skin fair because honestly, I don’t have fair skin. It’s the way it is because I maintain it with soaps and lotions. I like my skin tanned during the summer season but otherwise, I prefer a fairer complexion throughout the year.

So what’s new and what changed? Well, I just discovered the Belo Intensive Whitening Bar. I love Belo products because you know that I lean towards using Asian skincare and cosmetics because well, obviously, I am Asian. It’s for me. And then came the assortment of Belo products which have been proven time and again that they are indeed superior when it comes to offering products for Filipinas. And guess that, I am a true-blooded 100% Filipina. So why not, chocnut?

Very unique and special packaging with inspiration quotes! Yayyy!

So what makes Belo Intensive Whitening Bar better than my old kojic soap? I’ll tell you right now. The best thing about Belo’s Kojic soap is that it contains not just kojic acid but also tranexamic acid. Fans of kojic soap know that the purpose of using soap that has kojic acid is in order to inhibit the production of melanin. What’s melanin? Well that’s the substance that determines our skin color which is why the more you have it, the darker your skin color is. Kojic soap tries to deter melanin production, thus lighter skin for the users. Now what about tranexamic acid? Basically, aside from preventing skin pigmentation and its whitening effect on stubborn dark spots, it also restores damaged skin from UVA/UVB exposure and environmental factors like pollution. Problems with melasma? This is the answer! The tranexamic acid reduces melanin and inhibits tyrosinase (the enzyme that controls melanin production). It is non-irritating, it is hypoallergenic, and acts as an anti-inflammatory. Got sensitive skin and acne? This may be the solution you’ve been awaiting for!

Alright, let’s get down to my 7-day challenge with using Belo Intensive Whitening Bar. A week ago, I was at a sportsfest so I was subjected to a lot of sun exposure. I figured it was the best time to try the product.


As you can see it did an amazing job! Outrageous!!! They say it’s supposed to whiten 64% better than other brands with Kojic Acid alone, and I can truly say it does work so much better than my old kojic soap. Normally it would take a month for me to get my color back but in just a week, my skin looks so much better. The Belo Intensive Whitening Bar also smells great. When I lather it (yes, it does create suds!) I am reminded of spicy cinnamon tea and then it washes off without a hitch and leaves my skin moisturized. My skin becomes normally dry when I’m using kojic soap but with Belo Intensive Whitening Bar, it’s quite moisturized after use. So when I wash my face with it, it doesn’t leave me with tight skin.


I managed my expectations and didn’t assume my scars will fade miraculously in a week’s time but looking at my bare face, you can see that my skin’s texture is very much improved! That is a great thing and some of my red spots even lightened, too. I am confident that continued use will definitely give me superb results. Thus, I will stick to this!

For my 7-day challenge, I used the Belo Intensive Whitening Bar twice a day. Once in the morning when I shower and at night when I shower before hitting the sack. Even though Belo Intensive Whitening Bar only costs Php P59.75 at the supermarket, department stores, and drugstores I still cut it in half because in all my years of kojic soap use, it tends to last longer when I cut it in half.


And for my face, I turn it into a liquid facial wash. If I use just half the bar, it still won’t last for very long, so if you want to stretch your budget, turning it into a facial wash makes it easier to use as well as gives you more bang for the buck. Check out the step-by-step instruction below.


Directions:

1.    Prepare a cheese grater (preferably an old one you’re not using anymore) and a knife.
2.    Cut the Belo Intensive Whitening Bar soap in half. Keep the other half and/or use it to wash your body.
3.    Take the other half and grate it into a bowl.
4.    Microwave on high for a few seconds with 2 ounces of distilled water.
5.    Let it cool for a few hours and then transfer into a clean pump bottle.

To end this review, I highly recommend you guys try Belo Intensive Whitening Bar (Kojic + Tranexamic Acid) if you’re looking for the fastest and most effective way to lighten your skin tone and get rid of any discolorations.  Thanks to Dr. Vicki Belo and her authority in beauty, she has once again given us what most of us need and it doesn’t have to break the bank.




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Our City Fiesta festivities this year may have been cut back due to damages suffered from Yolanda (Typhoon Haiyan) and the city is still recovering from it but, nevertheless, we continued to show resilience in line with this year's theme: "We prayed, We survived, One city, Moving on."


Thus, the 1st Lake Danao Festival was materialized. We have been waiting for this moment because as an Ormocanon, I feel proud that we have this beautiful lake that we can take our guests and visitors to. I mean, why not bring them here instead of other places? Shouldn't this be our #1 tourist spot when they come over? Unfortunately, politics and other factors have been playing tug of war for the longest time so projects for the lake have always been put aside (if not totally ignored), but now thanks to the private sector, headed by the Ormoc City Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the Ormoc LGU and the DENR's  Protected Area Management Board, the 1st Lake Danao Festival turned out a successful event.


Friends and visitors from different parts of the Philippines came to participate in the events, namely, the Half-Marathon, Mountain Bike Challenge, 6K Trail Run, Kayak Race, and Stand Up Paddle. There were more participants than anticipated actually but there could have been more if the event was advertised earlier. Some already registered to other races happening at nearby towns. But for a beginning event, the 1st Lake Danao Festival was already very good. And that didn't come from just me but many participants said it themselves.

Half-Marathon

MTB Challenge

6K Trail Run

Kayak Race

Stand Up Paddle

Congratulations to the winners as well as all the finishers! It was a really cool sportsfest where sports enthusiasts as well as nature lovers came to celebrate the 1st Lake Danao Festival. Thank you everyone for joining us. We hope to see you all next year for a bigger and better 2nd Lake Danao Festival!




About Lake Danao:
Lake Danao is a guitar-shaped lake on the island of Leyte, Philippines in the province of Leyte.

The lake is covering an area of 148 hectares (370 acres). It is situated in the 2,193 hectares (5,420 acres) Lake Danao National Park, which also includes the Amandiwin mountain range. The lake is 18 kilometres (11 mi) northeast of Ormoc City, half an hour drive along the San Pablo - Tongonan and Milagro - Lake Danao roads.

It was originally named "Lake Imelda" and was declared a national park on June 2, 1972 by virtue of presidential memorandum issued by then President Ferdinand Marcos. Later it was renamed and declared as Lake Danao National Park on February 3, 1998 through Proclamation No. 1155 and is now protected by Republic Act No. 7586 otherwise known as the National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) Act of 1992.[1] The lake supplies potable water to at least seven towns in Eastern Leyte including Tacloban City[2] as well as the source of irrigation for ricelands in some municipalities like Dagami, Burauen, Pastrana and Tabon-tabon.

At 650 metres (2,130 ft) above sea level, Lake Danao lies on an altitude similar to Tagaytay, making the area cooler than the average Philippine temperature.

(info taken from Wiki)



If you remember back in 2010, Noodle Boy and I went on a trip to Lake Danao to take some pics and just marvel at nature. You can read that post HERE.

And now here's my VLOG about the event as well as interviews of the winners. Please watch it below or visit my YouTube channel at http://youtu.be/7tVhZp4NiYI.





This photo was taken 5 hours after I put on my #FOTD and my #makeup has not budged a bit! ✨ I used @shuuemuraph OB UV Under Base brightening mousse and @benefitbeautyph porefessional pro balm under my MAC studio fix powder plus foundation. Also used Benefit Hoola for contouring. My face is, however, dewy (not shiny) after 5 hrs from doing documentation for today's 1st Lake Danao Festival but I'm happy it held up until 8 hours later when I finally had to retouch my T-zone since we've been running all over the place covering the different sports events. Even my brows drawn and filled in with @anastasiabeverlyhills dipbrow in blonde stayed put for 12 hours! 👍👍 But more on that in a blog post soon! 



 

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