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I admit. I am a sucker for anything Limited and Special Edition. With Missha coming out with the super cute Line Friends designs, no doubt I was all over it. Hey, I use Line Camera for their kawaii stamps and frames! So anyway, I got the makeup cosmetics with Brown (bear) but there's also the ones with Sally (yellow chick) and Cony (female rabbit).


I've been meaning to get Missha 4D mascara for a while now but with my current stash of mascara, I keep putting it off. But this I just had to get... and boy, it is surprisingly good! Really good considering that I have non-existent lashes to begin with (hello, Asian genes!)


Benefits:
• Containing natural wax for soft application without clogging.
• Hypoallergenic formula.
• Long-lasting without smudging, as forming protective coat.
• 4D Brush Effect

💕 Tip: Curl your lashes first before applying and if needed, you can curl them again when the mascara is dry. It's amazing how it opened up my eyes. Lashes from zero... to hero in seconds! Ooh, how I wish I had those fuller, thicker lashes. Maybe I should get lash extensions? But for now, this will do.

Moving on... We have the Bloody Wine Matte Lip Rouge Lipstick that's supposedly matte but I found it really moisturizing and not the dry type. So maybe it flaked by the end of the day, but the color is super vibrant and even made my thin lips look full... and kissable. ;) Wa'y mopalag!


Benefits:
• Has SPF 17
• Clear HD pigmentation.
• Strong & Comfortable wearing with a single touch.
• Lightweight soft fit, matte texture spreads out lightly.
• Argan oil, and rose hip oil included.
• Airish Fitting Formula, Even Color Formula, Skin Conditioning Complex
If you're looking for a rich lipstick without the annoying shine but leaves your lips feeling supple, then this is something you need to try! It smells awesome, too! Something I can't quite place but definitely a good type of thing.

And then lastly, I got the Missha Water-Full Tint, Special Line Friends Edition, in Orange Juice. Okay, honestly I'm not the lip/cheek tint fan but this one swayed me just because it's perfect for those casual/daily errands where it's just ridiculous to be on full makeup buying groceries or withdrawing from an ATM. Can you spell F-R-E-S-H?

I still have hordes of lipstick to go through but one just can't put Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquers aside. So in this quick review and demo, I'll show you why. Also I'm more than happy to test these four beautiful shades for you.

GORGEOUS LACQUER SHINE. BOUNCY, LIGHTWEIGHT COLOR.

There are actually a total of 15 shades but I have just these four colors here that are perfect depending on your mood of the day or for any occasion.


Know that with these Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquers, you get true color clarity, vivid high-impact shine, and a bouncy, lightweight feel.

Lip Lacquer goes HD with innovative wax-free gel technology.

The packaging itself it is very classy and it's got that gem at the top part of the tube. Speaking of tubes, it's got a clear tube to make sure you pick the right shade especially if you're in a hurry. Trust me, I've brought with me wrong lip shades for touch ups many times before because it wasn't apparent what I was grabbing on my way out.

Always silky, never sticky.

For me, the common issue with lip gloss and lacquers is they always feel sticky. Well, Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquers proved me wrong. They feel rather silky on the lips. I love the professionally inspired brush applicator because it allows me to go into the corners and shape my lips as I desire.


Now onto the swatches!


Look at that! Just how vivid are they, huh!? I mean, okay, so hand swatches may be different from when they're actually applied on the lips but check this out...


Indeed so rich and shiny!!! If that's your thing then, this is the jackpot! Like I said earlier, the Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquers are great for just about any time... See how looks can change just by switching up those lip colors.


You can go from sweet, sassy, serious, to holy smokes! And did I already say that there are 15 irresistible shades to choose from? Yeah, I think I did. So I do recommend trying these out. What I did when I found that I applied too much product (because a little really goes a long way with these!), I blotted it a bit and I still got the shine and vibrance of color that I needed.


So if you like to take #selfies, see the difference a swipe can make with these bold colors that is sure to bring your lips to life!

A photo posted by ✨✨💖💜MyMaria💜💖✨✨ (@bastaigat_sikat) on Jan 25, 2016 at 2:31am PST

Promo Alert! Buy the Ultra HD Lipstick together with the Ultra HD Lip Lacquer, and pay only P400 for each item! Discount available until January 31 at Revlon counters nationwide.

#‎TemptationisOn‬ this season. Let your lips sparkle and dazzle with the new Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquer.

I'm still on a self-imposed makeup ban but this is an exception! What is? Well, I saw this really nice vanity case by Suesh at http://beautymnl.com while window shopping, or should I say, monitor shopping.


With too much makeup on my table, I've honestly run out of places to stash them. Which I think very well justifies my need to get this... ASAP!!! Also it's very hard to find vanity kits and makeup cases locally, so my best option is to buy online. I know these things are limited in quantity and very much in demand, so I went ahead to order it before it got sold out. Note: That was 5 days ago (if you count the weekend).

Ordering is easy as 1, 2, 3!

You simply add the item in your cart and when you're ready to checkout, you can input your shipping details. They deliver NATIONWIDE. They also have this box that let's you put in an authorized recipient's name and phone number just in case you're not there to receive the package. Awesome added security!


Then you choose your payment method with whatever's convenient for you and there are 4 options. You know what? I've been doing online shopping for a decade now and I seem to have developed a radar to detect legit and scam sites. A lot of my friends come to me before they buy something online and they ask, "Hey, is this site for real?" Even since I got scammed some years ago, I'm always wary of sites that only allow online payment transfers (you know, LBC Pera Padala, Western Union, GCash, Smart Money and the likes). That's a big red flag there. If an online store, in this case BeautyMNL, offers CASH ON DELIVERY or BANK DEPOSIT payment methods, it's a green light for me. Moreover, I prefer paying via credit card or Paypal, so that's a plus for me, too!


Then you get a payment confirmation in your email once your transaction goes through. And you can also track your order under your account at BeautyMNL.


And because I'm geographically challenged, I was expecting my order to arrive sometime around October 1st because of the long weekend, but lo and behold, it's here!!! It arrived today, the 28th of September!


Well, that was fast and I am totally impressed! Great job, BeautyMNL! I think LBC also did a great job packing up my order, so *clap*clap*!


Wrapped like a boss and after inspection, item has no damage! First time buyer here and they definitely made a good first impression. BeautyMNL isn't just an online shop that sells a curated assortment of makeup and skincare products from the most basic beauty staples to the elusive Moroccan Argan oil and Korean snail cream. BeautyMNL has an online magazine called Bloom, that "provides fun and insightful articles tailor-fit to the Filipina’s lifestyle, whether it’s finding a good sunscreen for Philippine weather or the best shade of red lipstick to match your skin tone." With the help of known celebrity gurus, BeautyMNL brings you tips, easy how-tos, and great beauty trends you can actually rock in the tropics.

So yeah, back to my order. It's a Pink Quilted Vanity Case by Suesh. I didn't expect it to be this big actually, even though the website clearly specified the dimensions. I suck at Math... so there! Nevertheless, they actually do have full descriptions of the listed products on the website. Well, I'm very happy with this purchase and here are some photos I took to preserve this unboxing moment.




It's so nice!!! It's perfect for travelling and perhaps I can start doing freelance makeup artist gigs (when I have the time) now that I have this additional vanity case to stash all my beauty weapons. All in all, I'm definitely going back to shop some more at BeautyMNL (soon after my beauty ban is lifted!) and I highly recommend you guys check them out at http://beautymnl.com!

I broke out like a b*tch the past few months, primarily because of my crazy hormones. I had a 60-day period (TMI!) and my adrenals have been out of whack. Due to all kinds of stress I'm dealing with, my skin suffered a whole lot... obviously. Which brings me to feature my latest acne skincare routine with Rucy's Vanity Foam Cleansing Green Tea, Acne Toner, and Acne Lotion.


It's not that all my other acne regimen aren't working but this time I wanted to try something new. So here's my personal review of this acne skincare routine.

RUCY'S VANITY FOAM CLEANSING GREEN TEA (Php 130.00) - This product is surprisingly mild. Maybe I was expecting something a little more "chemical" but considering it's main ingredient is green tea, it definitely exceeded my expectation. What I love about it is its cleansing power and of course, it does contain collagen! WOOT! I'm a huge fan of all things collagen especially now that there's no way to turn back the hands of time. Might as well try and stop aging early on and try to preserve whatever youthfulness I can. Accordingly, green tea extracts effectively remove harmful bacteria in your skin caused by makeup and environmental pollution. So this product does actually get rid of excessive oil and you know I am like a greaseball! It doesn't sting my face or anything like that even when my skin broke out.  As far as fragrance, I can't really tell because it's that mild for me.

RUCY'S VANITY ACNE TONER (Php 140.00) - First and foremost, NO STING AT ALL! In fact, because it contains tea tree and aloe, it has a rather soothing effect on my acne and very beneficial for its topical antiseptic and infection-reducing properties. It helps control inflammation and for oil-control, too. This toner is suitable for acne prone, oily and sensitive skin. Definitely something I would recommend for people out there who are suffering from breakouts and acne. Fragrance is also mild (if there is any at all!) so it shouldn't be an issue for anyone who wants an additional product to cleanse their face of impurities.

RUCY'S VANITY ACNE LOTION (Php 160.00) - This works perfectly with the acne toner with all the similar beneficial ingredients. I highly recommend using this as the final step of your Rucy's Vanity acne regimen to keep that acne at bay.

As you can see, these products are super affordable and definitely worth a try for those of you who are looking for a new acne skincare regimen and/or if your current products aren't working anymore. Sad to say, I've discovered something like my skin eventually gets "immune" to certain products if I use them for a long time, which is why I tend to rotate my skincare regimen every once in a while. These do have parabens in them but we know that cosmetics need that for shelf life. It's also not as bad as people deemed it is. Studies have already revealed the truth that "on a global scale, there has been an exhaustive degree of scientific and medical studies demonstrating the safety of parabens used in skin care and cosmetics. The tiny levels used in your personal care products are not harmful."

Alright, moving on. Here are some basic makeup and Korean cosmetics from Rucy's Vanity which I find essential for daily use.


RUCY'S VANITY WHITENING COLOR CONTROL CC CREAM (Php 320.00) - Comes in 2 shades, #21 Natural and #23 Oak. I always prefer CC creams over BB creams chiefly because of the "color correction". With all the redness and blemishes on my face, I could definitely get more from a CC cream over any BB cream. Also, a lot of BB creams broke me out. CC creams tend to be more forgiving on my skin. With all the benefits you can get like UV Protection with SPF 30 PA+++ (and don't get me started on sun care), anti-wrinkle and whitening effects, soothing the skin and evening out imperfections, and acting as a moisturizer and makeup base, I think this is something you should check out as well.

RUCY'S VANITY TWO WAY CAKE (Php 320.00) - It comes in two shades, #21 Natural Beige and #23 Dark Beige. Yet another affordable Korean cosmetic from Rucy's Vanity which I am loving to bits! I mean, come on, it's got a lid on the powder which prevents it from spilling should you happen to break it (though I don't see why you'd do that but hey, accidents happen!). The foam/puff that comes with it is small so you might want to use a brush for full coverage application instead. The foam/puff though is great for touch-ups. Remember DAB, NOT RUB! (Watch my Korean makeup tutorial video below and you'll see what I mean!) I'm using this as my go-to daily face power foundation now.

RUCY'S VANITY LIP & CHEEK RED TINT (Php 80.00) - For all lip/cheek tint fans out there, here's something for you. I love that it doesn't necessarily stain your fingers during application like most similar products do. It's not so sticky either and leaves a very pretty not so subtle tint. And yes, it's got green tea and collagen in it! Need I say more?

So there we have it, ladies and gents, for my Rucy's Vanity Korean Cosmetics review. Because I've reached 1,000 subscribers in my YouTube channel, I feel I owe it to my viewers and blog readers to give you a little something extra.

ADVERTORIAL


Just when I thought things couldn't get any better, the Belo Authority releases and offers us the additional intensive whitening body cream and face and neck cream to their already proven and highly effective Kojic Acid + Tranexamic Acid Intensive Whitening soap bar that I first tried back in July of last year. I just finished trying this set for 2 weeks, so read on for my review.

BELO INTENSIVE WHITENING KOJIC ACID + TRANEXAMIC ACID SOAP BAR (SRP PHP 59.75)


It comes as no surprise that there is magic happening here. This Belo Kojic Acid + Tranexamic Acid soap bar alone can lighten your skin as fast as a week. (See my before and after photos in HERE.) We know that the magical combination of kojic acid + tranexamic acid works because it is very effective in inhibiting both the production of melanin (you know, the substance that's responsible for dark skin pigments) and tyrosinase (the enzyme that controls melanin production). The 65g soap bar lasts about 2 weeks of use. So I suggest cutting it in half to get more out of it.


The Belo Kojic Acid + Tranexamic Acid soap bar exfoliates skin like no other. In fact, I was using an exfoliating body wash prior to using this soap . Even after first using it, I found that I still had dead skin and the soap was able to exfoliate some more! Wow! Now some people, especially those with sensitive skin, might find this soap strong and I did find that it does sting a little bit as it gets rid of my dead skin. The good thing is that it isn't drying compared to other kojic soaps I've used in the past.

BELO INTENSIVE WHITENING KOJIC ACID + TRANEXAMIC ACID BODY CREAM with SPF 30 (SRP PHP 199.75)


You see, this is why I said things just got better. Because now we can be further protected from the sun's harmful rays with the SPF 30 of Belo Kojic Acid + Tranexamic Acid body cream. It's essentially a moisturizing lotion that is easily absorbed by the skin and keeps it moisturized throughout the day.


The product is pretty thick like regular sunblock but without the greasy feel. It has the same scent as the bar soap which is actually quite strong as I would have liked. The fragrance does not stay long, however, to my relief.

BELO INTENSIVE WHITENING KOJIC ACID + TRANEXAMIC ACID FACE & NECK CREAM (SRP PHP 249.75)


Of all the facial creams I've tried, this is the most hygienic one! Why? Because, look! It comes with a spatula and you don't have to dip and re-dip your fingers all the time. We all know bacteria breeds like there's no tomorrow on moist environment, so this is quite a lovely surprise from Belo Kojic Acid + Tranexamic Acid face and neck cream. Again, the scent is pretty much the same as their body cream which is quite strong for my liking but it eventually goes away. It is a rich cream that is absorbed by my skin quicker than I anticipated and leaves my skin really, really moisturized. I could skip my BB creams or foundations with this. And what's even better? The SPF 30 has got you covered... like literally, from the sun. Woot!


And now to the fun part... let's take a look at my BEFORE & AFTER PHOTOS of using the Belo Intensive Whitening Kojic Acid + Tranexamic Acid soap bar, body cream, and face & neck cream.

Before and After using Belo Intensive Whitening Kojic Acid + Tranexamic Acid soap bar and body cream

Ta-dah! On my arms, it may not look super substantial compared to my old blog post but since I hadn't been under the sun lately, my skin color isn't as dark as it was prior. Also you can notice that the yellowish pigment of my skin seems to have lessened. It is a subtle but still obvious effect.

Before and After using Belo Intensive Whitening Kojic Acid + Tranexamic Acid soap bar, body cream, and face & neck cream

On my back, it still has the same effect. I didn't turn into an albino (thank goodness!) but if you click on the photo to make it larger, you can see that my skin's pores have tightened and it looks more radiant than it was and with less yellow pigment. Take note that this is only with 2 weeks of use; now imagine doing this for a month or more. That's definitely going to do a lot of skin whitening!

Before and After using Belo Intensive Whitening Kojic Acid + Tranexamic Acid soap bar and face & neck cream

The photo above shows how significantly it managed to lighten my neck area. You know I never really paid much attention to it before and I just realized that my neck is the area that gets exposed a lot. And again, it is the yellow pigment that seems to have been targeted by these products and now I have a lighter and more radiant skin after using Belo Intensive Whitening Kojic Acid + Tranexamic Acid.


I can only imagine how fast skin whitening can be after all the summer fun in the sun. If you're looking for ways to fade that summer tan quickly later on or even just to lighten any dark spots, remember that Belo Intensive Whitening Kojic Acid + Tranexamic Acid can surely help you with that.

You can get this set in all Watsons, Mercury Drug, department stores, groceries, Amazon and even from Lazada.com!