5 Alternatives to Foreo Silicone Brush Cleaner

Foreo is the leading premium silicone brush brand in the world today and they're arguably the brand that's put silicone facial brush cleaning devices on the map. I have mine (review HERE!)

The reason why Foreo is very expensive is apart from the technology, the material used in their silicone brushes are medical grade while others are using food- grade silicone only; medical grade means it's the highest quality and so clean, it can even be inserted inside the body, according to a Foreo rep I talked with before (for sure they don't recommend inserting silicone inside the body without proper medical supervision so kids, don't try this at home).

But Foreo can cost a pretty penny to most people, but should this stop you from riding the silicone facial brush cleansing?

If you don't care too much about the silicone grade thing, then here are 5 alternatives to Foreo Silicone Brush Cleanser for every budget.

Photo Credit: beautywithtori.com

 1. NU SKIN AGELOC LUMISPA (P9,800)

- Lumispa is one of Nu Skin's popular flagship products; it's an anti-aging facial cleansing system that boasts of a silicone brush head with curved bristles for a scooping clean. Also, according to Nu Skin PH, their patented clockwise-counter clockwise movement of the double- plated brush heads is the most ideal motion for cleansing.

It's still quite a shocker at P9k, but bear in mind that the Lumispa system comes with a complementary regular- sized facial cleanser and still about P3,000+ cheaper than a Foreo.

Read more »

Read More

Facial Sunscreens That Are Light on the Face

Wearing sunscreen on a daily basis is still a big issue for most because the crazy white cast and suffocating, goopy consistency still haunt most people to this day.

So here's a quick list of my favorite sunscreen products for the face that are so light, you wouldn't even know they're there.

1. BIORÉ UV AQUA RICH WATERY ESSENCE SPF 50+ PA++++ (P488)

- An online favorite of consumers and beauty gurus alike. This SPF/skin care product is a gel- type SPF with hydrating and moisture- retaining properties. It has a fresh texture and feels just like a gel moisturizer.

Read more »

Read More

Best Eyelash curlers...according to consumers!

A TBJ Beshie posted at The Beauty Junkee's Unite! asking recommendations for the best eyelash curler. I have my own, but I discovered a lot in the thread too! The group is truly a treasure trove of information regarding beauty and I'm happy to hang out there everyday because everyday, I learn something new from the members. (If you ain't a member yet, click HERE to join now!)

So here's a list of the best eyelash curlers, according to Filipina consumers!

Photo credit: Google

 1. THE FACE SHOP EYELASH CURLER

- As recommended by Ansherina. The Face Shop is one of the underrated eyelash curlers locally, but a lot of keen beauty enthusiasts swear by it because it perfectly fits Asian eyes.

Read more »

Read More

Great makeup sponges under P500

Beauty Blender may be the cult favorite beauty sponge, but there are a lot of good ones out there that are waiting to be discovered and I've pretty much discovered five of them and I'll share it with you!

1. RIOT POLYBLENDER MAKEUP SPONGE (P280)

- A super soft, bouncy, and sturdy sponge from local beauty brand, Riot. Riot's Polyblenders have the right softness to them, rinses easily, and a great, affordable (and also, sturdier) alternative to Real Techniques.

P.S. Don't forget to get the Polyblender Sponge Shampoo because it's good!

Read more »

Read More

Expensive Sheet Masks that actually work

The first time I saw a sheet mask that's around a thousand bucks, I balked and was in total disbelief because the nerve to sell a commodity at such an exorbitant price!

But then I realized, sheet masks are actually serums and can be used as replacement for this popular skin care product; the former is a more travel- friendly and affordable serum in a pouch, but this time, let's look at luxury sheet masks that are surprisingly not just overpriced, but- I couldn't believe I'll say this for something that I think should never be above P20 pesos- actually work!

Read more »

Read More

The power of vision boards + How to make one

Let me tell you a story.

About 10 years ago, I was such a happy-go-lucky person, and a bit of a mess; I was just skating through life and just waiting for whatever life throws at me; I literally had zero savings and would spend everything that I got; I also had goals, but wasn't too bothered to achieve them. I wasn't really thinking about my future.

Read more »

Read More

Top 10 Products to try from Pink Sugar

When Pink Sugar entered the local beauty market in 2015, it offered a fresh perspective to a then Nude- dominated makeup selection; while everyone was going nude, Pink Sugar decided to go colorful. Pink Sugar brought back again one of the key reasons why girls love makeup: COLOR. The first time I encountered their products, I loved the sleek, good quality packaging and how some of the colors are good dupes of popular, expensive makeup brands.

I've been using Pink Sugar since its launch and I've curated a list of 10 of my favorites; if you are new to the brand, here are the first 10 that I think you should try!

TOP 10 PRODUCTS TO TRY FROM PINK SUGAR

1. PINK SUGAR OUR LIL' SECRET ALL DAY COVERAGE FOUNDATION

- Not a lot of people know, but Pink Sugar has a good range of foundation shades under the Our Lil' Secret complexion collection. There is a shade option even for NC45 ladies! This foundation is also long- lasting and oil- free, but doesn't skimp on coverage!

2. HONEY I'M GOOD EYEBROW KIT

- My favorite drugstore brow kit as of late. Honey I'm Good features a pretty solid brow gel formula, which is inspired by Anastasia Dip Brow.

3. THESE LIPS DON'T LIE LIP CREAMY MATTE LIPSTICK

- If you want a dupe for Happy Skin's famous Shut Up And Kiss Me at a more affordable price, get these from Pink Sugar! These are creamy, super pigmented, long- lasting, non- drying, and the MLBB and nude shades will remind you of Happy Skin's famous shades!

4. SWEET CHEEKS HD BLUSH

- If you're looking for an affordable highlighter and blush that have great payoff and chic colors, look no further than Pink Sugar and grab these. The blushes remind me of Bobbi Brown's famous pink blush color palette!

5. EYE CANDY ALL DAY EYELINER

- A super pigmented and very long- lasting eyeliner; I swear by this!

6. EYE CANDY EYESHADOW QUAD

- A coordinated eyeshadow collection with colors that are easy to work with; these have great pigmentation and colors stay true to the pan.

7. OUR LIL' SECRET ALL DAY MATTE POWDER

- A medium coverage pressed powder that's great for summer and oily skin because it is pretty long- wearing. P.S. This works great with Our Lil' Secret All Day Coverage Foundation.

8. SUGAR TINT

- One of Pink Sugars first and well- loved makeup products; this multi- tasking lip and cheek tint gives you a solid, long- lasting flush and acts like liquid lipstick, but the mousse formula is more comfortable and non- drying.

9. HONEY I'M GOOD EYEBROW GEL

- A drugstore brow gel that still remains as one of my favorites because I love the lightweight gel texture, superb pigmentation, and natural yet long- lasting hold. Blonde is my most favorite shade because it works as a great corrector for brow products that are too dark for me.

10. OUR LIL' SECRET CONCEALER

- A full coverage concealer that conceals discolorations well and for the entire day too! The hard texture reminds me of Make Up For Ever's Waterproof Concealer; it's great for hiding bumps, redness, marks, and almost all sorts of discolorations on the skin. 

That's it for my list! What are your favorites from Pink Sugar?

Read More

Managing Oily Skin + A Little change in my Youtube Channel

I think one of the reasons why I haven't been updating my Youtube channel is because I've been thinking about what to do with it; as someone who's creating content for a lot of platforms and not really prioritizing Youtube, I feel that my channel isn't that cohesive and repetitive of what I've already published on my blog, Instagram, and Facebook. I want to let it go, but a lot of you really like watching Youtube!

So I sat down and thought long and hard of how to rebrand my channel. While thinking, my phone buzzed and when I glanced at it, it was a reminder for an upcoming meeting.

THAT'S IT. I thought to myself. A reminder. A guide.

So welcome to GIRL'S GUIDE. It's a video series that's all about guides for the contemporary girl from beauty, fashion, career, blogging, relationships, friendships, and life in general. It's your good ol' reminder list on the important things to remember, but oftentimes forget. The videos will be short and sweet, no non- sense, and easy to recall.

Read more »

Read More

Lessons from the Glutamax Ad Fiasco

Just this week, Glutamax has been in hot water for their ad that discriminates morena skin tone; it's part of their campaign #YourFairAdvantage that tackles the disadvantages of having dark skin and recommends a solution that to be able to have the advantage, one must whiten their skin.

Here's a screenshot of the ad that drew flak on social media; this was also published in billboards along EDSA. The ad has since been deleted online and as of this writing, I do not know if the billboards have been taken down.

Read more »

Read More

The Skin Care products that ended my 6-month acne battle

The last 6 months have been a roller coaster ride for my skin and my emotions.

I've experienced yet again a very bad breakout ever since adult acne onset happened when I was 25. Since then, I think I've had 4 grave breakouts; not a lot compared to some so I may be overreacting, but you have to understand that I never had to deal with this problem and my clear skin was one of my prized possessions so every time I experience something like this, I feel really bad.

Read more »

Read More

Five Perfumes for women to keep you smelling fresh this summer

In the Philippines, summer can be gruesome that's why Filipinos would stay away from perfumes, thinking that it would feel and smell 'heavy', problems that we don't want to add to our long list of issues with summer and the heat that it brings.

Flash news: we need fragrances all the more, especially during summer because it will keep us smelling fresh and meeting- ready in just a spritz. The key is finding fragrances that don't smell annoying, cloying, or 'heavy'; here are five of my favorite summertime fragrances for women that keep me smelling fresh, good, and at the same time, helps me keep my cool.

1. CALVIN KLEIN OBSESSED EDP

- An androgynous fragrance that's generally musky and fresh; the warm yet fresh characteristic of this fragrance makes it great for day and night, and a great choice if you can't be too bothered by perfume, but still have to wear one.

2. PHILOSOPHY AMAZING GRACE EDT

- One of my all- time favorites. This innocent, powdery floral reminds me of all things sheer, white, crisp, and airy; it's a pretty, uplifting fragrance that instantly lightens the mood.

3. ANNA SUI FANTASIA EDT

- A jolly, sweet, feminine fragrance with candy, fruity, floral notes that were mixed well and inspires a happy, vibrant mood; doesn't hurt that the bottle looks divine too!

4. KATE SPADE WALK ON AIR EDT

- A super refreshing blend of florals that smell so airy and light; think white a- line skirts, cotton button downs, and soft leather white ballet flats!

5. GUERLAIN ACQUA ALLEGORIA LIMON VERDE EDT

- One of the best summer fragrances for me; smells like mojito and lime, and gives the imagery of a riverside in summertime. I'm always stopped and asked by people whenever I'm wearing this fragrance!

What are your favorite fresh summertime fragrances?

Read More

Beauty Products That Deserve a second chance

There are some products that don't necessarily sweep you off your feet in the beginning, but when you get back to it after some time or after giving it a few tries, it seems like some sort of magic happens and all of a sudden, you realize that the products are actually good; all you had to do was just give it a chance.

Here are some of the products that were either meh or okay in the beginning, but after a few tries, I finally found the good in them. I'm also sharing the tricks I did that made me end up liking these products!

Read more »

Read More

New Liquid Lipsticks that you should know about right now

Part of my 2019 beauty blogging goals is to find underrated liquid lipsticks or liquid lipsticks that deserve your attention. I've realized as a consumer, I get stuck discovering and trying out only the brands that are heavily promoted by beauty content creators, and those that social media has come to embrace; it makes me wonder what else is out there and if there are lipstick gems that are waiting to be unearthed.

I've been trying a couple lately and here are some of my top picks and for sure, you'll love them too!

Read more »

Read More

Cannabis Skin Care: The new skin care high

Photo credit: 1420.co.za

I recently got an email from an NY- based skin care brand that's new and specializes in Cannabis skin care. I am MIGHTY interested and at the brink of saying yes. However, Cannabis is illegal in the Philippines and even if its main component, CBD, is not considered a drug, the fact that it's from a plant that's considered a drug is a loophole might land me in jail. Baka matokhang ang beauty niyo!

In case you did not know, Cannabis is now the new high in skin care.

Read more »

Read More

Perfect Red Lipsticks for Valentines Day

Valentines Day is up in 3 days and if you're looking for the perfect lipstick to put you in the mood for love, try red! Red has always been the color of love and no better day to wear it than V-Day!

Looking for other red lippie options? You've come to the right place because I'm a red lipstick fiend and here's a quick list of red lipsticks to wear  on valentines day.

Read more »

Read More

My Vanity Table preview + Makeup Collection + Video

This vanity table has been 6 months in the making! I didn't know it would take that long that's why I teased you guys as early as June 2018, but indeed, it took longer than expected considering the construction and buying period, canvassing, organizing, and all!

But finally, we're here! Here's a preview of my Vanity table and makeup collection. I'll share with you tips, realizations, costing, and list of where I got everything!

Read more »

Read More

Beauty, Fashion, and Lifestyle Brands by Filipino Influencers

We've all been reading about horror stories about entitled influencers these past few months (cue in: Fyre Festival documentary), but let me tell you that not all influencers are like that; there are influencers who work hard to the top and do so ethically; moreover, they do the right thing by capitalizing on their influence and following by becoming entrepreneurial. I've always believed that entrepreneurship will save the Philippine economy, especially now in times where employment is tough.

So let me give a shoutout to these beauty and fashion Filipino influencers who are doing the right thing; I'm proud that I know most of them and I'm happy to share with you the brands and businesses they came up with, and encourage you all to support it!

1. ANNE CLUTZ BRUSHES, ANNE CLUTZ

- Anne Clutz is one of the first Filipina vloggers and one of the most successful as well. From being one of the most successful Filipina vloggers, she evolved into a businesswoman and established Anne Clutz brushes a year or two ago and is now shipping all over the world. The combination of chance, fame, and hard work has brought out the entrepreneurial side of Anne, which I think has been there all along!

Order Anne Clutz Brushes HERE.

Read more »

Read More

Hair Trends for 2019 + The Perfect Ash Brown Hair for Morenas

It's been almost a year since I had a change of color and a hair cut (I know. Work can really get the best of me!). I decided that on the first month of 2019, I'll go for something bright and bold to start the year.

I went to Vivere Salon, one of my trusted salons, to achieve my hair goals for 2019. Here's what we came up with and the stylists also shared with me the hair trends to take note of for 2019!

Read more »

Read More