AHC Hyaluronic Toner and Emulsion

 Okay.

This product is super old and doesn't exist out of ebay. But I used it years ago and rediscovered it hiding in my room somewhere and now I'm using it way past when I ought to because:

1. It doesn't look, smell or feel funky on my face.

2. I have no adverse reactions to it.

3. It's still worth using.

Thank heavens for airless pumps.

Anyway, while the toner is a bougie basic, it's not worth splurging on without the emulsion. Which is why it's a good thing it came in a set because. OMG. The texture of the emulsion. Its soft but cream-gel like and smoothens the skin like wow.

In all honesty, you can get the same effect with different products but the experience of hydrating with this is 🙌

I think previous me was savoring this for special times but got lost in the void that is my room.

Still, no wonder AHC's eye cream is the national standard if this emulsion is already so wow for a basic hydrator.

In Love with Butter (BTS)

Let me start by saying that I don't really consider myself as ARMY. Definitely not official, probably not unofficial (yet?). However, I really enjoyed BTS' newest single, Butter. If you haven't watched it and you're a girl in your late twenties or early thirties, I think this is definitely a must watch. Watch both the Original MV and then the Billboard version and see the magic.

True BTS fans will definitely love it (duh), but Butter drew me in more than Dynamite. Why? Dynamite reminds of the 70s and 80's with a lot of old Americana. A time and place where I can't relate, but may hold a lot of appeal for another market. Butter, on the other hand, is a visually and acoustically my time.

Opinions may vary, but this pop track reminds me of late 80s and early 90s music with the visual elements of both disco and a 90s boy band. Granted, the dance style and the majority of the outfits remind me more of the late 80s, reminiscent of an earlier hit, Smooth Criminal. However, the inner 90s boy band phase is also visible, especially in the latter half of the song. There are also some later influences, especially with the use of name dropping (Usher, ARMY) and the use of call and response in the lyrics - which are closer to the heart of millennials but as in fashion, some trends cycle.  But all of these, combined make a really catchy song that's visually, aurally and emotionally hard to forget. At least for 2021.

In summary, Butter is a newer, hotter song that was produced in a way that maintains and increases BTS' market share. It seems like this song was packaged both for people like me and for existing fans.Which is why I am amazed at both BTS and the production team(s?) behind this song. It's sure to be this year's biggest summer hit. I did not know I'd love it until I saw and heard it. So I recommend those my age give it a try (even if they aren't BTS fans).

I am now looking forward to more songs by BTS. And the BTS Meal.

PS. I think McDonalds really missed out by NOT creating a BTS Butter Pancake Set with the Boys' faces in the packaging as collectibles. May be another franchise will.

Short Post: Kojic Soaps

 I've recently finished a kojic acid bar soap from one of those rejuvenation sets that have been flooding the market recently and... well it's a bar soap alright.

It does its job in cleaning. But it's very underwhelming in terms of whitening combined with moisturizing. While there is some evening out of the skin, it's not worth the dryness of the skin you get.

There's not much to recommend it except that it's part of a set and lasts so long since it's so hard, unlike the OG kojie-san kojic acid soap, which requires manual effort in order to preserve and therefore, make the most out of the product.

And if you want a leveled up product with the new kid in town (though massive kudos to Dr. Belo who added Tranexamic Acid to Kojic Acid Soap long before anyone else), the Belo Kojic + Tranexamic Acid is another worthy bet, though expensive for its size.

I normally don't recommend kojic acid soaps in summer, because time in the sun means more skin darkening, but summer 2021 seems to be a continuation of 2020 here in the Philippines, so stay home, stay safe, and put on that sunscreen when you go out.

New Find: the Best Cheap Instant Coffee of the Year

 It's only the second quarter, and I've definitely found my new cheap instant coffee of the year! I've talked about how much I disliked the New Nescafe Gold. Despite the heavy marketing for it (in the Philippines), the quality has seriously tanked.

I've been trying a few but some brands, while delicious, lack in cost-effectiveness. After all, a single jar lasts less than a month, despite my addiction to all kinds of hot and cold drinks.

So what have I found to be an amazing cheap instant coffee find?

Review: Judydoll Creamy Gel Liner Pencil in 03 Plum Purple

 Thinking of what to get this summer? How about a new eyeliner?

C-beauty is supposed to be big this year, and one of the brands google has lead me to is Judydoll (橘朵). FYI, I don't have much faith in most Chinese brands that are easily available here, but a recent pleasant experience with Perfect Diary (完美日记) lead me to try other established Chinese brands. Of those on my list, Judydoll is supposed to have good quality eye products while being affordable. And as masks are still a thing, a great quality eyeliner is something I've been wanting in my cosmetics pouch. At a budget price. So I decided to pull the trigger.

Alba Botanicals Acnedote (Update 2021)

 Five years ago, I blogged about Alba Botanicals' Acnedote and enjoyed the minty, tingly feeling it gave. However, after repurchasing the bottle, I have found myself with mixed feelings about it.

This is why it didn't make it into the 5 things I'm thankful for this 2021. Aside from the fact that I used this new bottle in 2020.

Five Things Saving Me This Summer 2021

 This is not a sponsored post by any means. I just got thinking about what items have made this summer bearable for me this year, despite a limited budget.

And it's not prickly heat powder or air-conditioning XD

Romand Glasting Water Tint in Brick River

 One thing I received last Christmas was Romand Glasting Water Tint in Brick River and I'm very thankful for it. I did see a lot of youtubers talking about it, but I didn't plan on getting it for mask and wallet reasons.

Eco Friendly Alternatives (The Toilet Paper Edition): Fresh Eco-Pulp Premium Bathroom Tissue vs BabebiBambu Premium Bamboo Tissue.

A little under a decade ago, I decided to switch to a more eco-friendly toilet paper because I was feeling guilty about how much toilet paper I used. It was one of those bathroom thoughts that was easy enough to implement, unlike the hand bidet (a currently unrealized wish because of possible water pressure issues). I thought I did a post on it years ago, but it was never published. Oops.

Anyway, as I'm spending more time at home, I've thought about things a bit more. Recently, I've been trying out two different "premium" eco-friendly bathroom tissues: Fresh Eco-Pulp Premium Bathroom Tissue  and BabebiBambu Premium Bamboo Tissue to figure out if I liked recycled versus bamboo tissue as my eco-friendly alternative to virgin pulp toilet paper.

After all, I prefer keeping bamboo wipes in my bag.

Which will I be going forward with?

BCL x Althea Sunrise Moonrise Palette

 Honestly, when you first see the official pictures of Althea's first eye palette, you'd think it wasn't anything remarkable. Still, I was able to get this on promo as a GWP during last year's 11.11 sale. Why, you ask? Well, it's expiring on 11. 2021. So while this has been out for a long time, I first cracked it open last lunar new year since I was thinking of using the red shade in this palette. I was then pleasantly surprised when I first swatched it out.

This is now my official 2021 palette.

Step Up Properly: Clear Anti Dandruff Scalp Care Shampoo

 Finished up my latest bottle of anti-dandruff shampoo: Clear's Anti-Danruff Scalp Care Shampoo.

Which, to be honest, I bought because of the bottle. If you look it up online, it's different because it has this weird slide to open mechanism.. It's gimmicky, but it honestly stays on well and doesn't leak. The formula is runny so it's very easy to get all of it out even if you can't keep the bottle upside down.

Which is great. I don't need to chip my nail polish in the shower. And I think this could be useful too for people with low grip strength...I wonder if this top type might catch on.

But as an anti-dandruff shampoo, it works as well as the old formula. And that meant okay-ish, even with daily use. Not remarkable enough that I'd repurchase.

So it doesn't really stand out enough and I really don't see myself buying it again since the scent or quality aren't stellar. I don't see this an effective way to really grab market share. Step up, Clear. Product perfection before packaging.

In Her Element Petal Skin Rose Toning Essence

 Really short review because this thing has been out of stock. But really, if you can, try In Her Element's Petal Skin Rose Toning Essence.

I really loved the mist, and I've actually purchased and gifted that to family and friends. But this thing is like the mist's more responsible, more concentrated older sister.

Packaging is crap. But this slighlty viscous liquid packs quite a punch.

Get it before it's gone!

Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E Ferrulic Acid Serum

 At long last I've finally decided to try Timeless' 20% Vitamin C + E Ferrulic Acid Serum. Why? Because I found a trusted reseller on shopee. Because while I've heard a lot of good things about it and it technically ships to the Philippines. But let's be honest, international shipping is a gamble, and so are most re-sellers.

After two months of testing and finishing this serum, here are my thoughts.