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?