Summer Saver: Sheet Masks

 It's summer again, and I've officially transitioned fully into using cold showers (which I hate 90% of the time), which is a necessity at this weather.

Part of what I do to stay cool is to use an umbrella, shouting out to fibrella - remember to use UV coated umbrellas- as well as seeking out as much shade as I can. I ought to use shades as well but where I currently live, that gives far too much attention.

However what I've used this summer more than any other method to stay cool is to use sheet masks. Yes, I do still consider them as guilty pleasures. But it's really been so hot and I've just been keeping a bunch in the fridge and popping one on at the end of a long day and it does a lot to cool my face and really destress.

I've never been one to sheet mask regularly because of the environmental impact and the impact on my wallet but … it's just been crazy hot. I've been trying to use cheaper masks and those that come in packs to offset but I end up using a mask every 2 to 3 days. The good thing is I'm finally using up some of my super old face masks. The bad is that I'm buying more now.

Anyway, I still wouldn't recommend using an active sheet mask daily - soothing masks are ok unless they're heavy. If I use an active mask too frequently: my face starts to sting. If use a hydrating mask too frequently: bumps from the heaviness. I've found the cheaper daily masks work well enough since my main goal is to cool down and soothe my skin. Added bonus as a lazy girl: just top off with a moisturizer and I'm done for the day.

Ever Bilena Plus Serum Tinted Lip Balm

 An old, new find of mine for the year is Ever Bilena's (EB PLUS) Serum Tinted Lip Balm in Naked.

Did I need a new lipstick, no. Did I need a new lip balm, yes. And it seems I got both. 

Quick thoughts on Amodimethicone

 As I was throwing away an empty of a L'oreal Hair Mask, I wondered why I fell out of love with it. I had always had a L'oreal hair mask in rotation for the longest time but didn't feel the need for a restock for a while. 

But then I realized : my hair was very healthy- barely bleached and amodimethicone was the key ingredient in these masks. Amodimethicone, a silicone that works very well for damaged, processed hair, was a normal, lightweight silicone for healthy hair. And that was why I felt these masks did nothing for me now.

So for those with healthy hair, you probably don't need this ingredient in your hair care, but YMMV.

Fragrance empties for 2023

This is what's been finished:

Elizabeth Arden Green Tea

Fresh citrusy and clean. I've been using this for more than a decade. Really like this for daily use but it's time to move on after X number of bottles.   

Bulgari Omnia Crystalline

Floral to clean on me. I liked this but it's too expensive and doesn't last long enough for me to justify a full bottle.

Fireplace by Scent Therapy PH

Starting my "dupe" journey with this. Compared to the original, this is a lot sharper on the opening but I like the dry down more: it's very warm and cozy afterwards.

I'm only starting to venture into other fragrances and I think I'll be going into clone houses etc moving forward since I can't justify insane prices right now.

L'Or Essenso Instant Coffee

 

Tried out all the variants of L'Or Essenso coffee available in the Philippines. Prices can,vary where you get them and both 8 and 20 stick packets are available. I bought mine for 163 per pack with 8 sachets per pack not including shipping.

How to Spend 3 Days in Taipei, Taiwan: A Quick Guide

Recently came back from a quick trip to Taiwan and this is a short guide of how to speedrun things if you're short of time. For disclosure, this trip from the Philippines costed around  USD 1000 per person for two people. Things may become cheaper or more expensive depending on when and where you book your flights and accommodation, and what food you eat. Mine was relatively more expensive given that this was a last minute trip with booking decided less than a month prior to departure on peak season.

Recommendations before going to Taipei:

MASK EMPTIES 2023

 

Listing some of the masks I've used over the year and how I feel about them. I've only saved one of each but I've used most of them several times.

Most of these are already discontinued, I think but it takes me a while to finish and review products now.

Oxecure Acne Clear Facial Cleanser

Late to the game, but one of my best finds for the year has to be Oxecure's Acne Clear Facial Cleanser.

It's an empty now after around two months of daily use and I'm itching to buy the jumbo size (as soon as I empty another cleanser, which I will hopefully eventually review).

I didn't have high hopes for this but this caught my eye as I was on a hunt for something other than Neutrogena for a salicylic acid wash. And since it came as a 50 ml bottle for Php 199 (a nice trial size), I decided to purchase it, ingredients unseen... and was I pleasantly surprised.

June 2023: Functional Empties

 I've finally decided to throw these since I've yet to find the time/desire to properly review these products because they're very boring basic empties.

Granted I do have other empties which will hopefully make their way around but let's just get these out of the way.

1. Assorted medicated actives- get to a derm/doctor. SUPER boring but they work.

2 Betadine Feminine Wash Foam- I thought I'd be a Lactacyd girl forever but the texture of these are a real treat. Very light and fresh  I finished up the calendula and I'm keen to try the others.

3. Sensodyne Whitening Repair Toothpaste- HG 5ever.

4. Dandrex Anti-dandruff shampoo- an active for my flakey scalp. Won't go back to this. It is way too mild and does nothing.

5.Betadine hydrocolloid dressing- forever emptied (I think I've used 2 this year already) for my zits. Effortful but cheap.

6. Neutrogena Visibly Clear- a facial wash I've gone back to so many times.

The end.

A Quick Guide to Stink-Free Armpits

Some people are naturally blessed with odor-free armpits. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. However, I have here a quick guide to keeping those armpits smelling fresh however long you need them.

Products above are my current go to products.

First things first, these all have antiperspirant components. I've found that while deodorants smell cute, they don't last long once you start sweating if you naturally have the bacteria that turns your sweat into nuclear weapons. I've found that deodorants only work on me if I nuke my pits beforehand so it's inhospitable to life - and that leads to irritation and skin darkening so I've abandoned that route. 

If you are the type of person that eschews antiperspirants, you had best be washing those pits frequently and reapplying deodorant as you go. Clean and sanitize your stick (or use a deodorant that's hard to contaminate) between each use, and ideally between armpits, as to avoid trapping bacteria there that will turn your deodorant into an actual source of stink.

But before applying product on your pits, you'd better clean them beforehand. Ideally, remove hair there since hair grabs on to things like dirt and sweat and oil. If you're not into that then just make sure to make sure its as clean as possible. I use regular soap but some prefer using astringents, acids and antibacterials. I've found that these more aggressive products work but can be too irritating so I've limited using those options only if I really do need that extra safety net. Pits should be completely dry unless you're using an alum stick as I do most days.

Just right after bathing, I use an antiperspirant. My daily driver is the  Deonat Mineral Deodorant Stick since I can use it in the shower as a base before using another pit product. I love that it's cheap and lasts a crazy long time.

I also really like using the Fresh Sgt. At Arms (old reformulation) as a single use product on "light days" where it's not too hot or I'm not expecting to be out a lot. I've yet to try the newer formulation in newer packaging since I'm hesitant to pull the trigger because it looks like a very big price increase  from before. It's now similar in price to the Snoe Beauty spray antiperspirant as well which I did like until the nozzle began to fail at the end of its life.

On 24 hours days I'll use a cream deodorant-antiperspirant combo like Dove Deodorant Dry Serum on top of my potassium alum Deonat base. On crazy sweaty days and 36 to 48 hours days I'll use a more heavy option like Secret Platinum Protection. I have a tried a few prescription strength products but I've found that they're very expensive and a bit overkill in terms of anti-perspirants strength and not very friendly to my skin health generally as they tend to stink. As I'm less likely to use them, they've all eventually expired. I think those with a more hyperhidrosis problem causing stink may benefit from prescription level products and I'm just not one of them.

Lastly, at the end of the day, I sniff my shirts (gross, but necessary) to see if any areas are stinky. I'll pretreat those spots with soap and/or colorsafe bleach to make sure I get rid of the stink that can be a source of smelly sauce even if my actual armpit skin smells fine. It also helps decrease the chances of unfavorable bacteria winning the war in the warzone that is the armpit.

I hope this helps someone out there.

HARU HARU Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner

 Bought the HARU HARU Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner  last year because of the hype and the stunning packaging but didn't consistently use it because when I opened the bottle, it was 1. Fragranced 2. Stung my eyes.

Thus it sat on my desk until I found my skin to be dehydrated since it was my only hydrating toner on hand.

HARU HARU did release an unscented version but I had dehydrated skin an this giant 150ml bottle so I decided to use it up. Here are my thoughts:

Empties of 2022

These were the empties I managed to save up before I tossed them:

A lot of these are old things that I haven't been able to toss but I'm not actually sure if I've been able to review all of them.

2022: A Quiet Year

 Not much posting going around for me this year and this might be the trend for a while since my current self has zero work-life balance and because of that I've been having 1) less time for self care therefore leading to 2) more skin problems.

It's a vicious cycle and because of that, I've been using a lot of prescription strength products that are very bottom shelf and I'm hesitant to tout because we all know that the internet is not the best place for medical advice.

I'll try to review the products I've finished this year that aren't prescribed since I've still managed to finish a few things despite my abysmal skin care habits for the year.

Here's hoping I can commit to that.

Yardley London Shea Buttermilk Moisturizing Bath Bar

Getting back into bar soaps since 1. I've run out of back ups of my favorite shower gel and  2. bar versions have become more popular lately because of the eco trend things.

This bar was given to me by mother and I find that it's halfway between a regular bar soap and a dove bar in terms of moisturizing, lathering and how long the bar lasts if kept in a moist environment.

Sadly, I will not recommend this in place of either since it somehow dries my hands like crazy despite being non-drying for other parts of my body. Lotion is a must after I use this soap, and that's a sign for me that it's a bit too harsh.

I know a lot of people like it and use it, I myself like the shea and chamomile-like scent but as something with "shea buttermilk" in the title described as a moisturizing Bath Bar, I'm disappointed with the performance.

I'll use this up for waste reasons, but in the future, if offered, I'd pass this on.

Cos De BAHA: PT M.A Peptide Facial Toner

This one never really took of to my knowledge, but for those who want to try less popular Korean brands, Cos De Baha may be something you're looking for if you're on a budget and want "The Ordinary" - like products: meaning good value for money with active ingredients.

As for me, I picked up their PT Ma. Peptide Facial toner with Hyaluronic Acid and 3 peptides ( Palmitoyl Tripeptide -1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide -7 and Acetyl Hexapeptide -8. Picked this up because this was less than Php 600 (~$12) for a whopping 200 ml. This is not one of their more popular products. And after a few months of use I have my thoughts on why.

Thyra Lip Oil in Y07

 I've been dead and empty - and empty-less for a few months, but one I've almost finished (before my tragic loss of said product) is the Thyra Lip Oil I've been using for a few months.

This came as a recommendation from C, and I'm glad I bought it.

Repurchased AND Emptied 2021

AKA Old, emptied favorites.

A recent break-out has shown me the wisdom of repurchasing the good things in life. As such even though it's been a bit boring, I'm trying to do what's best for my skin. Here are the things I've been using like crazy AND emptied, starting with complete empties.

The Better Skin Project: Pimple Fighting + Lightening Bar

Given to me by C and I'm glad I got to try it. This is an empty but it was a green soap that would murder my face. However, it's excellent both for acne prone skin on the body and as a solution to prevent those nasty odors coming out from exercising. That is, if that is a problem for you.

This product contains coconut oil as a first ingredient. Then water, sodium hydroxide and fragrance before its touted extracts: bearberry, rosehip oil, papaya extract and mastic gum and rounding off with some preservatives and colorants.

Sofy Pad Comparison

 I did a menstrual pad review a long while back then semi-transitioned to reusable pads. It took me a while but I've finally run through my stash of Sofy pads and I can now form my thoughts about them.

Though I don't have pictures this time, I've been using:

1. Sofy Comfort Nite 35.5 cm

2. Sofy Comfort Nite 42.5 cm

3. Sofy Cooling Fresh 35 cm

And of the three, there's one I won't be repurchasing.

The Saem Cover Perfection Tip Concealer

I haven't used a foundation in a while. Because masking and the resultant acne has made me wary of using base products, it just doesn't seem worth it. So now instead of using a foundation, I've been heavily spot concealing since it's been needed because of my foundation use causing a previous break out. Cry.

Thankfully, while my current concealer isn't mask proof. It doesn't break me out. 100 points. And what have I been using for the past year? The Saem's Cover Perfection Tip Concealer.

But a warning for users.

Five Fails of 2021

I have officially ended my official one-month (October) no-buy for 2021. Because let's face it. November's 11.11 is something I probably won't be passing up. Or Black Friday. Idk. But before that, let's talk about things I should not have purchased this 2021.

There are only a few of them, thankfully. But I have all the regrets.

Fresh Formula The Daily Grind

 I was actually going to do a long post about this, but then I saw Fresh Formula is closing down!

Suffice to say, I've been loving their Daily Dose low pH cleanser, as you may have seen in my previous skin care routine.

L'Oreal Color Riche Matte in 214 or Raspberry Syrup

I've got a really lovely lipstick I’ve taken to wearing around the house: L’Oreal’s Color Rich Matte in 214 or Raspberry Syrup. It’s this bright cool, pinkish red that really makes my lips pop when I wear it. Youthful but still age appropriate for myself when I go out or go on video calls, night or day.

Betadine Natural Defense Body Wash in Pomegranate

 I think this is another thing that's being discontinued... thankfully, I have another in my stash so I won't be running out any time soon.

For gentle, exfoliating goodness, I recommend Betadine Natural Defense Body Wash in Pomegranate.

Minimalist Skincare

I've been travelling again and not seeing the sun so this has been my most minimal skincare routine that I've actually been pretty happy with.

Review to follow if ever but... if you're interested

Home Workout Hack: Water Bottles

 I'm too scared to go to a gym right now. And like most people, I've turned to home workouts, mostly on YT. And despite the free workouts, I've been too cheap to shell out for home workout things.

It took me a long while to start using weights. And knowing that I was unsure about them, I decided to use water bottles as my weights. I started at 350 ml then at 500 ml. Yes, very low. But all I could really use for the things I was doing.

It took me a while to get to 1L or 2.2 lbs. Because I didn't want to go up and I had a hard time finding a water bottle I could grip comfortably. But I finally did.

These Refresh 1L bottles are very easy to grip. You have to use it with your index and thumb in the depression, so sometimes the bottle is upside down, but I've screwed it on tight and taped it jusr in case.

I've been using these for a while and am on the look-out if some 1.5L and 2L bottles may be good alternatives. Before I look at actual dumbells.

List of Things: Discontinued or Reformulated Products I Loved

 From having no budget to buy, to hoarding, to buying just what I can consume in a short while, I've decided to start getting back-ups of things I love as long as they're stable/I'm sure to finish it in time for expected expiration.

Why? Here's a list of products that have left my world too soon:

(will be edited as things change)

Soul Apothecary Glow Serum

 There are some things in life that just aren't meant to be. And that pretty much describes my relationship with Soul Apothecary's Glow Serum.

It wasn't meant to be. But how I wish it was...

Best ECQ Purchase: Nescafe Rich French Vanilla Instant Coffee

 Last ECQ (August 2021), while not being as restrictive as previous versions, was still a time to stay at home. And one of the things that were super helpful for my coffee cravings/sanity was Nescafe Rich French Vanilla Instant Coffee.

At around Php 360 ($ 8) online for 100g (making at least 50 cups) this was a good way to add flavored coffee without choosing high calorie 3 in 1 coffees. This gives around 10 calories per teaspoon, though best to add milk for a richer flavor.

Will repurchase eventually.

The Face Shop Dr. Belmeur Daily Repair Trio

 During my previous purchases at The Face Shop of a toner and serum, I got this set as a gift with purchase. I didn't end up using it until my face needed heavy soothing, but I've used it enough for review. This set came in a resealable pack, which was already discarded.

The kit is composed of three items:

1. Dr. Belmeur Daily Repair Foaming Cleanser

2. Dr. Belmeur Daily Repair Facial Toner

3. Dr. Belmeur Daily Repair Moisturizer

And here are my thoughts about it.

A Tale of Two Tretinoins: Dermcare 0.025% Gel and Vitacid 0.05% Cream

 Once upon a time, there was a girl on a 0.05 Tretinoin Cream named Retin-A. But Retin-A was so expensive, so she decided to try out Dermcare's 0.025% Gel version. At first, she found that a mixed regimen of Retin-A and Dermcare would work, and for a while, they did work together. But then the girl grew up and, in line with a new sensitivity to topical essential oils, she became unable to tolerate Dermcare's 0.025% Gel on her face, so they had to part ways.

Not only that, but since the girl grew up, Retin-A decided to part ways with her and went to a faraway land. Left with no choice, the girl searched and searched, and one day she met Vitacid 0.05%. They stayed together for a while, but had to part, as Vitacid could not help once tragedy struck....

The Face Shop Energy Seed Advanced Antioxidant Hydro Serum

Something I bought last year, and currently at 2/3 the way through: The Face Shop's Energy Seed Advanced Antioxidant Hydro Serum.

 

Okay, posting about this now because it's on sale. And I'm super salty that I bought it at full price. But is it worth the money?

HARNN Hand Cream in Jasmine & Pomegranate

 If you saw some of my previous AHC post, you'd know that I have some seriously old things lying around. I'm currently trying to finish up my 2019-2020 items and one of the things I got just before the pandemic started were a few things from HARNN, including the Jasmine & Pomegranate Hand Cream.

My parents took a trip to Thailand and I explicitly asked for any product from the HARNN line because I was curious. One of the things I got was the hand cream. Thank you mom and dad!

The Supplements that Saved Me

 I was on youtube a day ago and a local influencer recently made a video with a dermatologist regarding oral supplements. It got me thinking about the supplements I do take since I do take some of the supplements mentioned. The video looked at skin effects, and while studies don't really back them,  it's no biggie for me. Granted, I don't use them for my skin, nor do I take them daily. But I have found some of them do have an effect and slowly, they have become part of my life.

So here is the short list, why I take them, why I don't take them daily, and if they do have a skin effect.

PSA: Coke Formula Change

It is with great sadness that I have found that the Coke formula has changed in the Philippines. While it is better for the body, I have found that I dislike the taste of the new version which contains sugar compared to the hugh fructose corn syrup (edit, I think? It is significantly different) of the previous versions, even though it does contain less calories.

I'm not a huge fan of its closest replacement, Coke Zero. 

So I guess no more sodas for me. :(

The Commercial Patches I Buy: Acropass Trouble Cure

 If you've been following, you may know that I recommend using these instead of buying expensive pimple patches since they do the job of sucking out that gunk at a fraction of the price. However, I've long been interested in microneedle patches, but the high price tag really dissuaded me.

Finally, this 2021, I bit the bullet and purchased Acropass Trouble Cure since they were the cheapest of the lot available to me. And I'm already on my second box! But, you have to use it properly....

Review: Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask in Berry

 I really have to hand it in to Laneige. They believe in their product so much, they readily give out deluxe samples of their star products (which is generally a legit purchase in my country since small sizes are the norm, instead of a GWP, but what can you do). Luckily, I got this for free as a GWP!

The only picture, because it ended up being super ugly after X months of use.

3g sample size and still going strong. I am very impressed. Why?

Leaders Insolution Basic Masks

 I've tried the Leaders Insolution Primer Masks and they were pretty good. Which is why I was so surpised at how bad their basic masks are.

These are their basic masks and while they are slightly better than the freebie chinese masks you get, they are definitely not worth the Php 60 ($1.2 ish) price tag these were going for. Glad I bought them on sale. Their online store has them sold out presently, but I suggest NOT buying these if ever they come back and buying their higher priced offerings instead.

Review: In Her Element Low PH Rose Gel Cleanser

 Trying out some photo-editing, so things might be a bit wonky for a while. But I'm actually about to finish In Her Element's Low PH Rose Gel Cleanser.

How does it look like? How was it?

Old School Eye Make-up Tutorial for Small, Deep-set and Close-set Eyes

 Today we're going to be doing something very different: an actual eye-make up tutorial. Unfortunately, it's mostly theoretical since my camera really won't capture my eyes properly. Still, I hope this will be helpful to someone, though it's a very specific subset of people who will benefit.

Now, this tutorial is only for someone with small, deep-set and close-set eyes (my own, eye shape). I've been trying out a lot of different styles but I've found that my eye shape requires a fusion of east and west to look most-flattering. This is how you do it, and why:

Review: In Her Element Petal Skin Rose Clay Mask

 FYI, this isn't technically mine, but I've half stolen this as I've grown to like it.

When I first tried it, I didn't quite like it, but my opinion's changed. And that took a bit of time.

MegRhythm Steam Eye Masks

Quick post as I realize 6.6 is coming soon. I think a good buy right now are these Lavender Steam Eye Masks from MegRhythm.

I realize that these are usually winter items, but I tend to use air conditioning in hot summer nights only since there's no winter here. And being winter items, this might be the cheapest time to stock up and store or use when the air conditioning is on.

These steam eye masks are single-use self heating eyemasks that work as both heat and aromatherapy. Just open a pack, tear to release the loops and enjoy.

I really like how easy and safe this is compared to using other eye masks (less risk of burning your skin off), though test it before you put it on.

While these lavenders are the only ones I've tried, there are an assortment of scents to choose from and they're worth it on extra special self-care days since they are very spendy.

These masks cost around Php 50-80 usually but are at around Php 35 on BOGO.

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.