Confessions Of A Late Bloomer: 2013

2013

Serenity Sunday: My Weekend Morning Routine! (29th December 2013)

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Get Ready With Me

GET READY WITH ME! HOLIDAY 2013 EDITION

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Changi City Point

Haul: ColdWear, Payless ShoeSource and Nike (Pre-Korea Trip)

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Haul

HAUL: Za-Cosmetics Products!

Hi everyone!

Last month, (Nov 1-4) there was a John Little Sale at White Sands Mall and I got myself a few items. Just a few. Heehee. And they’re all from Za-cosmetics because I really wanted, for so long, to try something from that brand. So let’s cut to the chase and let’s see what I have here:

The first in line is this “12 in 1! BB Cream” with SPF 50+ / PA+++. It is originally priced at 15.90 SGD but I got it for 10.18 SGD because they’re giving 20-40% discount at that time. And if you’ve been a follower for a while, you’d know how I easily get attracted to face makeup such as foundation, bb cream/cc cream, concealers and the like.

I’ve tried it a few times already and though I can’t say yet if I really like it, I know that I don’t hate it. Once I’ve made up my mind on whether I like it or not, I’ll write a review on it.

Next is this Perfect Fit Concealer in shade 01 which was originally retailed at 13.90 SGD, but I got for 8.90 SGD only. At that time, I actually didn’t know what shade I should get for myself. Good thing, the saleslady was very accommodating. She was not pushy at all, just plain courteous and helpful. Too bad, I didn’t get her name. And you know what? That’s what really attracts me more. If you’re a salesperson and you want to sell me something, don’t be too pushy. Give me some time to be curious enough to ask you before you give me all your unsolicited sales-talk, haha.

So, about this concealer: I like how creamy it is and how it can really cover up blemishes. I think what I don’t like so much about it is it dries up too fast. You might think, “How can that be a problem?” Well, there’s one time I forgot to blend it right after I put it on and when I did blend it, it wouldn’t budge anymore, hahaha. So I had to remove it and applied it all over again. Could you picture what I meant? If you couldn’t, never mind, hahaha.

The next two items are what I’ve read so many rave reviews on: The Za Perfect Fit Two-Way Foundation (Refill and Case) which I got for 11.84 SGD and 6.34 SGD (originally sold at 18.50 SGD and 9.90 SGD respectively). Just the case alone is already a winner in my honest opinion! It looks so classy, don’t you think so?!

I’ve been using this for quite a while now and I lalalala-looooveee it! I can now relate to those who blogged about their love for this product because it is really amazing. Its coverage is dependable and it helps me keep the oil on my face at bay which is just totally splendid! Like seriously!

And last but not least, I purchased this Smooth Cleansing Oil because I’m about to run out of my Bioré one. If you want me to write a review about the Biore Cleansing oil, just let me know in the comments below. I got this for 9.92 SGD after the 40% discount promo.

I haven’t tried this, so I can’t say anything about it yet. All I know is that it's a cleansing oil which is supposed to help remove makeup even those water-proof ones. Do you want me to write a review on this? Just let me know, okay?

***

And that’s it! How about you, my dear readers? What’s your recent purchase? I’d love to know/see/read your latest haul, so leave me a link to your blog on the comment section below. Happy Holidays!

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bible verse

Serenity Sunday: Don’t Judge. (15th December 2013)

Good morning everyone!

As of typing this, I’m still having my breakfast and pondering on God’s message for me today. Then I thought, “why not share this wonderful message with you all today?” Alrightie! I’m currently in the book of Romans (chapter 2 to be exact) and it’s about God’s righteous judgment. The first verse in the chapter which I shared on my Instagram and other social media sites says, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” This is very crucial. It is of grave importance that we take heed of the message of this verse. It is an authoritative reminder that we have no right (“NO RIGHT”) to judge others.

As I sit here and stare at the view outside my window, my mind travels back in time. I go back to those memories where I carelessly passed judgment on other people without realizing that (1) I’m not perfect and (2) I might do all those things too. And sure enough, a few years later, I did “those” things too, (which I’m not gonna elaborate here in full details)

I remember judging others because of the decisions and actions they made only to find myself doing those same things a few years later. I kept judging others when I didn’t have the right on the first place and I only stopped when I found myself in the same situations they were into, repeating what they did (only in my own version). Did you see the point? My point is, sometimes, when we can’t seem to get God’s message and we repeatedly make the same mistakes, He lets us go through something so painful, something we would not forget, just so we’d understand what He’s trying to teach us. And sometimes, it is so simple. In this case, He simply wanted me to learn this: don’t judge others. That’s just what He’s been trying to teach me all those years and had I not fallen in the same pits as those people I was judging, I wouldn’t have learned that I don’t have the right to condemn other people of their sins. If God who is blameless and righteous has not condemned me for all my sins but rather accepted me with arms opened wide when I asked for forgiveness, who am I to not do the same to others who seek of my forgiveness and simply ask that I don’t judge them for what they did?

Today, let’s evaluate ourselves. How many times have we judged others? It’s not yet too late to change. Let us come to God and ask for His forgiveness for all the times we’ve condemned others for what we think are their wrongdoings. And let’s ask Him to mold our hearts into what He’s designed it for: TO LOVE unconditionally. Instead of passing judgment on others, let’s spread love and forgiveness, and together we can build a better world to live in.

A blessed Sunday everyone!

***

Romans 8:1-2 (NIV)

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."

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AVON

MAKEUP TUTORIAL: A Simple & Easy Wearable Holiday Makeup Look | by: thelatebloomer11

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Brother

Happy Birthday Kuya Dadz!

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CC Cream review

DEMO & REVIEW: Etude House CC Cream (#01 Silky)

Hi everyone! Today I’ll be reviewing Etude House CC Cream in the variant #01 Silky. If you have read my Korea Beauty/Makeup Haul, you’d know that I got this product in Korea when we went there in September. If you’re wondering where my blog posts about our Korea Trip are, heehee, sorry for the delay, but those will be up soon. How soon is my soon? Errr… Change topic? (*red face, shy grin*)

Anyway, I filmed a first impression video on this product where I did a demo on how I applied it and brought it to a road test to see how it will hold up and you know, all that jazz. If you wanna see it, here you go!

PRODUCT: Etude House CC Cream (#01 Silky)

PRICE: 14000 WON / USD $12.00 -15.00 / 798PHP

STORE: Here are some of the online stores I found:

PRODUCT CLAIMS:

It claims to hydrate, prime, conceal, treat and protect skin at an easy single step for a healthier complexion inside and outside. It glides on easily with a silky smooth finish.

It’s an 8 in 1 multi-function SPF 30/PA++ that promises to give:Anti-aging benefits | Stress Relief | Hydration | Whitening | Sun Protection | Tone-Up | Smooth | Texture | Luminosity

OVERALL RATING: 3 / 5 hearts

THE REVIEW:

This is my first time to ever try a CC cream and though I was pretty disappointed with the coverage, I don’t really hate it. I feel like I just expected too much from it that’s why I got frustrated. I expected the same kind of results which other BB creams or other liquid foundations can deliver without bearing in mind that CC creams are probably formulated for a different purpose and simply work differently. They’re like a supplementary product to a skincare routine.

Alright! Before going miles and miles long with this post, let’s get down with some of the basics first like “what is a CC Cream” or “what CC stands for?” Well, CC in CC Cream, according to Wikipedia, stands for “color control” or “color correcting” and in Etude House, CC stands for “correct and care”. Now that I’ve laid that down, for me, it sounds like CC creams focus more on working with our skin complexion instead of covering or concealing what we feel are needed to be hidden from the naked eye. It sounds more like a makeup base or a face primer. By the way, this one from Etude House starts off white and adjusts to your skin tone as you blend it away.

With that said, here are the list of PROS and CONS based on my observations while road-testing the product.

PROS:

1. What the product claims is true! It is indeed very easy to apply. It feels good on my skin. Very lightweight and it doesn’t irritate my very sensitive skin.

2. It brightens up my skin and I like that!

BEFORE

AFTER

3. I love the silky-matte finish that it gives my face. It is wonderful!

4. The design of the packaging is very user friendly. The pump seriously makes everything so much easier. It’s also sleek and very convenient to carry with you when you travel.

There’s just one important thing to note: the color of the packaging. Why? Well, it’s white and it has the tendency to be messy especially when you put it inside your makeup bag together with other makeup products. I’m speaking from experience. I brought it with me to Bali when my hubby and I went there in October because I planned to film my first impression video there but was not able to do so. I didn’t bring the box it came with, instead I put it inside my makeup bag and when I checked it, it got a little bit messy. So yeah. Haha.

5. The lasting power of this product is remarkable. In the video above, I had it on for over 5 hours without using a primer beforehand and without setting it with powder but it astonishingly lasted that long. Yes, I did get a little bit shiny but it was not like what I expected. I was thinking it will be an oily mess, but nope! So what more if I used a primer beneath it and set it with a powder or a setting spray!

6. There’s a slight perfume-ish scent to it but my nose doesn’t seem to care that much, so all is well.

CONS:

1. The coverage is a major let down. I say “major” because even though I was not supposed to expect great coverage from a CC cream, this one from Etude House claims to “conceal” but it obviously did not. If you watched my video above, you’ll see that even after applying the second layer, the coverage was still very sheer. It’s just highly unacceptable.

2. Sadly, it accentuated the dry patches around my nose and chin area as well as some of my acne scars. Instead of concealing those blemishes, it even amplified them more. Argh! It’s really terrible.

My Recent Discovery!

I used this again last week combined with my Urban Decay Naked Foundation and wow! It seems to work better when combined with another foundation/bb cream. It also sort of helps the foundation to last longer than it normally would on its own. Although I cannot count on it when it comes to coverage, it seems like I can rely on it as a great face primer.

Will I finish this up?

Yes! I’m probably just gonna use it as a primer though until I finish it up. It will also function as a good sunblock for my face. Hmmm… Not bad.

Will I repurchase it?

I don’t think so, because even though it works as a great primer, it’s still a CC cream not a primer. You know what I mean? I mean I’d rather purchase a full coverage foundation or bb cream than buy something that claims to conceal when in truth it only acts as good as a primer. If you still don’t get me, just… just never mind. Hahaha.

Do I recommend this?

Like I said in the video, it’s a YES and NO. Yes, if you only suffer from dullness or maybe uneven skin tone. And NO, if you’re like me who suffers from several skin issues (argh!) like acne scars, dry patches and a little breakout here & there; and obviously need some decent coverage.

***

Readers, have you tried this CC Cream? Did you like it? Are there any other CC Creams that you would like to recommend? Leave them in the comments! :)

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Arguments

Serenity Sunday: Let LOVE Prevail! (8th December 2013)

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Pages

Serenity Sunday: My Weekend Morning Routine! (29th December 2013)

GET READY WITH ME! HOLIDAY 2013 EDITION

Haul: ColdWear, Payless ShoeSource and Nike (Pre-Korea Trip)

HAUL: Za-Cosmetics Products!

Serenity Sunday: Don’t Judge. (15th December 2013)

MAKEUP TUTORIAL: A Simple & Easy Wearable Holiday Makeup Look | by: thelatebloomer11

Happy Birthday Kuya Dadz!

DEMO & REVIEW: Etude House CC Cream (#01 Silky)

Serenity Sunday: Let LOVE Prevail! (8th December 2013)

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