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Review: Chanel CC Cream is love!

June 20, 2013June 20, 2013 ajay Leave a comment

I’ve been using BB (blemish base) cream since 2010 but with all the emerging talk about a new product variation, decided to switch to CC (color control) cream in March this year. This was via the Chanel CC Cream which I bought for HKD400 (approximately P2,000) at the Chanel cosmetics counter in Hong Kong International Airport. I have to admit this is a bit expensive, but nothing can prevent a girl from ever trying something… tee hee. The last time I checked, Chanel CC was still out of stock in Rustan’s (where it retails for something like P2,850) but am seeing cheaper offerings from brands like Tony Moly & Nature Republic in local stores for less than a thousand pesos.

First impressions: Chanel CC is the nicest-smelling of the creams I tried! It’s light on the face with a matte, powdery finish that blends easily with my skin. I use it these days as a liquid foundation-cum-concealer and it’s enough to get me through the day with minimum touch-ups. I like to think am blessed with good facial skin but more of my friends seem to be noticing how it’s glowing. So the effect must be positive

Chanel CC (or Complete Correction, as the box says) comes in a 30ml tube and is Made in France.It has an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 which means it’s good enough to protect one from the sun. Am interested with Chanel’s claim that they formulated this product to address “the precise needs of Asian women in terms of flawless skin.” So if you’re Caucasian or some other, I doubt if this would work otherwise.

I normally squeeze a pea-sized amount on the back of my left hand and proceed to apply the make up by putting dots on certain points of the face and spreading it out.Chanel recommends using your fingertips (a clean one, of course) rather than a foundation brush. Because am a no-frills lady, I find the whole process laborious but worth the 10 minutes it takes me each morning.Afterwards, I finish off with a pat of powder foundation (spell la-bo-rious!)

Some of the ingredients that Chanel has listed for its CC cream are the following: cornflower water to soothe sensitive skin; hyaluronic acid to retain the skin’s moisture levels; the Rejuvencia ingredient which is derived from a marine micro-organism to prevent against “external aggressions” (whatever it means) and SPF 30/PA+++ sun filters to block UVA-UVB rays that cause aging.

I have to admit that I tried this CC cream just for kicks and out of curiosity. Though I feel it’s lighter on the face than the last BB cream I used. It also seems to pose a better skin care promise and higher sun protection factor.

The only thing working against the CC now is its higher price, so that if you’re happy with your BB cream, you probably won’t budge. But your guess is as good as mine that CC cream will be the next wave in make-up and maybe BB will just become a memory (until of course CC is bumped off by DD or whatever they invent next

Pampering time at Mani/Pedi Nail Spa

April 11, 2013April 11, 2013 ajay Leave a comment

As a woman, am not the type who has her beauty sessions done every week. This is especially true with my nails, as am quite happy with how they are, largely untouched. Mostly, I hate the idea of artificial “enhancers” destroying my natural assets and I figured that the less I use them, the better for me.

True enough, I found out that there are harmful chemicals lurking in things as common as nail polish. So unless your fave brand has declared that they are free of these Bad 3 ingredients, beware! These are: formaldehyde (which is used in embalming of bodies/preservation), Dibutyl Phthalate or DBP which is put to prevent chipping of nails and Tolouene, used to make the application smooth. These substances are banned in Europe, either because they have been linked to cancer, and can cause problems with the reproductive or nervous systems.

It was just good that I found a salon in our city (Paranaque) that offers organic, vegan and cruelty-free products. The name: Mani/Pedi Nail Spa. The address: 2nd Floor J32S Bldg. 35 President’s Avenue, BF Homes Paranaque (for locals, it’s the building across Shawarma Snack Center)

The place is simple and cozy, making good use of every precious square meter. I have to give them props for using only high-quality natural products.

Nail polish selection on the wall. The spa uses only Orly, OPI and DazzleDry, an innovative vegan product which dries nails in 5 minutes ( or even less).

Cleanliness all around. This spa doesn’t reuse tools that have already been worked on other customers. For a minimal purchase, customers can have their own hygiene kit which is labelled and they can request for it the next time they visit.

I love the color swatches they have for nails so you can see the actual appearance when applied. That’s me displaying my newly made up nails. We used DazzleDry in navy blue. A quick dry polish that also endures is perfect for me. Am often disappointed that my manicured nails chip even with a little movement (like getting coins out of my purse). This one actually lasted for close to a week..and the one on my feet even longer!

As part of the nail spa experience, they use these fizz balls (Cuccio brand) which are loaded with botanicals to soften the skin and cuticles. There’s an exfoliation massage and in the case of the pedicure, my feet was wrapped in this insulated “warmer” like i was getting a hot oil

Mani/Pedi Nail Spa: like them on Facebook. And if you happen to live in Paranaque, this one’s highly recommended

Bb. Pilipinas 2013 candidates : our Top 8 bets

March 20, 2013March 20, 2013 ajay Leave a comment

(All photos courtesy of Bb. Pilipinas)

Bb. Pilipinas is celebrating its 50th year this year with a grand pageant night on Sunday, April 14 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum and telecast live over ABS-CBN. For a country that adores their beauty queens, we haven’t performed so badly, especially since we placed consecutively in the Miss Universe pageant for the last three years – Venus Raj as 4th runner-up in 2010, Shamcey Supsup as 3rd runner-up in 2011 and Janine Tugonon who almost made it, becoming 1st runner-up in 2012.Yet if you think about it, the Miss Universe title has been elusive for the longest time. It has been a good 40 years since Margie Moran-Floirendo bagged the crown in 1972 … will any of the 2013 candidates bring pride and glory to the Philippines this time around?

This year’s pageant is definitely competitive because out of 50 candidates, only three major titles are at stake: Miss Universe-Philippines 2013, Binibining Pilipinas-International 2013, and Binibining Pilipinas-Tourism 2013.

Taking into consideration their physique, facial features and personality, here’s our fearless forecast of the eight candidates who will make a splash in this year’s Bb. Pilipinas. Please feel free to get back to this list when the winner announcements are made :

Compare past Bb. Pilipinas title holders and you will just know Candidate No. 1 Ria Rabajante, an Assumption College graduate, has got “The Look.” We think she needs to keep the momentum and shine in order to be a shoo-in for the Top 5.

Born in Germany, Pia Wurtzbach is an aspiring actress and member of Star Magic. This early, she’s heavily favored to win Bb. Pilipinas International, at least.

We think that Candidate No. 31 Ma. Angelica de Leon still needs to shed off a few pounds but she will place, if only because she’s the offspring of two heavyweight showbiz personalities, Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong

The rest of the Bb. Pilipinas bets who we think will make it to the finals:

Therese Marie Fenger – Miss Casino Filipino 2012 1st runner-up

Bea Rose Santiago

Anna Fernandina Buquid

Charmaine Elima

Arielle Arida

Nature Republic: made in Korea make up and skin care

February 24, 2013February 24, 2013 ajay Leave a comment

Nature Republic is the latest Korean make-up and skin care brand to hit the Philippines.Am presently using their BB cream, foam cleanser and lipstick with lip gloss and I love ‘em all! My sister, who lived for a long time in South Korea, swears by their BB cream too for giving perfect coverage.

It was before Christmas of last year when my friend Tess gave me a package of Nature Republic products to try. I was happy because I really do love receiving make-up as a gift. Watch out this space for an announcement soon because we are also giving away Nature Republic goodie bags to make a few readers happy as well!

Just some of their products:fruit-based facial cleansers, shower gel, nail polish, double-sided lipstick & lip gloss combo, Collagen HD blusher and BB cream. Their packaging is attractive and high-quality but the price is worth checking out because it’s not as expensive as you think!

Here’s a partial rundown of the product lines from Nature Republic:

For BB cream fanatics out there, there are five Sparkling Face BB Creams to choose from under the Collagen HD line – Essential has a matte finish, Aqua is for visibly flawless skin, Primer fills in lines and pores for a smooth finish, Cover hides pigmentation and breakouts while Pearl gives a soft and silky texture.

The Collagen HD Line also includes 3 Sparkling Make-Up Base and Fixer, 3 Sparkling Foundation and Concealer, Compact Powder, Twin Cake, Skin and Stick Cove, Dual Lipstick and Gloss, Dual Lipstick and Lip Creams, Blusher and Eye and Lip Palette.

Their Shaking Smoothie has very unique packaging that grabs the eye.This is actually a gel-type soothing facial mask pack enriched with vitamins A, C and E to cool down one’s skin temperature. With every pack comes a product sachet, a spatula and a colorful receptacle similar to a take-out plastic cup for beverages. The product comes in powder form. Mixed with water, it becomes a gel like substance that is ready to give a soothing effect on your face.

For premature aging, Nature Republic has a wrinkle refining line called Forever Lasting. Suited for fair-skinned women, the six organic herbal extracts and Immortelle Flower Water in the products stimulates collagen production to fill wrinkles and promote a youthful elasticity.

Nature Republic also has an anti-ageing line for men called Cell Boosting Homme. The toner has a dual effect as a moisturizer and a soothing after shave. The emulsion has a velvety soft texture with no sticky residue.

The brand’s most premium line is named Snail Therapy. It contains replicated snail mucus that provides skin whitening, restores tissue, fights wrinkles, lessens scarring and promotes overall skin recovery. The products under this line have a creamy texture for use during day and night aside from having a clean, pleasant smell.

Nature Republic branches in the Philippines are in the following malls: 4F Mega Atrium SM Megamall, 3F SM The Block SM North Edsa, GF SM Fairview, GF Festival Supermall, and Landmark Makati