Picks of the Month

New year, new name. Monthly Favorites have been the solid mainstay of every blog, like mine. It’s one segment in every blogger that I look forward to come every first week of the month. That sneaky feeling of coveting someone’s favorite and trying them out to see how well it really works. If you’re lucky, you could find a gem and share it also to your friends. If not, you try to figure out where you’ve gone wrong. That at least for me. You might find some products familiar since maybe it’s also included in your lists. So for the month of January-February combined, here are my picks.

Pink Sugar Our ‘lil Secret Concealer 

Making on the lists of Preview’s top beauty picks of 2016, this concealer didn’t really caught me at first use I should say. The romance didn’t work beacuse I find it too drying and tight causing to crease in every place that I put it. I was at the brink of handing it to someone that will find it of best use but I stopped myself. I had this habit of giving a product some rest upon it’s first use or prior to opening. I don’t know if you also do this but sometimes when these products were given some enough shelf time before you use it again, they seem to work pretty much effective than they originally do. If that makes sense. So on the second time around, this was already my baby. I use it to conceal my under eyes since the shade that I choose is a bit lighter than my tone. They still tend to dry up into patches but I know my trick now. Dabbing it with a lil moisturizer or moisturize the area that you are suppose to use this to avoid caking. And it also helps that I apply it using a beauty blender.

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream 

BB Creams doesn’t really do well on my face. Aside that it’s too oily, I couldn’t find any that will give a good coverage. I usually would end having breakouts after using failing me on the attempt of finding the perfect one. And so I gave up thinking that BB Creams would just only work well for those who have semi-perfect skin or the younger ones who only has a little imperfections. No large pores like mine. So when I found of last year that a lot of my favorite vlogger who also has the oily skin type as mine, swore by this product I quickly added it on my wish list. But I still have to lower my expectations and don’t give in right away and find a at least trial size first so I wouldn’t cry that much in the end. Indeed this by far has lived up to my hopes and expectations. What to love about this product is that it makes you skin radiant and glowing that no other bb creams that I tried hsas given me. The perfect dew that keeps your skin looking healthy not oily.

 

Garnier Miscellar Water 

I guess you could say that I’ve been living under the rock for sometime now. Yes, I do wanted to have a miscellar water to help me with my makeup. But with the height of it and the countless brands in the market, my chosy self is the main culprit why I took so long. I really haven’t gotten any to at least try on and base my comparison. I just simply jumped into the best. So far, their  complaints would be stinging especially in getting off that eye makeup which I really hate. And I guess my long wait has paid off when I chose Garnier. The only down side is that it couldn’t help on taking off my Heroine Make Mascara. 

 

Kiss Me Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara

I have a very sparse and short eyelashes and my eyes hurt whenever I use a mascara. I really would love falsies but I couldn’t perfect putting them on just yet. So I wonder if there is a mascara that would have a similar effect as putting those falsies on. And yes there is and I found it in Heroine Make. I love that it could really make your lashes look naturally longer in a long, really long period of time without wearing off or smudging. Proof to it is that no makeup remover can get this thing off your eyes. You really need to buy their mascara remover.

Ipuda Facial Masks

Ipuda may not be your leading masks as for the quality of sheets per se but the thing is for me, a good masks is the one who is soaked in an overflowing serum which suprisingly I found in this product. I often had so much left from the serum that I soak another facial sheet tablet ( available in Daiso, Mumuso and Miniso) in it and it’s good for another use.What to love more is that this is so affordable that you won’t have any trouble stacking and following the Korean skin care routine every night with this.

Chateau Labiotte Wine Lip Tint

I recently did a review on this lip tint and from the moment of purchase it was love at first use. I must say that OR01  is surprisingly my favourite amongst three even if it’s RD01’s the main reason why I bought this was. One of the lip tints that didn’t gave me a chappy lips after a day long use. It’s also nice to have these cute little wine bottles in your makeup kit.

I wish to add more unfortunately I lost track of the products in my vanity. But surely I’ll be seeing you again next month and let’s have fun counting a lengthy list.

 

Baking or Jamsu? Which works better

I stumbled upon Jamsu  which means submerging thru Facebook. The word originated in Korean and it’s their version I believe of Baking. Contrary to the latter, Koreans doesn’t dust off the excessive translucent or loose powder on their face but dunks it in a bowl of cold water. Intriguing isn’t it? Korean being the trendsetter in makeup trends, who wouldn’t give this a try?Since the arrival of baking up to the present day, I have been introduced to different ways of how this technique is done. Primarily it just started with the under eyes to prevent it from creasing and withstand the day without looking mummified. Until it goes on to the whole face, to set everything and make it lasts. I did try though but not religiously. Yes, it upholds to it’s promise and really for an oily combo skin like mine, there’s more that I need to bake.

Then after a year, Jamsu came up. I’m not really a professional in terms of makeup. I just rely on what I believe will look best on me. So when I saw and read how this new makeup technique came to be, I immediately thought of comparing it to know which one works best and share this experience to you. So far amongst Filipina vloggers, only a few have tried and reviewed this so it hasn’t really penetrated deep yet. I must say the finished product is really promising which I admit, what compelled me to try and feel it for myself. If this succeeds, well I’ll sing my bye bye’s now to oiliness.

Getting ready with the procedure, I used San San Matte Finish liquid foundation for my face and Pink Sugar Our lil Secret Concealer for my under eyes. My inspiration is to go all local with my makeup brands particularly on these two basic ones. 

And for my loose powder, this one has been with me for quite sometime now. Unfortunately the name of the brand is not imprinted in the label. It is of your preference what to use in this step, actually the first that I have in mind is to use Johnson’s Baby Powder. If you noticed I still used a matte finish for my foundation just for an optimum results of being an oily faced and applied it using a damp beauty blender. 

 And so I go on to the main event of this technique which is the submerging of that face into cold water. This should last for 30 seconds or merely counting thirty. You could go up every now and then if you think that you feel drowning. I was told that for oily 3o would suffice but for normal to dry, 20 will do. Prior to the dunking you shouldn’t forget to put a generous amount of loose powder to year face. The best image that I could think for this is 

Yes, be as white as a kabuki. After the submersion, pat dry your face. Do not rub or it will take away that foundation. Wait for a few minutes to settle. Don’t fret if you’ll see some caking, I think it’s the initial reaction of the powder to the cold water. Eventually it’ll take form of what you expect it to be. Super matte finish.

My Thoughts

I noticed that there’s some caking under my eyes. I actually fret a little so my initial defense was dab it with the damp beauty blender. But it did came out well, and I really am true to my word saying this. The texture of the skin looks soft and kinda peachy. Though I must say that the color difference between my face and neck is really o-vi-ous! It’s just a teeny weeny problem. And since the powder who acts as a sealer really adds up to the color, it is suggested that you go one tone lower than you’re usual color of foundation. That is if the color change really overwhelmes you. For me it eventually sets to my skin color so I didn’t mind. Other than that, I’m impressed. The matte finish for me isn’t flat looking. And the application of blush is just perfect. At first I remind myself to not go overboard with my blush, you know not steady hands. Suprisingly I was able to control the amount that I want and it just glides on so smoothly. The idea of baking is to allow the heat of your face to set the base foundation and concealer wheareas in jamsu you let the cold set your base. Baking takes 10 minutes to take but jamsu with all the preparation of the cold water and stuff, will take you to 20-30.The entirety of the technique will give you a whole day of smudge proof, fresh looking face. I swear! I didn’t get this on baking for I usually end all oiled up in the afternoon. But jamsu is very forgiving on just making my face a little dewy at the end of the day. I just noticed that the first to oil up is my nose but what really gave me the infinite go is my laugh lines. The foundation that I used, in any brand always settles on this area. But Jamsu washed those fears away. 

For Filipinas on the go, this isn’t really commendable. I must say that if you really, really would like to incorporate this on your makeup routine before going to work, spare some time ahead. You may come in your office with a bang but still, late. So just stick to baking instead. But if you will to attend a function, gathering or event that needs a superlative beauty to lasts, I highly recommend this.