Makeup Madness: My Summer Base

It is already starting to rain, which means summer will be ending in no time. I predict that we will have a few more hot days though, so until then, I'll be making the most out of the makeup base I've been using all summer.

When summer hit, I had to change bases quickly. I don't wear too much makeup in the summer because it feels stuffy and it just melts off my face. I wanted a light base with SPF that I could just dab on and pair with a swipe of eyeliner or eyeshadow plus a dash of lipstick. Luckily, I chanced upon a good combination of products. These were a part of my Summer Beauty post, but I figured these warranted a proper TLDR, makeup geek-out entry too.

L'Oreal True Match Skin Idealizing BB Cream, Essence Mattifying Compact Powder, Elf Professional Total Face Brush 

Beauty Barrage: Summer Beauty - Products for the Hot Hot Heat

A lot of the world is just getting their first taste of spring, but here in the tropics where there are only two seasons, we're smack dab in the middle of an insanely hot summer. When the heat started coming in, I knew some of my makeup and beauty products wouldn't cut it anymore. I always have to change up what I'm using when the seasons change. Just as I have my cold weather friends, I have my summer stash with products that I can rely on to keep up with the scorching temperatures. Most of these are travel-sized because I like the convenience of getting to throw them into a purse, a beach bag or a travel bag whenever a summer event comes up. I got it all down in one post, but brace yourself! It's a long list.

Beauty Barrage: Quick Reviews - L'Oreal Smooth-Intense Caring Shampoo and Conditioner + Clean & Clear Deep Action Cleanser

This week is shaping up to be a really busy one, so I'm getting some quick reviews out of the way. I'll be talking about the L'Oreal Smooth-Intense Caring Shampoo and Conditioner and the Clean & Clear Deep Action Cleanser in this post, which were products from my drugstore haul last August. I've had a few months to use them and see how they work on me. Here we go.

First up is the L'Oreal Smooth-Intense Caring Shampoo and Conditioner. I got this set specifically because I have frizzy hair that I always need to keep in check. Well, it does the job. It manages to make my hair smooth enough to look tame, but with enough body so it doesn't look flat. It has a mild scent too, and feels light on the hair.

This shampoo and conditioner duo isn't as awesome as my favorite shampoo ever -- Lush Rehab that I have yet to do a review of -- though, but it's good enough for every day use. I'll be putting it on rotation along with Clairol's None of your Frizzness.

My second quick review of the day is the Clean & Clear Deep Action Cleanser. All throughout college I used the brand's Foaming Facial Wash, but I decided to give this a go when I started wanting more out of my facial wash than just a clean face. I figured some deep clean action might do my face some good. 

This cleanser did clean my face. It has a pleasant soapy scent and feels smooth on my skin. However, I didn't see any difference between before I started using it and after. It just cleans my face, but it didn't stop me from getting breakouts or soften my skin. This means the quest for a proper facial cleanser continues.

That's it for my quick beauty reviews today! I'll be back with some in-depth reviews soon. 

Beauty Loot: Collective Haul from October to December 2013

Hello Monday! I feel like talking about beauty today, so I'm finally blogging about some purchases that I made the past few months. Like I said before, I haven't been buying much makeup and beauty stuff, but I do buy things I need from time to time. I decided to just do a collective haul of all the new stuff I picked up recently in stores or things I bought from friends from way back in October to just this December. Here we go.

• L'Oreal Paris Smooth-Intense Anti-Frizz Leave-On Serum - As mentioned in my Hair and Makeup Tool Haul, my hair's due for a rebond so it's wild and crazy right now. I need this to keep it in check.
• Revlon 24hrs Colorstay Foundation in Sand Beige - I am always rushing my makeup time so I have been loyal to my MAC Studio Fix powder for years, but I thought I would try liquid foundation for those times when I want to make more of an effort. This has been a favorite among my friends, so I'm trying it out.
• Elf Blush Brush - This is another one for my first set of proper makeup brushes. I only need a couple more brushes methinks. 
• Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tough as Taupe - I have been loving the Color Tattoo eyeshadow pots for a long time. Maybelline Philippines still hasn't released the line here though, so whenever there's an opportunity to get a new color, I jump at the chance. My friend Sheva from Beauty by Berrymix ordered some makeup online, so I bought this new pot from her.

Beauty Loot: Drugstore Haul 08.26.13

I haven't gone shopping for makeup and beauty stuff in a long time, but I finally did yesterday! I've been on major frugal mode and I've only been surviving on my makeup stash. After all, I've built up quite the collection and I haven't even used up half of it. Good makeup should never go to waste, so I've been pretty good at that for a while. However, I have been needing a few things lately, so my always supportive husband took me shopping. He patiently waited for me while I stared at products and swatched stuff. I got drugstore everything (frugal mode, remember) and I got a lot of bang for my buck!

My first stop was ELF (Eyes Lips Face), which I've never tried before. It's a brand that comes highly recommended by beauty gurus, but for some reason I have never purchased anything ELF until now. I surprisingly ended up getting a bunch of stuff! I was happy to find out that the brand is so affordable, yet the products have great quality.

Afterwards, I did the rounds of the Revlon, Maybelline, and L'Oreal counters, and got some things from them too. I made a random buy at Clean & Clear as well. I had a few more things on my shopping list, but Robinson's Galleria Department Store (where we went) didn't have the products I was looking for, though I'm glad I was able to find most of the things I needed. [Note: I use the the app Wunderlist for shopping and to-do lists and it's wonderful.] On to the haul!