9:36 PM

DIY hair removal wax

Waxing is one of the most popular methods of hair removal. Personally, I prefer waxing because I get more ingrown hair and blotches from shaving and depilatory creams. Out of all the methods, not only do I find waxing as the most effective in hair removal, but it also takes the longest time for hair to grow back.

honey



Over the years, I've been going to this affordable waxing salon called Lay Bare to get my waxing done. They use cold wax and I find that it is less painful than hot wax. But since I'm flat broke (and stuck at home), I opted to try the DIY wax. Thanks to my good friend, Google I found the perfect recipe for a homemade wax. For this, you will need the following:

- 1 cup brown sugar

- 1/4 cup honey

- juice of 1/2 lemon or if not available, 3 calamansi

- cornstarch / baby powder

- clean cotton cloth strips

- wooden stick or spatula

1. Combine and mix the brown sugar, honey and lemon/calamansi in one microveable glass bowl.

2. Microwave it for about 2 minutes but stop and stir your mixture every 30 seconds. The mixture should have a thick consistency.

3. Let it cool to a comfortable temperature. (NOTE: Now I could not emphasize this enough. Be careful not to touch it as it is super hot. I was stupid to dip my finger to check the temperature and I ended up with a mildly burnt finger)

4. Dust the area that you want to wax with cornstarch / baby powder. (This will  make the wax stick more)

5. Use the wooden stick or spatula to spread a thin layer to your desired area, in the direction of the hair growth (since I don't want to use our kitchen utensils and I can't find a wooden stick, I used the spatula included in Veet. It's plastic but it worked well. Just be sure the mixture is not too hot). I suggest you do small patches first.

6. Immediately cover the patch with a strip of cotton cloth. Briskly stroke the strip several times in the direction of the hair growth then pull the skin taut, and quickly pull the cotton strip against the direction of the hair growth.

As so you proceed with the waxing, you may opt to reheat your mixture in the microwave to keep it warm (just make sure not to overheat it as you could easily burn your skin). In my case, even if the mixture was cold, it still was able to get the hair)

I still had some leftover wax. So I stored it in a plastic container and placed it in the refrigerator. You can just heat it up to use it again. As for the cotton strips, you can reuse it by washing and hanging it to dry.

My verdict: The wax is perfect. It was not painful at all. I actually had fun doing it. Plus I think the honey left my skin soft. My only problem was that I do not know how to go about the process of waxing, so there were really small areas that I accidentally skipped and had to go back and wax. I'm pretty sure 1 or 2 tries will get me accustomed to it.

So if you're on a tight budget and have plenty of time in your hands, I suggest you try this DIY wax. You can actually have fun, while keeping yourself hair-free. :)


8:48 PM

Review: Careline Oil Control Blush-on in Starlight Shine

Over the years, I've had the biased notion that anything too cheap does not deliver well. And that it specifically rings true to makeup products.


WRONG.


Well I was proved wrong after reading reviews of cheap makeup brands that worked well for others. And that started my relentless search for good quality bargain makeup products. I can't go to a mall without rummaging through racks of makeup in Watsons or in the department stores. Don't get me wrong. It did not change completely my preference in brands. I just think that it's in a matter of finding the stuff that work for you.


Just last week, I went out with some friends. I noticed one of my friends had an unusual aura to her. I was trying to pinpoint what it was that made her look different. It could have been her complexion, it was glowing (she really had good skin btw). But what I noticed most was her blush-on. It was a nice healthy brownish shade (actually, I'm not good at describing colors. I'm thinking a mauve taupe mix?) that shimmered in a natural way. Now, let me just point out that I am not a fan of shimmery makeup. I usually want it matte. But hers just floored me. And I complimented her about it. Of course she was flattered. I asked what it was she used. I was expecting her to blurt out a high-end brand of makeup since she usually uses one. To my surprise she said:


"Oh, its Careline!"


I laughed it off at first, thinking that she was joking. But she was dead serious. And to prove it to me, she took it out of her makeup kit. And it was Careline, indeed! Careline Oil Control Blush-on in Starlight Shine.


I absolutely loved how it looked on her that I decided to try it myself.


careline1 carelineblushon


I've used Skin Alison Raffaele Inner Glow in Charming for the longest time. And just recently, I bought the Smash Box O Glow (I'll try to make a post on this). I've also tried some minerals. But so far, I've been using the Careline blush-on everyday since I bought it. I don't have a picture of me wearing it but I swatched it for this post (which isn't exactly how it looks like in person)


carelineswatch


Well what can I say? I love the color and so far, no breakouts whatsoever.



Pros


- the shade is so natural


- it gives a natural glow


- it comes with a small (cute) powder puff (but I still prefer using a blush brush)


- it's so cheap for Php88!


- I just love everything about it



Cons


- I have to retouch a bit after 7 hours (not bad though)



I would definitely buy it again! So there.


On  a different note, I passed by some makeup counters on a trip to the mall earlier today. I've been curious about the BB cream hype so I ended up buying the Face Shop's Quick and Clean Blemish Balm for Php595. I noticed that they also carry another BB cream which sounded like super BB cream (I'm not sure). The consistency was heavier so I decided to buy the Quick and Clean BB instead because I have oily skin. I've tried the Quick and Clean Sunblock before and it kind of controlled the oiliness of my skin so I think this will do good. I also passed by Elianto and saw that they now have the BB cream too (in 3 formulas I think). Unfortunately, there were no testers. The sales lady said its a new arrival and testers are yet to be delivered.


I am now officially declaring a no-buy mode for at least a month. I am flat broke (and in debt). I have been hoarding on makeup products and tools that I can use for makeup school. I'm planning to enroll for the March class. So far, I'm waiting  for a contour palette, brush and gel liners from Coastal Scents.I hope I get it in good condition.


For now, I'm crossing my fingers for me to avoid spending anymore. :(