Review on Julep Nail Polish

I am so stoked with these nail polish from Julep because this is the only brand of nail polish that has lasted on my nails for exactly 5 days! And to add, I only did one coat. It runs a bit thick that's why it may look like I did 2 coats but believe it. All I did was brush on one coat and then fine tune on the sides.  I tried both colors shown (2-tone purple and the aquamarine) and both lasted for 5 days at least. The snowy speckles I only used to highlight one finger per hand, kind of like to make one nail color stand out.

Review on Canmake Face Powder

I bought Canmake face powder (Marshmallow Finish Powder) in July 2015 for about 18 USD.  This is the version with some bright pink stones all around the cover. A bit disappointed while I was trying to figure our the specifications of the powder - does it control oil, is it full coverage, does it come in my skin tone... All I got from the sales lady was that it received an award for best powder in Japan, and it has only 2 color choices.

The verdict: for that price, really good quality! I know it is not on the cheap price range, but neither is it outrageously expensive. Also, I never had the impression it was trying to position itself to control oil but it does control oil. I have combination skin and my T-zone needs a lot of attention. This powder just  matches what I need. It comes on light, but it really does give my skin the right powder it needs. 

I use a retractable kabuki brush to apply it. Sometimes I use the sponge inside, but only to pat some powder on my nose.

I also noticed that this compact has a brightening effect -  I look fresh even after a couple of hours outside, a hot weather. 

When I dust my face with it, it does not look cakey. Neither does it appear in patches after a long day of oil accumulation on my face.

The refill is only 12USD (PhP590). I hope the cover lasts long because I really want to just spend for the cheaper refill rather than buy a new set, because then at 12USD, it sure becomes reasonably priced.

Overall, I recommend this product. Thumbs up!!

Where to Stay in Bali, Indonesia

I had the amazing experience in my very first visit to Bali, Indonesia last July 2015. If you are looking for a nice place to stay, I suggest you check out this lovely place in Kuta area called Villa Kuta Regency A-11. The address is Jl. Kubu Anyar (Gang Kingkong), Bali. It is situated in a small road, and even a bit hard to find, but just be patient because the room is squeaky clean and beautifully designed. It is actually a big house where the rooms are rented out, but don't worry because the owner will make you feel so at home and the place is very quiet. Very nice place to rest, relax, and sleep as you  prepare for your Bali Tour the next day.

The bathroom is bigger than I expected for a room good for 2. It also has a very high ceiling.

The sink is not inside the bathroom. This means even if your roommate is in the shower, you can still brush your teeth or do your make up.

There is a huge fridge and TV with cable inside. Wifi is available inside the room. I had good connection for the entire stay, except for one night where I never got to use wifi at all. Not a problem, it was just one night.

Sample breakfast c/o the Villa

Contact details:
email Mr. Abraham who owns the place through: soulfull09@yahoo.com
Or contact via SMS/Whatsapp +6281238225555

Or you can also book through Agoda which was how I found the place. Just type the name Villa Kuta Regency A-11

2015 Review on Lorac Lips with Benefits

Here is my recent stash of Lorac Lips with Benefits Lip Gloss and I can still say that after 2 years, it is still the best lip gloss that I have ever tried!

They colors are still named after different guy names but they do have a different collection now since I cannot find  my favorite color in "Andy".

I did mention in my 2013 review (link: http://kenoshasays.blogspot.hk/2013/03/lorac-lips-with-benefits-lip-gloss.html) that I never noticed anything super special about it. I would like to retract that statement. Not only does this lip gloss line keep my lips uber soft, it also stays on for hours, with or without any lipstick or lip tint combinations. I even noticed that it keeps the lipstick in place if you apply it over lipstick. I also tried using it on top of a lip tint, dotting and spreading the tint just in the middle part of my lower and upper lip to make it look natural and then spreading the Lorac LWB Lip Gloss on top of the tint and all over my lips.... I swear the tint and the gloss were like there for 4 hours. The lip tint stayed on its place in the middle and was not washed off or blended by the lip gloss. The effect I was trying to achieve was there for hours.

Lorac Lips with Benefits in color "Chris"

You might think some of the colors are outrageous but these shades are very tame when applied. They are not as vibrant as lipsticks, they just show a healthy tint and glow with a slightly different color from each version. Some colors like the Josh provide a soft nude look that is  perfect for smokey eye make up.

Another thing, after 2 years of using too many bottles of Andy and TANtalizer colors, I must say these lip gloss tubes never ever smell funny through time. I can attest to that.

There is no reason why anyone should question me when I purchased too many! Try visiting Lorac's website (http://www.loraccosmetics.com/) and ordering them. For some reason, these are usually on sale, but well, doesn't this make us happier??

:)

Review: Martha Tilaar Indonesian Make Up

Here you go guys, I am again into makeups!!! I guess after 2 years of keeping myself from buying too much makeup, the kraken is awakened! Hahahaha... For this post, let me review this Indonesian brand called Martha Tilaar. Loved my visit to Bali by the way: good food, healthy and organic food, nice warm weather - sunny but not hot at all, nice people, and I felt like a millionaire with all the zeroes in their currency :-P

I visited Bali in July 2015 and I just had to purchase and try an Indonesian make up brand. Luckily, I got acquainted with the daughter of the villa I stayed in and she told me about the brand Martha Tilaar.  

Below is a stash of the Martha Tilaar products I bought from the Beach Walk Mall in Kuta. This stash is composed of face powders, eyeshadows, eyebrow liners, and a face mask. The price is amazingly affordable for the colors and collections they have. I did stay away from the professional collection (they have a higher quality makeup intended for make up artists) because I wanted to know what's the quality of the basic ones. This might be good for gifting! The entire stash cost me no more than USD33.00 -- I know right!!!

I personally liked the eyeshadows and the eyebrow liners. There are 2 types of eyeshadows however that I bought. One is in a white case with mirror. The other is in a transparent case.

I like the one in transparent case better. For me it has a better staying power, although both have a creamy consistency when swatched on your skin. When I tried both at the store on the back of my hand, I thought there shouldn't be any difference. I was wondering why the sales lady kept on insisting the other one in transparent case is better, not to mention it has a higher price.

Perfect for the nude or smokey eye look!

I love the combination of earthy colors. Martha Tilaar seems to know the right tones for olive skin. I rarely ever saw any makeup in the store that would be on the cool tones for fair skin, or maybe because I wasn't looking for those myself.

I was not totally wowed by their bestseller face mask. It was actually a nice concept of very fine ash-like consistency of powder that you combine with water to achieve a mud pack. I liked applying it on my face but I did not see any huge effect on my face right after the mud pack was rinsed off. This is something I was surprised because usually mud packs and face masks give me a certain rewarding feeling and clean-soft feel after the rinse. Hmmm...

To me the best product they have is this eyebrow pencil which I bought in both black and brown. The girl who introduced me to this makeup brand actually told me this is the only product she has tried so far in the brand and that she uses it daily, and highly recommends I buy some. My review: It has a good staying power, and hard enough to allow you to pencil in the shape you want for your eyebrows. Just don't make the mistake of trying them on your eyes because this pencil has got some hardness. It is really just for the eyebrows.

The face powder controls oil and gives some little glow. Give me some time to try the other tone, because I started using the darker, more bronzy shade and found out that I should have tried the lighter one. What I did not like however is the smell of the powder. It has a strong scent that reminds me of talcum and old style loose powder. This makes me not want to use it all day for fear that when someone greets me and kisses me on the cheek, that they might get the hint of the smell somewhat. If Martha Tilaar can improve this, it could be a good one.

For more information on Martha Tilaar, visit their website: http://www.marthatilaargroup.com/en/