Askmewhats Reviews: Neutrogena Sun Block

The night before I left for a trip, I knew HK's going to be really sunny and I would need all the sunblock I can get to protect myself. I wanted something really light, sheer, and doesn't have this heavy feeling and smells ok. I hate the smell of sunblock to be honest, that is why I seldom use them!

It was a good timing when I saw the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunblock with SPF 50+! I would go for SPF 25, but since they have it in 50 I may as well try it!

Here's how it looks like

Here's the sunblock as I sqeezed a bit on my hand
Not too sticky and not too liquid-y, just right

Here's how it looks like when rubbed a bit

And here's how it dries up....ULTRA SHEER

Neutrogena Says ---

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer^™ Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 50+ is a revolutionary, dermatologist-tested formula that contains Helioplex^™ technology, the latest breakthrough in UV protection.

Helioplex^™ delivers unbeatable UVA protection. It works better to help prevent damaging UVA rays from penetrating deep under skin’s surface. Dry-Touch technology absorbs excess sunscreen oils, leaving a clean, lightweight, non-shiny finish.

Askmewhats Says ---

Pros

• It honestly works! I've been out directly under the sun at the HK Disneyland from 9am til 6pm and I didn't get burned!
  
• Smells so good
• Feels so light and absorbs quickly
• Sweat-proof (I was sweating like a pig and I didn't have the chance to re-apply and I was fine)
• Affordable
  

Cons

• can't seem to find one!
  

Overall

I will definitely take this along with me and will definitely use this everyday! I've started to use sunblock for my face as seen on my post here. I've been on a lookout for a body sunblock but I get turned off with the strong scent that I don't like. I really love this and I highly recommend this to anyone who plans to go outdoor and doesn't like the "icky" sunblock feeling.

Tips

• Apply a good amount 15minutes before you go outdoor. Re-apply if you sweat too much or if you've been exposed from the sun too long.
• Apply sunblock on hidden / frequently forgotten areas like the knees, elbows, behind the ears, neck etc...
  

Will I repurchase?

YES!


What's your HG sunblock?
I haven't used a lot of sunblock and I always have mine expired before I have the chance to finish it up!
Why? I always buy a new sunblock before an outing or trip but always ends up leaving it unused.
With this sunblock?
I heart, I will be using this EVERYDAY!

My EDM Samples

My first MMU foundation is my Bare Escentuals' (BE) MMU foundation which I got in full size. I would say it didn't or did work for me. It's didn't do anything super bad to my skin like cause irritations or breakouts, my only concern is it darkens my skin after a couple of hours and I am not acidic at all!

Anyways, after BE, I lost my interest on MMU foundation because I don't want to order online because I really have a hard time choosing my color. Digital Angel, sent me a sample of an Everyday Minerals Foundation (EDM) which she and her sister loved so much! Though it looks a little bit light on me, I used it and I fell in love with the coverage and it's lasting power.

I have to clarify though that I am not saying goodbye to my pressed powders, liquid foundation, but I've been leaning onto using MMU foundation the past few days, because...well...it depends on my mood :D

So, I went online, checked out the EDM website and decided to order their 5 mini sampler as it's free, I only have to pay for their shipping which is quite reasonable amount of $4.55 (approx Php214.00)

The good thing about ordering NOW is I do have a "sample" color on hand. With the Fair Light Intensive sample from Digital Angel, I chose a shade one step darker and everything got easier afterwards!

I paid via Paypal last August 31, 2008 and I received my EDM samples a little bit over 2 weeks! (not bad) and since it was packed in a smaller package, I do not need to go to the Postal office to pay for taxes as it was delivered straight to my home!

This greeted me one morning!

I love that their samples all came in small pots instead of resealable bags Definitely GENEROUS amount

(Note: I've read their site recently that the temp jars will be used till September 15th, so I'm not really sure how they would pack their samples after the 15th of September)

In this pack you have the freedom to choose ---

3 foundations - you can choose their finishes as well (original glo, semi-matte, matte and intensive)
1 Blush/Face Color
1 Concealer

And here's what I got --- Foundation (color and their finishes)

• Golden Light (intensive)
• Buff-Fairly Light Neutral (intensive)
• Buff Ivory (Matte)
  

Blush

• Weekend Getaway
  

Concealer

• Mint Color Corrector

And of course, let me show you some swatches.
I am an NC30 for MAC Studio Fix Foundation
Paul & Joe Foundation No. 30

1. Golden Light Intensive
2. Buff - Fairly Light Neutral Intensive (my color)
3. Buff - Ivory Matte
4. Fair Light Intensive (From Digital Angel - thanks enabler LOL)

Left - Mint Color Corrector
Right - Weekend Getaway blush

Askmewhats Reviews (EDM Foundation) ---

The finish and the coverage is great that's why I gave in ordering samples. It lasts more than half a day before I need to do touch-ups. Considering the weather here in the Philippines, not bad at all!

After more than 4-5 hours, the areas I need to retouch are: the side of my nose and forehead, the rest looks ok. Since I applied EDM with a Kabuki brush, more intensive coverage = lesser pores!

Askmewhats Reviews (Mint Color Corrector) ---

Green concealer works best to hide redness. I don't have a lot of redness the past few days (knocks on wood) and I don't plan to have any redness, LOL so I can't really say a lot about the product, for now.

Askmewhats Reviews (Weekend Getaway) ---

This is a nice peachy pink color matte. It looks really pretty if swatched but I find the color doesn't show up on my skin.

How to order samples online (for Philippine readers) ---

1. Register if you don't have an account
   
2. Click on Make-Up on the upper left hand side of the site
   
3. Click Custom Kits
4. Scroll own and you will find Free Sample Makeup Kit -- FREE!
5. Click Add to Cart (you have to do this before you choose your foundation shades, blush and concealer)
   
6. Next comes the tricky part, on the right hand side of the site, you will see that you already have the Free Sample Makeup Kit in your cart but you haven't had the chance to choose any shades yet, don't fret! lol
7. Go back to Make-up, this time click on foundation you will find computerized foundation colors, choose foundation shade you want and drag to cart and it will automatically be added to the sample kit
8. Repeat steps for the next 2 foundation, blush/face color and concealer
9. Choose your payment method and wait for email confirmation!
10. Voila free EDM samples!

P.S. I am not paid for doing this lol Just helping some of you who are interested but had a hard time with their site, it is quite tricky and it took me some time to figure this out too! LOL

I hope this is helpful for you gals who are interested with EDM.
I wouldn't say EDM is my HG MMU foundation because I haven't used much!
I may give other MMU foundations a try!

Askmewhats Reviews: Nana May's Magic Hands (Contest Closed!)

Edit: (Note from Tiny Tapir)
The product should be used on completely dry skin - not damp or wet after washing with soap and water. The oils do clean as well.

Also, the only difference between face and hand s(other than the price! face is more expensive) is that the face salts are much finer - almost like flakes whereas the hand salts are coarser like normal salt granules.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As promised, I will also be reviewing the Nana May's Magic Hands, I have used this for 2 weeks because I've been concentrating on using the Facial Scrub and the Facial Scrub doubles as a scrub for my hands as well! So why waste a product right?

Anyways, the Nana May's Magic Hands look exactly like the Nana May's Magic Face which gets to be confusing at times especially if they're side by side!

Here's the product, same size, same ingredients, same look! I guess they are just packaged separately for hygienic purposes

Nana May's Magic Hands says ---
Hand and body scrub which exfoliates and moisturises the skin leaving it clean, smooth and moisturised.

Ingredients (There are no added chemicals and the products are not tested on animals)

Salts - Dead Sea Salts & Celtic Salts
Essential Oils - Spearmint, Peppermint, Lemon, Orange, Grapefruit, Rosemary & Chamomile
Carrier Oils - Jojoba, Vitamin E, Apricot Seed, Avocado and Hazelnut

Askmewhats says ---

Pros

• it really leaves my hands softer and smoother
• doesn't feel oily after washing
• has a minty sensation, great for summer

Cons

• again, a bit messy for someone who's not used to it

Overall

Just by looking at the ingredients, you won't be complaining as everything is just natural and you don't have to go through the process of creating your home made beauty product. It's all in one jar. I usually use this for my hands, feet, elbows and knees. But on weekends, I would use this to scrub my back as well.

Tips

• wash your hands with regular soap and water
• gently scrub the product on your hands then the heels, gently massaging it until the oil gets absorbed
• wash with warm water
• clean with a dry towel

Will I repurchase?

I may just repurchase a Nana May's Face Scrub, since the ingredients are the same, I will use one product for everything!

WAIT....There's MORE!!!!
(hahaha sounds like home tv shopping!)

The wonderful friends from Tiny Tapir sent me another set of the Nana May's Face Scrub and Magic Hands for Askmewhat's readers. I have been contemplating a lot if I'll be opening this up for my international readers or not. I am concern on the shipment of glass and I don't want this to be wasted during shipping.

Anyways, after giving a lot of thought, I've finally decided to package this the best I can to whoever who wins. So YES, this is OPEN to ALL READERS from across the globe...even aliens :P As long as they have postal offices!

So what are you waiting for? Just leave me a comment with your name and email address stating why you want to try this product.
Contest ends September 25, 2008 11:59PM Manila Time
and I will be announcing the winner via electronic raffle on September 26, 2008!

Unsure about winning and you want to try the products?
You can check out their ordering information here

Goodluck!!!

Askmewhats Reviews: Nana May's Magic Facial Scrub

As seen in my previous post
I have gotten the chance to try on Nana May's Magic Face and Magic Hands.
It took me quite some time to finally write a review on this as I made sure to test on the product myself and note down changes (both good and bad)

Here's how the product looks like, this comes from a special set for RM80, it comes with a simple glass case with plastic spatulas to scoop out the product.

The plastic spatula is sturdy, I use the smaller side to stir the product and the bigger side to scoop them out and transfer on my hand!

For such a small product, I've used just 1/4 of this for a month!

Nana May's Magic Face Says ---

A more delicate mix for fine skin. Excellent for controlling teenage acne. Great for mature skin, leaving you feeling silky smooth.

There is no need to use a cleanser, toner or moisturizer

Ingredients (There are no added chemicals and the products are not tested on animals)

Salts - Dead Sea Salts & Celtic Salts
Essential Oils - Spearmint, Peppermint, Lemon, Orange, Grapefruit, Rosemary & Chamomile
Carrier Oils - Jojoba, Vitamin E, Apricot Seed, Avocado and Hazelnut

Askmewhats Says ---

Pros

• 3-in1 product, what more can we ask for?
• all natural, just take a look at their ingredients!
• Smells heavenly
• I love the tingling sensation it gives after every washing and I love it more that the tingling feeling lasts only 5 minutes (I hate it when it stings for so long it gets to be irritating)
• After a month long of nightly usage, my skin felt soft and never have the dryness problem
• No matter how oily it feels, after you wash it with water (still oily) and tap your face gently with towel, the OILINESS was gone! like magic!
• No allergies or breakouts caused by this product
  

Cons

• not available in the Philippines, have to order online and of course, ordering online meant adding shipping charges
• a bit messy for someone who's used to regular cleansing regimen
• a bit too oily to start with (this doesn't bother me though coz it gets to be dry after patting with a towel)

Overall

For someone who's used to the 3 step regiment like I am, it is a bit difficult to steer away from the toning and moisturizing step because you always have the feeling that your skin regimen isn't complete! I find this a bit hassle to use at first but after sometime, you'll get the hang of it!

This product after a month, in my opinion doesn't give out a MAJOR change in my skin, but definitely NO dryness, no allergies and some red spots from previous breakout lightened a bit. Plus of course, the additional fact of using an all natural product makes me feel good!

Tip

• Stir product with the spatula slowly, never shake it
• Never use your finger to get the product directly
• Do not leave the product in direct sunlight
• Massage the product gently, never SCRUB hard
• Do not forget to massage the rest of the product to your neck and even hands!
• Do not scrub on the eye area, this gets to give a "minty" feeling so rubbing this product accidentally on the eye area could cause a bit of sting.
• If you are a heavy make up user, always cleanse your face with a make up remover first, do not expect this product to remove all the make up for you.
• After you are done massaging your face, use the remaining product and massage your hands gently
  

Will I repurchase?

Yes, this is a good product!

Visual Presentation

Use the spatula that comes with the product. Stir the product gently and use the bigger end of the spatula to rub the product on your hand, no need to scoop, a little does go a long long way!

This is just how much product you need to cover the whole face and neck

A Closer Look
The yellowish color is the oil
the whitish thing are the salt/scrubs

Distribute the product all over your face
Gently massage your face
DO NOT rub too hard

After massaging onto my face for a couple of minutes, I choose not to wash my face at once, I leave the product onto my face until the oil gets absorbed
As seen in the photo below

Wash your face with water, I prefer warm water and slowly pat gently with a dry towel!

Watch out for my next review on the Nana May's Magic Hands!
If you are interested to learn more about Tiny Tapir's products, feel free to check out their site
You can also check out their ordering information by smiling and clicking
HERE

5 Musts in a Relationship

Pear and Miemiemie tagged me on this, thanks girls!

Here it goes:
Rules:
1. Pass this game on to 5 people
2. Write down 5-10 ways your relationship ticks and works for you!
3. Include a brief history of how you and your significant other met or a timeline,
whichever you prefer :)
Best part? NO WORD LIMIT

5 Relationship Must Have!

1. Trust and Honesty

I believe that in any relationship without trust and honesty, it will NEVER work out. As you know, you can never be with your significant others 24/7. If you are a type of person who gets paranoid and freaks out on any girl your partner talks to, you will be dying YOUNG! lol

A lot of people are surprised why I was able to manage a long distance relationship with my then BF Keith for 3 years going back home once a year. It was an easy answer: "I trust him"

2. Understanding

Understanding is easy to say but really, it's very difficult to do. Why do couples argue? Because they just don't understand each other! We always say "I don't get him/her"

We must understand why he wasn't able to pick you up on time, we have to understand why he loves computer games so much, we have to understand why he has to do a certain decision. And it's all vice versa. It's not always "just one" who's understanding! It is a 2 way street!

3. Humor

Up until now, me and Keith cannot end a day without laughing. We would go crazy and laugh so hard that we felt like dying. Well dying doesn't make the relationship last lol but I find a relationship really needs a lot of humor. Being too serious will bore both of you to tears!

Sharing something funny just the 2 of you knows gives out a certain feel of togetherness!

4. Patience

Keith is the most patient individual I know in my entire life. He has waited for me for more than 4 hours inside a mall while I finish our school project. He waits for me to choose my prom dress, he goes shopping with me and wait for me to try on all the clothes as it take some time for me to choose which one I like. Because of his patience, it is difficult for me to get angry if he came late, or if it's his time to do the stuffs he needed to do. Again, relationship is give and take. When we argue, he would patiently wait for me to calm down, no matter how long it takes before we talk, because he knew that if he insisted on talking at once nothing will be settled!

5. Love

Need I say more? Nothing lasts without LOVE! <--- in my dictionary!

Year 1995

I knew him from school, we always acknowledge each other and one Valentine's Day, I helped him deliver cookies to this other girl he liked. I DROPPED the cookies (not on purpose promise!) lol and we laughed about it now! Imagine? I am the one who delivered it to the girl???? lol

Year 1996

We've been schoolmates since 4 yrs old but we got to be classmates ONLY during our Senior years. During the 2nd semester, the sitting arrangement changed and I found myself sitting next to him. During Chinese class, it tends to get too boring and we ended up chatting up in class talking about our "crushes" lol

Year 1997

Well we because friends and we ended up liking each other, we don't know who like each other first but I call him my "FIRST AID" lol, don't get me wrong, I never had a BF beside him, but I just call him First Aid because whatever tiredness, headaches I have in life, He is my FA (First aid) lol Come to think of it, it is corny! LOL

November 3, 1997

Yeah, right after All Saints Day, I said "yes' to him over the phone and we became BF and GF

1997-2001

We studied at different universities but we make it a point to go out every Saturday for movies, shopping, or just dine out! I even have curfew then, he has to take me home by 5:30pm because I am a NERD and he loves me for that! LOL


Year 2001

We both graduated, I worked at China Airlines and he worked at China Bank <--- isn't that cute? LOL We seldom see each other but we make it a point to meet once a week (mostly Saturdays) as Sunday is definitely Family Day for me!

Year 2002

The crazy/adventurous side of me wanted to work in China. We've always been open about our dreams and I've always told him I wanted to be independent, learn to be strong and work abroad. I don't want to "travel" I want to live and WORK abroad. He said yes, as long as I am happy.

August 26, 2002

I left for Hangzhou, China to teach at Zhejiang University at the age of 23 :( I can still remember the pain I felt for leaving him behind, I even told myself if ever he leaves me, it's not his fault, as I was the one who chose to have a long distance relationship.

2002-2005

Surprisingly...our relationship grew STRONGER. The distance didn't destroy us but made us stronger. I've got a lot of challenges when I work in China but he's always there, to back me up, to read my long emails! YUP, TRUST ME..all these years, I write emails for him and my family at least ONCE a day..so he definitely has 365 x 3 emails!!!! Updated on everything that's happening in my life in China!

Year 2005

I came back and I've decided to come back home as I have fulfilled my dream of working and living outside my comfort zone. I came back (REALLY FAT) and he still loves me for who I am!!!! LOL

When I came back, his work needs him to work out of Manila, so we would see each other once or twice a month :( But we just let it be and didn't worry about it, we just had fun everytime we see each other!

February 28, 2006

He proposed, on my birthday. It was more than 10yrs of us being together! It was the right time!!! I SAID YES!!!

July 7, 2007
Eva Longoria got married <-- who cares??? This was my Engagement day!

October 27, 2007

We finally got married after almost 11 years of true friendship and love!

I honestly don't know who to tag as I'm late with this lol I am tagging everyone who wants to do this :D
Thanks for reading!!!