PACKAGING

    Everything that you need to know about the product is on its glass container. From the shade of the product, to its ingredients and manufacturing date, they're all in its container. Yes, it is in a glass container so you have to be very creful not to drop it or else, you'll beautify your floor instead of your face. lelz Seriously, just be careful with it ladies. 

Nothing fancy about the packaging. It doesn't look cute like Korean beauty products. Nor does it look classy like the ones from other big cosmetics company. I do love fancy things but it doesn't mater so much for me. I laud L'OREAL for providing all the facts that their customers have to know when buying their product. 

PRICE

I foundation can be bought for 120.00 PHP that's a little over 13USD. A reasonable price for a face foundation. Perfect for working ladies and for makeup artists who are still building their makeup collection.

WHERE TO BUY

L'OREAL Paris True Match Super-Blendable Makeup Foundation is available on Watsons nationwide. It is also available in the beauty or body essentials section in some malls. If you cannot find it on those places, you can also get your hands on the product from reliable beauty shops online like BeautyMNL.

      To apply my foundation, I also got a new face foundation brush from PRO STUDIO Beauty Exclusives. I got the one in color Baby Daisy. You know, I've been very curious how oval brushes work so I was stoked as well to try it. 

      Quick review: It does work. It is very compact, but I feel like I can work faster using the traditional liquid  foundation brushes. I also do not have any idea how to clean it yet, so I still have to research how. It's also available in BeautyMNL. 

Here's a before and after photo of my face using the foundation. As you can see, it doesn't have a dramatic effect on my face. It didn't do much to even out my skin tone. But, the good thing is that my face feels so smooth with the foundation. 

Note:The photos are not editted. I haven't put on any other makeup products on my face as well when I took the photos.

So far, I don't have so many issues with the product other than it's a bit pricey considering its size and that it comes in a glass container. Moreover, it doesn't have an applicator so you have to figure out what works best for you in terms of applying the foundation. In my case, I just carefully let the product fall into my clean fingers and gradually apply it on my face. 

PRO's

-  available in different shades

- easy to blend

- doesn't cake

- lasts long ( can last up to six hours)

- readily available

- doesn't feel heavy on the skin 

CON's

- could be a little pricey

- comes in a glass container

- doesn't have an applicator

I am happy about how the product worked and I would love to use it again. And girls, if you love selfies as much as I do, you might want to join BeautyML's monthly #selfieMNL contest. Winning the contest will give you the chance to win a Printster polaroid of your pretty face and a PHP200 BeautyMNL GC. Click here for the complete details. 

I hope you'll find this review useful for your next foundation purchase. Have a wonderful weekend you guys! Stay pretty and happy as always!

love lots,

Tin

Looking like a zombie isn't cool especially when it's not Halloween, which is why having dark under eye circles is a big no-no. Those pesky circles are enough to ruin any girl's day. The worst thing that it can do is to make someone look older than they really are. That is why we need concealers that can work like espresso for our eyes to make them look more awake. I don't have a wide variety of concealers in my makeup bag, but I do have one that I am satisfied to use on my face. 

Out of need, and partly because of curiosity, I bought the LA Girl Pro Concealer HD. I have also read good reviews about the product which prompted me to finally get one for myself. I am loving the product so far because it works decently and it is available on a very reasonable price. Plus, it also comes in different shades to match different skin tones. Out of the various shades available, I chose the shade called Creamy Beige.

Creamy Beige is yellow toned which is perfect for girls with morena or warm skin tone. It does lighten the skin without making it look unnaturally fair. The concealer is sold inside a plastic tube with all of its ingredients written on the back portion.

The concealer also comes with a built-in concealer brush for easy application. To apply the product, you just have to squeeze the tube for it to come out. You don't want to squeeze the tube so hard because even with a slight squeeze, you'll get enough concealer.

It has the consistency of a skin lotion which makes it very blendable. Though it doesn't provide a full coverage, the concealer still works decently considering its affordable price. The lightweight concealer is enough to convince everyone into thinking that you have enough beauty sleep.

The before and after photo below shows how it works when applied on top of pimples. It's not a corrective concealer, but it does minimize acne redness.

PRICE

Just like any other beauty products, the price of the concealer may vary depending on where you purchased them. I got the concealer for 240php each from a trusted online shop here in the Philippines.

WHERE TO PURCHASE

I got mine from an online shop but I think the concealer is very much available in beauty outlets or in drugstores. You just have to check because sometimes, some of the shades aren't available, which is the reason why I bought mine in an online shop.

PROS

- works well

- affordable

- available in many shades 

- easy to blend
- provides decent coverage to dark under eye circles and pimples

CONS

- some of the shades are difficult to find

If you're looking for an affordable get-go concealer, LA Girl Pro Concealer HD might be the best for you. Though it doesn't provide a full-coverage, it brightens the under-eye area. Plus, it's versatile enough to wear alone or with additional coverage. You just have to find the best shade that will match your skin tone.

I hope you'll find this review useful. Have a lovely weekend!

love lots,
Tin

A colleague of mine once asked me what's the best place for a foreign tourist to visit within the metropolis of Cebu. I told her that somewhere which translates the history and culture of the Cebuanos would be nice. My answer might be biased because I based them on my interests. My colleague didn't give any comment on my response partly because we might have the same answer if I were to ask her the same question. Right after I gave her my prompt response, she went ahead and asked me if I know somewhere good, but is not tainted by false popularity. I pondered deeply to give her an answer, but I couldn't think of any place at that time. 

In the very occupied Gorordo Avenue, I discovered a whimsical place that sat humbly unmindful of the passing cars. I have introduced some of my favorite cafes in my blog before, but this one's the sweetest so far. Named Presents & Such, the family-owned gift shop turned cafe and tea room offers several services which will give their customers an idea of how sweet life can be. Regardless of its limited space, customers can shop, eat and read inside the quaint shop.

Its overall facade will paint a picture of the modern English countryside inside your head without leaving Cebu.

Fanciful handmade gift items such as figurines, jewelry boxes, card holders, and tea cups are available at a very affordable price. Rare book collections by Cebuano writers are also available inside the shop. Some of the books were written by the cafe's owner who is also a writer.

Their menu changes from day to day except for their bestseller Apple Pie A la Mode which is available daily. What does the pie taste like? I want to try it, but it was already sold out when I visited the place. I hope there would be a slice left for me the next time I'd visit the cafe.

They don't have so many items on their menu as well, so if want to enjoy several food items for your gastronomical adventure, then the cafe won't be the best for you. Though I believe that their menu is enough for everybody to have a wonderful eating experience.

Let's take this time to appreciate the tea box where they store their tea bags.

How cute are their teapot and tea cups? I wish to own a similar one, but they aren't for sale.

I didn't have my lunch yet when I visited the cafe, so I ordered their rice + dish menu of the day which is their Pork Stew. What they have is inspired by the traditional Callos recipe, but with an added twist which is a brainchild of the owner.

For my dessert, I had Presents & Such's very own Blitz Torte cake which tastes like a dream. Its equally lovely and light texture will satisfy anybody's sweet tooth. Its rich and creamy filling will also melt anybody's heart. It melted mine and I'm willing to have my heart melted by their fancy-looking yellow cake again and again. It felt like the time when I first fell in love. chaos! Since they do accept orders, I'm thinking of ordering a whole cake for my birthday next month. 

All my love in one photograph <3

As I have mentioned earlier in this post, one can also enjoy reading inside the cafe. The owner put up a bookshelf that houses some different books on different interests. I grabbed a health book about the art of aromatherapy, a delightful book that contains informative notes on how aroma therapy oils can help us improve our overall health.

A page in the book shows how to use oils as facial moisturizers. The book made me wanna buy oils!

Christmas is in the air at Presents & Such cafe!

Hi there!

Presents & Such Tearoom and Cafe is a sweet place that enables everyone to experience how sweet life can be as one enjoys reading, shopping, and eating. If you're feeling down and bitter from all of the worries brought by this pragmatic world, go ahead and visit the cafe. I'm not feeling blue right now, but I can't wait to visit the cafe again. See you there! :)

love lots,

Tin

*Note:

This is not a sponsored post. I am not in any way paid by the cafe to write about them. Neither do I work for them? All photos above are taken by me using my cellphone's camera. Pardon their qualities. Thanks!