Lava Bean: reviews

Review: Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask

9:01 PM

After reading positive reviews on Amazon (here), I decided to buy Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask. I love my Aztec Clay Mask but it can be laborious to prepare. So this is my alternative when I'm feeling lazy. The packaging varies, but this is the one I got:

227 grams or 8 oz., Php 330 (1 USD= 46-48 PHP)

Bought at Healthy Options, Trinoma

(see Healthy Options branches in the Philippines here)

Packaging

Queen Helene Mint Julep mask is available in tub or tube packaging but in the Philippines, only the tube packaging is sold (click here to see the tub packaging). It doesn't come with any seal or clear plastic wrap so it's easy to tamper with. The consistency of the mask is thick so don't worry about leakage. It can be hard to squeeze out of the tube. Some people cut the tube open and transfer the mask in an airtight jar (otherwise it will harden).

The ingredients and product information are printed at the back. If you are picky with the ingredients, methylparaben and the artificial coloring might be a deal breaker. But I figured, I'm just going to wash this mask off so

Performance

Despite the thick consistency, the mask can be easily spread and layered on the face. It just feels like applying shea butter on your skin. It smells like toothpaste but I didn't feel a significant cool and minty sensation on my skin. I applied this after I washed my face. I focused on my cheeks, nose and mouth area because those parts of my skin have tiny bumps. I have combination skin with occasional acne.

I left the mask for 30 minutes even though the packaging says to leave it for just 10 minutes. The mask tightens slightly when dry but not as much as Aztec clay mask. Also, there were no pulsating sensation. It does flake slightly when dry. After 30 minutes, I washed it off with clean water. Surprisingly, it's easy to wash because it dissolved easily with water. I just used my fingers to soften the damp mask then rinsed it. It didn't stain my white sink. My face wasn't squeaky clean or red. I could still see a few blackheads after the first use but I'm satisfied how my pores looked smaller.

Verdict

I like this mask! It's easy to use and it does a decent pore cleaning job. It's not as aggressive as Aztec Clay Mask but I don't mind because it's easy to use. Yes, I will buy this mask again and I do recommend this to a friend.

face, review, reviews

Luxe Organix 98.5% Snail Gel

1:44 AM

review, reviews, Tresemme

Hair Care Review: Bremod Pro3 Serum & Tresemme Keratin Smooth Mask

7:17 PM

Just to give you an idea, I rebond my own hair (yes, I do) every 5 months and I color it 2x a year. You can imagine how dry and damaged it is. On bad hair days, I even iron it. When I saw these these two affordable hair care products, I thought I'd give them a go.

Bremod Pro3 Thermal Defense Serum

250 ml, Php 199 in Watson's.

Packaging

It comes in a pretty hefty plastic pump bottle. The pump dispenser functions well but it doesn't have a lock. The complete list of ingredients and product information is listed at the back. As you can see, Bremod is a Chinese brand.

Ingredients and Product Info

It's amazing how you can also use this as a hair mask but I haven't tried that yet.

Performance

The serum comes in a white, lightweight cream, making it easy to work on dry or damp hair. It has a fresh slightly-floral scent. I prefer applying this to damp hair because it just makes my brittle hair so soft. I honestly thought this would weigh my hair down or at least leave a nasty residue but it didn't. I haven't tried Bremod products before and so far, I like this serum as my first purchase. Sometimes, I use this as a leave-on conditioner. 3 pumps are enough to coat my all my hair strands ( I have thick bra-length hair).

My hair always feels smooth (enough) after ironing, but it lacks shine. I noticed that with this hair serum, my hair somehow looks healthier and "more youthful." I don't know but my hair looks old and damaged for a 22-year old like me. However, this has a downside. It doesn't protect your hair against humidity so my hair still poofs up whenever it rains.

Verdict

250ml for P199? That's a great buy! So far, this serum has worked well for my hair. Overall I am pleased with this and I would buy again.

Pros

Affordable

Available in Watson's

Good thermal protector serum

Makes hair soft. It can double as a leave-on conditioner

Cons

Doesn't protect hair against humidity

Pump doesn't have a lock so you can't bring stash it in your bag.

Tresemme Keratin Smooth Hair Mask

180ml, Php 180 in Sta. Lucia Supermarket.

Php 230 in Watson's and Department Stores

Packaging

I love how compact this hair mask feels. The red and black jar stands out in the hair products aisle. When I opened it, there was a cardboard seal at the top and the jar is filled to the brim. The ingredients and product description are written on the sticker around the jar.

Ingredients and Product Information:

Performance

I read a blog where the blogger claimed that this hair mask had a watery consistency. Well I don't know but this one comes in a creamy and dense consistency. I tried tilting the jar sideways and as you can see, the product isn't spilling.

For my thick bra-length hair, I use about a teaspoon of this mask and apply it from the middle to the tips of my hair. For the roots and topmost part of my hair, I apply my usual Human Nature conditioner. I feel like my scalp has had enough with the rebonding and hair coloring chemicals so I try to make up by limiting its exposure to non-organic products. Moving on, I then leave this mask for 30 minutes to 1 hour as I go about my day. I wash it, towel dry it as usual and air dry it. I typically apply sunflower oil and Bremod Pro3 serum to my hair after shower but for the sake of testing Tresemme keratin smooth, I didn't.

My first impression was: it made my hair extremely soft to touch. I couldn't stop smooth my fingers through my hair. My hair was definitely less frizzy and fuzzy looking. It also became slightly shinier. I'm glad that my Php 180 didn't go to waste. This mask has dimethicone so I am expecting product buildup which means I shouldn't use it too often OR I should use a clarifying shampoo weekly.

Verdict

This is a good hair mask. So far, I would say that I'd buy again but with the plethora of hair masks out there, it doesn't hurt to try other brands :)

Pros

True to it's claims: made my hair smoother and less frizzy.

Makes hair super soft

Nice, soft scent.

Widely available.

Cons

Has dimethicone and other surfectants so use a clarifying shampoo weekly

Not available in 300 grams in the Philippines

haul, Oryspa, review, reviews

Review: Oryspa Faves (Meditation Balm, Rejuvenating Oil & Rice Powder Face Mask)

10:34 PM

I love organic and natural beauty products. Except for makeups, I'm just so done burdening my skin and liver with harmful chemicals and preservatives. I know we live in a toxic world so as much as possible, I'd like to minimize my exposure to toxins. I'm a Human Nature lover but it doesn't hurt trying other brands. Oryspa is a Singapore-based brand and I must say, I love their products! Here is my haul:

.....

Oryspa Meditation Balm

50 grams, Php 265

(also available in 15 grams, Php 95 and 120 grams, Php 850)

Bought at SM Megamall (Philippines)

www.oryspa.com

This Meditation Balm is heaven-sent! I used to sniff efficascent oil from Mercury Drug because I love that cold and relaxing sensation menthol gives. However, since I got this balm, I am never going back to that. This balm has a menthol scent with orange undertones in it. Forgive me for being a poor scent critique. I suggest you just go smell the samplers they have on their kiosks.

Ingredients and Product Information:

What's in it?

The cool sensation packs a really strong punch so I feel relaxed seconds after inhaling this balm. I also love applying it to be temples, eyebrows, neck, and nose (it doesn't hurt) if I feel too tense from working and if I feel a headache starting to develop. I promise that you won't smell sickly or medicinal. Another benefit is that the oils get absorbed easily so you're not left with a greasy film. I super recommend this balm to people having all-nighters, overtime work, night shifts and graveyard shifts.

10/10 would buy Meditation Balm again! Mom and I even bought some 15 gram jars to give as a gift to my grandmother.

Oryspa Rejuvenating Oil

60ml, Php 265

I was quite disappointed at first when I saw this product in the store. The website says the bottle contains 120ml for Php 265 but actually, it's 60ml. Nevertheless, it's a good buy but I hope they'd update their Philippine website. Moving on. The Rejuventing Oil has a clean tea tree oil scent. Not like Human Nature's tea tree oil but more like tea tree oil perfumes or fragrance oils. The scent is on the"relaxing" side rather than "rejuvenating." It is fast absorbing so it doesn't feel heavy on the skin. I've been using this for 2 weeks now and I haven't gotten a single breakout from it.

Ingredients:

I also like the fact that I get a combination of oils in a bottle. That spares me from buying different kinds of oils in separate bottles! My mom loves this oil so much that she uses this as her night time moisturizer.

The pump dispenser releases very little amount of the oil in one pump, making it economic. I like the overall feel of the packaging (it feels expensive) but the bottle is clear so I store mine in a dark, cool place (inside my cabinet) to avoid UV rays from turning the oil rancid.

So far, I am liking Rejuvenating Oil and I think I will buy one bottle again when I ran out of it.

Oryspa Rice Powder Face Mask

25 grams, Php 65

I commute to school so I am always concerned about detoxifying my skin during night showers. While I love my Aztec Clay mask, I find that preparing it is too laborious. I can only use Aztec twice a month because I get too lazy. Anyway, all reviews of Oryspa Rice Powder mask is positive so I decided to give it a shot. Let me start with the texture. This mask is composed of very finely milled powder. It has a sweet creamy scent. I mix 1 part water and 2 parts mask. I noticed that if I followed the 1:1 ratio, the mixture gets too watery.

Ingredients:

After application, the mask dries very quickly, but it doesn't crack like clay masks. It just looks like you have a thick layer of white powder on your face. I spritz water to "revive" the mask. In my opinion, this is more of a nourishing and detoxifying mask and less of a "pore vacuuming" mask. I leave it on for indefinite number of hours; sometimes 2 hours, sometimes 5 hours. After washing my face, my skin feels soft, hydrated and smooth.

I even put half a teaspoon of this mask to my daily lotion (Human Nature) because of the bearberry extract and micronized arbutin in the ingredients.

I have discovered a new use for this mask :D. I use it as a makeup primer/skin mattifier! After I apply moisturizer, I apply a thin, watery layer of Oryspa Rice Mask then I let it dry. I then apply my regular foundation and my face is less oily throughout the day. I concentrate on my nose, mouth and forehead area because I tend to get oily and sweaty there. If you plan to use it as a mattifier too, avoid your eye area because concealer appears cakey and creased (in my experience). If you have a lose face powder, you can also add 1/2 teaspoon of this.

I will buy this again! However, I don't think I'll buy their 1 kg Rice Bran Face Mask (Php 850) because I don't have time to apply this mask all over my body (but it can also be used on the body as per instructions).

Have you tried Oryspa? Which are your favorites?

See more Oryspa products at

www.Oryspa.com

JP Naturals, Maxidoomz, reviews

Quick Review: Maxidoomz by JP Naturals

4:18 PM

review, reviews, Skinpotions

Skinpotions Review! Tomato Serum , Flaunt Thy Lashes, Snow Potion Oil

8:40 PM

I don't usually buy skincare products sold in Instagram because they're expensive. I saw an underarm serum worth Php 600 and I'm like "Seriously?" So when I noticed that Skinpotions offers a serum worth less than Php 300 coupled with positive reviews, I knew I gotta try it.

30 ml, Php 280 (USD 1= PHP 45-48)

Bought at Trinoma (Pop Culture) but Skinpotions have several resellers locally and abroad. Follow their Instagram account @skinpotions.

There's no indication what kind of plastic it is. I think that the ingredients listed on the sticker isn't complete because it doesn't list "fragrance" whereas the serum itself smells like strawberry. That's definitely a con for meticulous shoppers.

Ingredients:

Performance

This clear gel serum feels refreshing upon application. It doesn't leave any slick or oily sensation, making it perfect for day use. I personally use it under my makeup, too because it doesn't make my foundation feel greasy. I am anemic so naturally, I don't have pink cheeks. I don't even blush when I'm laughing hard. I'm pale like a mannequin. Within 2 weeks of use, it didn't make my skin appear pinkish white but I noticed that I don't look as sallow and olive as before. Somehow I look fresh. The small bumps on my face have diminished which is great because they always make my skin look rough. As for the acne scars, well I don't have existing acne scars so I wasn't able to test this serum on acne scars. It didn't have any effect on my wrinkles, however.

One pump is enough to cover my whole face and neck. I think this would last me around 4-6 months of daily use.

Overall, I'd rate this 3.8/5. For the cost, this serum is a steal. If you want a serum that is affordable, try this one. 30ml is the only available size at the meantime but shelling out Php 280 for a natural face serum (not organic) isn't so bad.

Moving on to the next product....

Flaunt Thy Lashes!

I have sparse lashes that's why I have two boxes of false eyelashes to compensate for it. I figured, well this bad boy is only Php 150 so I might as well try it.

5ml, Php 150

Bought at Trinoma (Pop Culture)

This eyelash gel/serum has a doe foot applicator and is meant to be applied on the roots of your eyelashes.

Ingredients:

Performance:

I saw thickening of my eyelashes on the 10th day. A lot of baby hairs started to grow on my top lashes. As for the length, there was little growth, about 1/5 of the length of my lashes. I noticed that my lash curler doesn't drag my eyelashes like it used to, meaning my lashes really got longer. Flaunt thy Lashes has a refreshing scent but it doesn't sting the eyes. Although there were a lot of oils in the ingredients, this one doesn't feel oily at all. I could only wonder.

Overall, I'd rate this 3/5. It's a good budget eyelash conditioner but if you want dramatic length increase, this may not be for you. I plan on trying other lash serums next time because why not :). I want to explore so I will not buy this again.

Update: On December 28, 2015, I bought...

Snow Potion Oil!

30ml, Php 280

Bought at Trinoma (Pop Culture)

Snow Potion Oil is a lightweight oil housed in a dark amber bottle with a glass dropper dispenser. It has a vitamin C derivative so the amber bottle protects the vitamin C from oxidizing from UV rays. The glass dropper tube isn't so sturdy; I could nudge it side to side so I need to be careful with it.

Also, notice that the bottle isn't filled to the brim when I took out the dropper. This is no problem for me, as long as the bottle contains 30ml.

This lightweight and scent-free oil spreads easily and didn't cause me breakouts so far within 5 days of use.

Here are the ingredients and product description of Snow Potion Oil:

I will try this oil on my discolored leg scars, lips and intimate area. However, I will only be posting before and after pictures of my scars and lips but I will update this blog after 2-3 weeks if I noticed any changes with my skin "down there" ;). I have no sunspots so I will focus on the whitening and anti-wrinkle effects of Snow Potion Oil.

**To be updated**

Finds, Human Nature, oil, review, reviews

Review: Human Nature Tea Tree Oil

1:58 AM

I don't have problems with acne. However, as I get older (meh), I noticed that my face develops these tiny bumps, especially around my eyes. They're not pimples, they're just painless bumps. My mom has milia around her eyes and I figured, damn I might be on the way to developing those. In addition, I noticed that I am getting small facial warts. A big NO! So I knew I had to do something. Take note that I oil cleanse and use 2 toners before applying night cream, so hygiene isn't the issue here.

What: 30ml of natural tea tree oil.

Price: Php 295. My mom is a Human Nature distributor so I got it for a cheaper price.

Where: In Human Nature boutiques and distributors.

Packaging

Human Nature Tea Tree Oil is packaging very well in a thick cardboard box. The bottle itself has this tamper-proof plastic ring that gets detached when you twist the cap. The amber color prevents the oil from being oxidized by UV rays, thus extending its shelf life. However, I still suggest you keep essential oils and all your beauty oils away from direct sunlight and temperatures more than 30 degrees celsius. I still store this inside the box.

The ingredients and other product description are printed across the box. This is not pure tea tree oil, as shown in the ingredients. This isn't marketed as essential oil either.

Inside, you'll see a small leaflet with a few ways on how to use tea tree oil.

Upon opening, the intense tea tree oil scent is very noticeable. The glass dropper delivers controlled drops. If you'll mix this with your lotion, don't let the glass dropper touch the rim of your lotion bottle so no traces of lotion will get mixed with the oil itself.

Performance

Although this isn't pure tea tree essential oil, I still like it. It isn't sticky or oily at all. I apply it around my eye and cheek area to prevent those small bumps and warts and I must say, I think it's working. I wasn't able to take a before and after picture of my eye area unfortunately. The 30 ml bottle means that this will last a long while. I applied it on one of my toes when I lost my toenail there (it has grown back) to prevent fungal growth. Overall, I like this and I think I will repurchase again. It's affordable, effective and packaged well.

concealer, LA Girl, review, reviews

LA Girl Pro Concealers: Porcelain, Creamy Beige, Toast and Orange Corrector

11:53 PM

Concealer is the one thing in my makeup bag that I shouldn't run out of. I have extremely dark undereye circles. Some of my friends even call me goth because my dark circles look like smudged black eyeliner lol. To add insult to injury, I'm anemic so having dark circles makes me look extra worn out.

For this review, I'll be talking about LA Girl Pro Concealers. They have new shades, namely Porcelain, Light Ivory, Mahogany, Green, Yellow and Orange color correctors. I have Porcelain, Creamy Beige, Toast and the orange corrector.

Quick description: 8 grams of liquid concealer with a brush applicator. I bought these for Php 120 online and they sell these for Php 299 (limited shades) in SM department stores & LA Girl kiosks in the Philippines. (US$1=Php 45-46).

Here is a thorough description of the 4 shades I have and some swatches.

Swatch time! Take note, I used very little concealer here, just one tiny squeeze so my swatches appears dry on the picture.

With Flash:

Porcelain: Porcelain is their lightest concealer shade. If this is too dark for you, then probably other concealer brands will do. This has a neutral undertone so it has neither yellow or pink undertones. I tried this alone on my dark circles and as an NC25 girl, Porcelain can make your undereye area look ashy. I use this to lighten Creamy Beige and to brighten my nose bridge and brow bone.

Creamy Beige: This is the perfect shade for me. It merges into my skin tone well and brightens up my undereye area without looking garish. I bought Porcelain as a highlighter by mixing it with Creamy beige. This shade has warm undertones. It's not exactly yellow, but more like yellowish peach. On very fair skin, this may look a bit orange. See my full review on Creamy Beige HERE. As of writing, I learned that my Creamy Beige concealer is almost 1 year old (bought September 2014). Very economical indeed.

Toast: Toast is a slightly warm shade for me. On the tube, it looks neutral but when swatched, it gives a slightly warm deep brown shade. I couldn't pick up any green tones with Toast. I use this to contour my nose because my sweaty nose washes away powder bronzers easily. When spread, I could really notice the warmth, although thankfully, Toast doesn't appear orange on me.

Orange Corrector: This orange corrector is a deep, carrot orange corrector. The swatch can be overwhelming at first, but just think of this: you can mix this one with your typical concealer to create a salmon concealer! I personally prefer using this by itself then topping it of with Creamy Beige. I recommend applying this AFTER foundation because in my experience, the foundation just spreads this all over my cheeks. Another reason is this orange corrector doesn't set very well. It lasts longer when applied after foundation. This is my first color corrector. Before, I use a creamy persimmon lipstick. It worked ok but it was quite waxy even after spreading it so I had to blot it with tissue. Overall I'm pleased with LA Girl Pro conceal orange corrector, even though it didn't entirely neutralize my undereye circles.

This is my attempt in testing the orange corrector topped with Creamy Beige. As you can see, you can still trace my undereye circles, but the discoloration has improved.