Real Techniques Makeup Brushes Giveaway!

Hi loves! Happy weekend and advanced happy Mothers Day to all you lovely Moms :)

I know most of you are interested and excited with the teaser I posted on my Facebook Page last Thursday about a giveaway I'll be co-hosting and here it is! Its the Real Techniques Makeup Brushes Giveaway.

Real Techniques is a brand founded by Sam Chapman, who is a pro makeup artist and the other half of the well known Youtube guru Pixwoo sisters. She designed those brushes and they are the same brushes that  got beauty bloggers all over the world raving for it. I myself have been itching to try and own RT brushes but they were not available in our country. Luckily, KALM Cosmetics is now an authorized reseller of Real Techniques in the Philippines! Yes, you've read that right, we can now get our hands on those lovely Real Techniques brushes thanks to KALM Cosmetics. By the way, KALM Cosmetics is a trusted online beauty store and they carry mid range to high end cosmetics at an affordable and reasonable price. 

To celebrate this wonderful news, I together with other lovely beauty bloggers were chosen to co-host this giveaway. Are you excited? I know I am :) Here are the prizes up for grabs.

 There will be 2 winners of Real Techniques Travel Set and 3 winners of the coveted Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and all you need to do to win is strictly follow these easy steps listed below.

1. Like Beauty Colada's Facebook Page
2. Follow me on Twitter
3. Follow my blog via Bloglovin'
4. Follow my blog via Networkblogs
5. Share this giveaway via 
• Facebook: post this status "Join and get a chance to win Real Techniques Makeup brushes via @Beauty Colada http://www.beautycolada.com/2013/05/real-techniques-makeup-brushes-giveaway.html (tag friend 1, tag friend 2) "
• Twitter: tweet " Join and get a chance to win Real Techniques Makeup brushes via #beautycolada http://www.beautycolada.com/2013/05/real-techniques-makeup-brushes-giveaway.html (tag friend 1, tag friend 2) "
• Leave a comment with your name, network blogs and bloglovin' user name, facebook share, & twitter tweet
6. Lastly, visit HERE to validate and to complete your entry. 

NOTE: This giveaway is open from May 10 to May 24, 2013. Open to Philippine Residents only.

So, may the odds be ever in your favor and good luck :)

I Was The Lucky Earthlingorgeous Makeover Giveaway Winner

This post was way loooong overdue. This makeover happened on the second week of March and I'm posting this just now. LOL. Febuary 2013, Miss Earth Rullan celebrated her 5th anniversary for her blog Earthlingorgeous and held a giveaway to thank her loyal readers and I was one of the lucky ones who won the hair and makeup makeover courtesy of Tony Galvez Salon.

This make over was so timely, I was stressed out with work and personal issues I had barely enough time to go to the salon myself, so I really want to thank Ms. Earth for the opportunity and I wish you more blogging years to come!

Before the whole shebang, I was first introduced to Mr Tony Galvez and he took a before photo and at the same time analyzed my hair state. He also asked what kind of style do I have in mind. Honestly, I didn't have any. I've been sporting long hair and side bangs for so long and I just wanted change, something new. So I let Mr Tony to decide and judge what style looks best on me. I put the fate of my hair in his hands, as they say, leave it to the pros.

My hair was shampoo'ed first and I was ushered to the chair Mr. Tony then proceeded to cut my hair. As he was snipping my hair, I began to worry, I felt an attachment on my then long hair and seeing them go made me feel unsure if I can sport shorter hairstyle. The way Mr. Tony cut my hair was really superb, he made sure that you are comfortable and at the same time the precision were there. No hair fell on my face nor on my nape and let me just say this, he has the lightest hands! There were no pulling or tugging. I can really feel the passion on his craft as he cuts away my hair.

After the cut, his staff (I forgot his name) blow dried my hair using his hands and did not use any combs. Then he proceeded to color my hair. They chosen a subtle brown color, like chocolate brown which was meant highlight my face and not for it to look overly done and I like it. It was the same color I would go for if I were to choose.

Ms. Earth also had her hair done

Then as part of the makeover package I won, Mr. Tony applied makeup with his skilled hands and oh, the cat eye he made feels so effortless. He asked me to close my eyes, and I even didn't feel the brush hit my eyelid. Ms. Earth even commended Mr. Tony, she said that it was as if Mr. Tony drew a straight line.

The haggard face

Let me just say that the eyebrow pencil they used on my brows looks so gorgeous! I even asked what it was and it is Shu's famous brow pencil. I made a mental note to get that in the future teehee! :) Anyway, here's the final look.

Ms. Earth also had her hair done and had it styled for the event she'll be attending that day. Here's our finished look.

I remember Mr. Tony said to me that the style looked beautiful not because I used a double barrel comb and other beauty nifty gadgets. Its a style that I can carry, recreate, and achieve everyday. That's true even to this day, I can just comb it and my hair falls into place. The body and volume is still there.

Ms. Earth also gave me and other winners a loot bag from Adore fragrances.

Overall I really liked the experienced and I really loved this do! Again, thank you so much Ms. Earth for the experience and I wish you more blessings in the future. Thank you Mr. Tony Galvez I really, really, loved the look.

By the way, here is the blog post of the makeover on Earthlingorgeous.com. Miss Earth posted our before and after photo side by side so you can really see the difference and boy it was shocking ;) You can also follow Ms. Earth's adventures by visiting her blog, I swear I learned alot from her.

By the way, if you want to have to experience the same transformation as I did you can do so by visiting Tony Galvez Centrum located at 124 9th Ave., corner P. Tuazon Blvd., Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City Philippines. If you want to schedule an appointment you may call them at 02 913-3953 and 02 396-2112. You may also visit their website for more info http://TonyGalvez.com.ph 

Ever had a makeover? Share your makeover experiences below :)

Summer Starter Giveaway Winner!

Hi all, hope you had a great start of the month. 

First of all I want to thank you for joining our Summer Starter Giveaway for those who did not win this giveaway, don't worry because I'm planning another giveaway since this blog will turn a year old by next month. So please do watch out for that :)

The lucky winner who won more than PHP 2,000 worth of goodies is no other than,

Congratulations Shandie and may you enjoy those goodies. :)

Shandie just a friendly reminder though, you have to send an email with your full name, complete mailing address, and valid contact number to info@genzelkisses.com and/or jaja@beautycolada.com within 48 hours. Failure to do so will forfeit this win. Also Gen-zel, Eiz, Maggie, and I will be forced to draw/choose another winner. Sayang naman.

Again thank you all for joining and please stay tuned for my June blog anniversary giveaway!

xoxo :)

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Mousse Cleanser

Happy Thursday! Just one more day left then its the weekends woohoo! Today I'll be sharing my two cents about my favorite facial cleanser to date which is Neutrogena Hydro Boost Mousse Cleanser.

I'll said it before and I'll say it again, my skin type is dry combination which means that some part of my face is drier than the rest. My nose can be oily especially when the weather is really humid while the sides of my nose to the upper cheeks and forehead are dry. I find it really hard and frustrating to find for the perfect cleanser that will meet my skin needs.

That's why I'm so happy to have found this cleanser. Neutrogena said that this is a gentle hydrating cleanser. Rich, cushiony lather effectively foams away impurities while a special hydrating agent adds back moisture so skin remains clean and soft. This is dermatologist tested, allergy tested, and good for dry & sensitive skin.

Direction: Use daily. Pump foam into palm and massage onto face. Rinse with water.

Ingredients: Water, Butylene, Glycol, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Di- PPG-2-Myreth-10 Adipate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Phenoxyethanol, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropylamine Oxide, Bisabolol, PEG-150 Distearate, Fragrance, Methylparaben, Tetrasodium EDTA, Propylparaben, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Citric Acid, Ethylparaben, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Methylisothiazolinone, Copper Gluconate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract

It is housed in a clear blue posh looking packaging, however I have issues with its cover since the cap tends to pop off once in a while. Its not really handy during travel since the product might accidentally be pumped and dispensed once the cap is off.

the cap

One pump is enough for the entire face and once the product is dispensed it turns into a mousse consistency. This reminds me of a cleanser my dad bought from South Korea last 2002 as a pasalubong which I really liked. I don't remember the brand since it has been years already, but its the same size and like Neutrogena, its pump also dispenses the product as a foam.

the liquid

The cleanser can be spread into the skin easily and every time that I massage it into my skin I can really feel the debris and gunk being pulled off especially around the nose area. There are no beads in the product, just pure smooth foam yet I can feel dirt particles there when I'm cleaning my face. It feels light and refreshing to the skin too. Just after two weeks of usage, I can feel the difference - my skin was so soft and supple. I believe that this product helped get rid the notorious dry patches on my face.

This cleanser can remover powder and non waterproof makeup so please still use a separate and heavy duty makeup remover for waterproof and liquid makeup to avoid breakouts. I use this to double cleanse my skin when I'm wearing waterproof and liquid makeup (I'm using Etude House Cleansing oil) and yet there's still no tight after feel which made me think that its not stripping my skin of moisture.


I bought this early February and I still have 1/3rd of the product left though I'm using this twice a day. When you think about it, it is really not cheap when you compare it to other cleansers, however I still think that it is affordable and worth the price I'm paying for it since it really delivers.

Neutrogena was able to fulfill its promises and does what it claims. It met my expectations and skin needs. I'm glad I've found Neutrogena Hydro Boost Mousse Cleanser and I highly recommend it to anyone who needs the best of both worlds, cleansing and moisture, in a facial wash.

Whats your favorite cleanser? Share them below :)

Retails for ₱ 445.50

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You can also join our Summer Starter Giveaway by clicking on the photo below. You have the chance to win  ₱ 2,000 plus worth of goodies. Join now! :)

Common Beauty Myths

Sad news this morning about the Boston Marathon bombing. May the persons who did this cruel thing be brought to justice.

On a lighter note, I've though of posting several beauty myths that are common in the Philippines. These are just some beauty myths that are personally familiar to me. Read on and enjoy.

Toothpaste on pimples and blackheads

While it is true that the active ingredients present in the toothpaste can really dry a pimple and remove oil, the catch is that same active ingredients can actually do more harm than good. Toothpaste can actually overly dry the skin, irritate, and burn the skin since our face is actually delicate and sensitive than the rest of our body. It also can’t remove existing blackheads or prevent blackhead formation.

Plucking white hairs will cause more to grow back

The simple answer is no. It will not make more hair to grow back nor affect the surrounding hairs to turn white. The answer simply lies in our genetics. The truth is plucking can actually destroy the hair follicle because if the hair is consistently being plucked, it is sending a signal to our brain that the hair is not “needed” to grow in that area where you plucked. So over time, the hair follicle will shrink and will no longer produce hair therefore will result to “bald” patches. That’s the same reason why when you overly pluck your eyebrow most of them don’t comeback over time. Best advice, hold the tweezers and just dye your hair lol!

Pimple pricking or popping your pimples

I knew a girl who actually pricks or pops her pimple using a metal pin (pardible in tagalog) and I don't even see her sanitize the pin! The sad truth is when you pop a pimple you only risk worsening the blemish. It will allow bacteria to seep into the open pore and start an infection. Plus it may scar and darken since pricking the pimple creates a lesion or trauma in the skin. Best advice, when it comes to pimples leave it to the dermatologist and keep your hands off!

Shaving causes hair to grow back thicker

This is a big NO. Shaving doesn't affect the size or the growth of the hair. The explanation is actually quite simple, our natural hair has tapered end, and shaving them at the base will result in a blunt tip since the hair is thicker at the roots, it then gives the illusion that the hair is darker or thicker than it was before you shave.

Oily skin doesn't need to moisturize

A lot of Filipina I know who has oily skin tends to avoid applying moisturizer because they think that they’re already oily and adding moisturizer to their regimen will just contribute to added shine and excess oil. I beg to differ, the less moisture you give your skin the higher chances it will over compensate for the lack of moisture therefore the skin will work overtime to produce more oil to hydrate the skin. This is true especially if you are using cleansers or toners that are drying or for oily types. Many people believe that when their skin oil up, they need to dry their skin to prevent or "control" their skin from producing too much or excess oil which is not true at all. My best advice is to moisturize and when picking a moisturizer, read the label. Look for light moisturizers like water based, and check the ingredients if it can be comedogenic.

Staying in an air conditioned room will not make your skin produce excess oil

While it’s true that staying in a room with AC on is actually drying for the skin. However, due to dryness that the cold environment brings, our skin tends to overproduce oil to compensate for it which makes us oilier than usual. Best practice will be to keep the skin hydrated to avoid excess oil.

Sleeping with your hair wet can make you go blind

There is absolutely no connection whatsoever between blindness and sleeping with your hair wet. Period :)

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These are only few of my favorite beauty myths. There are a lot out there! So my question is, what is your favorite beauty myth and why? Share them on the comment section below :)
You can also join our Summer Starter Giveaway by clicking on the photo below. You have the chance to win  ₱ 2,000 plus worth of goodies. Join now! :)

Review: Krave Minerale HD Triplex Advanced Mineral Foundation with Licorice Root & Japanese Green Tea Powder

I'm back and happy Tuesday! I have a lot of post or backlogs that are on my drafts folder so please expect more post soon :)

Remember the Krave Minerale Event I was invited to last January? Krave was kind enough to give us 1000 pesos worth of GC to avail and try their new and reformulated products. As I've said before, I've claimed the Krave foundation powder and Krave Misty Spritz. Today, I'll be sharing my review for their HD Triplex Advanced Mineral Foundation with Licorice Root & Japanese Green Tea.

Krave says that it has whitening, anti-aging, and pore refining properties with skin beneficial ingredients of Japanese Green Tea Extract which is a powerful anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and has hydrating qualities. It is also a potent blemish whitening agent  and reduces hyper pigmentation. It helps soothe, clarify, and brightens skin. Krave also claims that this product provides up to 90% in covering covering up blemishes while deeply repairing and enhancing the skin color. Aside from that it also contains Licorice Root Extract which is a super anti-aging properties which prevents and repairs wrinkles or skin conditions and DNA damage. It also boast that it is USDA organic certified, cruel free, gluten free, paraben free and . It has a shelf life of 36 months.

click to enlarge

I'm the shade of Hazelnut which is the second to the darkest shade. I like how a small amount can go a long way and it definitely covered most of my blemishes in one layer. Despite that it being a powder foundation, it did not settled into any fine lines or emphasized the dry patches on my face unlike other mineral products I tried (my skin type is dry-combination). 

With any powder foundations, when worn it can make you look like you are wearing a mask unlike liquid face bases that looks natural or skin-like, not so with this one, the powder is highly blendable and silky that it looks so natural and it adheres to the skin so well it leaves my skin looking so smooth and even. Initial application leaves you with a soft matte finish and yes it blurs out the majorty of my pores which makes them less visible to the naked eye. It can also withstand the Philippine heat! I can get sweaty easily and yet it lasted an average of 6-8 hours on me with no retouch and a primer underneath. 

 As you can see most of the foundation stayed intact after 6 hours. It faded on the areas where I got oily which was my nose and near my temples. That's nothing a retouch can't fix.

I really love this stuff because aside from giving me a flawless face base, it also contains natural SPF protection because of the Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide which are physical blocks for UVA and UVB rays. I can easily retouch my sun protection levels by simple retouching my makeup, how easy is that?

This also sets my liquid foundation or concealer with ease and it never caked despite this being a powdered foundation, by that I mean that it is denser than setting powders. 

I can't vouch on the benefits that Krave claims because honestly, I haven't seen any major changes in my skin since I used this. I think that you'll reap the benefits in the long run of using this product. After all, the product is non-comedogenic, non-acnegenic, and nano particle free which lets my skin breathe and that is a good thing. Its as natural a makeup can get. 

Though I like how classy the new packaging looks like. I also appreciate the small mirror nested on top of the case. It  can't fit my face but its very handy for emergency touch ups. I like how compact it is and though it is relatively small, it has 6 grams (which is a lot) of product in it since it was tightly packed into the container.The only issue I have with this product is the applicator. I just don't get it. At first I thought that the product will pass through the hole and will be dispensed via the sponge because there's a hole where the powder can pass through. When I tried doing that, it just gave me uneven application. 

When I saw the dip tap tap tap instruction on Krave Facebook page, I immediately tried it, but I just find it even more difficult because the sponge tends to catch more product. Plus the sponge can be unhygienic and messy. So, I just use my Charm luxe flat top brush and it delivers flawless results with it but my brush don't fit the product opening, it is too small. Another area of improvement is, since I always bring this with me and it always inside my bag though it was never tossed around or such, I noticed that the sides started to show signs of breakage (cracks) therefore the plastic packaging is not really durable. 

Everyday look: Krave powder foundation and
Kpalette 2 way eyebrow

All things considered, I love the product! I can always work with it using my brush and there is more to love than to hate. I can always tolerate packaging as long as the product really delivers and it is! It is really promising. I definitely recommend this to anyone who's into mineral makeup or to those who are looking for an alternative and anyone who wants to take advantage of the benefits of a healthy makeup. I love this and will definitely repurchase when I ran out :)

Retails for ₱ 499.00

For more information you can visit Krave Minerale Cosmeceuticals website:

kravecosmeceuticals.com

and check their Facebook or Twitter for updates.

You can also join our Summer Starter Giveaway by clicking on the photo below. You have the chance to win  ₱ 2,000 plus worth of goodies. Join now! :)