Ask any beauty aficionado, what their favorite sunscreen is and more often than not the Biore UV watery essence will pop up. It's no secret that most Japanese skincare brands have my heart (along with Korean beauty products) - they just work really well for me. I'm an avid fan of the Biore UV watery sunscreen in the blue tube/bottle and can completely understand why it has cult status.

Why's to love about Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essense?

It has a water-gel texture that's easily absorbed by the skin giving a natural, skin-like non-greasy finish (no noticeable white cast). It's also super lightweight, making it great under makeup or by itself.

Sometimes  though you want something different, you can't get a hold of the Biore sunscreen or for some reason it's not working for you anymore. Enter Village 11 Factory's Hydra Sun Fluid.


 
Biorè vs Village 11 Factory

1. Bottle - Village 11 has a pump but there's a tendency to lose the cap as it can be easily opened whereas the Biore one comes in a squeezable tube and a harder bottle with a screw-top.
2. Scent - The Biore has this alcohol-scent to it while this one has no noticeable scent.
3. Texture - While similar, Village 11 is more water-gel-like than Biore. But both are runny.
4. Color - Biore is has more of a milky color that blends on the skin while the Village 11 is clear.
5. Availability - Biore is more easily accesible at most Watsons' stores while Village 11 you can only find online. I got mine at Mei Satsuki on Shoppee (they also have a Facebook!)
6. Price - Biore's 50g tube costs around P500 at Watsons while Village 11's 50ml tube is around P650. Not much difference really.

Get the Biorè if you like Japanese brands or if Biorè in general has worked for you (if certain brands already work for you my advice is to stick to it) but if you're sensitive to scents or don't like alcohol-smelling products get the Village 11 Factory instead. All in all, I like both of these. They work great on their own and under makeup :)

Which one have you tried? Are you a kbeauty hoe or a japanjapan one? I'm both if you couldn't tell already.


xx,
CJ





Ice cream in the Philippines is a year-round dessert. It's never too cold, windy or stormy to enjoy this cold and sweet treat. With many go-to brands in the supermarket why not try brand that's a little more local and friendly towards our locally grown ingredients?

Papa Diddis is a Filipino ice cream parlor that make delicious flavors using carabao's milk and other ingredients that are locally sourced like barako beans and cookies.

Their 7th branch which opened last Dec 29th at Eastwood Citywalk and I was privy to their latest offerings this Holiday season.


Classic Christmas Flavors by Papa Diddi's



Some people avoid this like the plague but my family loves this to its core. The quintessential figure on the hapag every Christmas and New Year's is the Quezo De Bola. This delicious ice cream melds the creamy and delicately sweet carabao's milk with bits of salty edam cheese.

You can choose to have your ice cream scoop or scoops (let's be real) in a regular cup, in a rice crispy bowl or 'nest (above)' or like the next flavor Brazo De Mercedez (below) sandwiched between two cookies.


Sandwiched between two hard cookies (made for ice cream so it doesn't get soggy and wet easily) the Brazo tastes like the real deal. The top cookie is oatmeal and the bottom one is chocolate and chips.

Last but not the least, White Christmas. If you're a vanilla-is-my-go-to type of biss, this might be your jam. With caramel bits, this may be 'plain' but don't dismiss it just yet, it holds itself up well in the flavor department.



What I like about Papa Diddis most is that they contribute to the local community by utilizing our products and showcases them in the ice cream flavors. Whatever is in season will be extensively researched and used to make new flavors.



You can locate their newest branch near the citywalk cinema at Eastwood City, Libis QC.



Their affogato was delicious. 💖

Trivia : The name Papa Diddi's is the name of the owner's father, a pro-bono lawyer, who used to hand-make ice cream for his kids (including the owner Paul). Because of that Paul studied ice cream making at Penn State where the owners of popular US brand, Ben and Jerry's also studied.



You can have your scoop with any kind of toppings you prefer. You can choose from marshmallows, cookies, lengua, coated chocolate bits, chocolate chips, sprikles and more. I'm partial to no toppings.



Branches :

📍168 Maginhawa QC
📍4F Eastwood Citywalk 2, Libis
📍GF The Annex, SM North EDSA
📍UGF SM SouthMall
📍Pobstacion,Valdez St Poblacion
📍The Community Kitchen

Most recently they just opened their 7th branch here at Eastwood City Citywalk! (cinema area). Along with this newest branch, they unveiled their newest logo, that encapsulates their history more as well , at the same time!



Have you tried this local brand before? Kudos to the owner Sir Paul for inviting us and Aileen for arranging this event!

xx,
CJ

https://www.facebook.com/papadiddis/
https://www.instagram.com/papadiddis/
https://www.facebook.com/PapaDiddisPintClub/

image of black friday sale poster of leflair philippines

Two words. Black. Friday. The crazy discounts and deals are abundant every time this year and it's the perfect answer to last-minute Christmas shopping (because if you're like me, you're still not done ahhhh)

Say no more, from premium designer brands Kenzo, Daniel Klein and Aranaz to home brands like Braun and Scanpan, Leflair Philippines has your back. With new items on discount for a limited time daily and so much more is coming this Black Friday Sale up to Cyber Monday (Nov 28 to Dec 12) as well as LeFlair's own birthday sale which falls in between those dates.



Who is LeFlair?

Leflair Philippines, an e-commerce website for premium lifestyle brands at amazing value, officially opened its doors last September 24, 2019. Originally founded in Vietnam, Leflair offers up to 80% off and nationwide shipping on both local and international brands. Filipino online shoppers will now enjoy similar perks.

Leflair Philippines launches time-limited sales every morning, which include selections from coveted high-tier labels like Chanel, Dior, Celine, and Tom Ford to well-known lifestyle brands like Vans, Skechers, TOMS, Lock & Lock, SK-II, and many more.



I adore makeup and skincare so I was happy to know I can get my Korean beauty fix with brands that aren't easily accessible to me. From premium lifestyle labels to affordable home goods, LeFlair PH also offers free nationwide shipping, credit payments and COD for both local and international orders.

image of leflair black friday ad up to 80% off

Voucher codes for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

If you haven't decided yet, maybe voucher codes might change your mind? Get exclusive Access to Promos from Black Friday All the Way Through Cyber Monday:

Spend a minimum of Php5,000.00 and get Php400 slashed off your total purchase. See other vouchers available for use from November 29 to December 2, 2019 below.


Shopping Cart Value 
Get a discount up to
Use this voucher code
Php10,001 and above
Php 800.00
HAUL800
Php7,501 to Php10,000
Php 600.00
HAUL600
Php5,000 to Php7,500
Php 400.00
HAUL400

Come join me in celebrating the world’s biggest shopping holiday with Leflair Philippines! Shop now at http://bit.ly/shopleflair #ShopAtLeflair #LeflairPhilippines

xx,
CJ

PS. I'm a LeFlair PH ambassador but do check them out when you can!



image of a woman's chest wearing a see-through bra with the nipples covered with ice cream pasties
Filipinos now have stronger and louder voices regarding their bodies and how they express themselves. However, there's still stigma regarding cosmetic surgery or enhancement procedures being done. Bashers are still rampant and in order to break this stigma, I think it's important to talk about these topics in an open-minded and honest way.

One particular procedure that people still get people chatting is breast augmentation. What many people may not be aware of is that there are many other reasons for having breast augmentation apart from a boost in appearance. There are breast cancer patients who undergo breast reconstruction after mastectomy and transgender women who wish to further their transition.

Whatever the reason, your body is your body, and you decide what to do with it. That being said, it’s still important to make sure that whatever body choices you make, always prioritize your health and safety so research is key.

For those of you who are looking into or are interested in undergoing breast augmentation, you have many options when it comes to accredited plastic surgeons and medical clinics. It is also important to think about what brand of implants to use. Here in the Philippines, there are three main breast implants that are available : Motiva Implants, Mentor and Sebbin. I will break down the features and characteristics of each brand of implant to help you make the right choice.


MOTIVA BREAST IMPLANT

Motiva breast implants, a product of Establishment Labs, are considered to be the 6th generation of breast implants, with features that are known for their safety and innovation. Motiva implants have two main variants, Motiva Round and Ergonomix.



Motiva Round implants are designed to give fullness to the upper part of the breast creating a fuller-looking and tauter cleavage. Motiva Round contain ProgressiveGel Plus, which is their own patented silicone gel designed to maintain the round shape of the implant, while still possessing the soft feel of natural breasts.
Motiva Ergonomix are specifically designed to look, feel and move the same way as natural breasts do, whether you are lying down or standing up. Other types of implants tend to make the breasts look deformed when for example you lie down and the implants might have a tendency to rotate.


Safety Features

Safety is of utmost priority of course so, here are Motiva's have several safety features.To note, the silicone gel inside both types of implants are designed not to leak in the case of implant rupture.



SmoothSilk®/SilkSurface® - Motiva implants have a scientifically proven smooth shell surface, they call the SmoothSilk®/SilkSurface®. Developed through 3D nanotechnology imprinting creating a smooth surface design that lessens the chance of the implant attracting any formation of bacteria. This feature also makes it possible to insert the implant with a smaller incision, and lessens the risk of double capsule and late seroma.



BlueSeal Indicator - This feature was made especially for the assurance of surgeons. The BlueSeal has a bluish color as an indicator that it is in good condition with no tampering or damage before proceeding with the operation.


TrueMonobloc - Although the implant has many layers, all components of the implant are made in a way to make it one durable structure. This means that Motiva implants are more durable and can withstand more stress and pressure, and allows for easier insertion during surgery.

Q Inside Safety Technology - In order to make it easier for patients and surgeons to verify all the necessary data regarding the patient and the implants, Motiva breast implants has the Q Inside Safety Technology(the world's first FDA cleared RFID micro-transponder for use in humans and the only one with a CE-Mark when used in breast implants.) which helps patients and surgeons see necessary breast implant information without making unnecessary incisions.

Product Warranty

In spite of its low complication rate (less than 1%), Motiva still ensures the safety and satisfaction of patients, by providing a warranty program in the case of any complication. All Motiva implants are covered for replacement in case of rupture under the Always Confident Warranty for the lifetime of the implant, and a Product Replacement Policy in the case of capsular contracture, Baker grades III and IV for a period of 10 years.

For more information about their warranties please check their website : https://motiva.health/motiva-implants/product-warranty/


Note : This warranty program is applied in the Philippines only.


MENTOR BREAST IMPLANT

Mentor, under the Johnson&Johnson Family of Companies, provides a wide range of clinical-based solutions that help women in maintaining, enhancing, and restoring their self-esteem and quality of life.

Another one of the well-known brands of breast implants in the Philippines, Mentor has been one of the leading brands of breast implants for over 30 years. They pride themselves on their commitment to producing high-quality implants for their patients incorporating innovations in order to maintain their high standards of design, testing, and safety.


Products

Mentor offers three types of breast implants: MENTOR® MemoryGel® Implants, MENTOR® MemoryShape® Breast Implants, and MENTOR® Saline Breast Implants.

MENTOR® MemoryGel® Implants gives a soft, more natural feel of breasts through its formulate cohesive gel. It provides increased projection and fullness to the breast.

MENTOR® MemoryShape® Breast Implants on the other hand creates the desired breast shape with youthful firmness. The implants’ shape creates maximum projection to the breast. It uses what they call the SILTEX™ Texture to reduce key complications in primary breast augmentation.

Lastly, MENTOR® Saline Breast Implants provides the firmest feel out of the Mentor implants. It is filled with a saltwater solution. Unlike the gel-filled implants, surgeons can gradually add fluid to Mentor Saline Implants to reach the desired breast size, making it flexible in volume.


Safety

MENTOR® Breast Implants secures its patients of the implant’s safety. The implants’ outer shells, which has been tested for strength, resilience, and elasticity, is made from medical-grade silicone elastomer. These shells are filled with either Mentor’s silicone gel or saline.

Materials used in manufacturing MENTOR® Breast Implants are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as safe and effective.


Warranty

MENTOR® Breast Implants are automatically a part of their MENTOR®Promise™ Protection Plan.

If a confirmed rupture or deflation of implants occur, the patient will receive up to two replacement breast implants of the same type, without paying for any charge.

If the rupture of the MENTOR® Breast Implants occurs within 10 years after the surgery, the patient will also be granted up to $3500 as financial assistance for surgical costs. Complications, other than implant rupture, are also covered by the product replacement.


SEBBIN BREAST IMPLANT

Last but certainly not the least is SEBBIN breast implants. SEBBIN is a French company that has been creating, developing, manufacturing, and marketing implants and medical devices for cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries for more than 30 years.

Products

SEBBIN offers a variety of breast implant options from Smooth Round Breast Implant, Round Micro Textured Breast Implant, Textured Round Breast Implant, and Anatomical Textured Breast Implant. These implants are manufactured in the company’s factory in France. It uses a semi-traditional crafting of silicone, where the products are made by hand to ensure quality control of the implants.

Each Implant is marked by a laser with an identification code, which allows tracing of necessary implant information. This number is placed on labels accompanying the implant. and will also be present on the patient card after surgery.


Safety

All raw materials used in SEBBIN breast implants are registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The brand also adheres to the ISO 9001 and ISO 13458, which are standards for consistent, quality product manufacturing. It also has certified CE marking, which means it follows health, safety, and environmental protection standards for products.


Warranty

There are less than 1% reported cases of rupture and capsular contractions, in patients that used SEBBIN breast implants, 9 years after the surgery. In order to assure its customers the quality service of their products, the brand has its own warranty program, which is only disclosed to surgeons that use the brand.
I hope this helped you in making the right decision in choosing the best implants for your breast  surgery. I urge you to coordinate with your trusted and credible plastic surgeon when it comes to choosing the breast implants, so they can choose the right fit for your goals and your lifestyle.

It is a absolutely empowering to pursue the body you always wanted, but still keep in mind to make smart choices along the way.


image of a beautiful black woman with a towel on her haid and touching her bare face

Toners or 'skin', as labeled in some asian products, are always marketed as a must in your skin care regimen. You know how it goes, after washing place some toner on a cotton pad or your palms and gently pat on your skin. Not to be confused with astringents or those alcohol based toners that leave your skin feeling tingly, minty, tight and dry.

I admit I personally didn't see the importance of toners in my teens as I frequently forget to put it or just disregard it completely but they in fact do a significant difference to the skin. Let me break it down...

an image of a matte glass red bottle on a rug
Retails at ₱1,580.00/ 130ml

The skin has a natural PH level of 4 to 6 with the scale of PH ranging from 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most alkaline). Healthy skin has a PH level of around 5.5 which is slightly acidic. Washing the face with your cleanser plus water skews that balance and makes it typically more alkaline so a toner's job is to 'balance' it out to it's natural level to make it radiant and healthy. So toners generally are *slightly*  acidic to help re-balance your skin post-cleansing.

an image of a red matte glass bottle with korean ingredients on it placed on a rug

Use a toner. Periodt.

Similar to moisturizers, no matter what skin type you have, you should always use a toner. It maybe a little more tedious but it does help in establishing a healthy barrier and preps your skin to absorb the rest of your skin care.

There are many toners in the market that can cater to a lot of people but I generally prefer Asian or Korean made skincare. What I've been using lately is this So'Natural PH5.5 RED WATER TONER, which fits the bill EXACTLY. This toner has a unique red color and not just the matte glass bottle but the liquid itself. This is not a result from artificial colouring but from the natural ingredients it has.

an image of a hand with toner liquid in the palm
Ingredients : 
Purified water, glycerin-26, glycerin, 1,2-hexanediol, butyleneglycol, methylglucose-10, sodium citrate, indian myrtle flower extract, indian myrtle leaf extract, xanthan gum, sheet Ric Acid, Betaine, Caramel, Daodium Sodium Dithia, Tea Tree Leaf Extract, Ivygod Fruit Extract, True Coral Horse Extract, Centella asiatica Extract, Lemon Extract, Green Tea Extract
Fun fact : This toner has an EWG GREEN rating, meaning that all the ingredients meet the strictest European Union's standard of acceptable health, ecotoxicity and contamination concerns. The labels properly state all of the ingredients and follow good manufacturing practices amongst other criteria.
See other products/ingredients that are RED, BLACK OR GREEN on EWG here.

Typically I pat this on my skin after washing my face or whenever I feel like my skin feels dry and needs a little boost. So far, I don't see any visible results from using this particular toner after 3 weeks of straight use BUT I do notice that my skin isn't as taut after washing and using this. I feel assured in knowing that I take care of my skin properly (as much as I can) and that it will pay off as I get older.

How about you? Which toners do you love using?


xx,
CJ

PS. Thank you SeoulUnni for sending me this to try!


Privé Revaux purveyor of style and premium quality eyewear at accessible prices has collaborated with PLL star Ashley Benson to curate three sunglasses that encapsulates her true sense of style.

Aptly named The Benzo collection, these exclusive picks by Ashley Benson are a mix of eclectic and classic but overall completely stylish sunglasses.

The Planco, named after her dear friend and publisher, is a straight brow bar with an integrated side shield. Available in 3 colors (rose gold/ brown, rose gold/ orange, and gunmetal/ black). 

The Victoria, my kind of sunnies, is a classic rectangular shape with an angular upsweep and also Ashley’s middle name. Available in (caviar black/ black, candy red/ red, splash white/ grey gradient)

Another favorite, The Olive, a sleek cat eye frame, sweetly named after her dog. Available in (caviar black/ black and candy red/ red mirror)

With prices starting at P2,500 and worn by the likes of Jennifer Lopes, Jamie Foxx, Lily Collins, Cara Delevigne and Ciara just to name a few these are made to the highest standards.


Whether it's rainy or sunny, sometimes both on the same day, you can easily switch up your look and #ReframeYourself with The Benzo Collection! Avaialble at priverevaux.ph and all Privé Revaux stores.

Which are your favorites?

xx,
CJ


Disclaimer : This post is in collaboration with Privé Revaux




Traveling with make-up can be a little more stressful than it needs to be especially for the makeup lover. There's the issue of the liquid bases and huge canisters eyeshadow and powder. Not to mention the many lippie choices you have to consider for day-to-day, depending on the finish and itinerary, how it doesn't clash with your outfits or when you're so spoilt for choice but can only bring at most 2 lippies etc etc etc.



Made for the wanderer and jetsetter in mind, these mini (and when I say mini I mean the bullet is about 2 inches in height the product inside even less) lipsticks are the quick and easy companion of people who need options when they're traveling and don't add up on the airport scale.


Ingredient list

The names are must-visit locations of every traveler.


Isn't the packaging beyond adorable? From the box to the tubes themselves - this collection feels very well thought-out. I do appreciate the matte lego aesthetic and the animal icons on each tube it can come across to some as a little juvenile given the packaging and how mini this is (about 2 inches in height).



The blk travels set retails for P1,499 with eight creamy matte shades to choose from. Why all the animal icons? It's because the set donates a portion of the sales to the WWF or World Wildlife Fund .(If you haven't tried their lippies, isn't that a good incentive to try them? lol)



These particular lipsticks are made in Taiwan while I believe makeup in their other collections are made in Korea. All their products are cruelty-free and PETA approved. 


On to the swatches :



These lipsticks were released in a set way back, around this time last 2018 I believe. Hence the 'holiday' main box packaging. I might've switched the labels of the hand swatches. Sorry!








LA and Paris are shades I'm lukewarm about. They work when I have a specific look in mind, but I prefer them more as washes or tint rather than full on color on the lips.




Application-wise there's full color with one swipe but full opaqueness can be achieved with two full swipes.


LONDON and DUBAI are my most favorite shades out of everything. Majority of the reason being that they're nudes and they're so flattering.






Hongkong is the perfect blue-based deep red on me. It's perfect.

The texture and consistency for most if not all the lipsticks are the same : matte and creamy but not  soft. The finish is definitely matte and it's creamy enough to apply without heavy dragging but  not easily meltable(?) There's some stability to the formula. Don't expect kiss/budge-proof as these do transfer but I find that they leave a slight stain on the lips as it fades throughout the day.

As for how it feels on my dry lips, sufficient prep is needed as these are matte. The small size offers a little more precision than the usual normal sized tube and you can easily finish a tube in a couple of months before it even expires - so that should boost your hitting-pan lemmings. Some of the shades might not work for the darkest of skintones, I think these are perfect for fair to medium-tanned skin, anyone darker some shades would look ashy or too odd.

Try this if you want an introduction to the blk matte lippie formula or you're the type to bring more than two lippies whenever you travel or you just want to finally finish a tube before it even comes close to expiring.

As for me, I like its size and the different shades and the fact that it answers my particular quirk when bringing lippies with me. I personally would like at least two universally flattering options for when I travel. So this set is a cute little addition to my travel makeup bag.

Have you tried any lispticks from blk or any other makeup? What else is good with the brand?

xx,
CJ

PS. Thanks to my beau for gifting me these. I personally love the story more of how confused you were when you got these though. The lipsticks are just a sweet bonus. :P