Joyal Beauty Vitamin C Eye Gel Review

Saturday, April 15, 2017






Being someone who always has puffy eyes and dark circles under my eyes, I was thrilled when I was chosen to try this Joyal BeautyVitamin C Eye Gel.



I received this product complimentary for testing purposes and my honest and unbiased review.

Let's talk about the product itself first. The Joyal Beauty Vitamin C Eye Gel is made in an FDA-registered lab here in the US (Westlake Village, CA 91362 to be exact 😊). The Key ingredients of this eye cream are:

1. Vitamin C  - boost healthy collagen, even skin tone & brighten dark circles.
2. Peptides - improves skin resilience and reduce fine lines & wrinkles.
3. Avocado - also help to reduce dark circles.
4.  Hyaluronic Acid - Attracts and lock in moisture & prevents free-radical damage.
5. Caffeine - helps treat eye puffiness and eye bags.
6. Plant Stem Cells - treat wrinkles & sun damage and support skin's cellular turnover.



The brand pledge to be of purity with NO parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, silicones, propylene glycol, mineral oils, sulfates, artificial fragrances, synthetic dyes, triclosan, tea, DEA, and EDTA added. It is Alcohol-Free, Paraben-Free, and Cruelty-Free! It claims to be gentle and efficient in protecting the delicate eye area against photoaging while softening the appearance of fine lines and minimizing dark circles and puffiness under eyes. The bottle is a generous 0.5 oz (15 ml) with an easy and anti-mess pump that will last you for quite some time.

It has a cream-like texture.

The eye gel has a very light organic smell (like cucumber?). It's also very light and just a small pump you'll have enough to cover both eyes.


Is this product effective?

I regularly have puffy eyes, dark circles, and eye bags, but when I first use this eye gel, I was suffering from lack of sleep since I was accompanying my husband to the hospital to look for his sick dad. So, you can imagine how my suffering eyes look -- yes, a combination of puffiness, eye bags, dark circles and fine lines.

This is how my eyes look like before using the Vitamin C Eye Gel.
My eyes after using the Eye Gel for less than a week.

What I love about this product is that it feels soothing and cooling when applied around the eyes. It dries up fast too, and the skin around my eyes feels so smooth afterward. I've only been using it for less than a week, and I've yet to see any significant change in my eyes. Well, it must have been because I'm abusing my eyes lately - staying up late at night, using the computer all day long and playing games on my phone in the dark. But I think dark circles under my eyes are slightly lightening. So for now, I'll keep on using this eye gel because I know it's worth a try. I've read a lot of good reviews about this product (claiming it to be the #BestEyeCream) and great feedback about the brand as a whole as well.

I'll update you guys after another week or so to let you know any improvements. If you want to try this product for yourself, you can check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/Cream-Circles-Under-Puffy-Wrinkles/dp/B0131T8LIE/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1439428577&sr=1-1&keywords=eye+cream%2CB0131T8LIE

You can also watch my Vlog about this eye gel below:



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Easy-Peasy Hair Color Transformation with L'oreal Colorista Semi-permanent Color

Friday, April 14, 2017



If you are thinking of trying something new and vibrant for your hair, L'oreal Colorista Semi-permanent Color can be something you may want to try.


I received this product complimentary for testing purposes.

I love how simple and easy  L'oreal Colorista Semi-permanent Color was to use. It comes with a 3 pair of gloves, which I like since I actually used 2 pairs (one pair when coloring and the other pair when rinsing it), an instruction sheet and one expert brush.  It's amazing how it does not require any mixing, no ammonia, and no peroxide. It claimed to be with vegan formula and no animal derived ingredients which are a plus if you are a health or animal conscious person. Another great feature of this hair color is that it has no strong smell, as in no smell at all, unlike other hair colors that I've used with an adamant chemical smell! The 4 FL. OZ color tube was more than enough to cover my entire hair (armpit length). The Burgundy color is best in lighter brown hair color, and since I have reddish-auburn hair color, it was not clearly visible to mine.  This product is ideal for those who wanted to try different hair colors every now and then because the color only lasts 4-10 shampoos and so you can try another shade if you like! One more plus, after hair coloring, your hair will look so shiny and smooth even though it does not require any shampooing and conditioning!

My hair color before applying L'oreal Colorista in Burgundy.

The result of using L'oreal Colorista in Burgundy.
 I waited for a couple of days to write my review to see how long will this product last in my hair. After 4 shampoos, it was actually still visible, and my hair was still shiny. Few things I don't really like about it was the stain it leaves on your skin that is hard to remove (but you can use petroleum gel to remove it quickly). Also, it took me a very long time to rinse my hair after coloring -- as in hours of rinsing, and whenever you wash your hair after (2) days, you will still see the hair color washing off. Overall, I really like this product and will choose this again over my regular hair color every month.

My hair still has its shine and color after a week and 4 shampoos.



You can check L'oreal's site to browse for different shades of this product.




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The All Around Chef Brooklyn Kitchen Shears

Wednesday, April 12, 2017





Does anyone need a strong, all-in-one kitchen shears at home? Search no more! Chef Brooklyn Kitchen Shears is what you're looking for!


I received this product at a discounted price in exchange for my honest opinion and review that will be shared thru my social media channels. 

First, I can tell you that this product works wonder not only in the kitchen but also in your garden (and everywhere around your house, actually). This fantastic product does not only serves as a pair of kitchen scissors but can also be used as a screwdriver, bottle opener, nutcracker, fruit and vegetable peeler, serrated or straight knife, fish scaler and/or cheese grater!


A closer look at Chef Brooklyn's Kitchen Shears.

Bottle opener and Screwdriver.

Nutcracker.

Fruit and vegetable peeler.

Serrated knife.

Straight Knife.

Fish scaler and cheese grater.


It can cut through almost anything from meat (chicken, pork, fish), vegetables, flower stems, paper, plastic to cardboard and even carpet! It's perfect for your kitchen and garden needs and all things around the house that need cutting or slicing. The thing I love most about this product is the ability for easy and hygienic cleaning. Since it can be easily separated into two parts, cleaning it was so easy!  I personally love using this product. It's by far the strongest, multi-purpose and affordable Kitchen Shears I know.

Get yours at a reasonable price in this link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KSR0OVO

Check out my short video of this heavy duty, sharp and Multifunctional Kitchen Shears by Chef Brooklyn below.







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My First e.l.f. Cosmetics Beauty Kit

Wednesday, April 5, 2017



Recently, I've bought few items from e.l.f cosmetics to replenish my makeup box. Generally speaking, I do not use make up a lot because I have sensitive skin and cannot figure out yet what products suit me. However, I put makeup occasionally, on a date or when invited to a party.


I am a huge user of lipstick (especially Matte ones) because I think that's the only makeup that does not irritate me. I also use eyebrow liner often just to add some life to my face and make my eyebrow look decent.😁

I bought three products from e.l.f's website:  The Tinted Moisturizer in Nude, Matte Lip Color in Tea Rose and the Light Gel and Powder Eyebrow Kit. I was excited to use them all and I will share my two cents about these products.

Tinted Moisturizer (with SPF 20 Sunscreen, Cucumber, A, C, & E)

Claims:
- lightweight and hydrating
- anti-aging sun protections with UVA/UVB SPF 20
- even out skin tone
- enhances complexion


This product is available in 5 shades (Ivory, Porcelain, Nude, Beige & Almond) for any skin tone. Being a beginner in the world of glam and makeups, I don't really know what shades suits my skin tone, so just by seeing how the color looks like in the website, I chose the Nude shade, which was actually for fair to light skin tone (I have a neutral skin tone, medium dark). Anyway, I still use it and when I applied it on my skin, it's not obvious, as if I am wearing nothing and it looks just fine on my face. It evens out the skin tone, enhanced my complexion and moisturized my face well, true to its claims. However, if you are looking for a full coverage moisturizer, you may want to try some other moisturizer because this one is only good as a light coverage. You can wear it alone or wear over a face primer for more covered blemishes, dark spots or pimples. As you can see in the left photo, I am wearing it alone; hence, it still shows my pimples and dark spots. On the right-hand photo, I was wearing it over a CC cream that gives me a more flawless look. It doesn't have any strong smell (although some may have a sensitive nose) which I like about it. Being in a sunny state, I felt that this moisturizer doesn't last long under extreme sun exposure, but it does stay for a reasonable amount of time.

I don't know if it's obvious in these photos, but in the left picture, some of my dark spots are still visible (sorry for the low-quality pictures).

The only thing I don't like about this moisturizer was its cream-like texture which was a little sticky and doesn't glide smoothly on my face, thus made it difficult to apply and even it out. But overall, this one was a good buy for me, knowing the brand name and the affordable price.

Matte Lip Color in Tea Rose

Claims:
- exact color application
- hydrates lips
- pigmented
- glides effortlessly and smoothly
- long-lasting matte color



I messed up in choosing this color. The tea rose made me look pale and sick.😆I usually buy bright red colors but wanted to try a lighter shade this time, but I guess, it doesn't suit me. This lip color is available in 13 shades for different skin tones. Aside from the epic-fail color that I chose, I love this lip color.  It glides so smoothly on my lips, it's creamy and pigmented but gives a matte finish. This lip color doesn't stay longer as I expected and it is not transfer proof as well, but it's easy to put another coat on your lips when it's fading away. It comes with a small sharpener at the bottom which is perfect if you want your lip color to be pointy or just want it to look like new. I will personally buy this again but will choose a darker shade, which, I think looks good on me. Good product for a $3 price!


Gel and Powder Eyebrow Kit 

Claims:
- creates fuller, thicker and more defined brows
- pigmented wax
- provides a lasting color definition

Add caption

Sorry if I messed up applying the eyebrow kit, I am totally a beginner!

This kit has a small mirror and a double-sided Taklon brush inside (which is pretty small and sometimes hard to work with), one side to help you arch your brows while the other side aids in filling them in. It was good for a beginner like me. I got the light shade, but I should've gotten a darker shade, so I think I end up using a lot more of this product than I should. It was my first time using a gel/powder for my eyebrows, so it was hard for me to apply it at first, plus I don't have a real eyebrow to start with hahaha😆. I've tried using an eyebrow stencil and then it made it easier for me to apply it. If I can learn to put it correctly in my eyebrow, I think this would be a fabulous addition to my makeup routine, which is just lipstick.😅😆😊😁😀

Overall, I like the products! I am currently on my little journey of discovering cosmetics and perfectly applying it on my face, so expect more beauty product reviews from me!


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Tips to Save You Some Bucks (and to maximize your time) in your Walt Disney World Vacation.

Saturday, April 1, 2017



More often than not, vacations can get really expensive. On our previous vacation at Walt Disney World, we spent quite some bucks. What are the things we should have done to make this staycation a little less expensive?



First, let's talk about what we did to make our Disney Vacation less expensive.

We planned our vacation ahead of time.  This is a no-brainer. Planning out your vacation ahead of time will give you more chances of getting lower rates on hotels and good ticket deals. Cheapest hotels are the ones that get booked first, so plan ahead and grab those great hotel and ticket offers! Disney offers a great variety of deals sure to fit any budget!

We signed up to My Disney Experience account online. Signing up will make your planning easier. You can easily search a vacation package that is right for you, create reservations, get FastPasses and view and plan your daily itineraries.

We saved and saved. Going on a vacation without enough budget can be frustrating and, of course, not fun at all. So while you are planning ahead of time, make sure to start saving money for your planned trip to Disney World. Believe me, between $30+ meals, neat souveniers, lightsabers and Mickey Mouse ears, your hard earned cash disappears faster than a FastPass to Toy Story Mania!

We used the FastPass+ service. Upon registering online and buying our tickets, my husband and I discussed about the things that we would likely want to try in each park. FastPass+ service allows you to reserve access to up to 3 select Walt Disney World theme park attractions, entertainment and Character Greetings in advance. It's free so maximize it! If you have a hotel reservation, you can start making your FastPass+ selection as early as 60 days prior to your check-in date or if you only have a valid ticket or annual pass you can make selections up to 30 days in advance. FastPasses can run out quickly, so save your spot early and enjoy 3 selected rides, entertainments or attractions. Another Tip: If you can make reservations as early as possible, try to make all your FastPass+ reservations in the morning because once you redeem your initial set of FastPass+ selections (or the last arrival window has passed), you can make another FastPass+ selection for the same day and another set of selections (one at a time), subject to availability, of course. This can save you more time and enjoy more of what each theme park has to offer!

We did the Online Check-In. Online check-in is complimentary and available to all registered Disney Resort hotel Guests at Walt Disney World Resort. Checking-in online reduces your registration time upon arrival at the hotel, because they will already collect your information online which they usually collect in the standard check-in process. You can do this within 60 days of your arrival date.

We arrived at the hotel early. The earlier you arrived, the longer time you'll have to enjoy the theme park. Theme parks open at 9:00 am, so try to arrive before that time and if your room is still not available, just leave your luggage at the front desk and head to your desired park to start the fun! If you bought your tickets online, make sure to activate your magic bands at guest relations before getting in line to enter the park. Nothing is more annoying than waiting in line and getting turned back last minute because your magic bands aren't active.

Okay, so now these are the things we should have done, during our vacation:


➢We should have brought some snacks and drinks. Food and drinks in the hotel as well as in the parks were expensive. So, if you are planning to save a little, bring some packs of water, soda or juice and snacks with you in the hotel.  There's a mini refrigerator where you can stock your drinks and cabinets to put your snacks. It will definitely save you a ton! Well, if you don't want to do this, you can save some bucks from buying drinks if you purchase the hotel's tumbler. We failed to do this in the first day of our stay so we spent so much buying drinks. As in, $70 for two days worth of drinks.

When going into the park, if you can, DO NOT bring a bag. This will save you some time. Instead of lining up in those long lines for checking bags, you can just enter the park and start your day! I should have done this too, but I can't (I have my monthly visitor, bummer!) But actually, bringing a bag can save you some money too!

Bring yourself some snacks and a bottle. You are actually allowed to bring your own food in the park given that they do not require heating. Small snacks will do to save your day from spending too much for food. Plus, if you have your own bottle or a tumbler, you can just refill it with water from water fountains inside the theme parks. It won't taste that good, but you can bring yourself some powdered juice that you can mix with your water.

Think before you buy! I know, I know, there's a lot of good stuff that you would like to buy, but you don't have to buy everything that you find cute. Before buying anything, make sure you have seen enough of everything, then decide what you really want to buy, maybe, one or two (or maybe three). It's the memories that count anyway! :)

Lastly, if it's your first time visiting Walt Disney World, as what my husband told me, just enjoy the moment. Do not try to capture every photo of all the places, rides and attractions. There will be plenty of time for pictures on the next visit, after the newness has settled. Live the moment! Enjoy and have fun!














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