My Pixi Beauty Collection!

Brand spotlight coming up!

Have you ever heard about the brand PixiBeauty? If not, you're missing out! It's a beauty and skincare brand that offers incredible products to bring out your natural beauty. They've been around for 20 glowing years to provide "pure, awakening & skin-loving products that create a naturally radiant 'just had a good night's sleep' look." Sounds pretty amazing, right?

For today, I am sharing my collection of their skincare and beauty products and my favorites among them (which was actually hard to pick because they are all good!)

*By the way, all of these products are PR gifted, but this is not a sponsored post* 

Here's their PixiGlow Cake ($28 each):

It comes in two Shade: GlidedBare Glow and PinkChampagne Glow. These 3-in-1 coordinated cheek colour and light-diffusing palette help to achieve a naturally healthy, radiant complexion with flushed apples of the cheeks, subtle contouring, and glowing highlights. These will definitely give you the naturally healthy and radiant glow! I can't pick just one from these two because I used each dependent on which look I am trying to achieve.

Here's their Rose-Infused Collection:

These are probably one of my favorite collections. I love everything pink and rose. :) This collection includes the following:

Rose Glow Mist - this refreshing Mist helps moisturize skin, improve elasticity and provide free radical protection - $15 

Rose Ceramide Cream -  this ultra-rich cream provides long-lasting nourishment and help to improve skin's elasticity while protecting it against environmental aggressors - $24

Rose Cream Cleanser - this is a soothing and gentle cleanser that helps strengthen and soften the skin - $18

Rose Tonic - this toner rehydrates, replenishes, and refreshes skin while gently removing any impurities - $15

Rose Flash Balm - a great pick-me-up 3-in-1 moisturizer that instantly moisturizes and brightens the skin that can be used as a mask or a primer - $24

Rose Caviar Essence - this gorgeous looking product with its encapsulated flower oils is a weightless serum-essence that helps nourish and hydrate skin while providing immediate and long-term radiance - $24

Rose Oil Blend - a botanical blend that rejuvenates, restores and renews the skin to help improve its elasticity and glow - $24

Makeup Fixing Mist - keep that glow locked with this makeup setting spray that prolongs makeup wear while keeping your skin hydrated - $15 

Among these products, my top two favorites are Rose Caviar Essence and Rose Ceramide Cream!

Here's their Eye Reflections Shadow Palette ($24 each): 

They come in 4 shades:

Mixed Metals 

Reflex Lights

Natural Beauty

Rustic Sunset

I am fortunate enough to get a hold of Reflex Lights and Natural Beauty palettes! And my favorite is the Reflex Lights between the two.

Here's their Glow Tonic Collection:

Glow Tonic To-Go - you want your glow tonic to-go? Here's their solution! The travel-friendly pads pre-soaked in Glow Tonic so you can quickly achieve that toned, brightened, and hydrated skin wherever you go - $18

Glow Tonic Serum - this serum is all about hydrating and moisturizing while providing gentle exfoliation to the skin to show a radiant complexion - $24

On-The-Glow - would be one of my favorites! This multi-tasking stick can hydrate the lips, body, and hair! It's a perfect travel-buddy moisturizer -  $18

Phenomenal Gel - this neutralizing moisturizer  helps stabilize skin's pH levels while providing moisture and balance complexion - $24

Glow Tonic (100 ml) - this is my first and most favorite Pixi Product of all time! This gentle toner smoothes the skin and gives it a healthier glow - $15

Glow Tonic Cleansing Gel - this will probably be my least favorite skincare product from PixiBeauty. Although it promises to remove impurities and brighten the skin, I did not feel or see anything special when I used it. - $18

And yes, the Glow Tonic will always be one of my forever favorites!

Here's their complete Vitamin C Collection:

I got 5 of these products which I listed below:    

Vitamin-C Juice Cleanser - it gently cleanses and brightens skin while improving the overall tone and appearance of your complexion while boosting your skin's natural luminosity. - $18

Vitamin-C Tonic - this toner helps prep your skin to your skincare routine. It helps create a smooth and vibrant complexion while soothing and brightening your skin. - $15

Vitamin-C Serum - this serum provides immediate and long-term radiance and helps reduce the effects of sun damage. - $24

Vitamin-C Caviar Balm - this brightening leave-on mask provides deep hydration while nourishing the skin and providing heavenly moisture day and night. - $24

Vitamin-C Lotion - this lotion provides hydration and protects the skin from sun damage while boosting the skin's luminosity and gives skin smoother complexion. -  $24

I used up the Vitamin-C Juice Cleaner and Vitamin-C Tonic pretty quickly, which tells you that it has become my favorites from this collection. Among others that I don't currently own, I am down on trying the Beautifeye Eye Patches ($24), Vitamin C Sheet Mask ($10), and the Vitamin Wakeup Mist ($15).

Here's their PixiPretties Collection:

The Layers Highlighting Palette - with this highlighting palette, you can customize your own highlight by mixing it together and layering it. It's a multi-use glow-mix palette for your lids and cheeks. - $24

Eye Heart Palette - this palette includes wearable and light-reflective shades in a super silky formula that helps you to easily create stunning looks. - $20

Glow-y Powder - This silky soft, multi-dimensional highlighter has prismatic particles that give you the most gorgeous and radiant glow. It comes in two shades - Fetch (brown tone) and Wednesdays (pink tone). - $16

Endless Shade Stick - An easy-to-use shadow stick that helps you to create a beautiful eye-look quickly. It definitely falls into the on-the-go category, and what more interesting is that it is smudge-proof! I have this is One and Done, Copper Glaze and Matte Cocoa shades, but it's available in 4 other shades: Pearl Lustre, Pink Quartz, Matte Cognac, Bronze Blaze- $14

Lit Kit - This Kit includes Liquid Fairy Lights, a long-wear, liquid glimmer eyeshadow, and MatteLast Liquid Lip that provides full-on color while keeping the lips hydrated. It comes in two varieties - Day and Night, so you can easily change up your look - classic to dramatic! - $18

My top two from this collection is definitely the Eye Heart Palette and the Lip Kit!

Here's their complete Hydrating Milky Collection:

I am so happy I got to own 6 of them:

Hydrating Milky Makeup Remover - this is a gentle makeup remover that helps you get rid of the most long-wearing makeup without stripping the skin's essential moisture. - $24

Hydrating Milky Cleanser - it's a creamy daily face wash that gently cleanses the skin while providing it with deep hydration. It's suitable for all skin types and ideal for dry skin. - $18

Hydrating Milky Peel - a gentle exfoliating micro-peel product that clears away dead skin cells to show brighter skin. - $24

Milky Tonic - this is a balancing and hydrating milk-enriched toner that help soothe your complexion and provides essential hydration to the skin while helps your skin relax.  - $29

Hydrating Milky Serum - this serum helps hydrates and revitalizes skin while giving it the protection it needs and improving its elasticity. - $24

Hydrating Milky Lotion - this multi-use lotion can be used for face and body to deliver instant moisture and long-term hydration. - $24

Missing in this collection is their Supersized Hydrating Milky Mist, 160 ml ($20), and the smaller version - 80 ml bottle ($15). My favorites would be the Hydrating Milky Makeup Remover and  Hydrating Milky Peel.

Here's their Retinol and Jasmine Collection:

Retinol Jasmine Cleanser - this is a creamy moisturizing cleanser that helps remove all impurities for smoother, firmer, and more radiant-looking skin. - $18

Retinol Tonic - this multi-action treatment toner helps reduce fine lines and smoothes the complexion while soothing sensitive skin. - $15

Overnight Retinol Oil - this smoothing night oil helps restore skin plumpness and improve the appearance of fine lines and pores. - $24

Retinol Jasmine Lotion - this lightweight moisturizing lotion helps to ensure healthier-looking skin by while leaving skin feeling renewed and nourished. - $24    

Retinol Eye Cream - this super nourishing eye cream helps improve skin's elasticity and helps minimize the look of fine lines around the eye area. - $22

Among these fantastic products, my favorites are the Overnight Retinol Oil and Retinol Eye Cream.

Here's more of the Pixi Beauty Products I currently owned and loving:

Glitter-y Eye Quad - this quad of four glittery shades is perfect as a finishing toper to add sparkles on your eye makeup looks. It's available in 3 shades: Rose Bronze, Gold Lava, and Blue Pearl. I currently owned the Rose Bronze palette. - $14

Liplift Max - this peptide-infused lip plumper is a volume-maximizing lip treatment that hydrates and nourishes the lips with its cooling sensation and glossy finish. It's available in 5 shades: Petal Ice, Honey Sheen, Sheer Rose, Sweet Nectar, and Peony Bloom. I have 3 of these - the Petal Ice, Sweet Nectar, and Peony Bloom shades.  - $14

H20 SkinDrink - this intense moisture gel delivers a burst of hydration to the skin while instantly rejuvenates and refreshes it. - $6 for mini and $22 for the regular size.

Makeup Melting Cleansing Cloths - these pre-moistened cleansing cloths can effectively remove makeup while calming the skin and leaving it feeling perfectly clean and balanced. - $10

Large Lash Mascara - this mascara has a specialized and buildable formula that intensely volumizes and lengthens the lashes with its oversized brush. $16

Summer Glow Palette - this silky natural mineral powders in a mix of matte & glowing finishes is perfect for creating a natural sunkissed glow look. $20

There's so many to love from Pixi Beauty! What's your favorite collection or product? If you haven't owned any yet, what would be the most you are excited to try?

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3 Reasons To Have A Pet In Your Home

Whether you are a dog person, a cat person, or have a special place in your heart for rabbits, rats, or hamsters, there’s something special about coming home to a furry friend after a hard day at work. The unconditional love an animal provides and the responsibility tied with pet ownership is beneficial when it comes to both our physical and mental health and wellbeing. Here are just a few of the many reasons to have a pet in your home.

Health

Studies show that pet ownership is often tied to better physical and mental health. Having a pet is shown to decrease stress, with the science showing that the stress-producing hormone cortisol is lower after you spend time with your furry companion.

Having a pet also requires you to be on your feet, whether it be cleaning the litter box each day or walking the dog a few miles. This increase in cardio helps keep pet owners in good physical shape. Pet ownership can also be a great way to deal with allergies, asthma, and your immune system, particularly for your newborns. Studies prove that those who grow up with pets are at a lower risk of developing allergies and asthma, as well as eczema. With dogs especially, exposure to the bacteria they have in their mouths is shown to boost your immune system. 

Connection

In adults, a pet provides companionship and an emotional and physical connection with another being. At times when we are mentally unwell, a pet provides us with that constant feeling of love and stability. A pet can also be a great ice breaker. If you are feeling lonely, take the dog out for a walk. You may just meet other pet parents or neighborhood friends looking for a connection, as well.

The connection between a child and a pet is also important when it comes to childhood development as well. Pets teach children valuable lessons about responsibility, love, and loss. A pet is often a child’s first experience taking care of and nurturing another being, which will prepare them to develop kind and loving connections in their future. Children who grow up with pets are also shown to have fewer behavioral and learning problems and may also prove to be more compassionate as they grow into adulthood. Unfortunately, pets’ lives are often shorter than our own. The loss of a pet in a child’s life often comes before the loss of a grandparent or older relative, and this will teach them the important lesson that time spent together is precious, and no matter how short or long a person’s life, and no matter the pain we experience when they are gone, we would never trade the pain for the incredible memories of the time we spent together.

Purpose

For pet owners, their furry friend is often the reason they wake up every day. The regular schedule you need to adhere to when feeding, walking, or scooping the litter box gives the motivation to wake up every morning and take the day head-on. If you have trouble getting out of bed every day, a pet can provide that extra sense of purpose and love that pulls you out of a funk and gets you moving. There is often a positive physical and mental reaction when it comes to taking care of a being that needs you to survive. Your pet depends on you just as much, if not more, than you depend on it. That feeling of responsibility can be trying when you’re working around a busy schedule, but always incredibly rewarding.

Conclusion

Having a pet is one of the best decisions you could make for yourself or for your family. The health benefits are high, and the emotional benefits are even more rewarding. Choosing the right pet for your family and your schedule is important, and we should always remember to “adopt - don’t shop!” when it comes to finding the perfect furry companion. Whether you’re looking for Birmingham homes for sale to house your future fleet of puppies or just searching for a cat to make your small apartment feel homier, there’s a furry friend out there for you that needs your affection just as much as you need its companionship.

*Featuring my own fur baby - Luke Skybarker, a Labrabul (mixed of Labrador and Pitbull).

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My Blogging and Influencer Journey - Looking Back

 

I have previously posted a blog post about my journey into becoming an influencer with a tad bit of information and enough tips for you to begin your own influencer journey.

Today, I am giving you a detailed background and timeline about how I started!

The Beginning – Stepping into the world of blogging.

I always wanted to have my own website because I know somewhere in me – is someone who loves to write. I purchased my own domain in September 2016 and started working on the design of my blog. However, it's not until March 2017 that I finally and officially launched it!

The Next Step – Building my Instagram Foundation and Presence

March 27, 2015, when I dived into the Instagram craze and opened my account just for personal use. I was just posting random photos of everything. Came 2016, I was a stay-at-home wife doing odd jobs online and obviously had a lot of spare time in my hands to be on social media platforms, specifically Instagram. I saw people getting free stuff and sharing their thoughts about them. I said to myself, "I want to do that too." I started following freebie hunters so I can learn where to get free products to review that led me to discover different platforms and websites and started signing up for them. I always love to share my thoughts and my experiences with others, so that little fire of passion for sharing my first-hand experiences to others, later become that Influencer passion I have until now. In March 2017, I started to get products to review. I accepted everything – from scissors to kitchen utensils, pet supplies, makeup, and skincare. Then I came to love skincare and makeup – that became another passion.

I then started following makeup bloggers and skincare enthusiasts. I slowly learned how to do makeup and started to have a complete skincare routine! Makeup and skincare became my niche. I enjoyed watching makeup tutorials on Youtube and Instagram. And when TikTok emerged and took over the world (okay, I am just being exaggerated here!), beauty influencers became more active in sharing their talents in this video-based social media platform where they can be more creative. I can tell you that they are absolutely fun to watch!

True, there's a lot of fantastic beauty influencers in TikTok right now, but Popsugar rounded up a few talented beauty influencers that you should be following.

Although blogging is my passion, sadly, I stopped May 2019 due to a lack of time and motivation.

Reaching some milestones – Expanding my Instagram Family

So going back to my journey, I started my Instagram with around 150 – 200 followers, and most of them are friends and family. I reached my first 500 followers in May 2017 and mark the 1000 followers around September that same year. I can't remember exactly how I grew from there, but all I know was, I was stuck at 3k followers for so long – probably a year (2018 - 2019). Fast forward August 2020 – I just recently reached 6k!

And along with it, I was able to find time and motivation again to continue blogging, hence, rebranded and relaunched my blog!

It was a struggle to grew my Instagram following but always thankful to those people who supported me from Day 1. I believe that it's imperative that you know who your target audience is and that you are willing to show up for them every single time, even if you don't feel like it. Engagement is key. I have also learned that taking good photos and adding a compelling caption that gives them a glimpse of who you are, helps a lot in retaining your existing followers and gaining new ones. Plus, don't forget to play with the hashtags if you want your post to be seen by new people.

My current goal is to have 10k followers by the end of the year. Let's make this happen!

Collaborations and Sponsorship – The endless possibility

Is the number of followers important in getting those collabs and sponsorship? For me, it's a yes and no answer. And I will tell you why. I had gotten quite a few collabs when I was just starting out, especially from small brands that needed product testers and can offer you free products. There are also several platforms where you can work with different brands, even if you still don't have that big following. So, in this sense, the number of followers is not essential in getting collaborations. Some brands actually prefer micro-influencers (influencers with less than 10k followers), because they tend to have a higher engagement rate. This means their products will actually be seen by engaged and interested people.

However, big company and higher-end brands tend to rely on macro-influencers (influencers who have over 10k followers) which obviously have a better following. The logic behind this is that, their product will be visible to more people because macro-influencers have a higher reach. Macro-influencers also tend to have a higher chance of getting a paid sponsorship – meaning, brands are willing to pay them with money along with free products, to promote their brand. So yes, in this case, follower count, really counts! Still, this is not always the case; micro-influencers can be paid and offered sponsorship by brands too. I actually have a current paid brand deal in the works while I am still considered a micro-influencer. So all of this comes down to different factors and also depends on the brands.

But nevertheless, we can see here that influencers are becoming essential parts of marketing. That is why many brands are depending on them to promote their products. And then, this is where influencer marketing platforms play an essential role. They help brands find the best and trusted influencers to promote their products. See, for example, Intellifluence, an influencer marketing platform that is home for more than 80k influencers from 176 countries, all ready to collaborate with the right brands. And since beauty is one of the most popular niches, they have a new approach to beauty marketing. They have a pool of talented cosmetics influencers who are waiting to collaborate with beauty brands. 

All that being said, influencer marketing seems to be staying for a long while. And for this reason, if you want to start your own journey as an influencer, now is the time!

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New-found Best Skincare (and current favorite) Brand!

I always love taking care of my skin and have always been excited about trying new skincare products. In fact, I started my Instagram account by posting mostly my love for facial masks.

Then, I came to love makeup and other beauty products.

But as I grow older, I started loving my skincare more than anything. Before, I enjoy trying different products that I can get a hold-off,  but my skin started to detest it, making me think that it's the reason why I started to have more breakouts than ever. I started minimizing the products I used in my face and try to stick to just one or two brands as much as possible.

Then one day, I got an email from a Research Associate of a brand called Good Molecules at Beautylish that offered me to send a selection of their products in exchange for my honest reviews and by sharing it on my Instagram. I was hesitant because I just started to clean up and minimized my skincare routine due to a recent breakout that I had at that time. I responded with a straight forward answer telling them my current skincare situation. They were happy to send me a bundle that will help me in my skin concern, so I gladly took the offer.

The package from them came in, and they sent me the following:

💓 Niacinamide Brightening Toner - $14

 

This alcohol-free toner promotes bright and even skin tone and less visible pores. I love that it's gentle and suitable for everyday use. It's also unscented and non-drying.

💓 Silicone-Free Priming Moisturizer - $14

A primer that moisturizes the skin while prepping it for makeup, check! I love its lightweight formula that helps smooth and plump skin without the tacky feeling. 

💓 Clarify and Cleanse Bar - $8

My ultimate favorite among all! This soap-free bar gently cleanses the skin without stripping away essential moisture. I love that it clears out blemishes and pimples in a flash!

 

💓 Caffeine Energizing Hydrogel Eye Patches - $18

These caffeine-infused Hydrogel Patches work great in hydrating, brightening, and reducing puffiness around the eyes. I love that the result is almost instant. Perfect for a quick pick-me-up in the morning.

The first two things I tried were the Clarify and Cleanse Bar and the Niacinamide Brightening Toner. I remember that time I have a few pimples coming out but after 2 days of using the Clarify and Cleanse Bar, my pimples disappeared! I was so impressed! Even the Niacinamide Brightening Toner helps a lot in brightening my pimple marks. 

After trying their products, I just know I have to get a hold of more of their Clarify and Cleanse Bar and also try other products.

I went ahead and placed an order to get 2 more Clarify and Cleanse Bar plus Overnight Exfoliating Serum ($6), Vitamin C Booster Powder ($8), and Daily Brightening Serum ($9). 

Also, they recently sent me a surprise in the mail - their new Discoloration Correcting Serum ($12) which is also working wonders on my skin right now.

So far, my skin is loving all of them! 

*Before and After Photo

What's great about this brand is that their products are never tested on animals (yes! cruelty-free!) and they recently added 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 on the side of their boxes to show how much each ingredient is in the product. They are determined to educate their consumers through"nothing to hide" ingredients list in their boxes, which I think is a pretty great move!

If you haven't tried this brand, I suggest you try them now! They are super affordable and suit any skin types.

You can check them out at Beautylish. 

Here's a close-up of my current skin:

This is after using Good Molecules products for almost a month. :)

*Although I was sent some free products, this post is not sponsored and all are based on my own experiences and these are my honest opinions.*

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How to Become an Influencer: My journey into becoming one. Plus Freebie (list of where to get free products!)

Believe it or not, we are all influencers in our own little way. How? By influencing someone to do something or buy something, may it be our family, relatives, friends, or even just our acquaintances. 

An influencer is an individual who has the ability to influence or affect other people's decisions. In the digital marketing world, influencers are the people who have the power to affect the buying decisions of others because of their knowledge, their following, community, and audience.

How did I become an influencer? 

It was a long road. But I remember starting my journey by just reviewing some products I already own. I have always been passionate about sharing my knowledge and my own experiences with others. Background story: I was originally from the Philippines. I moved here in the US 4 years ago. Having to wait to be a legal resident for quite some time and adjust to my new environment, I was a homebody for over 2 years.

What was I doing at home over that span of time? Aside from doing some part-time online jobs, I was hunting all sites where I can get free things to review. Back then, I didn't really have a budget to buy a lot of things to review and share - my resources were limited. But that didn't stop me from doing things I am passionate about. I did my research. I followed people who have the same interests as me on Instagram. I started to become more visible and introduce myself in social media platforms - especially Instagram, as someone who constantly shares products that I use by posting a detailed review about them.

Then, I discovered sample platforms/programs that provide free products. I signed up to a lot! (you can download the list here). Then some product sellers started reaching out to me and even some brands that I never heard of started offering me their products for free in exchange for sharing them on my social media accounts.

Is it worth it becoming an influencer? That's a personal question. For me, my answer would always be YES. Why? Because for me, it's not always about the free products I received in exchange for reviews. It's the personal feeling - the joy I get to experience when people discover things that worked for them because I shared it. It has always been a pleasure for me to help others and that is what makes being an Influencer so worth it. 

What are the takeaways? How do you become an influencer?

💓 Focus on wanting to help others. It's not about getting free things, it's about helping others to make a decision.

💓 Do your own research. Check what everyone else is doing, then see what you can do better. 

💓 Share what you love! It will attract the right audience.

💓 Always be visible. Be consistent and show up for people that you want to help.

💓 Be a person of value. You don't just post pictures with no caption or create content that doesn't have anything to do with your audience. Tell a story that will relate to them.

💓 Engage with your people. Communicate with your audience as much as you can, they are the reason why you are an influencer.

Whatever your chosen platform is - be it Instagram, your Blog, YouTube, or Pinterest - always think about your audience, how you can help them, and how you can grow WITH them.

If you already have enough following in your social media channels, it might be time for you to try signing up to some Influencer Marketing Platforms. Watch out for my next blog about it!

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