Beauty on a budget
Good news for #BBarBabes: a new Korean skincare brand just dropped at Beauty Bar, and it’s vegan and reasonably priced. #OOTD Beauty is all about skincare science, research and innovation, and all the products are developed and made in Korea.
The brand combines the best of K-beauty technology with cutting-edge scientific research to deliver products that target specific concerns and deliver real results: a radiant and healthy complexion.
The #OOTD line includes Collagen Plumping Toner (P895), which contains collagen, niacinamide, peptide and rose water to plump, moisturize and prep skin.
It works best in concert with #OOTD’s Intensive Face Serum, formulated with eight different hyaluronan molecules like hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, which penetrates into the deeper skin layers and dramatically increases hydration by improving water retention and moisture levels in the skin. Sodium hyaluronate attracts moisture to skin cells, and reduces dryness and flaking. Vitamin C helps brighten and revitalize skin as an effective antioxidant (P1,200).
At the same price, #OOTD also has Wrinkle Lift Retinol Serum formulated to help fight the look of wrinkles. I like that it absorbs quickly and isn’t sticky.
#OOTD has a whole range of eye serums and creams to address issues from dark circles to puffy eyes. The Dark Circle eye serum, which has vitamin C to brighten, niacinamide to even skin tone, and ceramide to replenish the skin's moisture barrier, was tested on 30 women who applied it twice a day. After four weeks, 93.3% saw improvement in hydration, 93.3% saw improvement in smoothness, and 93% were satisfied with the #OOTD eye serum (P825).
The #OOTD Overnight Eye Cream has peptides and collagen to smooth the look of fine lines, and vitamin C to firm and brighten skin. Tested by the Korean Dermatology Center on 31 females, who applied the eye serum in the morning after cleansing and the overnight eye cream at night for a total of four weeks, 83.9% saw improvement in skin tone, 93.5% saw improvement in brightening, and 100% saw improvement in hydration (P750).
Like other Korean brands, #OOTD has various sheet masks for plumping, brightening, nourishing, firming and soothing. The Collagen Supreme mask is a classic hyaluronic acid, collagen and witch hazel mask designed to hydrate, firm and soothe skin (P595 to P995 for a pack).
The Ceramide Care mask is an intensely brightening and moisturizing sheet mask for uneven skin tone. The Cica Soothing mask is a nourishing and rejuvenating sheet mask for troubled skin. The Triple Hyaluron Serum Glowing mask is an intensely illuminating and moisturizing sheet mask for a youthful skin glow formulated with triple hyaluronic acid, caffeine and vitamin C complex. The Retinol Serum Plumping mask is an intensely rejuvenating sheet mask to help fight the look of wrinkles with retinol, ceramide and hyaluronate complex.
Finally, the Star Spot Patch is a small, star-shaped, multi-colored patch that hides a pimple while treating it with niacinamide, ceramide and hydrocolloid blemish care. It improves the look of pimples overnight without popping. Pretty ingenious way to cover embarrassing marks while making you look like a K-pop star. What’s more, #OOTD skincare is fragrance-free and suitable for all skin types, including sensitive.
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#OOTD Beauty is available at Beauty Bar.
Smell expensive even if you’re not spending much
Smell expensive even if you’re not spending much with Blackwater Women deo sprays, which dupe popular imported brands like Jo Malone and Chanel! Orange Blossom is a dupe for Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle, Lush Peach mimics Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey cologne, White Jasmine simulates The Body Shop White Musk L’Eau, while Fresh Bliss is a dupe for Denenes baby cologne. And all go for P150 each, while their imported counterparts are P875 and up.
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Available at Shopee and Lazada.
Five-step skincare in one minute
There are times when I’m too tired or lazy to go through all the steps of my skincare regimen, which is when I turn to Saborino AM and PM masks. These J-beauty staples deliver five-in-one skincare in a mere 60 seconds. The Morning Facial Sheet Mask feels great upon waking because its minty freshness is an instant eye-opener and de-puffer. A face wash, lotion, milk, essence and mask in one, its moisturizing power-up fills the skin with hydration throughout the day and delivers the skin-lipid profile of a healthy 22-year-old. It also contains plant extracts from Melissa leaf, cucumber, fruit, lemon juice, and squalane.
The Sobrino Good Night facial sheet mask is a face wash, lotion, serum, moisturizer, and facemask in one. In addition to the morning ingredients, it also contains ceramides for moisture and plant and fruit extracts like chamomile flower, lavender flower, orange oil, Izayoi rose extract and squalane.
Saborino’s packaging recently got a fun new look as well: containing 32 sheets to a pack, the morning masks are housed in turquoise adorned with fruit illustrations, while the night masks are in a deep-blue pack decorated with flowers and fruits.
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Saborino is available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source, Watson’s, Beauty Bar, Look, Landmark, The SM Store, and Mitsukoshi. Shop online at Beautybox, Shopee, Lazada, and Zalora.
Lippies that glide on like buttah
Spotlight Satin Butter Lips is a buttery lipstick that glides on rich pigmentation with one swipe, while also feeling weightless and comfortable. No greasy, “I just ate lechon” lips here but a modern, semimatte formula infused with a UV filter, vitamin E and hyaluronic acid to hydrate and keep your lips kissable and soft. Eight shades transform your lips into a satin-smooth canvas of color: pink-peach Elegant, vibrant coral Confident, cool dusty-rose I Can, pink-brown Head High, warm brick Girl Boss, warm Power Red, nude-clay Fearless and nude-brown Forward.
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Available at Watsons and The SM Store Beauty section.
So many ways to ink your eyes
Do you like getting inked? Careline’s vitamin E-infused Graph-Ink liners are like temporary tattoos for your eyes, since they’re super-black, waterproof and smudge-proof.
The Original liquid liner pen comes with a flexible marker tip that gives you sharp, slaying lines every time (P220).
Graph-Ink Matte is an intense matte eyeliner that delivers bold pigment with zero shine, and lasts 16 hours with no touchups (P220).
Create bold, statement looks with Extreme, which features a bigger, thicker 5mm tip that delivers extra pigment (P245).
The Graph-Ink Dual liner is two products one: one end has an ultra-precise 0.1mm felt tip for fine lines, while the other end is a gel liner you can use to create a bold, crisp line or smudge into a soft, smoky eye (P265).
Get perfect winged liner every time with the Wing Liner & Stamp, a dual-ended liner that helps you create a flawless cat eye with its wing stamp and ultra-precise, felt-tip liner (P295).
And Lash & Line is the ultimate on-the-go product: a dual-ended combo of mascara and eyeliner to keep your eyes perfectly defined wherever you go (P295).
Laminated brows, pro blush
If you are a fan of Ever Bilena’s Shape & Set Brow Duo clear gel, EB’s new Ultimate Brow Fix in clear, taupe and natural brown is the bigger version. Not only does it hold brows in place for up to 18 hours, it’s also sweatproof and smudge-proof. You’ll get the laminated-brow look you want for only P275.
EB recently dropped two Pro Blush Palettes: a muted palette in Pastel and a bright palette in After Glow. Both contain four large pans of velvety-soft, silky powder blush infused with vitamin E that blend seamlessly into skin with buildable, long-lasting color. Pastel features matte mauve pink, muted coral, warm brown and natural rouge pink, while After Glow offers a brick peachy-pink, rosy pink, terracotta brown and bright coral. And both palettes cost only P220 each!
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Available at drugstores, beauty stores and www.everbilenacosmetics.com.ph.
Tackle early signs of aging
It’s vital to tackle the signs of aging early, so Neutrogena has introduced its Visible Repair product line, which is designed to do just that with its Patented Pure Retinol, Advanced Antioxidants, and Comfort Complex.
Four products — a serum, Regenerating Cream, eye cream and Night Moisturizer — promise to visibly repair seven types of wrinkles in just seven days: the fine lines on cheeks, forehead wrinkles, smile lines, nasolabial folds, crow’s feet, undereye wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes.
In addition, the Regenerating Cream maintains the skin’s moisture barrier and improves hydration, elasticity and firmness, while the Night Moisturizer boasts three times the anti-wrinkle power and is proven to reduce the damage caused by environmental aggressors.
All are formulated with soothing ingredients to irritate skin less, even for new retinol users.
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Neutrogena is available at Watsons, Shopee and Lazada.
Future-proof your glow
A one-step cream to future-proof your glow? Say hello to Sola, a lightweight sunscreen make in Korea with SPF 50+ PA++++. This un-tinted, watery cream instantly melts into skin, giving you a silky-smooth layer of broad-spectrum UV protection without a greasy look or feeling. Its skin-loving formula contains a powerhouse blend of Korean Black ginseng, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to boost hydration, brighten, and minimize dark spots over time.
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Available for P99 at Shopee.
