Update: Korean Cosmetic Brands & Animal Testing

Good morning! It's Monday again and I hope everyone will have a good start for the week :)

This will be just a quick update. If you visited KARA (Korea Animal Rights Advocates) website, you will also see a list of Cruelty Free brands just like in PETA...Their list is shorter coz they are still starting but it helps customers like us.  To see their list of certified cruelty free brands, click here and here.

I even hope PAWS or CARA can do this too for local products in our country :)

 

I also have contacted KARA too through email to clarify some Korean cosmetic brands that I love but are not on both list and I already have received their reply so I will share them with you. 

Dear Gale,

Thank you for contacting KARA regarding Korean cosmetic companies and our apologies for the delayed reply due to the waiting time taken to hear back

from each company about the inquiry.

Here is a brief answer to your question.

Tony Moly – still in the process of confirmation

Nature Republic – still in the process of confirmation

Baviphat – has not gotten back to our inquiry.

Holika Holika – has not gotten back to our inquiry

Skin Food – refused our request for further confirmation about animal test on ingredients.

Lioele – do test on animals.

When the companies do not reply to our inquiry, we assume that they may carry out animal test on at some stage of the production or they do not care the importance of checking with their individual ingredients suppliers whether they test on animals.  

If there is a new company added to the list, we will let people know through our Facebook page.

Hope this helps you for cruelty free shopping.

Thank you again for your interest and support.

Kind regards,

Korea Animal Rights Advocates 

In addition to this email, here are some locally available brands that are still on the fence (have not received any confirmation from the company) according to the website home page:

1. Missha - Animal testing done on certain products but not all...They use animal by-products too like deer antlers on a certain line of their products. So personally, they are on the DO TEST and NON-VEGAN list.

2. Etude House - Regular staff says it's cruelty free but since Amore Pacific (parent company) is testing on animals, I can conclude Etude House tests on animals too. 

 

Check out Amore Pacific's statement here about their stand on animal testing. According to them, they are still on the process of researching about alternative non-animal testing but for the meantime, they are doing animal testing to ensure the safety of the products. For the complete list of brands under them, click  here 

I actually commend Amore Pacific for being transparent about their stand on animal testing. Just last month, they explained in their website that they do conduct animal testing for safety reasons but they will do research to find alternative methods. And now, they already changed their statement on the website and had given updates on the progress of their research. I hope before this year ends, they will accomplish their goal of finding a good alternative for animal testing and will declare they are cruelty-free by year 2013. But until then, no Amore Pacific products for me. Personally, I will patiently wait for them because they do value their customer and they have the heart to improve the ethics of their corporation :) 

*** If you want to inquire about a certain brand you love you can email KARA through their website. They do reply to your inquiry as soon as they get info on them.

I hope this post is helpful to all of you who cares about animal cruelty and loves Korean brands. Until next time, bye! ^_^

Thank you for dropping by,

Review: Missha Perfect B.B. Deep Cleansing Oil

Hi everyone! It's monday again and it is so hard to wake up..but I need to coz I have so many chores to finish today haha :)

I want to start my day with a review first..I decided to do a review on Missha Perfect B.B. Deep Cleansing Oil since I have tried the sample i have already. Many are telling me that the best makeup remover for waterproof makeup (mascaras and eyeliners) are oil based, and I sort of believe them coz whenever I use oil based makeup removers, my eye makeup just glides off and I don't need to wipe my eyelids repeatedly. Even with good experiences as this, I still am reluctant with oil based makeup removers coz they tend to make my eyes blurry but I still need a good makeup remover to remove mascaras and eyeliners so I decided to use this sample. Here's my review:

PROS
- has a very nice mild scent
- easily removes eyemakeup..I just placed a small amount of the product on the cotton pad, pressed it for a few seconds on my lids then wiped it downwards..then the makeup is gone! no need to go back :)
- the oiliness can easily be washed off..no residue (unlike with VCO and VOO)

CONS
- makes my eyes itchy, blurry and red
- not available locally

Will I purchase this? No. Even if it works great as a makeup remover, I'm afraid it will damage my eyes due to irritation.

I really want to get Lancome Bi-Facil makeup remover but it is so expensive! Any other makeup remover I should try? I guess there's the Loreal one but I heard they test on animals..is this true? please enlighten me..I'm very particular on that one..thanks! :)

I just want to end this post with a picture of my niece. Her name is Saiskia Megan (I hope I spelled it right haha) and she's only 10 days old..so cute noh? I visited my cousin yesterday just to see her baby haha ^_^


I hope to hear from you! Till my next post :)

Final Review: Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream + Update

Hi guys! I'm so happy I was able to find some time to post! It has been a long time since my last update..so sorry..there are so many things that happened and I can't sit for too long too make a post...and I don't have many FOTDs too coz my mom always have our digicam hehe :)

I also got busy doing our case presentation (our final requirement) last week. I was not able to sleep for 2 or 3 days! This is because my training schedules overlapped. My training in BGH ended last July 7 (graduation not included..it happened last July9) and my training at CMC started last July 6 haha. So I attended my first day in CMC then I spent the whole night doing our case study and absented myself on Tuesday to attend my case pres at BGH then came back to CMC again the following day. I chose not to attend my graduation at BGH coz I can't risk my training at CMC. Anyways, it has been a very hard week for me because of this mix up and also because my family is getting sick one by one because of the change of weather. Their allergic rhinitis is acting up until now, and I'm so lucky I don't have it. I hope every one gets better soon.

Anyways, as promised here's my final review for Missha Perfect Cover BB cream in #23:

Initial review

This is my 4th brand of BB cream. I tried this for at least a month to check if my skin likes it or not..here's my final verdict for this product :)


What I like about it:
- has SPF 42 Pa+++
- great coverage: gives me a very smooth, flawless finish everytime..no need for foundation on top
- the shade adjusts to my natural skin tone after a few minutes so it looks natural
- has some anti aging and whitening properties
- more affordable than BRTC and Skin79
- has good oil control

What I don't like:
- a little hard to spread because of the thick consistency (I tend to use more product because of this)
- makes my skin looks grayish after 4-5 hours (and it's very obvious!)
- it made me breakout 3x! Whenever I use it for 3 days straight, I get many small bumps on my face

Will I purchase this again? Probably not. I love my skin so even if it provides me great coverage and gives me a flawless finish, I don't want to risk having congested skin again. I'll look for another BB cream that might work for my sensitive skin.

oOo

I saw a post about the new travel set of Sigma Makeup..Although I'm not a fan of pink, I liked this brush set so much...It has all the essential brushes (in my opinion) that I need..and it comes in a pretty pouch too! so my brushes will be kept safe during the travel. I got this picture from the net, it compares the size of each brush to a full size Sigma SS187. Isn't it cute? Small but complete :)


I really want to buy it but the reviews for these brushes (all their brushes actually) are so mixed..it seems like they don't have quality control or something coz some gets yay! and some gets boo! And for the price + shipping, I don't think I want to risk it..What if I get the not so good quality set? My hard earned money will just go to waste..don't you think? So guys, if any of you have this set, please do tell me if this is worth it or not..or if there's a better alternative for this travel set available locally..Thank you! :)

Till next time! Thank you for dropping by! :)

Pinoy Ako!

A contest from mszcheysser to all the ladies here in the Philippines! :)

"ATTENTION MY LOVES :)

I am holding a contest - just for you. Ever since, I joined blogger, I made several friends from the Philippines who contacted me about how they are not able to get NYX and other American's brands. Because I know how it is to be in their shoes (alot of websites, doesn't want to send to Guam either!), I decided to do a contest for those only in the Philippines! (Since there's alot anyways, mainly for the United States)So what are the requirements?

01. You must be a follower of my blog, of course!
02. You must be in the country of the Philippines.
03. You must be able to get a package from USPS.

So what's the contest?

01. In your blog, list down-5 things that you enjoy about being a Filipina/Filipino
-5 things that about being a Filipino
-5 values that you keep as a Filipino
-5 stereotypes that represent you (Pointing with your lips, when you give directions)-Talk about one filipino celebrity that you admire
Pick any one of them! I'M NOT SAYING TO TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING. That's too much. =P

02. Be creative, add pictures/videos e.t.c

03. Link me in your blog! :)

How do you win? 01. I will be judging - and I will ask 1-2 other fellow bloggers from Guam to help me!

What are the prizes? 01. In my package, I will include products from NYX (Mainly, because this is the most common thing that I get comments about) and "Insert SECOND common Drug Store Brand in here".
* Please comment me, telling me which drug store brand that you are having a hard time finding in the Philippines, as well. If you are the winner, I will shop for your prize. :) And also, that you're entering in my contest! LOL.

IF YOU'RE CREATIVE...And create a look with the Philippines' flag color, I will include a GRAND PRIZE. That is if you win.

WHEN DOES THIS END? I would like to end this on June 7, 2009, so that I can send the package with my parents when they go to the Philippines but date might change to June 30, 2009 if I decide to just send it with USPS. I will let you know. =)

PS:Sorry that I will not be able to provide High-end prizes - I'm being realistic! I need some more of those myself, lol. xD

PSS:Just to let the public know, I don't mind how many people join. It could be 1 or it could be 100, I just want to help someone without having to swap - I just did a different approach. & It's a great way to learn know more about the ladies. [Edited 8:51pm of 05/22]"

Okay, at first I want to enter this contest and answer all of them just like what Crystal did but then I don't think I have the stamina to do it hehe I've been so busy lately and tired so I can't think clearly..so I will just choose two and do a nationalistic look in the end..it's been a while since my last EOTD so this is a great chance :)
5 Things About Being a Filipino

We are...

1. Family-oriented. Filipinos have very tight family bonds. We put our family first above anything else and we care for each other until death do us part..We even live with our grand-parents in the same house or even with our aunts and uncles and cousins..We also have frequent family reunions that are huge in the numbers of attendies coz even the distant relatives are invited! :)


2. Hospitable. I'm really proud that Filipinos are very warm and kind-hearted people. I remember one Japanese commented that Filipinos are very helpful to foreigners like her. She said that in Japan, if she and her son are foreign, Japanese people will be aloof and will not offer any help to them..but here in the Philippines, everyone wants to help her take care of her son and keeps on offering assistance so that she can rest for a while or do household chores. I think this makes us unique in the eyes of other nationalities :)

3. Value for Education. Filipino parents consider providing great education to their children as the most priceless inheritance they can leave their children after they die. Majority of us have dreams of finishing college because for Filipino youths, having a college diploma is the key to having a better future. If I remember correctly, one survey about basic needs of Filipino families resulted in having education in the top 3 expenses they considered essential.

4. Respectful to older people. Filipinos uses the word "po" and "opo" whenever we are conversing with older people or to those with higher position than us (ex. our aunts and grandparents, our teachers or boss). These two words allows us to show respect to those people. We also attach "ate" (for females) and "kuya" (for males) to our elder siblings, cousins and friends' names to show that we think of them as our senior. Aside from those, we also practice "mano po" to our parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents whenever we see them (ex. going back home from school).


5. Always Smiling. I agree that Filipinos are one of the most happiest people on Earth! We always finds reason to smile. Even through the hardships we experience everyday, Filipinos will still be smiling through it. We even smile with a greeting to people we don't know. I can't imagine living in a place wherein no one smiles at you. That would be sad.



Talk about one celebrity you admire


My dad is a celebrity among 4x4 off roaders and Land Cruiser enthusiasts. I'm not sure if you guys are familiar with it though. Anyways, I really admire how he brought us up and taught us how to stand up on our feet again after falling. I have done some grave mistakes in the past that parents really prayed that will not happen to their children. Many parents will get angry and blame their kids but my father stayed cool during those times. I cried and felt so sorry and sad because I let them down but my dad never shed a tear, never shouted at me, I never heard him blaming me for it..he just calmly told me "everyone stumble and makes mistakes then fall down...so what if others think bad about you because of this...all that matters is what we think about you...we still love you..and we are always here for you...so stand up on that spot where you fell and look at that obstacle as a lesson so that you won't repeat the same mistake again..then move on..face the world again..smarter and stronger..and we'll always be here backing you up and supporting you all the way.." you know what, I've fallen down many times already in my 23 years of living but he still say the same things to me..to never give up after failing..I have a very cool dad right? I have a dad and best friend in one! :)


Now here's a nationalistic look from me..I hope my cam captured the colors very well..here's the best shot :)


All the colors on my eyes are the 4 colors of our Philippine flag..Red, White, Blue and Yellow :)
What I used:


EYES
- MAC Paintpot in Painterly
- Coastal Scents 88 Original E/S Palette (yeah, I decided to keep it just in case my love for eye makeup comes back lol)
- Clinique High Impact Mascara in 01 Black
- The Face Shop eyeliner pencil in 03 White

FACE
- Missha Perfect Cover BB cream #23 (stippled using MAC 187SE)
- Aromaleigh URFP in Peaches & Cream (applied with MAC 187SE)
- Ellana blush in Coral Pink (I think this is called Enchanted now)
- Ellana bronzer in Patience

LIPS
- Ellana lip treatment in Strawberry Kiss
- Lancome Color Fever Shine lipstick in 108
- Miners lipgloss
 


I hope you all enjoyed my comeback! LOL till my next post. Sayonara! :)

HAULS: Aromaleigh URFP (p&c) + Missha Perfect Cover # 23

Hi guys! I just want to share with you guys my hauls of the month :)


Since the Skin79 incident (hehe can't think of another term to describe it lol) , I decided to sample first all the bb creams I decided I want to purchase. So I searched for sellers of bb creams in Multiply and hoped that I can find sellers who carry many brands..luckily, one of the sellers (Laraine) messaged me in my Cbox here. When I checked her site, she sells a number of different brands of bb creams and also some limited stock of samples for only P50 each sachet. This is a great deal fin my opinion coz a sachet contains 1g of product already and can be used for 2-3 applications (I think). Since most of the samples are already out of stock, I was only able to purchase 2 samples of Missha Perfect Cover bb cream in shade 23. I decided to try this because of the same functionality of Skin 79 hot pink (anti aging, sun protection and whitening). I like the fact that it has SPF42 PA+++ (which is way higher thatn Skin 79)..Laraine is so nice to include 2 freebies with my purchase: Missha Deep Cleansing Oil and Hanskin Hand Cream. She also ship very fast and replies very promtly to my queries. I hope she can carry samples of other famous brands of bb creams so that I can try them to check if I'm sensitive to them or not. But for now, I'm still on the testing phase of my Missha BB cream :)



I was also able to meet with Arg because our Aromaleigh purchase arrived already! I got myself a full size of URFP in Peaches and Cream coz I like the fine shimmers in it (I feel my face looks fresh) and also the oil control is good. I can even go out with just this on top of my sunblock when I go to work coz it is very hot lately and I'm always in a rush so I don't have time to primp up. I can say that this helps in keeping my oilies at bay for around 4-5hrs :)


It comes in this pretty wrapper with the Aromaleigh logo :)


I was able to roadtest the 2 together last Sunday. In this picture, I just tried my Missha BB cream and topped it with AL URFP in Peaches and Cream. No other makeup aside from the 2 products mentioned and my HG V&M lip detox :)

Pardon me for the wasted look..I just woke up from sleeping for 2 hours on a chair my dad brought for me..I just came back from a 10pm-6am duty (I just took a shower and changed to something cool) then we left to go to the party..although all I did was sleep and eat that day haha I'm just so tired and sleepy the whole time :)

here's MY intital take on MISSHA bb cream

What I like about it:

- has high sun protective properties (SPF42 PA+++)

- has whitening and anti aging properties

- scent is good..not overwhelming like with Skin Food Aloe BB cream

- looks flawless in pictures

- no white cast with flash

- staying power is good

What I don't like about it:

- hard to spread on my face

- has thick consistency so I need to use more amount of product in order to cover my whole face

- I look made up (which is not good iff for daily basis)

- takes around 30minutes before the color blends with my skin well

Watch out for my follow up review on this one once I tried it for 2 weeks..I'm crossing my fingers that this won't make me breakout :)

Guys, please suggest more brands of BB creams that I can try..here are the things I'm looking for:

- has at least SPF 30

- has whitening properties

- great for combination-oily skin

- great for sensitive, acne prone-skin

- may or may not contain antiaging properties

Thank you! I'll be waiting for your suggestions..till next time! :)

oOo

Oh! before I forget..I was so happy that I was able to try the famous Hiroshima Style Okonomiyaki...I'm so in love with okonomiyaki..I think aside from ebi tempura, okonomiyaki is one of my favorite Japanese food! It taste so great..It has veggies and meat and sauce and is cooked like a pancake..I really hope I can learn how to cook this from scratch so that I can eat it anytime I want.. This box of okonomiyaki was a gift from my dad's Japanese friends who are here for a short visit. They know that my dad loves this so they bought us a ready to eat one..all we need to do is heat it in a microwave oven hehe..we ate this last night and I was so happy eating it! :)