5 Things: 5 Favorite Beauty Finds of 2019

A couple of years back, I came up with a segment called “5 Things,” where I ask friends and peers five questions where they have to share their top 5 of anything. I forgot to follow through, so I have decided to revive it for nostalgia’s sake.

As you can tell in the title, I will be talking about my five favorite beauty finds of 2019. I’ve discovered a lot of products this year, but these five things are the ones that I’ve been enjoying at the moment.

1. Revlon Ultra HD Hypermatte Ultra Lip Mousse in Spice 

 

A very recent find! I initially planned on buying the Sunnies Face Lip Dip in Femmebot, but I ended up buying this instead, since I got sold on the plush, yet longwearing formula, and the pretty pinky-brown color. It’s a bit pricey for drugstore (Php 575!), but if you want a lipstick that’s fairly comfortable, long-lasting, and suitable for all occasions, grab this one.

2. Hada Labo Gokujyun Moisturizing Cream 

One of my favorite purchases during my Osaka trip was this hydrating cream from Hada Labo. I forgot to bring a moisturizer for this trip, so I headed to the nearest grocery from our hotel to buy this. Anyway, this cream saved my skin from the cold, windy weather of Osaka, and gave me a nice glow throughout the trip. I love this cream so much.

Speaking of Hada Labo, Hada Labo is coming to Manila very soon, and I hope that they sell this here. If not, please point me to a dupe of this.

3. The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Serum 

Ever since I discovered the wonders of hyaluronic acid through the Hada Labo cream, I realized that I needed to add more hyaluronic acid to my skincare routine. This serum may be small, but it packs a lot of hydration. Since then, my skin feels a little bit more plump and less parched.

4. Scentsmith Eau de Parfum in Ambrette Sea Salt 

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Scentsmith Perfumery is now open! Scentsmith Perfumery is a fragrance shop that blends and formulates distinctive yet affordable skin, hair, and body care products from natural ingredients. Get a whiff of our scents at Greenbelt 5, 2nd Level

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(I can’t find an exact photo of the Ambrette Sea Salt one, I AM SORRY)

Ever since I discovered Glossier You during my trip to New York last year, I have been on the hunt for its dupe. The internet has pointed out that Lanvin’s Eclat D’ Arpege and Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt are potential dupes for it, but I cannot really spend my money on them. Luckily, I found Scentsmith in Greenbelt 5, and I found Ambrette and Sea Salt, which reminded me of Glossier You and bread. Although it’s not as long-lasting as it seems, it smells warm and comfortable— just like a warm hug.

5. Nature Republic Triple Meringue Tint in Red Brownie

(Again: I can’t find the actual color for Red Brownie, but lol)

 

I was never really a red lipstick girl, but this lip tint/lip stain changed the way I perceive red lipsticks. It’s fairly long-lasting, and the texture’s pretty nice. In addition, it’s also a close dupe of the Sunnies Face Lip Dip, lol.

 

And those are my beauty favorites this year! What beauty products are you enjoying so far? Also, do you want me to interview people and share their ~~5 things?

 

5 Things, 5 Questions #1: Carl (@sloppydasein)

I’ve been working on a new segment on my blog where I talk to people and ask them 5 questions on a multitude of things (books, food, advice, exciting things, and about themselves), but their answers for each question have to be a list of five things related to the topic. As a kick-off to this series, I asked my friend Carl to share his top five picks for books, food, and more.

Carl is a friend that I met during my college years (which is not too long ago, by the way). Although I’ve heard of him ever since my freshman year, it was only during a summer semester in my sophomore year wherein we were properly introduced. Since then, I’ve considered Carl as a friend. What I admire most about him are his passion and creativity. I’m not gonna ramble on as much, so here are some of the things that I learned about him:

1) in 5 words, describe yourself.

1. Adventurous
2. Curious
3. Rational
4. Observant
5. Human

2) what are 5 things that always excite you?

1. Performing on stage.
2. That moment before watching a movie I’ve been wanting to watch for a long time.
3. Holding a new book.
4. Mingling in social events.
5. Having conversations that go into deep territory.

3) what are 5 meals that you would eat over and over again?

1. Spaghetti
2. Maki rolls
3. Longganisa and egg with garlic rice
4. Sweet and spicy pancit canton with pandesal and tuna spread
5. Pancakes

4) name 5 books that you would recommend?

1. “Kafka on the Shore” by Haruki Murakami
2. “Para Kay B” by Ricky Lee
3. “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran
4. “Sophie’s World” by Jostein Gaarder
5. “Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin” by Bob Ong

5) as parting words, give 5 pieces of advice that you would give to your younger self, or to people younger than you.

1. It’s okay to be wrong sometimes.
2. When things don’t work out, it’s not always your fault.
3. People can be mean, but you don’t have to be.
4. There is a time to listen and a time to speak out. But it’s never the same time.
5. The world is too chaotic for you to be sure of anything; be open to possibilities, thank the universe for whatever it gives you, and use this to your improvement.

Thanks for this, Carl! Carl is indeed one of the wisest and most genuine people that I know, and I am so lucky to be one of his friends! I hope you learned more about this awesome guy, and don’t hesitate to follow and read his blog on http://sloppydasein.wordpress.com/ .

**Note: some questions were edited.