Nature Republic Gel Nail Polish Review

   I haven't tried using a gel polish whenever I have my nails done. The reason- it is pricey for just a few swipes of color done to my nails. I also read some not-so-good stuff about it online. Another reason, I always bring my own nail tools whenever I decide to have my nails done. 

   I was in search for a "mermaid green" or aquamarine nail color but only imported (pricey) brands offer it. During my Christmas shopping at Nature Republic, my daughter asked me if she can try out the nail polish over the shelf. Good thing I went with her over the nail care section of the store and I stumbled upon the "missing piece". Yes! There it was the aquamarine nail polish of my dreams. So without hesitation I grabbed one and placed it inside my basket. The day after, I had my nails done and it was my Christmas nail color of the year. I had no idea that this particular polish from Nature Republic was a gel type of polish because I didn't bother asking. I only found out that it was when I saw it on Nature Republic's facebook page. 

   This gel polish line comes in 30 shades. At the moment I have 4 of them (as seen on the picture above). All colors are not glittery nor matte. It's got the same consistency as a normal nail polish and even smells the same. You can only notice the difference once applied. The shade on the bottle is very attainable with just 2 coats unlike other nail polish. Also you don't have to have a UV lamp or whatever they call it at the nail salon. You just have to have a base coat and a top coat together with it and voila! 160 pesos per bottle isn't as pricey compared to having it done at a nail salon right? The best thing I love about this polish is that it lasts long. The picture above was just taken recently and the nail polish was applied more than 2 weeks ago. I forgot to mention...it dries FAST!

   I definitely give this gel polish a 5 out of 5! So if you ladies want to have a gel polish without breaking the bank this one is the one you are looking for- it's inexpensive, dries fast, have a wide range of colors, and long lasting. 

Nature Republic Argan Essential Deep Care Hair Pack Review

   Hi everyone! I'm back after a month (I think). I was always sick and all so I had no time to write. Anyway, today I will do a review of a sampler I got from Nature Republic, Argan Essential Deep Care Hair Pack. It is a weekly hair treatment for damaged hair caused by perming, coloring, and straightening. I was given the shampoo sampler before but I wasn't able to write a review. 

   This hair treatment contains argan oil, evening primrose, and rosehip oil extracts to care for damaged hair. It can be used as a 3 minute treatment or a 30 minute treatment. The sample given to me lasted for 2 usage. It has a somewhat gel/cream consistency and a floral citrus scent that is not overempowering unlike other hair treatments. I really love the scent. This product softened my hair from root to tips. I can't tell if it has 100% lasting effect because it was just a sampler. I am planning to purchase a tub when I have extra money. The tub contains 200grams and is a bit pricey for the size. It costs almost 500 pesos. Good thing I have a discount card which gives me a 10% discount on all Nature Republic products.

PROS:
- softens and smoothens hair after use
- very pleasant scent
- light consistency
- a little amount can cover my entire hair

CONS:
- (a tub is) quite pricey
- the scent does not last long

   Overall, I like this product and I am planning to purchased a full sized one in the future. This is the first Korean hair product I have used and I was impressed. I give this a 4.5 out of 5 rating!!!!

Nature Republic By Flower Water Tint Review

   Just 2 more days 'til V-day and today's gonna be part 2 of my lip tint review. The spotlight is on Nature Republic's By Flower Water Tint (#2 & #3). 

   The Water Tint is one of the many By Flower lip products by Nature Republic. This is also the most affordable one in the bunch. It costs roughly 160 pesos (as far as I can remember). This is available in 3 colors: Watery Red, Watery Pink, & Watery Orange. I bought the pink & orange one only since I'm not into red tints. It is stored in a sturdy transparent plastic bottle and has a doe foot applicator. Only the product's name is written in english and the rest are in korean. The consistency is very watery to the extent that it goes to my teeth when I'm applying the product. So better remove the excess product off the applicator before you apply it on your lips. The tint is buildable and pigmented for such type of tint. The color can easily be seen with one or two coats. Make sure to let each coat dry before applying another. The pictures above are the results of 2 coats. It dries fast. It is recommended to apply a lip balm after this because this can dry lips (but not in a way that a matte lippie can). You can also see the quantity of product left in the bottle. One thing I don't like is that during the first coat, it seeps down to the lines of my lips. So there's a need for me to apply 2 or more coats. I haven't dared myself to use a lip primer with this tint because of its watery consistency. 

PROS:

- affordable

- pigmented despite of its consistency

- buildable

- color lasts 

- packaging 

CONS:

- very watery consistency

- kinda drying 

   Overall, I like this tint very much. It is affordable and gives me the results I want. This is highly recommendable for ladies who wants to own a lip tint without worrying about the price tag. A 5 out of 5 for this magnificent tint!!!

Nature Republic Base and Top Coat Review

   Happy New Year everyone!!! 

  This will be my first blog entry for the new year and I would like to thank you guys for supporting my blog for the past 2 months. The commendations I receive via personal messages are very overwhelming for a beginner like me.

   During the holidays I bet most of you ladies had their nails done right? No doubt about it! During my Christmas shopping at Nature Republic, I stumbled upon their nail care products. You see I always bring my own nail kit whenever I have my nails done at the salon/spa. I already ran out of base and top coat so I decided to try out these two. I was told by the sales attendant that the base coat nourishes the nails and won't make my nails yellow. I already forgot how much exactly these 2 costs. But it was affordable. BTW, the orangey pink is the base coat and the transparent is the top coat.

   The following day I had my nails done and the nail color I brought was kinda hard to use. I mean you need to apply like 3-4 coats for the color to be solid. I did not bring any quick dry drops at that time. Normally, even with a quick dry top coat or drops it will take more than 30 minutes to dry but with the Nature Repiblic top coat it took only less than 15minutes flat even with tons of nail color coats underneath. 

PROS:

- affordable

- mistake-proof brush

- dries fast

- won't make nails yellow

- easy to remove

- makes nail color last for a week

   I have no negative thing to say about these 2 products. Both products will be a permanent addition to my nail kit. I also bought a nail color from Nature Republic and it was also a good buy. With these products you don't have to spend bucks having your nails done at a ln expensive nail salon because IMO you only pay for the products. The quality of the service is not 100% guaranteed. You just have to have the right tools and a devoted manicurist and you won't have to worry about spending more than 500 bucks. 

Nature Republic By Flower Lip Essence Review

   A few weeks ago, I made a review about Nature Republic By Flower Lip Scrub. It was only recently that I got the chance to purchase its partner and today's featured product, the By Flower Lip Essence. It was always out of stock at SM Fairview. Good thing it was available at Fairview Terraces so I purchased it without hesitation. The salesladies at Nature Republic would always mention about this Lip Essence everytime I purchase the Lip Scrub. They said it is recommended to use this after scrubbing. I got it at 10% less the price because of my discount card. This product costs PhP 235 for a 10ml tube.

   The By Flower Lip Essence's packaging is the same tube type dispenser as the Lip Scrub. It  is sealed in a plastic wrap upon purchase (like the scrub above). Unlike the scrub's transparent tube, the essence's tube is pearly pink. You cannot see the quantity of the product inside. There are no English description written at the back as usual. The expiry date is stamped on top of the tube. The essence is transparent and has a light floral scent.

   According to my research, this lip essence contains mango essence to help moisturize lips. When applied, you can feel the oily content of the product. The slant-tip applicator makes it easy to glide the product onto your lips. You only need a little (and I mean little) amount to cover the entire lips because too much will result to a sticky heavy feeling. Like you smudged grease instead of a lip product. One good thing about this product is that it has SPF 15 so it is great to use during daytime. It has a tingly sensation when applied. Not minty cool one but I guess prickly will be the right term to describe it. 

PROS:

- moisturizing

- a little goes a long way

- easy to apply

- lasts even after drinking 

- can be used alone or as a gloss with lipstick

- has SPF 15

- affordable

- handy

CONS:

- you can't see the quantity of product left

- a little sticky upon application

- the prickly sensation 

   This lip essence is good to pair with its Lip Scrub counterpart but not very necessary if you have other lip balms in your beauty arsenal. But this is a good one if you want something that will serve as both your lip care product and lip gloss. Nice to use during daytime as it has SPF content. Ladies on -the-go will surely like this as it is small and very handy. Just slip it on your pocket and you're good to go. I give this darling a 4 out of 5!!!!

   

Korea's "Million Seller": Nature Republic's 92% Aloe Vera Soothing Gel

    

    I simply love products which make me feel close to nature or should I say the natural thing. And today I will be sharing with you my views and guide regarding Korea's "Million Seller"- Nature Republic's 92% Aloe Vera Soothing Gel.

Some facts about this product:

- This gel made about 30 times of sold-outs in a year, and also sold about 1.50 million.

- Contains 92% aloe vera extract

- Approved by CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers)

  I have been offered to purchase this gel every time I visit Nature Republic but was hesitant to purchase it I don't know why. After reading reviews and contemplating (huh?) for like almost a year I finally gave it a go. I have no idea how much it costs prior to buying it. I was just ready to buy it regardless how much it costs. When I approached the shelf I was shocked to find out it was only PhP 245 for a 300 ml gigantic tub. I said to myself how come they sell it same or more expensive online? So without any hesitation I just grabbed a tub and headed straight to the cashier. 

    Like I mentioned, a giant tub contains 300 ml of the product. The tub is made of sturdy green plastic with a transparent lid (with the brand name embossed on it) to secure the contents and for hygienic purposes. UNFORTUNATELY, it does not have any spatula nor spoon to scoop out the contents. Good thing there are a lot of plastic spoons here. So instead of digging into that giant tub every single time, I managed to transfer it into a small container. The gel is clear and smells like a "bit scented" aloe vera. It is very light and natural. I just love the scent. It is fast absorbing. It is a bit sticky upon application but after a minute or less it is absorbed by the skin and you won't feel any stickiness whatsoever even if the weather's a bit unpleasant. Just remember to always put it inside the refrigerator.  I find it more addicting to use this gel when it is cold.

Here are some suggestions on how to use this awesome product:

    I use this gel as 1) substitute for my day cream when it is hot and whenever I have some pimples as it soothes and heals, 2) lotion or argan oil substitute after bath for it is as moisturizing as those two, and 3) lip treatment prior to my reliable supply of lip balms. My husband sometimes use this as an aftershave (but often times forget to use it). I also use this to treat my kids' wounds and scars. 

  With its many functions I can happily say that this is worth every penny. My whole family benefits from using this gel. This may contain some percentage of alcohol but what the heck it does what it claims and that is what is important! This is really a must have in your beauty and skin care staple. A whopping 5 out of 5 for this baby!!!!!

Nature Republic By Flower Lip Scrub

    Hello everyone! How's your weekend doing? Today we will have a look at one of the little things I simply cannot live without- a lip scrub. 

    I have started taking lip scrub as a survival tool seriously just last year when I purchased a lip scrub that was of poor quality from an online store. It was made from sugar and I don't know what oil and it was lemon scented. Instead of helping in exfoliating skin on my skin, it made my lip condition worse than I could ever imagine. So I headed out to the mall and fortunately I remembered that there was a lip scrub sold at Nature Republic. I immediately grabbed a tube and paid for it. There's also a lip essence that goes with this scrub but it was unavailable at that time. By the way, the By Flower lip scrub was formerly known as Mango Bebe lip scrub.

    This is how the product looks like. The date stamped at the top of the tube's the expiry date. The product's got a creamy consistency (the white cream) but not oily at all which why I love this scrub. I don't feel like I have removed grains and left my lips full of grease. According to the Nature Republic SA the tiny scrub beads are made from walnut and contains flower essence (which I guess was the reason for changing the product name). 

    Using this lip scrub is very easy. Just squeeze the tube gently and glide the cream on your lips. Make sure not to have too much of the cream on your lips. Just a pea size on your upper and lower lips and just add another of the same quantity/size if it won't suffice. Next is to gently rub you lips with your index or middle finger in circular motion. I do it from left to right on my upper then lower lips. As you rub it you will see the dry skin on your lips come off. The dry skin looks like the one on the lower left, those are the white chunks on the picture. You can remove it with a tissue, wet wipes/cloth or water. I prefer rinsing it out with water. Don't forget to apply your favorite lip balm afterwards. I do use a lip mask once in a while before lip balm. If you are not satisfied with the result you can simply repeat doing the procedure. the particles are not as abrasive as sugar. I use this before and after using a lip tint. But when I am just here at home I use it every 2 days. I use my organic lip scrub as an alternate if my lips are extremely dry because that one is oily and the grains are more abrasive.

PROS
- effectively removes dry skin off my lips
- makes my lips smooth
- makes matte lippies look good when applied
- affordable
- non-greasy
- easy to use
- you can buy it at any Nature Republic outlet

CONS

- may not be that effective when dry skin on lips is thick
- not moisturizing
- the packaging has no English translation at the back

    This product is a must for men and women who suffers from dry lips. Especially when a lip balm won't do 100% of the job. For the ladies, this is a must have if you are always wearing lip stick especially the matte type for it dries out the lips big time. This is already my third tube by the way and I just cannot live without it. I give this baby a 5 out of 5!