Unboxing the September BDJ Box Elite: Bare to Beautiful

Subscription boxes are fun. They are like a surprise that comes to your doorstep, like a boxload of different things to use.

My subscription box gets a hug from baby Sebastian

The BDJ Box Elite for September 2016 goes back to basics with its theme, Bare To Beautiful, which contains your arsenals for beautiful, clean skin and defined eyes. This mix box contains what you need from skincare, to get a beautiful canvas for makeup to adhere to and makeup, to enhance what you naturally got.

The box contains eight items namely:

• Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths (Php225)
• L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Magic Blur Cream (Php899 for 50 mL)
• a 15mL sample of Bioderma Hydrabio Serum (Php808 for 15 mL)
• The Face Shop CC Cushion Ultra Moist SPF50+ PA (Php895 for 15 g)
• Inglot Freedom System Eyeshadow (Php425)
• Pink Sugar Honey I'm Good Brow Gel (Php349)
• FS Features and Shades Mascarade Mascara (Php 500)

Cleansing Cloths are a staple in my makeup kit as a quick cleanse on the model or client's skin before doing makeup, so this one definitely goes to the pro kit. The L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Magic Blur Cream is skin care + primer as it moisturizes and blurs out imperfections instantly with its Opti-Blur Technology. I'm into the anti-ageing skin care since that's highly recommended for my skin now. If the tub is too heavy or bulky to bring to travel or your gym/office makeup kit, you can bring the sample size Buoderma Hydrabio Serum to give your face the hydration it needs.

As the first three items take good care of the skin, we go next to the other items in the box, which are makeup. The focus on the look is a flawless base and eyes, so The Face Shop's CC Cushion Ultra Moist SPF50+ PA is a light base that's easy to apply. Commuters will like this because it's not too heavy on the face while giving SPF protection. Create softer but well-defined brows with the Pink Sugar Honey I'm Good Brow Gel and just a sweep of eyeshadow and mascara and you're all good. For those who do not have the existing Inglot Freedom Palette, you can use this on your DIY empty customizable makeup palettes. You can use the discount coupon from Inglot (10% cash, 5% card) to purchase a complimentary eyeshadow, blush, or lipstick to go with your look. The Inglot eyeshadow I got is  a really nice purple, shade.  I could use that for some sexy, smokey plummy eye makeup for the holidays and I'm quite curious about the brow gel since I'm on the lookout for brow gels that are more affordable. I color my hair a lot and I usually need brow gels which can match my brows to my hair color.

What do you think about this box? What are your favorites? Let me know in the comments below. Please follow BDJ Box in their Facebook Page and find out how you can shop and subscribe.

Review: Cure Natural Aqua Gel

Another why-did-I-just-learn-to-love-you-sooner item to add to my list is the Cure Natural Aqua Gel. Cure Natural Aqua Gel has been around for quite some time already. In fact, it's quite popular in Japan with one bottle sold for every 7.5 seconds. A lot of Bellas love it.  It has only been recently that I got to try it after I received a sample from our BDJBox Makeup Party. I know, I know, it's quite late that I did because honestly, shame on me because there are quite a number of guys I know who use this.

image source

This bottle isn't a cleanser or a moisturizer, but it's just as important as the two because it's an exfoliating gel. Our skin tends to get dull because of the buildup that we do not see on the surface- the dead skin, dirt, and grime. The dead skin doesn't just make our skin look dull, but it actually blocks out the good things that our skin needs, such as moisturizer or lotion. 

Dirt, grime, and oil are taken care of in the cleansing part but for dead skin, we need exfoliation to do that. Traditional exfoliation (i.e. scrubs) uses rough surfaces (like files and abrasive surfaces) or  particles(seeds, grains, salt, or sugar) to help slough off dry and dull skin. For sensitive skin, this can cause a lot of redness and irritation. Cure on the other hand, if you look at it, is super clear. No grain or bits.

It is also preservative-free, artificial fragrance-free, coloring-free, and mineral oil-free.

Cure Natural Aqua Gel should be used on skin that has just be cleansed. So here's my guinea pig - the back of my hand - which has been cleansed. I use just a pump for this. I then rub the product gently in  a circular motion for 30 seconds. I stress on the gently part. Be kind and don't use any pressure. Your face is not a floor. 

As you rub, you will see white (or gray) bits and particles. These are actually the dry, dead skin which has been dulling your complexion and later on blocking your pores.

Rinse and look! smoother skin! Now proceed with your skin care. 

I personally prefer using this at night, and I only do so twice a week, just to rid my skin of gunk, because I don't want to overdo it.  

Why I like it:

• It works. My skin feels a lot smoother after, And moisturizer seems to seep through it more.
• Gentle. It's great for sensitive skin. No sting. No redness.
• No smell. It's too hot for heavy scents.
• No scratchy particles.
• Environment-friendly. We all know how the microbeads are actually very harmful to the environment. This one has no microbeads to clog our waterways. What washes out is just your dead skin.
• Bang for your buck. A bottle lasts for an average of 4 months.

Cure Natural Aqua Gel may also be used on rough patches, not just on the face. I used this on the soles of my feet to get rid of the dry skin since I'm barefoot most of the time. I also use these on my cuticles to get rid of the hangnail-causing dry skin. Use this on the bikini line and underarms to get to be bare-it-all confident in your beach trip.

Cure retails for Php 1500 and is available at  Rustan's (Shangri-La, Makati, and Alabang) and at Beauty Bar. Like Cure Aqua Gel in Facebook to get more updates or follow them in Twitter and Instagram.