Unboxing BDJ Dec-Jan Box + 7-Day Challenge

Don't you just love receiving presents? I know I do.

This post will mostly talk about this blogger's attempt at being a beauty expert. Let's start with the experience of receiving my first BDJ Box.

If you're wondering what a BDJ Box is, think Christmases past when as children we get to open loads of boxes of gifts with all sorts of toys and chocolates and goodies. Yep, that's exactly how I felt when I opened my box. If you want a better description (that does not include toys and chocolates), you can check their website. That's a more reliable source than I am. =)

Now, on to the seven-day challenge!

BDJ has asked subscribers to use the products in the box we received for seven days and to document the process. Being a little lazy on the documentation part, I decided to make this instead.

Presenting the process of trying to be girly with the help of BDJ. (PS, You have the right to skip this video. =)

What video? haha removed the vid due to personal fear of discovery. =p

Obviously, that wasn't done for seven days, but I did follow the rule of using their products for seven days. (I keep saying seven days; now I can hear Sadako saying it on the phone. Grrrr.)

So here are the products used in order of appearance.

Flormar Longwearing Lipstick

This is the first time I've ever heard of this lipstick, and it's made a very good impression on me.

BDJ says this is a brand from Turkey, and if it really is, then they are about to be really popular here. They weren't kidding when they named it longwearing. My test to prove this was to sleep on it. Okay, not literally, but I did wear it while sleeping. When I woke up, it was still all there. I felt like one of those actresses on TV who wakes up wearing makeup even when they're supposedly from a poor family. Side story aside, the moisture content of this product is also unbelievable. Most long-wearing lipsticks tend to dry up the lips because of the duration of time the product is on your lips. Flormar's lipstick doesn't dry up lips at all. Actually, even when I lick my lips (which I have recently found out that I shouldn't do), the lipstick retains its moisturizing ability.

I do have some qualms with the product, and it would be unfair if I don't warn you ahead of time. When they said "Longwearing," they really mean it. That also means it's a bit hard to remove. Also, the picture can't show it very well, but the color I got is a bit too metallic and glittery. It's a beautiful color, but for my personal preference, I would have liked it without the metallic glitter effect. Then again, it does look good on camera, doesn't it?

Pantene Pro-V All Day Smooth Miracle Water

Help your hair maintain perfect moisture balance. Use this as a finishing touch to your daily hair care regimen (after shower), leaving your hair fragrant and moisturized. For best results, use with the full Pantene system.

Miracle water indeed. I have to admit that I'm a Pantene user since the time my parents decided they shouldn't allow me to experiment mixing other shampoos in the bath. Yes, that was way, way back when my hair was long and straight and was a guinea pig of sorts for my random hair care concoctions. So when I got this bottle of Pantene Miracle Water, I knew I was getting something fairly better than any other.

Although I've only used it a couple of times, I can tell that it is really, really effective. It makes hair feel soft and bouncy and smooth. I don't know if it looks anywhere near commercial-model hair, but I do feel that it's getting there. Plus it's not sticky like most leave-on conditioners are. Once you've placed the product on your hair, it glides on and gets absorbed as if it was never there at all. I would definitely recommend this to those who stay for hours inside air-conditioned offices as the Miracle Water protects hair from drying, avoiding those awkward static-hair moments.

If anyone's wondering why I haven't used this a whole lot if I'm saying that it really works, that's because I've recently digipermed my hair, and I still don't know if the product would be okay for chemically treated hair. If anyone has an answer to that, I'd be glad to hear from you.

Snoe Beauty Beso Balm

This is by far my favorite product of the batch.

I don't know if you can read the warning, but it says, "Prolonged use may attract the opposite gender and may cause intense flirting."

This wins best product copy in my list. The print on its packaging says it all. I even have a funny story attached to it. 

Always heed the warning. I started using this balm right when I received the box. The next day, the magnetism the product says would attract opposite genders started to attract "other species" (scare quotes intended). There was a sudden spotlight turned on me, and frankly, it was a weird and conspiratorial change. Could the balm have been that effective? I don't know, but I plan to keep using this until it finally runs out, maybe find myself a Marius in the process too.

For those who prefer reading more informative reviews, I'd just like to say that the balm is the bomb (read like a surfer dude). At first swipe on your lips, it would seem to be like any other lip balm, but when a few seconds pass, it starts to cool your lips like menthol candies. I'm not sure about the "freshens breath" part of its advertisement, but it does make me feel like my breath doesn't stink much. (Not to say that it does at all, but you get the picture . . . I hope.) The Beso Balm is like a welcome lip care product for those days when wearing lipstick doesn't make you feel any prettier. It's also very effective in cold places and doesn't chap lips.

Burberry Body Eau De Toilette

Ever tried rubbing your wrists on one of those catalogs with scents to sell? Well, I got the better version.

 Yes, that is indeed Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Sexy model for a sexy scent. I love the Burberry Body scent simply because it's not the overpowering kind of scent. It's more of powdery and soft. I obviously don't know the right words to describe scents, but soft and powdery are the nearest descriptions I have of the scent. It's also not the old-woman type of scent. It's subtle and sweet and has quite a long staying power.

Unfortunately, the packaging is always too small. Sample sizes should be bigger. =))

Nevertheless, I loved using this perfume. I'm going to have to save the rest of it for special occasions like . . . Mondays. =)

Etude House Moistfull Collagen Trial Kit (Emulsion and Freshener)

I'm going to say it first just so I can let it out. What I don't like about this product is that I don't know how to use it. Blame it on me for not using the wealth of the world wide web, but I can also blame it on the fact that the only English words in the whole trial kit would be the product name. There are no instructions. Sniff. I had to go to Etude House and actually ask one of the girls which one is which. She told me the facial cleanser was like the toner and the emulsion was the moisturizer. I took her advice.

That being said, I love the aftereffect of both products. Since my face is sensitive and only really loves Asian products, a Korean skin care kit is perfect. It keeps my face feel soft and (yes, I'm going to say it because I love the word) fluffy. I'm not totally convinced about the product though, but I'm sure it's also going to work on other girls around the world.

Absentee Products from the Video

Flormar Supershine Nail Enamel

I love this nail enamel. <3

Okay, I have no idea what people say when reviewing nail polish, but I'm just going to leave this part saying that the color is absolutely gorgeous, the polish doesn't chip easily, and that it's perfect for people like me who like to make DIY nail art. See pictures below.

I'd have to thank the person who gave this notebook to me for the inspiration of polka hearts. And just a little trivia nobody really cares about, I used poster paint for the polka dots and hearts on my nails. Just saying. =)

Last but Definitely Not the Least

Pevonia Botanica Phyto-Gel Cleanser

Feel velvety soft skin!

Meet the Phyto-Gel Cleanser. It's one of those facial washes you wish you'd never run out of.

My skin isn't usually accustomed to new products. I have reservations when using new products, especially on my face. When I did risk using Pevonia's cleanser though, I found it really worthwhile. Unlike other cleansers that leave your face like it's been sucked out of life, Pevonia's cleanser makes your face feel (I don't even know if this is the right word) plump. I mean I think I could feel the pores tighten, and my face felt firmer even after just the first wash. It's that effective. And for sensitive skin like mine, it doesn't feel soapy or extremely moisturizing like lotion. It foams just the right way, and a little goes a real long way. The packaging of the sample may be small, but it packs a punch. I've used this for almost a week now, and my face feels just as clean and just the way as when I first used it. Its efficacy doesn't wear out the longer you use it. Instead, it works even better when used daily. I love this product, and yes, I'd love to have the full-size version of Pevonia's Phyto-Gel Cleanser.

For those who can afford it, you definitely need to try this one. If you try it but it doesn't work well with your skin, I heard that there are other products from Pevonia that would suit any skin type. Plus, know that there is soMEone here ready to use it for you. =)

So that's the seven products I got from the BDJ Box.

But wait, there's more!

Tony Moly Broccoli Sprout Cleansing Cream

Here's another trivia about my rookie adventures in the beauty department: I actually thought this was a facial cleanser and wondered why it wouldn't foam. Hmm. Epic fail?

Don't you just love Tony Moly's packaging? And yes, I'm sorry for not removing my own broccoli from its wrap.

The cleansing cream is cool on the face and is really effective in removing dirt and dead skin cells on your face. It's also very effective in removing makeup.

What I love about this cleansing cream is that after using it, my face doesn't feel like it went through the harshness of makeup removers. It has antioxidants from blueberry, tomato, lavender, rosa canina fruit, and spinach that help revitalize skin. (Wait, I didn't read broccoli in the ingredients.) But like other Korean products, they don't have English instructions. Other than that, this product is best for those who don't have the time or the strength to wash their faces before sleeping.

Tony Moly Tomatox Magic White Massage Pack

This is the cutest case ever.

Yeah, I thought the tomato was edible too.

Anyway, this tomato belongs to my mother. She has the full-size version of the Tomatox massage pack. I first got to use it last Christmas, and it was a refreshing feeling. Yes, it does detoxify, as the product name suggests. It also helps clear impurities. It's like the equivalent of a face mask, only without the mask.

I may not be totally sold to this product since the first time I used it caused me to have two medium-sized pimples, but I think people who have much less sensitive skin than I have will cotton to this product. It's a splurge and a treat for the face and would go well with a long vacation and a glass of iced tea. Tony Moly's product is, like other Asian products, definitely suited for people who like to try out new items and people who enjoy aesthetic packaging as well as content.

And that's all I have to say about my box's content.

Excited to get my February BDJ Box.

On a lighter and more personal note, I'd like to thank BDJ for the FMN ideas journal. I love it! I love notebooks or notepads or anything related to writing. So yeah, thanks a whole bunch!

So what's my beauty resolution for the year? It's to always keep my face clean and not to keep touching it, especially when I've just handled money. That, I think, is one of the most basic things I need to do. And I should probably also take care of my hair since I really prefer just leaving it alone to its own devices. What's your beauty resolution? <3

Love lots everyone, and always remember that your inner beauty is still more important than the outer beauty.

PS
Obligatory hashtags: #bdjbox #bdjbox7day #beautybox
Visit www.bdjbox.com for more info