I know when that highlight bling...

...it can only mean one thing. These days, my new makeup obsession is highlighters. Honestly I blame Ella in getting me into the highlight crazy. Now I've somehow accumulated a small collection of highlighters. Yet I want more! But as Ella says, I only have one face. But they are just so pretty!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Moonchild Glow Kit My only highlighter palette. I just love the colors of this one more than the brand's other glow kits. You really don't see the color until you turn your head to the sunlight so it's still subtle enough to wear out but gives a nice color. My favorite is Lucky Clover. I mean my favorite color is green and the other palettes just didn't have a nice green highlight.

Too Faced Honestly I just love the packaging this brand does. The one to the very left is actually my latest acquisition. This Rainbow Strobe Highlighter I found at my local TJMaxx for $12.99 so I just had to get it. I had been looking into a rainbow highlighter but the cheaper brands just don't compare yet I got this for that drug store price! The middle one is the Unicorn Horn highlighting stick in the color Unicorn Dreams. It looks pink but actually shows up a soft gold and it smells like marshmallows. It does have a blue version but it literally just shows up blue and I can't really make much use of that. To the very right is the Love Light highlighter in the color Ray of Light. Honestly, I bought this mostly because of the packaging but the consistency is so nice and gives a natural but still noticeable highlight. It has actually become my favorite daytime highlight.

These two are my only other full sized products. To the left is the Smashbox + Vlada Petal Metal Highlighter in the color Gilded Rose. The other colors, Rosemantic and that sephora only color, were way to pink for me that they almost seemed like blush. This is probably the most expensive highlighter I own but the packaging was just irresistible. The product itself is actually underwhelming. To keep that rose shape I guess its a little harder than a regular powder so it's hard to use a brush to get much product and even then it is very sheer and subtle. I've been told it's buildable but with a lot of work. To the right is the ELF Heart Defensor Highlighter which has two colors, coffee and cream. Once again, cute packaging and gotta support my fellow Pinays. Nice soft texture and has decent color payoff.

Becca Just so you know, none of these are full size. To the very left is a limited edition one I got from Sephora in the color Topaz Flashes Gilt. It is basically using their usual color Topaz, which is in the permanent collection, but it does shine green in the light. Another green highlight? Of course I had to get it! The middle and right one are from the Glow on the Go set in the color Opal, which is such a beautiful color.

Fenty Beauty Lil Matchstick Duo Mini Shimmer Skin Stick Set which are made of two minis in the color Starstruck (left) and Sinamon (right). The one of the left is really nice for lighter skin tones and the right on darker skin tones. The one to the right is dark for me on most occasions (unless I get super tan again) so I like to use it as a natural looking eye shadow which adds just a bit of color and sparkle.

These are more of my mini size highlighters. I've also gotten into mini size because I realize I'll never really finish a full size anyway and this way I can get more variety. The first three starting from the left are from the Benefit Cosmetics Hightlighter Hotshots set. Starting from the left, Sun Beam is a very nice golden highlighter. Watt's Up is a creamy highlighting stick and High Beam is a much lighter and kind of cooler toned liquid highlighter compared to Sun Beam. To the very right is the Cover FX Glitter Drops in the color Mirage, which I got as one of those freebies with a purchase of $25 or more from Sephora. Unlike the others, this one is very glittery rather than shimmery. You have been warned.

Milk I actually forgot about these ones until I was going through the highlighters on Sephora. Anyway I have the Mini Highlighter in Lit and the Mini Holographic Highlighter Stick in Supernova. These came in the Meet the Fam Milk Bestsellers Set. Lit is a very natural dewy champagne pear color and Supernova is a subtle silvery kind of purple shimmer. Both have a very smooth texture and soft to glide onto the face.

Just because I have all these highlighters doesn't mean I don't want more. What products do I have my eye on? I am very much tempted by that Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter Mini Macaron Set. It has four colors, granted I already have Opal which is included in this set, but the other colors are so pretty and I really want that prismatic amethyst. Also it is that gold packaging that I love. The goldest of the gold has got to be the Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in the color Trophy Wife. I wish they had it available as a mini. Have you seen the Lancome La Rose A Poudre? It's beautiful but the packaging isn't my style. There is also the Artist Couture x Jackie Aina Diamond Glow Powder Highlighter. The Packaging is pretty and I like Jackie Aina but I haven't swatched it in person but it might actually be a bit too dark for me. I'm also interested in the Farsali Jelly Beam Illuminator in the color Glazed, but I know drugstore brands are starting to make jelly highlighters also so we will see if they can make a good dupe.

I tell myself I won't buy more but we will see, won't we?

Amsterdam, Haarlem, & Lisse

This is a very late post and I've been too caught up in other things to post about it. I had the opportunity to take a trip during the spring. It was a hard decision between the gardens of Monet in France or the tulips in Amsterdam but the tulips won so Amsterdam it is. Plus I'd never been to the Netherlands before so this was a great opportunity!

Amsterdam is really great for tourists like me who don't speak Dutch. Everyone pretty much spoke English. They have a train and tram network that made it easy to get around but if ever you get lazy, there is always uber.

One of the most popular places to visit is the Anne Frank House. You have to get these tickets way in advance for specific times. Spots are limited. It's a really comprehensive tour though explaining not just explaining Anne Frank's life, but also the lives of the others she lived with there and the people who tried to protect them. The space they lived in was much larger than I had imagined so it did surprise me that they weren't found out for so long since it would be hard to hide a space that large.

The Rijksmuseum I believe is the most popular and I think certainly the largest in Amsterdam. I got tired just walking through it and it was a bit confusing with the tunnel separating the museum in two sections. It houses some famous paintings like The Milkmaid and of course Rembrandt, which I will mention more about later. I've been told that the museum does an afternoon tea but our schedule was tight so we weren't able to do that.

Right by there is the famouse I Amsterdam sign that you can climb on and take photos with. One of the buildings by there is the Diamantmuseum or Diamond museum, which explains the role of the dutch in the diamond business, which was pretty much something I never knew about. Another small museum to visit is Modern Art Museum or Moco museum. When we went it was featuring all these works by Banksy, which is the main reason we just had to include it on our list.

Another museum that anyone visiting should definitely visit is the Van Gogh Museum. Tickets there are also on a timed basis. It's pretty large,, over three floors. Also, Van Gogh did a lot of self portraits. The special exhibit at the time was Van Gogh and his love for Japanese art styles and Japanese artists. That whole third floor was like his version of a weeb wall. Close to the area is Vondelpark which I wish I was able to explore. Maybe next time.

Another famous tourist attraction is the Heineken Experience and let me tell you, it really is quite an experience. I wasn't sure what to expect other than beer but it was really fun. Also, just lots of beer. If you like to drink, definitely make an effort to go bar hopping and of course visit the Icebar. The bartenders there were so crazy, but bring your own gloves. The winter gear they provide is minimal but if you are drunk enough, you won't feel it anyway.

If you like art, definitely a good idea to stop by the Rembrandt House Museum. It is basically Rembrandt's old home that they turned into a museum. The tour is pretty comprehensive and we got to see someone making art using the supplies and techniques he would have done. Also Rembrandt loved people watching. The Hermitage is also another great place to see art. They have both classic and more modern art. The Dutch Resistance Museum is also a great place to visit if you love history. It is a really great insight into the Dutch experience during World War II especially with the Nazi invasion. If you love gardens, the Hortus Botanicus is a nice botanical garden to spend some time in if it's a nice day.

As for walking tours, we went through the free tours with Sandeman (?) which Ella has had experience with before. They are free but please tip your guides because they are great. We did two tours, one is just a general tour around Amsterdam and the other is a Red Light District tour. Our tour guide was Alex and he is great, pretty much a native to the area so it was a fun experience. Being Dutch though, it was hot and sunny that day and he was kind of getting roasted. Anyway, it was actually very informative learning about the Red Light District and how their business works. They are union! I mean my job isn't even union. In that area is that large old Catholic Church that would watch over all those sinners and could conveniently forgive their sins for a hefty fee. Also, a street that is basically Chinatown. Around the same area is also tiny hidden church also known as  "Our Lord in the Attic" because it's literally in an attic. If you like to see decorative churches and learn about religious history, definitely visit there.

As for  canal tours, we did do a cheap boat tour with like a big company and that was boring. Anyway, I recommend a boat tour with Those Dam Boat Guys, which was actually recommended by our tour guide Alex. Smaller boat, we were a group of about seven or so people. I don't remember our captain's name but he was great, also spoke English, Dutch, and French. You can bring food and alcohol, so of course we brought wine.

Anyway, as mentioned by our guide Alex, there is no good Dutch food so don't go looking for one. We did go to the Avocado Show, which I kept seeing all over Facebook and I get to be like ha! I've been there! I did like some of the places we ate at near our hotel and honestly I don't even know what the names of these areas are. Close to our hotel is the restaurant NOMADS, then down the street we ate at Knus and Pata Negra and something else. Anyway, the restaurants along Linnaeusstraat are pretty good.

Looking to go shopping? There are so many stores by Dam Square, and right by there too is the palace, which comparatively is a lot more plain looking than the mall next to it so don't get the two buildings confused. Ella's favorite store Primark is right around there as well. For cheap souvenirs, Ella took me to the Floating Flower Market, Bloemenmarkt. They have the most hilarious fridge magnets. There is also Waterloopleinmarkt which is like a flea market of sorts that is every day except Sunday.

Anyway, as for a side trip we went to Haarlem, which isn't too far, maybe 30-45 minutes on that long distance train. It is I guess a city/suburb of Amsterdam. It has canals and windmills and is just an overall really nice quieter Dutch city compared to Amsterdam but still has all the Dutch architecture like the townhomes. We did visit the St. Bavo Church which is another historic church. It's right by a square where people just sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine. Definitely get a photo by the Windmill De Adriaan since it's right by a canal too.

Last but not least, the whole reason we chose to go the Netherlands in the first place: tulips! In Lisse, outside Amsterdam and reachable by bus from the airport, are the large tulip fields that you can take pictures by. Also there is the popular Keukenhof gardens which house so many different types of tulips and definitely was a check mark off the bucket list.

I really loved this Netherlands trip. The weather was kind of all over the place so pack for everything. Being an overpacker actually benefited me this time because the weather ranged from 40 degrees to at one point in 80s. The Dutch are all very nice, just be a good pedestrian and look both ways before crossing a bike lane (yes that means you Ella!) and you won't have any troubles.

24K Magic in the Air

I'm always a sucker for the trends and lately the trend has been gold. The type of gold put in products claim to reduce redness and inflammation as well as reverse the signs of aging. I've also read some posts saying it's all unproven and we are just buying into the sense of luxury that anything containing gold exudes. I'm not a scientist and I don't know what the truth is but I definitely have bought into that feeling of luxury. My brother likes to use some of my stuff that has gold because he says it makes him feel rich. Children are so honest!

Face oils with gold flakes
My obsession started when I began to see that Farsali Rose Gold Elixir being used by every MUA on instagram. I mean almost every single one. I did like the idea of it though because it can be used on the face, lips, cuticles, or to mix with makeup. It feels nice but a single 30 ml bottle for $54 was a real turn off. Of course, thanks to this though, more brands started making their own.

Tatcha had then released their Gold Camellia Beauty Oil. I love the Tatcha brand and the oil felt nice when I tried it in store but the $95 price tag on a 30 ml bottle was definitely keeping me away.  Another product I've tried and really loved is the Muddy Body Glow Skin Perfecting Elixir. I've tried this brand's charcoal mask before, which I loved and repurchased, and gladly their elixir did not disappoint. At the same size of 30 ml, it is at a much more reasonable $39.99 and if you look out for their discounts, you can get them for 20-25% off. I've gone through two bottles already. Oh but alas I am poor and still want something cheaper.  Of course, ULTA comes to my rescue with their 24K Magic Beauty Oil, which is probably inspired by Bruno Mars. It's definitely thicker in consistency than the other three and has a strong Lavender scent, but I don't mind it and the $19.50 price tag for 30 ml of product works for me. You can even use your coupons on it for even more of a discount!

But like I said, this is trending so there are a lot of products now to choose from that have gold flakes in them. On the pricier side is Restorsea 24K liquid gold face oil with vibrasea complex at $150 for a 30 ml bottle. At that price, it better work wonders. I'm not too familiar with that brand though but I do know the brand Guerlain and their L'Or Radiance Primer is infused with 24K gold, retailing for $74. On the cheaper side, the NYX Honey Dew Me Up Skin Serum and Primer retails for $16.99, also infused with gold. Then of course you can just scour the internet for much cheaper dupes like this one by Efinny which is $7.99 or this one by Hanyia for about $10. Very cheap but unknown brands so it's a risk.

Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Collection
I mean sure the trend was fairly recent but Peter Thomas Roth has been sporting gold for skin care since way before it was cool. You can view the 24K Gold Collection here. In the collection, the most famous is the 24K Gold Mask, which retails for $80. Expensive, I know. Believe me, I love the gold luxury look but sadly I don't have a gold luxury bank account. However, watch out for value kits in sephora and ulta, especially as it gets closer to the holidays. For me, it was a bit slimy and I don't think it did anything and my friend thought the same thing. However, we don't really have any obvious wrinkles for it to fix to begin with. However, her mom said it was very effective and she did see significant results. I'd like to think it does work but the problem isn't there for it to fix for me just yet.

The other product I own is the 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift & Firm Cream, which came with the set I bought at Ulta. I can't remember how much the set was but this was a full size in the set but this product costs $42 on its own. I remember the set was less than $50 so I got a really good deal. In terms of firming and lift, I don't see it that much but it does have a nice shimmer. It's nice to put as a subtle highlight on those no makeup days or to put underneath foundation to give the face a bit of a glow.

Tatcha
Oh Tatcha, the relatively new beauty brand which I feel like just came out of nowhere last fall when it started a partnership with sephora and now slowly aims to drain my wallet. I did get introduce to their brand when they did a really reasonably priced bento box kit last fall, I say reasonably priced because to me their other products are a bit unreasonably priced. They do like to infuse a bit of 23K gold in their lip balms. The most obvious is the one I have which is the Camellia Goldspun Lip Balm. I absolutely love it and it is very hydrating but at $30, I'm not willing to spend that on a single lip balm. They do have other tinted lip balms and lip sticks which all have a hit of gold in it as well. Their blotting papers also have a bit of gold in it.

Well that's it for the gold products that I know of. Although if you just google it, there are many more lists out there that have links to multiple other products that have gold in it. Like I said, it's a popular trend and more and more products are being released. So happy gold digging! 😜