Online Shopping for Cosmetics & Stuff

I love to shop online! that goes without saying especially cosmetic stuff. I understand that the thought of online shopping is a bit scary for the first time but you'll get used to it. There are a lot of things you can purchase online (you'll be surprised) but mostly I shop for cosmetics online because I don't have the time to go to the mall with my work shift and weekends spent in the province.
Shopping online is scary because there are a lot of fake stuff and scammers on the net. So you'll have to be really careful when choosing the product and the shop. Here are a few online shopping sites I've personally tried.

1. BeautyMNL.com
They offer brands including but not limited to L'oreal, Maybelline, NYX, Pink Sugar, ColourPop
Banila Co, COSRX, Innisfree, Mizon, Shu Emura, Shiseido, Nars, Bobbi Brown, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Kylie Cosmetics. This is a legit site with prices similar to mall prices. They sometimes offer free shipping and there are freebies upon checkout. This is where I purchased my NYX Liquid Suede. Free shipping for orders PHP2000+. Multiple payment methods available (PayPal, Creditcard, Bank Payment, CoD). Shipping may take some time.

2. StuffinStyle.com.ph
They offer brands including but not limited to L'oreal, Maybelline, NYX, ColourPop, ELF, Jordana
Ben Nye, Bare Minerals, Benefit, Christian Dior, Dose of Colors, Lorac, Lime Crime, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Milani, Mac Cosmetics, Urban Decay, Naturactor, Too Faced, The Balm. This is where we got our Milani Baked Blushes. The price is slightly lower than mall prices. Example MAC Studio Fix Fluid foundation costs PHP1900 in the mall and only PHP1600 in SiS. Shipping is very fast that we got our order immediately the next day. Only accepts Bank Payment (BDO & BPI) and Money Transfers (Cebuana & LBC).

3. ph.Althea.kr
They offer brands including but not limited to Laneige, Innisfree, Piolang, Too Cool for School, Its Skin, Iope, Tony Moly, Nature Republic, Skin Food, Etude, The Saem, Dr.Jart, Holika Holika, Mamonde, W-Lab, Witch's Pouch. They offer authentic korean products in much lower prices than in malls. They have a free gift that changes weekly, welcome discounts for new members and discount coupons. Shipping may take some time.Offers free shipping for orders PHP1500+. Accepts payment through Creditcard or CoD.

4. Shopee.ph
You can buy almost anything on Shopee... almost. It's like OLX/Lazada/Zalora where products come from different sellers so you can't really guarantee if the product is genuine. But what I like about shopee is you can talk to the seller via chat functionality included in the shopee app so you can ask for product availability or ask for pictures or proof that the product is genuine. Here are some of the trusted sellers I check out with shopee.
makeupholics - US drugstore cosmetics like Maybelline, NYX, Wetnwild, LA Girl, C
koreana_ph - Korean products like Missha, Rire, April Skin, Clio, PeriPera, Apeiu, The Face Shop, Etude, Innisfree, Tony Moly
thebbcreamshopph - Korean products
samplehaven - Korean product samples
beautiliciousdeals - Rimmel, Revlon, Colourpop, Mary Kay, Ben Nye
PrincessShy - otg, usb, memory cards
Payment process may take some time. I usually use mobile banking (transfer to anyone) to transfer the payment to the Shopee Account (take note the account is owned by shopee) then shopee will verify your payment within 3 working days before the seller ships your order. Then once you confirm that you've received the item, shopee will then release the payment to the seller. (win - win). There are sellers that offer free shipping. Multiple payment methods available.

5. Zalora.com.ph
They offer brands including but not limited to Sleek, K-Palette, Nyx, Sigma, Max Factor, Maybelline, Suesh, Happy Skin, ELF, Ofra, L'oreal, Ecotools, V10 Plus, Colourette. This site is similar to Lazada. Free shipping available for order PHP999+ (per seller). Payment available through Creditcard or CoD.

6. Bonmarchepage.com
They offer brands including but not limited to L'oreal, Maybelline, NYX, Nars, Bobbi Brown, Anastasia Beverly Hills, ELF. They have cheaper prices than mall prices but sometimes the products have small defects which they specify clearly in their site so check the description well before buying. Free shipping for orders PHP3000 above. Only accepts Bank Payments (BDO,BPI, Metrobank) or GCash.

Althea Korean Cosmetics Online Store Review

There's this ad about althea which always pops up in my facebook feed and being the curious and shop-a-holic bloke that I am, I checked out the website and ordered a few items I'd liked to try.
Their site is ph.althea.kr which I already know by heart. I have already had 3 transactions with them along with my family and officemates.

The package comes in a neat pink box (covered in bubble wrap which is a plus)

And all items inside are completely sealed (and again wrapped in bubble wraps)

This was my first loot

Etude Drawing Pencil PHP160

(PHP178 in stores)

Eyebrow Brush PHP60

Screw Brush PHP40

Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask PHP560 (around PHP800 in stores)

I have heard a lot of great things about this mask. I have already used it twice and so far so good. It feels very refreshing on the skin and does a good job bluring out some pores. It's nice that you can see immediate results after using the product. I just wish it came with a free spatula.

Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner PHP440 (around PHP550 in stores)

I honestly don't know if it's effective but it's not doing anything bad so far so i'll just keep on using it.

Swanicoco Snail Skin Toner and Emulsion Set PHP832

This is my favorite find so far. I think it's a really good introduction to snail products. I was afraid it wouldn't be any good for my oily skin but what do I know I love it. They are not sticky at all and it smells good.

Swanicoco Snail Skin Toner

It's not as liquidy or water-like like most if not all toners I've tried. It has a certain consistency but still easy to apply.

Swanicoco Snail Emulsion

Emulsions are like light moisturizers which are good for oily skin. It looks quite firm but

it actually melts when it comes in contact with your skin.

I initially thought it would make my skin oilier than it already is but no. And I like the dewy healthy glow it gives when you apply it. 

These are my sister's loots

It's my Lip Crayon in Nudie Rose PHP240

Under Eye Brightener PHP190

Witch's Pouch Selfie Perfect Eyebrow PHP150

This is quite affordable because it comes with a refill.

Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream Blooming Fit PHP660

You probably can't see it but it has a white cast to it.

She also bought a Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask for PHP550, Block block Soap PHP310 (expensive!) and she got a free item in the treasure hunt event which is Skin Food Rice Wash Off Mask PHP310

Overall the online shopping experience with Althea is nice but totally addicting. Items ship directly from Korea and it takes about a week before they send out Shipping Notifications and another 2-3 days before Delivery. Shipping is free with a Cash on Delivery option for orders PHP1500 and above. They also have a PHP150 coupon for new customers. Also they have different promotions every week like Buy 2 Take 1 or free gifts or treasure hunts. I will most probably repurchase here once I use up all my stuff. :)

Firmoo Glasses First Impression

I just received my firmoo glasses which I ordered about a month ago. My glasses were already outdated so I needed to get a new one. But I wanted to try something new and something cheaper so I opted to order my new glasses online.

Aviator Sunglasses with Mirror Green Lens

Perfect for going to the beach or outdoors.

They're not just sunglasses. They're prescription sunglasses! Pretty cool huh?

My grandpa wanted it for himself but was surprised when he tried it on because the grades are high XD

This will replace my everyday glasses.

It has a gray photochromic lens (turns to gray when exposed to the sun), anti scratch and fingerprint resistant.

UPDATE: yup the photochromic feature does work. Turns to gray when exposed to the sun making your regular eyeglasses a pair of sunglasses as well.

Turns to gray when exposed to the sun

I paid for $112 for both glasses including shipping fee which I think is a good deal given the customized lens that I chose for each glasses. 

Since I bought them online, I wasn't able to try it personally (for obvious reasons) but I'm glad they fit just fine. They have this feature where you can upload your photo and try the lenses virtually.

http://www.firmoo.com

There are a lot of shapes, sizes and colors to choose from. 

The specs of each glasses are indicated so it will be easier to choose. (material, weight, frame style)

But before you get ahead of yourself, make sure you know your prescription first and you need to be 100% sure about it to avoid wasting money and a good product.

After selecting the frame you want. You can also customize the type of lens you want. (distance,reading,computer,bifocal,non rx)

after that you have to put your prescription.

Next you select the Lens thickness which has corresponding additional prices.

Next you have to choose the Lens Color which also has corresponding additional prices. (tinted,photochromic,polarized,no color)

If you have no idea what these color lenses do, click on the "?" icon to get a detailed information.

Lastly you can choose the Lens Coating which also have corresponding additional prices. (anti scratch,anti reflective/anti radiation,UV coating,water resistant,fingerprint resistant)

I love how much detail you can customize with your lenses and how easy you can choose each one. They do have additional cost but there are also available free choices.

I ordered April 13, 2016 and received it May 10, 2016. You can track the status of your order from their site. Delivery tracking is through DHL but you can also check the delivery status in the website.

Customer service was fast too. I asked to change my prescription and they immediately catered to my request.

They also have the following promos. Free glasses and Buy one Get one free. Although as you might suspect, they're not entirely free. Shipping cost alone costs around $20. So if you pick the free glasses promo, you still have to pay the shipping fee.

They also have a promo where if you reach a certain amount, shipping fee will be free. Although you can only use one promo at a time.

Final Thoughts: For one I was glad the site was legit and they actually delivered the products I ordered. Customer service was fast and reliable. So far I love the glasses, they come in a cute case with a map design and there's also a tool you can use to adjust the glasses. My grades are quite high now so I still need to get used to it but yeah I love my new glasses.

Will I buy from firmoo again? Right now yes, I'm actually eyeing another frame but this time I'll try the computer lenses. But let's see about the quality first. I haven't tried the photochromic lens yet but I'll update once I've tried them.