A Late Bloomer on Skin Care and Makeup

Valentines Day

2012-02-14T21:39:00.000+08:00

Valentines is almost done but I wanted to greet all of you a very happy Valentines Day. I know people call it a fake holiday, which it is, but that's why it's called a holiday because it's a means for us to celebrate. If you feel the essence of Valentines day from the deepest recess of your heart, don't worry, it a pause our monotonous life and a day to give thanks to the people who make living this fleeting life much more meaningful.

"We enter the world alone and we leave it alone. And everything that happens in between, we owe it to our self to find a little company. We need help. We need support. Otherwise we’re in it by our self. Strangers, cut off from each other and we forget just how connect we all are. So instead we choose love. We choose life and for a moment we feel just a little bit less alone."

I got my favorite Fluffy Mamon (Fluffy Small Cake) from a local bakery chain, Goldilocks this lovely Valentine morning. It made me really happy!

Happy enough to gobble it all up in less than half a minute. And blog about it this evening. This is by far the best Valentines day gift that I've received! ^________^

Hope the best for you and for your loved ones! Stay healthy :D

Thanks for reading~

February Brings About A Desire For Change

2012-02-12T18:24:00.001+08:00

The start of the new year has given me so much and taken away quite a lot. This is in reference to my self and things around me affected by the changes that has made me scramble, rethink and rearrange my life accordingly!

A life update for those who care:

* I have completed building my own room! Yes! After living for so long sharing room and board with some family members in one bedroom, their messes vs. my sense for organization, some of my sisters using my products and constant running out of products I like, etcetera!

* I am returning back to my video and photography roots.

* Getting promoted at work ;)

* Pursuing my graphic art/drawing with digital drawings (I only used to do traditional, sketches and colored pencils and all that stuff)

* Loving myself despite my imperfections but learning how to highlight what I have!

<3 <3 <3

But that doesn't mean I will stop trying to better myself and find things to discover as I go along. I am very much into skincare still, and I'm not done practicing makeup yet hahahah! I'm not very good at it even until now. I can't practice as much because I don't get a lot of avenues/events where I am asked to be extra girly.

Below is today's makeup I did, when I went out to treat my family out to ice cream.

It's still not very good, huh?
I can't do nor wear dramatic eye makeup at all. I was doing the best I can D:

On a happier note: Here's us on my PROJECT 365 :) Taken today it's DAY 43, my family and Mike (le Boyfrénd) and also my close friend, Dan not in picture because he's the one who took this nifty picture of us:

A lot of new things are in store! From here on out I am not just going to limit myself on beauty products, but more on organic skin care and DIY, graphic design and life, love, books and rocking it out as a career girl and all the good things in between.

This chapter in my life makes me feel like nothing is missing. I am at a very happy place right now!
I hope you stay tuned!

My New Year: Feast, Food and OOTN

2012-01-04T18:33:00.002+08:00

Sorry it took me so long to greet all of you guys!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

We all deserve the blessings we are about to get this year :D At the same time, we should look forward to the challenges that will make us better people with stronger faith and resiliency.

I had a blast with my family in celebrating both Christmas and New Year, but mostly New Year, because it was a lot louder while our Christmas was spent in a quieter, more heartfelt manner.

I didn't get to sleep a wink waiting for the clock to strike 12~00 :DD It also helped that I was the one who prepared our New Year's food. I'm new at food preparation but I am so proud of myself that my family liked the things I made! Especially the kids who ate them all :)

I'd like to share to you guys some of the things I made!

Apple-cream and cinnamon toast

This is a variation of the normal warm toast that the kids like. Instead of opting for the prepackaged Apple jam that we usually eat straight out of the toaster, I opted for a healthier version that consisted of cored apple, cream and milk, as well as a generous helping of cinnamon powder and a bit of cinnamon syrup :) It is sweet but not overly so, and the cinnamon brings out the apple flavor so well. The kids enjoyed this as a pre-New Year treat so I could help them stay awake ;)

Chocolate Jello

Previously, I made Strawberry Jello and my nieces and nephews liked it so I made a Chocolate version just to feel adventurous. I used Hershey's Dark Chocolate powder for this. Note also the cream made from heavy cream, sweetened milk and vanilla. It's a cool treat and sweet enough to make them hyper.

Now on to the main courses!


Grilled Pork Spare Ribs

My personal favorite! I marinated several pieces of pork ribs for about 4 hours so it is extra tasty and smokey! My dad also helped me grill it because I'm not very good at grilling :( It made our tummy very full and there was enough for everyone to enjoy. I ate like 2 pieces of ribs and when I came back I only saw an empty yellow plate! T___T But it's okay, at least my family liked it! I feel really happy :)

Lemon Salmon

I picked up some frozen Norwegian Salmon from the supermarket. This is sprinkled with salt and oregano with a squeeze of Lemon then deep fried in Olive oil. This fish is very fatty. I love lemons on anything, because it makes even the simplest dishes taste nice and look presentable! LOL!

Spicy Gambas with Spring Onions

This dish is my nephew Hisashi's favorite for some reason. He hated anything spicy but when I cooked this, he was intrigued and ate one. He almost finished the entire plate! I sprinkled a good amount of paprika on the shrimp to make it spicy. What I like about paprika is it's not like Chili that the hot spice stays for a long time. Paprika is spicy, but the spice disappears fast so you can eat a lot of it. I should have also tied the spring onions around the shrimp but it was too MANY!!! (; A ;)/ I didn't have a lot of time since I also had to make Ceasar salad, prepare the slab of ham and many others~

I also needed time to primp ;) Here I am wearing my "Lucky Red Dress". They say that wearing red attracts luck and I need a lot of it this year. I hope that all my wishes come true and that everything will go my way. I also wore that because one of my resolutions that hopefully will stick is to dress a lot less with jeans and pave the way for dresses and soft skirts.

I wish you all a very bountiful year to come! I hope good cheer awaits all of us this 2012! :)

Thank you so much for reading!

Beach Wedding, An FOTD

2011-12-19T01:35:00.002+08:00

Another FOTD! Your kind, encouraging comments on the first FOTD I posted have a good effect on me. I feel like I want to do better.

Last December 17, I was invited to a beautiful beach wedding, the bride was my boyfriend's older sister and a friend since highschool. She has always been so beautiful, but the radiance on her wedding day was unsurpassed.

She asked if I could be her Veil Sponsor. It was such an honor that I didn't know what else to do except to say yes. I was expecting just to be a guest, but the change of plans made me scramble to get a decent blue dress (her motif was Tiffany blue long with sunflower yellow but that shade of blue is kind of hard to find.)

Here was the look I hastily applied on :(

I used a sunscreen to base! You can see what face sunscreen I used here and why I like it! I also just brushed on my trusty Ellana Minerals Oil Absorbing Mineral Powder.

I used an Elf Lipstain for my lips and for my eyes, I used the Majolica Majorca Trick-On eyeshadow.

Finally getting some action after several months of non-use :))

Here is my simple dress which I got on sale P200.00 Hahah I saved a lot. Huzzah. I'm not a dress person so paying for P1,500 or more for a dress is not very practical. The shade is nice as well, the cloth is of good quality and a bit stretchy.

I'm very happy for her, we all are. And not a dry eye in the beach when they recited their vows, which was so sweet and warm and heartfelt, and especially when they thanked each of their parents. It was beautiful.

Here's a couple of pics with Mike's nieces who are so LAMBING! They hug you all the time and ask to play with you.

Til next time! I'll do better then :)

I hope you all had a grand Christmas celebration! Good health to you and your family. Good cheers, good times!

My First FOTD: Party Look

2011-12-16T10:55:00.001+08:00

DECEMBER -- is the month of COMPANY CHRISTMAS PARTIES! And what better way to FORCE me to wear a lot of make up is when the threat of non-conformity incident report is being waved in my face, resulting to future disciplinary actions by the company Admin. Sigh. In any case, here is the party make up look that I created.

This is my first FOTD so you can understand the newbie-ness of this. A lot of eyeliner and eyeshadow and I was ready to sit the night away! The best thing about the make up that I wore is that my face was made up in such a way that was breathable, despite the suffocating venue we had and the throngs of people that were there. I had very little to no oiliness, and it is a feat considering the natural tendency of my skin to act up when it's humid and the external factors i.e. suffocating venue. :))

What I wore for my face:

That's Ellana Mineral Espresso Con Pana Oil Absorbing Finishing Powder and the Majolica Majorca Skin Lingerie Face Base. There was no need for foundation because the MM Base was good enough as coverage create evenness on the skintone (and also acts like a brightener, because I looked lighter for some reason?) You can click to enlarge the photo below:

I really liked that I was able to put on makeup without it melting at the end of the event.

I was able to sit there for a full 6 HOURS with only one retouch to my face in between. Though the lipstick wore off somehow because of the buffet dinner hahaha. Here is my face after the event!

And what do you know! My team won 3 awards for the Music Video that we made! Best Production Design, Best Director (ME! OMG!)and the overall winner title, bagging the Best Video Award!

My WINNER face below:

Slight smile. Coz she's too used to winning, this girl. Hahaha, kidding.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING!

Eye Like These: Eye Stuff I Use!

2011-12-14T13:32:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone!

Today is the day you are going to be bombarded with a lot of images! New camera, hoo~hooey! ~

I'd like to present some of the things that I've been using lately, though sparingly. These are basic things that I've been experimenting on using. I don't usually go out fully made out in terms of makeup day after day, but I do get the chance during Mondays, the only day of the week when we are coerced to wear corporate attire and look presentable.

Here are my eye stuff! I find putting on eye makeup a hassle so I don't usually bother :P But I do use this really cute Eyelash Curler from Etude House!

If pink curler handles are not for you, you should stay away. It's very pink! Girly pink like no tomorrow! But it makes for a nice grip and a comfortable hold because the pink coating seems like synthetic rubber. Better that than wringing your fingers on tough metal. :)

The eyelash curler is silicone-based, so it's relatively soft yet firm. It's not hard plastic and the silicone is translucent. The box comes with one silicone extra, too.

So far I like it even for the barest thing it does. It does a poor job when it comes to staying power since I don't apply mascara or any other liquid that can help lift my lifeless eyelashes. Maybe I need to find something else better. But for less than P80.00, I didn't lose a lot.

Another gripe I used to have with this eyelash curler is that it had a funky, funky, old metal smell. It did seem to go away after some while.

My second eyestuff is the San San Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in Black. This is a new find I had when I passed by HBC cosmetics. They still have nice stuff there so I went to take a look and exited with this in hand.

I thought, It's ridiculous to have an eyeliner that's precise like this be priced so low! I like the way it creates thin lines. But alas like all other cheap stuff, it does have it's limitations. It's waterproof though! But not so much oil-proof nor soap-proof (well of course!)

It is enough for now. I work in an airconditioned environment so the liner stays okay even after a full 8 hours. As long as I don't stay in temperatures that melt my face and send my oily face to overdrive, this is good enough for the price I got it!

Finally, I introduce you to my lovely eyebrow gel/powder that I've had and used for more than just a few times! In fact, I use this every chance I get. This is the Maybelline Eyebrow Pot that I got from my sister. Tried googling it but I really can't find anything similar, not even from the Maybelline website. Maybe a Japan-only release?

So you can see that it's eyebrow powder in kind of a hard, pressed form. Let me tell you that this is wonderful. And it's a perfect shade for any brow! It's not so dark that when you apply it you can see the powder strokes, but just enough to give the brows a filled look that looks more like a shadow.

I use this one almost daily as I have the weirdest eyebrow shape in the world. I trim it as much as I can but it never looks trimmed. Bah. I may have to visit an eyebrow salon? I dunno. I can't wrap my head around it right now, but my brows look like they need serious help. The Maybelline pot helps a lot when trying to fill in the sparser outer end without it looking like it's darker than my inner hairs.

The good thing about this pot is though I've used it for a couple of months now, the amount of the powder doesn't seem to budge! Maybe it's a magical pot that never runs out? Let's hope it runs out when forever ends.

That's about it! In the next series, I cover my Face stuff!

Thanks for reading!

Bored at My Desk [We don't have Thanksgiving!]

2011-11-25T00:47:00.000+08:00

Chewing some extremely super dooper doublegood Japanese candies. Oh boy are they so addicting.

Currently, I am at a place where I really have no way of updating the new things I've discovered during my absence. I don't have a very good camera right now and it sucks! My silence in the blog world didn't mean I stopped testing and re-testing various skin care products and doing a lot of adventures!

I am glad though that this absence has afforded me a lot of time to really use the products I'm using and getting the hang of things when it comes to skin care layering! I have an updated routine to share, too.

Did you know about Layering? I've only just about discovered it and so far I am on my trial and error and continuing my search for a good night cream that will moisturize my oily face. That's really a difficult thing, you know XD

In the meantime, I am enjoying my life as usual! I love the people I'm sharing my time with, some may annoy me but it wouldn't be the same without them anyway. We have a new addition to my family, a serious-looking little baby boy. Then I have a lot of things to do in terms of career and personal life.

I am doing all I can to expedite the process of acquiring a digicam that takes perfect shots everytime!

Til then, see you! Happy Thanksgiving!

Sigma Giveaway

2011-10-21T12:49:00.002+08:00

Eki's SIGMA Giveaway!

One winner will receive a set of Make me Cool-Aqua brush set!

Open to anyone in the world~

Rules:

1. Must be both reader of this blog and a subscriber of my YouTube

2. Must "like" Sigma's facebook page and Sigma's youtube channel

ENDS midnight central US time zone~ Giveaway ends 10/30/11

Chiisana Kawaii (Small and Cute) Purchases

2011-09-11T20:40:00.000+08:00

Hi! How are you guys!

Even though I am fast running out of funds, I still took the liberty of buying stuff! I just can't resist really kawaii stuff.

I bought magnetic bookmarks because they are so useful and practical and they dont slip off the pages as easily as paper bookmarks.

And so cute too, look at the Kuma (bear) design:

They do their jobs really well, these kawaii bears:

Also bough cute tea time mechanical pencils

AND!! I got these Rilakkuma keychains too! I LOVE RILAKKUMA! ^____^

And this Rilakkuma head that I got from KAWAIIHOLIC online shop:

I used as my hand rest for work!

Thanks for reading :)

Giveaway by The Product Whore

2011-08-23T10:29:00.000+08:00

The 500 Followers Triple Prize Giveaway

by The Product Whore

So many lovely things that I can't help but try to win them! I hope for fairy dust for me!! :D

Let's all join in everyone! Click the link or the picture for more details!

Kose Suncut UV SPF 50+++ Protect Milk Sunblock Review

2011-08-22T14:49:00.000+08:00

Like any other girl who lives and loiters in the sunniest part of the world, I've been searching high and low for the very thing that can protect my skin from the year-round unforgiving heat of the sun.

I've tried a fair share of SPF-filled lotions and creams in various ranges but none has capture my love and my loyalty than Kose Suncut UV SPF 50+++!!! This is pure love right in this 30ml bottle.

To think that I made this purchase during my second haul from Sasa.com and I am soooo thankful I took the chance and didn't go for any other sunblock brand (I was going to go with Clinique City Block SPF 50!)

Directions for use:
1. On a clean face, spread generously and evenly.
2. Reapply as needed.

Product Experience:
At first I was hesitant because the sunscreen liquid is white. I've been through that "white cast" or "grayish cast" that ordinary sunscreen usually have once applied on the face. But, it broke my prejudice since it is very, very easy to apply, goes on so smoothly, and the white liquid simply disappears as you spread it on the skin.

It is pretty watery, so it is a light but POTENT sunscreen. It doesn't smell funky at all. It's has a mild suncreeny scent but it disappears as it is spread too.

The best thing about this is that it doesn't make my face look like a grease ball! :D I have oily skin, and having this on even on top of my daily moisturizer DOES NOT make me oilier! Compared to all the other sunscreens I've tried, this one is KING.

Cons?
I was kind of turned off at first that the reviews said it was a small bottle... But I guess there's a reason people complained about it being small! This is a really good product so much that you don't want to run out of this. And I don't want to run out of this sunblock. Not now, not ever. Unfortunately, I only bought one single piece!

Also, I wish that the twist-cap has a pop-up cap instead, but this complaint is more on the packaging and not the product. So basically, I have no cons!!!!! :)

If you ever want to buy this at Sasa.com, please be reminded that I am going to run out soon so you better save me at least 5 pieces because I am going to hoard this soon. This is fast becoming a product I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT! ^____________^

I hope to hear from you and thanks for reading!

Sasa.com II - Asian Skincare Brands Haul~ Again :)

2011-08-09T09:20:00.001+08:00

Because of the very wonderful experience we had with our previous skin care and make up order from Sasa.com, my friends and I did more orders from the site with a lot more products this time!

My orders are just two kinds, the Kose Suncut SPF 50+++ which I will review very soon! I loved it! I am raving about it! And the other is the Innisfree Trouble Patch which I gave to Greencross :3

The box is almost the same as the previous one, but it's a lot more jampacked this time. Still paid the small Postal fee amounting to P40.00 :) I love love love it! I think everybody should have a friend in Davao that they can send International mail to and let that friends send it to them via private courier. It may take a bit of time but you can save on a lot! Haha, bypassing rules winz! (But not that I condone that...)

Here are the products that we have straight from the box.

\
And here's the breakdown on all the products we ordered (with prices, too, for your convenience!)

JUJU Cosmetics Natural Aloe Milk

$12.20 or PHP 523.90

(I think this is an emulsion/moisturizer)

C+M Oil Control Acne Define Serum

$2.80 or PHP120.20

(a light serum for acne spot treatment)

C+M Anti-Blemish 3 in 1 Deep Purifying Cleansing Gel (70 ml)

$2.50 or PHP 107.30

C+M EYE MAKE-UP Remover Lotion (65 ml)

1 $2.30 or PHP 98.70

C+M UV WHITE Day Moisturising Emulsion (65 ml)

$3.20 or PHP 137.40

KOBAYASHI Underarm Sweat Sheet (Red) 10 pairs

$4.10 or PHP 176.10

Kose SUNCUT Essence In UV Protect Milk SPF50 PA+++ Waterproof (30 ml)

$5.10 or PHP 218.90

MentholatumA CNES Acnes Medicated UV Tinted Milk SPF 50 PA++ (30 g)

$6.00 or PHP 257.60

SASATINNIE BB Cream SPF35 PA+ (Rose) 50 ml

$12.60 or PHP 541.00

Second picture--- This one is really pretty!

SASATINNIE Ultimate Deep Repair Wheat Protein Hair Mask (225 ml)

$5.10 or PHP 218.90

Conditioner cream of the Protein Hair Mask! Very rich!

Somang Hand Cream (Milk) (100 ml)

$5.20 or PHP 223.2

OCEANSILVER JAR Silver Jar Vanilla Lip Balm 6.5 g

$1.70 or PHP 73.00

Vitacreme B12 Regenerative Cream (50 ml)

$25.60 or PHP 1,734.40

Well, that's that! I'll be back with a bunch of reviews coming up so stay tuned :) You can leave your questions at the comments box or email me at its.the.crazy.country.air@gmail.com

Thanks for reading!

Yanwaili Anti-Blemish Refining and Moisturizing Essence

2011-08-03T12:13:00.000+08:00

Hellooo~ San Francisco! (We'll I'm not really from there.)

I'm in such a good mood because of the product we will be reviewing today! As you know, I recently purchased a bunch of asian beauty products from Sasa.com.

Actually, all those things I ordered were brands I HAVEN'T USED before. Feelin' adventurous, heh. I ordered mostly Yanwaili products which I haven't even heard of until now. I previously did a Yanwaili Anti-Blemish Cream review. When I bought my purchases, I didn't even look at the reviews online, only on the ones posted at the product pages, but you know they come off as pretty biased, you know? Sasa.com gives some incentives to lucky reviewers who post glowing reviews of the things they bought.

But I won't be like that!

It's a shame though that I will only have positive reviews of this product! Hahah!

So what we have here is the Yanwaili Anti-Blemish Refining and Moisturizing Essence that I have inserted in my weekly skin care regimen! I've decided and arranged my regimen so as to make sure I can use this product for best results.

This is made in Taiwan, as Yanwaili is a famous drugstore brand in the country. Taiwan is a good place to get beauty products like My Beauty Diary masks, which is like a staple for Asian beauty bloggers. Even as far away as I am, I have tried those masks before.

This Yanwaili Anti-Blemish Essence is one of the 6-step regimen of the Anti-Blemish line. I've had the cream one and this, and by far this is my favoritestestest :) of all of them

You can click below for the ingredients list. Sorry if it got cut off a bit. You can read below about some good ingredients that I like:

1. Retinoic Acid - Retinoic acid is the active form of retinol, and actual retinoic acid creams are only available from a doctor or dermatologist. It’s prescribed for serious skin conditions like acne but is also used as a potent treatment for skin ageing... A fair warning: some people may be very sensitive to retinol. It can cause cells to peel off and skin to appear dry, red and flaky, However you’re more likely to get a reaction from using prescription retinoic acid than an over-the-counter product. (source)

2. Salicylic Acid -Salicylic acid is especially helpful in treating acne because of its ability to penetrate the follicle. It encourages the shedding of dead skin cells from within the follicle, helping keep the pores clear of cellular debris. In this way, it reduces the number of pore blockages and breakouts on the skin. (source)

3. Licorice Root - Used in various popular products like Godiva and Meladerm as it is a very well known melanin inhibitor, to help lighten the skin over time. And according to this source, certain compounds in licorice is useful for skin care. Glabridin was identified as a powerful skin whitening ingredient, glabrene as an anti-oxidant as strong as natural Vitamin E, and licochalcone as highly effective anti-acne ingredient which controls sebum production and wipes away bacteria. Licochalcone is also a mild sunscreen effective against the UVA & UVB rays of the sun.

Directions for use:
1. Use in the morning and at night after washing and toning face.
2. Apply a small amount evenly to face or only to areas that are affected with blemishes then follow with moisturizing face products.

What I do is only apply during WEEKEND NIGHTS once I'm done with washing my face, since it contains Retinoic Acid/Retinol, your face can become very sensitive to the sun's rays. I have another day cream and sunblock for the morning anyway, so I'm already okay for the morning routine.

Here are some pictures of how much I put into my face and neck:

Consistency:
Thick but watery, looks like a serum. Glides well on the skin, matte after 2-3 mins.

Smell:
When the Yanwaili cream is compared to this Yanwaili essence, I thought that the cream smelled yucky! This essence is much better than the cream.

Verdict:
I really, honest-to-goodness, love this product. It is thick but has a watery consistency when applied evenly to the face and it is very easily absorbed too! I love that my face becomes matte after about 2-3 minutes of spreading the essence, unlike others it would stay liquidy. You can tell that the essence seeped into the skin properly.

I know I didn't give its counterpart, the Yanwaili Cream a very glowing review, but this essence is at par with my thicker, creamier Pond's night cream (which I use WEEKDAY NIGHTS). It's a tinier bottle than the lotion or toner from this brand, but I love this so much that I am planning to repurchase! I can't be running out now that I love this product.

I therefore conclude that this is a good find from Sasa.com! :)

Thank you so much for reading !

Yanwaili Anti-Blemish Line - Refining & Moisturizing Cream

2011-07-26T12:06:00.005+08:00

Bought this along with other stuff from my Sasa.com online purchase and I've had about 2 and a half weeks of usage experience, so I'm here to report it!

I have mixed feelings with this cream! But let me tell you my review may be clouded because of my staple night cream, Ponds. You see, I've used Ponds for quite a while now, and I've never looked back. Sorry if I keep on comparing Ponds, but there's nothing else to compare for me because that's my regular skin care cream.

FIRST AND FOREMOST: Read the caution part of any skin care product if it is there. You can tell from there the allergens that may be present in the product so you can avoid what's bad for you. Luckily, I'm not allergic I don't think I have any allergies to anything at all!

Don't forget to read the ingredients list. For this cream, we can see there are parabens in the list! Parabens are kind of a taboo in skincare, but for me, there is nothing singularly wrong about having Parabens in the ingredientst list because they act as "preservatives" that keep products from going bad doubly fast. I have read this info:

Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) concluded that parabens were safe as long as they did not constitute more than 25% of a product’s content. Parabens are found in levels ranging from 0.01% to 0.3% in skincare products. Additionally, the FDA has determined that parabens are safe for use in cosmetic products.

But! If you are still not comfortable with parabens in your skincare, then Yanwaili is not for you. But the good thing about it is that it has good ingredients when it comes to ANTI-BLEMISH:

Glycerel Stearate, Salicilic Acid, and Allantonin.

If you're a hard core anti-paraben person, or are pregnant, or pro-organic, then it's best to save your money and buy something else.

Now with this Yanwaili cream, you can see from the size that it's a bit smaller. My night cream is bigger and for almost the same price =__= It looks cuter though since Yanwaili looks really nice with the silver cap and white bottle jar. I like that the packaging looks nice and refreshing, you can never really mess up the green + white color combination.

I used this replacing my beloved Ponds cream for a while, but it's really not up to par.... Thus my separation anxiety from my favorite Ponds cream. Having Yanwaili didn't help as I thought it would nor did it change my heart into using this.

Consistency:
The very consistency of Yanwaili Cream above is very light, more liquid than cream, actually!

Smell:
If you could go back to the ingredients list, you will see FRAGRANCE branded there. But in my experience, there was very little to no fragrance at all. The Ponds cream I normally used had this calming floral fragrance that's not cloying, but I was okay with Yanwaili cream but I found it to smell too earthy. Maybe I'm too used to light fragrance now.

You can see above the actual cream when applied on the skin. It looks thicker there because I put a bit more than what I normally would apply on my face.

But it gets soaked in fast! See below

Actual Application:
Once I apply on my face, it is immediately absorbed. It felt very nice while applying though I get bothered by the earthy smell sometimes. I find that when I use Yanwaili, it leaves a very moisturized looking face. I really like how moisturizing this cream is.

But I don't know, I feel like this isn't for oily-faced or combination at all since it's very moisturizing and I oil up a lot because of this.

Repurchase:

I would not. I think that my Ponds cream wins versus this Yanwaili cream. I would continue using this until it runs out to get the maximum benefit of this anti-blemish product.

That's about it for the Yanwaili Cream... Stay tuned for more reviews from my Sasa.com Purchase.

Thank you for reading!

Beauty Product Orders Have Arrived - Good Job, Sasa.com!

2011-07-12T21:36:00.002+08:00

I can't believe it you guys! Our parcel is here in all its glory!

Last July 7 I processed the order together with my friends a group purchase in Sasa.com and we are so delighted that it came ON TIME! I'm like the #1 DOUBTER of international shipping, I've been burned plenty from my International transactions getting lost, not getting to me properly, having exorbitant fees to pay for shipping and etc. But Sasa.com has completely removed all those bad memories!

Box of Goods from Sasa.com

Now this is gonna sound like I'm kissing Sasa.com's butt... I am not, but I am just so happy with them! For real! Safe transaction (Paid with my CC, transaction went well and was secured!), REAL OFFER of FREE SHIPPING (some online shops offer free shipping but have so many fine print about this and that fees, don't you think???) and the best part of all, I was very surprised at the efficiency of Sasa.com customer service in handling adding of items even though it was dispatched (they charged us $5.00 since we miscalculated the products and had to add one more to get the Free Shipping, but what's $5.00 in exchange of $60.00 expedited shipping, right? Hahah.) and it went from there without a hitch at all!

Now it comes the hard part... praying for ourselves... PRAYING THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY THE ALLEGEDLY SUPER HIGH CUSTOMS FEE! I researched high and low for the computation for customs tax and fee and all those things, and I came up with like P1,500-- almost half of the entire purchase of our box! We crossed our fingers, held on to the faith that Davao Postal Office would never screw us like that... I was even worried because the parcel wasn't delivered to my house, I had to claim it and had to pay a "fee". URK.

I went there... and what do you know? Prayers are really answered. Here is the receipt I got after claiming the package.

YEP! P40.00! They increased by P5.00 and I've never been so happy. :)))

Sasa.com is upfront with their items, they even have a printed receipt for you including the items that are within the parcel. But!! Davao Postal is SOOOOOOOOOOO good to its Davaoenos... It doesn't charge us unnecessarily like other metropolitan cities do! Look at the Philippine Postal Office Horror stories everywhere in the net and here and here... So I say, I salute you Davao Postal Office! THANK YOU! I love DAVAO.

And here are some of the things we got: I'll try to name them once I list down the products from my Sasa.com account... But as you can see we have the Yanwaili Anti-Blemish series in cream and essence, as well as the Hada Labo Tamagohada Cleanser and Shirojyun Lotion, the Naive (by Kanebo) Peach Cleanser, Lancome Hydrazen Toner, C+M, Pinky Black Head Masque, and a free Butterfly hair clip from Sasa.com

There are plenty more not in the picture above because we were so excited to take the pictures of them altogether, we snatched the products one by one!

I now officially love Sasa.com! Expect many more orders from me and please don't change your speedy customer service and your expedited free shipping too!

Ordering Internationally: Sasa.com

2011-07-07T11:17:00.009+08:00

Sorry for my upsetting post the other day.... Steam has blown so I'm more mellowed out now.

International online shopping has always filled me with happiness, excitement, want, anxiety and so much depression. A lot of times I see the stuff I've always wanted to have, with the cheapest prices as compared to the price tag of the online sellers I see around. The only downside is, which negates the cheap price, is the EXORBITANT shipping that depresses me so much.

I've once wanted clothes, accessories, skin care and a bit of cosmetics that I saw in online stores where the seller lived in another country. The last one I remember was an online shop that sold Washi Wallets, wallets made from Japanese Washi paper, that I love-- Shown below:

Image taken from LeaK Arts

The wallet was just about $5.00, but the shipping! OMG the shipping... $15.00! KA-CHING! I could buy 3 more wallets with it! :( That's why I you can understand how I tried (in vain!) staying away from International shops even though their products make my eyes sparkle! :DDD

I am now sooooo happy there is SASA.COM! I know I'm a bit late, but better than never, right? Kind of made me so giddy knowing that their FREEEEEEEE SHIPPING works! Pooled with my friends and ordered about $75 worth of goods and we were all set. You can check out or orders below:

Their customer service is great, very straightforward. I AM SOOOOO Happy I got the Hada Labo Shirojyun Lotion at a low price!

I've long wanted the entire range Shirojyun range, but I want to take care not to buy too much for my initial order. Maybe if our order comes without a hitch then I will be very happy and continue to order from Sasa.com!

I will continue to update and will give word once I receive the parcel

Your Stance: RH Bill VS. Catholics

2011-07-06T01:48:00.008+08:00

I've come to terms with the fact that I have no legal background to speak of so I would have the right to wave about cases, laws, ordinances; I'm not a Doctor/Obstetrician that I can freely give medical information about the body or how the reproductive cycle goes; and finally I have no religious nor political affiliations that I seek to promulgate. I am a private citizen who has a stance, a voice, using this post as a platform acting like a megaphone for all who would care to hear.

I am Pro-RH Bill. But I hope, even if you are on the opposing side, you wouldn't stop at that sentence in the spirit of give and take of information and understanding what you may have thought of as 'the dark side' as well.

The debate has not ceased, it has even generated a better, wider audience. And even those who have not even heard or seen the actual bill draft have preconceived notions and prejudices already, whether it's from a religious, political, or personal (mix of the two?) standpoint. And those are all we are entitled to have.

Maybe I made this post after all the confusing mix of articles, comments, legislation drafts, what my parents said, what our leaders replied has finally caught up with me. It's so easy to question anything: You read so and so article, does that article even have credibility? You said so and so's stance is this and that, what makes you think he is an expert? You believe in this and that organized political/religious groups, what makes you think what they think is right?

In these times, I have been left to my own devices, much like everyone I know in the face of these contradicting but at the same time very profound ideas. In the end, it all boils down to ourselves, we side with what we truly value in life, and what we want to uphold.

They say "You can be the change that you want to see in the world", and at this point, I want those who view otherwise to know that being Pro-Contraception does not mean you are automatically an evil person who wants to kill off an unborn child, who wants women to mutilate their bodies and put cancer inside them by getting on the Pill. Who thinks a couple who has sex without procreation in mind is going to have their names marked in the list of people going straight to hell.

I do not want to kill a child. On a personal level, I love babies, I love children, I adore my nieces and nephews, I once worked for an NGO Child Care Crisis Center. But I am completely Pro-Contraception. Does that mean I wished for these children to have never been born in the first place? I hope anyone won't go that low to insult me or to those that share the same sentiments as I do. I am Pro-Contraception because I have seen the ways it wounds a child to be unprotected, unsheltered or living low in love because the parents were not ready to shoulder a grave responsibility or add another head to their abundant family; or how a bright, young one is scarred for life when he or she is considered--as it is commonly termed in an untactful society--an "unwanted child".

I am not saying that Contraception is the only answer to stop having unwanted children, because it is not. My point remains that here is a bridging correlation between preventing pregnancy and contraceptives. Core point is: you, or with a partner, mutually chose to not have children yet but still enjoy the benefits of a loving union.

Now, the case that Catholics have is the notion, taken from various Dogmas and other holy documents, pertaining to the primal end of marriage and sexual activities. Both are made for procreation. It is something that I personally agree with in the Judeo-Christian tradition that: Sex is unitive and procreative in nature. (Of course it is, not unless you are unable to bear due to medical reasons, which is an entire can of worms altogether.) Now that Artificial Birth Control methods have long been laid out on the table and the fact that there is a new proposed bill to strengthen the campaign, it clashes violently with the Natural Family Planning that the Church approves of as they see that only the Unitive nature of sex is being upholded, which gave rise to the notions such as: "Birth control enables us to use our spouses as objects for pleasure, without the potential for self-sacrificial life-giving love". Given that we can now use sex for pleasure only, it makes the Catholic Tradition that God designed sex for Procreation null, causing the uproar and moral reprehension of those that support the bill.

Admittedly, it's hard for me to follow through with a lot of religious blogs that banner these statements because they only cover those who are under their wing, the pious dominant. But what about us, the margin, who do not follow their Dogma? The religious may call me morally corrupted, atheist, evil, but who are they to say that? Yes, the Philippines is predominantly Christian, but don't immediately rule out other religions as well, not everyone is a Christian or a Catholic.

It's your God and your beliefs, as I have mine. But I am not shoving my own God to your face and calling you evil and morally corrupt just because you don't follow my God. You only have a Catholic Viewpoint, and this viewpoint, as mine, is limited in scope and breadth, it only covers those who share it. Please do not impose on me your rules which I believe do not apply to me. Yes, you are entitled to your ideas, but you are not entitled to shove it to my face and call me names if I don't accept yours as my own.

NOTE: This note was not meant to alienate or anger anyone, I have tried to sound impartial as I wrote this in a calm, even though sleepy, manner. It's 3:22 AM and I have to go to work early, but this is something I can't just shake off with one sleep. If you have any comment to add, reactions that you want me to read, please comment below or mail me at its.the.crazy.country.air@gmail.com !

Thank you for reading.

Etude House in Davao

2011-06-28T10:45:00.011+08:00

Sorry for dropping in and out erratically but I've been surprisingly busy because of work, travel, school and moving!

Even though I've been a bit busy I made sure to drop by the new ETUDE HOUSE in Abreeza Ayala Mall! I was so excited when they announced that they would be opening in June 10, but then the opening got move to June 16! It was a bit frustrating for me and my friends but it was alright since we were given more time to save money :)

I must say that I LOVE Etude House! And I just came to post some good cheers about the new products I bought.

Etude House Bubble Hair Coloring in Deep Black is something that I've always wanted to come by but the Liese Hair color, which basically is almost the same with the EH Bubble, is incredibly pricey. Around P600-900 price range. But this EH Bubble Color is a great steal around P320.00 which I got at P300 because there was an opening sale going on!
And here is the end result after coloring it a day before: (Excuse Greencross behind me, he likes to photobomb a LOT. You will see more of him later XD )

You can see how the color is indeed, a deep black! But IRL it looks a lot more natural! I've grown so tired of my highlighted hair... I have naturally dark brown hair, and the colored highlights made it even browner. As much as I love the brown color, seeing it day in and day out on the mirror is tiring. So I took the chance to do some DIY Hair color! See this before and after pic:

Another product I love is the Dear Darling Tint still from Etude House

I'm pretty used to lipsticks, especially matte ones, to bring a slight hint of color to my lips, but I tend to stay away from gloss because it makes me feel like I ate something greasy! I tend to do lip balms instead to moisturize. But since getting the Dear Darling Tint, I've no problem of swiping the gloss at all! In fact, it dries up fast without chapping my lips. The color is also super nice, because it's so light and so natural.

Before :((( Pouting because I my lips are bare.

Below is also the before and after! You can see the slight pop of color the tint brings! I think you can also enlarge this to see better. (Greencross is now accompanied by my friend, Chloe! XDD They really like photobombs.)

Goofing off!!!! Sorry my face looks really stupid XD

I also got some small things like 5pcs of sheet masks in various flavors but I really don't have the time to rest :( It's sad really...

Have to drop out now and gotta grab a quick lunch and go back to work! :(

Travel Post: To Manila, and Beyond!

2011-06-03T14:27:00.004+08:00

Traveling to Manila today! :D

It's been quite a while since I landed in the Metro and this time I am immensely happy since I'm doing 100% vacationtime with my boyfriend XD He's also taking me to Star City and go to that Winter place with all the snow.

I've been prepping for the past few days and trying to finish all my tasks on time so that my officemates won't be troubled/burdened with my tasks because I had to take a short leave.

I've reached out to blogger friends to ask their recommendations and they've been so helpful to me. I hope I can shop as much as I can! ^______^v

See you soon, Manila!

Tony Moly Pink Beam Crystal Highlighter

2011-05-31T10:52:00.001+08:00

Hi everyone!

Here again to feature a new make up item, just to get out of the skincare-centric posts my blog seems to be infested of lately :D

I'd like to introduce a product from one of the Korean beauty brandsTony Moly ,Pink Beam Crystal Highlighter.

It's straight-up just a simple highlighter enclosed in a pretty and shiny bottle. I have a couple swatches for you to view, but I have to point out one crazy thing, though. It is marketed and named as a PINK highlighter, but it's weird since when you blend it all in, there isn't really any pink pigment left. It turns white, like any normal highlighter, with just a really pretty sheen.

Swiped for swatching (not yet blended)

I don't want to say has glitter on it, since upon application and blending there's nothing glittery about it. And even if it has glitter, it's so fine that a couple of blending strokes wouldn't correct. Here is what the highlighter looks with 2-3 blending strokes:

It's not recommended to apply the product directly from the applicator to your skin, so just apply it on the back of your hand or something (sanitize first though!) so you'll have a lot less trouble balancing the highlight.

I really like this highlighter more on the fact that it's not powdery like other highlighters I've tested. My face is oily, but once my face is made up it's dry so this is a great addition for a really pretty dewy look! I'm not too keen on using powder highlighters, so do tell me what do you use! :)

That's all for today! Thank you so much for reading!

Purse Staples: Nyx Indian Pink and Thermal Water

2011-05-22T13:36:00.006+08:00

Hi everyone!

I'm going start a series called Purse Staples. Starting...

RIGHT NOW! :D

In this installment, I will share with you the two staples from my purse that has never left my bag since the date I purchased it. These are just a few of the items that I carry with me wherever and whenever. Bear in mind though that I mainly carry "necessities" in my bag, well, I view them as leaning towards "necessities" than "for vanity's sake"!

1. First is my favorite lip color from Nyx, the Indian Pink round lipstick. I ran out of this earlier this year and was experimenting with local brands so I stopped wearing it for a while. Several weeks ago, I pooled a Nyx lipstick order along with my co-workers:

I made sure to get Indian Pink. Along with Electra, Pumpkin Pie, B25, Peony, Mars and another Indian Pink for my co-workers. I've already posted before that this specific shade is one of most worn, favorite lipstick.

2. Second is the Avene Eau Thermal. I had no idea previously what it would do since it's just water in a can... BUT! What's great about this is that it helps when your face is itchy, is dry or just needs a little spruce to look fresh. It may look small but it lasts for quite a while, and the spray system is great since it atomizes the water very finely so you really get a refreshing mist every spray. Unlike most atomizers that whisk water all over your hands...

I wish I can tell you the ingredients for this, but my can of Avene Eau Thermal is written in Japanese. This is from Jusco mall, so I guess it can't be helped... This may be similar to the Evian face spray. But I haven't tried that yet so I can't tell. But it's really just water.

That's all for my Purse Staples Part 1! Stay tuned for more :)))

Thanks again for dropping by and reading.

Skin Care Regimen Update

2011-05-17T15:00:00.000+08:00

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Thought I'd share what's new with my daily/weekly skin care routine. I have been taking extra measures about using skincare products now, even more cautious than before. I've stopped using most of the old brands I used in my previous skin care routine. I have made a lot of discoveries along the way when it comes to drugstore brands (with a little Korean/Japanese products on the side of course!) and I'd like to think I learned a lot during those experimental times.

I'm currently following the Pond's Flawless White series. You may have heard of The Pond's Unbeaten Whitening Challenge; several of their products have found their way to me. Personally, I am not an advocate of artificial skin lightening at all, but I'm not one to judge someone. If they want to, they can. I just think that we have to love the skin we have and just take care of it, and not alter it to make it appear something that it is not.

Here is my daily skin routine!

Face Wash - I use the Pond's Deep Whitening Facial Foam. This is a great face wash! I love its creaminess and the very light scrub particles in it! It leaves my face really clean but never dry. It smells wonderfully floral. I've about emptied my current tube, but I already purchased another one a week before.

As for the "Whitening" aspect, I am kind of glad it didn't work on me as much as it did for the other contestants of the Pond's Challenge. What it did is to even out my face and help lightened several freckles and spots, as well as the deep pimple scar on the left side of my face. It's not so much as whitening but brightening. I'm still in my perfectly tan natural color.

Face Moisturizer - This is an old staple in my bureau, the Skinfood Peach Sake Emulsion. My very oily face loves this refreshing, incredibly light moisturizer that makes the skin soft and moisturized. I apply it generously on my neck area and sparingly on my face. This also helps in applying foundation, as it helps even out the spread and glide.

My Skinfood Peach Sake has just run out. It's a very sad thing. It's good thought that Abreeza Mall in Davao has just been built a lot nearer to where I work, instead of me going all the way to the end of the city to get to the SM Skinfood stall.

Face Sunblock - Got started on a light sun blocking cream just this summer. It's painful to have sunburns and get dark freckles. I'd like my skin nice and even, and I think this Pond's Blemish Prevention UV Cream does what it says exactly! It's lightweight although it leaves my skin dewy-looking, but nothing that a tranclucent powder can't remedy.

Night Cream - This is the culprit for the skin clearing aspect of my entire regime. It has made my skin overall brighter and amazingly clearer. Pond's Re-Brightening Night Treatment is a medium-thick cream that glides on so smoothly when applied. The floral scent is nice and calming. There's about 20% left on the big tub so I purchased another one last week as well. What I like most about this is the softness that it brings in the morning.

The product does not leave an ugly "white-cast" despite the cream having a white color, but it is like a thick, clear moisturizer. upon spreading on the face Feels non-comedogenic and my face felt softer, clearer somehow upon a week of usage. I don't think this is for sensitive skin though, since it's pretty thick. My face is not White... not fake white! Which I love! It just brightens your face wonderfully.

All in all I love this product very much, and coincidentally, so does MszJackieChu, one of my favorite YouTube personalities! Click below to take you to her Pond's Flawless White review!

Have you tried the products above? Some people have bad experiences with some Pond's products but for me I find it perfect! :)

Thank you for reading.

I Stopped Using Shisedo Tsubaki

2011-05-03T06:29:00.001+08:00

I've been using Shiseido Tsubaki since mid-2009 when my sister bought it for me. See my post about Shiseido Tsubaki Damage Repair here. Ever since then I have loved it to bits! It lives up to the hype because it smells delicious like a Camelia flower, and it makes your hair super silky and simply soft and manageable.

I love using Tsubaki and getting that silky-soft feeling once my hair dries. It's so nice to run through my hair and feel like I have the fluffiest hair in the world. It is great too because a Tsubaki set lasts you for a good while. The shampoo I use as a daily hair wash, the conditioner probably at most thrice a week, and the head spa tube I use once every two weeks since it's similar to a deep conditioning agent.

It has repaired and revived plenty of dry and overly treated hair all over the world. Some swear by it to death, and although I heard that the price of the set is overly jacked up in some countries, there are still some people who look for it eagerly. Even here in the Philippines, we have a local mall that sells Shiseido Tsubaki for like P700 ($20) for each of the bottles since it did not come in a set. For the three it would have been P2,100 ($60) and that is like super pricey as far as everyday haircare products go.

Some really try to shell out around that amount for the promise of healthy hair. Even for me, I used it for close to two years and got pretty good results. But now I kind of feel something weird after several hours of using it. I guess too much of a good thing is bad, too. There is a downside for me when I use Tsubaki, I guess in the long run it is really too rich for my hair.

Recent observation : Once the clock strikes 6-8 hours after my hair has dried, I am suddenly transformed into a hair greaseball!!! My hair clumps in all the wrong ways and my hair gets heavy from being too oily. To think I work in a cool environment, 8 hours of airconditioning until work ends. It's not even humid at night when I go home from work, but the heavy feeling in my hair persists.

I recently switched to a local shampoo brand that is less moisturizing and not as rich as Shiseido Tsubaki, and I found that I don't have as heavy hair as before. I am less oily! I guess it's the product build-up of Tsubaki. I think I am going to rest my hair a bit and cleanse it. I do plan on continuing in the distant future until my hair can breathe again LOL XD

My sister still uses Tsubaki, but it's only because unline me who has normal hair, hers is colored and has already multiple treatements. She needs all the Camelia oil nutrients she can get. Tsubaki has been very good to us, I just need a couple of months of rest and I will resume again!

Thank you for reading! :)

My Surprise Gifts for the Week

2011-05-01T16:58:00.001+08:00

Hi Everyone!

I would like to introduce my NEW best friend, Cattle-brie! Hehe, funny name, eh? She was given to me as a surprise gift by Greencross last week.

I've developed a weird affinity for Rilakkuma since last year, and recently I have grown to love this San-X soft toy character more than any thing! Other San-X / Sanrio softs ain't got nothing on this kawaii-blank-face-kuma XD I love Rilakkuma more than Hello Kitty or other popular soft-toy icons.

I didn't have the money to buy Rilakkuma merchandise from stores, so I just go to the San-X website and save pictures from there. The only thing I have are a bunch of Rilakkuma pictures on a folder in my computer =______=

But now.... I have Cattle-brie! Rilakkuma in a cow costume! IT'S SO KAWAII I'M GONNA ROLL OVER AND DIE :)

SO FREAKING CUDDLY. And yeah, the name is derived from a character in the Forgotten Realms saga by R.A. Salvatore that I am into. I know, it's a bit nerdy, yeah, but the word play is so apt... CATTLE-brie because Rilakkuma is wearing a cow costume! Get it?! XD Oww, I'm too dorky for words. :(

Cattle-brie has also an alarm clock! Greencross and I are sticklers for punctuality. Burden of proof: Out of the 20 people in the team, we're two of the remaining three team members without any blemishes in our Perfect Attendance records. OH YEAH. :))

I did not at all think that I could have a Rilakkuma stuffed toy! I can't believe he went ahead and ordered this. I mean, he didn't have to but just the mere thought of it you know... it's so touching to have someone who surprises you with something, most especially when you've had a really bad week.

And I got Cattle-brie among many other things ^____^I had a special foot spa AND back massage for me, omg! What boy does that nowadays? Seriously. It was so fun to get "pampered" all of a sudden maybe I can return the favor sometime.

I had a big grin all day from my surprise gifts! ^______________^

Thanks for reading!

Nanny Rose's Sticks and Pulls: I HATE!

2011-04-30T21:35:00.007+08:00

I have a problem with unwanted hair sometimes, especially if there is a stubborn regrowth on my legs. I try to keep my legs as smooth and soft as possible, so I always make sure to visit my favorite salon to ask for waxing services. I've been doing this for a year now, so it's safe to say I have tried almost every type of waxing: cold wax, hot wax, sugar wax and even that blue weird wax that take forever to pull away. I am naturally curious of the processes and how efficient salons are with waxing. I love the feeling of softness and complete smoothness afterward.

I wish they were my legs but no! :P

Aside from salon trips, I have also tried packaged waxes like the Strip It Natural Sugar Wax from http://stripit.multiply.com; I've ordered a bunch of them together with my friends in the past. Because of my good experience with pre-packaged DIY wax, I tried Nanny Rose's Sticks and Pulls. It is available in selected Watson's stores and was priced almost the same with Strip It's smaller jars.

Sticks and Pulls, taken from philstar.com

Mind that this post, as obvious from the title, is a rant. I absolutely did not like Nanny Rose' Sticks and Pulls AT ALL. It pretty much failed the moment I used it as a hot wax and did not deliver at all when I tried using it as a cold wax! SO MUCH FAIL I just couldn't believe it! And to think I really was looking forward to it too.

I wanted to love it since it's made from 50g of natural honey wax ingredient and had a 3 pcs of nice waxing cloth. BUT!!! The included "two wooden spatulas", as they'd like to call it to deceive us, are not at all what you would expect as a wooden spatula! They are stupid popsicle sticks. AND NOT EVEN THE STURDY KIND! Noooo... They gave me these brittle popsicle sticks in my package. These TWO broke one after the other when I tried to use it to stir cool the hot wax.

Also, THE PACKAGE DOES NOT TELL YOU HOW MANY MINUTES YOU POP IT IN THE MICROWAVE. WTF. Since I bought 3 of them, I got the first one and left it at a nominal 10 seconds, and when I opened the microwave, the wax was bubbling all over making a mess inside! I guess it was my fault that I FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS TO HEAT IT FOR 10 seconds?!?! IDK! Most of the wax was spilled inside my microwave, and it took so long to cool the remaining contents. Even after like 30-40 mins of cooling down, my finger was still hurting from testing and re-testing the temperature of the wax.

So I got another Sticks and Pulls package to use it as a cold wax and tried the almost impossible task of spreading it on a small area on my legs. Two popsicles broke. Those things are just trash, I tell you. Once I managed to do it, I covered the wax with the cloth and pulled it. Then I discovered that JUST A VERY SMALL AMOUNT of tiny hairs were stuck on the wax, and MOST OF THEM WERE STILL ON MY LEG! I had to pull and re-pull just to remove them, and I thought Thank goodness this was not on any other part of my body, I would be grimacing so bad if I had to pull more than twice on any other sensitive body part!

Because of all these MAJOR FAIL from Sticks and Pulls wax, I got my third box and, along with the 2 other opened wax jars, I THREW THEM IMMEDIATELY IN THE TRASH CAN. That's why there are no photos that I took because I threw them away that's how disappointed I am. The company now can be very happy now that they have wasted my money. I wish I used it to buy my favorite face wash or something, I would have been more satisfied!

Never repurchasing!

Please note that this review was made by testing on my own skin and my own capacity for use of the product mentioned above. It is not the intention of this blog to encourage nor dissuade you to test this product for yourself, as I was not paid nor coerced to do any of the two. The words are a reflection of my own experience alone. You may or may not have the same experience as I did. I would like you to note that this isn't even what anyone would consider a proper review, since there is no objectivity to the view above, no PROs or CONs to compare, nor there was any extolling of virtues and limitations of this product.

I will be doing a more proper review soon, with the goal of being objective and fair. See you then!

Majolica Majorca Puff de Cheek and Etc!

2011-04-24T04:07:00.000+08:00

My sister and two of my nieces flew to Japan for their vacation, and judging from the pictures they were having such a blast! I'm glad they got to enjoy their time there,
sightseeing and most of all eating a lot.

They arrived just last week and they bought a lot of chocolates and stuffed toys, things that normal girls would find very thrilling, but they also bought me Majolica Majorca, one of my first product from the Spring release!

I've always always wanted it and it's so cute that my nieces bought this for me!!! I now have the Majolica Majorca Puff de Cheek! Hahah so they know how much I love this brand. And I am all the more grateful that they chose a blush-on! If you remember the My Wishlist is Blushing post, I have no blushers until today.

The Puff de Cheek in PK301 "Peach Macaron" is the most beautiful peach blusher I have ever seen. It's not very evident in my photos since I've resized them but it has finely-grounded powder with a pretty peach color and very light glitter! Just very light, enough to catch light and reflect a bit back for that nice glow.

It has a pretty little puff to complete with a bow. It is so soft and so very pretty! I can't stand to use it yet so I used the Ellana Minerals mini kabuki brush. I really love this. My collection is growing slowly and I treasure each and every one of them.

Aside from the Puff de Cheek, they also bought some loots from the Hakyen Shop, a UV Lip cream with Collagen and another blush on! Now I've got two! From zero to many! :)

I thank my little nieces for thinking of me even though they were so far away! And thank you to you for reading! ^______^

Elf Cosmetics : Liquid foundation and Brushes!

2011-04-19T15:17:00.008+08:00

Hi! I'm happy to report back in!

Taking a very short break from my Asian make-up line, I took a chance to try out Elf Cosmetics which have been bought, featured and reviewed by so many bloggers. Some recommend them immensely and some hate it to bits. The mixed reviews made me hesitate trying it out, so it took me a while to finally purchase for myself. Because I rationalized in the end that it's not about the brand itself but which product was bought, as it's more on a hit or miss as far as I observe.

Looking from their site, the Elf Studio Line looked really impressive. It's not the usual pink and pastel princesssy look that I like in a make up packaging, instead it's all sleek and black and serious looking.

I wasn't really looking for anything specific so I ordered the two most popular brushes and the new Elf Studio Flawless Finish liquid foundation in Buff:

I've read a lot of hate about the brushes smelling ugly (!) like a mix of plasticky commercial scent. But upon further inspection and washing them, it wasn't natural to the brushes. Meaning, it was the plastic cover thing that came with the brush that caused it to smell like that. I threw the cover away.

After washing the brushes, they remained very firm but soft! The Elf flat top brush is definitely worth buying. I can't believe it's so nice for something priced so low!

And below is my nifty Elf powder brush that may be lacking in the fluffiness department, but is resilient but very gentle all the same... It has the same price as the flat top

Aside from the Elf tools, I also added the Elf Flawless Finish foundation to my purchase. I don't really use a lot of foundation but I figured that my Maybelline AngelFit is running out (bought two small tubes a year ago that lasted me until this month!!! thats how I DON'T use foundation XD ) And I heard that the AngelFit line has been discontinued PLUS the all new Fit from Maybelline has to hit our shores, I was on the look out for a replacement.

I am sorry to say I didn't do much research on this foundation. I read that it was "Oil-free" so I automatically assumed this is best for Oily skin. My fault. I have a lot of gripes about this foundation, sadly. This looked really nice, very Elf Studio Line with the pump and the frosted glass.

The foundation, though Oil-free has Mineral Oil in the ingredients. I've read a bit of tidbit enough to know that Mineral Oil is not very good for your face. Also, this is why you can read from the small pamphlet that comes with it that it is onlt "semi-matte". Almost rrrrraged but meh, it's my fault anyway for not looking into it more and clicking on the Buy button too fast. :)

Again, Elf Cosmetics seems like a Hit or Miss with their products. At least I got some products right with this batch of orders.

In One Piece: Me and My DIY Swimsuit

2011-03-25T05:28:00.001+08:00

Hey! Barely a day and I'm blogging again.

A giveaway caught my eye! Tisha of Here, Tishie Tishie has a great giveaway in store for us with her Anniversary Giveaway: Cocomo Swimsuits which is totally awesome! I haven't participated in any giveaway for the mean time but this is a good chance for anyone who wants to win a really cute swimsuit!

First off I'm not the AHH-TOO-SEXAY-FOR-MY-SWIMWEAR kind of girl. I'm rather conservative, opting to wear swimsuit topped with a big, breezy shirt or with shorts.

I'm afraid I don't have a lot of swimsuit at all. Just one, but recently, I bought a simple navy blue one piece to go to a company outing (WHICH WAS AMMAZING-We went to Pearl Farm Beach Resort!)

I'm wearing the swimsuit here, lovingly termed by otaku (like myself) as a "Mizugi", which pertains to the standard-issue swimsuit given to Japanese highschool girls. I even put my own nameplate on it!!!! On my chest I sewed on a small fabric with my name, AICHA, in Japanese characters.

I bought the swimsuit for just barely P300.00 at a department store and made the DIY nameplate by myself! Hahah! It's kind of dorky but I really like it :P I doesn't make me look my age at all... I'm 24 years old but people thought I'm like 18 or something when I wear this to the swimming pool :(

That's why I want this from TISHA'S Anniversary Giveaway: Cocomo Swimsuits !!!!!

I need a new swimsuit but around here I can't find the right mix of cute and fun like this Vienna swimsuit!!! It's really nice!

Here are more of the prizes from Anniversary Giveaway: Cocomo Swimsuits !!!!!

P.S. - It's EMBARASSING for me to put up photos of myself like this, since I look really dumb, I'm always smiling a lot. XDD But hey, that's me!

Thanks for reading!

Stupid Weight Gain

2011-03-24T11:15:00.000+08:00

This must be my punishment for letting my blog go... I've also let myself go! What started as something I wanted for myself (a healthier me), I now want to rid myself of!

2 months ago I started the quest to gain weight. I honestly thought that at 97-99lbs, I needed to add a bit because a double digit weight is kind of worrying.

Though I'm only 5'1", most poeple would say that the 97 lbs is okay for me since I'm small, but I'm not very comfortable with it, and I don't want to give the appearance of weakness or being frail at all. I want to look and feel healthy and active at a normal 100-105 bracket at least. That's not bad to want, is it? It is stull under normal weight range.

It started out manageable, but I guess I kind of lost focus for a bit. What I ate were chocolates. I LOVE CHOCOLATES. I cannot put into text how much I love them, but the pictures below will show you. So everyday in the office I ate a lot:

Aaargh! And so many more chocolates that I really feel guilty now. :( I haven't weight myself recently but I think I am at the 108-110 range. The weighing scale in our workplace clinic is busted and is up for calibration until further notice, and I don't really have a weighing scale at home.

I'm now on the way to recovery! :d I stopped eating chocolates Monday this week and it's made even harder because my sister just sent a package of chocolates along with other stuff just yesterday, too. We have almond chocolates, crunky, pucca, pocky and gourmet cafe chocolates that I refuse to eat anymore!!!

:( I'm suffering hahaha! But I know I have to stop eating snacks so much and start eating healthy. I need to lower it a bit again!

Sorry for being away, I missed everyone :)

Feeling Uninspired? Stop and look at the roses :)

2011-01-27T22:13:00.005+08:00

Whenever I feel lonely or sad, or just generally down or uninspired, I always try to find things to cheer me up. If I'm not feeling too good about myself, I go to Google Images and search about clouds, puppies, small birds and flowers. Recently now, I have been saving a lot more images of flowers than anything... I have a folder called "Inspiration" full of the beautiful blossoms you see below!

Looking at the pastel color of the pink roses always calms me down and most of all makes me smile!

Maybe one day I will go to the market to see some really nice daisies and white and red roses plus those adorable baby breath blossoms. I would especially like it if I can see some real nice pink ones.

I think flowers make me think that everything will be OK.

Work is getting to me, I guess. I'm tired most of the time but at the same time I'm really psyched about it. I also want to work part time, but I have a strange feeling I will not be 100% on either work if I do, which is kind of unfair to my full-time work. I don't really need the money, but I will be more financially secure if I get another source of income though, so I can provide more for my mom/dad for their medicine and other expenses, as well as mine.

I get headaches and neckaches lately. And I feel like I'm not getting enough sleep. But I'm already used to this sleeping pattern so I guess this is just fatigue. I know people get burned out at some point, so I guess I'm not immune. But I'm sure this will pass!!!!!

All the more reason to open a Flickr account and get more pictures of flowers.

Sorry about this ramble! Thank you for reading. Feels therapeutic :)

Bright, Orange and Pulpy: Minute Maid!

2011-01-09T13:00:00.001+08:00

Do you love oranges?

Because gosh, I sure do. :) In fact, I just ate one last night!
Greencross* bought like 4 oranges to share with our friends, but we might have gobbled it all by ourselves. Maybe. Don't tell them.

Another thing I LOVE is Orange Juice! But I hate powered ones with a passion. They're just too fake for my taste. I hate the powder that gets on the counter when you pour it into a jar, and the icky way some powder are left at the bottom of the pitcher no matter how many stirs you make.

Luckily, bottled orange juice was invented.

I just drank a bottle of Minute Maid Pulpy. They say it’s got ‘no preservatives added’. Aw, c’mon…It’s bottled juice. Is that even possible? So I thought maybe... I will still give it a try. I may be just one of those that will try a healthier alternative to the usual softdrinks. To my surprise it tastes exactly like a fresh orange squeeze! It's cold, it's refreshing and it tastes fantastic!

I didn’t believe it the first time I heard it’s got no preservatives added. So I read the ingredients (even the fine print) and everything checked out! It really has NO PRESERVATIVES ADDED! That means it doesn’t have ingredients that may turn out to be allergens, or worse...carcinogens! Whew! Now that’s healthy goodness that tastes so good, I may just change my mind as to how I view bottled juices. For once I have found a natural home made fruit juice taste with no preservatives and no unhealthy carbonated ingredients!

So okay, it’s got no preservatives added. That’s really good, right? Not just because it doesn’t have those icky, harmful ingredients, but it also means... that it's the perfect drink when you're craving for something sweet to guzzle down.

So far anyone who still has a hard time believing that Minute Maid has got no preservatives added - meaning it's THAT natural, it's almost like it's plucked straight from the tree, it's just as Mother Nature wanted your orange juice to be, it's got nothing but the good stuff yes, none of those potentially toxic stuff that can harm your brain, kidneys, heart; cause tumors aargh- the list of preservatives' bad effects just go on!!! Anyway, just to prove a point on just how good Minute Maid Pulpy is 'cause it's got NO PRESERVATIVES ADDED, I'm gonna quit drinking my usual soda drinks. I swear. I'm HUGE on sodas and pop drinks, but I know with Minute Maid, the transition will be easy peasy.

Feels good to know about the real pulpy deal, right? C’mon show me a smile on the comment box, and you might win yourself a Really Pulpy Deal! (That’s a chance to win a Minute Maid gift pack simply by commenting. Sweet! C'mon you just might be picked as the lucky 'commentor'!)

Love,

Aicha! :)

P.S. I love munching on the orange pulps, tasting the sweetness, and enjoying the tangy, fruity taste... It's like everything you love about oranges is in here!

Learn more about the Minute Maid contest here!

My Holiday Celebration is Beautiful

2011-01-02T02:52:00.001+08:00

Hi friends! Oh how I've missed the blogosphere!

I haven't been so active as I'd like lately... More like since July, right? Many things have just been going on like a great jump up at work, more family time and a lot of going on with my friends which were such a blaaast! I love spending time with my friends, even though all of them may be guys. :D It's always so carefee and funny with them.

There are also some parts of 2010 that's sad but now pretty negligible (hahaha): I went though a break up with the guy I was seeing for more than 5 years. I've blogged about him and me a couple of times in this blog too, so I'm trying to just take those posts down and delete them.

WELL! EQUAL PARTS SUCKY AND AWESOME FOR 2010! Whoever could have guessed all those things happened! I DESERVE A GOOD R&R!!!!

How sweet is the smell of this? Aweeesome! Lol!

ONE QUESTION: You remove the cellophane thingy for this right? It's my first time with a My Beauty Diary Mask so I don't quite know what to do with the cellophane.

In the middle of the action in Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde!

Also, one of my resolutions for the new year will be to be more adventurous with beauty products. I won't chicken out in trying new brands and product types. To start off, I have several Laneige products I ordered online:

I think my skin has high tolerance! Lucky eh? The only thing my skin hates is very thick creams that are unbearably stiffling. My skin seems to soak those light lotions and liquidy creams easily. And because of that, I've found my favorite night cream that I will talk about, along with those products above, in another post!

Rest assured I will not be gone for so long this time! 2011 is my year!

Thank you very much for your continued friendship :) I hope you have the luckiest 2011 ever!

My Wishlist Is Blushing!

2010-07-13T19:51:00.005+08:00

I've been going on and on and on about Majolica Majorca lately. It seems it's the only thing that I want so so so much! Looking at the net (because we have no store here that sell it) is a huge thing, and I waste 10 minutes daily going to the Majolica Majorca site just to look at the cutest things in my world...

Although I already have some of their products, I can't help but want more more more. I want 5 of each powder type, each shadow color, eye products... And now I want these! So very, very, very much...

I'm NEVER EVER a blush person... I feel like my dark coloring isn't suited for blushes :( Plus, I don't even BLUSH anyway, so it would feel kind of unnatural. When I'm embarrassed, I don't flush or turn pink, I sweat like a pig instead. OH WHY CAN'T I BE DAINTY AND GIRLY?! :D

Now I want to collect all the blushes from the Majolica Majorca line because I've heard amazing reviews about them. Especially OR211! I would love to get them all one by one...

Plus this cute customize case to house them all in! Love love love~
It would look so amazing on my bureau... Together with my MM Skin Remaker/Pressed Pore Cover Powder Gold Case.

Another blush in my wishlist... Because by now you're sick of me and my obsession about MM... So here's some Jill Stuart to shut me up about MM! LOL!!

This is just so freaking amazing I can't even believe it. I love the fact that there is a soft brush with it! And the white color of the brush is complemented by the soft pinkiness (lol?) of the powder... It's just so dreamy, don't you think?

I love the fact that these two blushes look so good but it's not only beautiful on the outside (packaging), but both perform so well!

Hitting Pan on Majolica Majorca Pressed Pore Cover

2010-07-03T08:31:00.000+08:00

I AM SO SAD BUT SO HAPPY!

Notice that the pan on the MM powder is black. I switched my MM Pressed Pore cover from the original Skin Remaker -- because the cake foundation smell of the latter got the best of me!

I love love love love love this shit. I've hit pan so I'm trying all I can to contact sellers to provide me with the refill.

Here it is inside the original cover. Mysterious but elegant. I love the MM 24H Fantasia, too, as it is the opposite of the powder casing below, very white and sweet looking! But I love them both for their function anyway.

Here it is... showing you the pristine powder! It looks pretty light in the picture, but I discovered that this is almost a transparent powder. It is so finely milled that it sets very naturally to your original skin tone.

My friend who has heard of the way some people compare Mac Blot Powder to Majolica Majorca powder. I haven;t really tried anything out by Mac except their concealer. I wonder how true those claims are...

Toodles! Off to find a refill somewhere !

Ohisashiburi desu ne~ Love Packages!

2010-06-27T01:08:00.006+08:00

Heya!

HOW ARRRREEE YOUUU GUYS!!! Off of blogger, I got so much impromptu vacationing and serious work mode done, it's crazy :D I wonder how you all are doing and I terribly miss blogging so much. I especially miss this little corner.

While I was away, I got two packages from overseas. One was from Jol and another one from a good blogger friend of mine from UK!

These love packages are just so miraculous, they brighten up one's day INSTANTANEOUSLY and just whams and bams all of the day's sad things away. Jol is such a lovely girl to send me these wonderful My Beauty Diary and Face Q Sheet Masks! I am in love with them and I was just so grateful to her for sending me one of my most wishlisted items!

These are the contents: I LOOOOVE THEM! Couldn't wait to try them out, actually!

Thank you super super super. Now I can get to try them for myself and see what the fuss is all about! LOLJK! I've stuck to Missha and Etude masks for so long. There are no local sellers here in our city for My Beauty Diary. It sucks having to pay for the shipping, shipping fee is the pits! :(

Another package, a book, from my beloved friend (with a terribly nice postcard). This is a novel by my most favorite author in the world!

He knew I don't have this copy yet, so he sent me his! So generous I can almost cry. I've finished Louis de Bernieres' novels like Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Red Dog, Senor Vivo and the Cocoa Lord, The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts etc. So you know I love this author so very muchaaaas!

Such a short post for someone gone for so long, eh? Well there's plenty more because I'll give an update how my make-up are doing! Updated info coming right up! Ugh, I swear, I am going to cry with one picture for the next post. I mean, I hit pan on my Majolica Majorca Pressed Pore Cover!!!! waaaa~ too terrible. I have to find a refill STAT!

I hate hitting pan on my favorite stuff!

See you next post and thank YOU so much for reading still!

All that Excitement, Need to R and R!

2010-04-20T17:51:00.007+08:00

The past few days have been such a busy time for me work-wise, even the weekends! Plus all that excitement from the jewelry giveaway (but it was sooo fun! :D )...

I love relaxing and there's no better way to relax than pampering yourself silly. Good thing I bought Missha Sheet Mask in Green Tea at my favorite Korean beauty store.

This wonderful, wonderful Green Tea mask is super refreshing to the skin and I love how cooling it is and how it gives enough hydration. I have to be honest though that this mask is quite the drippy kind! A bit of fluid left over after you take the mask out.

Me, chilling in my room, reading The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts by Louis de Bernieres and listening to Sharin no Uta album by Bump of Chicken while waiting 20-30 mins until my skin soaks it all up.

I have no idea what a green tea smells like but the smell of Missha Sheet Mask Green Tea is very calming and makes me feel relaxed. This is my first time to try this and I am very very pleased! Can't wait to repurchase!

Thanks for reading you guys.

(Photos taken from a snapshot from my Flip SlideHD video! It's awesome! I love it!)

Our Three Jol Creations Jewelry Giveaway Winner!

2010-04-19T17:38:00.005+08:00

Hi Guys!

I'm soooooo excited to announce the winners to you! Joelle of Jol Creations have personally raffled off the list of entries via Random.org and we now present you the winners!

Here is the list of eligible entries:

WINNER #1

WINNER #2

CONGRATULATIONS
Kimberly! - Victoria! - London's beauty!

De-stressing with Montagne Jeunesse Chocolate Masque

2010-04-11T23:49:00.006+08:00

Hey guys! How are you all?

When the weekend rolls in, I can't help but want to pamper myself silly! It's like somehow de-stressing oneself. Or more like getting ready for the next set of challenges in the upcoming days by preparing oneself fully. I have a stressful job that I very much like, so I have to get rid of all those negative vibes and impurities and start anew when the busy weekday comes!.

Unlike most girls I know, I don't really like going to the dermatologist/salons to get facials. I don't want needles poking my skin, I am uncomfortable with the word "microdermabrasion" or the idea of harsh chemicals burning off dead skin cells. I dunno, but I'm kinda scared of all of it. I like organic creams, friendly-looking fruity masks and deep cleansing via gentle face scrubs! Aren't those less scary? I like when things are less scary!

Since today is Sunday, I got up early to start my 'pampering' since I have a date with the boyfrun, too. Earlier this week I bought several Montagne Jeunesse packs because I've read reviews that it's really good. It's also rated 4/5 by MakeUpAlley reviews! It's a pretty cheap find, just about P79 for a pack. I bought several packs to try out but today I used the Chocolate Masque!

Montagne Jeunesse Chocolate Masque

I've read some tips that are useful when dealing with this kind of Masque (especially for those very much used to sheet masks... like me! :p )

Don't wear a white shirt. As much as possible just wrap a towel around you.
Clip your hair! Especially when you're hair has lots of short layers, it's important to pin them back. You don't want chocolate all over your bangs.
Always use lukewarm water
Prepare an extra towel to wipe your fingers with after applying.

Aside from all those precautions above, the Chocolate Masque is pretty easy to apply. It's a straightforward masque, and it spreads amazingly well without it being drippy. Here is when I applied the masque:

It's soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo super yummy smelling! I wanted to eat it! Smells like real chocolate and it's so smooth, like it's ready to be spread on a loaf bread LOL! Even my sister and nieces commented how chocolate-y it is from across the room. But they did laugh at me when they took a look at my face :(

You'll be needing a towel because your fingers can get a little messy with the application. After the 10-minute mark, it's already hard. Avoid letting it sit on your face for more than the required time (max 20 mins). Washing it off is fairly easy especially when you use warm water, no need to rub it all out harshly.

I felt that my face was very smooth! WOW! I love the silky feel of it! I felt that it was pretty cleansing, like a lot less week's worth of gunk on my face. I am inlove with the smell, because the chocolatey smell stays with you even after you've removed the masque. My face looked clearer somewhat! I really like this masque for my face and I think that I will use it once a week for my pampering and de-stressing. I'm glad I bought a bit for me to enjoy in the next weeks!

Thanks for reading! :) See youuuu!

P.S.
You can join my giveaway by clicking on the banner! THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!

The Jol Creations Jewelry Giveaway

2010-04-09T14:35:00.008+08:00

Jol Creations is one of the jewelry blogs that I truly admire, and am seriously lemming for. Talking to Joelle, the super sweet and incredibly talented owner and creator of these jewelries, there's no one more excited than us to open this giveaway to you, guys!

THE JOL CREATIONS JEWELRY GIVEAWAY

I'm sure that I'm not alone in thinking that the best jewelries are those made from hand and with all the love that the creator showers to it. I always am amazed at the level of dedication that jewelry artists like Joelle put into their beautiful creations. They are intricate and delicate but they pop up so amazingly when we wear them. I'm not kidding when I say that her creations are one of the most whimsical and romantic jewelries that you can find EVER!

"If" was simply love at first glance for me:

More than just earrings, you can find necklaces and and special charms and more at her blogsite. This giveaway will give you the chance to win a piece of romantic and whimsical jewelry! Here are several ways to join and win.

Answer this: What is your favorite Jol Creations jewelry?

Comment on this post with your answer, name, email:

1. Be a follower of Jol Creations (www.jolcreations.blogspot.com) - 1 Entry
2. Be a fan of Jol Creations in Facebook (find the link at Jol Creations blogspot page or do a search in Facebook) - 1 Entry
3. Spread the word by posting (e.g. on their website/facebook) about the giveaway - and post the link along with your comment - 2 Entries

There is not one, not two, but THREE winners! Contest is open to Local and International Bloggers!

Deadline of Entries: Sunday, 18th of April, (12 mn Phil Time). We will do the raffling off using Random.org and the next day, 19th of April, we will announce the winner and also contact him/her via the email provided :)

Let's get busy! :D

Majolica Majorca Haul & Shiseido Tsubaki

2010-03-30T23:47:00.004+08:00

Hi gals!

Don’t you just heart packages? With lots and lots of lovely loots? (Wow, alliteration!) I just had a package arrive yesterday and I was so thrilled to realize that they were my Majolica Majorca stuff from Japan.

Asian brands are a huge thing for me, and there are very few that I can get my hands on without breaking my budget. I had to resort to ordering online most of the time, since the Asian make up on various stores have so jacked up a price!

I have a thing for Majolica Majorca, it is my most faaaavorite make-up brand ever. If I could stick to one make up brand for the rest of my life, it would be this brand. I don't think I personally need MAC, MUFE, Stila, Benefit and what not. I am totally focused on this brand.

Majolica Majorca Powder Gold Case with Skin Remaker Foundation

This was at the TOPMOST of my wishlist!! Now I have it!! I feel absolutely like a princess when I use this. The compact is very light, and the design is to die for. I'm going to research this because it feels and smells like a 2-way cake. And the spongy (smelly) puff thingy seems like it it can be wet, too. If in case it is a 2-way cake, I won't use it as a wet foundation, THAT is absolutely icky for me. I will go to a Shiseido booth at the mall and see if I can find a puff that's similar to my MM Pressed Pore Cover/Pressed Fantasia 24h.

But if only for the gold casing, I am terribly terribly happy. I'll use it the moment I hit pan on my MM Pressed Pore Cover. Or maybe I'll switch pans so I get to use the gold case! Hehehe!

Honey Plumping Lipgloss, Majolook BR726, Jeweling Eye Pencil in Black, and Pink Nail Polish PK 311

More Majolica Majorca goodies! I've tried them first so I can get a feel of how I like them.

I don't find the Honey Plumping Lipgloss likeable, because I'm really not a gloss person at all. I love matte better. Plus, I've had experience when I put on gloss,random locks of my hair sticks on my lips! I can't wait to use the Majolook eyeshadow because I've made comparison on my Castledew palette, the former is so pigmented though the latter is shinier. The Jeweling Eye Pencil is amaaaazing as it is extremely soft and so dark and super easy to line my eyes with just like my Nyx Slim Eye Pencil in black, only the MM pencil has glitter that is so cute!

I'm so happy with my package because it contains two refill packs for my favorite shampoo and conditioner: Shiseido Tsubaki Golden Repair (Tsubaki White) and I also got the Tsubaki Red for my sister.

That's all and I'm totally set!

So, any packages that you're looking forward to lately? Any online buys you're dying to make? Let's chat! :D

P.S. Can you please recommend me a good soap? I'm only using baby soap and I need to get rid of my dull skin. :(

Thanks for reading! (*3*)~chu!

Beauty Gadgets Epistick

2010-03-28T09:40:00.005+08:00

I ordered an Epistick from sis Grace of wehaveit43! It only took 2 days to get it shipped to Davao :)

Upon receiving it from the LBC guy, I tore it open and realized that it came with a special freebie. It was an Aquakey Serum from the seller, she's so nice. I was real excited to go try it out so I washed the Epistick in warm, soapy water and let it dry.

A couple of minutes after, I was happily rolling the Epistick on my face especially above my lip area. It was almost painless, except when you get to the part where there's a cleft right below the nose. It's extra nippy there, unfortunately, because the skin is so soft and so sensitive. But it doesn't hurt if you use it on the sides of your lip area, cheeks, forehead and so on.

It's a clean, almost painless hair removal gadget! I find it so easy to grab and use, and most especially easy to clean! Every girl with facial hair problem should DEFINITELY check this item out! I used to use a razor sometimes, but I stopped because of the thicker regrowth.

Great item, cheap too! 5/5! Definitely something I love sitting on my bureau.

Thanks for reading!

Quick Update (Watch out for a new Giveaway!)

2010-03-23T08:51:00.008+08:00

I've been on and off of make up and skin care. Have anyone of you experienced that? Like a low point in buying products? That's what I'm in right now. I dunno. I just went to a mall one day and didn't feel like buying. Maybe it's because I don't have a camera and I couldn't share anything with you guys anyway.

The last one I bought was a liquid eyeliner. I'll do my first FOTD using it and the Castledew palette as soon as I get my hands on a camera.

In other news, I'm actually delving more into buying clothes. Vintage stuff, romantic stuff! My style icons are:

Both women are amazing! And they make me want to scour the thrift stores for vintage clothes. There's something about it that is timeless and classical. No matter how many fashion fads (Lady-Gagaesque crazy clothes!) might come and go, vintage classic pieces are here to stay. They are so beautiful and it makes a girl/woman look so put together.

Polyvore looks that I like:

In other news:

I will be hosting a giveaway for all of you! It is sponsored and it has something to do with whimsical, romantic jewelry! I love them so much and it's such a fantastic thing that I get to do this. Stay tuned everyone!

Take care and stay healthy!

VOV Castledew Eyeshadow Palette

2010-03-06T21:03:00.005+08:00

I've always wanted an eyeshadow palette though I'm not sure if eyeshadows are my thing. I just love Castledew because it's so princessy and shiny and jewel-like and perfect.

A Castle dew eyeshadow palette in all its shiny pretty glory! This is available in the La Core stall (korean beauty shop). Every time I passed by their stall, I always ask to view the palette and I always jump up and down in delight when I see it. Now I have it! MUAHAHAHA!

I'll try to play around with the colors! See you!

Skinfood Black Garlic Emulsion

2010-01-22T19:42:00.002+08:00

Hey guys! Here's a quick personal review on a Skinfood product. I love this brand. I can't say it enough. I think that their line is awesome for the skin, and for my skin especially. I don't have a lot of problems with my skin except for it being really oily. Another complaint is it is sometimes generally dull. But otherwise, I have no major acne to treat, its still smooth and supple and with little to no lines (yet~!) so nothing really major.

That's why I like Skinfood, it helps me maintain the good thing I got going here and helps me with the little problems I might have without any side effects or has ingredients that may do damage. For my oily problem, they have the anti-sebum lines like their Tea Tree line and Peach Sake line (which is amazing for me btw~) and for dullness they have the brightening lines like Fresh Juice C line and the Whitening Tomato line. Skinfood it not at all harsh and they feel nutritious to the skin.

Nutrition is one of the main thing about the Skinfood Black Garlic Emulsion. I am almost done with the bottle, already half way through and I'm very sad that this has to go, but thankful for the good things that it has done for me.

It promotes blood circulation & revitalize fatigue skin. Water-based with non-greasy quick absorption.

Black garlic extract with antioxidant effect improved in the process of fermentation and maturation prevents skin aging. Also, the superb soothing effect gently protects the skin. This emulsion without the feeling of greasiness also contains the highly moisturizing honey extract that keeps your skin supple and moisturized.

I've been using this on and off for a few months now-- give or take 2 or 3. And yes, it does last for a 160ml bottle :)

In my own observation, I thought it at first too weak an emulsion. It's a little runny/watery especially when compared to Peach Sake Pore Minimizing Emulsion which is a tad thicker. At first I was a bit doubting because I always thought that the thicker the consistency, the more concentrated the good ingredients. I soon learned that Black Garlic Emulsion, on its own is pretty weak, and you need the Black Garlic Face Serum/Cream for it to work overtime.

But I've discovered a great way that my Black Garlic is most of use! And its soooooooooooooooooooooooo good at that job. Well, its simple really, and sometimes it gets overlooked! I promise you that your skin will be revitalized with the Black Garlic Emulsion just like the back portion promised

I do my job daily, staring at computer for a good part of 8 hours or more (LOL! I need a life yes?) and when I'm done I notice that I have like the oilies attacking me all over my face. Not only that but because of the radiation, it kinda looks dull and the dark spots more pronounced! Its true that computers really are bad for you, but I have a job to do so I have no choice :(

But at the end of the day, I wash my face with a mild face cleanser, just that, to take off the dirt and sebum altogether. And then, I take the Black Garlic Emulsion for good measure!

I take a dollar coin-sized dollop, and just spread it gently all over my face and neck.

annd............ VIOLA!

Your face is instantly revitalized like nobody's business. It firms up the skin for some reason too, I have noticed the ingredients in this product have a kind of firm-elastic effect. Not only that, but it just generally moisturizes the skin, so you have this clear, bright and totally smooth face.

So now you know why having my bottle on 50% now is bittersweet. It's a wonderful product. But I probably wont repurchase even if I do see it again on the shelves. WHY?! Well for one, it is FREAKING EXPENSIVE in Skinfood Store (you know how they jack the prices up soooo bad.) and second, I still have like 90% left on my Skinfood Peach Sake Emulsion, so that will also take me up some time to finish.

But I love my Black Garlic Emulsion. It is one of the skin care products that I can attest to have really helped me honestly in revitalizing my face.

HEY! SORRY FOR MAKING THIS TOO LONG! Ugh, so much for a "Quick Review" huh? LOL! Anyway, I hope somehow this post helps.

Thanks for reading guuuuys! ^___^

Doing not so good

2010-01-21T09:16:00.004+08:00

Hi guys, how are you all doing?

Right off the bat, I'm going to tell you I'm not doing so good. This week has been so tiring to say the least. I only get less than 3-4 hours of sleep daily and because of that, I'm always so tired that I haven't exercised or done anything remotely active. And because of lack of sleep, my hours aren't right anymore thus I don't eat regular meals on time.

Well I hope to get out of this rut when the weekend rolls in.

Aside from that, I'm doing good online. I'm finishing up my workload so I can exit the company gracefully. I'm also looking for a good job, preferably a desk job in copywriting, but I'm not too sure if I can find anything like that and in my city, too. Well please cross your fingers for me, I need all the luck I can get!

Also, I picked up some nice clothes along the way, I got a summery blue lacey top from Charlotte Russe, a blue and white striped top from Forever21 and finally a white peasant top with a really sweet design from a sale. Sorry if there aren't pictures. Well you know, R.I.P. camera and all that.

Mischievous Mack's
Nature Republic / Skinfood Giveaway

I decided to join in on a fun giveaway! I really love Asian brands, you guuuys. And Mischeivous Mack is currently holding an aweeeeeeeeeeeeesome giveaway from her favorite brand, Skinfood, which happens to be mine also ^_____^ Plus, she adds another brand to the mix, Nature Republic. I've heard of them before but they're not available from where I am. I have only a few Skinfood stuff, and I've never tried Nature Republic before!I hope to take my chances~

She has very simple rules for her giveaway, so it's really great and I'm hoping you can join in on the fun, too! Click on the photo or the text links to take you there!

See you around guys! Toodles!

Camera-Less Rants (Again), Updates, Plans

2010-01-14T22:53:00.004+08:00

In my last post, I used my webcam yet again and to tell you frankly I think it sucks having to use a webcam or a phone for blog photos. But I'm camera-less again because my pink Lumix camera has gone dead on me. THIS IS THE SECOND LUMIX WE BOUGHT AND IT SUFFERED ALMOST THE SAME DISEASE LIKE MY OTHER BLACK LUMIX. IT MAKES ME HATE THE BRAND SO MUCH.

I'd like to put some swatches of some purchases I made recently, like Ellana Minerals Cheek and Lip tint which for me, beats the Skinfood Cool Lip Jelly tint. I mainly use the Ellana tint on my lips because I'm not the blush-on kind of girl. I also wanted to do a personal review of the Majolica Majorca Pressed Pore Cover, which I've been using recently because I've finally hit pan on my Beauty Credit Pressed Powder SPF 27. Yay!

I wanted to post a comparison between two blackhead strips/cream I've been using, because I found out that I have a lot of hidden whiteheads and blackheads on my nose and I'm using this product to get rid of all of it. I also wanted to do a little swatch on some Innisfree stuff I got from a korean friend of mine. I have the Innisfree Mineral Skin BB Cream SPF40 and the Innisfree Whitening Mask Sheet. I am totally inlove with Innisfree! If it wasn't so freaking expensive, I would really switch all my skincare products to their line.

I also would like to share to you my experiences in using Skinfood Peach Sake Emulsion and Peach Sake Toner set because, man, I really really like them! I wish I had a camera to document them all... This sucks so bad.

=====*****(0XX0)*****)=====

For a lighter note, I am still okay, though very frustrated. I am going to resign from my job. LOL what a way to start the year, right?! I am finding it hard to be productive... It's pretty freaking difficult to be a stay-at-home girl so lonely and alone and working on some random internet job. It makes me feel like writing is a chore... And I kinda love writing! I've been blogging even before starting University and writing lame stories ever since Grade School.

I am also a proud owner of two puppies now, actually, THEY own MY heart I love them to pieces. Their names are: Umeboshi (Pickled Plum--He smelled so sour when we adopted him LOL) and Yojimbo (An "Aeon" or guardian force in the game Final Fantasy X -- I love video games.) They're absolutely sweet and cute.

What are your goals this 2010? I'm aiming for something to better myself!

MAJOR 2010 PLANS:

1. Get my money back I lent from my Sister ++ at least a month or two's pay: MY TRAVEL FUNDS TO GO TO JAPAN THIS SEPTEMBER!

2. Get a stable office work that pays more than my current job. Or get a part time job for extra cash. Preferrably somewhere closer to where I am, and one that has no internet! Or at least a computer that blocks social media sites! Grrrr, less productivity for me if I open Facebook or Plurk, and I can't seem to help it.

3. Take care of myself better. Eat less fat and less salty things plus lower sugar intake, 1 hour exercise at least 2-3 times each week so I'll lose my "holiday fats"! And I promise to take care of my skin better! Especially my problem areas like my legs which are rough with hair all the time, and also my underarms which I have no idea where to start! (PLEASE HELP!)

4. Buy nicer clothes! Quality, not quantity. Stick to designs that I like! Don't start falling prey to fashion. Have your own style. Classy, feminine, but still practical! Cheerful, light colors, pastel floral designs, cute accessories are a must-have! Add these stuff to monthly budget. Buy 1 or 2 tops per month, bottoms and shoes tri-monthly!

5. Read more. Start borrowing or renting books, not buying them. I already take up too much space when it comes to my books! Read a lot, diverse my author and genre list! Make friends with the same interests! Discover and appreciate those bookworm friends around me!

Not a lot, but I like being realistic!

THANKS FOR READING GUYS! You're all so great.

Friday is Mask Day!

2010-01-08T09:29:00.003+08:00

It's the end of the week and I am feeling pretty relaxed after a bout of non-stop working late hours. My poor skin, with only 4 hours of sleep, hours of being exposed to radiation from computer screen and disrupted skin regimen, it needs all the help it can get.

So as a treat to my face, I took out my Etude House Moistfull Mask to try it out and pamper my skin.

Kawaii packaging! I think that the Etude House logo is wonderful and reminds me of Baroque designs which I'm totally into nowadays.

The liquid on the mask is just very little so there's not much mess or moisturizer dropping when you take the mask out from the pack. The smell is lightly floral and it's not overwhelming for me. But maybe for people sensitive to product that has fragrance they might find this strong. But I really like the smell because it isn't yucky!

Me with the mask on! LOL trying to hide because I look ugly.
The holes on the mask are right smack where it needs to be. It was just a little too wide, but it's all good because it covered my entire face. I left it for around 25 minutes because when 20 mins came and went, the mask still wasn't dry so I left it for an extra 5 mins more.

Very moisturizing! I really really love this mask! It seems very gentle on the face. I will definitely buy again :)

Thanks for reading guys! See you around!

Tony Moly Honey Bubble Foaming Cleanser: HATE!

2009-12-29T09:05:00.004+08:00

I just realized that "BUBBLE FOAM" anything is not for me.

I love Asian Skincare brands, and I just recently purchased something from Tony Moly. I needed a new cleanser because I was running out on Nivea Sparkling White Cream Cleanser. For P250 (on sale) I bought Tony Moly Honey Bubble Foam Cleanser to try it out, along with Tony Moly Toner & Emulsion for Men (that little purple bottle in the picture below) for my brother.

I was so excited to try it out! This is my first time to try this brand out, and my first time to use this kind of cleanser. I immediately pumped some fluid into my hands to start cleaning my face last night and to my surprise! Out came the bubbles!

I mean, okay, so I wasn't really thinking that bubbles-as-in-just-bubbles would come out. I was thinking more it would be face cream/fluid with some bubbles, but no! All poofy bubbles came out. I was like, "what? can this really clean my face?!"

I did try it out and I was astonished on the smell. UGGGGGGGGGGGH!!!!!!! I immediately turned the bottle upside down to find the manufacturing date lest it be 1880s or something! I discovered that it was just this year 2009. BUT IT SMELLED OF OLD MUSTY THINGS! It didnt smell of honey, or anything natural. Okay so it smelled earthy, but I smelled dung somewhere there!

The final crunch is that it doesn't even clean my face decently. I had on bb cream, mineral foundation and a little bit of blush and mascara. The mascara was still there after washing! And when I rinsed it off and applied toner afterwards, my cotton pad was smeared with bb cream leftovers.

UGH. TERRIBLE! I don't like bubble foams cleansers and will never try it again. Have you tried bubble foam cleansers yourself?

I HATE!

But I love you guys! Thanks for reading!

Holiday Clothing Loots :D

2009-12-26T18:32:00.005+08:00

I've been gone wayyyy tooo long and I'm catching up on all your posts!

I hope you're all having an amazing December like I did. I celebrated Christmas with my family which meant lots of food, drinks and merrymaking! I hope I don't put on as much weight as I usually do during December and January (I eat a lot because all my favorite stuff are served) because I haven't had the time to put on the clothes I shopped all throughout December and it would be very vexing if they don't fit me anymore! D:

You guys, I am just so happy this month. Considering the trials that we've faced during 2009, its feels so good to be able to celebrate a happy Christmas with my family and we're hoping to face the New Year's with a lot of hope.

I managed to make myself very happy this month! It's the time of gift giving so I made it so by buying myself lots of cute clothes that I like! My wardrobe needs a facelift, since it's full of t-shirts and pants. Yeah, I'm the shirt-and-jeans kind of girl! But I think its time to add a little more oomph to my stuff. I need to wear nicer clothes because I'm totally into clothes and accessories now. If you must know, I love ROCOCO style because it's entirely beautiful and classical and rich. I like anything vintagey or whimsical.

A very cute top with this little lace neckline and lace ribbon in the middle (adorable!) The fabric is very cool and light which I love. I bought it from Knit & Co.

Gauzy beaded top from Mags. It looks orange in the picture, but it's actually kind of a yellow peach color! I love the beading and all the details along the chest area. Sometimes I think that this is great for special ocassions or semi-formal events.

Sweater-blouse from Kashieca, which is one of the more simple and no-frills top I bought. I like it because I can see myself wearing almost everyday. I love that the sleeves are 3/4ths and that on the neckline, there's a ribbon you can pull to tighten and loosen it however you may choose.

Lots of CARDIGANS! I love love love love love cardigans! I want to have a cardigan in every single color. It doesn't give me much warmth during cold days, but wearing cardigans are great for windy days and when going to the mall. I am quite sensitive to cold air but I don't like wearing jackets or huge sweaters because it'd feel too hot.

Tops from Mint. I loveeeeeeeeeeeeee these. They look really romantic. Very, very light, fits me very well, and though it looks a little dressy overall, I can use this when I go out with friends or with Prof (my term for my boyfriend lol!)

A cardigan-top from Mango. My top pick among everything! I love this because it's a cardigan and a top in one. There's this little string around the torso area that you can close or open up and a few buttons down the neckline. The sleeves are a teeny bit puffed and its soooo cute. Very light and cool fabric.

A racerback from Mango. I don't get it why they are called racerbacks. I bought this because... I dunno. It looks really laid-back and simple, but the fit is just awesome. I tried it on in the store and it makes me look like I have good curves LOL!

Well that's all I got for clothes! I did shop for shoes and accessories too but they're just too few to mention. I just went all out for clothes because I am sick of wearing t-shirts and feeling under-dressed every time.

If you happen to pass by some embroidered tops, lacey little blouses and cute cardigans, do drop by a little love note on my chatbox. I hope you all have a nice holiday. There's NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION to look forward to!

Thank you for reading!

MOST WORN: Lipstick/Jewelry/Polish/Etc.

2009-12-06T16:17:00.001+08:00

TAGGED

MOST WORN lipstick/lipgloss - Nyx Indian Pink

I swear you guys, this color is just so awesome. Its one of the most popular colors from Nyx Round Lipstick and its such a flexible, all-around, instant pick-me-upper color. I have it on my bag wherever I go.

MOST WORN earrings/necklace - Pink Teardrop with zircon cluster

A gift from my sister for my birthday when she came back home from Japan. I love this. I wear it every chance I get, even just to go out with my friends. It looks a little fancy but its a great accessory for any outfit.

MOST WORN top/shirt - A gray mountain dew shirt.

Hahahaha. I don't know why except that its the most comfortablest shirt I own. I literally can wear this everyday if I could. I love this shirt. Its so dirt cheap too. :/

MOST WORN nail polish - Etude House Pink Glaze

I need to get me more of this. You can easily find it in ebay.ph. I got this as a freebie for some Etude House stuff I ordered online. What do you know? The subtle pink shine is amazing! I am looking at my fingernails coated with this beautiful stuff as I type! LOL!

MOST WORN shoes - n/a
SKIMMERS! I love skimmers.

MOST WORN hair product - Tsubaki Golden Repair

I swear by the Tsubaki golden repair set or commonly known as Tsubaki White. It has made my hair sooooo freaking shiny and sooooo soft. The shampoo alone is enough to keep it shiny, but paired with the conditioner, it makes my hair pliable and smooth. And whenever I use the treatment bottle every 2 weeks, my hair is nothing short of divine. I love it! Kinda expensive if you purchase from here, but its quite cheap in Japan really!

MOST WORN perfume - Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Fizz

Yes, I am positively in love with this line. I think I'm getting green apple next, but I just like this too much to switch! :D

Secret to Great Skin

2009-12-03T10:28:00.004+08:00

Q: "What's your secret to great skin?".
A: "Photoshop".

SO THERE! I AM NOT ALONE!

I don't have the clearest skin in the world! I have blemishes that are so stubborn that I don't have any idea how to clear them up. I have pores on the sides of my nose and etc etc! But you know what, I read something from VivaWoman.net...

Chizu Saeki, the author of “The Japanese Skincare Revolution” said:

Don’t fuss over every spot and line on your face. It isn’t as if their presence diminishes your worth as a woman. Most brown spots and lines can be erased with patience, and, at any rate, the overall demeanor and luster of your face are far more important in determining the impression you give.

More often than not we always have spots on our faces! It's very normal. Since I am absolutely stumped on what to do, there is always one treatment that never fails me! AT ALL!

PHOTOSHOP!
(yay.)

Click on the picture for FULL VIEW

Above is what I learned, how to make skin more clearer, erase the blemishes, give yourself a smooth glow, a tan, or even snow-white skin! Lighting also makes it easier, but you can adjust that in Photoshop, too.

What I did with the picture of Angelina Jolie above is just very subtle, and it's what magazines do to make models look pristine. It's kind of fairly easy to do in Photoshop, too, mainly because Angelina already has an almost blemish-and-line-free kind of skin. Just a little touch up and smoothening is needed :) Remember to be kind to the picture. Sometimes too much retouching can also weird the face out, making it look fake and plastic-looking.

But what about those with extremely bad skin? Like someone who has an acne-filled face? Well, Photoshop is also your best derma! LOL!

The original photo at the left is of someone suffering from dried-up acne. I ended up spending 7 minutes for cover up of the acne alone, not including the smoothening, lightening, and adjustment too! Though I don't like this editing, the person on the right looks like a CG character because his skin is too perfect. You can also adjust it in Photoshop to have a texture that can help the skin look more natural.

I only do photoshops when I am commissioned to do so, or when my friends and I gather for a little Photoshoot or something. For THIS Photoshoot Xiao and I didn't edit it, because the amazing room-lighting was already very good to us HAHAHA!

Some people might frown upon using Photoshop to cover blemishes, telling me that it's a form of LYING or that it's DECEITFUL. Um, tell that to photo editors in the magazines first, LOL! Just imagine how the sales of FHM would plummet if they were to post the models in all their raw-photo glory!

Whenever I post my picture on facebook or in any other social media, I do photoshop it, but not really super duper edit it. I just take out an embarrassing zit, some shine on my face, and some weird discoloration in my under eye. But here in my blog, I post pictures as raw as possible!

LIKE THIS!
You can't really photoshop a webcam shot as much as one you get from a digicam. The picture's are always too freaking pixelated and noisy to begin with.

Well that's all I wanted to share to you, guys! Thanks for reading! :3

Quick Question: Skinfood Peach Sake

2009-12-02T18:46:00.004+08:00

I just acquired Skinfood Peach Sake Toner and Emulsion and I love love love them to pieces OMG YOU GUYS YOU ALL SHOULD GET IT!!!!!! Everybody has to have Peach Sake series from Skinfood!

I have a dilemma with my night time routine:

Is it -----

a.) Toner + Emulsion + Whitening Cream

or

b.) Toner + Whitening Cream + Emulsion

??????

Many sites give me varying answers! I turn to you now people, what do I do!?
Pictures to follow.

Thanks for visiting!

In2it Moisture Release Lipstick in Flame

2009-11-27T16:22:00.001+08:00

ME, IN A RED LIPSTICK?!
I needed a little oomph in the lipstick department so I went around to look for a nice shade. I already have pinks and peaches so I would like some deep red color just because.

I got In2it's Moisture Release lipstick in Flame from a department store. I tried it out with the tester and I was astounded at the pigmentation. It was flaming red like I've never seen before. I'm too used to the pinks and peaches. I was doubting if I should take it because it costs around P420.00 something and I can only use it sparingly or during special occasions.

You can see how really red it is. It's totally seriously red. But what I like best about this is that it is wonderfully moisturizing and doesn't create cracks or make the lines of my lips prominent like other lipstick seem to do (I like Nyx but it shows the lines on application.)

It glides easily and a single swipe has a lot of color already. Its not hard to apply. Its a great line to try out for those who like lipsticks but are suffering from chappy lips.

It looks a little orangey here don't you think? Maybe its the afternoon sunshine.

Thanks for reading! :)

Full of Lace

2009-11-24T16:32:00.004+08:00

What's keeping me busy these days? Well, not much. Things have been kind of slow lately so I'm trying new things and spreading my skills into handmade crafts.

I've always been a huge huge fan of romantic dresses and accessories. I like tulle, satin, lace, other sheer fabrics, pearls and rhinestones, pastel colors and soft floral designs. It's a little general if I describe it, but here's a picture of what I had in mind from a picture taken from SuperKawaiiMama :

That shop is heaven! Those stuff are so beautiful! I would love to browse that store. Most of the time I can't find it here from where I am, and I always end up disappointed. I browse for it in various online stores and sometimes if I'm lucky I find a piece or two.

Because I have a lot of time on my hands now, I went to some craft stores and found lovely rolls of lace and ribbons, got some rhinestones and pearls and various delicate fabrics that I think I will use.

Overnight, I managed to make one bracelet. This one is made up of antique lace and faux pearls. Those aren't easy to make as I thought. But I really enjoyed it, especially when I finished all the pearls and proceeded to make the rose out of a gray ribbon. I sewed it on one end of the bracelet and there! I finished it!

I also made some other stuff because I purchased a bigger roll of lace in a different design. I made a headband...

I also put it on my favorite barrette (because it needs that oomph!)

And finally a small lacey hair accessory that I am currently using when I go out! The design is a clone of the decoration on the headband above. I really really like this because I can put it anywhere, not just on my hair. I also wear it as a little brooch or put it on on my cellphone keychain too.

I just bought a couple of strings of pearls, as well as pink and gold ribbon. I'm thinking of making more hair accessories for me and my friends to wear. I really love those from Jesus Diamante, a japanese hime gyaru fashion brand. I'll try to look for some inspirations too! :)

thanks for reading!

Meiji Amino Collagen Powder

2009-11-19T15:20:00.000+08:00

Oprah featured the Meiji Amino Collagen Powder as "The Japanese Women's Secret to Youth and Beauty" in one of their shows and it is an instant hit for those beauty-conscious women all over the world trying to find an effective supplement to fight against aging and restore their youthful skin.

I have a sister who lives in Japan, so I talked to her to ask if she could find me a can of collagen powder. Little did I know, she drinks regularly those instant collagen drinks from Shiseido! Those are pricey but all the women she knows swear by the drink. She also told me how collagen is a HUGE thing in Japan, and how everything advertises collagen now. HUGE market, I tell you. They have collagen lipstick and lipglosses, collagen ingredients in mascara, pure collagen+vit e soaps, fruit juices with collagen and anti-aging, and even lemon flavored collagen candy!

WHEW!

It was easy peasy for her to get me the Meiji powder as it is available in convenience stores, even. I just asked her for a can, instead of hoarding a lot. I'm not too sure if I'll like it. So there are sellers from ebay and multiply who have this, but they jack the price up sooo much! I saw one selling this for around P1,500 and another for P2,000. My sister told me that she bought it around the price range for P400-500! Better find a relative who's in Japan and let them buy for you guys!

Amino collagen promises a "beautiful, smooth and toned skin", helping it become "supple, radiant and moist" with regular use. One review from Lioness in Japan who's a collagen drinker herself found that she had a youthful look to her after taking the powder regularly.

In her website she tells of another experience with Amino collagen:

"She witnessed a Japanese gal pal’s transformation a year after she left for Taipei and returned for a visit in Japan — apparently her middle-aged friend’s skin changed dramatically from a papery, dry state to becoming more supple and smooth. All the friends in their group jumped into the habit immediately. My student took it for four months and I thought she looked much better. Let me clarify that her fine lines were still there but the texture of her skin looked more plump and youthful." Taken from Lioness in Japan

Very nice piece of information, right?

Lets open the can shall we...

The Meiji can has a plastic scoop inside, and it helps regulate your collagen intake. The first thing I noticed about the powder is that its not finely milled. It seems a little coarse compared to most milk powders. But the powder is very light! The second thing I noticed is the smell...

THE SMELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok so this isn't the nastiest thing in the world, but its not the most fragrant-smelling either. I researched a little about collagen and found out that Meiji Amino Powder comes from fish-derived collagen. No wonder it smells a little funky. Whenever I open the can, I kind of hold my breath a little.

I prepared a normal Milo drink which I take everyday (yes, everyday! It gives me a little energy boost in the morning.) and added a scoop of collagen powder which consists of 5,000mg of collagen, which is the recommended daily intake. You can take Amino Collagen in any drink you drink regularly/everyday, be it a fruit juice, tea, morning soup, chocolate or milk drink.

I heard somewhere that Amino collagen powder is best taken at night before you go to sleep. And it is most absorbed by the body in an empty stomach, or else you drink it 2-3 hours after a full/heavy meal, or 1-2 hours after a light meal.

But what can I do, this package from Japan arrived around 9:00am and I was too excited to wait until bedtime! :)

What can I say about my initial taste?
.
.
.
.
.
As you might have guessed....
.
.
.
.

It tastes NASTY.

LOL!

For what is advertised as a "FLAVORLESS" powder, it sure distorts the smell and taste of Milo! At the first big sip I nearly choked and the second sip I made a face, until the last drop I was mildly disgusted. I finished it all because I couldn't very well throw this "Canned Fountain of Youth" away now, could I?

There are people who only mix the collagen with water, and I can't fathom how they could stand the taste and smell!

"This is healthy", I kept on telling myself. "You're 23 and the amount of collagen in the body plunges downwards after 20!"

....Or maybe I should get a bigger mug of Milo, because the ratio should be 1 scoopfull in a 150ml drink. I think I barely reached 100ml in that little teacup. Maybe that's why the collagen taste is so pronounced? I'll try better next time.

If you're in a diet, you can still incorporate the Meiji Amino Collagen in your daily intake as it is Sugar-and-sweetener free, and only contains 27 calories and 0.08 grams of fat! Those are virtually nothing for the price of 5,000mg of beauty-enhancing collagen :)

Thanks for reading!

Beauty Secret: Insanely Smooth Feet

2009-11-15T23:04:00.006+08:00

I'm going to share to you my secret in maintaining healthy, smooth and supple skin on the feet. I'm sure many of you practice this...

One of my favorite parts of my body (and there's very few of them) is my feet. It is something I take care of as much as I can and it has fast pay off as far as I can tell. My toes, sole and heels are all accounted for! That's why I'm proud to say that my heels aren't chappy, my soles don't have thick skin, and the skin on my feet are nice to touch.

I think that we should all take care of our feet. They're the farthest from our body, and sometimes we neglect them. I don't buy those expensive foot creams to keep the skin soft, I buy only drugstore products but I make sure that it does its job well.

I do this routine every night after I cleanse and moisturize my face and body.

1. START WITH CLEAN FEET

Take a small damp towel and clean your feet all over. Its best to swipe the instep, the heels and in between the toes. If you want to disinfect your feet, its good too. Take an isoprophyl alcohol, spread the fluid on the towel and gently pat on the skin.

2. PREPARE YOUR STUFF

Doesn't take much to achieve this! All you need is a moisturizer and a pair of socks (even mismatched pairs like mine! LOL!) Just like any part of the body, you need to moisturize the feet. All you need is your favorite lotion or even a face moisturizer that you like. I think that those get soaked very easily. I used Lander Hydrating Cocoa Butter since it's virtually always on my bodycare stash that I take it out rarely because I only use it if I have some dry parts of on the body like my elbows and knees. As much as possible use those lotion that were designed for dry skin.

3. START MOISTURIZING

Take a generous amount and spread liberally on your feet! Take note that you may have to apply it 2-3 times to get the desired thickness. The more you apply the better! Have fun massaging your foot, and make sure to get the skin in between the toes, too. It is important that you get more lotion on the driest part of your foot.

4. COVER!
Leave the whole thing overnight and there you are! The first time I tried this I had to wait after 3 consecutive days for the smoothening to take effect. I had super dry, and scaly heels before, but with regular moisturizing soaks, my feet are callus free and super soft now!

Take care! :)

My Silly Little Makeup/Skincare Stash

2009-11-09T17:25:00.011+08:00

"The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud"
-Coco Chanel

When I started this blog, all the make up I had were Maybelline Pressed Powder and an Alba Organics Terra Tints Lipbalm. I didn't even have a proper lipstick, no eyeliner, no eyeshadows or blush! Err, well, Ok so up to now I still don't have any eyeshadows and blush (shocking right?) but I'm remedying that with the Majolica Majorca jeweling line soon! I looked at the other ladies' stash and I am just floored at how many stuff you have to have on your drawer.

I wish I had that many brush, I wish I had that many palettes, I wish I had that many shades of pink and peach blushes! Even TheMakeupSob has like 200 lipsticks!? Goodness! XD

I used to believe you only need one of each thing to keep you satisfied. Especially when you find the color that suits your face. If I didn't start on this beauty blog, I would have scoffed at someone for having 10 lipsticks, "HOW NINCOMPOOPY! THAT MANY? WHAT DOES SHE THINK SHE IS, SOME KIND OF ALIEN WITH 10 LIPS?!?" Hahah, that kind of thinking. Now, I believe that you just can't have enough. There are so many shades to choose from. So many brands to try. So many things to buy! It's a downward spiral actually.

So I am here to show you what I have. Its so meager, I tell you. I don't even have to review most of the products here because you all have probably tried it already, or wouldn't really try it because you have a better product than what I have.

THAT'S ALL FOLKS.

LOL. See? So small! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I want more! But some they say its not a matter of how much you have, but if what works for you. Well all of them do their job well, surprisingly. I'm not really sure about how valid that claim is though, maybe I'm just saying that because I don't know any better? LOL! I freaking hope not!

TOP MOST: FACE STUFF
1. Biore Moisturizer - Daily moisturizer for face and neck. This is so good to me.
2. Clean and Clear Moisturizer - Didn't work for me because it left weird streaks and left me looking freakishly gray (I'm guessing because of the sunscreen) so I use it on my feet during daytime! Well, I hate wasting products and it has SPF 15 and its moisturizing enough anyway.
3. Nivea Sparkling White Night Cream - Very nice! This did lighten my skin! I'll post a review of this soon, along with the Nivea Sparkling White Foaming Face Wash.
4. Shiseido Revital Cream - I use this sparingly. It has a tendency of overmoisturizing me! Leaves me oily when I put it on at night. I only use it when I am in total need of something non-drying.
5. Nivea Age Defying Hand Cream Q10 - Keeps the skin on my hands soft, has a really nice smell too. My palms stopped being too rough - it used to be so rough like crazy! It also has a lightening effect somehow, the skin on my knuckles used to be like a 5 shades darker, now its just like 2 shades darker than the skin all around it. Its such a surprise. Sometimes I use it on my toes too, if I'm feeling particularly worried about that part of my feet. Hands? Feet? They're basically the same anyway.

FIRST LAYER
1. Pink and white box - my usual face stuff! All of them are staples. Well except the careline blush which seems to never work on my face
2. Transparent box - nail stuff. Some Skinfood, Etude, Revlon and Caronia. I have a trusty sharp nail thingy that I have no idea what's called.
3. Blue Box #1 - Lip stuff! Some NYX and an IN2IT lippie (which I will post a swatch soon- It probably the most moisturizing lipstick I've tried), Godiva and The Body Shop balm.
4. Blue Box #2 - Eye stuff! Fashion21 eyeliner that smudges so bad, a jumbo eyeliner from San San, eye makeup remover pen from Revlon, Shiseido Integrate Darcy lipliner, Maybelline Volum Express and Victorias Secret Very Sexy mascara

SECOND LAYER
Some stocks that don't use yet. The kojic soap and tissues, some random mineral concealer and eyeshadow samples, Beauty Credit lipgloss and the Majolica Majorca pressed powder.

The third layer is my jewelry stash. Not much and all of them are fashion jewelry anyway! Most of them are gifts as the only jewelry I bought are the handmade swarovski ones from Pumpkinbeads.

ALSO, I NEED BRUSHES!! DO YOU SEE BRUSHES THERE?!?! YEAH!! I DIDN'T TOO!! Darn it. I need brushes. I can't seem to find the best one that fits my budget.

There! I posted it! Now you know why I don't do FOTDs because I look bare all the time! No fancy eyeshadows or blushes to make my face pop up or anything. My nail stash is so tiny not much color mixing and stamping I can do, so no NOTDs too! I'll wait a couple of months until I'll build it up. Do share with us your make up drawer/cabinet/stash/traincase/kit/whatever you have :)

How about you guys?
Did you start with a lot of make up already or did you accumulate that over the months/years?

Thanks for reading! See you around! :)

Bioré® Pore Perfect Shine Control Oil-Free Moisturizer

2009-11-09T09:59:00.006+08:00

The first time I heard of the brand Bioré was when I was watching one of the youtube beauty gurus, Michelle Phan. She featured some great brands I haven't heard before like ROC and Queen Helene. I remembered that I saw a moisturizer, exfoliator, and deep cleansing wipes that were from Bioré on our department store (it was next to J/A/S/O/N/ and I love their organic line!). Since I needed a new moisturizer since the Clean and Clear Facial Moisturizer with Vitamin C and SPF 15 didn't work for me, I went ahead and bought 2 Bioré Shine Free Moisturizer.

Now I heard good things from Michelle Phan about this brand and I was ecstatic that at the first try I really really really REALLY love the product! From the first time I tried this out until now, it hasn't disappointed me! I used to hate putting on moisturizer before because it left weird streaks on my face and neck, and made me go gray all over. I had some hesitancy over purchasing moisturizers but I really can't do away with it. I need to keep my skin elastic and supple! Ugh to wrinkles and bad skin!

Its a great product to recommend, since I am in love with it. Its my staple moisturizer and it will take a LOT to have me switch to another one/another brand. My face has become smoother somehow, and it is especially smooth after every time I slather it on. It doesn't have SPF, brightening, whatever but it does its work to keep my face oil-free for at least 6 hours (I put it on in the morning before I start working and it lasts.)

Pros
1. Does not clog pores! Its really nice because its a very very light moisturizer.
2. Controls shine during the day very well. It dries matte and keeps the skin really smooth afterwards.
3. Hygenic because it has a pump. Plus points because it pumps easily and because of that you can have a little control on how much product goes out.
4. Readily available in beauty care aisles in malls.
5. VERY VERY AFFORDABLE! Its usual price is P265.00 ($6) and for a 50ml pump bottle thats a frikkin' steal. And then it went and got marked down at P84.50 ($2) just recently!!!!!!!!! I AM GOING TO HOARD! (I bought 2 at the first purchase.)

Cons
1. Weird smell especially when spreading it on the face. Its not that it smells totally bad, but I'm kind of used to the whole fruity/floral smell of my skincare stuff. For me the smell kind of reminds me of opening a boxful of books. It's not that it's rotten, but it smells like something very earthy.

I usually pump a coin-sized amount. This is for the face only. I spread it as evenly as I can on my forehead, temples, cheeks, nose, around my mouth, and my chin. Its very easy to work with since its almost watery.

Spread it all around. At first its kind of fluid like but give it time and more spreading motions and your skin will soak it all up!
There you go. Moisturized! But matte! I love it. If you can feel my arms its really smooth.

Step:
1. Moisturize (Bioré Moisturizer)
2. Cover (Skinfood Aloe BB Cream SPF 20 PA++)
3. Veil (Skinfood Buckwheat Loose Powder #23 - used Ellana retractable kabuki brush)

Its really so good that its my staple moisturizer. I always layer it on my face before the bb cream and it prevents me from getting oily. I don't agree with mixing moisturizer and foundation/bb cream, some people do this and it weirds me out. I guess because the moisturizer is supposed to seep in through the skin, whereas foundation and bb creams are supposed to be on the surface only. Putting moisturizer before helps my bb cream become more spreadable, since it glides so easy with the moisturizer on.

Hopefully this is helpful to Nikki she requested this as she's on the lookout for a moisturizer. Recommend her your own! Go to her site

We Have A Giveaway Winner!

2009-11-01T18:58:00.002+08:00

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone who have joined my giveaway! It means a lot to me to have you guys! (^___^)

I gathered the entries from the comments box and here's the complete list! (which surprised me btw, because I thought it would be like just less than 10 but lo and behold- we have 17 entries!)

1 CamRenRai16(SHOBE)

2 CHARRY

3 rhaindropz

4 Nix

5 Cabyness

6 Sherry

7 Calia Yang

8 trizh űű

9 RHiiAN

10 // krissy ♥

11 ♥ mia

12 beauty and geekness

13 madhel

14 Nina

15 ayn

16 yhen said...

17 luckyfinds

And here is the winner via random.org

CONGRATS CHARRY of EYECANDY!!!!!

Please send me your mailing address so I can ship you your prizes ASAP! :)

And for all of you guys, thanks so much! I'll be sure to do more giveaways in the future.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL OF YOU!

See you around,
-Aicha

My Morning Skincare Routine

2009-10-30T12:25:00.007+08:00

Hello! Just thought I'd like to share my daily skincare regimen. I kind of do something different for both day and night, because I have products that are good for daytime and some products are best when applied at night.

A little background about me, I work online full time that's 9-6pm staying in my room all day so I don't get much sun exposure! I don't do strenous activities too because I just sit all day and type, get up to eat or take some 10 minutes off away from the laptop (a must) and at night my recreational activity is when I go out with friends or have alone time for myself during the weekends. I kind of stay up pretty late if I go out. But most of the time especially on weekdays, I stay in to finish the book I'm reading.

So here is my morning skincare routine:

1. Nivea Sparkling White Face Wash- This is my current favorite face cream because it does the job of cleansing and clarifying very well. It smells really calming and it's perfect for my budget!

In the morning, I don't like scrubbing my face at all so this is perfect. I use this in my morning shower and it feels creamy and rich and has a nice lather. What I like about it is that after washing my face looks really clear, smooth and nicely lightened.

I've had creams in the past that is pretty hard to rinse off because its too moisturizing, but this product is very easy to rinse off and gives your face quite a tight feeling afterwards. It makes my face less oily during the day.

2. Biore Oil-Free Shine Control Moisturizer - This is my staple moisturizer! I can't go on a day without this on my face. I love it because the moisturizer cream is so light but not totally watery and goopy. I sometimes think that this product was designed with me in mind (haha lol!) because it keeps my face hydrated without the oily, icky shine.

The one thing I don't like is the smell... I like it when my products smell nice, but this one isn't floral or fruity and what not, but it's not exactly smelly.

I like it enough because it keeps my skin soooo smooth ever since I started using it.

3. iWhite Skin Whitening Vita Facial Cream - I mainly use this for the SPF 15 when I'm just at home away from the sun and working infront of the PC.

Before, I was using Clean and Clear SPF15 Moisturizer with Vitamin C for the sunblock but I kind of observed that it was oxidizing and making my face look pale-purpleish. I didn't like the cream as well because it wasn't very absorbent and sometimes left streaks.

I was going through Watson's and was open to try the iWhite products. I first bought a sachet of this and tried it for 3 consecutive days. It settled nicely on my skin and I've been using it for almost 2 weeks now.

4. When I go out during the day I ditch the iWhite in my regimen and use Skinfood Aloe BB Cream SPF 20. I like it well enough because it helps me achieve that flawless look I love.

I use BB creams and I consider them more on skincare than makeup. Other people can say otherwise but well... I love it because it helps cover AND reduce the blemishes in my face. I especially love it when I am photographed and some of my friends wonder why I look flawless. It has helped reduced my darkspots gradually, too.

My full-sized tube is running out so I really hope that the Skinfood Mushroom BB Cream SPF 20 comes next week! You might be wondering why I'm going to use a different product when the aloe is already good to me. Well, I am going to try out a new one and see how it fares. Aloe makes me kind of oily after 3-4 hours and I have to blot and apply my Ellana oil-absorbing finishing powder again.

Well, that's just about it for my morning skincare routine! Basic products, and they really work well for me. I'm actually looking into Skinfood products and Innisfree products. I'll try some testers out if they sit in well with my skin. I have yet to branch out my line but I don't like to experiment with my face very much. That's why some of my friends who are into makeup and skincare have what they themselves call a "wonky face" because they apply various kinds or products and finding out a little later that it doesn't work or worse, they have bad side effects like redness, tiny pimple-like bumps or give them breakouts.

I love my skin because it doesn't give me much acne (except 1-2 pimples at the onset of my menstruation) though it has little bumps and craters but I think they are pretty normal anyway, everybody has them.

Thanks for reading you guys! See you around!

Southeast Asia Youth Movement

2009-10-28T22:52:00.004+08:00

SEACHANGE YES2009 TRIP

From yes2009.asia:

The Youth Engagement Summit (YES2009) is a platform to create a cadre of engaged, active youth leaders dedicated to making positive changes happen in their communities and in the world. Youths are not just leaders of the future, they are today's leaders in their own schools and communities.

Hence, it is with this in mind that the Youth Engagement Summit has been established to bring together youths, active youth leaders, world leaders in business, government, entertainment, and the general public to a platform where opinions, discussions and experiences can be shared.

The 2-day summit which is hosted in Kuala Lumpur this November, brings together some of the most inspiring, engaging Global Change Icons.

We’re giving 500 Southeast Asian youths an opportunity to be inspired, meet people and experience Malaysia in all its glory. Why are you still there reading this? Head over to http://youthsays.com/seachange for the next step!

What will you get when you are part of SEACHANGE?

Free Trips to YES2009 Worth USD$2,500

Do the survey for the SEACHANGE YOUTH REPORT. Be heard by global leaders. Be in the running free trips to YES2009 worth USD$2,500 each!

Learn more about YES2009
Learn more about the rules and regulations of the FREE TRIP

Meet youths who share your goals

Ask them questions, get answers, share ideas, meet friends who have the same goals.

Get support from leaders and organizations

We have partner organizations ready to develop programs to help you with your personal change needs. The more youths voice out on what they need, the more programs, opportunities, and activities we can bring in!

Your membership in SEACHANGE also means you're part of the YouthSays.com community

YouthSays.com specializes in bringing organizations to listen to youths. We've helped Malaysian youths be part of 200+ research projects and organized the country's largest youth festival with them. This means SEACHANGE will get proven support... but focused on more partners and more of your personal needs!

SEND YOUR NAME IN!

Aicha's Pink Motif Giveaway!

2009-10-22T15:00:00.010+08:00

Hi guys!! Finally its time for my GIVEAWAY!!!!!!! Nothing really fancy but I hope we have some fun!

First of all this is a Philippine-only giveaway, so I am mighty sorry for my friends who live outside my country. I really don't have enough to fork over for the shipping fee. But if you're from outside the country but you can provide me with a Philippine address (friends/relatives that can send you this little package) then by all means, I strongly encourage you to enter!
Giveaway ends on OCTOBER 30 12:00mn you guys! I hope I have at least 8 people who will join. I WILL DRAW THE WINNER VIA RANDOM.ORG IF I CAN LEARN HOW TO USE IT! HAHAHAH. I will announce the winner the very next day.

HOW TO WIN:
1. Follow me!
2. Post a this giveaway on your blog (nothing really fancy, just a little line along with your regular blog post is already awesome to encourage people to join in on the fun)
3. Comment me with your name and email, and answer this little question so I can get to know you a little bit better: DO YOU LIKE PINK? WHY? WHY NOT?

"I just recently like pink! I used to hate pink because I couldn't wear it as my mom deemed me too morena to wear pink. It used to make me feel sad so I started resenting pink! But when I started looking after myself, prettifying myself I found out that I can wear pink if I wanted to! WHO CARES! I like pink... BECAUSE I CAN! It made me think that nobody can tell me what to do at all!"

It doesn't have to be that long. Or it doesn't have to be that short! LOL! AND HERE ARE THE DETAILS OF THE PRIZES !

be CREATION's Crayon 3-Colors Eye Shadow C3E (802)

Click for a larger picture!
I hope you'll like it! The first eyeshadow is a really nice maroon color, the second is such a cute pink shade! Super cute! And the last shade is a glittery white.

be CREATION's Crayon Cheek Color (CCH 802)
A really great peach color! I don't wanna swatch it because it means opening the plastic cover all over it and I don't like swatching stuff that other people will use. More surprise for the winner anyway! ^____^

be CREATION's Crayon False Eylashes
I've seen most of the ladies here put on false eyelashes and I myself wanted to try it but I have yet to learn how to put it on. Anyways this is for you ladies to enjoy, I just hope the winner mails me and tells me how it looks on her! I like this because it looks natural enough :)

BeautyCredit's Auto Lip Gloss OR07
I have this in the same color as well! And this is a really nice light pink gloss that has shimmery stuff, too. It makes your lips suuuper shiny and pretty. Its a nice enough gloss to wear everyday.

Your Heart and Mine Swarovski Earrings
This is what I've been waiting for to complete my giveaway! Finally I have it with me and I want to thank Kathleen for making this awesome pink heart earrings. It comes with a pink box to match the whole motif!

Lioele AC Trouble Hunter Toner and Face Lotion Trial Bottles
One of the Asian brands I like is Lioele! If you remember I like their Beyond the Solution BB Cream and when I ordered it it came with this trial bottles. I want you to get a chance to try it. Its super cute and tiny. AND PINK! Lol!

This is just a super thank you to the ladies that I met here. Thanks for reading, commenting and following! I hope you like my gifts! Send your stuff in!

If there's any question, please do email me at its.the.crazy.country.air[@]gmail[dot]com it's my first time doing a giveaway so if there are any comments/criticisms I welcome it!

My Swarovski Jewelries!

2009-10-22T14:34:00.007+08:00

FINALLY! PICTURES!

Every girl loves sparkly stuff! I was just browsing for stuff all over multiply until I found a site that sells Washi Wallets and Sculpey in one store, both of which I wanted to get immediately. But I chanced upon one of the seller's albums selling swarovski bracelets, earrings and necklaces, and each piece was absolutely wonderful and shiny and made of stars! Right at that moment, my love for swarovski crystals began and within a matter of minutes, ballooned! I love the swarovski pieces so much that I would just do all possible ways to get my hands on some.

I was hesitant to order at first because the pieces displayed in the seller's album weren't really cheap. So just last week I began a swarovski quest to find some pieces I liked, something simple really. I Here in my city I've looked everywhere for sellers of these and so far all I discovered was that there are a lot of imitation stuff out there. I did my own research so I knew that Swarovski crystals can be faked and you wouldn't be able to tell except under a magnifying glass.

Because I couldn't stop wanting to get my hands on some so I finally PM'd the seller, Kathleen of Pumpkin Beads, who is the nicest seller I've ever come across. I told her if she was selling swarovski crystal jewelry, only something simpler, like a heart necklace in plain white crystal. She said that though she already sold out those kinds of pieces and weren't making them anymore, she could make me something in a jiffy! I decided that I wanted 2 earrings, a pink heart one and a star-and-moon combo plus 1 heart-shaped white crystal necklace. It just took like 2 days tops and she messaged me that she finished it all! Lo and behold these absolutely cute, superbly wonderful, breathtaking and quality creations:

AREN'T THEY FREAKING GORGEOUS OR WHAT?!?!

I paid her through BDO deposit, and within 2 days I got them delivered safe and sound. I was jumping up and down when our friendly mailman delivered these to me. I can't believe that I had new pieces to add to my collection:

This is the simple pink heart necklace from Korea this year:

And this is the pink drop necklace from Japan that my sister gave me 2 years ago:

SIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH. I love them so much. I am wearing the white heart necklace as we speak. Sorry its so dark here in my room--but look how it shines~)

I think I will order MORE!! Hahah!

Camera-Less (Rants)

2009-10-21T22:41:00.006+08:00

Since my sister royally busted up my digicam I've just spent a good amount of time being camera-less and its so irritating! You know how fun it is to be with people you love and just take lots of pictures, I can't even do that now. And I LOVE taking pictures. I'm a snapshot kind of girl.

I have to take the camera out to the repair shop because there's no Casio service center in our city, you have to go mail the whole thing to another city and some annoying stuff like that. My camera is a Casio Exilim and I like it, it's standard but takes nice enough pictures. If I had money to burn, I would buy another one, but cameras in the market today cost a lot. If I had that kind of money, I would rather use it to buy a DSLR for myself! Hmpf!

I am scrambling to find alternative ways to put my pictures up. I was going to share some stuff that I just got. I just got a really nice liquid eyeliner from Crayon, a new polish from Revlon, a Maybelline mascara (didn't you hear? Maybelline is on sale!), some shoes I bought and a really cute top. Plus some of the stuff I got from Pumpkinbeads (you can see the stuff on the sidebar---Surprise! One of them is included in my giveaway! ^^) I also wanted to share some FOTDS! Now I CAN'T!

Having no camera is such a party pooper when doing my blog! I am a visual kind of person, each post MUST have a picture or else it feels very blah. JUST LOOK AT THIS POST! IT SUCH A HUGE HUGE BLAH!!!!

Finally, I wanted to post my giveaway already because I have all the prizes I needed! YIPEEEEE! The only raincloud on my parade is my being camera-less. I am unable to take pictures. Its so stupid. I used a cameraphone today and I think I got some really nice shots, the problem is the stupid phone uses a micro SD and we only have a memory card reader for SD and MMS Duo! ARRRGGHH!!

I hope my next post will have lots of pics! I am so frustrated and annoyed right now.

-AICHA

Mio Fights Cancer Purchase

2009-10-15T01:10:00.000+08:00

This is just a short post to thank Frances for mailing me my purchase despite her incredibly busy schedule. I was so happy to receive it and I can't wait to get to use the product. A little part of me was nagging that I should have purchased more, because its not everyday that one can buy cosmetics that helps someone else. It is especially important because this is for Mio, fighting for his life battling cancer.

The moment my eyes set on Mio's face, I was extremely saddened... This little boy, at the beginning of his life... its just so terrible. Mio also reminded me of my little 8-year-old nephew, Hisashi:

Hisashi brings us joy and happiness, as I'm sure Mio does to his own parents and loved ones. So a huge happy claps and thank yous to everyone involved in Mio Fights Cancer fundraising campaign! I am sure that he will pull through with everyone's love and support!

I'm giddy at my purchase, the Skinfood Black Garlic Emulsion and I hope that what little money I gave helps in any way!

If you want to give your support, please do head off to http://www.beautyforaliving.com/ Frances just put some new stuff in!!

Shiseido: Majolica Majorca Powder + Tsubaki Damage Care Set

2009-10-14T00:16:00.014+08:00

Thanks to my sister I was able to get my hands on a Majolica Majorca Pressed Pore Cover Powder. I was expecting the Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing along with it and 2 blushes but my sis forgot to bring the bag where her makeup and the rest of my MMs are. It's crazy. She totally has no make up in her bag. We even have to go to the mall tomorrow and buy her a temporary make up kit just for her 2-week stay lol!

I am really really excited to try it out. The packaging simply screams at me to use it ASAP. It is sooooo pretty. Who can say no to a bejeweled compact?! I can't! But its hard to think of using it and thinking about it getting used up. Thank god for refills. LOL.

I'm sure all of you have heard of Majolica Majorca. I am one of the many avid fan of this line by Shiseido. Packaging pa lang, winner na. But there's more to make up than what meets the eye.

This MM Powder was given 4/5 stars in Make-Up Alley reviews.I am totally psyched to hear that "after applying this powder on primed skin (with or without foundation), pores are noticeably minimised, especially if you have comparatively larger ones on your cheeks" and that it is "one of the best at covering enlarged pores! Even better than Mac blot powder or any other powder I have used. It is transparent, very light and very finely milled"

I hope to provide my own thoughts one day. Drats, when will I hit pan on my BeautyCredit pressed powder?! I want to use it na! LOL!

~~~***~~~

Another stuff that my sister bought for me is the Shiseido Tsubaki Damage Care set which has shampoo, conditioner and treatment cream. I have to tell you guys that I've been wanting this so much since June because it was at that time that I discovered the awesome effects of Camilla oil inside this Tsubaki hair care product.

I was thinking of the getting the Red set because it seemed like a more popular choice. My sister told me that she was going to buy me tsubaki but the white one because this was the best shampoo that she tried! Now I remember how shiny her hair always is even if she has colored her hair completely light brown and back to black again.

I was sure that she would have like one of the people who have coarse, breakable hair (she also styles it with a hair dryer daily.) but her hair has remained shiny and healthy-looking. This is her secret! Tsubaki! It smells so good, leaves your hair soft and shiny and manageable all day!

Oh, and yeah, I saw Eki's post about Tsubaki, too. You can check it out HERE.

I am now looking forward to even more hauls from Japan! I can't wait to get more. I can't seem to get enough.

Maui's Thank You-Giveaway!

2009-10-10T07:36:00.000+08:00

Maui of Makeup, Rants, Musings and More is having a hip giveaway for her followers.

PRIZES:
- Small clutch thing from the MAC Holiday Heirloom Collection (correct me if im wrong haha)
-MAC Individual Lashes
-Sample of MAC Pigment sample (hehe it spilled but still half full!) in Reflects Blue
-BB Cream Sample in Premium Gold Caviar
-BB Cream Sample: Super BB
-Rimmel Colour Rush Quad in Smokey Noir (swatched)
-Kirland Mineral Shimmer Powder
-Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Luminous Shadow in After midnight
- ELF Professional Smudge Eye Sponge
-ELF Regular and Waterproof Mascara Duo
-A jar sample of my HG Product! RCMA Invisible Setting Powder
-Urban Decay Sparkler pen in Dynamite (not pictured)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO!

Mina's Gifts!

2009-10-02T10:09:00.008+08:00

This post has been sitting as a draft in my dashboard for way too long. This has been such a busy, busy week xD

I entered Mina's Giveaway and I could not be more psyched to hear that I won it!

Last Oct.2 I just got out of the shower and lo! My sis told me that I got a package waiting for me. I rushed to it and felt perfectly perky to see that it was Mina's package. I mailed her immediately to let her know it arrived safely and thanked her.

Mineral Make Up
30 Mineral Make Up Samples! YAY! xD
2 Mineral Make Up Blushes in pots. I love the color. I finally have a blush! Hahah!

Trial Pack
Dr. Jart UV Protective Shining Base SPF 50++
Feverfet BB Crema SPF 30++ Whitening
Skin Food Agave Cactus Toner
Skin Food Agave Face Cream
iWhite Skin Whitening Vita Aqya
iWhite Skin Whitening Vita Facial Cream SPF 15
iWhite Ice Wine Rose Petal Mask
iWhite Whitening Pack Peel-off
Vaseline Healthy White Lotion
Body Recipe Skin Lightening Hand and Body
Cyleina Grapeseed Soap

And then she added a little note that really made me happy! Its always a really awesome touch that little love notes get added to the package, no? It makes me feel all warm inside.

THANK YOU! :3

This makes me want to speed up my own giveaway, too! Last weekend I just bought some goodies and I AM SO EXCITED. I am hope you'll all like it. The only sad thing is my sister finally admitted that she broke my digital camera. Grrr. Well, nothing can be done anymore. I'll just find a way to get some decent picture of my giveaway prizes and start the ball rolling next week.

Hope you'll be having an awesome day, everyone!

Who's Gorgeous? I'm Gorgeous! :D

2009-10-02T06:00:00.001+08:00

GORGEOUS BLOGGER AWARD

By Adin of Spoiled Rotten

List 6 Interesting Facts About You~

1. I am a very non-confrontational person. Most people know that I rather not get into any kind of fights. Sometimes this causes me to question my own strength, because it seems like I can't fight for myself. But recently I stopped thinking that I am a weakling. I think that my strength is my resiliency, my ability to be civil and polite, plus my love for diplomacy: I believe in talking it out rather than hurling hurtful words and clashing of fists.

2. Extremely friendly. Too friendly. Even if you're an acquaintance I don't keep a wall up. I welcome people very warmly. Sometimes my friends think I'm gullible. My boyfriend has voiced his concern about me being too trusting. Whereas I am just puzzled why they would rather view people negatively. There's already too much distrust in the world! Being unfriendly and aloof... where does that get you? Nowhere.

3. I don't eat vegetables. They taste terrible.

4. I have the weirdest dreams! They are just so vivid that when my dreams are funny, I totally laugh out loud, and when they're depressing and scary, I cry upon waking up. An example of my dream: I ate the ashes of my mother (she's alive, but in my dreams she was dead) and I can totally taste that the ashes were chocolate powder! I also dreamed of dead babies floating in a green river and me in the center of the river, swimming, crying, trying to get out. I remember my dreams a lot, too.

5. I can't buy anything more than P1,000 for myself but I can easily shell out more than P5,000 when it comes to my loved ones! Heheh I don't know why it's like that. I wanted to go for a little shopping spree at the mall with the P3,000 I saved up, but I kind of procrastinated because I felt blah. I just kept it and thought that I would use it to buy my family and friends something for every birthday celebration.

6. I am the corniest joker alive. And I laugh at the corniest jokes too! I swear! Mababaw lang kaligayahan ko! Hahahah! Sample...

Question: Paano mo ipapasok ang Elephant sa refrigerator in 3 steps?
.......
Answer: Open mo ang ref, ipasok ang Elephant, i-close ang ref.

Question: Eh paano mo ipapasok ang Giraffe in 4 steps?
.......
Answer: Open mo ang ref, kunin ang Elephant, ipasok ang Giraffe, i-close ang ref.

Question: Tinawag ni haring Leon ang lahat ng mga hayop sa mundo. Sino ang hindi nakapunta?
.......
Answer: Si Giraffe (nasa ref pa sya... LOLOLOLOL!!!!! *sakit tiyan*)

Question: Nasa isa kang malawak na river, kailangan mo ng makapunta sa kabilang dulo pero walang bridge at duon ang habitat ng mga crocodiles. Paano mo ito gagawin?
Answer: Lalanguyin.
Question: Pero kakainin ka ng mga crocodiles?
Answer: Wala sila sa river... Nasa kina Leon.

Hahahahah! Super funny!!

Thank you so much Adin!!! You're such a sweet girl. I got another award, and that's for another post! :) I am tagging....

Krissy of Krissified
Jing of Girl With Glasses
Thia of On BeautyStuff and Whatelses
Emily of Pink Monkey

Gracie of Gracified Shopaholic
Rain of Rhaindropz and Makeups
Nina of Nina's Obsessions

Giving Back

2009-09-30T11:40:00.005+08:00

AICHA GIVES AWAY

If somebody told me three months upon starting this blog that I would have 50 readers I would have replied "FAT CHANCE!"

This blog is a product of my bored free time, rants, beauty stuff, and general nonsense so it's such a wonder why anyone would take the time to click on the follower's button. But thank you! It makes me feel so... fantastic. Like as if my posts really matter somewhat! LOL! Kidding.

So it's time for me to give back to the AWESOME PEOPLE list with a little GIVEAWAY because we all love giveaways! I personally love joining in all the fun, crazy, awesome giveaways from people that I follow. Mine will be just small, nothing too grand. I have one idea for the prizes, as I have a contact from Korea to buy me some Beauty Credit stuff.

I don't know if you've heard of Beauty Credit before, but you can check out some of the items at http://www.beautycredit.co.kr

I have the pressed powder in natural beige which I absolutely love!

Saving up for it! I want to buy some lippies, gloss and nail polishes for my giveaway!

In other news,

My sister is coming back from Japan and I kind of asked her to buy me some make-up to try like Shiseido's Majolica Majorca and Lioele. Hope she can find it (sis is not very well versed in make up) I'll save some of those loots to add to my giveaway? Or maybe for another giveaway!

Ooooo, I'm becoming addicted to giving away stuff! OOOO!

Well that's all for now folks, I am really excited to pull this through! I will pull through, I'm totally sure! Things are looking up and hopefully everything will be alright from now on.

=========================

DONATE TO ONDOY VICTIMS

We've been packing our stuff since last night to gather things that might be of use to people who are victims of Typhoon Ondoy in Luzon. We're far off from here in Mindanao, but we feel the crisis and the desperation of our fellow country men. We feel truly helpless as we are far off, we can't do much but gape and feel our hearts break for the men, women, and children who lost so so so much in this calamity.

We're donating clothes and blanket (no. 1 our list), and my dad is thinking of buying as much foldable umbrellas as well (harsh rain still is prevalent, as well as the heat of the scorching sun), some of our shoes, jackets, light reusable bags (my little nieces suggestions, since they see people not having bags to put whatever's left of their possessions)

My friends, classmates have text brigaded me to chip in 100 pesos each so we can donate them.

These things we do are so little in the face of such gravity of destruction and loss...

Please offer your prayers.
You can also help out via donations to the Red Cross/Red Crescent.

Bad News, Good News

2009-09-29T08:55:00.005+08:00

GOOD NEWS FIRST. Well because the bad news is totally terrible like you wouldn't believe.

(P.S. Sorry for the webcam pics, my sis is hogging my digicam)

So I bought stuff over the past weekend, and because of that I've realized that I am not a make-up person. I am a 95% skincare person as miniscule 5% goes into make up and fragrances. I love taking care of my skin. It's not the best in the world but I'm satisfied with it (as long as I wax the crap out of unwanted hair hehe!) I bought some stuff to help me with some of my problem areas, and hopefully it will all get better in time (...song line) especially some of my dark areas like my elbows and knees, plus my oily skin which is the bane of my existence.

So here are the loots. Incredibly, all of them I bought on different places but all are on SALE!

If you can remember in this post, this was an online buy! I paid it via GCash, very smooth transaction with this seller in Multiply. Got it in less than 48 hours.

I am currently using both Mistine White Spa Lotion and Mistine Skin-Perfecting Deodorant as my daily lotion and deo because it is so smooth and easily absorbed into the skin. It's not greasy because the lotion is pretty light and almost watery. Definitely less thick than Nivea Fresh Lotion which I was using before. I like it.

The only thing bad about Mistine is the smell. There are many who praise Mistine for its long-lasting floral smell, and I can testify to that, but man, I hate the smell! I hate its cloyingness and it almost makes me dizzy. Also, don't count on it whitening you. Five days later I am still the same bronze baby which I like. But I can vouch for its moisturizing aspect. It is doubleplusgood. I try the DRY SKIN TEST which you scratch a line on your skin and see if you create a chalky patch. Before I have this a lot, especially on my legs and on my forearms. But no chalky line here no more!

I've been eyeing Biore Shine Free Moisturizer every time I go to HB1 Store. Not really that much into it because I had Skinfood Mandarin and Parsley Emulsion which is a good enough moisturizer for me at night (I don't use moisturizer during the day, I oil enough as is). At P160.00 it was cheap, like Clean & Clear moisturizers. But I saw it totally marked down by 50% and so I happily buy it at P80.00! I KNOW! ZOMG!

Tried it for 3 nights now and I can safely say that Biore is no-nonsense when they say this is for OILY PEOPLE. I apply it at night after I wash my face and it is so light that it immediately sinks into my skin. First thing I wake up in the morning my face is not oily and it is sooooooooo soft to the touch. Definitely will hoard all the remaining in the HB1 Store! Muahaha!

Kojic Acid soap! Because I think I'm the only one in La Pinas who haven't joined in the Kojic Acid / Obagi bandwagon yet.

I was at Watson's and I was going to get Dove fresh soap, but I saw this and thought I might as well try it. I hope it will do wonders for my uneven elbow color and my dark knees (totally dyahe), because Thiamere has reviewed it and she found out that it does deliver when it comes to lightening.

It's perpetually on sale at P50.00 so why the heck not? xD

I don't have a signature fragrance yet, like Frances' "Lanvin's Eclat d'Arpege" I don't have a specific scent or brand I like, because all I really want is something fruity and that lasts a long time on my skin that's all... Maybe that's why I'm stuck with Johnson&Johnson's citrus scent since highschool lol!

Got the Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush in Strawberry Fizz. Retails for P880.00 at botiques but I got it at a BFF-DISCOUNT for P500.00 Yay! I love love love love the whole thing because the colors are magic. I like it because it's red at the top, blending lightly in the middle to a lighter shade and totally transparent at the bottom.

I love strawberry and I sprayed it on recently and I got a seriously deranged comment:

Cousin: *comes into my room* Hi Aicha! Let me borrow---- GOSH WHAT IS THAT? I SMELL STRAWBERRY CONDOMS!

OMGWTFLOLBBQ! I totally laughed my ass off. First, she knows strawberry condoms (condoms are a must, people! Though we always only use plain anyway. Yeah, generic no? Will not try flavored!) Second, OMG! This is victoria's secret you goose, it is not supposed to smell anything other that VS!

So anyway... ON TO THE BAD NEWS...

... I'VE OFFICIALLY BEEN SCAMMED.

:(

Help.

Cosfail (Cosplay Fail) with Friends

2009-09-23T20:11:00.008+08:00

I went to Xiao's place to help have some Happy-Time.

xiao, aicha, moe

Haha, random uniforms! lol! Xiao is wearing a real Japanese school girl uniform we found in a thrift store and Moe was wearing a Haruhi Suzumiya-inspired uniform. Xiao let me wear her Nursing Type-A (I'm not a Nursing graduate like them! LOL)

We took lots of funny pictures and for the rest of the day. When I spend time with my friends, there is never a single moment I'm not grinning and laughing and smiling and horsing around. Here are some pics they took of me:

I'm not licensed to operate a stethoscope (haha!)

me and moe doing sexy poses and failing

Don't cry, it's ok, I think your brain is still functioning! Yay!

It's my first time to wear a nurse's uniform, it looks so cute but the fabric is very very stiff! It's also hot! Xiao and Moe told me that they had to wear that everyday for 6 months straight for their hospital duty, and they had to take a bath twice in a day: one in the morning and another after their duty because of too much sweating underneath their nurse dress! D:

Being with friends is always refreshing. You always think of fun ways to spend the day <3

Mina Hearts Life and Make-Up First Giveaway!

2009-09-21T10:00:00.003+08:00

Birthday Giveaway PART 1

For PHILIPPINE RESIDENTS only

Birthday Giveaway PART 2

For LOCAL and INTERNATIONAL <3>

Mina's Rules:

1. Follow me! Just click the Follow button on the left! =)
2. Make a post about my give-away on your blog. =) Copy-paste is good. =)
3. Leave a message in the comment section of this post. Please make sure that it includes LINK TO YOUR BLOG POST ABOUT MY CONTEST. I will be checking this and if this is not followed your entry is automatically disqualified. Boo hoo!
4. Open to Philippine residents only. I have a separate giveaway that includes my internationally-based followers. =)
5. At least 10 must join (or else giveaway will be extended until such time I receive 10 entries! I do hope I receive more than 10 right away though.)
6. Give-away ends on September 15, 2009 11:59PM PH Time.
7. Winner will be announced on or before September 20, 2009.

It's her first giveaway ever and it's a birthday giveaway too! I love her prizes!
Let's all join :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MINA! <3

VivaBella Giveaway!

2009-09-21T09:35:00.001+08:00

As usual, Ms. Sesame of VivaBella is here with another of her insanely popular giveaways! She's generously giving away products from 7 different stores ranging from skin care to jewelry so do head off to Vivawoman.net to read more about the giveaway and the rules, and join in the fun!