November 29, 2013

Maki Daw

Instead of junk foods, here's what I've been munching while waiting for the first day of the year.  Yup I made this before the new year of 2013 and it's only now that I'm posting it....I don't know what's wrong with me.

maki kono

Oha!.  I made what is in the picture ^__^.  It's quite easy to make one and if you want a demo you can always browse youtube.

What you need:
Nori Sheets
Strips of Kani (imitation crab), Mango, Cucumber
Rice (I prefer newly cooked) mixed with a mixture of warm water, a pinch of salt and half a teaspoon of vinegar (for one cup of rice)
Mayo (can be optional)

The water, salt and vinegar mixture will make the rice a bit sticky.

neatly assemble everything

Assemble:  spread the rice thinly and evenly on a nori sheet.  Then add strips of cucumber, mango, kani and mayo then roll...roll.roll.  Wet the edges of the nori sheet to seal then cut your make into bite size.

slice and serve :)

Forgot to add the mayo while rolling?  Don't worry, just put it on top of the rolls and enjoy :)

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

Thai-Style Green Beans

My niece and I would love to eat more veggies and been threatening my nephew that someday I'll serve all veggies for dinner (hehehe, pure evil)  of course I can't do it.  Aside from his frowning face, her parents will definitely question me besides I'm not a vegetarian :)

Anyway, I decided to just serve a quick veggie side dish to our lazy fried luncheon meat dinner with a Thai Style Green Beans.  Saw a recipe from A Beautiful Mess blog but this recipe from tasteofhome.com is way way more easy (with my added notes).

promise, it's yummier than it looks

Thai-Style Green Beans
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce (I used regular soy sauce)
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I forgot to buy and used the ones from Yellowcab :P)
1 tablespoon chopped shallot (used regular onions because I can't find any shallots in SM grocery...grrr)
1 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot
1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed (I cut into two since I'm not used to eating beans that are long)

It's actually yummy but I bet it'll be more flavorful if I use shallots.

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

Muffin, Cake? Basta Banana Chocolate for Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  We don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in the Philippines but since I work for a foreign company catering Americas, we (the employees) are allowed to take our vacation leave and bake! Ahahaha, I don't have any fun thing in mind to do since weekend so I decided to just bake and cook something new.

I like bananas.  Bananas is almost always present in the street where I live in.  We have banana plants in our backyard in the province so why not bake something with banana?  Actually,  I'm just trying to finish the cocoa powder that I bought some months ago since it's gonna expire na this December and it just so happen that I chance upon http://www.rachelcooks.com and it's Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (oha choco na choco).

the cake
the frosting

My sister has this rectangular baking pan which she gave me when I decided to start baking as a hobby but looking at it before baking, I got lazy buttering it up or putting baking sheets to it for the cake not to stick so I just pulled a non-stick square baking pan and my green silicone cupcake tray (? ano daw) and my nephew keep saying "can I have some muffin".  Yeah, a failure in perception but people this creation of mine is suppose to be a cake hehehe.

Anyway here's the recipe with some of my notes and just a little warning:  this is so sweet!!!!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
from http://www.rachelcooks.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 cups sugar  (this is too much for my liking, I'll just use 1 cup next time)
1.5 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 medium-sized bananas, mashed (I remembered my niece and use 4 instead)
1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk (make your own by adding 1 tablespoon white vinegar to 1/2 cup of milk)
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (I can't find a semi-sweet chocolate in the grocery so I used regular chocolate chips and I think it contributed to the uber sweetness of the cake)
1. Preheat oven to 350*F.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Add rest of ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat on low-speed until combined. (I don't have a mixer so I have lots of bonding time with my whisk (smiley))
4. Increased to medium speed and blend for 3 minutes. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Spread into a greased 9″x13″ baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. (don't forget to insert the toothpick too on the center)
6. Cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:
one 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened (I use spreadable cream cheese instead)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (I'll stick with salted butter next time, I think the frosting has more character with it)
2 to 3 teaspoons of milk (maybe more)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
~4 cups of powdered sugar (I only use 3 cups, I tasted the batter so I already have an idea that the cake is just so sweet)


1. In large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
2. Add in cocoa powder and powdered sugar (one cup at a time) and continue to beat on low speed until frosting is smooth and to your desired consistency. Spread on cooled cake.


Just chilling with my sweet cake :)

sweet cake for an early early breakfast is awesome!

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

November 27, 2013

Si Diana ba o Lata na lang ng Sardinas?

I'm so torn between these two toys.

source

source

Both are too cute to resist and both are in 35mm format.  My craziness is all Teammanila's fault for their Photolab and Diana Cameras being on 20% off for the month of November (I hope La Sardina will be on sale too) hehehehe but seriously what should I get?  I'm just a newbie and the only toy camera that I have right now is Superheadz.

Help!

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

Worry Free and Secured Online Shopping?

I have to admit whenever I'm stress, I shop (admit it too).  Now with my busy and super flexi schedule, I just can't go out whenever I want and be in every shop of the mall to scour every rack of clothes, bags, shoes, cosmetics, accessories, gadgets and whatever that comes into my mind especially when everything is on sale (I sometimes go over the top and buy tons of books) or sometimes I'm just plain lazy and do not have that extra energy to just even walk a foot out of the house to satisfy my shopping craving.  And that's where I thank and praise the magic of ONLINE SHOPPING!!!.

Made many transactions online lately especially that I got addicted to korean skincare and cosmetics and also because of its convenience.  Plus there are tons and tons of good deals and bundles like buy 1 take 1 and limited edition items (just hearing those groups of words makes me flex my fingers and say "I'm ready to click to get you") and promos for a trip abroad especially this holiday season.  But there are times that I miss these great deals (I missed a lot of food sale deals, ohhh those cupcakes should have been mine and my girlfriends) because I didn't manage to go the payment center or the line to the bank is so long and right now you're gonna probably ask me "Don't you have a credit card?".  Ladies and gents, I do have one but I don't use it and I even don't know if it's still active because I have this fear that someone will hack or get my precious personal details and financially sensitive information and use my card to do a shopping galore or book a trip somewhere to unwind.  I know it's "praning" much but with all the news that I hear about online scamming asking some personal info that seems legit to give in a legit looking website, I just worry that I have to pay a sum amount of hard earned money for someone I do not even know or disappoint my friends or my family after promising them a nice cozy dinner deal that I got online (I couldn't bare the frown that they will give me).

Now Maybank encourages its cardholders to not miss on opportunities of having adventures, creating memories or glorified moments when you get a fantastic deal or discovered something new by providing a safe and secure solution for online shopping via Maybank Credit Card through Maybank Secure Online Shopping or simply MSOS.

Now MSOS (that's easy to remember), provides a One-Time-Password to its Maybank MasterCard and Maybank Visa cardholders everytime they perform a transaction on a 3D secure site. 3D secure sites are labeled with Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode.

http://bit.ly/1h6wxi6
source
So how does MSOS work:

First step: When Maybank Credit Cardholder will check out his/her items in a 3D secure site for payment, he/she needs to fill out the necessary details.

Next:  Maybank Credit Cardholder will be directed to an authentication page and will receive a One-Time-Password in his/her registered mobile phone number within 30-45 seconds.

Lastly, Maybank Credit Cardholder must enter the One-Time-Password he/she received in the authentic page to complete the transaction.  Take note the One-Time-Password will only be valid for 5 minutes.

Easy and secured right?, plus Maybank well be creating deals with partner online merchants in days to come for an enjoyable shopping experience.

Ready to enjoy a worry free and secured online shopping?

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

*this is a sponsored post

The Body Shop White Musk

My favorite scent in The Body Shop would have to go to white musk.  The unexplainable concoction of whatever ingredients just leaves me amused and bewildered.  Later did I know that originally musk scent is an odor from a gland of a male musk deer and I was like "what the hell".

Luckily, the one from The Body Shop is artificial and thus no animal was harm in obtaining the wonderful scent.

The Body Shop White Musk

December last year while I'm carelessly walking in the  mall, I decided to shop for anything and the first thing that came into my mind was the cocoa range from The Body Shop (I'm so obsessed with cocoa before for my skin).  It stressed me out then to know that it was out of stock and I'm ready to outpour a tantrum to whoever comes my way (luckily, I suppressed the feeling).  With a blurry mind, I stare blankly into a shelf full of assorted colored boxes and decided to get the violet one since I remember liking the scent of a violet bottled body wash.

White Musk Sumptuous Silk Shower Gel

And this shower gel started it all!  This one is more on the "woodsy" side and lathers well if used with a bath lily.  It does leave my skin subtly scented but fades away by the time I put a lotion on.

The Body Sop White Musk Smooth Satin Body Lotion
The Body Shop White Musk Voluptuous Velvet Body Creme



Both the lotion and the body creme lightly moisturizes my dry skin that most of the time I used both before I go to work rather than before I sleep which makes me sweat  a little more than when I normally used a korean body lotion.  The scent of this two are more on the flowery side.  Sorry The Body Shop but the White Musk Voluptous Velvet Body Creme is not velvety enough for me.

the creamy look of the velvet body creme

Got puzzled to find bottles of body spray and perfume when I opened the box when I got home because I'm not really a perfume or a cologne person and in short I buy things carelessly and I'm an impulsive buyer but I guess the below is a comfort in a bottle because I just love the unexplainable smell of it!

White Musk Eau De Toilette
From fragrantica.com:

White Musk is a comfortable and velvety female fragrance, dedicated to every woman and perfect for every moment and occasion. It opens with notes of ylang-ylang, galbanum and basil, followed by the heart of jasmine, rose, musk and lily,and settling at the base dominated by musk along with jasmine, rose, iris, amber, patchouli, vetiver, peach, oakmoss and vanilla.

Middle Age Crisis

I jokingly told myself out loud while my niece is playing his game and my brother doing some self realization that it seems like I'm not growing up and as if to signify that I should grow up, minutes later I lost the other pair of my earrings which have been with me since a child.

source

November has been a month of realization and I made; probably, a life changing decision that will have a big impact on my life.  It's been 2 years in the making and up to now I'm not sure if it's a good or a tactless one.  I just suddenly woke up asking myself what I have done, what should have I done or what should be done.  I'm in a dangerous state wherein I'm totally blank and is facing a deep abyss to nowhere.

source

It seems like I lived my life not knowing who I really am and is constantly surprised at how people look at me.  All these years I'm like a blank canvass and everybody just paints what they want and I allowed them to do it, leaving me either in an ugly shape or a unique masterpiece.

source

Middle age and identity crisis:  that's what I have now.  It's so weird that people my age are already starting their own family, building their dreams while I am more childish than I can remember,  cold and hopeless.  I think I'm more mature when I was in college; always have a plan and even a bit blurry, charged forward with a smile.

"You say you wanna move on and you say I'm falling behind"-The Killers, I'm reading my own mind.  A part of me wanted to conquer the world yet another part of me is so weak to lead, my yin and yang are in a constant battle.

source

Everyone wanted to be someone, most wanted to make it big.  I'm no exception, I always dream big and I'm expected to be big and this probably is the main reason why I can't be myself and that I lost my "true self".  Maybe I'm trying to hard to be what everyone wanted me to be, but I guess it's time to let go...



Let me go

I don't wanna be your hero
I don't wanna be a big man
I just wanna fight with everyone else
 


All the wonderful photos above are not mine, please click the source to direct you to where I got them.

November 25, 2013

Online Shops That I Dealt With

So I can't concentrate on doing a product review since there are eyes on the sides watching me blogging and I get irritated and agitated whenever this happens (my sister is always the one who does this but my brother visited us and he's also doing it right now, grrr).  So I'll just post about the shop that I dealt with for this year as promised.

Let's start with GMarket which I discovered because of a friend who adores Bigbang and Bigbang endorses GMarket which is the only international shop that I tried.

GMarket logo

Gmarket is a Korean Ebay that sells well; korean stuff from cosmetics, skincare, kpop stuff, soho (clothes, shoes, bags and accessories) to different kinds of food (ready to eat to vegetables and canned goods) and so much more but mainly got the eyes of the world because of it's great deals like buy 1 take 2 or products that are on a ridiculously great discounts.  It got my eyes because of skincare that are undeniably affordable.  I only have two problems with GMarket, first is the expensive EMS shipping cost and second which is not GMarket's fault, is the EMS and customs in the Philippines.  When there's no one to received my package, I have to go to the main office of EMS which is really far and somewhat secluded place that I have to pay a lot of money for taxi, worst if Philippine customs held your purchases ---expect to pay thousands (and this is where Bae Lu enters).

To shop just go and register to http://global.gmarket.co.kr/Home/Main.  Oh take note that some shops charge a local shipping fee.

Next is my GMarket here in the Philippines! Bae Lu!

Bae Lu's current profile pic

If there's something that I want from GMarket but is hesitant to order because of the two above reasons then I message Bae Lu; a Davao-based seller, ask for the price and ETA and pre-order the item.  If GMarket is on sale then expect that the price that Bae Lu give you will also be on sale.  My first order from her is 20 masks from TheFaceShop for P500 plus shipping fee last year  and from there on I constantly order from her because she's one of the sellers that can handle my ever changing mind plus one of the cheapest online shop too.  She also sells high end products and also offer items from Forever21 and ships internationally (just ask her for more details).

You can message her on her page at https://www.facebook.com/baeluBFCuisine or add her (just type Bae Lu) https://www.facebook.com/bae.lu.fashion?fref=ts.

If I wanted something that is already on hand, then I check Kkochi Pida's page.

a screenshot of Kkochi Pida's profile and timeline pic

Kkochi Pida offers on hand assortment of korean cosmetics and skincare products at a very competitive price.  Just make sure to get ready to type "mine" fast when she post her items because they sell like hot pancakes.  She also accepts pre-orders and is known to be a really friendly seller.  She's Manila based but I think she also ships internationally.

I transact with her via facebook.  You can just add her at Kkochi Pida https://www.facebook.com/kkochi.pida

Next is Hipstyle Online Shop by Kat Assuncion, another Manila based seller.

Hipstyle

Still on korean cosmetics and skincare but Kat Assuncion also offers kpop stuff like magazines and albums.  I transact with her twice, the first one are on hand items and the second are pre-orders which I think I got at a very very nice price (I got my Laneige Water Sleeping pack at less than a thousand).  My friend also already bought a magazine from her (Vogue with GD on the cover) in a very good condition.  I just love that she add something sweet as a freebie like candies or chocolates and I love the effort of her handwritten note.  She also offer products in bundles and now she's also selling products from UK brands.

For more details about Hipstyle, just visit https://www.facebook.com/HipStyle501 or add Kat Assuncion https://www.facebook.com/HipStyleKatAsuncion?fref=ts

For samples, I go to Bhappywithme.

from bhappywithme ebay page

My friend and I came across bhappywithme when we we're looking for samples for products that are so expensive and I can say that she's one of the hassle free seller that I encountered.  I ordered in her FB page before but now she said that she only deal in ebay.  She also sells full sized product which you can check at http://www.ebay.ph/usr/bhappywithme.  If I'm not mistaken she is based in Pampanga.

Lastly and the latest that I ordered from is a Korea based seller named Sae Sil Parknshop (but she's a filipina by the way).

Sae  Sil Parknshop

What I like from her FB page is that every product has description and price on it. Also, her ETA is always on time and she also have a monthly freebie and exciting prices.  She give special freebie to a reseller or buyer that buys a lot from her.  You can add her at https://www.facebook.com/saesil.parknshop?fref=ts or visit her FB page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sae-Sil-Parknshop/1402074463344913

That's it pancit.

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

November 23, 2013

Butterbeer at Starbucks!

Accio Butterbeer!

Starbucks Butterbeer

I've been lemming to try Butterbeer since I started reading Harry Potter but it's hard to get ahold of it here in the muggle world.  I searched for recipes in the net but where the hell can I find cream soda in the Philipinnes???

Thankfully, Butterbeer is now part of Starbucks' "Secret Menu" thanks to my officemate and friend for sharing the recipe from Dalebacar.com.

Ask your Starbucks' barista to magically whip the following (for grande):

A Creme Frappuccino base. Don’t skimp on the fat by asking for skim or 2% milk as whole milk is required for the right consistency.
Add 3 pumps of caramel syrup.
Add 3 pumps of toffee nut syrup.
Top with caramel drizzle.


Enjoy!  Look how happy the cast of Harry Potter while drinking Butterbeer.


photo from http://www.insidethemagic.net/2010/08/wizarding-world-of-harry-potters-butterbeer-nutritional-information-revealed-but-not-by-universal-orlando/

I actually expected the drink to be very sweet but it's not and also couldn't taste the toffee nut syrup and charge us (yeah I ordered with my 3 friends and officemates) extra P20 so we paid P190 for our drink (others only pay P170).

Because of my excitement I immediately sip my drink, it's too thick I should have let the crushed ice melt first!

Still, I enjoyed my Butterbeer and for a moment felt Hogsmead :)  Excited to try the real thing.

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye

November 19, 2013

I'm Hauling in Love Again this time with Sae Sil

(I'm listening to Eagle Eye Cherry's Falling in Love Again)  It's the first time that my blood boils and be palengkera at the same time (I kind of force myself so they can feels my woe) just because of a courier. In the end, I feel boggled as to what I've done was wrong or to harsh but then I paid a sum amount of money for a good service...but then again... ehhh enough, I think I'm torturing myself too much.

I made another order (my wallet is definitely skinny now) from an online seller named Sae Sil Parknshop(hmmm maybe I should make a post regarding all the online shops that I transact with this year) and I'll treat it as an early Christmas gift to myself.

Missha Sets

The items from Missha really looks like gifts because they are in a box set (maybe I should wrap them so I can open something on Christmas day since I seldom have gifts on that special occasion boohoo). I got stunned with the The Time Revolution Best Seller Trial Set because its cuter than I expected: I imagined it to be as tall as a "Venti" cup from Starbucks but it turns out it's just "Tall". Anyway the box is so gorgeous with its prism gold design. I also got the Super Aqua Special Gift Set because I'm loving the essence from this line. It's kind of lame that I didn't ordered it when it's at 30% but still got it at 20% off but still sayang yung 10% which is equivalent to 1 sticker in Starbucks (are you collecting stickers for the planner?, but I guess it's still a good buy!

they can fit at the palm of my hands

Next would be from The Saem: I got a tub of Aloe Vera Gel which is cheaper than Nature Republic's hahaha (extra moolah too for the shipping). I also got a (drum roll please) a pack of daily sheet mask from Etude House. Oh my please someone out there give this crazy lady a medication to her mask addiction.

aloe and honey

Lastly is this critically acclaimed powder: The 3W Clinic Professional Makeup Powder formerly known as Palgantong. I wanted the transparent pearl but Sae Sil is only offering the light and natural beige (I ordered the pearl from another seller, guess who?). Good thing my sister is also interested with this powder so I'll just give it to her as a gift.

3W Clinic Powder Crystal Creator Bright

And freebies!!!!!

ohhh green tea :)

Wahhh, I should have ordered a little more after my friend's order got out of stock to avail Sae Sil's freebie of the month.  I'm actually drooling over her November treat which is Pepero!

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

November 17, 2013

Watsons 3 Day Sale

Toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and other kinds of personal stuff are usually what keeps my shopping basket heavy whenever there's Watsons sale but of course there are some deals that are worth buying and I am sharing it here in my blog.

buy 1 take 1 and mark down prices

I couldn't resist not to take home a buy 1 take 1 foot soak for only P109, my feet badly need a good soak since I neglected them for many months now.  To refresh it, I also bought a foot scrub in peppermint from Landers with a markdown price of P99 plus another 10% off for having an advantage card.

The Vaseline Cocoa Glow also has a markdown price of P99 plus another 10%.  I still have a lot of lotion to be honest but I don't know why I've been haunted to buy a lotion in cocoa.

regulars but still on sale

The St.  Ives Exfoliating Body Wash is a replacement for The Body Shop body polish that I usually use and if it works well then hehehe I'll save a lot of bucks (P235 less 10% comparing it to the price of The Body Shop which is around more or less P400?).

I heard about the Nichido Lip Blush from Kate of Kateastrophic and based on her watches, I decided to try it too in an orangey color but I got the wrong shade because I just grab the item behind the tester without reading grrr, I never learn.  Anyway, got it for P88 less 10% again.

For me the cotton pads from Watsons are the best, they are soft and smooth on my skin and are cheap too, P69 less 10% for 210 pieces of cotton pads.

buy 2 take 1 and buy 1 take 1

I have new pairs of shoes, wore a pair last week and they tortured the back of my ankle.  I should always remember to wear band aid the first time I wear a new pair of shoes and an extra large plasters will be perfect to avoid the torture, so I grab Watsons Extra Large Washproof Plaster which are on a buy 2 take one.  One pack cost P29.

Can you believe that the Asian Secrets Lulur with Seaweed Extract and Vitamin E are on a buy 1 take 1 basis?

My Current Skincare Products

For more than a year, I've been posting a lot of skincare products in this blog and up to now I haven't shared with you my skincare routine.  Ahahaha, well maybe because I don't stick to a certain product and always experiment but for more than a month now, I still use the same set of skincare products and thought that I share it before they ran out also this post will serve as a preview for the products that I still haven't reviewed.

Let's first start with the cleansing products.

Lacvert Pure Deep Cleansing Oil, Olay Regenerist Skin Renewal Cleanser, Etude House Baking Powder Cleansing Foam Moist, Olay Regenerist Specialy Cleanser

Cleansing has been very important to me after finding out how bb cream stick to the small tub that I have and even if I use a bb foam cleanser and soak it for like a week, the residue of the bb cream is still on that small tub so I have to throw it.

I almost always start with a cleansing oil (except of course when I'm tinatamad (lazy)).  Curiosity is the only reason why I got Lacvert's Pure Deep Cleansing Oil but boy, I'm loving using it because it just gently removes the dirt and make-up off my face without drying my skin. I'm also amused at how it works :) (will show you soon).

Next to my cleansing step is a foam cleanser.  Yep, I double cleanse to be sure that my face is clean although I'm not a neat freak.  Before I just make foam with my bare hands but now I got a helper which is the Olay Regenerist Specialty Cleanser and it just makes my skin looking more smooth and make my skin absorb the skincare products faster.  My foam cleansers as of the moment are the Etude House Cleansing Foam Moist which I'm loving because I can feel that it cleanses and refreshes my face and the Olay Regenerist Skin Renewal Cleanser which is included in the kit but I'm not liking it because it has this plastic smell to it and the first time I use it, I got some bumps all over my face maybe an allergic reaction?  I'll try to use it again.

After this, I rinse/splash my face with of course water at least seven times.  Some of you might think it's OA to wash 7 times but I noticed before that I always get a pimple or two in the areas that I don't rinse much like my hairline and jaw but eversince I wash 7 times, I seldom have pimples.  It's the residue from the cleanser that's giving me pimples.

Next step is the skincare proper.

Mizon Pore Tightening Lotion, Missha Super Aqua Water Supply Essence, Etude House Moistfull Collagen Emulsion, Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum, Etude House Moistfull Collagen Cream

I use toner before and I have a toner in my mini department store and there are toner that are in transit from my online orders but I just have to use Mizon's Pore Tightening Lotion.  Now I ordered a pore tightening essence but by the time that Bae Lu order it in GMarket for me, Mizon changed the link that's why I got a facial lotion instead.  I'm not a believer of facial lotion before because I'm thinking that I'll put a lotion and then afterwards wipe it with a toner in a cotton pad???  It's a waste of product, so I just replaced my toner with a lotion and so far liking it that way.  Now this lotion even though it seems thick just melts into my skin and I do believe that those with oily skin will love this as it lightly moisturizes the skin without the heavy sticky feeling.  I let my sister use this once (she have acne prone and oily skin type) and she's loving it too because it's like a moisturizing water (I know there's no such thing as moisturizing water...or the koreans invented it already?  or anyone out there will invent it?  give credits to me hehehe).

Next is an essence and I have the Missha Super Aqua Water Supply Essence which is love at first try because the smell is unexplainable-y refreshing!!! (sorry for the word).  This essence just sink into my skin like it's drinking water and makes it really soft.  Love it!

Funny that I noticed that almost all the products that I mentioned above (except for Olay) is from Bae Lu (A shout out to Bae Lu, you should give me a lot of freebies and more discounts on my next purchase ahahaha).  Comment down below if you wanted to know maybe the prices or the links of the products, I'l try to remember and locate them.

Then there's emulsion.  Now there's a time in my blogging life that I doubted emulsion because I'll just use cream for my dry skin to moisturize and leave emulsion to those who have oily or combi skin type and maybe just use it during summertime.  But come July (rainy season in the Philippines) my skin started to become extra dry even if I double the amount of cream that I use so I decided to use emulsion again.  The Etude House Collagen Emulsion somehow keeps my face looking dewy and seals the essence in my skin.

Being obsessed with skincare, I also started using serums and ampoules but I'm more of the serum type because ampoule is just to thick.  Now I am also aging like really fast because maybe of my lifestyle, I eat a lot of junk and sugary food and I don't sleep much which makes me remember my first day of college here in Manila and my classmates thinks that I'm the youngest in the class because I have a baby face (well I have to thank my mom for serving lots of fish and vegetable dishes when I'm still in province).  So even if it's a bit expensive (it's a good thing that it's in a promo), I decided to try Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum.  Now this serum disappointed me for the first week of using it because I'm having small bumps on my face but because it's expensive I still use it and so far so good, I think it's helping in minimizing the appearance of the lines in my forehead and laugh line.  More details on my review soon because this post is getting long.

And to seal everything on my face (and neck) and moisturize it, I use cream.  I currently use Etude House Moistfull Collagen Cream which so far is the best cream that I tried.  I already post my thoughts on this baby here.  Wondering why I don't have an eye cream?  Because it seems like nothing works but I ordered some samples from Sulwhasoo.

Now for the extras!

Innisfree Sheet Masks, The Saem Snail Sleeping Pack, TonyMoly Latte Art Milk-Cacao Pore Pack, Queen Helene Mud Pack Masque

If you constantly read my posts then you might already have the impression that I am a sheet mask addict.  Sheet mask is almost always present whenever I buy or order stuff and so far I have more less 50 sheets of it.  It's an instant treat to my face and use it whenever my face looks stress.  So far, the ones from Innisfree are my favorite.  I also use wash off pack to cleanse my pores and sleeping mask at least twice a week and currently use three:  TonyMoly Latte Art Milk-Cacao Pore Pack, Queen Helene Mud Pack Masque and The Saem Snail Sleeping Pack.  I also got Laneige Water Sleeping Mask and another one from Lacvert as backups.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub, Pure Beauty Pomegranate Antioxidant Exfoliating Gel, Holika Holika Pig-Nose Clear Black Head Cleansing Sugar Scrub

Before I got the Olay Regenerist Skin Cleanser, I scrub at least thrice a week with St. Ives Apricot scrub or a DIY Green Tea Scrub, sometimes with Holika Holika Pig-Nose Clear Black Head Cleansing Sugar Scrub.  Once a week I also use Pure Beauty Peeling Gel.  Now I only scrub and peel  once sometimes twice a week.  Scrubbing and peeling the skin removes dead skin cells revealing new ones and makes absorbing skincare products faster.

Bifesta Cleansing Lotion Moist, Random Nose Strip, ZenZest Tea Tree Oil 

To assure myself that every bb cream, primer, blush and eyeliner are off my face or if I went for a quick walk outside and decided to take a nap and don't want to wash my face, I sometimes use Bifesta Cleansing Lotion which is a "no wash" cleansing product.  I don't regularly use it because I prefer washing my face.

My nose is always infested with white and blackheads (now that I used the Olay Cleanser though, they seem to appear lesser) and to quickly remove them I use random nose strip (I don't have a favorite so far).  And lastly, whenever I have breakouts or zits or itch in my skin, I use ZenZest Tea Tree Oil which I think is one of the cheapest yet effective tea tree oil in the market (I got it for around a P100 or $2.50).  

Whew, that's a lot!  But I hope you enjoyed reading this post and I would also like to know your skincare routine, maybe yours is more effective and efficient than mine.  Comment it down below.

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

November 11, 2013

Pure Beauty Pomegranate Antioxidant Exfoliating Gel

Exfoliating gel has been popular lately because of...well Cure.  I haven't tried the awesomeness of Cure (my budget won't allow me) so for now I settled myself with Pure Beauty's Pomegranate Antioxidant Exfoliating Gel.

Pure Beauty Pomegranate Antioxidant Exfoliating Gel

While strolling Watsons, just saw these glimmering red boxes that seems to be really luxurious and since there's no SA around, my sister and I checked them out ( hehehe, I'm guilty of checking products when there's no salesperson around) and Pure Beauty somehow rings a bell because I think I read from one of Erika of ErikaJjang.tumblr.com post (I think it's where she introduces the different korean brands here in the Philippines) about it.  I even got more curious of the brand because despite it's nice aesthetics, it's actually quite affordable.  I already have toner, essence and cream that time so the exfoliating gel got me curios because I'm running out of Appletox from TonyMoly (again, that time) and that's where an SA suddenly pop-up at the back of the scene and let us try the gel.

So as you can see the exfoliating gel is in a simple yet elegant tube with shiny red (representing pomegranate) cap.  It says that it protects collagen reserves, promotes healthier skin and helps skin rejuvenation and is dermatologically tested which is one factor that I'm looking for a product because I somewhat have a sensitive skin.

contains Ecocert ingredients

It says that the product contains Korean Pomegranate Fruit extract, Swiss RADICARE, French ECOCERT validated fruit and herbal extracts and Bulgarian Rose water that works together to promote healthy, radiant and youthful skin, promoting nutrition, hydration and invigoration, while simultaneously fighting free radicals and providing anti-aging and antioxidant benefits.  I hope Pure Beauty could care to explain more about the Swiss RADICARE and French ECOCERT part because I don't know what they are and couldn't find anything about them.

the ingredients and all about the product

It's great that even if this one is made in Korea, everything is in English and there's no need for me to crinch.

With an appropriate amount, massage gently the gel to the dry face (yes, it's important that the skin is dry) and within seconds you'll see white sometimes brown or gray particles forming on the surface of the skin.  Then rinse with supposedly with warm water but I always use tepid water.

I couldn't say that the particles are pure dead skin cells and dirt, of course the product is also included in the particles because I experimented a little and put another layer of gel after a minute and the "particles" are still forming though they are more on a whitish form and a lot lesser.

Caution! if you have sensitive skin please do not do what I just did because it can irritate your skin,  I got mini red spots.  Also, do not use this on a daily basis.  I did another experiment of exfoliating with this gel on 2 consecutive days and there's a slight irritation on my skin.  It says so too on the instructions that this can be use 1-2 times per week so I can't imagine what the SA is feeling because she said that she and her friends are using this on a daily basis to remove their make-up (my face was actually shocked when she said this because exfoliating on a daily basis is not good for the skin as the natural oils will be stripped off and will damaged the first layer of the skin and I hope that she is listening when I'm explaining this part to my sister).

how it looks like and how it performs it's magic

Since this exfoliating gel removes the dead skin cells of the skin, I'm not surprised that my skin somehow looks brighter and smoother.  Amazingly, it also doesn't dry my skin just don't know about the rest of what this product claims but just seeing those dead skin cells lifting of my face makes me satisfied with this product.

Of course let's not forget about the smell, it citrusy sometimes like a candied or juice pomelo.  The gel has this cool feel when applied to the face (which I like because it's refreshing.)

I have some issue with the price of this product though.  I got mine for P299 but a week after that the price went down to P189 (this made me cry).  Then when the Cure got released here in the Philippines, the price went up to P400+ (not sure with the exact amount).  Then they have this promotion again that you can buy the gel and the cream from this line for P299 each but when we (with my sister) checked it out in the nearest Watsons, it seems like no one knows about it and waited for like 30 minutes for the SA to clear it out with her supervisor then there's a problem again with the cashier saying that the bar-code is not valid and made us wait for like 10 minutes and still they keep on  battling about it ahahaha and my sister got pissed off because the SAs should know about this and we left empty handed because the SA and the cashier can't settle on what to do *sigh* what a waste.  Anyway I hope Pure Beauty would settle a definite price for their products.

Oh I also use this exfoliating gel on other parts of my body like my elbows.

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

November 10, 2013

CC Cream and a Little Sample

Before I start, let me send my prayers to those who got affected by the super typhoon Yolanda.  It's the least I can do and maybe donate something like food and clothes, it's not much but I hope it can still somehow help.

Okay, so about 3 weeks ago I finally snatched a sample of a CC Cream.  I know I'm kinda already late in trying out this kind of product but I'm not really a believer of CC Cream until I watched videos from Get It Beauty and Son Dam Bi's Beautiful Days.

First of all CC Cream aka Color Control  or Color Correct is considered as a primer so it will and will never replaced BB cream or foundation.  CC cream I think has been popular because it promises to adopt to the color of skin tone plus it is also advertise to provide enough moisture without doing all the usual skincare routine (like in Son Dam Bi's Beautiful Days video, just a toner and CC Cream already made-up the moisture needed).  Another point for CC Cream is that it brightens the overall appearance of skin.

In short, CC Cream makes me believe that it's a product perfect for those who are always on the go as it provides enough moisture and evens out and brightens the skin without undergoing all the fuss of putting maybe 5 products on the face.  Just remember that CC Cream is not after skin coverage.

Since it sounds like a "perfect match" for my skin (because remember, I have dry and dull skin and sleep is my priority so I don't have time to prepare when going to work) so I asked my sister to buy a sample for me because there's a seller of samples in their building to where she works and bought me the CC Cream from The Face Shop.

TheFaceShop Face it Aura Color Control Cream
Color Control CC Cream

Just look how cute the sample is!

much smaller version of the real thing

There are two variant of the Face it Aura Color Control Cream:  the 01 Radiant Beige and 02 Natural beige and I believe I have the 02.

grrr I can't understand the texts

Since almost everything at the back of the package is in Korean, I have to rely on what I found on ebay about the product.  So Face it Aura Color Control Cream (what a mouthful) is a color control cream that creates a radiant and clear make-up appearance as if the skin is being spotlighted.

And here's a pic of the full size one.  It's in a unique compact wherein you have to push the front button in order for the product to come out.

photo from http://en.koreadepart.com/item/1361424305/
I'm not affiliated with koresdepart but just click the link for more details

And here are the swatches.  I just cropped the photos and did no significant editing for a raw feel.

the CC Cream itself

I thought at first the the color is too beige for me and will turn dark on my skin but it turns out it's too light for my skin and instead of brightening I actually got a whitening effect (as evidence by the with and without picture below) and so I have to allot a little time to blend the CC Cream into my skin.

with and without cc cream

It does make my face glow but there are some parts in my face that the glow looks just so awkward and at the same time it accentuates the not so good side of areas in my face like it makes my dark circles more obvious.  It seems to appear too when I'm wearing this that I have an oily skin type rather than a dry one, I don't know I just don't like the "glow" effect of this one and I've already tried a product that also offers the "glow" effect and I'm okay with it.

when blended

I like it though that it's light and doesn't feel heavy on the face and also I don't need much to "cover-up" my entire face, I mean I have a sample size and I've been using it 8 times now and still have enough for 2 applications.  It already has SPF30 so no need for me to put an additional product on my face when I have this and it makes my skin looking more even but remember the coverage of this one is very light.

In the end, I'm still 50/50 towards CC Cream and maybe if I ran out of this sample I'll just make a DIY of it by mixing Etude House Moistfull collagen cream or the Mizon Snail Gel with a BB Cream.

That's it and hope this post didn't confused you.

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!