My Wonderful World of Colors

My yummy creations

2012-02-16T09:10:00.007+08:00

Hello everyone! I just wanted to share some pictures with you all.

I have mentioned before that I love cooking and baking. At first, everyone in my family doesn't want to try my dishes because they don't have faith in my skills...well, I also didn't have faith in my cooking skills too haha...So I ended up not trying to cook meals at all because of rejection and disappointment...But something happened last year and it changed my view on everything.

I started reading cookbooks, food magazines, food blogs and videos. I tried recreating the dishes that I love one by one. And guess what, after trying so many times, I got the result I wanted! Even though I am not a great cook yet, but I know I can be one day because I am still in the process of developing my skills and with all things, "Practice makes perfect.." ^_^

At present, my family don't ridicule my dishes anymore. They now have the confidence that my foods are edible and can really pass their taste buds (although not 100% since I have a weird taste for food). So I am happy to know that when the time comes that I have my own family, I can make great dishes for them already and be a hands-on mom to my kids ^_^

Now, moving back to the reason of my post...sorry for digressing, just giving you all a little background...I just wanted to share with you all some pictures of what I created these past few weeks. I have been under stress and since I consider baking a stress relieving process, I ended up with a lot of goodies for my sweet tooth.

The first picture is a Chewy Chocolate chip cookies. My boyfriend loves big chewy cookies so I created this for him this past Valentines Day. He really devoured everything haha. I can't believe I perfected this recipe so easily. I can't thank my aunt enough for the recipe and the tips she taught me so I achieve a great tasting cookie.

I also did a version with chopped Macadamia nuts. This one is for me. I love nuts on my pastries and so I created a batch for myself haha. I prefer cookie squares than round ones because they are thicker and easier to store.

Look how perfect those cookies are. I can't believe they are already gone. I still want to eat them!

And lastly, my forever favorite cupcake! I prefer making cupcakes than cakes because I want everyone to have a piece and it is easier to store too. The ones on the picture are Vanilla cupcakes with Creamcheese frostings. I am thanking my sister for having a picture of it coz I usually forgot to take a picture and just eat everything haha.

You might be wondering why I didn't do a decorative icing style and I'll tell you why. I am just starting with my baking and I haven't bought every tool that a baker should must have. I still don't have piping bags and tips for icings so I either use plastic bags... or in this case I just spread it on top using a spatula. Hopefully I can get my hands on those kinds of tools so I can show you guys some decorated cakes hehe ^_^

But for the meantime, enjoy the pictures! I hope I can give give some to all my friends here in the blogger world (yes, you!) to say thank you for staying with me and for all the warm and supporting words I receive year round. Love you guys!

What I've been up to..

2012-02-12T08:42:00.002+08:00

Hello guys! Did you miss me? Hehe ^_^

This post will explain WHY I've been MIA (again!) these past weeks. One of my new year's resolution is to post at least two blogs per week but I totally ruined it and here's why...

Four weeks ago (I think...can't remember the exact date, sorry) I caught the flu and I was down for 3 days. When I thought I was okay already, I went back to work for just a day then I was down again for a couple of days because of congestive sinusitis. Believe me, it's the worst illness ever because I have chronic headache. I was on round the clock pain reliever because if I don'ttake pain killers 3x a day, I will get a terrible headache again. COngestive sinusitis is where a lot of fluids are stuck in your sinuses and won't get out in the form of colds. There are times I just wish I had runny noses just so the pain would go away.

Anyway, just last week, when I am still not totally okay, I needed to go back and forth to the hospital because my dad got vertigo (he's okay now and he is already off-road racing again at the moment) and my grandpa has already decided to go have his colo-rectal tumor surgically removed. I have been waiting for this decision since June and I am so happy that he did push through with it this time. I am just worried that we waited for a long time because the cancer cells have already stayed in his body for at least a year (his bleeding symptoms started first quarter of 2011) and the chance of migrating to other organs are higher now. We are still waiting for the biopsy result and I am crossing my fingers and praying hard that there were no spread and the enlarged lymph nodes they got were not malignant like the tumor itself.

So now, I am still going back and forth to the hospital to help my mom take care of my grandpa and also on my spare time, studying for my licensing exam for SEC. I hope I can pass it in one take only.

I am hoping I can post a follow up blog soon after this. Thank you so much for your continues support! ^_^

Review: Block and White Intensive Whitening Sunblock

2012-01-20T09:23:00.002+08:00

Howdy! Happy Friday to all! Yay, last day of work before the long weekend. I am wishing my family can go stay at our place in Tagaytay so that I can breath fresh air even for a couple of days haha ^_^

Today, I will be reviewing Block and White Intensive Whitening Sunblock SPF 50. The name says it all. It's a sunblock lotion that contains whitening ingredients and at the same time has high protection against the UV rays.

As you might know, I am kind of addicted to products with at least SPF 30. I tend to grab items that have words: SPF 30 (and up) with PA++, whitening, anti aging, oil free, non comedogenic. So when I saw this last year at Landmark Department Store, I decided to buy it.

the ingredients...
Why I am loving this...

- It contains high spf...SPF 50 PA++! More than enough for days that I am walking under the sun the whole day.

- Contains whitening ingredients. I am addicted to anything whitening because I want my skin to have even skintone. My arms are technically the darkest part of my body so I love using whitening lotions so it can at least be of the same color as my chest.

- Affordable compared to other sunblocks in the market. This 100ml bottle sells at Php245 only.

- Not sticky. This comes in a liquid form and spreads easily.

- Doesn't have a strong scent.

- No skin irritations.

- I love the simple packaging. I was able to use every drop of the product and it doesn't spill in my bag whenever I bring it with me on travels.

What I don't like about it...

- None! I have no complaints whatsoever

WILL I REPURCHASE? Of course! I have repurchased this for more than 3x already in the past year. This is my HG body sunblock.

TO WHOM WILL I RECOMMEND THIS?

- everyone!

- people who are using whitening products. Remember that if you use whitening products, your skin gets dark easier when exposed to sun so don't forget to protect your skin!

- people who loves whitening lotion. This contains ingredients that helps whiten skin.

- People who loves 2in1 products like me.

- people who are looking for a great everyday sunblock that is not sticky and not expensive.

What about you? What is your favorite sunblock? Please share them with me. I would love to try it too ^_^

Thank you for dropping by! Till my next post. Bye!

Gale Read: Guild Hunter Series by Nalini Singh

2012-01-18T11:23:00.007+08:00

My first ever "Gale Reads" will be about Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter Series. I have finished four books from the series and I am not sure exactly on how many are there but I will do a review on the first 3 first because it follows the same characters and it is like one story divided into 3 parts.

Summary:

The first three books of the Guild Hunter Series follows the life of a vampire hunter named Elena Deveraux and how she lived in a world where vampires, angels and humans live together.

Archangels are the rulers, regular angels are members of the high society, vampires are workers/slaves of the angels and guild hunters are the human authories that handles problems with vampires when they decided to escape their owners and create havoc in the human populace.

The story started when Elena was given a mission by the great Archangel Raphael that she cannot resist. It's a do-or-die situation that created a lot of conflicts between the two main character.

My opinion:

The concept itself is so unique for me. This is my first book about angels and it is also my first encounter with a story having angels, vampires and humans interacting together. I am always in awe with angels..I love collecting figurines and such but I have never tried reading a story about them. So when my BF's sister lended me her copy of Angel's Blood, I did not hesitate to read it.

I read the other 2 in ebook form because I can't wait to borrow again. I was hooked in the story and I wanted to know what happened to the main characters as soon as I finished the first book.

Did I love it? Yes, I did! And here are the reasons why I definitely enjoyed reading it.

- Elena is not a damsel-in-distress character. I love stories with the female heroine as a fearless and skilled warrior and that they don't need protection that much from the men. (Think Tomb Raider's Angelina Jolie. )

- The author created a wonderful backdrop for the 2 lead characters. I was able to imagine the scenery especially how the city looked like.

- I love the author's way of describing each character. She stated it with so much detail that I can really see what the wings of the angels look like...the colors, the length, everything. Even the description of the guild hunters and vampires are detailed so it's like watching a movie.

- The love story between Raphael and Elena is so beautiful and unique. It made me want to fall in love with an angel and be as strong as Elena. Full of love, passion, loyalty and magic.

- The ending is wrapped up in a way that there are no loop holes and everything was well explained.

I could have given this series a perfect score but I have a gripe... that I did not like in the books.

I got a little confused with all the recollection parts...the transition, I mean. One moment Elena and Raphael are talking then the next paragraph will be in another story line which turned out Elena is thinking about an old memory. I just hope there is a distinguishing characteristic to show that it is a recolection and not part of the actual scene. They could have made it in italized form or something as to not confuse the reader..

Aside from the transition, everything is okay for me. This book is really a page-turner and so entertaining especially for readers who are into paranormal romance.

RATINGS:

Book Cover - 5/5 - I love old style book cover and it really captured what I had imagined Elena would look like. It also showed the transition of the story from book 1 to 3.

Story - 5/5 - I love it! Very entertaining and really a page turner. I wish they can show more of Rapahel and Elena on the next few books in this series.

Writing Style - 4/5 - Like I said, I hope she can fix the transition of actual and recollection.

Would I recomend reading this? YES! This is really a good series and I enjoyed every moment I was inside that realm. I am definitely buying my own copy to include in my collection.

I would recommend this book to readers who love:

- angels and vampires

- a strong heroine

- lots of fighting scenes

- a good romantic story with a happy ending

- readers 16 years old and above

So, guys, what's your favorite books about angels? Share them in the comment box below so I can read them too!

Thank you for dropping by. Till my next post. Bye! ^_^

Gale Reads: Introduction

2012-01-18T10:38:00.005+08:00

Hello everyone! I have decided to do a "Gale Reads" section here in my blog to share my love of books. I wanted to do reviews on the novels I have read and give you recommendations on what to get from the bookstore. I am a bookworm at heart. Honestly, I can't remember a time that I don't have a book with me. Even when I was still a young girl, I always found myself reading and reading and reading instead of playing outdoors or watching TV. I am called a nerd by a lot of people, my family included hehe, because I can stay in one place as long as I have a good book in my hands ^_^

I started with fairytale and Children Encyclopedias when I was in elementary. When I reached Grade 5, I got into Sweet Valley Twins, Baby Sitters' Club and Archie Comics. When I entered High School, I changed my interest and fell in love with historical romance novels because I always love a good love story. Aside from love stories with happy endings, I also am into what you call paranormal genre. I love stories about witches, vampires, werewolves, and other magical creatures.

So to sum it up, here are what I am looking for in a book to make me attracted to it.

- Writing Quality: Writing style must be good. I hate seeing grammatical errors and wrong spelling when I'm reading. I tend to lose interest with a book and even the author if like in the middle of the story the author will switch up the character names or the scenes have moved back and forth un-smoothly and you get dizzy trying to get a grip on what's really happening in the story. So yeah, I'm quite sensitive with these things.

- Ending: I will always love a happy ending. I'm a fairytale fan at heart and will always want a fairytale ending... "and they live happily ever after" type of conclusion to a story. I tend to hate a story that has sad ending like Romeo and Juliet.

- Story: I tend to gravitate to books about love. I am such a romantic that I always wanted to fall in love with the characters while I'm reading. And of course, I love books that can make me feel I am the heroine of the story and falling in love with the main character ^_^

- Genre and Authors: I only love romance novels...and it usually comes in three categories for me - historical, paranormal and contemporary.

When it comes to historical and contemporary romance, I only read books by Julie Garwood and Johanna Lindsey. I tried others but I always go back to them. I have never been disappointed in any of their works and I am almost done collecting all their works. So you might see me doing an in-depth review for a lot of their works especially my favorite ones :)

But paranormal romance is another story. There are a lot of authors jumping into the bandwagon of creating stories about vampires, werewolves, fairies, witches and angels because of the boom in the number of readers but not all of them are worth reading. It is really hard to choose which books to get and read. So what I do is, I read reviews online about storylines that I want and then download an ebook of the book that got good reviews. If I liked the story and the author's writing style, then I buy a hard copy to keep in my collection.

I love the idea about ebook and it gave me a chance to save my money. I can read a lot of books without buying them. I will always be thankful for that but nothing can compare with the feeling of contentment while you are holding a real book and flipping through the pages. So yeah, I will always get a hard copy of books I love so that I can re-read them whenever I want to.

So sorry for the long post. I just wanted to share my criteria on what I look in a book so that you, my readers who also love books, will know what kind of stories I go for and can decide for your own if you would agree on my future reviews or not.

Thank you so much for dropping by and I hope I can have a lot of love with this new series I am doing. TIll my next post, bye! ^_^

Skin Diary Update ...a rant

2012-01-11T13:39:00.002+08:00

Hello everyone! I just wanted to post a quick update for you guys who are following my skin diary series...I did not forget my promise to do a follow up and I will explain why O was unable to post an update on my promised date :)

First reason, My digital camera broke down again! This is the, what, fourth time my Samsung es60 got sent to the repair shop in the last 2 years...I don't know what's with that...I'm lucky I have 3 years warranty but I hate the hussle. Like right niw, I can't do followup posts because I don't have a camera. I can't use my sister's SLR because the quality of the pictures won't be the same and will not be as objective.

Second reason, like I said in my previous post, I was unable to use the eye cream consistently and also I had always slept late during the holiday period so it's useless since my dark circles and bags just got darker.

I decided to start again...it's useless to wait for my digicam to get fixed so I will now ask my sis to take a picture of my eyes and then apply the eyecream religiously and also sleep well. I'm crossing my fingers ^_^

Oh, and another update on my skin...It's been months since I had a facial and I think I needed one right now. My skin is already responding to all the fatty and sweet foods I ate in the last month..We know that dairy products and sweet foods causes breakouts...and yeah that's true...I have a lot of whiteheads and blackheads now because I indulged in a lot of chocolates and cookies huhu...I think I need to fix my diet too...but how? I love sweets and I need to finish all of the pastries here at my place or they'll be spoiled...

So yeah, thanks for listening to my rant...sorry for the delay...

Review: MBM Stay Matte Pressed Powder

2012-01-08T19:45:00.006+08:00

Hello everyone! It's been raining the whole day and it's so cool that we don't need any fan. I personally don't like rain but I do love love cold weather hehe so I am enjoying staying inside the house today ^_^

I am back with another review and this is dedicated to my readers requesting a detailed review of My Beautiful Me's Stay Matte Pressed Powder. I started using this late last year and even though I know the owner of this brand and I am helping with her online support, I still don't want to give a false opinion on a product when someone asks me "Is this good?" I am known as a very honest reviewer (and even seller--I sometimes help my sister sell Ellana products hehe) and I tell these possible clients if I have personal experience with the products or not. SO yeah, here is my review for this one. I used it everyday since November so that I can give a very detailed review of the product.

This comes with a yellow box with printed flowers. Since this does not contain chemicals

like parabens, preservatives and such; the brand is promoting it for sensitive skin and natural.

It has SPF 15 in the content and comes in two shades: Mestiza and Morena. It is said in the description that it gives a matte finish and helps blur out the pores.

Ingredients: talc, titanium dioxide, vitamin E and sunblock

The compact case is very Clinique -like in my opinion. When I first saw this, I thought "Wow! It doesn't look cheap. It looks like my Clinique powder that I used when I was young." The compact has a mirror inside too so perfect for retouching during the day.

It comes with a powder puff inside.

Here's my opinion on the product.

I LOVE THIS because:

- The packaging is very nice. I love the fact that it doesn't look cheap and it has a good quality mirror inside.

- The shade Mestiza is perfect for me. I can use this alone or on top of a base.

- This is a light powder so it's perfect for setting liquid foundation.

- It gives a natural matte finish. I have oily skin so I tend to love matte powders.

- It doesn't contain parabens or other harsh chemicals and preservatives.

- It is made by a Filipina dermatologist for Filipino skin. I really love the fact that this is specifically made with things like our weather and skin type in mind.

- It did not broke me out. I did not experience any itchiness too.

- It doesn't cake on me even if I reapply during the day.

- Very affordable. This compact is only Php250.00!

- This is available locally and can easily be purchased at Sta. Lucia Mall 3rd floor or at their Facebook page...just click here.

I DON'T LIKE THIS because:

- I hate the powder puff that comes with it. It is kinda scratchy so I just threw it away and used a powder brush for applying.

- It crumbles a little on the surface if you use a sponge. Using a powder brush is the best way since I did not experience this kind of problem anymore after I switched ^_^

- It contains talc--I know that there are some people who don't like talc.

- It doesn't last that long especially on hot weather. I need to reapply around 3-4 hours.

OVER-ALL RATING: 4/5 - I love it but I just hope it has a buildable coverage especially on days that I want to use this alone BUT this is a pressed powder and not a foundation so I guess it is expected hehe. No harm in wishing right? hehe ^_^

WILL I REPURCHASE? Definitely! I love how it sets my BB cream and sunblock.

I definitely recommend this to people who are in need of an affordable but still with good quality setting powder and also to teenagers who still can't wear foundation. Perfect for acne prone and sensitive skin too since I did not experience any irritations with this ^_^

What about you guys? What is your setting powder? Please share them with me! I wanted to try ^_^

Thanks for dropping by! Till my next post ^_^

Review: Nature Republic Eye & Lip Makeup Remover

2012-01-03T10:11:00.006+08:00

Happy Tuesday! I decided to post this review now before I go to work before I forget again...I am crossing my fingers that I can post at least 3 times every week for the whole year...Do you think I can do it? ^_^

So today, I am gonna talk about the Nature Republic Herblier Lip and Eye Remover Water. This makeup remover is specially created for removal of waterproof makeup. It comes in a 110ml plastic bottle and it costs Php460. It has a dual layer of liquid just like the Lancome BiFacil makeup remover.

The bottle looks like this...

And as usual, I can't give you the ingredients list because everything is written in Korean.

When you open the cap, it has a stopper to regulate flow of products.

What I LIKE about this...

- removes waterproof mascara and eyeliner very easily. This is by far the best eye makeup remover I've tried.

- It doesn't leave a very oily feel. Just moist.

- Can be easily rinsed with facial wash and water. No film will be left after washing my face.

- affordable and available locally.

What I DON'T LIKE about this...

- The bottle doesn't seals very tight. I found it lying down on my table and a lot of the products spilled. Not good for travelling.

- It has a plant smell...which I don't mind but others might not like that scent.

OVER-ALL RATING: 4.5/5. If only the bottle is travel friendly, I would give this a perfect score.

WILL I REPURCHASE? YES!!! This is my HG makeup remover. It never disappoints me ^_^

TIPS:

- Shake well before pouring the product on a cotton pad

- Put your moistened cotton pad over your eyes for 5 seconds before gently wiping. It will easily dissolves the mascara by doing this step.

- Transfer in a travel friendly container if you wanted to bring this when you travel.

What about you? What is your HG eye makeup remover? I want to hear it! Post them on the comments section below ^_^

My plans for 2012

2012-01-02T21:41:00.003+08:00

Howdy!! How's everyone's first day at work for the year 2012? Luckily for me, my official start of work is on Wednesday so I just spent my whole day playing with my dogs and my BF... and since my dogs are so playful, I have a lot of battle scars now especially on my neck area since they were all jumping and wanted to lick my face...I feel like I've been scratched by a panther or something because I have 4 or 5 deep claw marks across my neck right now and some small scratches on my arms and legs too haha ^_^

I wanted to start with my Goals for 2012...Beauty related...or not haha ^_^

1. Be healthier.

I am praying that I will not get sick starting today and I plan to accomplish this by doing my new year's resolutions.

2. Enroll in a hair and makeup class with my best friend.

I want to learn how to apply makeup to others professionally. Wouldn't it be nice if I could make everyone prettier? ^_^

3. Have a driver's license and my own car.

I really wanted to have my very own car and know how to drive it safely. My dad and bro are both racers and I just learned how to drive on race tracks so I am gonna enroll in a driving school to learn the ideal driving skills I needed to survive in the highways hehe.

4. Learn Korean and Mandarin...talk and read.

It is a common knowledge that I love watching Asian dramas...and it would be so nice to watch dramas without English subtitles and also to listen to Kpop and understand the lyrics without needing to search online for the English translation.

And aside from my long term goals, I also have specific goals...Before I slept last night, I thought hard on what resolutions I wanted to make for this year and I wanted to share some of them with you all so that you can help me achieve them by reminding me that I needed to do a "Did she achieved her goals?" post at the end of the year...I would really love to be successful in fulfilling these goals for the year 2012 because it would mean I changed for the better ^_^

My New Year's Resolutions for 2012 are:

1. Sleep at 10pm and wake up at 7am.

I really wanted to have a routine again just like when I was still working in the office... and I also wanted to be able to have a restful sleep every night. And by doing this, I am also hoping that my dark circles and eyebags will disappear soon.

2. Drink at least 2L of water everyday.

I really have a hard time drinking lots of fluids because I tend to forget that I needed water so I am thinking of ways how to manage this...do you have suggestions? Please share them with me!

3. Do not rub eyes.

Who wants premature wrinkles? Not me for sure but I really have the habit of rubbing my eyes especially when they are itchy. It will not only give me premature wrinkles but it will also scratch my eyes. I have been scolded by my opthalmologist before because when she checked my eyes they both have scratches on the surface.

4. Do not touch face.

I also have the habit of frequently touching my forehead to check if I'm oily or not. I hope I can break this too because it is not good to touch our skin with hands that are full of oils and bacteria...it will definitely cause breakouts!

5. Wash makeup brushes regularly.

I plan to spot clean everyday and deep clean once a week. I am not so lazy before, I just don't know what happened and I became so tired about washing my brushes weekly. And this is a bad habit so I will be breaking this one for sure.

6. I will exercise regularly at least 3x a week.

Since I'm not the type of person who is physically active, I don't go to the gym...what I plan to do is to walk and run my dogs hopefully every day of the week. I have 9 adult dogs, 4 of them are large so it would really be a total work out if I run with them at least 30 minutes per dog..I am crossing my fingers that I can do this because it will not only make me healthier, it will make my dogs healthier too ^_^

7. I will not buy doubles...unless they broke me out...

I wanted to finish up my products first before buying another one on the same line. Like, I need to finish my current lip balm first before I purchase another lipbalm or I need to finish my cleanser first before getting another unless it broke me out or something and I won't be able to use it anymore. I just want to make sure I won't waste any money buying stuff then not using it.

8. Wear sunscreen everyday...body included, not just the face.

I really got lazy about this too. I used to be so obsessive about suncreen but I got distracted and then all of a sudden I just don't want to put any sunscreen at all. This is a must for everyone so I will try my best to get back on the right track.

9. Apply body lotion everyday.

I have very dry skin on my body and I know that I need to religiously apply lotion to give it some moisture but I really can't do it...so I'm hoping that by putting this up, I would be encouraged to comply and make my skin smoother and moisturized.

10. Wear my MRC appliance every night.

I need to wear my mouth appliance as a retainer so that my teeth will remain aligned. I used to have braces and it is a must for me to wear my MRC trainers religiously or else I will have "sungki" again. So yeah, I hope I can accomplish this too coz I don't want to have another set of brace because of my lack of compliance hehe.

I really really hope I would be able to achieve my goals and accomplish my resolutions for the year 2012. I am praying that all of these would come true one at a time ^_^

What about you? What's your new year's resolution? I hope you can achieve them too! ^_^

New Year Greetings!

2012-01-01T20:54:00.002+08:00

I am wishing everyone a happier, healthier and wealthier 2012!!

2011 Hits & Misses + a glimpse inside my room ^_^

2011-12-27T14:14:00.012+08:00

The end of 2011 is nearing...just a couple more days till the start of 2012. I can't believe that everything flew so fast and that it had been another great year I spent with you guys...I'm really looking forward to new friends that I will meet in the future through my blog ^_^

To end 2011, I have decided to do a HITS & MISSES list instead of my TOP 10 PRODUCTS like last year because majority of my HG products are still the same hehe...I am still in love with the same brushes (Ellana buffer brush, Lumiere duo fiber brush, MAC 217, Loew COrnell 3/8 mop brush) and the same products (Ellana Sheer Velvet powder, Ellana concealer in Cheer, LipIce Sheer Color) so I d on't think it will be exciting to read haha ^_^

I have tried quite a few products and it is quite hard to narrow it down into a dozen products that I loved and can also be included in my HG list...It is also understandable that I did not fell in love with all of the items I purchased like I hoped. So here's a summary of what I loved and what I didn't liked. These products were all purchased by me within the year.

To start, these are the top rookies...I have consistently used these products so much since I got them ^_^

From the back, L-R:

1. Yummy mini cookbooks

I am just starting in my quest to be the best cook...well, that is my dream anyway haha ^_^

Seriously, I just started learning how to cook mid 2011. I love eating but I really can't cook and it makes me feel bad. I always get words from my parents like, "Magaasawa ka na, ano ipapakain mo sa kanila?"...And since I am really gonna get married soon and I don't want my family to eat instant noodles and fried foods forever, I decided to study on my own. And these books helped me a lot. These are very beginner friendly because the instructions are so easy to follow and the ingredients can easily found in local groceries because they are locally published. Affordable too, only Php125 ^_^

2. Samsung netbook

My new baby...without her, I won't be able to blog, check my mails, watch shows and do my work. It is very handy and the battery life is really good so whenever I bring this to clients, I won't need to bring my charger anymore. Since it is very light and small, I can just fit it inside my bag without people thinking that I have a laptop with me (Iwas snatcher di ba? hehe)..The best buy I did this year..definitely ^_^

3. Fringe holder

I am so in love with this fringe holder. I have 4 pieces in 2 colors (black and blue). I use the blue one when I'm home and the black one if I go out. Whenever I don't want my bangs to get on my face, like when I'm doing something or eating, I just pin my fringe up with this sticky thing. I love the fact that it doesn't tug on my hair like other hair clips and it also doesn't create waves so if I want to let down my bangs I can easily do so.

The only problem I have with this is that it is so hard to find locally and you need to order it. But aside from that, I always get compliments on how unique they are and how effective they work ^_^

4. Tony Moly backstage liner duo in 01

I purchased this because of Brigitte's review. I love gel liners but all of the brands I tried like MAC and Stila dried out after a couple of months. Brigitte said that this won't dry out and it is very pigmented and doesn't smudge so I decided to grab it. I got myself the duo one because all of the available single black are shimmery and not too dark, and I like matte black liners. Plus, I also like the fact that it is combined with a shimmery white liner! I will give an in-depth review of this product soon. But for now, all I can say is that I really, really love this! ^_^

5. Etude House AC Clinic Red Spot Balm

I have been using this product for the last 6 months or so on areas that I have a lot of acne marks. I love this product because aside from the fact that it lightens dark spots, it also has ingredients that help in healing existing pimples. I'm just sad that I don't have before and after pictures to show you guys, but trust me, they work great on marks! I am so gonna repurchase this hehe ^_^

6. Etude House Moistful moisturizer gel

Okay, so this not mine personally but my sister's hehe...I just use it for free ^_^

I use this every day because it supplies the moisture my skin needed. I have COmbination oily skin and I'm so happy that this product works for me even though it is really meant for dry skin like my sister. And it works very well on her too...And the fun part? It doesn't break me out ^_^

7. Nature Republic Eyes and Lips Makeup remover in Pink

I am not sure if I have done an in-depth review on this product, if not, I will post one because this is by far the best eye makeup remover I tried ever. It removes even waterproof mascaras with ease. It is also gentle enough that it doesn't irritate my eyes. And affordable too, I believe it is around Php500 only and available locally.

8. MBM Stemcell Eyecream

I have been using this for a month now and I honestly haven't seen any improvement on my dark circles because I always stay up very very late for the past 2 weeks because of the holidays. BUT I am loving it for it because it give my eyes enough moisture ( I did not get any millia underneath my eyes), it absorbs very quickly, and it is very affordable. I will still do a diary on this like promised, I just wanted to share that I am loving it so far ^_^

9. Tony Moly Nail polish remover

Out of all the nail polish removers I tried, this one removes polishes the fastest. It is also very economical because I can remove my nail polishes using only one cotton ball soaked with the product. It also doesn't contain acetone so it is not drying. It is way better than the Face Shop one IMO ^_^

10. Sofy body Fit sanitary napkin.

This is my HG sanitary pads. I have never experienced any accidental leaks night or day, regardless of activities with this pad. There are times that I need to seat for around 5hours without bathroom breaks and this pad can still contain my flow even if it is so heavy. I am so so in love with this. No irritations too unlike when I use Whisper (I get rashes). I really hope they won't discontinue this brand..

11. Suesh eyeliner brush

This is the first time I've ever used a pointy eyeliner brush. I've always been fond of flat angled liner brushes for applying gel liners because they are so easy to use but this Suesh liner brush is way better! I can create as thin or as thick of an eyeliner I want. It is also easy to line my upper lashline with this because it has the right stiffness to it and I have control in the application. I want to get another one for my white gel liner hehe. It is affordable too, only Php200 ^_^

12. Etude House Missing You Lipbalm in Penguin (not in the picture)

My night lip balm. I use this in exchange of my petroleum jelly at night. I love applying this generously on my lips before I go to sleep and I will always wake up with moisturized lips. No irritations and it gives me enough moisture every time ^_^

Here's my review on the product. Just click here.

13. Nature Republic Nail polishes (not in the picture)

I love how long lasting they are and much cheaper than The Face Shop too! Easy to apply and the shine stays on for at at least 2 weeks. I don't even need a top coat to make it last longer since it does good on its own. I will definitely try out more colors ^_^

14. Imarflex Electric Mixer

This is a Christmas gift from my bf. He knows I love baking and I don't have a mixer yet (I whisk stuff manually by hand haha) so he gave me this to make things easier for me. I am loving it to bits and I have created a couple of things using this already. It is not too heavy and it is very easy to clean so it's all good, plus the fact that it is a gift from my beloved, which made it extra special ^_^

15. Oster Electric Oven

Well, I do love sweets and I was always intrigued if I can bake...well, well, I even surprised myself that after the second try, I already can follow the recipes I found online haha can you say I'm so lucky? Almost all of my baked goodies tasted so good! So this oven is now one of my favorite items in the house and I have used it quite a lot. It cooks evenly and it is very easy to clean. I also love how light it is to carry so I can transfer it from one place to another with ease. The only negative on this product? Well, it's 110V because I got it from an American surplus store haha ^_^

**And now, the products that I didn't like and regretted buying...

1. Tony Moly Intense Repair Live Snail Cream and Eyecream

Check out my complete review on this product why it got included in this list. Overall, it is too expensive and it was not suitable on my skin. I really wouldn't mind spending thousands on a good product but I really felt bad that my money just got wasted because it only made me breakout :(

2. Carmex lipbalm in a tube

I really hated the scent and taste of the product. It keeps on reminding me of Sanity Balm whenever I use iton my lips.

My review on this product here.

3. The Body Shop Born Lippy in orange flavor

I don't know why I don't like this specific flavor but it irritates me. I also don't like the glitters and orangey color it gives on my lips. It so not flattering on me. Luckily, this is just a gift to my mom and she just gave it to me since she also didn't like the scent.

Although I like the raspberry flavored one so it is not the lip balm in general but just this specific flavor.

4. Nature Republic Collagen BB cream

This is a sample size I got when I purchased my makeup remover. I thought I would like it but after using it several times, I don't reach for it anymore. It has a very light coverage regardless of the amount you used. I can't build up the coverage even if I had already done at 3 layers. It is also not long lasting on me. The only thing I like about this is it has antiaging and SPF.

5. Natural Science Herbal Products MFG. Tawas

Okay, I don't usually use deodorant/antiperspirant because I got a phobia when I used Secret when I was still a teenager and it stained my UA. But since I do get sweaty very easily on my underarms and I usually wear sleeved shirts, I decided to try a natural one so I bought this. I thought it can help with the sweat but it totally did nothing except stain my shirts. So useless :(

6. My Phone Dual Sim

If you're my friend in Facebook, you definitely saw my post...I can't seem to operate it. My contacts don't appear, it's so hard to text and I can't seem to read all my messages. It just frustrates the heck out of me. I know it is cheap but I just hoped I got a regular Nokia phone or something. I was unable to text a greeting to my friends and family last Christmas since I can't find their numbers huhu :(

So that ends my HIT & MISSES of 2011! I hope you enjoyed reading them ^_^

And now, for a glimpse of my room...I sleep under the bunk bed and my sister sleeps on top. We share a room so I can't really show you the whole room because I haven't asked permission from her yet hehe ^_^

That's my college graduation picture, my best friend Rachelle and me (the poster was a gift from her), a board where I pin pictures of my boyfriend, and a poster of Jang Geun Suk (a freebie when Nature Republic opened) ^_^

A poster of JYJ, 2AM (I got this during their mini-concert here in Pinas) and Super Junior (This poster is a gift of my sister)

I have plastic containers that hold my novels under my bed. I am now very cautious about termites and water so I decided to transfer them from my bookshelf to these to keep them safe ^_^
And this is my little station. I have huge plastic containers at the back that contains all my photo albums, CDs, cassette tapes, magazines, college books and notes that I love to keep, and other stuff. And this small table is where I do my blogging. As usual, I have a container full of chocolates beside me and my printer underneath.

This is my where I keep my makeup. I have already finished sorting them out and I already gave away the things that I don't use.

and on top of that, I keep my skin care products. And yes, I do wear myobrace when I sleep for maintainance. I used to have braces and I got it removed when I was in college. I had it for 6 years hehe ^_^

So yeah, this will be my last post for the year 2011. I hope you did not get bored! Happy New Year everyone!!!!

Christmas greeting from me ^_^

2011-12-25T22:45:00.002+08:00

I just want to do a quick post for you guys... Today is a very special day because it is Jesus Christ's birthday! We can see a lot of Christians having family reunions and Christmas parties all over the world to celebrate this joyous day. And I want to reach all my readers today to wish you a very merry Christmas!!! I love you guys! ^_^

CALLING FOR DONATIONS & VOLUNTEERS

2011-12-13T16:42:00.005+08:00

Hello everyone! I just read this email from PAWS (Philippine Animal Welfare Society) today and I would like to help them spread the word by posting their call for help.

PAWS are in need of dog foods, stainless steel bowls, plastic matting (to line bottom of cages), cleaning materials (deck brushes, walis tingting, detergent powder) and veterinary supplies (gloves, Zoletil, etc) for the newly rescued 73 emaciated Pit Bulls.from a dog fighting establishment in the South. 40 of these dogs are currently taken by PAWS and the remaining are distributed to other organizations who rescues dogs and cats because PAWS can't accomodate all 73 dogs due to lack of space and materials and even the lack of people to take care of them.

For those who wanted to help or even volunteer, you can drop off your donations at the PARC office Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm. PARC is located at Aurora Blvd, Katipunan Valley, Loyola Heights, QC.

You can see pictures of the rescued dogs in this article here .

Let us help PAWS in rehabilitating these dogs who are maltreated by people who condones dog fighting. I am really praying that events like these would stop completely. My heart goes out to these poor angels who are innocent but are suffering because of people who are so full of themselves and doesn't care one way or another on how these dogs feel when wounded.

PLEASE REPOST this call for help on your blogs and facebook accounts...let us help spread out the words to other pet lovers who would love to reach out and help. Thank you so so much!

Note: If you can't go to PARC personally, I am willing to meet up with anyone to get your donations and I will bring them at PARC in your behalf. I will ask my brother to drive me there with all our donations since I don't have a car. Or if you want me to buy the items for you, you can send me the money through GCASH and tell me what item I will buy...JUST EMAIL ME at galebart_15@yahoo.com with a subject "HELP FOR PAWS".

I hope everyone can donate...even a piece of walis tingting or dog bowl will be of great help..Even a 100 pesos combined together can buy a sack of dogfood for these dogs...

Thank you so much! And please repost! God bless!

Experiment: MBM Stemcell Eye Cream

2011-12-07T10:40:00.005+08:00

Hello lovelies! How's everyone's week so far? Me, I feel like I'm on a roll because I want to keep on posting reviews or makeup looks in this blog haha..Maybe it's the Christmas spirit? I don't know, but I'm really having a great burst of energy everyday ^_^

Anyhow, I wanted to start a new blog series since I have already finished my Derma Roller Skin Diary. I also noticed that my readers like to follow me along on my journey whenever I undergo procedures and product testing. So I'm gonna start a new one!

I have always had problems with my eyes because they easily get fine lines. I also have problems with dark circles around the eye area (if you watched my failed YT video, you'll notice that I look like a panda haha). So because of these concerns, I tend to gravitate towards eye creams on the market. I have tried a lot but nothing works..either they are too moisturizing that I end up having a lot of millia (like the Skin Hour) or they do nothing and even stings me (like the Garnier and Tony Moly). I have very sensitive skin as you all know, so it's not really a surprise for me that it's so hard to find my HG eye cream.

So when I saw this new eyecream when I visited the MBM kiosk last month, I needed to grab one to try. And having stemcell as one of its main ingredient and it's from Korea, I am crossing my fingers that this could be the answer to my problem.

So the product costs Php150 for an 8g eyecream. Not bad right? I don't like spending too mcuh for something that I'm not sure of hehe.

It comes in a cube plastic pot and it looks like this...

This is what my eyes look like before I used it. So this picture was taken last November 22.

Can you see the darkening and the lines under my eyes and the laugh lines? I actually don't mind having laughlines because it symbolizes me having a lot of laughing in my life but I don't like the lines underneath the eyes because concealers tend to settle onto them and they're not pretty to look at when that happens =/

So I hope you can follow me on this new adventure. I will try to give updates monthly so as to give the product some time to work. Hopefully we'll all be seeing some improvements ^_^

NOTE: I also am going to do a series for the stretchmark cream because the reviews on that product was good. They say that within 2 months there's already some improvements on their stretchmarks.. Well, I'm very much willing to try it and I'll be posting pictures for that too ^_^

Thanks for dropping by! ^_^

GADGET Review: HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 2010

2011-12-06T11:55:00.004+08:00

Hello! I just want to share my review on the very much promoted printer of HP here in the country -- HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 2010.

I needed a good portable printer at home to use for work since I hate going out just to print the files I needed at the office. I spend a lot more money on fare and eating out too so I told myself that it would be more cheaper if I have my own.

So I searched and searched for a good one. I want something sturdy but portable since I have a small space (My sis and I share a room together) and I also want a printer that has very affordable ink. Our Canon printer when I was still in high school costs Php1000++ per cartridge and it was so expensive that when it broke, my mom did not get a new one coz it was cheaper to have our projects printed in computer shops. And I found the perfect little printer I'm looking for ^_^

Meet my HP DESKJET INK ADVANTAGE 2010...

It comes with a free Logitech computer speakers and 2 small printer inks (black and colored).

It has a sticker on top that says...

I LOVE THIS because:

- It has a very sleek design

- Portable and lightweight. I can even bring this along if I want to coz it's very light and it comes with a black cloth bag for travelling.

- Prints very nicely. I didn't really expect that it will print clear and fast.

- Has two ink slots...one for colored and one for black. No need to switch inks!

- Very affordable ink. Both the colored and black each costs Php390 only! I don't need to have my ink refilled since it's cheap hehe ^_^

- The printer is very affordable too. I got it for Php3100 only at Electroworld Trinoma. (The staff there are very nice. They installed the printer to my laptop for free..I don't have a CD drive so it would be a problem for me if I'm gonna do it hehe)

- There's an indicator near the power button that shows if your ink are low already.

- I also love how it is so easy to cancel the ongoing printing. I won't be worried of wasting ink and paper if I clicked the "print file" accidentally on my computer.

I DON'T LIKE THIS because...

- The case is made of shiny plastic so it's a fingerprint magnet

- The plastic casing also feels very brittle and thin so I'm afraid that this will easily break if I accidentally dropped this off.

- The free speakers are blah. The sounds coming from it is "sabog and tunog lata". I don't know how to explain it aside from those two words haha ^_^

I definitely recommend this for anyone who are in need of a good and affordable printer. I did not regret buying this ^_^

Good News! + JOB Opening for Nurses ^_^

2011-12-05T19:47:00.007+08:00

Happy Monday to everyone! Today is a very joyful day for me. I'm so blessed because I realized that God has given me a chance to do all the things that I love doing..I don't need to choose just one since I can do them all! ^_^

I believe that it is really my calling to help people and animals alike because I can feel great satisfaction whenever I made an impact on their lives. I am loving my work now as a licensed financial advisor because I can help the people around me become financially independent for free! Assisting them reach their goal of becoming financially secure and hearing them say "Thank You for helping me" to me makes me so happy inside that I can't put the feelings in words...so I just smile haha ^_^

But still, I miss being a nurse too. I get to help people become healthier and more beautiful inside and out. So when I was forced to resign last July because of personal matters, I got sad. But I am now given another chance to still do it without compromising my current love.

Remember my post about My Beautiful Me's products? Well, my dermatologist contacted me and she wanted me to handle all online inquiries! I can't believe she trusted me enough to be able to handle that responsibility all on my own. She knows that I do blogging (because she has a lot of patients that are also readers of my blog hehe) and my sister have an online shop that I help her with, so she think it's better if I do it since I already know how.

Also, it's a plus factor that I had worked as a dermatologic nurse for a spell and I am already trained. She really wanted a nurse to do the job of answering any questions about the products. And because they are medical products, she wanted a medical practitioner to assist clients in choosing the right products for them so as not do more harm on their skin.

She also wanted me to be the "bridge" when someone wanted to consult their skin condition first before buying anything by sending out their pictures to me so I can send them to our in-house dermatologist. She is offering her services for free and she told me that she can adjust the dosage of the product depending on the client's condition if needed. This way, it would be easier for the client especially if they live very far from her clinics because I can just send the products to their house. Isn't that very convenient? ^_^

Anyhow, I am just so happy that I am given another chance to still be a derma nurse and at the same time a financial advisor. This is the best Christmas gift ever! haha ^_^

I created an email account just for inquiries so that I won't miss your questions. The add is: mbmskinbar@yahoo.com

I'll also be creating a website (in Facebook and Multiply) so you can go check out the products, their active ingredients, the price, etc. I'll be using the same email address for the Facebook page so it's easier to look. I hope I can finish uploading the pictures and details tonight so you can all view them ASAP.

edit: I already created a Facebook page!

I really love MBM products coz they saved my skin. Together with derma roller, the acne kit helped a lot in my skin's condition. I am very confident that these products can help you all who are having problems with acne and don't have a lot of money to undergo expensive treatments ^_^

Thank you for sharing this wonderful news with me ^_^

***

My Beautiful Me is in need of a Product Specialist for its kiosk at Sta. Lucia Mall.

Qualifications:

- Nursing graduate (fresh grads are welcome)

- Lives near Sta. Lucia Mall

- Willing to work mall hours

- Personable, responsible and friendly

- Willing to learn

Please send your resume at mbmskinbar@yahoo.com so I can give you the owner's contact info for an interview ^_^

Review: Holika Holika Clearing Petit BB Cream

2011-12-04T14:12:00.004+08:00

Time for another product review! This time, I'm reviewing my current BB Cream, the Holika Holika Clearing Petit BB Cream.

I got this BB Cream online and it cost around Php250-280 only. I got intrigued by it because it is meant for acne prone skin. It comes in a 30ml blue-green colored tube and it also has SPF 30 PA++. I researched online for reviews and it got raves about not breaking anyone out so I decided to try it for myself since it's very hard for me to find a bb cream that would not break me out or at least not irritate me.

Here's a product desription from Amazon.com.. I can't read the Korean writings at the back of the tube so I can't translate them for you hehe ^_^

"Holika Holika Pore Clearing Petit BB Cream 30ML with Tea Tree Oil and Sebum Control Powder

Fresh Texture without oil Tea Tree Oil Extract helps to clean skin by alleviating skin troubles and red spots, make a refreshing baby face with Sebum Control Powder.

Terpine-4 of Tea Tree Oil alleviates inflammations that happen by bacteria and mold funguses.

Sebum control powder helps to maintain fresh and soft skin condition by reducing shine with excellent sebum capturing effect."

I have been using this for 2-3 months now and here's my take on this product.

Note: I have Combination, acne prone and sensitive skin for reference purposes.

I LOVE THIS PRODUCT because:

- This contains Tea Tree oil to fight off acne and I'm happy to say that this didn't broke me out even with continous use.

- Sun protection of SPF 30 PA++ is also enough for everyday use. It also didn't gave me any white cast on photos.

- The color match is great as you can see in the picture. It really gives me a natural look. Plus, it has a yellow undertone so it doesn't give me any grayish or pinkish cast like other bb creams.

- It spreads very easily on the skin. I prefer applying this using my fingers instead of a brush.

- Coverage is light to medium. This won't cake even if you accidentally applied too much at once.

- The size of the product is enough for a good trial. I wouldn't be saddened if this won't work for me because I won't be wasting a lot of product.

- Very affordable. This cost less than Php300 only.

- Again, the size is very travel friendly because it is compact and seals tightly.

- It doesn't have a strong Tea Tree Oil scent.

- I also love the packaging because it has a cute cat drawing in front hehe and I love blue ^_^

I DON'T LIKE THIS PRODUCT because:

- It is said to have a great oil control but I did not experienced it. I normally oil up after an hour or two after washing my face and whenever I use this, I still oil up after 2-3 hours. So it has little to moderate oil control properties.

- Staying power is so-so in my case. I usually look like I don't have foundation on at the end of the day.

- This darkens on me so bad! I have acidic skin and that's the reason why I use lighter foundation and since this is almost the same as my natural skin color, after 6 hours, I already look dark :(

- Not easily available locally since Holika Holika doesn't have any outlet here in the Philippines.

- It only comes in a small bottle so if you decided you like this and want to get a full size one, THIS is their full sized bottle hehe

- I don't think they have any other shade since the label doesn't have any number to indicate if this is shade 1 or 2.

OVER-ALL RATING: 4/5. I am giving this product a score of 5 for the shade, texture, coverage, packaging, price and acne control properties. But I'm giving this a score of 3 for the oil control and staying power.

WILL I REPURCHASE THIS? No. I prefer to have a long lasting foundation with great oil control over price.

So, have you guys tried this bb cream? What can you say about it? Please suggest other brands for me that is good for oily acne prone skin so I can try them out too ^_^

TAG; Get Your Freaked On!

2011-12-04T13:23:00.002+08:00

Hello everyone! It's a rainy Sunday today and I'm not really a fan of rain because it's wet and I can't go out of the house haha...The only thing I like about a rainy day is that it's cool and refreshing and it's so nice to sleep at night ^_^

So anyway, I would just like to do this tag question...This has been circulating around Youtube for quite awhile already and I find it interesting because the questions are kinda different from other tag videos. I hope you will like this because this is one of my ways to introduce myself to all of you ^_^

#1. What's a nickname only your family calls you?

--> My family calls me Gale. All my relatives and close friends calls me Gale haha...I don't really like being called Crystal while I was growing up since it's so girly ^_^

#2. What's a weird habit of yours?

--> I'm not sure if it's a weird one but I always put my feet up whenever I'm sitting on a chair (well except when I'm at restaurants hehe). I don't know the reason, but when I watched Bubzbeauty answered this question, I gues it makes sense...She said "...because I'm little, my feet dangles when I'm sitting so it gets tiring..." ^_^

#3. Do you have any weird phobias?

--> I only have one. I can't open my eyes under water because I "see" a huge shark with it's mouth open facing me. And it's weird because I also xperience this even when I'm swimming in a pool haha...And I haven't been attacked by a shark yet so I don't know where my phobia arised from. So I won't be able to snorkel or anything because of it =/

#4. What's a song you secretly love to blast and belt out when you're alone?

--> Hmm, I don't really have a secret song. I usually belt out any song I like. I sometimes dance with it too haha. I love Kpop and most of their songs are catchy and very easy to dance with ^_^

#5. What's one of your biggest pet peeves?

--> I hate being around people who smoke in public places. It really irritates me to inhale second hand smokes especially if I'm riding a public vehicle like jeepneys.

#6. What's one of your nervous habits?

--> I wriggle my hands together whenever I'm nervous and I talk very loudly too.

#7. What side of the bed do you sleep on?

--> I sleep whichever side is near the wall. I love sleeping with my back against the wall so I always have a pillow propped against it so it's not too cold on my back hehe.

#8. What was your first stuffed animal and it's name?

--> I honestly can't remember my first ever stuffed animal. I usually have soft baby dolls when I was young and one of them, which is my fave, is named Violet ^_^

#9. What's the drink you always order at starbucks?

--> I'm not really a Strabucks fan but whenever I go there, I usually order Iced White Chocolate Mocha (decaf). I prefer going to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf or Seattle's Best.

#10. What's a beauty rule you preach, but never actually practice?

--> This is easy hehe. I always preach to sleep early and drink plenty of water. I usually sleep around 12 midnight because I'm either in front of my computer or I'm reading a good book so I forget the time. And my body can't tolerate too much fluids so I can't do that too.

#11. Which way do you face in the shower?

--> I usually have the shower head at my back.

#12. Do you have any 'weird' body 'skills'?

--> I don't think I have anything special. The only thing I can do is twist my tongue, whistle and flip my upper eyelids like almost everyone can do hehe.

#13. What's your favorite comfort food thats 'bad' but you love to eat it anyways?

--> That would be chocolates. I love love chocolates and coffee but ever since my doctor forbade me to eat/drink anything with caffeine because of my heart, I can't take them as frequently as I want to. Although I still eat 2 pieces of chocolates every day haha I really can't help it.

#14. What's a phrase or exclamation you always say?

--> "My gulay" haha I don't know where I started using this phrase but whenever I'm talking to someone close to me, this can frequently come up ith my story telling ^_^

#15. Time to sleep, what are you actually wearing?

--> I usually sleep with a tank top and shorts. I prefer cool light clothes when I sleep ^_^

I hope you enjoyed getting to know me. If you decided to do this tag too, please comment below the link of your post so I can get to know you better too ^_^

Review: SkinLite Cleansing Tissues

2011-11-28T11:55:00.005+08:00

Happy Monday!!!! I really can't believe that November is already ending in a couple of days...Time really flies so fast :)

I want to start this post with a question to all of you.. Do you use makeup remover wipes as your main makeup remover? If so, what is your HG? And how frequent do you use it?

I'm very curious about your answers because I can't stand it if I didn't use any form of makeup remover to remove my bb cream everyday before washing my face.. I don't feel really clean even if the facial wash I used is meant to remove makeup and dirt.

I haven't replenished my Mandom cleansing express yet (I was unable to ask my Japanese friend to get me one when she went back to Japan) so I am looking around for a cheaper alternative until I can get another cleansing water type of makeup remove when I found these two facial wipes at Landmark Trinoma and they were on sale that time so I got 2 variants to test. I used to only use facial wipes for cleaning (like Kleenex and Johnson's baby wipes) when I go camping or if I'm going out of town but I told myself that these wipes are specifically meant for makeup removal so I might as well try it ^_^

I got the variant for acne prone and a regular makeup wipes.

1. SKINLITE spot reducer cleansing tissues

This costs Php99 for 30 wet tissues. Main ingredients are salicylic acid, tea tree oil and aloe vera.
Once you open the box, you will get this package which has a resealable lid.
I LOVE THIS because:

- Removes make-up and dirt very well.

- It is very convenient to use and mess-free compared to makeup removers that comes with a pump.

- The resealable lid is good quality because it was able to keep every piece moist.

- The cloth is not scratchy. It felt soft to the skin.

- The wipes doesn't tear off easily. It is thick enough to prevent tearing while I wipe my face, neck and arms.

- Easily available at Landmark department store. I haven't seen this elsewhere.

- Affordable. This costs Php99 only and I got this when it was 10% off (Php88!)

- It contains acne-fighting ingredients to fight breakouts.

I HATE THIS because:

- It made my skin very dry after I used this every night. I can't remedy it even if I have used a very heavy moisturizer 2x a day. And the dryness triggered my skin ashtma..I now have rough skin because of the small bumps that appeared.

- Has a chemical scent because of salicylic acid and tea tree oil.

- I didn't notice any effect on its claims about treating acne. I broke out two weeks ago and it didn't helped at all.

2. SKINLITE Make-up Cleansing tissues in Green Tea Variant

The ingredients at the back...
The cloth...
I LOVE THIS because:

- Removes make-up and dirt very well.

- It is very convenient to use.

- The resealable lid is good quality because it was able to keep every piece moist.

- The cloth is not scratchy. It felt soft to the skin.

- The wipes doesn't tear off easily.

- Easily available.

- Affordable. This costs Php99 only.

- This comes with a couple of variants like aloe vera, tea tree oil, etc

I HATE THIS because:

- Made my skin dry that can't be remedied with a moisturizer. But not as dry as when I used the one for acne. {I used this first before I tried the one for acne}

- The quality of the cloth is not consistent for every package. I repurchased this last week and the new one I got is scratchy.

- I got eye wrinkles when I used this to remove my eyemakeup. And it can't remove any waterproof eye makeup easily anyway.

OVER-ALL RATING for both:

CLOTH: 4.5/5 -- softest I've tried but not consistent for every package.

PACKAGING: 5/5 -- good quality. keeps every piece of tissue moist.

PERFORMANCE: 4/5 -- removes makeup easily for the face..not good on eyes.

WILL I REPURCHASE? I'm not yet sure because right now, I am afraid of getting another bad batch. I repurchased last week and the texture of the cloth is scratchy. But if they can control the quality better, I will definitely repurchase but probably not for everyday makeup remover. I'll just use this whenever I go camping and travelling ^_^

TIPS:

- Close the lid properly to keep your wet tissues moist.

- Not for everyday use because it is very drying.

- I sometimes put this in the refrigerator for a couple of minutes before using. It makes me feel refreshed after a long day.

- Do not use on your eyes! It will give you premature wrinkles.

- Wash your face with a gentle cleanser after to remove any residue of dirt and makeup.

- Moisturize! This is quite drying if used frequently. I have very oily skin and this made me dry.

WHERE TO PURCHASE: Landmark Department store.. PHP99.00 :)

Thank you so much for dropping by! TIll next time, bye ^_^

Haul: MBM Skin Bar

2011-11-22T22:03:00.005+08:00

Good day everyone! It's the middle of the week and I'm quite excited today since I got a lot of products to try ^_^

If you have been following my Skin Diary posts, you must probably know how in love I am with my dermatologist's own-made products because they are very affordable and very effective on my acne. Many of my friends and relatives who went to her clinic (not just on acne problems) and used her products also experienced great results. Their only problem is the availability since she only sells her products to her patients and they get it at her clinics. And I know that I have readers too that would like to try her products but lives too far to go and have a consultation...

Well, good news to everyone! She decided to open up a kiosk at Sta. Lucia Mall just last week! It is called MBM Skin Bar which stand for My Beautiful Me. I just heard about it because I have not seen her in the last couple of months (I don't work for her anymore since May 2011...I needed to resign because I needed to take care of my grandpa who got diagnosed with colon CA)...Anyway, she contacted me to check out her newly opened stall and so I went there today even though it's very far from where I live hehe ^_^

Her kiosk is located at the 3rd level of the Sta. Lucia Mall...It's near Flawless and Dermstrata (I think)...You can easily see it because the design of the stall is very unique.. It's very minimalist and earthy...Oh, and you can see the huge nurse's cap on top too hehe ^_^

There's a slogan in front that says..

"Where the baristas are nurses and the cocktails are doctor formulated from natural ingredients."

The reason being is that, the product specialist who will assist the customers in choosing will be trained nurses...These are medical grade products and she doesn't want the customers to get something not suitable for their skin type and cause more harm than good.

According to my derma, she will also be having free consultation every now and then there so that if someone wants to have a check up before buying, they can do so. ^_^

Now, since I have been her client for more than 3 years already, I have already tried a lot of her products and so I just decided to get the new ones so I can try them out and give you guys a review.

Here's what I got from my little trip ^_^

Oil control lotion (Phph200), Pink Lemonade whitening soap (Php150 for the full size), Bright Day Cream (Php300), Stretch Mark Cream(Php500), Dry Cream for pimples (Php60), Stem Cell Eye cream (Php150) and an oil-free face powder in Mestiza shade (Php250).

According to the owner, she created every product except for the stretch mark cream which is made from Korea. And also, the ingredients used to create the eye cream and moisturizer that has stem cell as the main ingredient were also from Korea. She promised that all products have no parabens and she tried to create them with as little chemical as possible.

I will give out individual reviews for each product after I have tried them. And I promise to give a very detailed and honest review for you guys ^_^

MY RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS (that I have already tried and tested)

- acne kit - I have used all of the products there and they worked great on my moderate acne. The trial size kit is sold for Php200 only and that already contains 4 products. The size of each will last you for a couple of weeks already. My fave is the liquid powder.

- Sunblock spf 50 (Php300) - This is my HG sunblock for my face in the last 3 years. This is tinted so I can already go out with just this and an oil control powder on top and I'm good. It evens out my skin tone, moisturizes my skin without making me extra oily and protects my skin.

I am very intrigued with the cosmetics...They have oil-free pressed powder in 2 shades, 3 lipsticks and BB tint...So I will definitely get my hands on those the next time I come back.

So yeah, I will definitely start trying them out and I will get back to you about them as soon as I have my final verdict hehe ^_^

Thank you for dropping by! Bye!

-Gale-

Random Ramblings (pups, baking, birthday, breaking dawn) ^_^

2011-11-19T07:29:00.009+08:00

Hello everyone!! It's another weekend and I'm hoping I can relax now after a busy week ^_^

Anyway, this post would only be a random rambling blog...I don't know, I hope you do like reading random stuffs about me every now and then hehe :)

*WARNING: Picture heavy*

I'll start this post with a current (well, it was current last week haha) family picture ^_^

The puppies are growing so fast! They're already starting to walk now...I'll try to take a picture again of them soon.. My bf told me they already have individual characteristics and can already tell them apart..I'm so excited to visit them again ^_^

I am learning how to cook! So, you all probably don't know that I don't cook at all but these couple of months I did get the urge to start learning how to cook dishes and so far, I'm getting good feedbacks, yay!

And then, I got intrigued with baking. So I got this recipe online and it's White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Macadamia nuts (Well, I used cashew nuts in this practice batch since macadamia nuts are expensive). Since this is my fave cookie, I decided to make it my first trial in baking. The first batch I made using a microwave oven (I thought my oven broke) came out too hard that it tasted like broas haha. But the second batch that was baked using a real oven tasted good! Everyone in my family told me it's the right sweetness and consistency so I'm very very happy ^_^

The cookies shaped like a gingerbread man was created by my bf...he played with the dough while I was baking and he seems happy with his creations so I cooked them for him too hehe ^_^

I just celebrated my 26th birthday! Yay! Thank you so much to all my online friends and readers who greeted me at Facebook! It means so much to me :)

I celebrated my birthday simply. I didn't want a tiring party wherein I will cook and clean the mess afterwards so I just celebrated it with my bf during the day and then with my family at night.

My bf and I ate lunch at YAKIMIX SM North branch. I really love this eat-all-you-can smokeless grill restaurant. They serve a variety of Korean, Japanese and Cantonese dishes and this is usually full and you need to fall in line before you can enter. Luckily for us, we arrived really early around 11am and they have just started letting people in and we didn't get to wait at all.

For lunch, it costs Php499 per person and P599 for dinner.

My favorite food and the reason why I love eating here...Samgyupsal!! Yummy! It is grilled pork belly and it tastes so good! As you can see in the picture, it's already almost gone. Can you imagine, I ate a plate full of samgyupsal alone? haha my bf was laughing at me because I can't stop eating ^_^

I also ordered a drink all you can blue lemonade. It tastes good too and I do love the color blue so whenever I have a choice (they have 4 colors I think) of drink, I usually go for the blue one regardless of what it is hehe ^_^

And I had a simple dinner with my family. We ate crispy pata and Max's fried chicken...I love eating crispy pata! But it was more meaningful because my whole family ate together and we had a chance to chat while devouring our feast ^_^

Have you seen the LEGO construction at SM North The Block yet? It's so cool! That Christmas tree that you can see at my back is made up of Lego! And around it were a lot of Lego structures too like Eiffel Tower, Star Wars etc.

And lastly, it's here! My most awaited movie of the year. I have been waiting for more than a year for this to be shown in cinemas.

And can you believe that I watched it twice yesterday?! Haha I did! I watched at Trinoma (first showing of the day, 1:20pm) with my best friend and another batch with my dad and sis at SM North (8:40pm).

I am very impressed with the movie. For the very first time since Twilight aired, I have no negative comment after watching it. Rob and Kirsten improved quite a lot with their acting, Taylor is so good that I cried in a couple of his scenes, the CGI wolves and Bella's physique while pregnant are amazing, the birthing scene and imprinting are perfect and I really love the effects and the setting! Isle Esme is really beautiful and I really really love to go there to see if it's real!

I am not gonna go into details because I don't want to give out spoilers and ruin it for those who haven't watched it but I salute the director for making everything so good and almost true to the book. For a fan of the books and my fave is Breaking Dawn, I was not disappointed whatsoever. The altering he did about some scenes to make it fit in the movie never bothered me and I do agree that it would be better to show it that way than follow the book exactly because it made the telling of the story easier for non-readers of the book to understand. Oh, and I applaud the director for making the honeymoon scenes very artistic. He captured it perfectly in my opinion ^_^

So I am really happy right now and I can't wait for part 2! I will definitely buy a dvd of Breaking Dawn once it's out. If you guys haven't seen it yet, do check it out. It's really worth the Php220, just don't go watching it at SM North cinemas because it sucks...We almost lost our reserved seats just before the movie starts because someone else's also have the same seat number as I have. And also, the movie already started and there are still a lot of people entering and the lights was still on...It was so distracting plus they allowed a 5-year-old to enter. It has love scenes for heaven's sake and they let a kid to watch it? I don't know what they're thinking..I really hated the experience...I do love the Trinoma cinema though because it's more organized and hassle-free and the crowd is not too noisy because there were no kids inside.

Anyways, thank you for dropping by! I hope I didn't bore you to death with my ramblings ^_^

Review: Etude House I Miss You lipbalm

2011-11-11T16:52:00.002+08:00

Hello everyone! Wow, time flies really fast. I did not noticed that I haven't uploaded a new post for the past weeks...been too preoccupied lately...I'm trying to spend as much time with my bf as possible since he's gonna be working abroad starting December or January..He's just waiting for his visa and plane ticket...

Anyway, you probably noticed that I'm a lipbalm junkie...I love lippies since I have dry lips and I'm always on a look out for good quality lip moisturizers. So when I visited my fave Etude House store and saw this cute lipbalm tin, I can't help myself but get it.

This is Etude House's Missing You lipbalm in Penguine case...They have 4 different types I think but I love the penguin one coz I have the matching hand lotion too hehe. This one has a flavor of green apple. This is how it looks like ^_^

The back label is written in Korean...

It's a tin can case and the inside looks like this...

I LOVE THIS because:

- It comes in a cute container. I'm really a sucker for pretty packagings hehe

- It's a tin case so it's a little durable.

- It smells good but the taste is very mild that I sometimes think I'm just "tasting" the scent of the product.

- It gives instant moisture as soon as you applied it. It reminds me of Vaseline petroleum jelly because of the texture.

- Easily accessible and affordable too.

I DON'T LIKE THIS because:

- There are times that it's hard to open the case.

- It is unsanitary to use because I need to dip my fingers into it.

- The moisture is not long lasting. Once the lipbalm disappears on my lips, my lips will get dry again.

OVER-ALL RATING: 4/5. I love using this before I sleep because I wake up with soft lips every time.

WILL I REPURCHASE THIS? Definitely! I would love to get another one once I finished all of my lipbalms ^_^

*****

Here's some pictures taken by my bf's brother...

I love how Kuya Bibo captured Hershey's expression ^_^

Thanks for dropping by! Till next time. Bye! ^_^

Video Tutorial: Lee Hyori Inspired Makeup

2011-10-26T14:29:00.005+08:00

Hello! Good day to you all! I woke up very well rested even though we slept very late last night because of my mom's birthday party celebration.

I had the urge to do a makeup tutorial this morning...maybe it's the right time because it's been so long since I created one....but I wanted to do a video type of tutorial.. I don't know what came into me haha ^_^

Please do give me a comment on my performance...This is my very first time shooting my self doing makeup and so I don't know if the lighting is okay and if my editing is good too. I'm not really well versed in Windows Movie Maker haha :)

Anyways, so here's my Lee Hyori Inspired Makeup Tutorial.

I think the lighting washed out the colors.. This look is very bright in person...anyways, I'll be waiting for your feedbacks and I will try my best to improve on my skills ^_^

Till my next post! Bye!

Review: Red Berries products

2011-10-25T10:54:00.004+08:00

Hello everyone! I hope all of you are doing great. I'm gonna be busy later so I decided to post this now hehe...It's my mom's 50th birthday and I still need to do some grocery shopping and cooking before she got home from work.. We want to surprise her with a small party ^_^

Anyway, going to the review. The owner of Red Berries, Aura, contacted me and sent me some samples of their products to test and do a review. She asked me nicely to give her feedbacks about her new products and so I willingly tested these on my sensitive skin hehe ^_^

Here are the products that I got:

* Shea & carrot tonic, face cream, whitening drops, green body cream*

I haven't tried the Shea & carrot soap and whitening drops yet so I won't be able to do a review on them.

I will start with the face cream. When I was sent this, this face cream still doesn't have a name but it is now called Skin Breakfast (morning pact).

LOVE IT because:

- It has a great scent. It smells like strawberry yogurt! Whenever I put this on my face, I can't help but smile because I smell yummy haha ^_^

- Gives enough moisture on my dry patch of skin (cheeks area) and the moisture is long lasting too

- It is said to have an anti-aging and brightening content so that's a big plus.

- It didn't broke me out and didn't cause any itchiness

- Gives a smooth base for my makeup

I DON'T LIKE THIS because:

- It's a cream formulation so it's not meant for oily skin..It made my skin a lot oilier.

TIPS:

- If you are oily, you can just use this at night to replenish the moisture content of our skin overnight.

- Place inside refrigerator to add some cooling effect upon application.

For more info about this product, click this.

The second product that I tested is labelled Green Body Cream. I'm not actually sure if they changed the name of this product or not because I got this before the actual launching.

As you can see, I have already used quite a lot of it. And my brother also use this because it doesn't trigger his allergy that is caused by strong scents because this body lotion is unscented.

I LOVE THIS because:

- It is very moisturizing.

- It has menthol and it gives a cool feel to the skin. I love to use this during hot weather to cool me off.

- It absorbs in the skin very fast. No heavy feel like with other body cream that I've tried before.

- Being unscented can be a plus for others.

I DON'T LIKE THIS because:

- It doesn't have spf in it. I love my body lotions to have sun protection.

- It doesn't smell anything. I love scented body lotions.

I will definitely try their other products too. I saw their website and they have a lot of promising products that I would love to try like the High 10 Whitening Serum and the Fountain of Youth Serum. I am also currently using the Emu Blue Peel Soap and that's on my to-review list.

Do check their website at RedBerries18.multiply.com. They have a lot of natural products at affordable prices. And the owner is so nice too so you won't have to worry about they service.

TIll my next review! Bye!

DISCLAIMER: These two productsI reviewed were, again, sent to me for free for testing and reviewing purposes. I am not representing the brand and this review is based on my own honest opinion about their products.

Our baby had babies!

2011-10-24T20:53:00.002+08:00

OMG!!! Me and my boyfriend got so surprised when we found out our baby, Hershey, delivered a puppy. We thought she's just fat and had pseudo-pregnancy (she has all the signs of a pregnant dog) but we never took into consideration that she's really pregnant coz we didn't had her mated with other dogs. Surprise, surprise! My bf's maid found her with one pup today around 1pm and shock was an apt word to describe how my bf felt when he was faced with the realization that our Boston Terrier was hit on by his Tibetan Terrier haha. Anyway, here's the scene I had when I arrived at my bf's place after he called me to ask for help in delivering the pups because he doesn't have any experience while I have lots of experiences in this area.

Hershey had 5 healthy puppies that looked like her! She had a very difficult delivery since this is her first babies. She doesn't know how to successfully push during contractions making it very difficult for the puppies to go out. We actually assisted her by gently pulling the puppies and the placenta during the delivery. All 5 pups were delivered within 5 hours ^_^

Here are some pictures of what they look like...they are so tiny and cute!

See the tiny pink ear? He's the second born and is so unique :)

It's so hard to take a clear picture of the puppies since they continuously move so I was unable to post a lot here...

Here's a picture of me and my bf while waiting for the next puppy to come...Proud parents, don't you think? hehe ^_^

I will end this post witha picture of my baby with her babies after the whole ordeal.. Look at how Hershey sleeps! She has one of her front paw on top of her head haha ^_^

I'm so happy that everyone is safe and healthy...but this is Hershey's first and last pregnancy..I don't want her to suffer again because she doesn't have the right skills to deliver puppies fast and simple... Anyway...

"Congratulations Hershey for being a mom! I hope you will take care of your babies very well. Daddy and Mommy loves you and will always take care of you and your babies ^_^"

Oh, and I just want to greet my very own Mama. happy 50th birthday!! I love you so much! ^_^

Review: Green Barley...All-in-one solution!

2011-10-05T18:45:00.002+08:00

Hello guys! As promised, here's another review.

I have not seen any blog post or review about this product as a beauty item so I decided to make one. I'm talking about Green Barley. This is an organic food drink that came directly from Utah and repackaged here in the Philippines so they can add flavorings (This tastes like fruit juice) to make the taste more palatable to consumers. This is advertised as a health drink because barley has a very high antioxidant content. I will try to enumerate some of the health benefits of this plant for you all.

Here's what the description in the bottle says...

Here's the ingredients list and also the approval seal of different organizations.

About the green barley plant....

Green barley is recognized by science as being the most nutritious of all plant foods, containing a broad spectrum of essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids in high concentrations. It also contain enzymes especially the superoxide dismutase, a very powerful antioxidant.

It's calcium content is 11 times higher than cow's milk, iron is 5 times higher than in spinach, 7 times higher in vitamin C compared to oranges and has 2x the amount of beta carotene than carrots.

According to history, the Roman gladiators eat barley as a source of energy and strength. It was also stated in the Bible 37 times for medicinal and food purposes.

Green Barley is not considered as a food supplement like liver-aid or something because this is under “real food” category that is why it was BFAD approved.

And since this is a real food this won't harm your liver and kidneys, unlike other supplements around the market which need to pass these organs for elimination purposes.

Drinking Green Barley can help in a lot of illnesses like cancer, high blood pressure, goiters, burns, low immune system, etc to name a few. You can search Google to find out more about the benefits and contents of green barley.

Now, after reading all that facts, you might be wondering why I said that this is also a beauty product. Right? Well, I thought, since this has antitoxin properties, why won't I try applying it on my skin to heal my acne? And there are some people who have tried using it as a toner and it worked for their acne too. So I did an experiment when I had broken out from a product I was testing. I got 3 huge zits at that time and what I did was I applied barley juice twice a day.

I drink 30-50ml of barley juice first thing in the morning before eating anything (Green Barley is my family's source of vitamins), so I use the left over drops from my barley juice to apply on my skin. I let it dry before I wash my face and put my regular skincare regimen like moisturizer and sunblock. At night, I remove my makeup and wash my face then apply barley juice again on my clean skin and let it dry before sleeping.

After using this for 3 days, I noticed that my inflamed acne started subsiding already, yay! It's not as painful too so I continued using it. I don't apply other anti acne medicine on the acne because I want to test the power of Green Barley fully. And I'm so happy that it worked great on my skin. Now, whenever I feel like I'm gonna break out, I do this regimen and it instantly halts the eruption of acne on my skin ^_^

WHY I LOVE GREEN BARLEY...

– a good source of vitamins and antioxidants for the whole family. Even babies and pregnant women can drink this, it's just the dosage that will vary. Oh, this can be used on animals too!

– It taste good. If you love the flavor of tropical fruits, then you'll love Green Barley juice.

– It really helps in healing the body. My mom's myoma decreased in size after drinking one bottle a day for 2 months. She will have another ultrasound to check if it's gone now. My granpa who have colon cancer drank this for a month and his rectal bleeding stopped too. We easily recovers from flu too, so we don't take antibiotics anymore ^_^

– This is multipurpose because you can apply it topically on wounds too. Faster healing for mouth sores (singaw) that usually last for more than a week heals within 2 days according to my brother.

– Keeps my skin clear from painful acne. I think it works on pimples too coz whenever I apply this all over my skin, even my pimples disappear. And this is minus the burning and darkening that happens when you apply benzoyl peroxide as spot treatment.

– Helps in my digestive tract. I always have a problem with constipation since I was a baby and I can now eliminate daily (after I started taking this) which is a miracle for me ^_^

WHAT I DON'T LIKE...

– A little expensive... a bottle which can make 250ml of barley juice costs Php275. It's pricey if you will drink a bottle of this everyday but if you just plan to take this as a supplement, you just need 50ml a day and a bottle will last you almost a week. What more if you just use this as a skin care product which you only need half a teaspoon to cover your whole face? It might take you more than a month to consume this hehe

– If you don't like having sweet fruit juice on your face and sometimes feels a little sticky, then it's not for you.

So there, I hope I have given you all an organic alternative for all your health and beauty concerns. If you wanted to try this, I can help you get one. Just send me an email at galebart_15@yahoo.com and I'll be very much willing to sell you a bottle. My family always buy it by box coz it's cheaper that way since all of us at home drink this and we usually consume 1 bottle a day (there are 5 people in my family and each of us drink 50ml) so we always have stock at home.

Until next time! Hopefully I can make another post tomorrow. It's the last quarter of the year and our schedule at the office is quite hectic hehe. Bye!

NOTE: Please don't forget to participate in my survey...I will really appreciate your inputs. ^_^

--Gale--

SURVEY

2011-10-04T07:51:00.002+08:00

Hello!! Guys, I need your input on this matter. This is very important for me and my sister and I hope you will all take your time and participate ^_^

Me and my sis were on the process of opening our online shop. It will consist of all the products that we have tried and tested and have loved. I don't really like selling things that I don't personally believed in and haven't tried.

My questions:

1. WHAT PRODUCTS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN OUR STORE?

a. acne treatment products

b. whitening skin care products

c. anti-aging skin care products

d. makeup products

e. health supplements

f. clothing

2. WOULD YOU LIKE NATURAL PRODUCTS OR TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS BETTER?

Natural - no chemicals

Traditional - with chemicals and preservatives

3. WHAT INTERNATIONAL BRANDS WOULD YOU LOVE FOR ME TO BRING HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES?

You can choose as many as you want. I just want to gain some info on the market. Thank you for your cooperation!!! You guys are the best! ^_^

Update after the Typhoon

2011-10-04T07:44:00.002+08:00

Hello everyone!! I have been MIA again last week and it's because of the typhoon. I really hate rainy season because it's so hard to move around and I can't work fully. I also didn't like the fact that we had a brown-out time during the typhoon, but I guess we're still lucky coz it was just for 6 hours and others had no electricity for 3 days.

Anyway, I just want to hope everyone is alright and were not affected by the typhoon. A lot of people were submerged in flood water for days and I know how hard that is. Our provincial house in Nueva Ecija was affected and we were still unable to visit the place to clean. I hope I can go home there to clean up our ancestral home.

I promise to publish a review tonight or tomorrow. I'm still thinking which one to do among all the stuff lined up for review hehe ^_^

Oh, by the way, I have a question for you guys. I will do a separate survey post for that and I hope everyone will participate. I value your opinions very much.

Thank you for sharing your time with me by reading my blog. Bye! ^_^

Our 8th Anniversary ^_^

2011-09-22T22:51:00.002+08:00

I just want to share this very memorable day with you all. Me and my bf celebrated our 8th year anniversary last September 15. This year is different because we just stayed in my place and he cooked for me and did some videoke time. This is the first time we ever celebrated our anniversary in a very simple way, but I like it this way because it became very meaningful at the same time. We just bonded together all day.

My bf cooking 6 cheese spaghetti with Italian sausage. I really love it when he cooks for me.. I feel like a princess haha ^_^

Here's the final product. Sorry about the appearance, I really don't know how to plate dishes beautifully coz I just eat them fast hehe ^_^

The dish was really so good! Just right and tastes like something that's made in a restaurant. I love it!

If you guys want to read our love story, you can read it here.

Here's a music video I made about us...just click here.

Thank you for reading my post... I'm just so happy that I want to share these pictures with you all ^_^

Review: Tony Moly Intense Repair Live Snail Cream

2011-09-22T09:39:00.003+08:00

Happy Thursday everyone! I was unable to post these last few days cause my dad got hospitalized due to severe headache and on-and-off fever. I was really worried that it was dengue or worse menigitis like the doctor said. Thank God it was neither of those. My dad got pneumonia which is very common nowadays here in the Philippines because of the frequent changing of weather and he also got sinusitis according to his MRI which caused the headache. So, yeah, we are back home! And I'm so happy my dad is back to normal ^_^

Going back to my post of the day, I'm gonna review my very first product bought in Tony Moly. This brand just opened their very first store this year and I do love their endorsers, the Brown Eyed Girls and Song Joong Ki. I also love the packaging of their products because they are so cute and also affordable like with Etude House.

I was looking for another product to try for my pimples and post acne marks that won't go away and since I finished my Etude House AC Clinic gel lotion already and I can't repurchase because it's out of stock, I decided to try Tony Moly. They have a skin care line for acne but the sales lady promotes this Live Snail line because it helps with pimples, post acne marks and blemish and is also anti-aging. So I decided to give in since I'm also on the look out for a good anti aging product and if I can get an anti-acne, whitening and anti-aging product in one, why not?

This package comes with a tub of the Intense Repair Live Snail Cream and a tube of Live Snail eye cream (I'll do a separate review on the eye cream and I also was unable to take a picture of it for this post, sorry.) This promo package cost me around Php2,000 which is quite expensive but since it already came with a 15ml eye cream, so I didn't mind it anymore.

The box itself is very expensive looking. It's a golden bronze shiny box and the quality of the packaging is really superb.

The back of the box is where the ingredients and instructions were written. Majority of it is in Korean but you would be able to see an English version at the bottom part of the box. It's so hard to show what is written on the box through pictures coz the surface is so shiny and the light keeps on reflecting.

It says:

Tony Moly Intense Repair Live Snail Cream [Anti wrinkle & Whitening & Skin Repairing]

Skin repairing and nourishing cream with filtrated mucus ingredient form living snail

70% of snail mucus filtrate / 6 skin irritating elements free formula / Anti-wrinkle & Whitening formula

It is a highly concentrated skin rejuvenating and nourishing cream containing more than 70% of snail mucus filtrate that gives self repairing and strengthening power to the skin. This moisturizing cream is made of a very mild and skin friendly formula that uses only fresh and safe ingredients. Also, it is certified as an anti-wrinkle and whitening functional formula which has amazingly silky texture and premium skin treatment effects. It makes the skin firm, clear and supple as born natural.

Directions: Take an adequate amount of the product, gently apply to face and neck area.

I was quite intrigued because it came from a live snail and I don't know why but a lot of Korean brands do have their own "Live Snail" line and all of them promoted it as anti aging and whitening.

When you open the tub, it looks like this:

It a white cream that is very easy to spread all over the face.

Here's my review on it.

I LOVE THIS BECAUSE:

- This claims to be a multi-purpose product- Anti aging, whitening and skin repairing

- It's very easy to spread and be absorbed in the skin

- It has a pleasant scent. I was quite surprised that the scent has a little bit of floral in it.

- Not very heavy for someone with oily skin like me

- Made my mom's skin smooth and youthful looking

I DON'T LIKE THIS BECAUSE:

- it kinda broke me out even though it's said to be free of irritating ingredients

- the idea of putting snail mucus on my face is kinda icky at times

OVER-ALL RATING: 3/5 - it's very effective for my mom but not for me. I don't think this is a good product for younger skin coz my sis also tried this and had bumps all over her face even though she's not pimple prone.

WILL I REPURCHASE AGAIN? Definitely not for me. But if my mom wants to continue using this after she finished one pot, I will buy one for her again ^_^

TIPS:

- If you don't like the idea of putting snail mucus on your face, don't purchase this.

- Do not apply too much product coz it would take longer to be absorbed by the skin.

- Place this in your refrigerator so that it can be refreshing after application

Thank you for dropping by! Mwah* ^_^

Review: Etude House AC Clinic Gel Lotion

2011-09-14T14:44:00.005+08:00

Hello guys! I'm here again for another review of a Korean product and this time it's from one of my favorite brands, Etude House. I love Etude House's packaging, price and the quality of their products. This brand is under Amore Pacific, the same one that Laneige and Innisfree belongs to so they really give costumers very good quality products.

As you all know, I have a very sensitive, acne-prone and oily skin and it's so hard to find the prefect moisturizer because I either tend to breakout or get too oily from them so I'm always trying products. When I saw that Etude House has a range for acne prone skin, I researched it if the products are worth buying or not. And the reviews are usually positive so I decided to try it out. The first product I tried from the AC Clinic line is the gel lotion.

Here's what it looks like:

It's a green glass bottle with white label. Very simple and it looks like a medicine bottle in my opinion. It contains 150ml of product. This moisturizer has a very thin consistency so it spreads easily on the skin. It is stated in the box that it's main ingredient is salicylic acid which is a very good acne fighter. I prefer salicylic acid compared to benzoyl peroxide coz SA doesn't burn the skin like BP does.

The back part of the bottle is written in Korean but there's an English version in the box. I just don't know where I placed the box so I can't show it to you...

As you can see, I finished this up too hehe I can't even show you what the gel looks like coz there's not even a drop of product coming out of the bottle hehe ^_^

I LOVE THIS because...

- it doesn't make me oilier

- it absorbs quickly. I can apply my makeup after a couple of minutes.

- helps control my pimple problem. After I started using this, I don't get small bumps easily.

- very affordable. This only cost around Php600++.

- it doesn't sting my eyes even if I accidentally applied near the eye area.

- didn't gave me allergic reactions or stinging sensation

I HATE THIS because...

- It's always out of stock.. It's very hard for me to purchase another bottle.

- it doesn't smell pleasant.. The scent of salicylic acid is very strong

- the moisture it gives is not enough whenever I have dry skin on my cheeks

- I don't think this lotion is enough for acne...they have another product for that (I will review it next time)

OVER-ALL RATING: 4/5. I love that it works but there is something better than this for sure. This is best used on troubled and very oily skin coz if you have combination-oily skin like me, this moisturizer is not enough. And I also love to apply face products that smells good so that's one of the major reason I don't like this.

WILL I REPURCHASE THIS? Yes. I would still love to have this around during hot weather coz it's light enough to not make me oilier. I also like the idea of a 2-in-1 product, coz I just need to use this both for moisturizer and treatment.

I recommend this to those people with very oily skin and are having problems with pimples coz this is gentle enough for the skin but still provides a good pimple-fighting power.

Till next time. Bye! ^_^

Review: Laneige Pore Trouble Skin Refiner

2011-09-09T11:25:00.005+08:00

Good day everyone!!! How's your week? It's already Friday here in the Philippines and it's a very hot day.. I'm so excited right now because it's already a "-ber" month and Christmas is nearing so hopefully the cold season will come very soon and my suffering will end haha :)

So, for my first review after my comeback, I will talk about Laneige Pore Trouble Skin Refiner. This is a toner from Laneige's Pore Trouble line or their skin care line for acne prone skin.

This is what it looks like:

It's a beautiful bluish-green glass bottle that is 7.5 inches tall and it contains 160ml of product.

At the back of the bottle, it says there "Dermatologist tested" and that it's made in Seoul, Korea.

It has a screw type lid which is very secure so you don't have to worry about spilling. It has a stopper so you get to control the amount of product to be dispensed in your cotton pad.

Here's my take on the product after finishing it up ^_^

I LOVE THIS BECAUSE...

- It smells good. It has no strong scent of alcohol that other toners have.

- It doesn't sting my eyes if I accidentally placed it near my eye.

- It didn't cause any irritation or breakout in my skin.

- Cleanses any trace of dirt and makeup left.

- It helped in controlling my oiliness because it doesn't strip my skin dry so my skin doesn't produce more oil.

- It comes in a very pretty packaging. It's so nice to look at on top of my dresser hehe ^_^

- The rubber stopper has the perfect size of hole so I don't waste a lot of product every use.

I DON'T LIKE IT BECAUSE...

- It's quite pricey. It cost around Php1,500 (sorry I can't remember the exact price) for 160ml of product.

- The glass bottle is not travel-friendly coz it might break. SO this might be a con for some. But you can just transfer some product in a travel size spritzer that you can bring when you travel, that's what I do :)

OVER-ALL RATING: 5/5. This is the best toner I have tried ever! I think this is my HG because I can't find anything wrong with it except for the price but I don't mind paying a little extra if I get the results I want.

WILL I REPURCHASE? Yes! But not now coz I'm gonna try other toners from Laneige and Etude House next. But I'll definitely buy this again if that doesn't work as great as this :)

What about you? What's your favorite toner? Share them in the comment box below. I love trying out products. If I can find something as good as this one but a lot cheaper , why not? Right? ^_^

Till my next post. Bye!!

I have a new laptop! ^_^

2011-09-07T23:12:00.006+08:00

Hello everyone!!! I'm so happy to inform you all that I'm officially back!! ^_^

So first off, I just want to show you guys what I look like now since it's been ages since I last uploaded a picture of myself hehe ^^

You guessed it right, I cut my hair! My old hair already reached my bra-line and I love having long hair because I can style it, but because of my hectic schedule, I decided to cut it short. My hair is around 1-2 inches above my shoulder now and it's so easy to manage. And I also love the fact that a lot of people mistake me for a college student even though I'm turning 26 on November haha. . Who doesn't want to be young-looking right? ^_^

Anyhow, the reason why I was able to finally say I'm back is because I have a new laptop... I won't be needing to borrow from my brother anymore yay!

This is what my new baby looks like... She's a Samsung NP-NC110 :)

It's a very nice shade of pink. Pink is not my favorite color but I actually have no choice because I got this from my bf's sister and she loves pink. She bought this last month because her MAC book broke down, but her hubby got her a new MAC book as a surprise gift last week so she don't need this anymore and so she sold this to me for a cheaper price even though it's still almost brand new :)

I love how the keyboard is almost full size. I don't have a hard time typing so this is perfect for blogging. My only gripe is that the font is so small! This baby has a 10.1 inches screen so can you imagine the strain on my already "blind" eye? Even with my eyeglasses on, it's still a little difficult to see the characters on screen clearly.

But I'm still happy to have this laptop because I could easily bring this along when I go out. It's very light and portable and the battery life is very good. I can get 6-8 hours if I'll just use it for typing or web browsing and around 4-5 hours if I watch videos.

SO yeah, I made this post just to jump start my come back and I will try to post at least 2 blog post every week. Hopefully, you'll still stick with me and read my post just like before.

Thank you so much for waiting for me.

And I would also want to air a special thank you to everyone who sent me a message, giving me warm encouraging words even though a lot of you I still haven't met in person. Thank you so much for giving me strength ^_^

Till my next post! Bye!

Where have I been?

2011-08-11T14:09:00.002+08:00

Warning: This is a diary-type post.

Hello everyone! I'm pretty sure you're all a little surprised to see a post from me after being MIA for 2 months (again!).. I know, I know. I'm so bad at keeping my promises to you all of continuously posting here in my blog.. I really wanted to (I even day-dream of creating blog posts sometimes) but I can't. I don't have the chance/opportunity to do a blog post. I even rarely open my Facebook and email.

Remember my last post when I told you guys that I was on leave from my work at the derma clinic because I need to accompany my mom and grandpa to doctors? Well, that leave of absence became a permanent situation for me. I was unable to come back to work because the results of the examinations done to my grandpa is not good. He was diagnosed with colon cancer and according to the biopsy, it is malignant. We spent a lot of time having different tests like endo/colonoscopy, CT scan, proctoscopy and blood chems. We also went on a search for the best doctor we can find to take care of him. We have been so blessed because there was a lot of people helping us and also praying for him to get well.

My grandpa needed to have the tumor removed ASAP but there's a high chance that he will have a colostomy bag for life. He will be alive and can live a normal life again without worries but I know his self-esteem and social life will suffer from it. Who would want to poop through your abdomen, right? There's also the problem about the operation itself. He is wondering if his body can stand the 5-hour operation because he is already old. And he is also worried about the chemotherapy after, which might make his body's immune system go down and he will become so weak that he won't be able to work anymore.

It's already been two months now since the diagnosis and he is still contemplating if he will push through with the operation or not. He is seeing a Chinese doctor and he is hoping these natural remedies can help contain the tumor so that it won't metastasize and spread in his body. He has a friend who have liver cancer (did not undergo chemo after having bad reactions from the meds) and she's still alive and strong until now (I think it's been more than a year already) because of the natural remedies this Chinese doctor is giving her. It did help him in stopping his rectal bleeding but I'm still not totally convinced it can totally remove the tumor.

I don't know, I do believe that natural remedies won't harm you but I'm a nurse, so I believe in the Western way of healing. If there's a tumor, you need to remove it ASAP so that it won't spread and you won't have a chance of healing anymore. Remember our late president Cory Aquino? She have colon cancer, but she didn't died because of it per se, she died because her cancer spread to her liver already. And we are very lucky to be able to detect it at an early stage (it's either stage 2 or 3) so I'm really hoping my grandpa can decide soon.

And there's also the prayers from a lot of people and also the healing masses he attends to. I believe in the power of prayer and I'm very thankful to all the people who are praying for us. These prayers made my grandpa stronger and he's been able to handle this situation with ease.

He just had another CT scan yesterday and it as under the watchful eye of my aunt who is a radiologist doctor. She had everything done a couple of times to make sure every result is correct when we bring it to our onco-surgeon. We will be bringing the result tomorrow and I'm really praying that it would be a good news. I'm worried that he will give us a bad reading. Guys, please pray for us..

So, yeah, that's the main reason why I don't have time to blog. Majority of my time was spent with my grandpa. I do accompany him a lot whenever he's here in Manila and he's been here quite frequently these past months. I was also unable to fix my PC so I just borrow every now and then. Anyways, I really didn't have enough time to concentrate and create a good product review or a makeup look and I don't want to put half-baked ideas hehe. I'm kinda picky that way.

I know you guys would understand 'coz you are the best! My readers are the sweetest and I'm very great full for all your support. And also my online buddies, sisses, thank you so much for the comforting words :)

Sorry for a very long post. I just want to put my thoughts out there because it's my way of sharing my life with you all. Let's all keep in touch! Till my next post, bye!

God bless everyone!!!

Final Verdict: Derma Roller

2011-05-25T10:54:00.007+08:00

I'm back for my final verdict about my Derma Rolling experience. I have already finished my 10th DR session last month and I believe that I can now give an unbiased review on it because it's already almost a month after my last session and I could inform you if it does have a lasting effect or not :)

Brief history about my skin condition:

- I have skin asthma that makes my skin really sensitive. I tend to break out with a lot of products and my scars takes a lot of time to fade away and they usually stays reddish and doesn't turn brownish.

- I have acne prone oily skin since I was 12 years old. I once got clear skin for a whole year after taking Tetralysal for 6 months (2 years ago) but my acne came back last summer because of the heat (my skin asthma attacked with a vengeance and made my already sensitive skin a lot more sensitive to the elements! Arrg!)

- After a lot of trial and error on different topical and oral medications (my skin tends to stop responding to meds after 2-3 weeks so I need to continously shift regimen), my derma and I decided to try derma roller coz it will "...stimulate your own skin to heal itself by increasing the blood circulation and producing collagen..."

Here's my BEFORE picture. This shot was taken after my 2nd session. I think this is my worst skin ever in my history!

At PRESENT, I have already stopped using my skin care regimen from my dermatologist. I can't continually use my dual action acne cream (I used this at night) anymore because it contains adapalene that doesn't do anything for me except creates more pimples and benzoyl peroxide which makes my acne scars a lot darker than usual. Although, I do swear by this product because it's the one and only product that I used for a long time and it helped cleared out my acne. It's just not advisable to use if you don't have active acne anymore, so I stopped this three months ago.

note: I think Galderma has a similar product named Epiduo. You might want to check it out if you have stubborn acne :)

I also used a medicine called extra strenght acne gel (I used this in the morning). I think it's a topical antibiotic that targets those stubborn infected area to help kill the bacteria. I used this for a couple of months too until my acne stopped popping out :)

So for now, my current skin care regimen is:

AM

- Etude House Pure Joy cleanser (This is a hypo-allergenic cleanser)

- Laneige Pore Trouble refiner (This toner is so mild)

- Etude House AC Clinic Gel Lotion (it's a moisturizer with salicylic acid)

- SKII Facial Treatment Clear Lotion (this doesn't do anything special...this contains salicylic too)
- Etude House sunblock SPF 49 PA++ (for sesitive skin)

PM

- Cleanse with EH's Pure Joy cleanser
- Tone with Laneige Pore Trouble refiner
- Moisturize with EH's AC clinic gel lotion
- Treat with SKII Facial Treatment Clear Lotion
- Prevent aging with tretinoin cream (I got one from my derma)

Every other day
- I use Laneige pore trouble cleanser. I don't use this everyday since it can be drying. It has small beads that is not harsh on the skin so you can use this as frequently as you want.

I'm under this skin regimen for over 3 months already and so far, I only get one or two small acne during my period (as seen in my photos below). My current problem now are my blackheads and whiteheads. They don't really want to go away. I don't think derma roller can help prevent blckheads and whiteheads if you love oily and sweet foods like me. It would really take a good diet and good skin regimen for you to have clear skin.

What i look like now ^_^

I have nothing on my face. I just finished taking a bath and I thought of showing you guys whta my skin looked like now after 10 sessions of derma roller. What do you think? :)

What I liked about derma roller:

- It helped stopped huge cystic acnes from errupting even during my periods. I just get one or two small zits that goes aways after a day or two.

- It made my skin a lot more firmer, brighter, healthier and clearer

- I saved a lot of money because I don't need to have a lot of skin care products now to maintain my skin's condition (no acne!)

- I don't need to use a thick foundation anymore whenever I go out. I just need to use a pressed powder to control my oilies, dab a tinted lipbalm and I'm good to go. (My readers who dropped by the clinic and saw me knows what I mean. I rarely put makeup on atwork hehe)

- If I do get pimples, it goes away easily.

- It made my cheeks rosier. I have this healthy glow that I love.

- It has anti-aging benefits too so it'd like hitting two birds with one stone..actually three birds, coz it also helps in making deep crater-like acne scars shallower.

- It's not painful because your face has a thick topical anesthesia.

- Derma roller can also be used for hair loss, melasma, scars, wrinkles...it's just a matter of what serum your dermatologist will use on you.

*I used collagen most of the time and I tried the lightening serum too on my last 2 sessions for the scars.

What I don't like about DR...

- A little expensive because it costs Php20,000 for 10 sessions. Although, it's still a lot cheaper than other clinics that charges Php30k for 6 sessions. You need to provide 50% down payment then pay the rest during your next sessions.

- Derma rolling alone was unable to remove all my acne scars, both the dark spots and the crater-like scars. You might have noticed that I still have a lot of post acne scars on my cheeks. And my acne scars are not that deep either. So I'm still on the lookout for a better scar removing procedure.

- It did not totally helped with my oilies. I still have an oil mine in my face hehe.

- I'm not yet totally sure if my being free from acne can last a long long time without any kind of acne medication so I'm still looking for a great serum to put for maintainance purposes. I don't want to have bad skin again.

- There are some patients who do experience breaking out after every session even though their concern is not active acne but post acne scars only, so I don't know what to say about that.

Do I regret undergoing this procedure? No. Even though I still got a lot of scars and I'm not sure if the effect is long lasting, I am still very much satisfied that it removed my stubborn acne for the last months. Having clear skin even for just a while is already a blessing for me. I know that I have sensitive skin so I'll definitely breakout every now and then whenever I try new products but at least I now have a skin that reacts good with medications so that I heal quickly. And I will never regret paying and undergoing derma rolling.

OVER ALL RATING:

4.5/5 - for acne control/treatment (I still geet whiteheads and blackheads)
3.5/5 - for scar removal (for dark spots and ice pick scars)
4.5/5 - for anti aging (I've seen patients that had shallower wrinkles after DR)
5/5 - for healthier looking skin

Will I recommend this? Definitely! I recommend this for those who have saturated all the anti acne medications out there and have not found the one product that can help clear out their acne. I do believe that undergoing derma rolling combined with a good skin regimen, healthy diet and lifestyle can definitely clear outt stubborn acne.

TIPS:

- Consult with your dermatologist first about this procedure before having this done because it might not be a match for your skin type.

- Make sure that the one who does this procedure on you is trained and knows how to handle the instrument.

- Be religious in following the treatment schedule. Every session should be done every 2-3 weeks to maximize the effect.

-Lessen your intake of oily food and sweets to prevent breakouts

- Sleep early. Late nights will make your body produce more testosterone...more testosterone = acne.

- Change your pillow case as frequent as possible to keep your skin clean from all the dirts, oils and bacterias that are stuck in your pillowcase.

- Be patient. There's no fast track treatment on acne. You should finish your targeted number of sessions before deciding to give up on that procedure and look for the next one.

- As much as possible, stop trying out new products until you've cleared your acne coz it might aggravate your skin and makes your sessions useless.

My last words would be: "Self discipline, consistence and patience is the real key on achieving clear skin..." I'm still struggling with this manta but I am trying my best to follow this simple saying. It is hard to stay away from pizzas, burgers and fries, cookies and ice cream, but I am eating them less now than before. I also don't sleep without removing my makeup and washing my face even if I'm too tired to do it. Having clean face helps our skin breath and repair itself at night :)

I hope this post can help you guys decide if derma roller is worth a try or not. It's not for every one but you won't know if it's for you unless you went out and try it or have asked your derma about it.

Thank you so much for visiting and reading my long post. Till next time. Bye! ^_^

Coming back from my hiatus...

2011-05-25T10:23:00.004+08:00

Hello everyone! I miss you all! I can't believe my last post was last March already...time flies so fast when you're busy..Please pardon me for not updating my blog and for not visiting your posts too...I was unable to stay online for a long time everyday since I don't own the computer I'm using to check my mails, etc. so I can't really construct anything and I hate being rushed when I'm making a blog post coz I love being thorough in my details...

Now, you might be wondering why I'm not using my own computer...well, it's now dead, literally. I had my best buddy checked it out 2 months ago because it keeps on shutting down by itself. But after a couple of days trying to fix the problem, my motherboard exhaled it's last breath and can't be resucitated anymore. Because it's kind of an old model, I won't be able to find an exact one to replace it and it would be more costly if I will try to fix it since I'll need to change all the parts too. So my friend suggested that I just get myself a new one because it would be cheaper and would be brand new so the lifespan would be a lot longer too hehe...anyways, with my low income, I won't be able to have the budget to get a new computer so I'm now stuck borrowing my brother's computer with a monitor that shuts down every so often that I can't even write a single paragraph straight. Arrgg! So please allow me to just post every now and then until I can come up with a better plan :)

I'm also currently in an indefinite leave from my work because my mom will be undergoing a major operation for her myoma...And since I'm the eldest and I'm a nurse in the family, I would be taking care of her. I'm now quite busy going back and forth in a couple of hospitals too coz I'm also accompanying my grandparents for their own diagnostic check ups. My lolo for his intestinal bleeding and my lola for her annual breast cancer check up.

A lot of my relatives abroad came back here in Pinas for a visit too..So as usual, there was a lot of reunions and entertaining to do. I really enjoyed having my Ninong Marvin's family come over for a visit. He is one of my uncles who really became my nanny while I was growing up so I'm really close with him. My Ninang Amy also came back here after around 15 years of staying in America. She's one of my mom's closest cousin :)

This is really a very memorable summer for me coz I got to see a lot of my relatives and I became close with my co-workers and some of my patients. I also got to learn a lot of new skills from my current work.

Anyways, I'm hoping that I could post another topic for today after this one. I'm currently typing without a screen right now coz my monitor shut down again...whew! it came back just in time for me to say goodbye to you guys and post this hehe.

I hope everyone had a great summer! And always keep safe. Miss you all! Till my next post! Bye!

Love,
Gale

Review: Carmex Lip Balm

2011-03-14T21:59:00.004+08:00

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing weekend :)

Now, going to the topic of the day..I would be reviewing a very famous lip balm known as Carmex.. I bought the chapstick type first but when I opened it, the product inside is not formed so I returned it. But every piece the SA opened, it's the same, so I ended up just getting the one in the tube.

Anyways, I have been using this for around 2 months now and have used it a lot of times ever since I got it and this is my verdict :)
What I love about this product:

- It comes in a squeezable tube so it's very sanitary and also easy to use. I can also use all of the product inside because I can just squeeze it.

- It can give my lips immediate moisture once applied.

- Easily available locally. I got mine from Landmark Department Store at Trinoma Mall.

- Price is also okay.. I think it's Php99 only.

- You only need a small amount of product for every use.

- Easy to control the amount of product squeezed since it has a thick consistency.

What I don't like:

- I'm not a big fan of the taste, feel and scent of the product. It feels like I am applying a Chinese sanitary balm on my lips. Yeah, the mentholated balm in gold tin containers with a dragon logo that our parents put on us when we were kids if we have colds or what they used on their sore muscles... Para talagang pang-pilay...

- This contains petrolatum and I feel like I'm just putting a mentholated petroleum jelly on my lips. The effect it has is like petroleum jelly too.

- The moisture it gives is just temporary. Once the product dries up, my lips gets dry and chapped again. This requires frequent application during the day to keep your lips moisturized.

Over-all Rating: 2.5/5 - I'm quite disappointed. I hope I just got myself a pot of petroleum jelly that only costs P25 because the effect is just the same.

Will I re-purchase? Definitely not. I'm just using this up so as not to waste my money. I will look for another lip balm to use.

Thank you for dropping by. Till my next post. Bye!

Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer

2011-03-08T10:44:00.003+08:00

Hello guys! Thank you so much for continously dropping by here even though I can't post frequently..I really appreciate your support :)

I have a problem signing in these last 2 weeks at a couple of sites like proboards, blogger, facebook, email and youtube because of the new antivirus my cousin installed..It blocks almost all of the sites that you need to log in.. Luckily, I can now log in at facebook and youtube and also girltalk, but I still can't check my email and blog. I am now borrowing my brother's computer just so I can post a review to break my "silence" until my computer got fixed hehe ^_^

I am currently loving Etude House's Proof 10 eye primer. I have used MAC Painterly Paintpot for a couple of years and I prefer this a lot because this spreads easier on the lids and is not cakey even if you applied thickly.. and it's cheaper too!

Here are more reasons why I'm in love with it :)

- I love the cute packaging. It comes in a clear bottle with a do-foot appplicator. I love the fact that I can see how much product I still have left.

- It applies smoothly when I apply it on my lids. It's very easy to blend and your lids feels velvety smooth once the product dries up. Your eyeshadow also doesn't clump because of the smooth surface it created.

- Keeps my eye makeup stay put the whole day even in hot weather. I love the fact that even though I have very oily lids, my makeup doesn't crease and smudge. This haappened before with MAC paintpot and it's an ugly sight.

- Makes my eyeshadows more vibrant than without using any base.

- Very affordable and available locally. I got mine from SM the block branch.

What I don't like about Proof 10 eyeprimer:

- always out of stock. It took me months before I finally got a piece.

- I'm wondering if I can use up everything in the bottle especially on the sides because it's not shaped cylindrically like lipgloss. I hope I won't have a problem with like with UDPP packaging...

Over-all rating: 5/5. I will definitely repurchase this. I hope they make different colors too :)

This product is definitely a must try especially to those who don't want to shell out a big amount of money for eye primers but want a good quality product at the same time :)

Till next time guys! I hope my computer can be fixed soon so I can put more posts. Bye! :)

"Bagay ba sa akin ang kulot?"

2011-02-24T09:11:00.003+08:00

Hello guys! If you understand Tagalog, you've probably guessed what my post today is all about, right? Hehe ^_^ But for those who don't, "Bagay ba sa akin ang kulot?" means "Does curly hair look good on me?" in English.

First off, I did get another haircut at Tony and Jackey's hair salon at their SM Annex branch last week. This is my 3rd haircut there and each time with a different Korean stylist.

For this haircut, my stylist's name is Eva. I wanted a haircut that when tied with a ponytail, I can still leave out some pretty fringes. And also, at the same time, I want something that if I want to curl it or just let it down, it would look good too.

Now, you see, I haven't tried curling my hair before but I always envy those girls sporting wavy curls coz I think they look good. So I decided to ask my stylist to curl it instead of flat ironing it like the usual and she agreed. I don't want to chemically curl it without knowing if it looks good or not so she just used a curling iron for this look.

What do you think? Does curly hair looks good on me or not? I need your honest opinion, girls! I don't intent to have digital perm but I would love to purchase a curling iron for those days that I want to change my look.

*6 hours later*
So, what do you think? I'll be looking forward too your comments below! Till next time! ^_^

IMPORTANT! Please read!

2011-02-22T08:39:00.003+08:00

Guys, I just received emails and calls from my friends and relatives that they received an email from me stating that:

"Apologies for having to reach out to you like this, I made a trip this past weekend to London, UK and had my bag stolen from me with my passport and credit cards in it. The embassy is willing to help by letting me fly without my passport, I just have to pay for a ticket and settle Hotel bills.

Unfortunately for me, I can't have access to funds without my credit card, I've made contact with my bank but they need more time to come up with a new one. I was thinking of asking you to lend me some quick funds that I can give back as soon as I get in. I really need to be on the next available flightI can forward you details on how you can get the funds to me.

You can reach me via email or mayfeild hotel's desk phone, +447031804805 or +447031804806I await your response -Gale"

PLEASE DON'T BELIEVE THIS! I am still here in the Philippines and I did not went out of the country.

My email was hacked and all my inbox and contact informations are now gone. I don't know how to reach all of my contacts now...huhu...any suggestion on what I can do? I already changed my password but is it enough? Or should I just change email?

All your suggestions would be welcomed. Thank you!

Just a quick rant

2011-02-21T20:12:00.003+08:00

Aarrg!! All the messages in my email got erased! I don't know what happened. I just opened my email and switched it back to classic setting and then bam! Everything got deleted...huhu...I have a lot of unread emails... :(

If some of you have emailed me this past week, please send them again because I haven't read them yet...Thank you.

I hat yahoo at this moment!

Review: Etude House Proof 10 eyeliner pencils

2011-02-20T22:06:00.002+08:00

Hello everyone! I have been quite busy lately with personal stuffs so sorry I was unable to post last week...But I'm still testing out products so I have a list already of what to review :)

Now, I'm gonna do a review for Etude House Proof 10 eyeliner pencils. I have been using this for the last month and I have tested them in both cold and hot weather so I think I can give a good review on these two babies :)
Just a little background.. I have very oily eyelids (and T-zone) so my eye makeup really needs to have a good eyebase in order to prevent it from creasing and smudging. I have always experienced looking like a racoon at the end of the day because all my eyemakeup went down to my undereye...So yeah, I decided to test these two producs with and without eyeshadow base to have a good judgement :)

Etude House Proof10 eyeliners are automatic and comes with its own sharpener at the end of the pencil. The blue one is from the jewelry line which means it has shimmers in it while the black one is from their regular line and is just matte.

What I like about this product:

- No need to frequently sharpen unlike with regular pencil liners.

- Comes with its own sharpener.

- Very easy to use and apply because you can control it easily (compared to using liquid or gel liner)..

- You can also carry this around in your makeup pouch for touch ups during the day since it's in pencil form and you don't need to carry another brush with it.

- The liner itself is soft so it doesn't tag and scratch your delicate skin.

- The color it produce is the same as it is in the cap. Check out this picture. I swiped it twice each and the colors are already vibrant even without base :)

- Long staying on my oily lids with or without eyeshadow base. If without base, the vibrancy of the color upon first application stays put for around 5 hours in hot weather and if with base the whole day (8-10 hours).

Note: I did not try putting this on my waterline coz I don't like doing it. I just use liners on my upper and lower lashline...

- very affordable and accessible. There are a lot of Etude House stores here in Manila. The price for each is only around Php300! (I'm so sorry if I can't tell the price, I lost the receipt..)

What I don't like about these two:

- very hard to remove at night. You really need a good eye makeup remover because my Mandom cleansing express and Ellana makeup removers doesn't work. I still become like a racoon the next day because the liners have smuddged during washing of my face at night...

Here's an EOTD of me using both liners. I just smudged the blue liner a little because I did wear this look out and my sister is looking at me strangely when the blue was so vibrant hehe :)

TIPS:

- Buy a good eyemakeup remover. Choose one that is good for waterproof eye makeup products.

- Use cotton buds soaked with your makeup remover instead of cotton so you can remove your eyeliner in hard to reach places.

- Don't share with others to prevent contamination. If you did shared it, sharpen your eyeliner to sanitize it by removing outer coating.

I hope this review helps. Do check out Etude House. This brand really offers good quality products at an affordable price. Plus, the store is so cute and especially the packaging of the products. You'll really feel like a princess hehe :)

Till next time. Bye! :)

Review: Basic Beauty 2-way Powder + DR#7

2011-02-10T08:55:00.007+08:00

Hello everyone! It has been around a week since my last post. I'm currently getting acquainted with my new job. I'm learning the procedures that I will be doing to patients and also procedures that I needed to assist the doctor. It's not that difficult but since I've been away in the medical field for a long time, I can't really move as fast as I used to. But on the other hand, I'm very much enjoying interacting with people. I even get to meet some of my readers there and it's a very nice feeling to chat with them in person. So guys, please introduce yourself when you do visit there so I will know you too :)

Now, on to my review of the week. I mentioned this product in my Best of 2010 products. It's the Basic Beauty Beauty 2-way powder.

I've been using this everyday for atleast 2 months already and I think it's enough testing to give my review on it :)

Overview:

It comes in a cute small packaging. It can actually fit in my palm and my hands are small, mind you hehe :)

The logo of the brand, shade and the ingredients are all placed in the cover instead of the usual which is at the botton of the pan.

Another unique feature of this compact is the mirror. It is uniquely placed at the bottom of the pan.
It also comes with a cute washable sponge to use for touch-ups.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS PRODUCT:

- Gives me a natural matte look for 4-5 hours. This is an achievement for me coz I am super oily and I do start getting oily 30 minutes after I wash my face.

- Hypo-allergenic. This brand claims that it is hypo-allergenic. I also showed this to my dermatologist and she said the ingredients are fine.

- I did not experience any breakouts or any type of allergic reaction (like itchiness). I really have sensitive skin and I can only use limited number of products on my face that won't give me itchiness so I'm really happy that I did not experienced any kind of bad reactions from this.

-Very light on the face. It feels like you don't have anything on.

- Can be used to set liquid foundation coz this won't give any additional coverage.

- The shade Light is perfect for me.

- It doesn't appear chalky for me.

- Very compact and will easily fit any size of makeup bag.

- It has a built-in mirror and also a sponge so you won't need to carry a separate mirror and brush for touching up during the day.

- Sturdy packaging. I accidentally dropped this and the powder inside did not crack and the whole case is still intact.

- Affordable. This is only Php280! (I can't remember the exact amount but it's around P280)

- Can easily be purchased locally. I got this in Trinoma Landmark department store.

*CONS*

- It has a tendency to cake if you use the sponge applicator to retouch often. I prefer using my Ellana baby buki in retouching throughout the day.

- Because it doesn't have any coverage, for days that you want to cover up imperfections, this won't do at all. It's just like putting a transluscent finishing powder.

-It's only 8grams so it will surely be used up quite fast if used often.

- It only has 3 shades: Light, Medium, Dark.

Here's a shot of my bare face.

Note: This shot is taken 2 days after my 7th derma roller session ^_^

Here's a pic of me wearing Basic Beauty 2-way powder in Light only.

I know it looks white but it does blend in on my skin after a couple of minutes and then become dewy after 3-4hours because of my oilies. It really looks natural in person :)

OVER-ALL RATING: 4.5/5 - I love this product! If only I can use this as my foundation, I will definitely give this 5/5 rating :)

WILL I BUY AGAIN? Definitely! I'm even contemplating on trying out other products from this brand :)

Hope you all enjoyed this post. Till next time. Bye! ^_^

Derma Roller Diary: Progress 1st -> 6th

2011-02-01T22:10:00.006+08:00

Hi everyone!! I have a lot of good news for y'all. First is that I'm officially an employee of MBM Skin Clinic starting today and is now a dermatological nurse under Dra. Michelle Manuel (my derma). Yay! I really can't believe my luck that I will be able to train under a very good and well known doctor in the field of dermatology. It's obvious that I love skincare stuff and I really am lucky to be working in the area that I love. I can now share with you all new procedures (and even promo available) that can be done in the name of beautification and keeping our skin healthy :)

My second good news is that, everyone in my family is doing great, health-wise. My Lola is still cancer free, my dad has already recovered from his illness, my mom's health concerns are ruled as not serious, my loveones are all healthy! Oh, and my pets are too! I have 2 new puppies that are both healthy and big ^_^

The third good news I received lately is that my bf has also been hired as a staff nurse too (and good paying at that compared to other health care facilities in the country). We can now really start gaining experience so when we migrate to Canada in the near future, we will have a good chance in getting a job as nurses :)

And lastly, I now have totally acne-free face yay!! I proved this when I can't replenish my topical acne medication for more than 2weeks and all I can do is wash my face 2x a day with Cetaphil for oily skin and I'm still acne free until now. I really can't believe I can last a long time without any medication at all. I usually end up breaking out before if I don't put any type of acne treatment on my face for at least a week and it's been going 3 weeks now and I'm still clear hehe.. Although, I still got myself today another acne treatment cream just for maintainance (I got one with a lower dose of medication since I don't get cystic ones anymore) ^_^

To show you some proof, here's some pictures of my progress from day 1 of my Derma Roller upto my latest which is my 6th session :)

FIRST SESSION

3ominutes after procedure

2nd SESSION

3rd SESSION

*sorry, no photos for 4th session*

5th SESSION

6th SESSION - my face right now

Did you see how big the difference my Derma Roller did to my face? And that's just 6 sessions with just a maintainance of acne treatment. I think the DR helped my skin to absorb the medication better and at the same time prodding the deeper layers to reproduce healthier skin cells and heal itself. This procedure is really heaven-sent to me ^_^

NOTE: Bad news for those who want to undergo Derma Rolling in the future. The price of the DR from the manufacturer, according to my derma, is increasing lately that's why many clinics including her are increasing the price of the procedure. I'm so lucky to have paid my whole 10 sessions last year while the price is still low. I think, last I heard, my derma already charges Php20,000 for 6-10 sessions of DR. This is still way cheaper compared to other derma clinics like Belo who charges around Php40,000, IMO. Maybe the manufacturer learned that they are really in demand...the higher the demand = the higher the price.

Anyway, I still believe this procedure is worth every penny since it works. DR can be used for acne treatment, antiaging, hair growth, etc. Same instrument is used and only the medication infused in the skin is different for different purposes :)

I hope you guys did not get bored with my uber long post again. Until next time! Thank you for dropping by. Bye! ^_^

Love,

Gale

My Best Products for 2010 + mini reviews

2011-01-28T15:09:00.011+08:00

Hello! I'm back! How's everyone? I hope 2011 will be better for all of us..It already started getting better for me so I'm really looking forward to the rest of the year ^_^

So, I decided to start my 2011 with a year-end list of the best products I used throughout 2010. These are products that I discovered in 2010 and loved and also products that I am still loving despite the years that have passed.

In no particular order...

*ELLANA SHEER VELVET POWDER PRIMER

- You all probably know that I love this to bits because I use this a lot on my FOTDS. It really helps control my oil and it also makes my skin appear smoother especially on pictures. This is really the cheaper version of MUFE HD Powder, IMO. I started using this 2 years ago and I'm still loving it until now. I think me and my sis used up around 2-3 pcs of this already coz we use it almost everyday hehe :)

*ELLANA UNDEREYE CONCEALER in CHEER (Peachy shade)

-For a years, I loved using yellow undertone concealers (Mary kay concealer, Ellana Awake, Monave Buttercup, etc) to brighten up my eyes, but this year, I learned that peachy concealers can cover dark undereye circles better so I tried this one.. I loved this because it doesn't give me the reverse racoon look wherein your undereye area is just too bright for it to look natural especially in pictures. This product can make your eyes look awake and brighter too but not excessively. Great to use alone if you don't need too much coverage or you can apply it on top of a peach undereye concealer on days where you have dark dark circles due to lack of sleep.

TIP:

-moisturize undereye area first to prevent the product from setting in the lines.

-Use a fluffy brush in applying on top of a creamy concealer to prevent caking.

-Use concealer brush if you want a heavier coverage

*TIANUO LIP OIL & LIP ICE SHEER COLOR

-I love these two because I can blend these easily on my lips for some color with added benefit of moisture. Both are non drying and long lasting. They give off a different shade of pink as you can see in the swatches below so I just switch them up everyday.

For me, Tianuo lasts longer on the lips and gives off a more vivid shade of pink than Lip Ice, so if you want a bolder lip look, go for Tianuo.

Although I usually carry Lip Ice with me for touch-ups during the day because it's in a stick form and won't stain your kikay kit. I also love that it just gives me a just-bitten look everytime. Really a YLBB lippie.

*BRUSHES

- Here are my favorite brushes of all time. I think I can live with just this set.

My must have brushes.

ELLANA BUFFFER BRUSH - One of the softest brush I own. I have tried a lot of face brushes and this is the best for me. I love MMU so I usually have powder foundations and setting powders and this brush delivers for the on-the-go girl like me. Since it's big, I can do my whole face in less than a minute with even coverage and smooth finish. I also did not experience any shedding, deforming or even having scratchy hairs even after a year of frequent washing (Unlike with natural hair brushes). And since it's synthetic, it's cruelty free.

ETUDE HOUSE DUO FIBRE BRUSH - I just love the size of this brush. Perfect for the whole face for applying liquid foundation or for your cheeks for applying blushes. I just love how soft and compact the hairs are which helps in creating that flawless finish. It's also quick drying so you can wash it as freqent as you want. I did experience a little bluish stain on the white hairs but I don't really mind coz it ddoesn't really transfer on my face. I love this way better than my MAC 187 SE because this doesn't shed.

LUMIERE DUO FIBRE BRUSH - I got this 2 years ago and it's still the same as when I got it brand new. Really good quality brush. Doesn't shed and bleed. It's also very soft and easy to clean. Perfect size for appplying blushes and highlighters. Although it says "powder" on the brush handle, it's too small for that function.

MAC 217 E/S BRUSH - This is already more than 2 years old and I'm very glad that it's still white haha. I love how it is very multi-functional (blending eye makeup, putting colors on lid, applying highlighters and concealers) and very easy to dry. I would love this brush to bits if only it's not scratchy. I really hated it when after a couple of washes, it became scratchy. I need to wash this after every 2-3 uses just to condition the hairs so that it won't irritate my eye area that much. But nevertheless, I still give this 4/5 because it delivers.

LOEW CORNELL 3/8 mop brush - a very affordable alternative to MAC 239 shading brush. Delivers well and very cheap. I'm very happy to be able to get this last year through Sol. It packs color on the lid very well and I can also use it for blending harsh lines. I can really recommend this as a good buy.

CHARM CONCEALER & EYELINER BRUSH - These two brushes are included in the first ever batch of Charm brushes produced (Is it 4 years ago? not sure). Although I'm pretty sure Chram brushes now are a lot better in quality than before, I'm still not in need of getting a replacement because they still function well even though I've used them thousands of time already. Look how old the handles look now haha but I still love them to bits. Good job on these ones Sophie!

*SHISEIDO EYELASH CURLER

- This curler is already going 4 years old and it still looks brand new. I just replace the rubber every now and then but the curler itslef is good as new. Very sturdy and reliable. It did not get rusty, bended whatsoever. I don't even buy Shiseido rubber, just Fanny Serrano refills but it still works the same as when I use the original one. Really a good investment to buy good quality products that you know you will use frequently for a long time. It really pays-off.

MAKE UP FOREVER STAR POWDER No. 902 & MAC COCOMOTION PIGMENT

- This combination is my go to night time eye makeup. My eyes look so pretty and put together whenever I use this combo. Both eyeshadows are very pigmented and lasts very long so they are perfect for my oily lids. I've been using these eyeshadows for 2 years and I have used a lot of them already. I'm still debating whether to buy a full pot of MAC cocomotion or I'll just get another sample online so I can save some money and buy another product hehe...anyways, I am still in love with them so I included these two in my best products list :)

*ETUDE HOUSE PROOF 10 EYELINERS

- I discovered this late last year and I fell in love with them right away. I just love how easy and simple it is to use compared to using gel liners. This is a pencil, so you have control in applying your liner unlike with liquid liner that it's so hard to create a straight line. This also have a sharpener at the end if you want a pointed one to create a finer line or a wing. Etude House carry different types of liners but I have only tried Proof 10 ones because they are the waterproof ones. I really have oily lids and even with a base, my liners smudges after 5 hours, but with this one, that doesn't happen. I really love how long lasting it is on my lids. Although I can't say the same if you use it on the waterline coz I haven't tried that. I just apply liner on my upper lashline to have an illusion of a fuller lashes haha.

The blue one is under the Jewelry line which has shimmers/glitters while the black one is from the regular line. Both are waterproof :)

Isn't it vibrant? I'll do an in-depth review on these liners next time so I can discuss it more with lots of pictures too :)

*BASIC BEAUTY 2-Way powder

-I came across this brand in Landmark Trinoma. It is a hypo-allergenic brand like Clinique and VMV. I don't know if this is a local brand or imported but it is really affordable. This powder is just around Php280. I've been using this everyday since I got it last month. I even showed it to my derma so she can check the ingredients for any irritating substance and she gave me a thumbs up (yay!) . I have not experienced any kind of allergic reaction from this powder. No itchiness, pimples, redness whatsoever (even on very humid days). It also controls oilies very well. I usually get oily within 30 mins after washing my face but this powder can keep me shine free for around 5 hours! For a very affordable product, it really delivers!

The packaging is a little unusual because the mirror is at the bottom of the pan and the label in at the top but it looks cute.
I will also do a separate review for this since I want to share a lot about this product. All I can say for now is, this is my HG powder at present :)

*DERMA ROLLER

- Last but not the least, my savior, derma roller. I really really am grateful for this product because it salvaged my skin. I am now acne free, yay! I have finished my 6th session and I am still planning on finishing the last 4 to totally remove my acne marks.

Please watch out for my next post because I will do an update on my Derma Rolling experience.. I will show you guys how improved my skin is now :)

Sorry for a very long post. I think I missed blogging so much that's why I can't stop typing haha...Till my next post! bye!

Greetings!!!

2010-12-30T19:04:00.002+08:00

PAWS Christmas Wishlist ^_^

2010-12-13T18:32:00.004+08:00

Hello everyone! I just want to share this with you all. Since it's a season of giving, let's not forget our furry little friends at the PAWS shelter who needs some stuffs all year round. If you have some things you can donate, even though how small, that would be a great help for them. ^_^

"Things have been busy at the shelter, but for those who would like to donate supplies this giving season, the following items make up PAWS' WISHLIST:

-Dry cat food
-Canned cat food
-Canned dog food
-Old newspapers
-Bleach
-Detergent powder
-VIBRAVET paste (doxycyclene paste)
-Doxycyclene capsules
-Mycocide shampoo
-Cotton
-Cotton buds
-Kitten feeding bottles
-KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer)
-Kennel cabs (dogs)
-Cat carriers or plastic picnic baskets (with cover)
-Alcohol
-Rags and old towels

Thanks and Merry Christmas!"

Please coordinate with the PAWS' office/volunteers for your donations. Just go to their website. Please share this post in your blog so that we can reach many people. Thank you! ^_^

Contest alert! Win a UD Book of Shawdows III!

2010-12-08T18:10:00.003+08:00

Contest! Contest! Contest! This is a big one! For all the girls who missed out on the Urban Decay book of shadows III, Kat O is holding a giveaway contest and she's giving away this beautiful palette as prize! To know the details, just click here ^_^

I wanna win one!! ^_^

Derma Roller Update

2010-12-07T18:31:00.003+08:00

Hello everyone! Sorry for being MIA again...December is a really busy month with all the events happening and everything. Also, I can't take pictures of all the stuff I want to review for you guys coz my digicam is still in the repair shop. I had it checked out coz the screen have a purple tinge at the side and I got afraid the problem will progress so I sent it for repair ASAP.. Hopefully, I can get it this weekend (They told me I'm supposed to expect it by Saturday, but who knows)...But for now, no pictures post...

Anyway, since I don't have pictures to show you all of the result of my Derma Roller #5 + Collagen, I'll just enumerate the things I noticed in my skin after the procedure ^_^

*A day after DR*
- My skin still appears pinkish
- It became soft
- Appears smooth all over
- My skin feels a little sensitive (like when you used too much astringent) because of the needles

*A week after DR*
- Skin still appears smooth and rosy (No need for blush!)
- Oiliness is lessened and appearance of pores is finer.
- I'm loving the appearance of my skin at this time because I look flawless in pictures even without anything on haha (and even with my dark blemishes on the cheeks)
- I got compliments that my skin had really improved ^_^

*2 weeks after DR*
- The effect of the collagen has lessened already. My skin is still soft to the touch but the same when I just got it. ..BUT I still love it :)
- I'm getting oily again but my pores is still not that huge so at least that's a retained effect from the DR.
- The rosy cheeks is still there so I really look healthy

*OVER-ALL REVIEW after 5 Derma Roller session*
- I don't get huge cystic acne anymore even during my period! Yay! I'm so happy that I've achieved my priority goal for undergoing this procedure after 5 sessions.

- My ice pick marks are slowly elevating and I'm crossing my fingers that they will all flatten/be of the same level as the rest of my skin before my 10th session is up.

- My skin appears clear even if my acne marks are still dark.

- I have permanent rosy skin now which makes me look like I have healthy skin to start with :)

- Having being able to confidently go out with just a tinted sunblock on my face and without worrying too much about acne really helped in my self esteem so I'm a happier person over-all ^_^

I still have 5 more Derma Roller sessions and I'm now aiming for a flawless skin ^_^

I'm thanking God for all the blessings I'm receiving right now and I hope all of you will also receive lots and lots of blessings especially now that it's Christmas season :)

Bye!

-Love Gale-

Philippine Kpop Convention 2

2010-11-25T21:25:00.002+08:00

Hello everyone!

I wanna invite all of you to join and support the 2nd Philippine Kpop Convention this coming December 11, 2010. Not only will you enjoy the many activities but you will also be able to help others because ALL PROCEEDS of the "entrance fee" will go to GAWAD KALINGA as donation. Minimum entrance fee is Php150 but you can give as much as you want and the personnels of GK will be personally handling the registration so there will be no 3rd party involve.

I hope to see you all there! For more info, please check out their site.

Tag: What's in your kikay kit (makeup pouch)?

2010-11-23T20:19:00.002+08:00

Hello everyone!

I was tagged by Joice a couple of weeks ago but I just got the time to do it tonight so here it is. This is what my makeup pouch looks like.

CONTENTS:

Blotting papers

Medicine kit (meds and band aids for emergencies)

Lip balm

Lipstick/tint

Cologne/perfume

Hair tie and pin

Room keys

brown paper bag (in case I can't breath)

Candies

Pantyliner/sanitary napkin

Facial tissue

Comb

My pouch is from Japan (a gift from a friend) and I love it because it fits everything I want to bring. And also, it has small pockets inside to fit my keys and mini perfume container.

I'm tagging everyone who wants to share their Kikay kits. Please post in the comments the link of your post if you did this coz I love looking at other's pouches hehe ^_^

Till my next post! Thanks for dropping by ^_^

Derma Nursing 101

2010-11-13T20:31:00.004+08:00

Hello everyone!

You must have noticed that I'm MIA again this past couple of weeks but I have a good reason this time ^_^

I have been very busy training so I can become a dermatological nurse. I think this specialization is the perfect one for me since I love skincare and beauty stuff. And also, I don't need to go to work at night since almost all derma clinics closes before 9pm so that's really good news for my health hehe :)

I was very lucky to be included in this training course and to be given a full sponsored scholarship by Sen. Trillianes. I did not need to spend a single peso because of him. Thank you so much, Senator, and it was so nice meeting you in person.

I also want to thank Sir Eric, our course director, for the continous support and for teaching me a valuable lesson about how to become succesful in life. I know that he did not get paid to do that special self-actualization activity...and that's one of the reason why I'm so thankful for it :)

I'm also very blessed because our trainer is non other than Dra. Michelle B. Manuel, my very own dermatologist. She usually conduct lectures both locally and internationally to other doctors and I feel so lucky to learn a lot of things from her (and I'm telling you guys, she really knows a lot!). She has this great capability to teach and I can really grasp her lectures easily. Learning from one of the best in her field is one of the greatest thing I got from this experience. Thank you so much Dra. Michelle! I hope to learn more from you ^_^

I just want to share with you a couple of our "class picture". They are very informal coz we just took it before our class started hehe ^_^

And here's a picture with Dra. Michelle. She's the one on the right of the picture (wearing a pink top). She treated us with lots of pizza (yum!) after a long day of learning.

I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be able to become a great dermatological nurse in the future and if that happens, I'll probably open my very own skin spa/derma clinic ^_^

Till next time, bye!

***

Please check out my BLOG SALE ^_^

Blog Sale: MAC, Smashbox, Chanel

2010-11-05T08:39:00.012+08:00

Hello guys! Me and my sister decided to sell some brand new and slightly used makeups from my aunt. We won't be able to use them coz we still have a lot, so instead of letting them just sit in our traincase, we hope to give them a new home with a new mom that will appreciate them more ^_^

1. MAC Frost Lipstick in FESTIVITY - SOLD

- Php 450 *swiped once*

2. MAC Lustre Lipstick in SOPHISTO - SOLD

- Php 500 *brand new*

3. MAC Lipglass in DUSK - SOLD

-Php 350 *brand new*

4. MAC Lipglass in EN POINTE - reserved to Gotchabear

- Php 350 *brand new*

5. Chanel Glossimer in #48 JEAN ROSE - SOLD

- Php 450 *brand new*

6. Smashbox Cream Eyeliner in BLUE STEEL

- Php 400 *used around 5x*

RULES:

1. Only available for Philippine residents only.

2. Me/My sis can do meet-ups depending on schedule.

*Trinoma, SM north, Glorietta/SM Makati*

3. Buyer will shoulder the shipping - Air 21, LBC, JRS, DHL

4. We accept COD, GCash, bank deposit (RCBC account)

Thank you! I hope you guys can give these lovely babies a new home ^_^

Contest Alert!

2010-11-02T17:36:00.004+08:00

The Swiper is holding a very generous contest! Phoebe is giving away a lot of cool prizes for the winners :)

You can enter in 3 different ways (twitter, subscription, blog/facebook) and she has different prizes for different categories too. Do check out her blog post here for the complete details about her contest.

I would love to win this for my mom :)

Though I'll be happy with any of the gift packages coz all of them are very eye-candy :)

I really hope to win this contest coz it's my birthday this month.. hehe

That would be a great birthday gift, don't you think? ^_^