Sale Alert! Cherry Culture at 20% off!

It's Cyber Monday and Cherry Culture's taking 20% off everything they have! Yes, even the items that are already marked down and on sale. Plus, if you're a member, you get double points too. How sweet is that? So if you've had your eye on some candy for a while now, now's the time to get it!

Woohoo! Time to get a-busy!

Do note that it may take up to 14 days for them to process your order. Don't forget to use the code to enjoy the discount!

Another Contest!

Her Royal Bleakness is holding a contest, and she's giving away a P2000 Derma gift certificate!

Tada! Photo from: http://goo.gl/kaBW2

So if you want to score this GC for a derma treatment or two, head on over to her contest post and join!

Sunday Loot

After chowing down at Seoul Garden, The Annex, SM North EDSA, we walked on over to SM "Classic" (the older, original mall) to get to the department store. We headed to the beauty section, and I grabbed some stuff, courtesy of the parentals :)

Lip Ice Sheer Color and Color Lipbalm, Sunsilk Damage Repair Mask and 4U2 Blush in 01

The first thing I grabbed was the 4U2 blush. It was the brightest color there. I liked this strawberry pink shade the most. Considering it costs only P154, I was okay with it. Dunno how long it'll last though, kinda disappeared on the hand I tested it on already. 

The hair mask shocked me alot. I was used to buying L'oreal's drugstore hair masks, that I consider cheap already. When Elseve was first introduced, it was sold at P375. Then they brought it down to P250 for a 200ml tub. Total Repair 5 is sold at the same price. Then I saw Sunsilk's huge 400ml tub at P195. I checked the 200ml tub, P99. Woah! So cheap! It blew me away; I was sold. I grabbed a 400ml tub of Damage Repair, since I still have my (unused) sample of the shampoo and conditioner from months back. I'll try to use them together after my huge Head and Shoulders and Garnier Color Conditioner run out. (What is it with me and the big US sizes? I buy imported if they're a deal, and I end up using them like, forever. Go figure.) 

Phoebe's Lip Ice post got me hooked. I started to look for Lip Ice like crazy! Luckily, I spotted them on a little stand right before we were gonna pay. Weird how SM North EDSA put the lip and facial section away from the rest of the beauty products, after the fragrances and right beside the entrance. I grabbed the uber cool Sheer Color and the Color Lipbalm for the SPF 15.

Beyonce Heat Eau de Parfum 100ml

I first heard about HEAT's Philippine release on Nikki's blog post here. My mom was the first one who got side tracked; we were supposed to go cehck out the lip and facial section. She was like, "Ooh, it's pretty nice, do you want it?" So I answered, "Yeah I do, but you're the one paying. So if YOU want it, buy it. If not, don't!" Obviously, she liked it and we went home with a bottle of HEAT. This is a very long wearing fragrance! It has floral, fruity and woody tones. The woody tones really come out after you've had it on for a while. 

HEAT (100ml) is available at SM for P3950 (Nikki's post says P3650, but the HEAT promo guy changed the price tag and everything and we ended up paying P3950) with 150 bonus point for SM Advantage members and a Gift with Purchase. Am calling up SM North EDSA right now to confirm this, will update later.

EDIT: Talked to the guy in charge, the P300 price discrepancy is the bundled EDT for men. They included a 50ml bottle of Banana Republic's Slate for "only" P300. Apparently, it was a special discount, as the original price for the men's Slate was P2000 something. The GWP was a big black Paris Hilton GWP bag for her fragrances. Looks like they had a lot of these bags left over, so they're offering it as a GWP for heat instead.

Ew-Stick and Pot of Gold

Ever since I was a little kid, I used to love putting on Chapstick. Since I was blessed by genetics to have okay but rather dry lips, I had to rely on products to keep my puckers from peeling or cracking. And no, spit does nothing to moisturize, rather, it only makes lips even worse.

But since puberty kicked in, and I have now since stopped growing (except perhaps my waistline, butt and thighs), I have matured somewhat and my tastes have changed. I started to get this weird, icky feeling when I slather on Chapstick, or any similar drugstore lip balm. It's like, putting on floor wax or something, and not the nice kind either. It just forms a yucky, waxy barrier on my lips that remains intact forever. When I go to bed and there's nothing nearby for me to put on, I have no choice but to reach for my last Chapstick. I'd gently dab a bit on my lower lip, and just smash purse my lips together to smear the product on my upper lip. When I wake up in the morning, oh horror, it's still there. Sure, it does keep my lips from drying up faster than an oasis in a desert, but the feeling is just so weird. I'd get up quickly and wash it off before you can even say "Chapstick".

Chapstick Flava-Craze Blue Crazeberry

The last Chapstick I own is the Flava-Craze Blue Crazeberry stick. All the other abominable things I've chucked long ago. This one I keep because that Blue Crazeberry scent drives me nuts. It has me hooked, for some weird reason. This little doodad here stays right beside my bed, in case of emergency. All the other lip balms and such that I like, I drop into my make-up sac or tote du jour. Sometimes, I forget to unload and return. So unfortunately for me, I have to use Blue Crazeberry in those occasions.

Ilog Maria Propolis and Beeswax Lip Balm

The kind of lip balms I do like are the ones that slide on easily, melt into my puckers and moisturize well without leaving waxy residues. My current favorite is a well-used pot of Ilog Maria Propolis and Beeswax Lip Balm. I love that it's all natural, fits my good-lip balm description, and is Filipino-made. It also has this slight tingly, minty feel that I have a thing for. I simply delight in using it, and I swear by it. Also, this pot of gold lasts forever!

Ilog Maria products including my favorite Propolis and Beeswax Lip Balm are available from their farm in Cavite and their website, http://ilogmaria.com

Photo of the Ilog Maria balm taken from the Ilog Maria website

Love at First Touch

It was actually love at first sight. When I first saw the new releases of Charm make-up brushes, I drooled. I told myself, I will save up for them (because purchases at X amount and above needed due consideration and saving up first before an actual purchase, go me and my budgeting rules). People started getting them, and raving about them, and loving them. So yeah, I was jealous. I wanted them. I'm like, the last person on the planet to get them. 

Fast forward to November. Sophie posted this and then this! I was like, "Wow, this is my chance!" so I grabbed it. BF Mics wanted a change of scenery, since we were always and forever at Eastwood and Trinoma. I suggested, "Let's go to Rockwell! We haven't been there in a while. And I have this bazaar I wanna go to." He agrees. So we braved the awful, perpetual traffic disaster that was EDSA, and the terrible heat that was the weather yesterday, and went to Rockwell. 

First stop, Moonlit Bazaar! After getting in, we kinda walked around a little bit. Right there in the middle was Beauty & Minerals. Oh, gasp! I was kinda shy to talk to Sophie at first. But I sucked it up and introduced myself. Woohoo! Sophie is like the super nicest lady ever. Very pretty and down to earth too! 

I already knew what I wanted from the stalking looking at the B&M website. Sophie was also really kind to explain a bit more about her new brushes. They're now (all?) synthetic, meaning a little bit easier to maintain. Wash synthetic with something less moisturizing than for animal hair. Another big plus for me, since synthetic means no animal cruelty! Aside from that, Sophie also gave me a shade recommendation for eyeshadow.

So without further ado, here are my brand, spankin' new babies!!

Charm Holiday Brush Set

Charm Luxe Retractable Kabuki

B&M Silver Rose eyeshadow

Freebies from Sophie:
Cure sample, B&M blush sample in Flush, Charm Concealer brush

I'm glad I started saving a while ago, and of course, thankful for B&M's anniversary promos. Thank goodness I was able to time everything right! Not only did I get to buy my must-haves, but I was able to meet Sophie in person! I was sooooo excited about it. I'm glad I remembered to ask for a photo! Too bad it was only with my bleh camphone, with bleh picture quality.

Sophie and me!

So yeah, call me a fangirl. Love my older version Charm Flat Top and Kabuki brushes I got from her, incidentally, almost exactly (wah? haha) a year ago. It was also November, and B&M's anniversary sale too! I also got my bottle of Cure from her. And, I regularly read her blog, Beautynomics. I'm sooooo happy I was able to meet her. I was like, "I'm a fan of yours!" I do love B&M and Beautynomics. Even if I don't buy anything, I look at her pretty stuff on B&M. I don't comment regularly, but I read all her entries. I'm still so giddy! She's the nicest person, ever! I mean, I texted her and stuff, and she replied!

So about my new babies. I. Am. In. Love. They're absolutely wonderful! The Holiday Brush Set has all the essentials, it's the perfect size for taking out with you wherever you might have to go, are made from the softest synthetic bristles, and all the cute little handles are in pink! The Luxe Retractable Kabuki, on the other hand, is a marvel. I have the older version Charm Kabuki, and the difference is spectacular. I loved the old, hot pink-bristled Kabuki, but the Luxe Retractable stole my heart away. It more than lives up to it's Luxe name. It's oh-so-soft and silky bristles are absolutely luxurious. It's simply to die for! I spent a good few minutes just running it all over my hands and fingers. I couldn't resist, so I ran it over my neck and a bit of my chin too, even before washing it. It's just soooo good to feel! It's also the perfect size to take around with you everywhere. Since it's retractable, you won't have to worry about messing up or ruining your bristles in transit either. I could go on forever praising these godsends, but you get the point! They're awesome, fantastic, wonderful, beautiful, and all the other nice adjectives you can think of!

If you are looking for a place to go to tonight, I suggest you head on over to Rockwell's Moonlit Bazaar. They'll be there until 12 MN. All of B&M's eyeshadows are on sale at only 100 each! There are also other items that are on sale. And as for the new brushes, you have to see for yourself. They look so lovely and soft and wonderful on the internet, but wait 'til you touch them. It's a whole new experience. They're so soft, the photos don't do them justice, so go and touch them. And meet Sophie!

Charm bushes available at Beauty & Minerals: http://beautyandminerals.com

Sophie is the owner of B&M and Beautynomics, her blog: http://beautynomics.com/blog

0100 hours

Hi everyone! So it's 1 AM, and I'm still awake. I've promised myself to start sleeping early, for health and vanity reasons (better skin, to banish blemishes and lessen eyebags, among others) but I'm up until now, so why??

For one, I'm going through The Purse Forum. Everything from reveals to closets to the scammer's drama intrigues me. So I read, and read, and read. Very addicting! I've been awake until 3 AM one "night" this week for this.

Another thing that's keeping me up is manga. When I was younger, I was into anime. But now, I follow the manga religiously. I've started to read Yakitate! Japan (Who knew eating bread could make you go back in time and change history??) but I'm really up to date on One Piece, Naruto and Bleach. The three aforementioned titles are in order of preference. I'll go read more like, after this post :P

There are a lot of other things that keep me awake at times, including my spoiled pooch Coco. Right now though, I'm really really excited. I'm still giddy from today! Not only did I spend a rather weird but fun day with the BF, Mics, but I bought some brushes today! They're so lovely, I could go on and on about them. They're so great, that I'll do a very special post on them tomorrow! So stay tuned!

PS, don't forget to join Phoebe's Hello, Sweet November! contest! It's really sweet!

It's November!

What a great way to start the month! I checked out my favorite blogs and I chanced upon Phoebe's giveaway. She giving away ten goodie bags worth over 20,000 bucks!

I love reading Phoebe's blog. She really tells it how it is, and I love the way she writes her posts; you really feel her personality and spunk! Her make-up and beauty posts are what got me hooked in the first place, but her foodie and everyday blogging is really great as well.

Check out one of the amazing prizes, The Body Shop Naturalift line

Sweet huh? Head on over to http://www.phoebeann.me/hello-sweet-november/ now!

What I wore for Halloween

Here's the face I wore on Halloween. My face was probably the worst canvass ever, but Ate Lara of NARS at Rustan's Shangri-La painted it up and made some nice free hand art. Products used were all NARS except Stila eye liners for the design and Pur 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Make Up. Loved Stila's smudge stick waterproof eyeliner in silverdollar. Really nice in person!

Too bad I forgot to take a photo right after it was done, and in better light. My lips looked amazing, with a silvery metallic lip liner all over and a sheer pink lipgloss. My eyelids hosted some neutral shades and as usual, cult-fave Orgasm was dusted on my cheeks.

I'll be making another post on my unplanned hiatus the last two weeks or so. I'll be back to regular programming, hopefully.