Turn Back Time with Mary Kay's TimeWise Microdermabrasion Step 1: Refine

If you know me well, you know that I love scrubs and exfoliators. I enjoy using them once a week or whenever I remember. Recently, one of the scrubs I reach out for most often is Mary Kay's TimeWise Microdermabrasion Step 1: Refine. 

The scrub's particles are tiny and dense. Not just my facial skin feels soft and smooth after use, so do my fingertips! Another thing I like about Refine is that it's so easy to rinse off. Other scrubs tend to be hard to rinse off or leave exfoliating particles on my face. I also use Step 2: Replenish but I don't care for it was much as Refine. 

Mary Kay says:

Step Refine is an advanced exfoliator using the same professional grade exfoliating crystals used by dermatologists, to immediately energize skin and reveal more radiant, healthy-looking skin.

Application: After cleansing, apply a quarter-sized amount of Step 1: Refine to wet face with fingertips. Using circular motions, gently massage face with fingertips for 1-2 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and pat dry. Follow with Step 2: Replenish.

 Refine, as well as Replenish, are available from your Mary Kay Beauty Consultants nationwide.

Catch Ariel and Eric Under the Sea! Watch Disney's Little Mermaid live in Manila on December 11, 2011 at 8pm. Please contact 09178938426 / 09228978669 or visit Ticketworld (8919999) for tickets :) Hit us up directly for group discounts. Sea you there! 

Sampling Murad Acne

A few weeks ago my aunt passed some samples of Murad Acne to me. I never had the chance to try it since I haven't had any major breakouts lately. These past few days, I've been feeling under the weather and my skin decided to act up. A few small bumps and bigger (but not monstrously huge, just regular) pimples decided to pop out lately. I decided it was time to break out (oh, how witty, a pun!) these little babies.

It's not the entire range, but I have different step 2 and step 3 products to try. There's the Clarifying Mask, Exfoliating Acne Gel Treatment, Acne Spot Treatment for step 2, Target/Treat | Repair. For step 3, Hydrate | Protect I was given the Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15 and Skin Perfecting Lotion. 

What I like about using samples is I can make sure that I won't have any reactions with the products before I commit to full-sized or even trial-sized products. It also allows me to cycle products without worrying about them getting old, since my skin tends to become immune to certain products, specially acne treatments.

Tonight, I started using these after cleansing and toning. I started off with TBS' Camomile Gentle Eye Make-up Remover, followed by Kose Softymo Deep Cleansing Oil and Human Nature Tomato and Lemongrass Facial Wash. I toned using Clarins Toning Lotion with Iris for Combi and Oily skin. For the Murad Acne products, I used the Exfoliating Gel, Spot Treatment and Lotion. If all goes well, I'll be back to report favorable results. :)

Catch Ariel and Eric Under the Sea! Watch Disney's Little Mermaid live in Manila on December 11, 2011 at 8pm. Please contact 09178938426 / 09228978669 or visit Ticketworld (8919999) for tickets :) Hit us up directly for group discounts. Sea you there! 

Have a Golden Christmas with Shu Uemura

The web is abuzz with Shu Uemura's Wong Kai War collection, but what caught my eye while browsing the website was the Limited Edition Premium 24k Gold Eyelash Curler. 

Isn't it a beauty? They had an LE gold curler too, roughly a decade ago, which I bought. That was my first Shu eyelash curler. I remember it came in a white box with the same black silicone pad as the regular curlers. I lost it, and I remember crying because by then only the silver curlers were for sale. I ended up buying a silver Shu curler that isn't a bad deal at all since it's now about eight years old. 

If you don't have a Shu Uemura eyelash curler yet and are in the market for one, I suggest forking over the extra cash and getting this golden curler. The white silicone pad it now comes with looks better than the regular black pad that came with the old LE gold curler. Other people might scoff at me but I think the extra $5 for something so gorgeous and life-changing is well worth it. 

Go to the Shu Uemura USA website to swoon at it's gorgeousness some more and to purchase.

Catch Ariel and Eric Under the Sea! Watch Disney's Little Mermaid live in Manila on December 11, 2011 at 8pm. Please contact 09178938426 / 09228978669 or visit Ticketworld (8919999) for tickets :) Hit us up directly for group discounts. Sea you there! 

Win It! from Mary Kay: Colorful October

Mary Kay is back with another awesome contest! This time, they're giving away more than P20,000 in prizes.

To read the mechanics, head on over to the Mary Kay Facebook page Mary Kay Facebook page or directly here! The mechanics are really simple—just give yourself a make-over using our Virtual Make-Over Application—you get to try out Mary Kay products and get a free make-over at the same time without any risk. And that’s just if you try out the Virtual Make-Over Application—if you actually enter the contest, you get a chance to win prizes worth P10,000, P7,000 or P5,000! So what are you waiting for? 

NOTD: Purple Glitter on Hot Pink

Happy Sunday evening! Hope your weekend has been better than mine. I started "getting sick" after watching the Ateneo-UST game at Smart Araneta. Thank goodness we won though, it was pretty close at the end. I was yelling and jumping and cheering and screaming at the refs but it was soooo worth it. Anyway, I think this is the first time I'll be featuring my nails in a nails of the day post. So anyway, here we go!

I clipped my nails short and filed them 'til they were in between round and rounded square shapes. (You'll sorta see what I mean in the photos.) I protected my nails with The Face Shop's Nail Strengthener as my base coat. Then, I applied two coats of The Face Shop PK106, a vibrant, hot pink. 

Taken in natural light. 

So much sunlight! Kinda hard to see the glitter, the sun reflects too much on the glossy top coat.

Then I put on LA Colors Color Craze in Glistening Purple. On my right hand (photos above), I applied two thinner coats. On my left hand (photo below), I put on one thicker, goopy coat. Both provided a decent amount of glitter, almost enough to satisfy a glitter addict like me. But I noticed that two thinner coats gave more glitter and more even coverage.  After all that dried, I painted on my top coat, Azeria nail polish 008 in Clear. 

That little wound on my left hand? I poked myself using a pair of pointed tweezers.

I'm kinda sad my G12 can't capture what my nails look like in real life. I swear they look nicer in person. I'm happy with my nails though, I'm sure I'll be wearing this polish combo again in the future.

The Little Mermaid: Seat Plan

View the Seat Plan for The Little Mermaid

11 December 2011, 20:00

Meralco Theater, Ortigas Center, Pasig City

TICKETS:

Orchestra Center – P1500

Orchestra Side – P1350

Orchestra Side (Obstructed) – P900

Loge Center – P1100

Loge Side – P1000

Balcony Center – P700

Balcony (Left/Right – Rows Q, R, S, T) – P600

Balcony (Left/Right – Rows U, V, W, X) – P500

The Little Mermaid: Ticket Buying Guidelines

The Little MermaidTicket Buying Guidelines

View the seat plan here.


You may reserve your tickets by sending us an email or SMS.
Here are our contact details:

Denise Ashley Go - +639228978669
Jollan Margaret Llaneza - +639273461046
Vian Paulo Serranilla - +639178938426
EMAIL - mermaidmanila@gmail.com

Please give the following details when making your reservations:

Name:
Seat:
Mobile No./Email:
Mode of Payment: Mode of Delivery:

We shall confirm via SMS or email as soon as we receive your reservation.

We will hold your ticket reservations for five (5) banking days. Tickets must be purchased within the prescribed period to confirm your ticket reservation. Otherwise, your reservation will be forfeited, and the seats will be open again for reservation.

Payments may be made through bank deposit or GCash.

BDO Account Number: Vian Paulo V Serranilla
BDO Account Name : 007220015388
BDO Account Type : Savings

GCash Account Name: Edelina Go
GCash Account # : +639178258885

*For GCash: Ticket buyer shall shoulder the 1% processing fee (of the total ticket amount)

We highly encourage you to inform us via SMS or email when you have made your payment. We will immediately send pictures of your tickets as well as an acknowledgment receipt, which will serve as your claim stub for redeeming your tickets.


You may claim your tickets via the following:

1. On the play date (at the FOH) - please bring the acknowledgment receipt and a valid ID
2. Courier (via XEND) - shipping fee shall be shouldered by the ticket buyer
3. Meet-ups - by schedule
(Vian: Makati/Alabang, Denise: Trinoma/SM North, Jollan: Araneta Center/Katipunan)



The LIttle Mermaid: Seat Plan

Phoebe's Birthday Giveaway

Phoebe always has one of the best giveaways! She's just had a wonderful birthday, and she's put together three huge beauty bundles for us to win. Included are some of her favorite products and really awesome make up. Here's the first stash:

Excited? Head on over to Phoebe's blog post, Make-Phoebe-Over Birthday Giveaway, to find out how to join. 

The Little Mermaid in Manila on December 11, 2011

Atlantis Productions: Disney's The Little Mermaid

Music by Alan Menken

Lyrics by Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater

Book by Doug Wright

Based on the Hans Christian Andersen story and the Disney film 

Directed by Bobby Garcia & Chari Arespacochaga 

Starring 

Rachel Ann Go as Ariel 

Erik Santos as Prince Eric

11 December 2011, 20:00

Meralco Theater, Ortigas Center, Pasig City

TICKETS:

Orchestra Center – P1500

Orchestra Side – P1350

Orchestra Side (Obstructed) – P900

Loge Center – P1100

Loge Side – P1000

Balcony Center – P700

Balcony (Left/Right – Rows Q, R, S, T) – P600

Balcony (Left/Right – Rows U, V, W, X) – P500

Ticket Buying Guidelines

Seat Plan

Urban Decay is having a Super Sale!

If you like Urban Decay and have no qualms about international shipping and whatnot, head on over to their site NOW! They've slashed prices on some of their products and sets. 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencils in Baked and Dime are 50% off at $9 each, Big Fatty Waterproof Mascara is also 50% of at $10 each and the Vegan Palette is about 44% off at $19 each. Other great deals I've seen are the Matte Eyeshadow singles, most shades now $3 from $17.

UD Matte Eyeshadow in Purple Haze

The best, best price I've seen on the sale portion of the UD site is on the Loose Pigments. From $20, you'll pay only $1! That's a huge 95% off! All ten available shades are $1 each. 

UD Loose Pigments

They still offer free US shipping for orders about $50, and free samples with every order. One gripe though, they don't ship internationally. You'll have to have it sent to a US address. I'm still thinking about what items to buy, or if I really need any of these at all. Shopping is fun until you realize that the credit card you're using is yours, and the bill is addressed to you. >.< Go to UrbanDecay.com to shop.

Unicorns Dream's Swag Box Giveaway Winner!

Good day ladies and gents! It has been dark, gloomy and very dreary these past few days. My brother has been in and out of school due to the sudden class suspensions for college and whatnot. Not to mention his rather freaky experience during his weekend field trip. To lift everyone's spirits up a bit, I am now announcing the winner for the Unicorns Dream's Swag Box Giveaway!

I used Random.org's List Randomizer and came up with:

Congratulations Janinay! You get everything listed here. Shoot me an email at inevitableoblivion @ gmail . com with your mailing address and I'll send the UD Swag Box your way. Congratulations!

I'd also like to that everyone who joined my giveaway. Keep on reading Unicorns Dream for product reviews, reveal posts and hopefully more giveaways in the future. :)

Unicorns Dream's Swag Box Giveaway Closed

Hello everyone and thank you for joining Unicorns Dream's Swag Box Giveaway! As of this moment, the Giveaway is officially closed. Thank you for all your entries. I'll be going over them and once I'm done checking validity, I'll draw a winner. Expect an announcement in the next few days. To refresh everyone's memory, you can see what's inside the box here. Good luck!

And before I go, I'd like to greet my dad a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! See you all soon :)

Free Manila Hotel Magique Gold Card

My family and I saw Varekai (for free! thanks to my aunt) the other week and among the sponsors was Manila Hotel. They were giving away stuff, including these Membership Cards. We don't need these, so I'll be giving them away to anyone willing to pay for shipping. They're valid until September 30 and you get special room rates and other privileges. (See the flyer below)

Priveleges, Terms and Conditions

What the card looks like. You may or may not get this one.

We have four of these, and I'll send them out to the first four who'll shoot me a comment below. Please leave your email address. Shipping is P50 within Metro Manila. I'll take shipping fees via GCash, BDO and BPI Family Savings Bank.

What's in the Unicorns Dream Swag Box?

Join Unicorns Dream's Swag Box Giveaway to get a change to win the Swag Box here!

Here's the itemized list of goodies you'll get if you win my Swag Box Giveaway. All of these items have been personally purchased and collected by me, so you'll be getting things I love and want to share. (No sponsors here! Unless you count Love Naturals) Here we go!

• Etude House Pearl Extract sheet mask
• Etude House Lemon sheet mask
• Watson's brand pore strip
• Biore pore strip
• Kose Softymo black pore strip (This is cool because you'll see the whiteheads against the black strip! Cool in a kinda gross sort of way :D)
• Maybelline Clear Smooth Minerals BB cream
• NYX Round Lipstick in Eros
• Mary Kay Lipgloss in Coral Carribean
• 5 Mary Kay Timewise 3 in 1 cleanser and moisturiser sample sachets
• 2 L'Occitane Eau Delicate Fresh Face Water sample sachets
• The Face Shop Calendula Firming Essence sample sachet
• L'Occitane Creme Precieuse sample sachet
• The Body Shop Strawberry shower gel 60ml bottle
• LA Colors Eyeliner/brow pencil
• By Nature Icy Choco soap sample
• By Nature Golden Honey Oats soap sample
• By Nature Green Tea Escape soap sample
• By Nature Mint Fantasia soap sample
• By Nature any regular variant full bar (Choose any variant from the regular bars from Love Naturals BN Regular bars)
• Love Naturals Lip Balm Charm any flavor (Choose any flavor from Love Naturals Lip Balm Charms)
• Not pictured: Elianto Bronzy nail polish (Sorry, it rolled under the other stuff and I kinda forgot to take another photo. Oops!)

The total approximate retail value of these items is P1800. This will be shipped in a reused Human Nature box from my last order, in accordance to my commitment to waste reduction and the environment. (I try to reuse as much as possible when packing and shipping orders at Love Naturals too.) Want to win this? Enter here: Unicorns Dream's Swag Box Giveaway.

Super-sized Beauty: MAC WW

I love getting mail. It might be a package, a letter, even my credit card statement (dread starts to kick in when I open it) but getting any sort of mail makes me happy. Imagine my giddiness when I see not one, but two boxes. Then imagine me gasping then shrieking when I see that they're both from Nordstrom. What's inside:

I'm late to the party, but I'm so happy! MAC wasn't kidding when they said Wonder Woman Colour products were super-sized. Below is my size comparison photo, with WW MSF and blush beside a Pressed Blot Powder compact and regular blush.

Crazy huge! See how all the other products dwarf in comparison to the MSF? It's the one with the gold band. It's a giant, yes. And the blush is the size of my Blot Powder. My Well Dressed blush feels left out. I haven't tried them yet, but I'll send in a report once I do. I'll tell you if this will be the feminine force that saves my day :)

Pucker Up with Maybelline Lip Smooth Color Bloom

See my post on Maybelline Lip Smooth Color Bloom for my review.

A reader requested swatches for Color Bloom, but since I only have Peach Blossom, that's what I'll show you. Here's the first picture with nothing on my lips.

And here's the second with Maybelline Lip Smooth Color Bloom on.

The color is subtle, but not light enough to be invisible on my lips. Ladies with more pigmented lips may not find the color change to be enough, while ladies with lighter lips may experience a more dramatic color change effect.

I don't know why I keep on posting photos of me without make up. I don't have great skin, and there was only one time in my life when a lady (a complete stranger, no less) came up to me at the mall and told me I had very nice skin. I guess this is me learning to be comfortable in my own skin. Please excuse the red-rimmed eyes and eye bags.

Unicorns Dream's Swag Box Giveaway!

Now I don't celebrate my blogversary, so I thought I'd celebrate my own birthmonth with a little giveaway instead! What can you win? A swag box care of yours truly filled with beauty-related goodies! See here:

You can see everything, but I'll put up an itemized post soon

How to win:

(This is your main entry!) 

1. Follow Unicorns Dream through Google Friend Connect (find this on the upper part of the side bar, to the right)
2. Subscribe via email and activate it! (also on the side bar, below GFC)
3. Like the Love Naturals Facebook page 
4. Add the Love Naturals Multiply account
5. Leave a comment below with your GFC username, email address, Facebook name and Multiply ID

That's it! Easy peasy lemon squeezy, isn't it? For more chances to win, you can do one or all of the following: 

• Follow me (goldenkagi) on Twitter and tweet this "Follow @goldenkagi and RT to win a Beauty Swag Bag! rules here http://goo.gl/91Mmc"
• Share this contest on your Facebook page (by attaching the link to this post: http://goo.gl/91Mmc) and don't forget to tag Love Naturals. Please include the links to your posts in the comments section. 
• Blog about this contest. Remember to link back to this page. Please include the link to your blog post in the comments section.

Just so you know, you can Tweet and share on Facebook once per "week" (July 1-9, July 10-16, July 17-23 and July 24-31) to gain more entries!

Rules:

• Contest is open to those with a valid Philippine mailing address (serviceable by local courier companies).
• Contest runs from July 1, 2011 to July 31, 2011 11:59 GMT +8 (Manila time).
• Only those with valid main entries and activated email subscriptions can win and gain extra entries.
• Only entries with valid email addresses, Twitter and Facebook accounts can win.
• Maximum of ten (10) entries per person - main entry, four (4) Twitter posts, four (4) Facebook posts and blog post.
• The winner will be chosen via Random.org from all eligible entries.
• The winner will be posted on this blog within 48 hours or within a reasonable time.
• The winner will be responsible for emailing me with his or her mailing address within 72 hours.
• In the event that the winner fails to contact me within 72 hours, his or her prize will be forfeit and a new winner will be drawn.

Good luck!

CLARIFICATION: You have to do all the steps, from 1-5, to be able to qualify for this giveaway. Thank you!

UPDATE: What's in the Unicorns Dream Swag Box?

Will You Cringe at my New Fringe?

At the risk of permanently scarring you with my double chin and round face without a stitch of make up, here is me (in pajamas, ready for bed) with my new 'do! 

I got a cut-color-treatment combo at the salon. You can see a bit of the red color on the top of my head and on my bangs. It appears redder in person and brighter under sunlight. Despite my yellow undertones, I don't look like an oompa loompa, do I? 

Win From Mary Kay: Daddy & Me!

Mary Kay has another contest! This time, not only could you win an MKMen set for your dad, but you'll be getting the new Mary Kay Lash Love mascara for yourself too! Contest details in the image below. Good luck!

Cult Favorites: MAC Well Dressed and EOS Lip balms

Here's a teaser post with a picture of my latest purchases. Well, MAC Well Dressed doesn't actually count as my purchase, since it's Dad's early birthday present for me. I bought my EOS Lip balms from local online reseller Digital Traincase. She's a really nice and efficient seller! I've tried one balm so far and it's been an enjoyable experience so far. Reviews to follow. Okay, so here's the eye candy. 

Clockwise from left: MAC Well Dressed
EOS lip balms in summer fruit and sweet mint

Win One for Dad!

Or a whole set! Mary Kay Philippines is giving away the new MKMen set. It includes the Cleanser, Toner and Moisturizer Sunscreen SPF 25 from the MKMen line. All you have to do is like their Facebook page here, upload a photo of you and your dad with a short message in their promo album here and have your friends like it. At the end of the contest, three winning entries with the most number of likes will get a full MKMen set for their dads. It's that simple! 

MK's Father's Day contest will run from 12AM 14 June until 11:59PM 24 June. Check out the poster below for more details, and read the Terms and Conditions of the contest.

Blossom with Maybelline's Lip Smooth Color Bloom

Happy Hump Day everyone! How has this week been so far? I hope everything's been lovely for all of you, because today, we'll blossom with Lip Smooth Color Bloom by Maybelline. 

Color Bloom is the new color changing Lip Smooth balm from Maybelline. It comes in a small plastic lipstick twist tube in two variants, Pink Blossom and Peach Blossom. What I purchased is Peach Blossom since I already have Lip Ice Sheer Color, a nice bright pink. 

Peach Blossom

When you twist the product up, you're greeted by a sweet smelling, white balm. It applies clear, and then changes color in a few seconds. The light, peachy scent also dissipates in a few moments.  Since mine was Peach Blossom, I expected it to turn into coral. What I got was a light pink tint.  Otherwise, it glides on smoothly, has an SPF of 16 and is moisturizing compared to Lip Ice Sheer Color. I just wonder what the difference between Pink and Peach Blossom is, if Peach Blossom gives me a pink tint. Maybe Pink Blossom is pinker?

Maybelline Lip Smooth Color Bloom  in cardboard and plastic packaging

Another thing I like about it is the packaging. Although the tube is plastic, it does not seem too flimsy. The part you twist is not loose either; it does have some give. The cover also has a very cute flowery design along with the brand name printed on. It's a very nice touch that added some kawaii to otherwise boring tube packaging.

Product description and ingredients

 Maybelline Lip Smooth Color Bloom color changing lip balms come in Pink Blossom and Peach Blossom. It retails for P99 (for 1.7 grams) and is available at Maybelline counters. I got mine at the Maybelline counter at SM Makati's department store. The SA was really cute and nice. :)

Maybelline Lip Smooth Color Bloom is Here!

I remember sharing my Lip Ice Sheer Color purchase last year. I still love it! I'm currently using the local version of the Strawberry flaroved Sheer Color. I even grabbed an unscented tube while in Hong Kong. It is quite affordable at P100+ for each tube. But guess what, there's something even more inexpensive!

Taken from Maybelline PH's FB page.

Maybelline recently introduced Lip Smooth Color Bloom here in the Philippines. It's a color changing lip balm that appears as an opaque white in the tube. These lip balms swatch clear, then change in a few seconds. Most companies that offer color changing lip balms usually offer them in pink. Maybelline took this a step further, markets two shades Pink Blossom and Peach Blossom. I chose Peach Blossom since I already have two tubes of pink Lip Ice. I initially looked for this at SM Nortth EDSA's department  store Maybelline stand and Watson's at SM Annex, but they didn't have them yet. Trinoma, I heard, has this available. But I bought mine inside SM Makati's departnent store. (Happy Araw ng Makati to all!) This retails for P99 each.

Manic Monday at the Post Office

How was your Monday, everyone? I know many dread it, because it's usually the start of another grueling week at work. My mother and I were about to run some errands, but the mailman came and dropped a parcel notice. So we headed to the post office after our chores to mail some letters and pick up my package.

As I was waiting for my package, I saw a few PO employees discussing something over a big box. There must have been something wrong, because other employees were called to consult. I never really knew how it concluded because the Customs guy called me over to inspect my package. This was what was inside:

Cute girly bag, Girl Talk and ribbons :)

This confirmed it, it was my package from Paris B! I won one of her blog contests over at My Women Stuff, one of my favorite beauty blogs. The prize was a Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. But look what else I got along with the prize:

Goodies!

Along with a 30ml pump bottle of Smashbox Photo Finish Primer was a tube of Smashbox lipgloss in Luster and an Anna Sui Mini Rouge V. A short but sweet hand written note from Paris rounded it all up. 

Unboxed 

I normally dislike rose-scented everything. I expected to be turned off by Anna Sui's signature rose scent but I was wrong. I don't love it, but it's something I won't turn my nose up at. The photo does not do justice to the pretty little thing. When you open it, the inside of the lid has a little mirror for touch ups. 

I was just like little girl who got an awesome doll to play with. I didn't even wait until we got home to check out my package. I was smiling like mad the whole car ride home. :) Once again, thanks so much Paris B and MWS!

To all the Awesome Moms out there

Happy Mother's Day! Whether you're a mom, a mum, an okaasan, a grandmother, a mama, a mudra, a grandmommy, a mere, a mommy, a grandma or a nana, today is your day! We celebrate your bravery, your strength, your courage and your sacrifice. Thank you for giving us life!

My mom and I love each other even if we fight often. PLDTMothersDay: Happy Mother's Day!

Hola! Celebrating Cinco de Mayo and Beach Hut Face SPF 65

Happy Cinco de Mayo! I fondly remember Cinco de Mayo in CA with my aunt and uncle. My Aunt E would make this awesome seven layer dip and my Uncle E would fire up his grill and dish out some mean steaks and chicken with his secret hot dry rub. And Cinco de Mayo in CA meant that once upon a time, Knott's Berry Farm offered admission on May 5 for a nickel. Five. Freaking. Cents. How awesome was that?

As I have previously shared, I went on a trip to Boracay for the first time ever with some of my friends. I was preparing for my trip to Boracay, my aunt fussed over what stuff I was supposed to bring. She bought me new bikinis, some sundresses and two bottles of sunscreen. The one I was more excited about was Beach Hut's Face SPF 65.

Beach Hut Face SPF 65

I love how sheer, lightweight and non-oily it is. It's not too thick, but it's not too runny either. It spreads easily and the scent was light enough not to be too noticeable. I did not experience any break outs at all, proving that Face SPF 65 is ultra-sensitive hypoallergenic enough for me. Also, like the label claims, I felt no sting.

Swatched on the left, blended out on the right

Since I wore this under some powder foundation at the beach, I'm not exactly sure how this would fare on it's own in regards to oiliness. But I don't think I oiled up *that* much. I did not experience any breakouts from using this either. Sorry I couldn't find a decent photo of a freshly made up face. This was the best I could find. All my other photos have me after a dip in the sea. If you squint, you could see how nice Face SPF 65 looks on me, under my foundation :)

Playing hide-and-seek under Willy's Rock

My only gripe though, is that the flip top cap allows product wastage when you're not careful in opening it. Some lotion explodes and spews out when you flip the cap. Other times, it flows out all over the opening when you *gently* squeeze the product out. I think if changed the cap or at least position the hole more towards the front, it wouldn't be such a pain to dispense.

This is what happens when you aren't super duper careful

Over all, Beach Hut Face SPF 65 is a good sunscreen for the face. Priced at P399 for a 75ml bottle, this is a pretty good buy. I would use this for everyday too, if not for my previously opened sunscreens and BB creams :) My aunt got this for me at a Watson's in Megamall.

Labor Day Swatches from the Majolica Majorca Haul

Happy Labor Day! Although tomorrow was not declared a non-working holiday, May 2 is the official release of Majolica Majorca's Sugary Trap collection. Here are swatches of the items I purchased, including two from the Sugary Trap.

Sorry for the wonky lines!

From left to right: Pressed Pore Cover LE for 2011 (but it's the same thing, just the case is diff :3) Skin Remaker Pore Cover in BO10, Puff de Cheek in Apricot Macaron and Honey Pump Gloss Neo. All powder products were swatched twice. I was amazed that the Skin Remaker almost disappeared! The Pressed Pore Cover looks white and powdery but it's nice and invisible when patted on the face. Apricot Macaron might be a little intimidating because it's orange, but it looks great as long as you don't pile it on too much, You'd risk looking like you have a bad tan or like an Oompa Loompa.  But it's not crazily pigmented and build-able, so it's rather easy to use.

Skin Remaker Pore Cover in BO10, P895, case not included

Skin Remaker Pore Cover case, P450

Puff de Cheek in Apricot Macaron, P795

Pressed Pore Cover LE 2011, P895

The pastel shade is really adorable! If you're thinking about getting this, and aren't so sure about the black case (it is quite chic though) Get the Limited Edition for 2011 Pressed Pore Cover :)

Honey Pump Gloss Neo, P295

My MM goodies inside the GWP gold pouch

Majolica Majorca Fulfills All Your Wishes

Imagine my excitement when I saw Phoebe's post about the Majolica Majorca website having "Philippines" on it. I started saving up so that I could buy some stuff, and lucky for me, they had a GWP promotion going on this April that I took advantage of. :)

My MM haul :)

Two days ago, my family and I were on our way to Trinoma, so I asked my dad if we could swing by SM North EDSA first. I made my way to the Beauty section, and yei! Majolica Majorca! Initially, I was only going to get the Skin Remaker Pore Cover refill in B010 and the case, but the lovely SA's were kind enough to sell me the Sugary Trap collection even though it was only April. (The Sugary Trap collection is set to be released in May.) I got the 2011 LE edition of the Pressed Pore Cover, in the cute pastel green case and a Puff de Cheek. They didn't have testers out for the Puff de Cheek yet so I just tried to recall Phoebe's swatches. Luckily, I chose Apricot Macaron over Peach Macaron, and it's the one I wanted :) The gold pouch and the Honey Pump Gloss are GWP's. The gold MM pouch is yours with a minimum purchase of P1000 and you get Honey Pump Gloss when you reach P3000.

I haven't opened them yet, I'm still giddy over my purchase :) I'll post reviews when I finally deface them :)

The Break That was NOT Planned at All

Gosh, almost three weeks without a post! I've been a bit busy and quite preoccupied this month. I went on one of the best vacations I've ever had in my entire life, with my best friend, the love of my life. I met new friends, and bonded with some that I now consider good friends! It really made me very happy. Plus, it was my first time ever to go to Boracay. Beautiful place, and it's super fun to get piss ass drunk and dance when you have someone to take care of you. (Shh!) Also, I've been working for my dad part time a bit, which in turn helped me normalize my body clock. I've been sleeping early lately, and I hope this time it would last. There are a lot of things I want to write about, but I'll have to roll them out slowly when I have the time and  I'm in a "writing mood".

For now, I'd just like to share this little thing I discovered when my family and I were out at Megamall last Sunday. I went to the toilet and when I was flushing, I noticed this sign:

A sign posted in every cubicle at a SM Supermall toilet

Awesome, right? I think it's a very good initiative taken by SM's management. Just how many times are toilets flushed at an SM? With the huge amount of water being used, their water treatment and recycling facilty is surely being well utilized. Knowing that it's recycled water we're flushing makes peeing less guilty :) Another little victory for Mother Nature :)

Way to GO!

Just a short and exciting (I'm so kilig to the bones!) post to offer my most sincere

CONGRATULATIONS!!! 

to my baby brother! He graduated high school today! Although we might not get along sometimes, and we're at at each other's throats most of the time, I'm still very happy for him and I'm proud to be his big sister. Here's to college and UAAP rivalry! Cheers!

Happy Birthday Beautynomics!

This month, Beautynomics is celebrating its Fifth Year Anniversary with a big bang! Join the awesome contest put together by Sophie. Wonderful prizes include Kerastase and Obagi sets and Golla bags.

Image from Beautynomics

Win prizes from Avon, Pond’s, L’Oreal Paris, The Body Shop, PureDerm, Obagi, Beauty & Minerals, Goodskin Labs and Golla! Visit Beautynomics’ 5th Year Anniversary Contest entryto know how!

I know my post is a bit late, but there's still time! You have until the end of March (tomorrow!) to join. 

My help_japan Panda

Aside from my Paws for Japan donation and blog post, I've been finding little ways to help in the relief efforts. Thanks to a dear friend, J, I stumbled upon help_japan, a Live Journal community bringing together different fandoms to help raise money for different organizations. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to offer, and I came up with a simple little felt panda, which I'll attach to a blank card. Since my internet's been a little wonky, I haven't had time to post it until today.

Panda! Hand sewn, with so much love ♥  

Like my other creations, all of whom have found homes with some of the people I love, Panda! is not perfect. His stitches aren't perfect, and he has his own little quirks. He likes to pick at his stitches sometimes and eats a lot of Reese's and Twix when no one's around, so you'll have to watch him. Panda! is nice and round and he has a big heart. Love him, and he'll love you back a hundred-fold. You won't regret it :)

My thread can be found here: Handsewn Felt Panda Greeting Card. My request is that the winning bidder send his/her donation to World Vets.

Paws for Japan: Support WorldVets

Many of you have seen the destruction caused by the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan. Many people are displaced and a lot are missing. The death toll continues to rise by the minute. What many people may overlook is the plight of many Japanese pets; the four legged victims who do not have the voice to ask for help.

World Vets has sent a team and supplies to Japan to help in the animal rescue efforts. They are coordinating with local groups to help animal victims as well. Below is a photo from the World Vets page of a rescue worker and a beautiful Sheltie.

Image from World Vets

This video is of a dog who is protecting his fallen friend. He seems to be alright despite going through the quake and tsunami, as evidenced by his matted fur, caked with mud. Anderson Cooper showed a part of this clip on AC360 today, and he has reported that both dogs have since been rescued. They are safe, and are currently receiving veterinary treatment.

Donate to the World Vets now. You may go to this page for the Japan Animal Aid since the heavy traffic on their website caused their donation page to show an error message. You may also donate directly through this blog. I put the World Vets' Chipin widget on the upper right part of my page in the sidebar. I have donated through the widget, and I am confident in saying that it is safe and secure. You will be brought to Paypal. If you don't have an account, you may still donate using your debit or credit card as a guest. 

Finished Product for Mid-March

I have to admit, I'm really bad at finishing products. I'm a pack-rat and a hoarder, so like my mom, I tend to buy things in bulk. Whenever I see something I like, I'd buy it even though I still have 2946198 other products. Our toiletries cabinet is filled to the brim with soap, shampoo, conditioner and other bath products. I have a bin in my room filled with masks, BB creams, facial cleansers and other stuff. My make-up boxes have lot's of back-ups and unopened items. So it's a celebration, a fiesta, when I finally finish something. I hope I can do more of these posts, it's fun to look back at what I've finally emptied.

My conditioner for the longest time

First up is my Garnier Fructis Fortifying Cream Conditioner in Color Shield. This variant is specifically for colored or highlighted hair. It helps maintain your color and protect your locks against the harmful rays of the sun. I don't have product info or the ingredients list anymore since I already chucked the empty bottle. But it was a good conditioner; it kept my hair tame and moisturized enough from going haywire. 

The compact with the smudged mirror

My second product isn't really a finished product. But I've started to hit pan with it, so I'm on my way to finishing it, yei! This is the Maybelline Clear Smooth Foundation in Natural, I think. This is a dirt cheap product that works fairly well. At the P299 price point, I'm sure may girls who are just starting to use make-up can be drawn to this. Staying power is okay at about four hours until it begins to disappear on me. Oil control is fair; it takes about two to three hours before I start oiling up, depending on the environment. (On a side note, I love the HK weather when I was there three weeks ago. No sign of oiliness all day! And all of my make-up stayed put. I love fall-winter-spring weather there.) The only gripe I have with the Clear Smooth Foundation is that even after I buff all day, it still has this weird powder-y look on my face. Which is why this remains my going-to-the-market foundation when I don't particularly care if I look super made up and good or not.