The Beauty Bin

Fangirl Mode In A Tech-Savvy Salon

2012-02-10T16:05:00-08:00

The Blounge is one of the metro's, if not the only, tech-savvy salon. Thanks to their high-speed internet and Ipads, getting pampered while surfing the net for free is no longer a problem!

During my second visit to the salon, I had my hair cut! I loved the result and what made me gush all the more was that one of our local celebs was also there getting her hair styled from curly to straight! Photo-op with model and celebrity talk show host, Phoem Barranda.... eeee, haha.

She was just so sweet to pose with me in the middle of her hair styling, foot spa and eye makeup (which she was doing herself by the way and was using UD's Naked palette). I didn't have time to wait up because I had another appointment and I was so surprised she cheerfully excused herself to accommodate my request for a photo-op. Baet. I can't stop telling my friends and family how down-to-earth she was.

I'm one happy gal that afternoon because I braved my way into telling a celeb that I wanted a photo with her (I normally don't have the guts to take a photo of or with celebs I come across with because I panic) and I strutted the streets with this nice new, less-than-five-hundred-pesos hair!

Just as with Fab Salon, The Blounge stylists are trained by Lourd Ramos. It was the reason why I was perfectly confident they'd do a great job with my hair even if I can't effectively communicate the look I want for myself.

Here's the salon's promotion for the Love Month:

And you can also check The Blounge's services and rates HERE.

Don't forget to join the Neutrogena Fine Fairness BB Cream contest I'm hosting!

The tech-savvy Blounge has treated me real sweet! I may've found my go-to salon this time :) Cute anime-ish layered hair+celebs.... oooh-lala!

My Kind Of Tea!

2012-02-08T16:05:00-08:00

Now C2 just had to come up with this. I love that their new Cool and Clean Milky Tea costs only a fraction of the more popular milk tea brands and tastes decent enough for its price (tastes like real Thai Milk Tea).

I will definitely be drinking more! At 11php per 230mL bottle (which is around 3-4 chugs if you're darn excited bout a cheap milk tea in this 90++-pesos-per-cup-of-milk-tea era), my money is undeniably well-spent.

Won't be surprised if the other tea-in-a-plastic-bottle brands follow suit. Has anyone of you tasted this Milky Tea by C2?

Understanding Bangkok's Train System | Travel Guide

2012-02-07T16:05:00-08:00

There are four rapid transit lines for public transport in Bangkok: the 2 BTS (skytrain) lines, 1 MRT (subway) line, and 1 airport rail link.

The Airport Link

The Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link is comprised of the Express Line and the City/Commuter Line. I'm using a scanned map I got from the airport and tweaked the Express line (red) by extending it way up to Phya Thai station (the original map had the red line up to Makkasan).

Le Route:

Express Line (red): Suvarnabhumi Airport - Makkasan (interchanges with Phetchaburi Station, MRT) - Phya Thai (interchanges with Phya Thai Station, BTS)

Commuter Line (blue): Suvarnabhumi Airport - Lad Krabang - Thub Chang - Hua Mark - Ramkhamhaeng - Makkasan (interchanges with Phetchaburi Station, MRT) - Ratchaprarop - Phayathai (interchanges with Phya Thai Station, BTS)

Le Fare:

Express Line:

90 Baht (one-way)
150 Baht (roundtrip, within 14 days)

City/Commuter Line:

15-45 Baht

The Skytrain (BTS)

Bangkok's BTS is composed of two major railways: its West-to-South Silom Line (light green), and the North-to-East Sukhumvit Line (green). Silom line runs from Mo Chit to On Nut, while the Sukhumvit line runs from National Stadium to Wongwian Yai.

The BTS's two major railways intersect via the Siam station, hence, Siam is both present in the Silom and Sukhumvit lines. I therefore conclude that Silom and Sukhumvit are Bangkok's very own transportation Siamese twins!

corrections: the Suvarnabhumi airport express line (red) extends up to Phya Thai and has an interchange to the Phya Thai BTS station
the Sukhumvit line is now up to On Nut

The BTS fare is approx 5 Baht per train stop.

Note that there are information centers present in two BTS stations, one in Siam (Silom line), another in Saphan Taksin. These are airconditioned offices that aid tourists with their sightseeing queries, dinner cruise bookings and anything else they can be of assistance to. Information centers close at 8:00PM.

**Will do a separate post tackling places to visit and hotels nearby each station**

MRT Subway Station

Unfortunately, we weren't able to use or even see the subway during our trip. All I can tell is that it has the most number of stations among the other railway transports and that it operates from 6:00AM till midnight.

So there you go folks, Bangkok's Train System in a nutshell. The Airport Rail Link, the skytrain (BTS) and the Mass Rapid Transit. If you see any incorrect entry, please feel free to jot it down the comment form.

Can the Neutrogena Fine Fairness BB Cream Make Me Not Wear Makeup On A Date? + Giveaway

2012-02-06T19:28:50-08:00

During the Neutrogena Fine Fairness event, I've accepted the challenge to go bare-faced on a date. If I had good skin, I wouldn't fuss about this simple task. But since I'm once again growing a freaking grapevine on an awesome facial garden called my chin, I'm really anxious that the BB Cream might not deliver!

The BB Cream's Promise

In the course of six weeks, the BB Cream must be able to improve my skin. It promises to: (1) give me a lasting, healthy glow, (2) erradicate blemishes, (3) even out my complexion, and (4) improve my skin's fairness.

The science behind the product is its formidable Fine Fairness ingredients:

Stabilized Vitamin C is a powerful anti-oxidant that blocks free radicals and reduces Tyrosinase, an essential enzyme in melanin formation. This stable form of Vitamin C ensures a prolonged release for a long-lasting healthy glow.
Phyto-lily Extract helps inhibit melanin production to prevent skin pigmentation and skin dullness.
Vitamin B3 works from the inside-out to renew cells and inhibit melanin transfer to keratinocytes. This helps make skin appear youthfully radiant and translucent.

The No-Makeup-On-A-Date Pledge

In a span of six awesome weeks, I will be using the Fine Fairness BB Cream daily during daytime. I must expect nothing but awesomeness for my skin here and so in return, I will commit to dating the BF sans anything makeup!

If there's one thing I dread, it's going out with the boyfriend on a date without any type of face base on. I can take going out without lipstick, brow makeup, cheek enhancers, or any sort of makeup, but not without a face base!

Neutrogena Fine Fairness BB Cream is exclusively sold at Watsons
It's on 20% off during the Month of Hearts! Pay P575 instead of P720!
Like Neutrogena's FB fanpage to get more updates

I don't know why I agreed to Neutrogena's challenge. I cringe at the thought of it, all the more the need to blog about it. BUT... if the Fine Fairness BB Cream is as good as what it claims to be, then I guess I'm in a win-win situation here.

But I'm still honestly scared so let's head to a lighter note...

--- The Giveaway

Neutrogena via The Beauty Bin will be giving away TWO full-size bottles of the BB Cream! Every week from today before the dreaded sixth week, I will be shamelessly posting something like this:

And you must try to guess if:

A. I'm wearing the Fine Fairness BB Cream, OR

B. I'm posing bare-faced, eeeeek!

To enter, you must be residing in the Philippines and must be a follower of The Beauty Bin (just click on the 'Join This Site' button on the right sidebar) and comment on this post using this format:

1. ID used to follow The Beauty Bin
2. Your Guess (A or B)
3. email address

Reminders:

1. Deadline for your weekly guesses will be 3PM, Sundays (for this week, deadline's on the 12th) .

2. Winners will be announced within 48hrs after the draw.

3. Drawing will be via ballots --- the old school way! If there will be more than 20 correct answers, it'll be done electronically.

4. Winners must be willing to shoulder the shipping costs (pls see Air 21 rates).

I have high hopes for the Neutrogena Fine Fairness BB Cream especially if it dares to make me do something I dread. Perhaps, aside from guessing if I'm wearing the BB cream on the photo or not, you can also play Madam Auring for me and predict if the product will be able to improve my skin or not!

Great Scarves at the Great Northern Sale

2012-02-03T16:05:00-08:00

Heads up to those living near SM North: the Great Northern Sale includes practically everything! Except for the navy blue cap I scored at the men's department, I was able to haul beauty and clothing staples at discounted prices!

The scarves at the ladies department were so lovely it was hard to pass up on them! The ones I got were on 10% discount.

Total bill for the scarves, no more than 500 pesos. Here they are when worn:

The Great Northern Sale will run up till tomorrow, Sunday, February 5, 2012.

Neutrogena Fine Fairness BB Cream @ Chef Jessie

2012-02-06T03:45:08-08:00

I spent one Friday afternoon with six other beauty and lifestyle bloggers at Chef Jessie's, Rockwell Club. The event was hosted by Neutrogena and it was for the launch of their newest addition to the well-loved Fine Fairness line, the Fine Fairness BB Cream.

thanks Julia for the photo!
L-R: Me, Julia, Kira, Donna, Phoebe, Say and Helga

Chef Jessie is a very well-kept place. Loved the food and the fact that the ground floor dining area was beside the lush greens and the perfectly blue pool. The last time I ate here was around 3-4 years ago. Back then it was called LeSouffle.

photo from worldslocalcitizens.com

The launch luncheon was highlighted by an informative presentation by PDS President, Lorna Frez, M.D. I was able to play bibo that afternoon when I answered doc's question correctly. I strongly believe that I was the sole medical professional in the room, otherwise, we all would've chorused the 4 fat-soluble vitamins in response to the doctor's question.

Julia and I with Tria from Ogilvy on the left table; Dr. Frez on the right
Mica from Neutrogena hosted the event
(photo grabbed from Donna of mylucidintervals.com)

My seatmate Julia had the kind of glowing skin I always wanted.

Don't you think Neutrogena played it quite late hopping onto the BB Cream bandwagon? Even so, I'm pretty glad they came up with one because we girls just can't get enough, can we?

Mica handed me her bottle of the bb cream since I pried too much about the product, hee!

You can get to know more of and get updates from the Neutrogena Fine Fairness BB Cream by liking the Neutrogena Facebook page. This product is available at Watson's Beauty. For the month of February, this bb cream is on sale at 575php! Come March, the tag goes back to its regualar 720php mark.

Work With Rajo and the Team!

2012-02-02T07:32:18-08:00

Do you think you can change the world through Design?

If you are a student, fresh graduate, or young professional who can create Eco-Ethical fashion and home accessories together with Top Designers like Rajo Laurel and Community Artisans, then you are invited to be part of the Rags2Riches Design Team!

Job Description:

Create designs, patterns, mood boards, prototypes, and inspiring story lines for Rags2Riches home and fashion accessories
Work with community artisans from all over the Philippines in coming up with products that are Eco-Ethical and stylish
Liaise with Rags2Riches partner designers and international ambassadors to create design briefs and translate these into modules that can be used by Community Artisans

Qualifications:

Student, Fresh Graduate, or Young Professional preferably with background or course related to Textile design and technology and Fashion and Home Accessories Design
Knowledgeable in fashion trends and home interiors trends
Strong background in pattern making (for home and fashion accessories), sewing, and even crafts (macrame, crochet, basket weave)!
Interested in creating fashion and home masterpieces that are beautiful, meaningful, and sustainable
Willing to dedicate at least 3 days a week
Willing and able to travel
Detail-oriented
Resourceful! -- we need creative and resourceful individuals who can see the potential in scrap materials and can look for Eco-Ethical sources of materials

How many Design Interns will be accepted? There are only 3 slots for this position for this year.

Is this a good career path for me? We believe so! And because we believe in sustainability, we will provide an allowance and a ton of rich experience for successful applicants!

What is the duration of the internship? The contract is for 3 months but can extend indefinitely if we are a match made in heaven!

How can I apply? Send us your resume, some copies/samples of your work, and a short and sweet letter of why you should be Rags2Riches' Design Intern and Ambassador. You can send via email to reese.fernandez@rags2riches.ph and kim.panuncialman@rags2riches.ph!

When is the deadline for the application? February 8. =)

When can I start? The day before Valentine's. It's a date. =)

Pathumwan Princess in Siam | Bangkok Hotel

2012-02-08T07:05:25-08:00

We booked the Pathumwan Princess Hotel in Siam via agoda.com. What made us choose the place is the great hotel service review and its proximity to the shopping complexes and the skytrain (BTS).

From the Suvarnabhumi airport, we traveled 45mins to the hotel and was greeted by a chic and clean reception area (2nd floor). The front desk folks were warm and very helpful. It took us an extra effort to adjust to their accent, though. They knew English but it wasn't that easy to understand. Hand gestures and nods were essential to foreigners in Bangkok.

We took Pathumwan Princess' ExecuPlus Suite. It had a spacious receiving area and an adjoining bedroom. Upon entering room 1215, we were delighted to get a whiff of the room's relaxing cedar scent! The room's furniture and interior was worth the price tag.

Closkwise: receiving area single sofa & a peek at the bedroom; work desk at the receiving area; king-size bed and the entrance to the bathroom

Clockwise: entertainment goodies like TV and ipod docker/DVD player/USB player; see-through shower & bath tub; adjoining bedroom

Room service was superb we forgot how difficult it was to communicate to them that we needed a transformer for our 110V appliance. I couldn't help noticing how they respected the room's cleanliness by taking off their footwear when entering our room.

The floors we frequented at the Pathumwan Princess Hotel were:

I. Of course, the 12th floor, our room.

corridor at the 12th

II. The Lobby for the MBK shopping complex entrance (ground floor MBK), travel tours booking area, T@Lobby Cafe and the Citi Bistro for breakfast.

World Travel tours office: where we booked our trip to the Floating Market and Elephant Show

T@Lobby (tea at lobby) for pastries and cakes
yung floor nito parang sa facade ng trinoma na changing lights ang effect

The lobby also had a comfortable and serene waiting area near CitiBistro. Since our flight back home was at midnight, we were able to lounge perfectly while killing time after the shopping spree on the last day of our vacation.

III. The 2nd Floor, which houses the reception (see first photo), another entrance to MBK (2nd floor MBK), and the Kayageum Korean Resto (if you love shabu shabu!)

IV. The 8th floor for a poolside breakfast at the Loop Resto, Tantara Health Spa, jacuzzi and their Olympic gym (treadmill galore!) and sports zone.

The advantages of staying at the Pathumwan Princess Hotel:

posh interior, excellent buffet, uber clean and updated rooms, excellent customer service
shopping privileges:

direct connection to MBK shopping and food complex
Siam Paragon Mall, Siam Discovery and Siam Tower is just an 8mins walk away
Platinum Mall and Pratunam Market area is a 40-60 baht taxi ride from the hotel

FREE herbal tea break and head massage at the Tantara Spa
a complimentary cash voucher worth 5200 baht for Tantara
it didn't cost us to check-in early (930AM) nor check-out late (1PM)
ease of transport (MBK shopping mall is connected to the National Stadium BTS station)

Care to check out my post on Bangkok's Train System Guide?

Disadvantages:

front desk personnels aren't very eloquent in English
their suite is a little pricey (when you can spend it on shopping!)
city view of the rooms is blaaah

well, Bangkok's National Stadium

I will definitely want to be back at the Pathumwan Princess! I recommend you book the ExecuPlus Suites with breakfast if you're vacationing for at least 4 days, otherwise, you might miss out on your room's privileges and facility access. For vacations on a tight budget, you might want to opt for Pathumwan Princess' Superior rooms which I believe are as posh and clean as the suites.

I will try (hard) to create a hotel picking guide for those planning to stay in Siam. There are other hotels as strategic as the Pathumwan Princess and I wouldn't want you to miss out on considering the others!

Happywappy New Year!

2012-01-25T21:44:54-08:00

We've already gone through two new year celebs and I still haven't updated my blog :( I apologize for not sending you my warm wishes. I have lots in store for The Beauty Bin, specifically about my Bangkok trip some few weeks back.

I enjoyed myself a lot during the trip. There were so many things to marvel at (hello Bangkok architecture!), new things to learn about and huge elephants to wrap my arms around on! The hotel I stayed at, the Pathumwan Princess, was so darn gorgeous. The photo above is from the hotel's poolside and this one below's from the Ground floor café:

I'm leaving you with two photos for now. I can't wait to write! And I'm getting back to reading my favorite blogs,too! Happy New Year!

Craisins To Shed Off The Holiday Unwanted Weight Gain

2012-01-04T16:59:06-08:00

This is what I've been snacking on for the past week--- dried cranberries! Craisins (or dried cranberries, craisins is a registered trademark of Ocean Spray Cranberries), mixed with walnuts, help me hugely in getting back into shape by overlooking the truckload of junk food and chocs I've grown attached to during the holidays.

This sweet-and-sour fruit snack is a popular low-carb meal that's proven to not just help in weight loss but in countering common infectious diseases as well. The most enticing advantage of munching on dried cranberries is that you do not feel deprived of the good food while losing weight!

However, commercially available craisins may contain a high dose of artificial sugars. Some suggest drying your own cranberries to ensure the low-carbohydrate factor, which we all know is key to a successful weight loss plan. Feel free to google up recipes!

A pack of craisins is one of the diet plans in battling my all-time favorite fat-packing Pringles, Lay's, Clover Chips, Kornets and Piknik. I will of course include my basil and penne recipe and the 30-Day Shred workout in the battle plan. No Pretty Model Slimming Capsules included though, I plan to do it the natural way.

So, how are you planning to get back into shape for the new year? Share, share!

FREE Nature Republic Snail Therapy Samples (no purchase needed)

2011-12-28T03:44:39-08:00

Visit Nature Republic stores and get FREE Snail Therapy samples from December 28-29, 2011!

NATURE REPUBLIC branches:

Alabang Festival Mall

SM North

SM Fairview

For specific floors and contact numbers, check out the old post on SM Fairview Grand Opening

Nature Republic Color Waltz Nail Polish in BE103

2011-12-21T16:05:00-08:00

The Nature Republic Color Waltz nail polishes come in cute Paul and Joe-ish bottles. I got mine in BE103, a splash of beige-grey color, which for me, creates an almost perfect nude nails look.

1 coat of Nature Republic Color Waltz nail polish in BE103

What I love:

inexpensive at 65php (~$1.50); cheapest among the other local Korean beauty boutiques
dries up fast
easy to remove
opaque at first glide
i never had problems with it after waking up in the morning; usually, with other brands, the polish is a bit ruined in the morning and i sort of retouch by using a top coat
the brush is perfect for my nail shape and size (unlike that horrible polish brush!)

I'm no pro with nail color but this polish is absolutely newbie-friendly! I never worried about bubbles like I did when I used a red nail polish and I didn't have to layer on so much to achieve an attractive opacity.

Uh-ohs:

did not work with my The Face Shop base coat... the Nature Republic Color Waltz nail polish got a bit gooey when I used it over the TFS base
layering the polish just makes it ugly; I just use 1 coat
ingredients are not listed so it's hard to say if it's The-Big-3-free

I'm wondrin how this'll look like 'neath the Nature Republic Crackle :) Hmmmm...

Check out the photos of the polish under indoor lighting (all @ 1 coat):

And outdoors:

I adore BE103 and will definitely get more Nature Republic Color Waltz nail polishes. It's a breeze to use and newbies-to-polish like me can seem to look like a pro with it. I will be too dishonest if I refuse to admit that one of the biggest factors for repurchasing the line is its adorable bottles. These polishes are just too darn cute side-by-side each other, it's hard to own just one!

Meet and Greet Marie Digby: The Make Up For Ever Event

2011-12-19T18:19:44-08:00

Marie Digby is Make Up For Ever Philippines' brand ambassador. It was a 'Makeup and Marie' night last Thursday at the Bonifacio High Street when Marie herself graced the event and was such a sweet sport to cater to our endless questions.

The Meet Part. Before wowing everyone with her gorgeous look that evening, the event's guests helped themselves with checking out MUFE's great makeup line, Marie's album, and tons of chikka and kakulitan.

And then came Marie. Cameras clicked like crazy and I'm too vertically-challenged to get a good shot of her at the back of the gushing crowd. But a little arabesque-ing just scored me a couple of shots:

From beauty, skincare, lovelife, childhood and youtube makeup gurus, she fascinated everyone that evening with her spontaneous.

Q: What's your fave MUFE makeup?
The Make Up For Ever Face and Body Foundation!
Q: What one makeup can't you live without?
Lipstick! A swipe of this makeup can make a huge difference for the face.

Q: Fave youtube makeup gurus?
Michelle Phan and Lauren Luke.
Q: Are you seeing someone?
Nope. Do you have one for me?
Q: When's the best age to put on makeup?
I advise young girls to work on their character first before making a big deal out of their physical attributes. Inner beauty is far more powerful. When you grow a little bit older, that's when you can spend more time prettifying yourself.
Q: Did you get your very fair skin from your Japanese mom?
Nope. Got it from my dad. My mom's really brown/golden.
Q: What do you miss most about Japan?
Their attention to detail and the people's pride in their work. If you see someone cleaning the streets as his job, there's a great chance he is very happy about what he's doing.
Q: Any whitening tips for the Filipinas who want to get your kind of fair skin?
I love Filipina skin! Why do you need to whiten your skin? Among my siblings, I'm the palest. I've envied their golden color for the longest time and so I always tried to get a good tan. But it was always unsuccessful because I ended up with patches of bronzed skin that looked weird. A few more failed tanning made me realize that I just have to love my skin. It probably is the best color for me since God designed me this way.

And Marie Digby adds she loves Make Up For Ever's Eyebrow Corrector. It's among the brand's bestseller and it's actually working well for her, too!

The Greet Part. Sangkatutak na photo-op.

Marie Digby came in a beige chiffon shift dress with stunning silver accents on the neckline. I loved how her nails beautifully matched her lips and curls. It was just so dainty.

Thank you Ms. Grace Ambrocio, Marketing Executive of BOCC, for the Make Up For Ever Meet and Greet Marie Digby invite! :)

How Much Are Snoe Products? | The Snoe Pricelist

2011-12-17T19:33:07-08:00

Even guys love Snoe. A guy friend of mine asked me how much Snoe products are, his nose buried on my Here Comes The Sunblock bottle, so that he can give it out this Christmas for the girls at work. He says, if the rest is as delicious as the sunblock, it might just be worth all the courage a guy musters when setting foot on the beauty section to buy girly whatnots for gifting.

If guys are curious about how much these fragrant beauty stuff are, well so much are the girls! So here's Snoe's price list for the holidays:

Products	Price
Snoe White Beauty Bars all variants	139
Snoe White Skin Softeners All Variants	249
Snoe white MILK Scrubs	349
Snoe white Extra Strength Glutathione whitening powder mask	349

Here Comes the Sunblock SPF 45	199
S Skin Stem Cell SPF 30 Cream	169
S Skin BB Vit E Cream	249

Magic Apple Whitening S-rub	179
Beso Balm	149
Body Ritual Recipes Scrumtious body Spritz all variants	249

Emuthology Concentrate	499
Emutox	449

Fizzy clean Foaming hand sanitizers all variants	179
Good Vibe Collection Hand Sanitizer sets	199
Happy White ever after Whitening Massage oil	249
Happy Heels Foot Set	349

Hair Heroes argan cleansing Conditioner	499
Hair Heroes Honey Olive clementine Shampoo	399
Hair Heroes Hone olive clementine conditioner	399

Four seasons blush	199
Glam Jam all Variants	118
Eye Boop Precision liquid liner	119
Pout Pow High definition Lip Vinyl	149

And here are some product photos I took from the Snoe Beauty event:

Whitening Beauty Bars, 139php (~$3)

Extra Strength Glutathione Powder Mask, 349php (~9)

Hair Heroes Olive Clementine Shampoo & Condish, 399php (~$10)
Hair Heroes Argan Oil Cleansing Conditioner, 499php (~$12)

BB Cream, 295php (~$7), and S Skin Stem Cell SPF 30, 169php (~$4)

Milk Scrubs, 349 (~$9)

Skin Softeners, 249php (~$6)

Here Comes The Sunblock SPF45, 199php (~$5)

Foaming Hand Sanitizers, 179php (~$4)

Body Spritz, 249php (~$6)

Snoe sunblocks, happy white massage oil, and the beauty bars are cool gifts for the girl friends! The milk scrubs and the skin softeners are in attractive packaging and I recommend these two as well. If you're interested with the hand sanitizer, Pleasant Peach is my best bet. Also, the beso balm and the glam jam jars make good stocking stuffers.

Check out more product photos at the Snoe Beauty website and at the Snoe Beauty Facebook fanpage! These products can be bought online (Call 0999-888-SNOE; 0917-558-SNOE; 0922-8436567 for orders) and through their stalls at:

G/F Cinderella, Glorietta, Makati

G/F Festival Mall, Alabang, Muntinlupa

2/F Fashion Ave, SM Muntinlupa

G/F, SM Valenzuela

Greenmeadows Xmas Rush Bazaar

2011-12-16T07:48:21-08:00

LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING??? SHOPPING + SPECIAL TREATS AT THE GREENMEADOWS BAZAAR!

The Greenmeadows Xmas Rush Bazaar is the perfect place! No traffic, no crowded malls, no long lines... Just you and 120 handpicked vendors. You will surely find the perfect gift!

GREENMEADOWS XMAS RUSH BAZAAR
DECEMBER 17 & 18 (10AM-7PM)
GREENMEADOWS CLUBHOUSE

***INSIDE GREENMEADOWS, NOT

AT CHURCH PARKING LOT***

Free entrance!!!

Free gift wrapping!!!

Hourly raffles!!!

And for the grand raffle, spa treatments and major kitchen appliances are up for grabs!!!

See you this weekend!!!

A P355 ($9) Complete Skincare Line

2011-12-13T16:05:00-08:00

I finally got my hands on the Hortaleza, M.D. Illuminous Skin Whitening Set some two weeks ago. The Acnesol Pimple Control Facial Cream, while it did a fantastic job, will have to take the backseat while I check this kit out (I've been on the whitening line for a week already).

The most wonderful thing about it is that it's a complete skin regimen without breaking the bank. It's P355 ($9)! The very inexpensive tag makes it easier for skincare junkies to try out the best beauty & whitening products in the market.

This is the individual cost of each product included in the set:

Hortaleza, M.D. Illuminous Whitening Facial Wash 75 (60)

Hortaleza, M.D. Illuminous Lightening Facial Toner 85 (60)

Hortaleza, M.D. Illuminous Whitening Cream 105

Hortaleza, M.D. Illuminous Face and Body Sunblock 180 (100)

The numbers in (red) are the prices when HBC holds their bargain sale. I'm pretty sure the box of Hortaleza, M.D. Illuminous Skin Whitening Set is also marked down, but I have to confirm that from the store.

CALL FOR DONATIONS & VOLUNTEERS

2011-12-13T07:19:09-08:00

Just awhile ago, I sent my BF the disheartening photos of what the fighting pitbulls of Cavite had to go through before being rescued. He told me he can't bear going through the photos, it was too sad and that he might not get a good night's sleep thinking about the pictures.

I apologize for the photo below, but, it's reality.

"This boy is also so sweet considering he had so much injuries from the fight"
Photo Source

Anyway, I learned through Gale that PAWS Philippines need our help. They are housing 40 of over 200 pitbulls rescued from the heartless dog enslavers. Only 73 were kept alive and these poor, emaciated mutts are cared for by different orgs. I'm definitely extending a hand to help out!

For those who would like to help, you may drop off dog food, stainless steel bowls, plastic matting (to line bottom of cages), cleaning materials (deck brushes, walis tingting, detergent powder) and veterinary supplies (gloves, Zoletil, etc). Donations may be dropped off at PARC, Aurora Blvd., Katipunan Valley , Loyola Heights. QC between the hours of 10am to 5pm.

Quoting Gale, "kahit isang walis tingting ay makakatulong". It's also a nice idea to pool possible donations from those who have no means of dropping off items at PARC. I plan to donate goods instead of cash. Well, that's just me. I and the BF'll surely take a trip to PARC before the week ends.

I plan to investigate on who the other orgs were that took the other poor pitbulls under their care. They might need more help than PAWS (PAWS being a more popular group) does. I'll let you know.

Let There Be Snoe This Chrismas! | The Snoe Bloggers Event

2011-12-17T19:34:58-08:00

"Skincare and beauty products are to be slathered on and not eaten." That's what I kept reminding myself the entire time I was taking a whiff of every Snoe (pronounced, snō-ē) Beauty product during their bloggers' event last Saturday. Their products, especially the sunblock, are literally every woman's food for the skin!

Here are the geniuses behind the brand: Jen Diaz, 35 years old, and Gen Gerodias, 39 years old. I actually had to convince myself they were telling the truth when they revealed how old they already were.

Aside from learning about this proudly Filipino beauty brand, I was able to meet a lot of beauty and fashion bloggers that day. We had so much fun chatting and eating Manang's chicken! Snoe Beauty owners are actually related to the brainchild of Manang's chicken :)

i sat in between Sarah and Julia

(L-R) there's Bec, Aya, Gel and some young fashion bloggers

Why Support Snoe Beauty?

Aside from the fact that it's proudly Pinoy-made, the brand has come up with makeup and skincare products based on the principle that the Filipina skin is ridiculously diverse.

It's a relief to learn that the owners are die-hard skincare (and whitening!) junkies, and have been through the cheapest and most expensive topicals in search for their holy grails. Snoe Beauty was therefore created to cut back on harsh chemicals and incompatible products that the Filipina skin goes through during the tedious phases of product testing.

Kumi to your far right listening intently to the presentation

Ms. Lan and Kassy P.

Brand Principles:

Create effective products using high-quality ingredients
Allow reasonable price points that will allow every Filipina skin the pampering it deserves
Devote in the creation of a wide range of products to cater all skin types
Go for intricate and luxurious packaging with a wide range of colors and scents!

Ms. Lenny (right), ang supegirl ng Snoe Beauty, taking photos
there's also Kumi and Mitch

the rest of the gang during the raffle right before I left

Snoe Beauty Branches and contact / phone numbers:

G/F Cinderella, Glorietta, Makati

G/F Festival Mall, Alabang, Muntinlupa

2/F Fashion Ave, SM Muntinlupa

G/F, SM Valenzuela

Customer Care Hotline: 0999-888-SNOE; 0917-558-SNOE; 0922-8436567

It's sad I had to leave the event early because of another commitment. But the pretty girls from Snoe Beauty handed me a customized loot bag full of yummy-smelling products! I just can't wait to ~~eat~~ try them out!

I know that the Snoe Beauty website will be live any day from now. If you're a skin whitening junkie and could not wait to check out how unbelievably delicious their soaps and sunblocks are, you can like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter!

Tweaking the San San Foundie with Estee Lauder Double Wear

2011-12-05T16:05:00-08:00

... and the tweaking failed. I really love the finish of the San San Age Defying Two-Way Foundie 03 that I tried using it with a light liquid face base, the Estee Lauder Double Wear in Ivory Cream.

It just didn't work! The powder foundie still oxidized badly on my skin :( There are those that are not really meant to be, I guess.

Spin Pins et al. Launched at The Goody Event

2011-12-04T16:05:00-08:00

Last November 23, 2011, I had fun with several other girls as Goody Philippines launched their newest easy-to-use hair accessories. Both their brush collection, under Start.Style.Finish, and hair clips innovation, under Simple Styles, were worth lusting for!

It was doubly fun to be seated with S3 [Say, Sab and (S)Char]! My first time to shake hands with Char (Yellowyum) and Sab (Misscorypotts)... thanks Say for the introduction!

and congratulations to Gwen Carino, Ms. Rochelle, Jenna and James Sy for the wonderful event!

Say, Char and Sab

The first part of the event was all about Start. Style. Finish. Have I been living under the rock to not know that the key to shiny and manageable hair is to use not just one type of brush??? I'll have that tackled on a separate post. For now, let me tell you that our wonderful speaker from David's Salon was just hilarious doing the brush demos:

Next up was Camille Co. She shared how fab her hair looks for every fashion shoot using the different Goody Simple Styles hair accessories. I think she was using the spiral bun when she stepped up the podium:

She even let her hair down for us to see how using the clip can result to beach wave hair:

Camille also demo-ed how the spiral pins were so easy to use. She played with Patricia's hair:

After keeping us oooh-ing and aaah-ing at her gorgeous beach babe locks, Camille finally demonstrates how the spiral bun is as easy on the hair as the Goody spiral pins:

So now her hair's neatly pulled up in a bun once again as she concludes her talk:

One of the event's highlights was the interaction between the audience and the Goody Simple Styles collection. We were urging Say to volunteer (she had long, thick hair... a challenge for the spin pins honestly) but three other girls were already beaming with excitement to get their hands (erm, hair?) on the Goody clips:

Lissa, Danika and Alyssa

Here's Lissa and Danika with the spin pins and spiral bun respectively:

Lissa and Danika's 'do's as I spy from the back:

Lastly, Alyssa with the mini pony pouf. I know that Goody claims that each clip is suited for every hair type, but I've witnessed that this can be rebutted. The hair specialist had a hard time styling Alyssa's thick and curly hair into a full pony; she opted to do a half ponytail using the pony pouf instead!

Just look at that spunky half-pony! My kind of hairstyle :D

The new Goody hair accessories are every girl's dream talaga. I have my eyes on the spin pins and pony pouf. Get yourself updated with the latest hair trends by following Goody Philippines on Twitter and liking them on Facebook!

Hortaleza Professional Hair Coloring Cream Review

2011-12-03T16:05:00-08:00

I finally got my hair colored with Hortaleza professional hair coloring cream in Light Havana 8.5. While I think the outcome was an outrageous shade of orangey red...period, people around me thought that it was a stunning shade that complemented my fair skin.

Price/Volume: 105php (~$2.50) per 60mL tube

Variants: regular (red), low-ammonia+essential oils (gold) and hair crystal color

Availability: HBC shops

Used with: Hortaleza professional oxidizing lotion 9% (30php)

Amount of products used: for my near-shoulder-length thick hair, colorist used all of the coloring cream and oxidizing lotion

Product Description:

Permanent hair coloring formula imparts vibrant and lasting tones on hair that would complement every personality
Non-drip, easy-to-apply cream formula allows superb coverage to enhance natural beauty of hair while covering grey hair
Cream base with added conditioners make hair soft and shiny from roots to tips.

I cannot find anything to contest Hortaleza Professional Hair Coloring Cream's claim of a permanent, vibrant hair color. It does keep the hair shiny, too. However, I find that this coloring cream was too drying for my hair (versus the Revlon Colorsilk). My hair was tangled and heavy when I rinsed off the hair color, and the succeeding days after, I realized that I needed more pumps of conditioner to keep my hair smooth and soft.

Pros:

affordable
easy-to-use especially for DIY-ing beginners
coloring cream's scent is floral rather than ammonia-ish
vibrant and lively color
light havana is a color that makes people give you the second look (which can be a con for those who'd rather go low-profile, haha)
you can be very sure you're using quality products because expiry dates are printed (I can't remember if Revlon Colorsilk has this)

Cons:

drying
there are types of lighting wherein my hair color made my skin look brown
the scent it leaves after rinsing the hair (semi-sensitive nose here)
instructions are found inside the box; potential buyers will be less aware how this product is suited for DIY.

You can check out my haircoloring history. Before getting onto the light havana dye, my Revlon Colorsilk#50 Light Ash Brown-colored hair was already fading and 4 months old.

The horror story of my Hortaleza Coloring Cream experience is that the salon's colorist added more oxidizing lotion during the last few parts of dyeing (she worked my hair bottom-up). This explains why the upper part of my hair is way too blonde:

Sigh, I was so disappointed I thought twice about tipping!

Anyway, the color became darker after a week (during the Goody event I attended) and the upper part of my hair darkened a few more days after. So, yay!

Click photo to enlarge to a more readable view :)

Overall, this is a product I'll be recommending to those who are willing to splurge on conditioners, hair masks and anything hairsturizing (you know what I mean you English nazis, you!). Who needs beautifully colored hair when you're bound to experience dryness and breakage because of poor post-coloring maintenance?

I might try out the two other HBC Professional Hair coloring cream variants to see if their formulation are a bit less drying on my hair. And definitely, no more light havana for me as it does not really suit my personality. I'll be getting colors that are more ash brown. Please stay tuned after a couple of months for a culminating review on how this dye fares in terms of color longevity.

November's Ending Real GOODY for Me!

2011-11-24T18:41:46-08:00

I'm all smiles with the new Goody Mini Spin Pin I got from the Goody event last Wednesday. I am very much considering this hair tool a major pre-Christmas gift to me! Akshwely, kahit ito nalang matanggap ko ngayong pasko, solb nako (I can survive Christmas 2011 with just this gift)! Yes, I'm that easy to please, hee. (For the non-tangible gift this Xmas, I want my bestfriend back... I still cry out of the blue when I think of him)

Actual sizes of the mini spin pins I got. And jeeezz, I actually thought I was a redhead but Ms. Rochelle of Goody Philippines gave me the pins in blonde (it comes in 2 colors, blonde and brunette btw):

Goody Mini Spin Pins in blonde

After the event, I dropped by the Post to get some packages.

Lakas loob mag OOTD, mwahaha. Pagbigyan nyo na ang nagmumurang kamatis... siyempre kelangang sumabay sa mga bagets (I am not dressing my age, LOL):

You know I had to fix that belt :D

Gray pocketed t-shirt Bench | geometric skirt SM Dep Store
tan faux leather bag Egg | woven belt People are People

Hanep, lume-label pa ng outfit!

Like Goody Philippines on Facebook or follow them on Twitter! I can't wait to talk to you about the fun event and on how great the mini spin pins were for my shoulder-length hair!

Beauty + Wellness + Food + Sports + Shopping + Freebies: Experience ALL in ONE DAY!

2011-11-24T00:20:49-08:00

This must be the looongest title I've ever put up for a post. But then, the event I'm talking about is pretty much all of these. One Hyundai Club (OHC) Life In Style is treating you to all activities listed up there and if these stuff do not excite you, I am damn clueless what else will.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend the press launch but I heard from the other bloggers that SOME of the specific activities will be cooking demos, dining from fave restos (talagang all ears ako pag pagkain!), beauty (skin and makeup!) consultation, beauty makeovers (WOW.), wardrobe consultation for the guys and gals, arcade games, rappelling and wall climbing, kids activities zone, . Again, they're just some of the activities you'll be experiencing!

To get VIP slots for the lifestyle fair, sign up HERE.

Mark your calendars and get yourselves registered today for the One Hyundai Club (OHC) Life In Style Event on January 14, 2012! Visit their Facebook fan page too to be updated for any promotions.

iFreak Out

2011-11-23T16:05:00-08:00

...because I've never sported hair as red as this! Remember when I had cold feet getting my hair colored with Light Havana? I've finally lighthavanasized my hair and I'm still adjusting to the screaming reddish color it gave me.

Under this kind of lighting, it seems to be brown:

damp hair | dried up hair
Hortaleza Coloring Cream in Light Havana

But in here, oh in here, you'll see my red-orange hair. I feel like a japayuki, huhu. (I'm sorry for the stereotype but i've no intentions to sound condescending. I'm just not as confident as most girls with brightly colored hair).

I'm not used to having my hair dyed in this type of color. I know it's not as bad as I think it is, but the color is just NOT ME (read my hair advenchoorz here). Full story and product review to follow.

For now, iFreak Out!

San San Age-Defying Lipstick in 03 Review

2011-11-22T17:16:50-08:00

Here's another product I got from the HBC 88 sale, the San San Age-Defying lipstick in 03:

Price: 106php ($2.50), may even be lower during sales!
Color: mauvey pink
Shade Range: 5 shades to choose from
Ingredients: Castor oil, candellila wax, beeswax, paraffin wax, lanolin, mineral oil, vit. a, vit. c, vit. e, alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), colorant and fragrance

Pros:

perfect MLBB shade for most Pinay skintones
finishes to a flattering creamy gloss
no strong scent
photographs fairly nice
cute blue packaging for those who love blue (raises hand!)

Cons:

emphasizes the lines and dryness of my lips
weak pigmentation, you have to apply more
not longwearing

The packaging isn't something you'll be raving about but it's wonderful to note that the San San Age-Defying lipstick's cheap tag does not reflect much on its elegant blue casing!

This lippie goes sheer on me even after two swipes. You will definitely need a lot of product to get a pop of that pretty MLBB color.

When swatching, you might notice that this color yields a corally shade:

But it's really more pinkish mauve when on the lips. And here I am sporting the poorly applied lipstick. This is perhaps to point out how the lippie emphasizes the lines on my duhrrryyy lips:

Kumiko Mae wears this San San Age-Defying lipstick color better than I do! Check out her pretty look! But hey, I didn't do so bad here, did I? Goes to show how perfect the color is for us Filipinas!

Recommendation. This is perfect for photoshoots but may be too grueling to wear during events because of its need to be frequently reapplied. This is a nice choice though for everyday wear to complete a barely there makeup look.

When using this lipstick, I highly recommend it against a great skin. Those with acne scars and pits must layer on a good foundation to create the illusion of a better skin. Those with naturally clear skin can do without makeup and just put this lipstick on!

Topping the San Age-Defying lipstick in 03 with a nice similar shade of gloss might just address the longevity of wear issue. However, since the lippie is already hi-shine, there might be a risk of creating over-the-top glossy lips.