Uncharted Plans

An Early Dinner at The French Baker

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 14:44:00 +0000

Hey! I've been on a hiatus, I know. But I'm still on an adjusting period here, y'know. I got my very first local job. Local because I've already had clients from other parts of the world through the Internet.

Anyway, here's a post on our visit to The French Baker, a few weeks ago. :)

The French Baker

I remember that we weren't really hungry that time, but I really wanted to try The French Baker given that I won Php400-worth of GC's through their Facebook giveaway. Thank you The French Baker! :)

I've already tried their bread, who haven't really, but what I wanted to taste was the food on their menu. So, all the GCs went to eating at the their restaurant.

On the Table

I had Porkchop au Poivre, in English, Pepper porkchop. (Just googled that. LOL.) This one comes with soup. Anyway, the porkchop was really tender and the sweet sauce was just right, not too sweet for my liking. However, if I was hungry that time, I wouldn't really be full since they didn't serve really generous portions, but it was not really that small either.

Porkchop au Poivre (P228)

Boyfie, of course, had Beef Lasagna which looked oh-so-yummy that I really had to try it even if wouldn't share. LOL. And it really was yummy and cheesy.

Beef Lasagna (P155)

We both had rootbeer float. And we really enjoyed it along with their minty and lemony water. I didn't know what they put on that pitcher, but it was fresh, if I was to describe it. :)

Rootbeer Float (P78)

Me enjoying my rootbeer float. :D

The minty and lemony water -- refreshing!

And last but not the least, we also had an oh-so-yummy banana split which was good for 2. I really loved it, though right now, I'm craving for a banana split from Swensen's. And that'll be on another post. I'm going to visit Swensen's again to have pictures. Heeheee. :D

Banana Split (P160 - good for two)

Verdict

The French Baker serves good food, but they don't give generous shares. Big appetites will want more if you visit this restaurant. I mean, we know it because we're big eaters. LOL.

But really, it's a place I can recommend to someone who loves bread, pasta and pizza, and even main course meals since they have a variety on their menu. :)

Visit The French Baker at SM Megamall Bldg. B, UGF.
http://www.thefrenchbaker.com

Birthday at The Old Spaghetti House

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:44:00 +0000

This is a long overdue post but here it is. Heehee. :D

I haven't told you yet, but April is my birth month. Yey! :) I'm another year older. :D

I actually celebrated my birthday at home with family and boyfie. My mom cooked the usual handa, spag and pansit. I also had ice cream and cake. Yey! :) Now, you know the usual scenario at home whenever I celebrate my birthday. LOL.

Anyway, I extended my birthday the next day with my friends and boyfie again. :D And really, thank you Bebe. I really am a spoiled girlfriend. :P

We went to The Old Spaghetti House at SM North EDSA. I hadn't tried this one yet, probably because I was not a pasta fan. But I'm a fan of my mom's spag. :D

First off, I really liked the ambiance of this place, the interiors and the fact that there were only a few people there considering that was a Sunday. And oh, it was also a WIFI-zone in there, but you have to ask for the password.

We didn't really manage to get pictures of the dishes we ordered...but we've got this. :)

Chicken Finger (P135)

We ordered Chicken Fingers first while waiting for our friends to come. We were already hungry that time. And when they came, they had a surprise birthday cake for me accompanied with a birthday song. Thank you girls! :D

My beautiful girlfriends! *wink wink*

While waiting for our food. XD

Skillet BBQ Porkchop was my order. I didn't want pasta because I had full of those from the day before. I guess, we can come back to try them some other time. But anyway, my order was their bestseller and I really liked it. I'll recommend it those hungry ones.

Skillet BBQ Porkchop (P175)

Boyfie ordered Pan Grilled Glaze Chicken. I remembered that I tried it, but I couldn't remember the taste. And I therefore conclude, that this dish is neither good nor bad.

Pan Grilled Glaze Chicken (P135)

Lastly, a friend and I shared a Chocolate Truffle Pie. And what more can I say, I'm a sucker for sweets and this one is really sweet and good. :)

Chocolate Truffle Pie (P125)

Verdict:

I find that The Old Spaghetti House is also a good place to have rice meals. I mean, though I haven't tasted their pasta yet, I'm sure it's good because that's their specialty. Plus, it's a budget-friendly restaurant. The food on their menu are affordable.

So, if you have friends who like pasta, and some friends who don't, The Old Spaghetti House is a good place to go. You can have a variety on your table.

On another note, I find service here so-so considering they charge a 10% service fee. There were only a few tables occupied that day but we had to ask twice or thrice before we were attended to. And I also noticed, that there were only one or two waiters there.

But overall, I recommend The Old Spaghetti House. I might go back some other time. :)

P.S.

Though I was kind of still recovering from sickness that day, I had really enjoyed myself with their company that day. Sometimes, I just have to forget about all the worries, no? :)

Celeteque DermoScience Hydration Facial Moisturizer and Alcohol-Free Toner + Skin Care Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:44:00 +0000

Hello ladies! :)

I know I promised to update this blog as often as possible, but I got sick with an illness that is really bad for a skin care fanatic like me, chickenpox. :( I wasn't even able to attend my graduation, though it was not like I wanted to attend in the first place because several unfortunate things happened to me, too. It was better not to post it here as it would have only gotten bad vibes. Oh well, life must still go on. And mind you, I had a great birthday, even though I had flu. (Yes, after the chickenpox episode, I got flu, talk about "lucky".)

So anyway, I want to review my favorite Celeteque DermoScience products. It really has made my face better, believe me!

Celeteque DermoScience Hydration Facial Moisturizer (with Triple Moisturizing System)

Celeteque DermoScience Hydration Facial Moisturizer

When I was searching for ways on how to make my skin better, I came across with the basic skin care regimen: cleanse, tone and moisturize. Before, I didn't bother following this, particularly the moisturizing part because I felt that I didn't need to because my skin was already oily.

But I soon learned that sebum was different from moisture. I read that moisturizing had several beneficial effects such as keeping your face oil-free (of which I was really surprised) and protecting your skin further against dirt.

However, there were several types of facial moisturizer. For someone with an oily skin type like me, you would need a water-based and oil-free moisturizer, since putting an oil-based moisturizer would tend to make your face oilier. At least, that was what I've found on my research.

So, there I went looking for products with these descriptions. Several beauty gurus on the net would suggest Celeteque. I went for it because aside from the fact that it fitted the description, it was right on my budget. I bought the travel pack first which contained sample sizes of facial cleanser, toner and moisturizer, and guess what, I was hooked. I bought it over and over again. And shortly after that, Celeteque DermoScience was introduced with improved products.

Ingredients (Click to enlarge the photo)

Pros:

- Made my face smoother and had less pimples.

- Made my skin soft and supple.

- Keeps my skin moisturized.

- Water-based and oil-free.

- Non-comedogenic, hypo-allergenic and fragrance-free. Recommended for ladies with sensitive skin.

- Contains Aloe Vera extract which soothes the skin and provides best moisture.

- Can be used during day and night, even during hot summer days. Originally, I was only using this at night due to fear that my face might become excessively oily during the day. But I tried using it during the day too, and I was more than happy that I tried because my face became better. It even helped in applying makeup. However, note not to put too much during the day if your skin is already oily.

Directions for Use (Click to enlarge photo)

- Non-greasy and easily absorbed by the skin.

- Shows manufacturing and expiry date both on the box and the bottle.

- Affordable at P127 for 50ml and P210 for 100ml.

Cons:

- None for me. :)

Celeteque DermoScience Hydration Alcohol-free Toner

Before, I used toner primarily to rid my skin of dirt. Sometimes, I used it before cleansing my face and most of the time without cleansing my face. I thought that was enough. How wrong I was, oh well.

But hey, I now know what it is for. Aside from removing excess sebum and dirt after washing your face, it is also used to shrink pores. It also preps the skin for moisturizing.

On my research back then, they say that an alcohol-free toner worked best for our skin because alcohol strips out moisture from our skin. In fact, according to sites, there are different types of toners. There are those face freshners, tonics and astringents. Freshners have the lowest content of alcohol and astringents with the highest content of alcohol.

But of course, for an oily skin type lady like me, little alcohol will help, but I still choose to use an alcohol-free toner. It is because we change skin types from time to time and depending on the season (particularly for ladies on countries with four seasons). If too much alcohol is used, not only sebum would be removed from the face, but also moisture. So ladies, be aware of what products you use on your face. :)

Pros:

- Alcohol-free. Recommended for ladies with sensitive to dry skin.

- Removes dirt on my face thoroughly without drying the skin. However, note not to overdo it by applying the cotton ball or pad roughly on your face. Always use a light and gentle hand.

- Can be used day and night. But I only used it at night. Heehee.

Directions for Use

- Contains Witch Hazel Extract. This extract helps in drying zits up and soothing the skin. They say that it even helps in shrinking eyebags.

Ingredients

- Shows manufacturing and expiry date both on the box and the bottle.

- Affordable at P82 for 65ml and P129 for 125ml.

Cons:

- I'm actually not sure if it helps in shrinking my pores, but then I'm not also sure that every toner is supposed to do that.

And there you are! If you are interested with Celeteque DermoScience products, try joining their current promo by using Skin Analyzer and knowing which products will work best on you on their website. For the promo mechanices, visit their Facebook page Celeteque.

Review: Ever Bilena ProLongWear Lipstick in Retro

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:09:00 +0000

As promised, I'll try to blog as often as I can. And here's another blog post from me. :)

Even if it's not summer, I love wearing orangey and peachy pink lippies. Probably, I have that notion that hot pink lippies only suit fair-skinned ladies. Oh well, it's not that I don't wear pink lippies, but I make sure that, somehow, I get to choose the right shade for me--one that has a warm tone to it.

Ever Bilena ProLongWear Lipstick

So, there I was in Watson's a long time ago and found myself looking at their lippies. And since I fancy orangey lippies, I got the Ever Bilena ProLongWear Lipstick in Retro. During that time, they got a promo called, "Show Me Your Lipstick". I just showed one lipstick of mine and I got the Retro for P120 instead of P155.

Retro

Pros:

- It is not drying on my lips. You can surely wear without the need for lip balms.

- It does stay for hours, probably around five hours.

- It has nice color payoff, though not really great, I think. But for everyday use, this is surely my bet! :)

- It's affordable at only P155.

- It has no funny smell unlike my Nyx.

- It contains Vitamin E for that ultimate moisture.

Neutral:

- It is shimmery. I like matte more which is kind of contrary to the fact that I don't like drying lippies coz' my lips are already cracked and dry most of the time.

Cons:

- It contains paraben, as most makeups do.

Swatches: (Please bear with my cracked lips and blurry photos. XD)

P. S.
Though it seems more peachy pink on the photos, Retro is more on the orangey side. :)

Review: Etude House Happy Teatime Green Tea Cleansing Foam

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 05:40:00 +0000

The review for today is the all-time favorite product from Etude House--Happy Teatime Cleansing Foam.

This cleansing foam comes in five variants. Out of these five, I've already used two, the Milk Tea and Green tea variants. The first one I got was Milk Tea. I was meaning to review that one too, but I already finished the bottle and I didn't get any pictures. Hehehe. I was really busy the past months.

Happy Teatime Green Tea Cleansing Foam (P148, 150ml)

Anyway, when I bought Milk Tea, I didn't know that each variant was suitable for a specific need or skin type. I thought each worked the same way as the other and was suitable for all skin types, so I based my purchase on the scent. And I really like Milk Tea's light, powdery scent.

But after looking at Etude House Philippines' site, I read that each variant caters to a certain skin type and need.

Milk Tea - Moisturizing and smoothing formula with Milk Tea extract

Lemon Tea - Vitalizing and nourishing formula with Lemon Tea extract

Green Tea - Pore cleansing and oily shine relief with Green Tea extract

Peach Tea - Brightening and clarifying formula with Peach Tea extract

Aloe Tea - Moisturizing and complexion health formula with Aloe Tea extract

So, even though I really liked Milk Tea, I've got to try Green Tea because it's for pore cleansing and oily shine relief because my skin is oily. And anyway, when I asked the boyfriend which smelled better the Milk Tea or Green Tea, he told me it was the latter so I gave it a go. And hey, I'm liking Green Tea a lot! :)

Pros:

Affordable at P148 for 150ml product. My first bottle lasted me three to four months.

Mild on skin. It does not dry my face and break me out.

Has a nice cool and refreshing scent.

Really foamy. The consistency of the product is thick, and when lathered on wet face, it becomes really foamy. You'll really only need a pea-size of the product for every use.

Helps in oil control. I think this one contributes to the many oil control products I'm using to keep my face shine-free because the label says it contains hydrated silica.

Click to enlarge and read details about the product

Cons:

None that I could think of for the moment. I think I'm gonna stick to this cleansing foam for long. :)

Now I really know why it's an all-time fave product of our princes and princesses out there. :) I'm even planning to try Happy Teatime Cleansing cream and wipes. :D I'll give this product 5/5. :)

Review: Snoe Here Comes the Sunblock (And I Say It's Alright)

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 07:22:00 +0000

It's summer again, hey! :) And I guess everyone is just excited for their summer vacay. With that, don't let the scorching sun beat you to killing all the fun with sunburnt skin and staying out of the sun all day long.

As for me, well, I haven't had set a foot on the beach yet this summer, but I could already feel the heat. And that was because, for the past month, the start of my classes was at 1PM and I had to get out of the house at 12PM and commute. Just think about the sun during that hour.

Snoe Here Comes the Sunblock (And I Say It's Alright), P199

Good thing, I bought Snoe Here Comes the Sunblock (And I Say It's Alright) (that's really the name of this sunblock, cute, eh? :D ) last December. Y'know, I was not really used to using sunblock lotions during ordinary days. I do use it on the beach (c/o friends, sister and mom), but not when I'm only going out for school or the mall or wherever. And yes, this was the first sunblock I bought. LOL.

Originally, I bought it because it smells so good. And as I've said on my haul, the scent is similar to Ralph by Ralph Lauren for Women, only the sunblock smells sweeter, if you know what I mean. Plus, I find the packaging cute and handy.

The consistency is more on the watery side. In fact, even though the bottle is hard, making it difficult to squeeze, product will come out automatically once you turn it upside down. So be careful, or you might end up getting more product than what you actually need.

I always put this on my arms (since I'm always in jeans) and sometimes on the face whenever I feel the need to or I have extra time to do so. So far, it didn't break me out. And my skin smells really nice. Heehee. ;)

On the bottle, it says:

Click to enlarge and read the benefits of Bengkoang and ingredients

How to Use

Pros:

Contains Bengkoang (singkamas) which is not only a skin whitener, but also contains antioxidants which help in the prevention of certain diseases such as hemorrhoids and cancer. It also helps in the reduction of acne scars or dark spots on your skin. In addition, it also provides moisture to the skin and comes with anti-aging effects.

Contains SPF45.

Filipino-made product. Support our own. :)

Costs P199 only for 100ml product. Affordable compared to other sunblock lotions.

Accessible. Snoe, in just a short span of time, has already opened several stores on different locations. And I think, they're opening more soon. I bought mine in Robinson's Galleria.

Smells great.

Non-greasy and easily absorbed by the skin.

Paraben-free.

Safe to use on your face. It didn't break me out! :)

Cons:

My hands feel a bit dry after putting on this sunblock

Overall, I think this is a good sunblock suitable for the Filipina skin in this summer heat. If you want to know more about Snoe, its locations and branches, check their website out at www.snoebeauty.com.

Help!

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 04:16:00 +0000

Hi all!

Since god-knows-when, I've been having some problems with this blog. GFC is only showing an empty white space/box, so I decided to erase the code from GFC and install the 'Followers' gadget from Blogger.

There's also this problem with my feed not showing up on Google Dashboard and Reader. (I also follow my blog.) If you'll follow through the 'Followers' gadget now, you'll be able to see feeds from my blog again.

So, if you don't mind, will you please follow me again, so that there is one more person who'll read my blog aside from myself. LOL. :)

Or better yet subscribe to Uncharted Plans' feed with just one click.

So there, a simple click will really make me happy. :)

Thank you!

Cheers,

Charlene B.

Review: Skinfood Good Afternoon Peach Green Tea BB SPF20 PA++ in Natural Beige

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 09:29:00 +0000

Hooray for being back! :) I miss blogging so much that I'll surely try my best to blog as often as possible during this summer vacation. And yes, University days are over, but I'm still waiting for my graduation. Heehee. *clap clap*

So, to celebrate being back here, I'm gonna do a review on my current BB cream--Skinfood Good Afternoon Peach Green Tea BB.

Skinfood Good Afternoon Peach Green Tea BB SPF20 PA++ in 02 Natural Beige

This is my first Skinfood product and I bought it online from an eBay seller bhappywithme. I didn't bother to try buying locally because regular prices from a Skinfood store here in the Philippines are double of what online sellers offer. Even if you pay for shipping fees and extra charges, you'll still be able to save more by buying online.

This is officially my second BB cream, next to Etude House BB Magic Cream. I basically bought it because of its description. Reviews were good too, so I gave it a go.

On the box, it says:

Peach Green Tea (Oil Controlling and Mattifying BB Cream)

A long lasting BB cream that helps maintain bright morning skin throughout the day without darkening or smudging. An oil-controlling and skin-mattifying BB cream that keeps skin fresh and matte with vitamin-enriched peach extract and sebum-regulating green tea.

Upon receiving and seeing this, I was already sold with the packaging. It was in a brown small box designed like a tea bag. It was simple, but pretty and dainty. However, for a 30-gram product, I didn't expect this one to be this small. But I compared it with my sister's 30-ml Tony Moly Cutie Beauty BB cream and found that Good Afternoon BB is heavier. In short, it was smaller yet heavier which was quite not really logical for me. LOL.

Next is the scent. Unlike the EH BB Magic cream, this one has a light peachy smell which quickly goes away. Well, I don't think it really smells like peach, but mostly similar to it. And it's not a strong scent. In fact, it doesn't linger on the skin for long, so you'll have no worries about having a headache due to its scent. :)

Coverage is light and sheer which is so-so for me. I think it is even lighter than the EH BB Magic cream. I still have to use a concealer to hide my blemishes. But if your skin is already clear and free of blemishes, this one is a good bet.

BB cream when blended onto the skin

After a few minutes

Consistency is creamy. It doesn't dry quickly, so you'll be able to blend it well on your skin.

Lastly, the oil control is quite good. In this heat, I think I only need to blot every 2-3 hours. In an air-conditioned room, oil control is good for 3-4 hours. It's not bad actually, considering this summer heat and my uber oily skin. Plus, it has a matte finish which I really like.

Wearing Skinfood Good Afternoon Peach Green Tea BB in Natural Beige

Pros:

Good oil control. Lasts 3-4 hours on my uber oily skin.

Matte finish.

Has SPF20 PA++.

Makes my skin look glowing.

Does not dry quickly. You'll be able to blend it on your skin well.

Not as reflective as my previous BB cream on flash photography, though still leaves a white cast as most, if not all, BB creams do.

Comes in two shades: 01 Light Beige and 02 Natural Beige.

Comes in a squeeze bottle which is easy to control. You'll surely be able to get the right amount of cream you need.

So far, I didn't have any breakout because of this BB.

Neutral:

Has a light peachy scent. I'm neutral on this one because, though the scent is not overpowering, it's not a smell that I like. (I like light, powdery and refreshing scents. :) )

Cons:

Coverage is sheer. You'll still need to use concealer to hide blemishes.

Not really buildable. Since I found that the coverage was sheer, I kept on trying to build it but to no avail. It's really sheer and I end up using more product. And even if it will build, it's only for a very little bit.

Overall, I really like this BB cream. I recommend it to those ladies who have oily skin. :)

Collective Haul + Mini Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:18:00 +0000

Well, hello there! Gosh, it has already been, what? More than a month, almost two, since the last time I posted. Time really flies by so easily, ain't it? But anyway, it's nice to be back for a while. :)

And here's another haul post! LOL. I don't really want a lot of haul posts in this blog, but I really can't do a review for each and everyone. I mean, because of this haul posts, I'm able to do mini-reviews on all products including those that I overlook and forget to review.

So here, we go! :)

Human Heart Nature Sunflower Beauty Seed Oil (P129.75)
Human Heart Nature Intensive Hair Mask (P99.75)

First on the line are these two. This is my second bottle of Sunflower Beauty Seed Oil. I mainly bought it to lighten my underarms. I can't say much about the progress, because I don't closely monitor it. LOL. But I think it's working together with the body scrub and whitening lotion I use because the dark spots on my legs are lighter than before. Yes, I also use it for those dark spots. :)

Next up is the Intensive Hair Mask. It smells like the menthol candy Stork or Dynamite if you ask me. LOL. It also has that minty feel whenever I use it on my hair. And yes, it makes my hair soft as if I used a conditioner, only this one is all natural which is quite healthy. :) However, I notice that I experience more hair fall whenever I apply it on my hair. But after that rinsing, everything's back to normal. And I have softer hair. :D Unfortunately, this 50-gram product can only be used 2 to 3 times for medium-length and long hair.

Celeteque Dermoscience Hydration Facial Moisturizer (P129.75)

This is also my second bottle of Celeteque Facial Moisturizer. And this is my first facial moisturizer. I've never used any moisturizer before this because I have the notion that I already have an oily face and I don't need this anymore. How wrong I was! This has done wonders to my face. And I'm gonna put that in a separate review. :)

San San Lipstick Hydrating Dew 04 (given to me by my sister)
Avon Ultra Moisture Rich Lipstick Island Glow
Nyx Round Lipstick in Femme
Nyx Round Lipstick in Nyx

Of these four, SanSan lipstick is the only one I haven't tried wearing outside because it's Red. Yes, I'm quite timid in wearing red shades because I don't feel it's appropriate for school. (Yeah, the other colors are appropriate. :P) But true to its name, it's hydrating and I might try that one day. :) My fave among these is the Avon UMR lipstick because Island Glow has a good color payoff.

As for the Nyx, I also like them, has good color payoff. It's just that I feel that there are better colors that'll suit me that I don't know why I bought these two. LOL.

Maybelline MakeUp Remover (P99)
Glam Works Hair Removal Soothing Lotion (P99)

I still have the Ever Bilena Advance MakeUp Remover but I bought Maybelline because the latter stings my eyes which is a very big no-no for me. And so far, I'm liking Maybelline. It doesn't sting plus this works better than my former Sophie Martin makeup remover. My mascara and eyeliner are easier to remove with this one.

As for the Glam Works Hair Removal Soothing Lotion, I haven't really used it enough to give any comments since I've only used it once. :D

Tony Moly Cutie Beauty BB Cream 02 Pure Angel Amy (P350)
Skinfood Good Afternoon BB Cream Peach Green Tea (P411)

And finally, my favorites from this haul post. :D BB creams! :D

I've been using Etude House BB Magic Cream (Refreshing) for 7 or 8 months now. Yes, it still has a small amount left on it. I even cut the squeeze bottle just so I could use it all up. Cheapskate me. LOL. :D I love it, but I guess it's time for me to move on from it now. Eight months is long enough that sometimes you'll want something new. Prolly that's why some people just buy and buy new BB creams even if they still haven't used them all up. But I'm cheapskate and I don't have money to spend on more BB creams right now. :D

I bought this mainly for its description that said it's an oil-controlling and mattifying BB cream. Plus, it's just right for my budget. Anyway, I'll save the specifics for another post. :) On the other hand, I wanna tell of how it went with Skinfood store in Megamall. I went right there to see and test this BB cream out even if I had planned on buying it on eBay. (Store prices are double of what online sellers offer. -_- )

I didn't see it on the shelf so I asked the beauty advisor if they have this one and her answer embarrassed me. -_- She told me that the Good Afternoon BB line might not be from Skinfood. For goodness' sake. -_- I even braved going in on the empty store.

This one belongs to my sister. I believe it's suitable for dry skin. We just combined shipping so we'll save more. :)

BB cream and skin care samples

I wanted to try more BB creams so I'll know what to buy next after using my current BB cream all up. Half of these are included in our purchases, while half, mostly skin care samples, are freebies from the eBay seller bhappywithme. We bought the Skinfood and TonyMoly plus these samples from her. Thanks for the freebies. :D

Nivea Whitening Cell Repair Protect Body Milk 40x (P199 for 250ml)

The body milk from the same brand and line that I bought last December was already empty so I had to buy again. I wish skin care wouldn't have to be so costly. -_- But anyway, I love using this lotion. It's non-sticky and greasy and it's easily absorbed by the skin.

Maybelline Clear Smooth All in One Foundation (P119 for refill)

I bought this as replacement for the Maybelline Clear Smooth Extra Shine Free Foundation (the blue one). Basically, I didn't get the full version (?) of this Clear Smooth All in One foundie because I've read reviews that the foundie easily breaks. And it's not really fun using broken foundies. Most of the time, whenever that happens to me, I don't use it anymore. Sayang naman ang pera kung ganoon diba? But so far, I've been using this for more than a month now and it's not yet broken. I just already see the signs that it's gonna break sooner or later. O_O

Etude House Lip and Eye Remover (sample size)
Tony Tint (sample size)

First of all, I bought this from another eBay seller (NOT bhappywithme) and I have this suspicion that the makeup remover is fake. First, it smells like the 'spraynet'. (Do you remember that thing you spray on your hair then it'll get hard?) Second, it has bubbles in between the blue liquid and the colorless liquid. But overall, it works fine in removing my makeup and it doesn't sting my eye. So my question is, is that normal for the EH makeup remover? Because from what I see from the store, it's not like that at all. Plus, the blue liquid from the EH makeup remover from the store is 'blue-r'.

As for the Tony tint, I think it works fine. I haven't really tried the full one yet from the local store.

So there you go again for this long haul post. I hope the mini reviews are helpful. I'm off to study again.

Ciao~!

Bacolod Chicken Inasal, The Strip Greenhills Shopping Center

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:18:00 +0000

First of all, Happy New Year to all of you! :) Hope you had a blast during New Year's Eve. :) As for me, I had a blast eating here at home. LOL. But anyway, may God bless all of us this year. And speaking of, as I've said, this year's gonna be a busy one for me, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to post on a regular basis here. But I'll surely try my best! :D

Okay, here's another food post! It's the holidays so there are lots of foods around. :D But too bad, I wasn't able to take pics of food this New Year. I was too busy munching here and there. LOL. :P

I love sales and bazaars. If I have the means to buy and if the place is convenient for me, I'll certainly go there for sure. :D And I wouldn't want to miss the night bazaar in Greenhills, y'know. Lots of good stuffs at affordable prices. ;)

It was already dinner time when we got to Greenhills, so before roaming around at the bazaar and looking for great finds, we just had to eat. :) We were actually both very hungry that time.

At first, we were thinking of eating inside the bazaar space (parking lot) since there were lots of food stalls around, but since there are also lots of people there, I found it inconvenient to eat there. So we went out and decided to try Bacolod Chicken Inasal.

Bacolod Chicken Inasal at The Strip is good escape place from the hustle and bustle of people in Greenhills. Only a few tables were occupied when we got there. It's quiet and relaxed.

While waiting for food. XD

Moving on to food, since the specialty was quite obvious, we went for their Inasal. We ordered our favorite chicken part--Paa (thigh). We also added Bagoong Rice which was good for 3-4 persons. But in our case, it was good for two. LOL.

Bagoong Rice (P129.50, 3-4 persons)

Chicken Inasal - Paa (P99.50)

We loved the Bagoong Rice! It had an overall salty taste which was just right. In fact, I could already eat it without the dishes. LOL. Their chicken inasal was not sweet, compared to the chicken inasal at Mang Inasal. But it tasted like ordinary barbecued chicken for me, and I didn't say that I didn't like it. It was just...okay. Lastly, I noticed that it was not that oily so yey for those who watch out for cholesterol. :)

Our side dishes were Adobong Kangkong (P89) and Atcharang Papaya (P33.50). The kangkong was okay, tasted like ordinary kangkong. The atcharang papaya wasn't sweet and sour. It only tasted sour which I didn't really like because I was used to atchara being sweet and sour.

Atchara (P33.50)

The boyfriend ordered Yogurt Mango Shake (P69.50), while I ordered Native Tsokolate (P59.50, bottomless) because I was still recovering that time and wanted, again, my insides to feel warm. (Too bad, all these were not in the pics, we were really hungry that time so we were kind of in a hurry to fill our stomachs. LOL.) And I loved that native tsokolate. I even told the boyfriend that I could order only tsokolate and laze there for an hour or two since it was refillable. LOL.

Verdict:

If you're craving for Filipino food or maybe just chicken inasal, Bacolod Chicken Inasal is a good place to try. Though I am not really wow-ed by their chicken inasal, and there are hits and misses on the dishes we've tried, I think other dishes on their menu are still worth a try. Their native tsokolate almost tastes the same as the one my grandma makes plus I think the bagoong rice is good. ;)

Merci Assorted European Chocolate

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Who doesn't love chocolates, really? Maybe there are some who are not fond of it, but they still like it, don't they? Oh well, as for me, I love chocolates! :D

And thanks to the boyfriend for giving me this Merci. I'm so loving it. LOL. But segue first, I'm not really fond of Ferrero Rocher, is it just me or what? LOL. I prefer Samba over that, maybe because I don't really like nuts and such on my chocolate. But I still eat them, you see. :D Hehehe.

First things first, I love the packaging of Merci, it's simple yet elegant, dontcha think?

Moving on, Merci is a European chocolate manufactured by Storck in Germany. A box contains an assortment of 7 luscious chocolate flavors namely: Milk Chocolate, Praline Cream, Dark Mousse, Dark Creme, Hazelnut-Almond, Hazelnut Cream, and Coffee and Cream.

Merci (400g)

It simply has got any chocolate flavor you want! And that's what I like about it. If you want a bitter chocolate, you can always go for Dark Creme and Dark Mousse. On the other hand, if you want something really sweet, there is Milk Chocolate and Praline Creme. If you want nuts on your chocolate, then so be it, get the Hazelnut Almond or Hazelnut Cream. You can also have a taste of coffee with Coffee and Cream. You see, you have a choice with Merci. :D

Another thing, what I like about this is the size of the chocolates. They're bite-size. I feel that I'm not compelled to eat out the whole thing. LOL. I can always finish one and come back later and see the packaging still looking good. Heehee.

I'm not sure where this chocolate was bought from, but I searched the net, and they can be bought through Amazon and Walgreens. This 400-gram Merci containing 32 assorted chocolates costs, according to Amazon, around $25.

Masuki SM Megamall

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:05:00 +0000

I wasn't really feeling well this holiday season. -_- Booo for that. This flu was just killing the fun. In fact, because I really wanted to feel warm when we went to the mall one "cold" afternoon, I asked the boyfriend to eat somewhere. And this somewhere turned out to be Masuki. I thought this Masuki was somewhat new because it was the first time we saw it on the Lower Ground floor.

Masuki

Basically, I was looking for "mami" or noodles and this Masuki had noodles advertised outside.

We went in and found only two tables occupied, we were the third customer that afternoon. But for some reason, maybe everyone was wanting to have merienda, we went out with the restaurant full of customers.

Masuki is Chinese--specifically Cantonese. Their specialty is noodles, obviously, but they also serve dimsum.

Wanton Noodles (Special), P140

I ordered Wanton Noodles while the boyfriend had Beef Noodles. We also had sharksfin siomai which was not in the pics.

The noodles were good. It was served hot (of course) and the saltiness of the wanton really stands out in the dish making the whole dish balanced, if you know what I mean. Plus, Masuki had huge servings that I wasn't able finish the whole bowl. :( (I really had no appetite, just wanted to my insides to feel warm.)

Beef Noodles (Special), P150

And even though I was sick, I still had a taste of the boyfriend's order. LOL. It's just me. :D I think I liked this one better than my order. It had more taste to it just as I preferred.

As for the sharksfin siomai, it was just the usual dimsum served in any Chinese restaurant. And it's okay. It's my favorite dimsum anyway. ;)

Iced Honey Lemon, P70

But my fave for that meal was their Iced Honey Lemon. Since sakit-sakitan ako, I chose this drink because: 1.) Honey is said to relieve coughs, 2.) Lemon is good for colds, and 3.) The advertisement says its energy-boosting. And I really liked its taste! It tasted like lipton tea with lemon and honey, only it was cold. But I was thinking it was overpriced, I dunno why. Maybe I was thinking that I could do something like this too at home without me costing P70. Oh well, who's complaining. LOL.

Verdict:

~~If you're feeling unwell~~ If you want a Chinese noodle fix at an affordable price, be sure to drop by Masuki. They serve quite a few noodle recipes on their menu so you'll be able to choose one to your liking. Also, don't forget to try their Iced Honey Lemon. :)

Masuki
SM Megamall Bldg. B
Lower Ground floor

Happy Lemon in SM Megamall

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:33:00 +0000

So...hurray! for SM Megamall for bringing these milk tea stores. So happy to see Happy Lemon. It opened last Friday, December 16 if I'm correct. But oh, be warned, the queue line doesn't fall short. It's a blockbuster. LOL.

Actually, this was my first time trying this one. LOL. Yeah, I've seen this one in Greenhills Promenade but whenever we go there we're always in a hurry or forget to drop by.

Yeah, we still used straw. XD

We ordered their bestseller Rock Salt and Cheese with Cocoa. Actually, I didn't know what to order but kinda wanted to try Lemon Yakult Mousse Spin but they said that Mousse Spin was not available.

Cocoa with Rock Salt and Cheese (P100, large)

This was served without the cap, because from what I read before (probably, from a blog) you would be able to appreciate it more just like that. And now I know what he/she meant by that. The taste was with the rock salt and cheese on top. And the Cocoa had no taste. Hehehe. But I like it. Only I prefer GongCha more than this.

haggard look XD

But who knows, I've only tried one. I'll still give other variants a try. :D I just hope that the queue line is not always long. -_-

Happy Lemon
3rd Floor, SM Megamall Bldg. A
beside Tokyo Tokyo, across SM Cinema

My Little Christmas Skin Care Haul: Watsons, Saizen and Snoe Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 02:07:00 +0000

Warning: This haul post is a bit longer than normal. LOL. LovePeaceYo. v^_^

Hiya folks! The Christmas rush is all over the malls. And since it's Christmas, it's really nice to go shopping not only because people have money during this time of the year (hello, christmas bonus and 13th month pay--though I didn't really receive either because I'm not locally employed. LOL.), but also because there are lots of sales and bazaars going on. It's simply is the best time to shop!

And since I'm into caring for my damaged skin (particularly on the legs), it's only necessary that I invest on its restoration. And hopefully, those dark spots will heal. It has already been a year since I wore shorts outside. :(

First stop was Watsons. My go-to store when I'm bored. LOL.

I was looking for a new body lotion that had whitening properties for those dark spots. Actually, I was going to buy either St. Ives or Jergens, but the boyfriend told me to go for the new Nivea Extra Whitening Cell Repair Protect (because we both saw it on a TVC and thought it was good. LOL.) Plus, it was on sale at 20% off. And so far, I'm loving the scent. It's also not sticky and greasy which is a plus for me. :D

Nivea Extra Whitening Cell Repair Protect 400ml (P294--20% discounted)
Cream Silk reConstruct Damage Control (P102)
Yoko Spa Milk Salt (P68)
Purbasari Lulur Mandi Putih 135g (P79)

And yeah, I got two body scrubs. I haven't tried both though I already used another Yoko variant. And I was supposed to buy the Asian Secrets Lulur but I didn't see it on the rack. But the Purbasari Lulur Mandi Putih was good, already tried it. It even smells like the Avon Moisture lotion. Y'know, I'm really finding ways to lighten those dark spots. I'm even using Sebo de Macho now. LOL. :D

Cream Silk is my fave conditioner. Since I don't have a rebonded-straight hair, I always see to it that my hair is not so frizzy. It's not skin care but still... Hehehe.

Second stop was Saizen. I'd been looking forward to this day when I was able to visit this store. It's in Robinson's Galleria kasi eh and I'm always in SM Megamall. Hehehe.

Everything at P85

The first thing I got was the Charcoal Nose Pack. I really wanted to try this. Hope it works on me. I also got a pack of oil blotting papers. I thought it was super affordable for P85 because it had 250 sheets. But it's just your ordinary oil blotting paper. I like sheets similar to those of Gatsby's.

This shows only four because I've given one to my sister. :D

But of the stuffs I bought in this haul, the best was the Facial tissue pack. Yes! I always carry with me tissue because I don't bring a hanky. I always lose them, so to prevent that from happening, tissue na lang. This big Facial tissue pack contains 5 small packs with 250 pulls each. Amazing. LOL. If you do the math, each pack costs only P17 for 250 pulls of quality facial tissue. :D

Last stop was Snoe Beauty. It was near Saizen in Robinson's Galleria and was really happy to see it. I think the first time I saw their kiosk was near Watson's. And that was before the 'Snoe craze' began. I actually braced myself from buying that time because I thought I would find a review first. And boom! Suddenly, the Internet has been all about Snoe.

Here Comes the Sunblock (P199)
Snoe White Exfoliating Oatmeal beauty bar (P139)

I was just going to check their products, but I couldn't help myself from buying stuffs. So there, I bought the No. 9 Exfoliating Oatmeal beauty bar and Here Comes the Sunblock. I haven't tried the beauty bar yet, but the sunblock smells so good that I bought it. LOL. It smells like my Ralph by Ralph Lauren for Women Eau de Toilette Spray, only the sunblock smells a bit sweeter.

Snoe White Milk Scrub also looks really promising. I was even tempted to buy it but I remembered that I already bought two body scrubs. Baka masyado na numipis ang balat ko niyan. LOL. But I'll note to try this body scrub in the near future. :D

So, there you are for this long haul post. LOL. Dunno if I'll be able to post a makeup haul with all these stuffs I bought. LOL.

Early Christmas Gifts: Thank You!

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:30:00 +0000

I know it's now only a week before Christmas. But hey, I got these gifts last November. Yes, forgive me for my lack of posts. And I'm only here because it's already Christmas break! Yey! :D I'm not really sure if I could post frequently next year. I think it's gonna be a busy year for me. And oh, I hope it's gonna be prosperous too! :)

So, this post is about prizes I got from Female Network's promo 'FN Wants to Know' and HBC care of Ms. Aya from Codename Aya and Ms. Thiamere of ~on beauty stuff and what else's....~.

All I want to say is...thank you! :D For these early Christmas gifts. :)

Chic Nails GC from FemaleNetwork.com

I haven't yet used the Chic Nails GC from Female Network, probably next year. ;) Don't forget to check their site not only for promos, but also for beauty, fashion and relationship articles and to join the discussions on GirlTalk. :)

HBC actually gives Hair Perfection Color Hair Spa in three colors Burgundy, Medium Brown and Chestnut. But since I won twice, I got twice the loot. Thank you Ms. Lorie! :D I gave one Medium Brown to the boyfriend's mom. The Chestnut is somewhere around the house so it's not in the pic. LOL.

Hair Perfection Color Hair Spa

Anyway, I was glad to have these hair colors because I was actually contemplating on buying one. With these, I got to save money. Heehee. :D Plus, the color I like on my hair right now (Burgundy/Red Wine) is included in the loot. Many thanks! :)

And since it's Monday today, don't forget to join HBC's happy beautiful christmas Week 7 on Ms. Aya's and Ms. Thiamere's blogs. :)

Lastly, I also won Ms. Angel's Amazing Accessories Giveaway of Wonder Woman Rises. Yey for that! :) But it's not shipped yet so the pics aren't here. Thanks too Ms. Angel. :)

Sizzlin' Pepper Steak Eastwood City

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:54:00 +0000

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Bonifacio Day was a busy one. It was not really planned, but hey, I had a good time. :)

First off, we were invited by our friend to play badminton. I actually didn't how to (and I was actually not sure if I could serve) but I had already played it before--not seriously of course. In the end, I was not able to play, but they did. And I thought I could only really play table tennis. :D

Sizzlin' Pepper Steak, and me. ;)

Since we got off the court quite early because of the unexpected number of people there, we, or rather they, decided to eat in Eastwood. They chose Sizzlin' Pepper Steak which was not yet open when we got there and waited for around 15 minutes.

I actually didn't expect it to be Japanese, but it was. Well, not really that Japanese because they didn't serve sushi and maki. Admit it! It doesn't really feel Japanese without them. :D

We were five in the group and four of us ordered Pork BBQ Pepper Rice while one friend ordered Gyuniku Beef Pepper Rice, I think.

<3 and the sauce in a half-open genie lamp. Hehe. :P

Ian and Lawrence

Ate Jesa and the 'Stop' sign. :D

After a couple of minutes waiting, they served our orders. Mine was already done but still sizzling, but when I looked at the boyfriend's plate, his pork wasn't yet done. He let it sizzle a bit more (though we really didn't have control on that because we couldn't stop it, could we? LOL.) Anyway, he didn't complain naman, so I guessed it was okay after that.

Pork BBQ Pepper Rice, P217 with iced tea, P195 per order

The taste was so-so. I didn't find anything special. It tasted liked BBQ. But of course, their sauce was supposed to have made the difference. It was how they differentiate anyway. But the thing was, the sauce tasted sweet, and y'know, I was never fond of sweet tastes on my dish, except maybe for sweet and sour. LOL. I should've chosen another one. But it was bearable for me, and I still enjoyed my food. :D

Me with no makeup (coz' I thought I'd be sweating)

Verdict:

If you're craving for meat, Sizzlin' Pepper Steak is a go-to. It offers a nice ambience and comfy chairs. Plus, with just P200, you can already satisfy your meat craving and large appetite. :)

Review: Avon Naturals Bearberry Yoghurt Facial Mask

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 13:48:00 +0000

I love facial masks! I know I haven't posted any reviews about them yet, but I really like using one since I've tried Etude House and Tony Moly face masks.

Avon Naturals Bearberry Yoghurt Facial Mask

But this one is not about those two brands. This review is for Avon Naturals Bearberry Yoghurt Facial Mask. I think this one is new, along with the Cucumber variant, because I haven't seen them before except for the last four or five brochures released. I'm not actually fond of purchasing skin care products from Avon, but I've felt that I need to try this. (or something like that)

Actually, the first time I saw it, I ordered Cucumber but my mom's Avon lady weren't able to get one. But once I've registered as a FD (thanks to my classmate's mom) for personal purchases, I've made sure to get one. However, I notice that only the Bearberry variant is always available on the shelves.

The packaging is similar to the Etude House I Need You Yoghurt except that the Avon Naturals Bearberry Yoghurt comes in a box.

The box says:

"A refreshing facial mask that instantly lightens skin. This special formulation is made with bearberry extracts and yoghurt to moisturize and stimulate skin turnover to make skin tone look less dull and helps reduce dry skin texture. Its microbeads helps remove dry and flaky skin to reveal fair skin. Thus, skin looks refreshed and naturally fair."

I find Bearberry really thick and creamy. Actually, if I don't know that it's a facial mask, I just might eat it. LOL. And it's true! You can actually mistake this one for an edible yoghurt. And adding to the confusion is the smell. It smells like strawberry! (I know it's bearberry, but I haven't had one and I think it smells like strawberry. LOL.) The smell, the consistency and texture is indeed very similar with a strawberry yoghurt.

And as you can see, there is even a warning that the product is really not edible. LOL.

Click to enlarge photo and read details about the product

I've been using this product for a month now, twice every week, and so far, I didn't have any breakout. I even have lesser pimples now. ;) It is also a good moisturizer. My face feels smooth, soft and supple after every use. Not bad, really. :) Plus, it is said to have instant whitening properties though I'm not really after that.

And it's only P120 for 40g! One box lasted me a month and I use it two times a week. If you do the math, I use about half of one container for every use. I just don't feel like stuffing the whole 10g on my face. LOL. That's just too much, I guess. Currently, I'm using it alternately with my Tony Moly Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream. :)

Closeup Philippines First Community Event + Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 16:12:00 +0000

I really had a blast last Friday! And that was because of Closeup Philippines who generously shared a great event with 100 members of the Closeup community on Facebook. These members were chosen via a simple contest held on their Facebook page.

Closeup Philippines Community Event at EDSA Shangrila Cineplex

And yes! It was their own premiere of the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1. Wasn't that just great? But that was not yet the best part...every winner was able to bring two of his or her buddies! And all three got to watch the movie for free at a very nice movie theater, EDSA Shangrila Cineplex. As for me, I brought my sister and the boyfriend along with me. :D

But wait, there's more! LOL. Closeup even gave a treat to free snacks and drinks. It really was cool. 8-)

Before the movie started, Closeup Brand Manager Brian Duruin greeted us, expressed his gratitude to the community for being active and showed a little presentation about Closeup Fire Freeze.

The Fire Freeze team actually went to our campus and gave out samples to the students. I wasn't able to get one but a classmate gave me two. LOL. I guess I was really lucky because I liked Fire Freeze. My mouth felt really fresh and cool after every brush. And there is no marketing pitch here. LOL. It's purely based on experience, if that gives merit. :D

After that, the movie began. Y'know, I am not really a Twilight fan, I didn't read and I hadn't watch all three movies before the latest one. But I really enjoyed this one. Maybe because I have friends with me, or probably because it was free. LOL. But still, I had a blast. I had fun knowing that female vampires couldn't be pregnant and that Edward Cullen was lucky to have a baby with a human being. LOL. However, my opinion still remains--there shouldn't be a book, it would have been more 'okay' or acceptable if it was made into a movie, or like what the boyfriend suggested, a series.

It didn't stop with the movie, free snacks, and a good time with friends. Closeup still gave the three of us a loot bag!

Loot Bag

All I can say is thank you Closeup Philippines! It was a successful event indeed. :) You can surely hope that the community will continue to support you. :D

So dearies, what are you waiting for? Like Closeup Philippines on Facebook now and watch out for their future events. ;)

Sophie Paris J'adore Lipstick in Summer Pink

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:43:00 +0000

Yey! for another post. :D And this time, it's about lips and lipstick. ;)

This one is from Sophie Paris. (I think they changed their name from Sophie Martin to Sophie Paris.) And it's none other than a lippie from their very affordable J'adore Lipstick line, the Summer Pink lippie.

Sophie Paris J'adore Lipstick in Summer Pink (P79)

What I really love about this one (aside from the price) is the shade. It's bold compared to Avon lippies. But if you want a bolder shade of pink, go for Ice Pink from the same line since it's really what you can call hot pink. Summer Pink is the subtler version which is perfect for everyday use. (But I didn't say that you can't use Ice Pink everyday. ;) )

It shows the manufacturing batch and the expiration date!

Additionally, Summer Pink (and Ice Pink) has that blue tinge that suggests ladies with cool skin tones can pull it off best. :) But you know, until now, I'm not sure what undertone I have. LOL. I just always label myself neutral. Haha.

The J'adore Lipstick line from Sophie Paris is matte. So you've gotta be careful if you already have dry and chapped lips like me. LOL. Yes, I still use it because I like the shade though it's quite drying. Maybe I'll stop when I already have a new pink lippie. Anyway, you and I can always put on lip balm first so I guess we're still saved. :D

without flash

With that, please excuse my chapped lips on the photos. :D I've been using this lippie for a few consecutive days now.

with flash

Lastly, it's very affordable for only P79! And what's even better, since you're ordering from a "Sophie lady" (uhmm..I dunno what to call them so I've got to borrow from Avon), you can pay for it for a whole month. LOL.

with sunlight

I got this from my classmate who sold Sophie Paris two to three months ago. And I was thinking that since she already stopped selling, I wouldn't be able to collect other shades from the line. My sister got lucky coz she already had three shades.

FOTD: My Everyday Look

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 03:19:00 +0000

This is my first time to post something like this, so please, please bear with me. :D And FOTD still stands for Face of the Day and not Friend of the Devil. LOL.

So here it goes. ;)

Me and my favorite (and applicable) statement shirt. LOL.

This is my everyday look. It's just simple because I only go to school on weekdays and malls on weekends. That's it, the life of an accounting student. LOL. I just play around with colors depending on my mood, and at times, I mean most of the times, do winged lines on my eyelids.

Here are the products I've used to create this look:

Etude House BB Magic Cream Refreshing
Tony Moly Baby Doll Pot Concealer Natural Beige
Maybelline Clear Smooth Extra Shine Free Powder Foundation Honey
Fashion 21 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
Avon Glimmersticks Eyeliner Blackest Black
Avon Simply Pretty Long Lash Waterproof Mascara
Etude House Styling Eyeliner 02 White
elf Natural Radiance Blush in Glow
Lip Ice Lipbalm in Strawberry

Sophie Martin J'adore Lipstick Summer Pink

For this look, I focus on my eyes. I usually line my eyelids thicker than the usual (but not excessively thick as with ulzzangs and gyarus) because my eyes are small and I use my comfy eyeglasses all the time. (I still haven't decided when I'm gonna use contact lens because they're not supposed to be ordinary contact lens, I need toric lens. They're not as inexpensive as contact lens and I'm scared of wasting money in case I find it too difficult to use and maintain. Any suggestions, dearies?)

Anyway, I find makeup fun (though I think I should also have fun reading my books and reviewers) and I always look forward to that 10-20 minutes of making my face before being harassed by the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila. :)

Banapple Pies and Cheesecakes

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:52:00 +0000

Finally, I've been able to visit Banapple! It's really a good thing that they've opened up a branch in Greenhills.

And actually, before a week during this particular visit, the boyfriend and I were supposed to eat there too, but unfortunately we couldn't find it. We thought it was somewhere in and around the mall. We didn't know it was in Northeast Square along Connecticut St.

Anyway, this time, we came with our friends. :)

Moving on with food, I had Crisp Pork Scallopini with Sour Cream Barbecue Sauce. What I was really shocked about were the huge servings. Yes! They really had huge servings, but it was not a big problem for me since I was a big eater. LOL. I even ordered an extra serving of rice, which in the end, I gave half (or was it more than half) to boyfie. Heehee. Talk about not having breakfast and lunch and it was already past 4PM.

Crisp Pork Scallopini with Sour Cream Barbecue Sauce (P180)

Though they had huge servings, you could still be assured that you would have good food. The pork scallopini were indeed crisp and tender and the sour cream barbecue sauce was mildly sour as it should be. But according to my taste buds, the overall taste was salty. It was not bad salty. Just the right one, I think.

On the other hand, the boyfriend ordered Hickory Smoked Barbecued Country Ribs as suggested by his brother John. The latter told us that it was the specialty of Banapple. I believed him because he was always eating at Banapple with his girlfriend and other friends.

Hickory Smoked Barbecued Country Ribs

I find the dish really great! The ribs are very tender and tastes really nice with the right amount of barbecue sauce. Yeah, the right amount of barbecue sauce because the boyfriend kept complaining about how sweet the dish was. He even told us that he didn't want any desserts because what he was eating was really sweet.

Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake (P100 per slice)

As for me, I'm not really a fan of overly sweet dishes. I always reserve that taste for desserts. And speaking of desserts, after finishing a very hearty meal, I still managed to eat a slice of Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake. And oooh, wasn't it awesome! It has that battling taste of sweetness and saltiness as with cheesecakes. Plus, with the strawberry on top, you could also taste more sourness in it. And oh, did I mention that it was really creamy?

But, the boyfriend was true to his word and didn't order any dessert. KJ noh? It was Banapple's specialty pa naman.

I wasn't really quite knowledgeable about our friends' orders. But I think John ordered the same dish as with the boyfriend and David went for hungarian sausages, not sure though. They got the Blueberry Cheesecake, while David's friend had Banana Starry-Berry Custard Cheesecake.

Verdict:

If you're really hungry and want value for money, go for Banapple. It serves yummy dishes in huge servings. But more importantly, if you want to have a fix for your sweet tooth cravings, you have to taste their cheesecakes! Plus, the atmosphere in the restaurant is really friendly. It's a good hang-out place with friends. :)

For their branches, menu and price lists, please visit www.banapplekitchen.com.

Mr. Kimbob SM Megamall

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:19:00 +0000

Okay, this post again came from my other blog. I badly wanted to post something new about food, but the photos were in my crashed laptop. I still don't know if I'mma be able to retrieve them The boyfriend says so but up until now, he hasn't given me any news about it.

So, here it goes. Anyways, I know you haven't read this post yet in my other blog since it's meant to be private. LOL.

We ate here early this year. I know, it's already that long, but in case you wanna taste something new and Korean for a change at a very affordable cost, you've gotta read this.

Mr. Kimbob

Back then, Mr. Kimbob was a new stall in SM Megamall Food Court. At that time, we were scouting for somewhere to eat when I saw the tarpaulin saying 'Asian Food Festival' at the Food Court. Since we liked anything Asian, we decided to check out the place.

However, upon seeing the food court, we didn't think there was something "unusual" because there were no rowdy crowd. (We expected lots of people and food stalls since they said it was a food festival.) We even asked Manong Guard where it was, but obviously, he too wasn't sure and just told us that it was there.

We only saw a few new Asian food stalls and decided that that was all about the Asian Food Festival. LOL. Among these is Mr. Kimbob, a stall which serves cheap Korean food.

Chicken Curry Rice (P75)

But given that I was drawn to my favorites, I ordered Chicken Curry Rice which was very un-Korean. LOL. (Yeah, I like chicken food stuffs.) And there was nothing new to it--tastes like your ordinary curry. But mind you, I liked it simply because I like curry. Haha.

On the other hand, the boyfriend ordered Bulgogi Bibimbap. There, something that sounds Korean. It is marinated beef with vegetables and egg. You actually have to mix and mess up your bowl or plate to be able to enjoy this food.

Bulgogi Bibimbap (P95)

We also added kimbap which they call Kimbob. This one is known as the Korean sushi roll. Again, nothing exciting with this dish. It was a bit bland without the sauce or was it really like that. I'm not sure, it was actually my first time eating Korean stuffs.

Kimbob (P75)

Verdict:

Mr Kimbob is one of the cheap Korean food fix available here in the Philippines because as you all know, most Korean restaurants are not inexpensive at all. And if you want to be a little different from your usual, go ahead and try it, it won't cost you much.

Mr Kimbob is located at the SM Megamall Food Court, Bldg. A, LG.

Review: Gatsby Oil Clear Sheet

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 08:45:00 +0000

I just felt that I wanted to make a product review again, so I got my make up kit and saw my everyday oily face savior--the Gatsby Oil Clear Sheet.

Update: ~~Around P100~~ P119.25 for 70 sheets

I've been meaning to do a review on this one ever since I purchased it, but always kept forgetting to. If you've read some of my posts, you would've probably come across me complaining about my oily face over and over again. LOL. But if you are one, you'll know how we, girls, with this type of skin, will craze over products that claims to reduce oil.

Mine really looks tattered. :P

And what product can instantly make your oily face refreshed on a hot humid day but an oil blotting paper. :D It's definitely your face's friend!

There are several oil blotting sheets in Watsons, but I chose Gatsby Oil Clear Sheet because, among other products, it looks promising and is, if I remember correctly, cheaper than Clean and Clear Oil Control Film, not to mention that it catches your attention with its Japanese packaging.

UPDATE: I checked Watsons for these items (Gatsby and Clean and Clear) and found out that Clean and Clear was only P117, but that was for only 60 sheets. So, technically, Gatsby would be cheaper since it had 70 sheets.

And since I can't read Japanese, I browsed a little and found out that it removes oil from deep inside pores with its advanced micro holes. You can enlarge the picture below to see those micro holes by clicking on it.

See the microholes for better oil absorption?

And hey! It didn't let me down. It easily absorbs oil from my face with a single swipe. And actually, I consume all the space on the sheet for my whole face. LOL. The sheet always looks icky after it has made contact with my face.

NOTE: This sheet is swiped only once across my nose. LOL.

Another thing, the sheet does not tear, even after trying to tear it off. I tried my best and failed on that. LOL.

That's all. What can I say more but it's definitely a great product. I'm going to purchase it again. And I really recommend it to sisters (and even brothers) out there who have an oily skin type like me. If I'm to give it a rating, it's 5/5. :D

Review: Etude House Vita Foam Mini No. 3 Bite Me

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 07:33:00 +0000

I bought the Vita Foam Mini No. 3 Bite Me during the Etude House Grand Sale last June along with the Yogurt Peel Cleansing Foam. I used the latter first, so it was only a month ago that I started using the Vita Foam Mini.

Vita Foam Mini No. 3 Bite Me (P148)

Out of the six variants, I chose Bite Me because it has Vitamin E which I was quite sure of very good for the skin. Other variants contain Vitamin A, B, etc. I guess you have to choose the variant which your skin needs most.

60 ml

The container says that Bite Me has...

"Vitamin E and Orange Fragrance.
Vitamin formulated facial foam cleanser supplies a thorough scent with a pleasant scent."

The Vita Foam Mini No. 3 Bite Me also promises an orangey scent. And it really does smell like one and I love it! The scent alone makes me feel refreshed. :) If my eyes are not playing tricks on me, I could also see small beads on this facial foam. These small beads melt as soon as you lather it on your face.

However, at first, I didn't find it as foamy as the EH Yogurt Peel Cleansing Foam and I was a bit disappointed. I found that I needed more than a pea size of the product to have that foamy experience I had with the Yogurt Peel Cleansing Foam.

Perhaps, can you see the small beads?

And since I also wanted to try Celeteque (and I couldn't wait to try it, LOL), I used this Vita Foam along with the Celeteque Facial Wash with Natural Moisturizing Factor. My regimen was to use the Vita Foam in the morning and Celeteque at night. When I ran out of Celeteque (since I only bought the travel kit for trial purposes), I decided to use the Vita Foam alone. And sad to say, I got break outs more than usual. With that, I bought the big Celeteque Facial Wash, and there it went, after a day or two, my face was back to normal.

I don't think I'll buy this one in the near future. And anyway, I've already bought the Etude House Happy Teatime Cleansing Foam Milk Tea which is larger (150 ml) but costs the same as Vita Foam Mini. I can't wait to try it! ;)

P.S. I just want to let you know that I may not be able blog more often for the next few months this year and next year since I'm graduating and taking review subjects for the CPA board exam. Additionally, I would like to congratulate my batchmates and friends from my former school UE who have recently passed the licensure exam. It feels good to know someone who have topped the board. LOL. I'm next! :D

Review: Tony Moly Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Charlene B.) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 17:43:00 +0000

Hiya all! In case you're wondering what's with all these posts suddenly, well, I just want to take advantage of the time I have before I review for the Final exams. LOL. Yeah. I kinda don't want review right now. Hehehe. :P

So, here's a review again. And this time, it's from Tony Moly--the other product besides Tomatox, the Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream. I got this from my mini haul last July.

Yeah, I actually don't know why Tomatox is more popular than this one, when in fact they are equally interesting. Hmmm...but probably, it's with Tony Moly's advertising, dontcha think?

Anyway, let's go to what we can easily see--the packaging. But of course! The Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream stands out along with the Tomatox and Appletox Honey Cream. They're just great. I really, really love it! <3 In fact, the boyfriend told me to give him the apple packaging after I'd used up all the cream. He even had this crazy idea of putting the cream in another container, so that he could have the apple container and use it as a paperweight. I was like no, no, no! LOL.

Next, the smell is really nice. Really, really nice. Aren't I in love with the product? LOL. It actually smells like apple--subtle yet sweet and fresh. Sometimes, I actually want to eat a real apple while using the cream. LOL.

And of course, the cream. I've used this product for more than two months already for my face. So far, I haven't had breakouts because of it. I also think that it does its best peeling the dead skin cells away and bringing a supple, soft and smooth skin. I could also feel my face always hydrated and moisturized afterwards. Additionally, according to Tony Moly, it also promises to enliven the skin through its massage function.

Tony Moly Philippines actually says that the product is...

"...a multi-functional that effectively removes dead skin cells and doubles up as a massage cream with a nourishing pack function. Containing green apple extract, AHA, and papaya extract, this Appletox pack provides excellent exfoliation of dead skin cells and aged keratin. Skin is kept smooth and radiant.

Specialized for the ladies who want strong exfoliation for uneven skin tone, bright skin and enhance skin complexion.

From massage cream to moisturizer to exfoliator. Also recommended for ladies who needs immediate skin rehydration.

Improved moisturization and skin protection."

Directions for Use:

I just followed the advice of Tony Moly Philippines on how to use it. Actually, the beauty advisor told me to generously apply it on the skin, massage it until the cream peels off, and wash with warm water. She also told me that I could use it on other parts of the body. That's actually correct based on Tony Moly's instructions.

However, I also asked her how often should I use it and she told me that I could use it everyday. I actually believed her, but while talking with my sister I realized that if it was an exfoliator, then it shouldn't be used everyday, right.

So, there. Good thing I found about that early and confirmed with Tony Moly Philippines that it should only be used twice or thrice a week like the Tomatox.

Use your facial cleansing foam and dry your skin thoroughly.
Apply the Appletox cream on your face (or any other body area) generously.
Spread and massage it onto the skin for 1~2 minutes.
Leave on for about 30 seconds.
Wash with lukewarm water.

Peeling starts

Cream peeling off along with dead skin cells

After washing Pic 1

After washing Pic 2

And oh, did I say that it's only P528.00? It's cheaper by twenty bucks compared to Tomatox. I'm regularly using it every three days, yet I'm thinking that it'll still last for a month. If I'm correct, I'll be using up this product for more than 3 months, not bad huh?

There you go. That's it for Tony Moly Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream. And I would like to recommend it to everyone who wishes to have an even skin tone, moisturized, soft and supple skin. If I'm to give it a rating, I'll give it a 9/10. Great! ;)