Goldi Notes

Review: GT Witch Hazel Extract Clarifiance (Toner)

2013-03-21T17:16:00.002+08:00

I had a major breakout when I got pregnant. Not that I already have clear skin prior to becoming pregnant--I already have problematic skin even before pregnancy, but pregnancy made it worse. It's hard not to be conscious about how you look while pregnant, thanks to the major changes going on with the body mainly caused by fluctuating hormones. But it doesn't stop with the physical changes. Since being pregnant means taking care of your body while nurturing a baby inside, it also meant that one cannot just take anything available out there, especially strong and harsh products. So to find a solution for my pimpled face during pregnancy, I went out on a search for something mild, natural, non-chemical based skin care products. One of which I decided to try is the product that's up for review right now, the GT Witch Hazel Extract Clarifiance toner.

image from GT Cosmetics' Facebook page album

GT Cosmetics is a local, non-mainstream Filipino brand that is based in Cebu. I really am not aware that they exist if I had not seen their products in Watsons' shelves. I've read good benefits about witch hazel and its potency and effectiveness against pimples so I decided to give this a try.

My bottle, already all used up.

Bought this at Watsons for Php 70.00. Also one reason why I didn't hesitate to try--it's quite cheap.

Claims and Ingredients

A skin cleanser and freshener with rejuvenating effect. Effectively removes make up, dead skin, dark spots and other skin blemishes, leaving skin smooth, wrinkle free, fresh and young looking. Very mild and safe even to sensitive skin.

DIRECTION FOR USE:
Wet cotton ball and gently rub on face using upward circular motion. Clean face morning and evening, once or as required.

Ingredients:
Water, Ethyl Alcohol, Ethanol Enert, Hamamelis Virginia (Witch Hazel) extract, CI 42053

So from what I understand according to the ingredients, this product contains more alcohol than the Witch Hazel extract.

My Experience
I found it too drying on first use, like my face is going to crack. Maybe because of the alcohol. So even if I hadn't seen its effect on my pimples yet, I decided to stop using it then for the fear of wounding my face because of over-dryness. It might be also because I was using it then with an already drying facial soap. So this sat for quite some time in my cabinet.

After a while and so that my Php 70.00 won't just go to waste, I decided to give it another try. My face has changed into a very oily one so I guess the alcohol won't be a problem (though it still kind of bothers me) and was using a milder facial wash at the time.

For the cleansing and makeup removing claim, I don't really rely much on toners for facial cleansing, so I am not inclined to use this as cleanser alone no matter how tired I am to wash my face. I would rather use a makeup remover, preferably water based, for that purpose. For the freshening and rejuvenating effect, yes it has that but I think it's because of the alcohol again. Although this time, I didn't feel it dry my face much, probably because my facial skin has shifted into being a very oily one. In fact it felt milder than using Eskinol facial cleansers. That's why I've come to use up all the contents.

As for the main purpose I bought this for which is to help with my breakout, I think it did. There were times that I even just use this as last step at night before I go to sleep, because adding moisturizer made my face icky and sticky already, then it itches and will add more breakouts. Yes, my face went crazy like that. But using this toner helped to stop, minimize, and even heal some pimples. I have 2 cystic ones that's already dried up now, but I didn't achieve it overnight. It took me at least one week's everyday use to see improvement. I know it's quite a while but better that than no results at all. My face is slightly, but significantly clearer now compared to before. I think it also helped with the oil control.

Will I buy this again? There's a possibility because it's cheap and effective, but the alcohol content holds me back so I'm still currently searching for a better alternative. I am currently using Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel pore perfecting toner which I got from Healthy Options and just started this week so I'm still yet to see if this would be a better option.

My Experience with a Konjac Sponge

2013-02-27T17:07:00.000+08:00

I'm here to share my experience in using the konjac sponge. I didn't bother to capitalize the letters as I'm not talking about the brand, but the thing itself. I got a generic one.

I was on the search for a more effective way of cleansing my face and was Google-ing (since when did this become a word?) for options. I saw my husband is in the habit of cleaning his face with a face towel and he has a clearer skin than me so I thought maybe I should incorporate the same method in cleansing my face. I'm just not fond of using a face towel because I think it accumulates soap residue over time, which makes it feel icky and makes it a double effort to wash. It's just so hard to maintain. My interest in using this started when I read about this in one beauty blogger's post.

A bit of more background:
I am currently 21 weeks pregnant (about 5 months). My skin broke out bad when I started my pregnancy. Because someone pregnant can't just use anything for the safety of the baby/fetus, I was not able to use my go to skin treatment during a bad breakout because it contains harsh chemicals, including Retin-A, and this is no no if you're pregnant. That and several chemicals that are usually contained in products to help eliminate a bad case of acne the soonest possible time. Not only was I not able to use my trusted regimen in case my acne goes out of hand, but I was also limited to just using mild cleansers. And so my search started again.

It was very hard for me to have a trial and error during a bad breakout because people notice if it goes worse and they tend to blame me for using a lot of products and think that's why I get pimples. I have a really pimple prone skin, and I noticed that when I get to find something that works, the effect starts to wear off over time and I'm again having bumps and redness even if I didn't change anything with my routine. I guess my skin is the type that needs variety and most of the time, it's really tiresome and money consuming because it means I have to search and purchase for what will work again once my skin get used to something.

Okay... so that didn't turn out to be a "bit". I'll get on with the subject.

What Is Konjac?

"Amorphophallus Konjac" the KONJAC POTATO is a perennial plant, native to Asia and sometimes known as Konnyaku. For over a century, the Japanese have been using the konjac vegetable as a beauty treatment for their delicate skin.

Amorphophallus konjac is an alkaline and is loaded with goodness. It contains so many natural goodies, we won't name them all, but here are just some of them! Protein, carbohydrate, iron, phosphorus, copper, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C and folic acid, (Source: The Konjac Sponge Company Ltd.)

I find the last paragraph a bit of an oversell but maybe it's a fact. I just don't think it would be of any benefit if you're having it as a cleanser because all those vitamins and minerals would just be touching the surface of your skin, and would be rinsed afterwards so I don't think the benefit lies in there. Anyway, I just read it like this: IT'S ALL NATURAL. Not synthetic. And safe for sensitive skin (or a vulnerable person, like a pregnant woman).

That alone is reason enough for me to give this a shot. I have also read that it's gentle so I tried to shop online first for something I can get. However, the cheapest I saw sells at Php 365. Kind of expensive for some kind of foam I think. Besides, I also got a bit more info from that same beauty blogger that one can get this in Landmark at a much much cheaper price. So on I went to Landmark Makati to get myself one. And I ended up getting four :).

See the reason why? It's so cheap for only Php 54.75!

Side by side with the one showing the product view side

(Excuse the image quality. I took this from my table situated in front of our window, and the curtains are colored pink, hence the pinkish hue and the seemingly washed off lighting.) I got so overwhelmed with how cheap it was compared to getting only one piece online so I decided to stock up for future use, and because Landmark Makati is quite a long travel from where I come from. And I came to like this more because the size is just right for the face, whereas the one sold online I think is maybe about double or triple the size of this. It's sold dehydrated and feels hard like a pumice stone but expands and turns into soft and fluffy sponge once wet.

See? Like a pumice stone, only white.

How to use it?

There were instructions in the back of the plastic so no worries about how you'd go about starting to use it, although it's fool proof because this is basically just a sponge. You dip it in clean water (preferable warm since this is for the face), wait for a few minutes for the sponge to soak and absorb some water and it's ready to use. It says in the packaging that it can be used alone without any soap or cleanser (so is with the branded ones) or you can use it with a facial soap or your favorite cleanser. I personally use this with my organic facial soap. I rinse my face, lather with soap, then put some soap on the sponge and use it to clean my face. Then I rinse, and massage my face again with a rinsed sponge and splash my face with water again.

Beside the wet and ready to use sponge. The dehydrated one fits into my hand and I can still slightly close my fingers, while it's almost the size of my whole hand when it's wet. I'd just be able to grip it on the edges but since it's become so soft, it would bend easily.

How to store

The product comes with a string attached to it so you can just hang it to expose to air or to dry when not in use. Something soft and organic like this would tend to attract mold if left wet and not exposed to air. I've read that these things can last up to a month's or more use but my first one didn't last for more than 2 weeks for a certain reason. I did follow the instruction to hang it to dry but one time, I forgot to hang it and just left it sitting in my bath caddy and when I was about to use it next day, I found it looking like a bitten cookie, or dough bread. Apparently the cockroaches made a meal out of it. The image of dirty cockoaches crawling and nibbling on the sponge that I use on my face disgusted me so sad to say, I threw it with just a few days use. I am now using a new one, thankfully I purchased back ups. What I'm doing right now to save it from the cockroaches is to keep it in a clear jar with air vents to still give it some air circulation when I'm not using it for a long time (i.e. at night time before I sleep) and hang it to open air on frequent use. I just have to make sure not to forget or else the roaches would again feast on it.

How it went for me

First thing I noticed when I saw and touched it after it became wet is it's really soft. Visually, I describe it as like a "puto" because it's white and fluffy, only you can't eat it. I'd say I had a good experience with it, for I find myself sometimes lingering with massaging it in my face. And like I said, I use it in 2 steps: with soap and after rinsing. It's not abrasive for a sponge and even if it looks grainy because of the holes, it doesn't feel grainy at all because of its jelly-like texture. The feel is not even comparable to wiping a soft cloth on your face, for it's a lot softer than that. I do find myself massaging it in my face for about a minimum of 1 or 2 minutes or longer because it really feels great. It's like giving your face a massage. The softness doesn't affect its cleansing properties at all because when I rinse, I feel a significant difference compared to just lathering soap or cleanser in my face using my hands. It really feels clean, but not to the point that it's squeaky that your face would feel dry and taut. Just clean and still soft. Amazing effect actually.

I don't think though that this helps with blackheads or whiteheads, at least instantly. I still think it offers exfoliation because it's still rougher than your fingers, but only very gentle exfoliation that it's safe for everyday use. It just offers a little more leverage than just wiping foam or bubbles or goop over your skin. But the feel after cleansing with this is much much better than just with using your bare hands. So I'd still prefer using this every time I cleanse, for it also helps it rinsing off left over micro or nano particles of cleanser that may accumulate and clog pores. Also, using this saves me the effort of using a toner to prep my skin for moisturizing. I don't use toner anymore. As I mentioned I use this 2 step for the reason of making sure that no soap is left over my skin. And it does feel that way. So I use this to cleanse and tone. I have not noticed any remarkable difference with the condition of my face with the breakouts, but it did help control future pimples from developing, maybe because it cleanses off any product that would clog up pores, it's that effective in cleansing. And so with the help of this and since I just maintain a mild skin care regimen, my breakout were at least minimized and my skin's condition is gradually improving.

I am honestly seeing myself having this as part of my staple in skin cleansing. I would certainly choose this over a cloth. I've read that this can't be relied on to remove makeup and I think it makes sense because some makeups are waterproof and so it's still advisable to start with a makeup remover first before cleansing with this to fully clean your face. Putting that aside, I personally believe this is a big help in cleansing without overdrying. I'd do buy again when I get to use my last piece. :)

20% DISCOUNT on ALL ITEMS in ALL Etude House Ph stores?

2013-01-05T07:51:00.001+08:00

Wouldn't it be nice to start the year with a 20% DISCOUNT on ALL ITEMS in ALL Etude House stores?

And because I LOVE sales, I would appreciate this happening even if it's only 20%! I have several want to buys at Etude House at the moment and this would be a great opportunity! Like away guys! So that all of us (in the Philippines) can benefit ^_^.

Spread the word my dear Princes and Princesses, and the sooner we reach 200,000 likes the sooner the Biggest Sale will be ;D

From Etude House Philippines Facebook page:

We encourage every Etude House lovers to help us reach 200,000 likes for a sweet reward of 20% OFF on ALL ITEMS awaits my dear Princes and Princesses!!!

Spread the word, and the sooner we reach 200,000 likes the sooner the Biggest Sale will be ;D

I do hope we could all have this 20% discount, I have several Etude House products lined up in my want to buy list. I'm currently having a slightly bad case of breakouts and excessively oily skin so I'm looking into trying their AC Clinic line, and also the Skin Malgeum. And I hope I'd be able to share my experience with them once I get to try them.

Like na friends! As of this post, they have 164k likes. Still quite a bunch to fill so we'll need your help :). Thanks!

I have nothing to write... maybe.

2012-12-19T09:09:00.000+08:00

I've kept migrating, changing backgrounds, url's, titles, and whatever change a blog can have, thinking it would give me new perspectives and so make me write as I did back when I started to have this blogging craze. But none of them worked.

I keep thinking what caused me to stop loving blogging, for when I remember myself back in the days when I just discovered about this, I would just write about anything, and not have any care as to what is the outcome. I just write for myself and that just because I want to. And I think it works best that way.

I guess, now that I've been conscious that other people are actually--no matter how few--reading what I write, I've developed some pressure inside me to write according to what whoever reads this blog wants. I have probably forgotten to write from the heart, or from the mind.

My blog used to be my some kind of outlet. I think I still need to be aware or concerned of whatever I write in here because this is publicly available, but then I should not forget to still write based on what I think or feel. I probably just have to choose my words carefully.

I do hope I can start again this flame that has 'almost' died since a few years from now. I can't help but miss it every time.

Wonder why I suddenly am writing something like this? It's because of this quote I stumbled upon online:

Even if you have nothing to write, write and say so.

~Cicero

RH Bill

2012-08-20T15:07:00.000+08:00

People should know everything first before passing judgement. I've kept myself quiet about this, but this is worth reading. Please do.

Ten facts about the RH Bill

HBS Gluta Reformulated Soap

2012-08-19T00:36:00.000+08:00

I've been using this soap for about 4 to 5 months now (which now that I think of it, it's already become a regular part of my bath routine), so I guess it's about time to share my verdict about this product.

I have fair complexion. Not that fair but fair enough compared to the usual Filipina skin tone. I'd say it falls in the line that crosses between a light tan and fair. My color would be the darkest in the fair category. And you know how Pinay's can get obsessed about anything that offers lightening. I was not really planning into getting something that's whitening because I'm already quite satisfied with my color and I was thinking I wouldn't get any lighter than this because I've also already used several commercialized whitening soaps and even lotion but it didn't whiten me more, though it helped me maintain my what I thought was already fair complexion.

However when I was browsing HBS products and the feedbacks album, the Gluta Reformulated Soap is one of the HBS soaps that first got my attention. This is one of the most popular whitening soaps ever mentioned. All feedback I've heard were great and that really made me curious so I decided to try it. Even Jamie herself vouches for the effectiveness of this product that she even qouted this as this soap's description in her Facebook album:

NEW GLUTA DS, REFORMULATED..NOW WITH 3X MORE GLUTA CONTENTS THAN GLUTA MILK W/ OATMEAL!!! SOBRANG GANDA!! PUPUSTA KO PNAGALN NG HBS JAN..WHITENING ANTI AGING MICRO PEELING SUPER SOFT ON SKINWLANG HARSH CHEMICALS,,HAAYY NAKOOO... AS IN IM SO HAPPY W/ THIS SOAP!--TAMA BA? AKO NA NAG FEEDBACK HEHEHE

The Soap
Packaging: All of HBS soaps come in a full packed, big (bigger than the usual soaps available) size of 150gms for less than a hundred peso price. It feels very solid when held, and though it's bar shaped, it doesn't have very sharp edges. It comes in ahm, I think you call it cerulean blue? (just check the pic), which has initially weirded me out, probably because I'm not used to seeing soaps with a quite vivid color. I first thought, won't my skin turn blue with this? Hehehe. Luckily it didn't. :p. You would've expected that a soap with Glutathione as base would come in white, I know. But Jamie has reasons why it's oddly colored. You won't see a trace of this color during bath though so nothing to worry.

Scent: I am not that good yet at describing scent specifics but I would probably put it as somewhere between vanilla and milk. It's really sweet smelling :). One downside of this sweet smell though is I found my soap one time with mice bites :(. The rats here were nibbling on it. They've probably thought it's food, hehehe. But on the good side, I've really enjoyed every bath using this soap. Not the type that lingers though. I'm not sure if it's just with me, but it's not the scent that stays on the skin. I found this an advantage if you're a lover of strongly scented lotions or perfumes. The scents won't clash.

Consistency: It's not slippery when dry. I've encountered some soaps that already feel slippery even when they're not wet yet. But I think it's because of the moisture content. I think this soap doesn't mainly promise any moisturizing effect, just whitening and micro-peeling. When wet, the soap is still fairly easy to hold and it doesn't melt easily so it lasts quite well.

The Experience
My first use doesn't really have different feel. Well it was mentioned that the soap is quite drying because it is said to have a micro-peeling effect so I was kind of already expecting that it will feel dry. First thing I noticed though is that my whole day lasted without me feeling icky even when it's super hot (I've tried to soap during the extreme heat of the summer). I felt fresh all day!

I noticed on the 3rd day of use though that my skin feels kinda dry and itchy. Not the allergy-like itchiness. I never experienced that with this soap. It's the itch that one would easily ignore if you're not really paying attention. Of course with any kind of itch, our natural reaction is to scratch. With this feeling though, I haven't found myself yet wanting to scratch but my body's usual response is to rub the itchy part. it's dangerous to scratch a wet skin because skin is a lot softer when wet. When I was rubbing my back, I got so amazed at the dead skins that are coming off! Andami! This is the micro-peeling. The feeling after every dead skin cells were removed a lot fresher and cleaner. I felt like every libag I had came off. Hehehe. It's like scrubbing using a panghilod without the extra stress on your skin. And oh, another thing to note: I used to have pimples in my back but now, my back's clear! Yay!

What might be seen as a side effect:
As mentioned earlier, this soap is quite drying because of the micro-peeling effect, so it's best to use a moisturizing lotion after every shower. I've noticed my skin is flaking within the first 5 days of use, but it's gone within a week. I guess it does after it removes all the dead skins in the surface. But this drying stage has to come to pass in order to achieve a lighter and softer skin. This soap works by helping dead skins come off easier then remove all of them through micro-peeling to expose a cleaner, fresher, and softer skin. It removes the rough deads. So naturally, the result is lighter too.

Is it effective? Oh yes, very effective. Jamie was not kidding and her confidence in this soap is very well grounded.

Would I repurchase? I've actually been repurchasing this product since March, and I plan to keep on repurchasing it.

Recommended? Highly recommended, especially to those who'd want to be whiter faster.

And to show you proof that this is not all talk, here are my before (left) and after (right) pictures.

If you're interested with the soap, feel free to visit House of Beauty Secret's Facebook page and send Jamie a message for inquiries.

An Unsolicited & Honest Review for HBS

2012-08-17T12:06:00.001+08:00

Note: This is going to be a review of my general experience with ordering from HBS. I was initially planning to include reviews of the products I've used as well but I think I will already be able to write a book (chos!) if I do that so I decided I will just make a separate entry for the products I've tried, and so for easy categorized searching as well. Enjoy reading :).

http://houseofbeautysecrets.multiply.com

As I was starting to write this entry, I was trying to remember how I got to using HBS products. As you may know, I can already say myself that I've already become a suki of Ms. Jamie Prado's products because well, one only becomes a suki for the following reasons: The products are affordable and most importantly, the products are EFFECTIVE.So just to provide a fact based writing, I went to my Facebook to see when was my initial contact with the lovely and very accommodating seller, Mrs. Jamie Prado.

My initial contact with her was just this year of 2012, on March 26. I found out about HBS when I was desperately looking for a solution to whiten my groins or inner thighs (singit). Normally, when I get to try some products from other not so commercialized sellers (meaning they don't pay for advertisement and they are mostly online sellers and the marketing solely depends on feedbacks, reviews, and referrals), I would not be much of a repeat customer. I've already tried a few but so far, of all non-commercialized products I've tried, HBS has already been a staple in my personal grooming/beauty products. I had only realized that I've already been ordering from HBS for almost 5 months already when I decided to write this entry.

I got to HBS through a post I saw from a thread in GirlTalk about whitening solutions for singit and underarms. One poster posted the link to HBS' site and I checked it out immediately. Upon browsing HBS' product line, I found them really very interesting and enticing. It offers mostly whitening solutions that are easy to use and fairly low maintenance for their kits/sets. I said that because some kits tend to include a lot of products which you'd need to apply all at once, one after the other, for every use. I find that very tedious and nakakatamad. That's why sometimes, I can't maximize the effectiveness of a set because: 1) They only work effectively if used all together. Cannot be combined with other products; 2) Hello? I don't (always) have all the time in the world to spend for just grooming because in my opinion, that will already be called vanity. Time is precious and so I would like to be able to use every minute of my time productively and of course I won't be able to do that if I've been applying a certain set of products for almost 30 min, aside from the time to spend in the bathroom or sink for sets that also include a soap (which mostly does). And that's mostly before I sleep, eh most of the time I'm already too tired to perform all these rituals. I mean, I understand the concept of “tiis ganda” but why spend money, time, and effort, for something that takes up a lot of our precious time then ends up with very little effect or sometimes, no effect at all when you can find something that works better in half the time?

I understand the concept of “tiis ganda” but why spend money, time, and effort, for something that takes up a lot of our precious time then ends up with very little effect or sometimes, no effect at all when you can find something that works better in half the time?

With HBS products, I had more time flexibility. Why? Because each HBS products can work on its own in an effective and fairly fast way. Put them all in a set and it speeds up the effectiveness even more. Saves a lot of precious time really. And because of that, I consider it not only affordable, but a real bang for the buck. As in whatever amount of money you spend with it, it’s super sulit because of its effectiveness. Not that you will have to spend a lot for HBS products. As I’ve always mentioned, they are affordable and really worth every peso spent for something so effective, you won't even regret whatever amount you will spend even for trials in case it doesn't work for you. But generally, almost all of them works for most types of skin, even for men! No wonder I became a suki :).

I did say that this review is honest and factual so, I won't be saying that all of what I'm writing here would be favorable for HBS. There are still some HBS products that I've tried yet did not work much for me. I said that because they still had an effect somehow, but not as fast as what I've tried from other sellers, or at least compared to other HBS products I've tried. However, one cannot always expect a certain product to work for him/her just because it worked really great from another. Hiyangan pa din yan. The best would still be to try the product and see for yourself.

However, one cannot always expect a certain product to work for him/her just because it worked really great from another. Hiyangan pa din yan. The best would still be to try the product and see for yourself.

As for Jamie herself, as a seller, she's very accommodating and to top that, she's caring and considerate to her customers. She goes out of her way to check and see what she can do as soon as she becomes aware that there's an issue, regardless if a customer notifies her. Sometimes when she senses there's an impending issue, she would contact all parties involved (customer & courier) right away if she notices it before the customer does. I would call that initiative. Aasenso talaga 'tong si Jamie. She used to do everything alone so there were really times that she doesn't respond right away but I never took that as lack of concern because it's understandable. She's still like anybody that lives a life other than selling. She's still a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend. Even so, she still responds even if it's late and that already matters. She would even give advice which product to use best for whatever purpose you want to achieve. She's not the type of seller that would just shove anything to your face just so she can earn money. She values customer service. In my observation, she doesn't have this business to solely earn money, but to help people become more beautiful easier and faster. Money is just a reward, but her true fulfillment lies in having a very satisfied customer. Her genuine purpose is to help others.

I did this review as a token of appreciation for all Jamie's hard work. She really helped a lot of people and you can find proof of that in her feedbacks album. It just keeps growing. I hope she continues this and if she'd be able to reach out every Filipino, I would say, wala nang Pilipinong pangit. Hehehe. Kung pangit ka, kasalanan mo na yun :p. Andaming pampagandang available dyan e so kung hindi pa din maayos itsura mo, katamaran na ang tawag dyan. :D

I hope you liked my review and I hope it helped. As for the products I've used, I shall be making a separate entry for them na lang. I will just put a hyperlink here. God bless everyone and more power to HBS.

Sophia Miracle Eyelash Serum on Sale

2012-03-09T08:48:00.001+08:00

I have been curious with this product eversince I read My Lucid Intervals' review about it. She mentioned that it's only available in authorized distributors, which means that it would not be easily available. I was kind of hoping this would become available in the shelves of known beauty stores like Watsons or HBC. I don't have problems waiting for it even if it takes forever but promised that I'll give it a try as soon as it becomes available for me. Then today, I was just doing a random internet browsing and quick check of current deals and promos at Cash Cash Pinoy and saw this:

(Click image to go to the deal)

Of course I got so excited! And knowing that it's not easily available for me, I ordered 1 immediately and on top of that, it comes with a free delivery! What a great deal! I won't have to go out of our house and all I need to do is just wait for it to arrive ^_^. The downside is, I have to wait until April 13 before I start to expect for it to get delivered. But that's okay. As I said, no problems waiting :).

So looking forward to using this. I hope it's effective because I have very sparse lashes.

Side note: I was already getting alarmed because I think I've already spent too much within just this month. Will have to suppress myself in the next days as we're saving up for something really big.

Keratosis Pilaris

2012-03-01T15:36:00.001+08:00

I haven't really given much thought about the white bumps on my chest because all along I thought it's normal. I have these tiny white spots on my chest and a few in the upper part of my arms where it meets with my shoulder blade. I wasn't really bothered about it because it's not painful nor itchy and probably because of that, I don't notice it at all. Besides, I'm not the kind who always had those parts exposed. However, they do feel rough and bumpy so my skin on those parts aren't really smooth, though they don't really feel dry. It was only when my husband took notice of it that I have given it attention. Actually I would have ignored it if he just pointed it out once, but it already happened on several occasions so I decided to do a search in Google about it and possibly do something to clear this out. I searched tiny white spots on the chest, chicken skin on the chest, and tiny white bumps in the chest. These are the keywords I used to find what I'm looking for because it's the closest description to what I have.

And here's what I found:

Keratosis pilaris

Keratosis pilaris (KP, also follicular keratosis) is a common, autosomal dominant, genetic follicular condition that is manifested by the appearance of rough bumps on the skin. It most often appears on the back and outer sides of the upper arms (though the lower arms can also be affected), and can also occur on the thighs, hands, and tops of legs, flanks, buttocks, or any body part except glabrous skin (like the palms or soles of feet). Less commonly, lesions appear on the face, which may be mistaken for acne.

While KP resembles goose bumps, it is characterized by the appearance of small rough bumps on the skin. As a result, many people with keratosis pilaris do not know they have it, and it is often confused with acne.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I checked the Google images with Keratosis pilaris and was surprised to find images that looks really close to what I have. Below are just some of the photos I got that looks closest to how mine looks right now:

And here's my own photo:

Could this be Keratosis Pilaris? I want to get rid of this! If it's not, I don't care whatever it is as long as i can find a solution. I've read that there are skin care products out there that can at least minimize its appearance, if not totally get rid of it and i have to get those! Now I'd be on the search for some kind of product for this, probably a soap, or lotion, or topical cream.

Who else got this? Maybe you can recommend something I can use to vanish this out. Help :(.

Bare Naturals Order #2 Arrival. Yay!

2012-02-24T15:25:00.003+08:00

My purchase is finally here! I got excited, like I'm receiving a gift. I always do when I have a package even if it's something I bought. I think it's because packages are sealed and you don't get to see the item in person until you open the parcel.

So as I said in my previous post, this time I decided to get my first make-up brush from them, and this is also my first time to try on a mineral powder concealer. Here are the photos.

BN Flat Top Brush with free jute pouch, BN Ultimate Concealer,
and free sample of Micropeel Blue Beauty Bar

The brush came with a free pouch, but it's not something that comes with it automatically. When you purchase in their multiply site, you have to indicate "with free jute pouch" so that the pouch will be sent with it. As for the free soap, I actually appreciate it but there are other soaps that I would like to try and I did indicate in my order form that it's the sample I want to get but that's not what I got. They probably overlooked it. Still disappointing though.

The Softest Focus Flat Top Brush on the palm of my hand

I got this item because of the raves and since this is my first time, of course I would like my first experience to be good. Afterall, I have helpful info I can get from the internet (thanks to all the beauty bloggers out there) so I used that to scout for something worth trying, and I did not regret it. What these beauty bloggers are raving about this brush are true! The product lives up to its name--SOFTEST.

It's so soft!

I immediately felt the product in my fingers and it's indeed soft. I poked it in my face, in my arms, brushed the bristles through with my fingers, even poked my lips with it. It's so soft! Like a really soft fluffy stuffed animal.

I was already able to touch/feel cheaper brushes and this really gave me a different experience. It's not itchy nor scratchy, it's not hard. It doesn't prick my skin unlike the cheap ones that I tried, though I was only able to try very few. That's why I didn't bother to buy. I know if I just tested more, I might've found something soft and yet is cheap, but I don't have the time to do all that. So again, thank God for reviews :). Not a fan of the yellow handle though. It's flat and close to the color of mustard. Not a big deal anyway. What's more important is the part that will touch my face, and that's the brush.

As for the Ultimate Concealer, I have no comments about it yet until I use it. It looks normal when it arrived I guess. Hehehe.

Bare Naturals Ultimate Concealer in Linen.
The 1gm pot is so small, but I think it's just right for trying/testing

The package also came with a flyer to a Supersale Bazaar that's going to be held at the World Trade Center on March 2 to 4. Presenting it at the entrance will give one 20% discount in the entrance fee.

Supersale Bazaar flyer with 20% discount on entrance fee

I got excited and was thinking of crashing there with my girl friends so I immediately checked the calendar if it doesn't go in the way of my work days, check! Unfortunately, we have a re-encounter that we're going to attend and that is much more important to me than this bazaar. So I'll probably just go some other time.

I'm excited to use my new beauty loots and quench the thirst of my budding kikay side, but I think I have to give my brush its first bath first before I let it touch my problematic face (because I'm acne prone). As with the concealer, I probably would use my fingers for the mean time. I am currently on the search for a good buy brush set (talaga naman kaartehan). For now, I'm happy I'd finally be able to try my Illumiglow Setting Powder.

I am hoping I could share my experience with these products to help other shoppers out there. Until then. :)

Blog Ads Fail!

2012-02-24T12:09:00.003+08:00

Pambihira 'tong AdSense... mag-display daw ba ng pagkalaki laking ad ng beer sa blog ko? Katabi pa mandin ng Daily Bible Verse widget. Super fail!

Who Am I, Being A Gemini

2012-02-24T10:17:00.005+08:00

This is actually a republished post, but i'm tweaking it so it's actually kinda new :).

I am not really a believer of horoscopes but curiosity got me and I don't think it would hurt to know, so I checked out that personality traits that describes my sign, the Gemini and here's what I got:

from Google images

People born between May 21 and June 20 fall under the astrological sun sign of Gemini. Symbolized by twins, this third sign of the zodiac is ruled by Mercury. Gemini is a masculine, mutable, Air sign. The Gemini-born are highly intellectual, love change, and love to talk.

Wow.. highly intellectual. I feel intelligent, LoL! I am not sure about this "highly" intelligent thing but I did get above average results in exams I've taken before and I don't really know how much my IQ is but personally and with all modesty, it would be an overstatement for myself. I know I am not dumb, but I don't think I am highly intelligent either. The love change, maybe. Love to talk, I do if it's sensible. I don't really want to talk of it's nonsense.

People born under the sign of Gemini love to converse. They spend a lot of time on the phone, sending emails, and chatting with people they may or may not know personally. They love to ask questions because they have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. They are likely to gain information from a wide variety of sources. An encyclopedia is just as good as a co-worker who is recounting gossip from a recent tabloid.

So true! Me na me! Except for the gossip part. I avoid that because it's bad (duh). But honestly, I'm still all ears even if it's just gossip. I just stop it there though. If it's gossip, I don't share.

Gemini is an intellectual sign. They tend not to live in the emotional realm, though friends still trust their advice in emotional matters. A Gem loves to discuss emotions because they love to talk. However, a Gem doesn’t see any real need for the emotions in general. In love, a Gem will seem very romantic, but has no problem talking themselves out of love quickly. After all, the idea of love and romance is so much more appealing than the real thing.

True again! I am not really the emotional type, but I'm ready to share my ears, shoulders. And in my observation, friends do ask my advice in emotional matters. I think it's because it's particularly helpful in seeing things in the non-emotional way. Gives a different perspective.

The Gemini's love of communication and their vast knowledge makes them great with people. Quite often, a Gem will use his or her people skills to persuade others. Yes, the Twins have the gift of influence. Think of the one thing you absolutely don’t need. Spend some time with a Gem and you’ll probably walk away thinking you absolutely need to have it and now! If ever there was a sign that could sell the Brooklyn Bridge, it is Gemini.

True on occasion, but I'm not really a salesperson type. I am typically timid but I do can influence people once a conversation is started. I did notice I can have convincing powers even if it's not intentional. Like I can just tell a friend about some item that I really love, then find out later on that they would eventually own one too. I think people with these characteristics would make good product reviewers, though I don't think this is exclusive to Geminis. But maybe, this is especially common or standing out to them.

Gemini loves change and variety. A Gem will become bored and restless if stuck in the same place or situation for too long. Gems love freedom and traveling to different countries. They find true joy in the journey. They also love working on multiple tasks, usually leaving them all unfinished. They lack the focus to complete one assignment. Instead, they spread their energy out over as much as they can. People born under the Twins actually love to have more than one of everything in their lives, not just jobs. This includes careers and lovers. After all, "twin" means "two".

Text in bold letters emphasized on purpose, because I do have them. That trait is really annoying but just because it's something that is common for a Gemini, I will just tolerate them? No. I am determined to wipe it out, with God's help of course because only in Him I can do all things because He gives me strength (Philippians 4:13). Besides, I said I don't believe in horoscopes. You define what you are. Not any kind of horoscope or whatevers. I do love to travel, but not something I am crazy about, and I don't love having more than one of the same thing that much unless there's a need, and of course, definitely not loving having two lovers.

The Twins are adaptable and versatile, which comes in handy since they have that love of change. They love to be around many different kinds of people. Often the Gemini-born are drawn to the arts, such as theatre or creative writing. Many famous writers and performers were born under Gemini, such as William Butler Yeats, Marilyn Monroe, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Johnny Depp.

Hah! I do love to be around different kinds of people because it fascinates me, but not to be the center of attention. I tend to be more like a wallflower. I can say I'm versatile, but I am actually having a hard time adapting to change, especially at work.

Gems are lively and energetic, with a witty sense of humor. They are usually trendy, loving to take part in the latest fad. Trends offer them endless change, and a Gem is usually bored with one fad by the time the next rolls along.

Definitely not a fashionista, if this is what this description implies. I personally think it's a luxury I can't afford but I might be if I can. I do believe I have a witty sense of humor. Does sarcasm count as witty? :D

Though highly intellectual, Gems aren’t known for their deep understanding of anything. Instead, a Gem usually gets to know a little about something and then becomes bored. They grasp the initial information about a subject quickly, and then move on. They become frustrated if those around them do not absorb information as fast as they do because that means they must spend longer on one subject than they would prefer.

I beg to disagree! This is not me :D I actually have the tendency to linger on a subject that interests me and not as fickle as what this description says. And I love sharing information in detail so the impatience on some people not being able to grasp the idea right away is also not true.

Though Gems are usually seen as upbeat, they do have an "evil-twin". Though only revealed to those closest to them, Gems can be moody and discouraged. They often become sarcastic when upset.

Ahehehehehehe... no comment.

Well, I was surprised to find out that almost everything it said was true, at least in my own opinion, and I do believe that no one can know more about you than yourself, aside from God of course. This may serve as a guide for the things that one already know, and I find it amusing to see how they were able to point some traits that I don't notice before, but again, horoscopes don't define an individual. You are what you think you are :).

How about you? Does your sign exactly points and describes what your traits are?

Bare Naturals Order #2

2012-02-21T16:45:00.004+08:00

Just did my second time purchase with Bare Naturals. Yay! BTW, I have already received my initial orders and have actually already started using some of them but I haven't had the chance to blog about it yet because I've got piled up to dos--because I'm a big time procrastinor! Gotta change that attitude or it will drag me down. Hays.

This time, I decided to get their much raved Softest Focus Flat Top Brush which is currently selling at Php419.

Image from http://barenaturals.multiply.com

I've been reading it's a dupe of a kabuki brush from some well known brand. I don't have much idea about that though because this is going to be my first make up brush ever. I've bought a cheaper set from Watsons, I think it's Ever Bilena brand but I didn't get the chance to use them because they've gone missing when I finally found a need for them. I also decided to get this brush because I don't have anything to use for my Illumiglow Setting Powder from my previous order. In fact I still haven't used it until now since when I got it last February 10.

Then to save for shipping and since I was not able to get my order Face Perfector pimple concealer last time, I decided to include a sample size of their recommended alternative, the Ultimate Concealer. Their description on their website made me get this:

Our ultimate Concealer has aded pure PEARL, known to improve the skin and help prevent pimples.

Due to the strengh of pure pigments you only need a very small amount for coverage.

Their Ultimate Concealer is more expensive than the Face Perfector and is in powder form. Face Perfector sells at php138 for a 2.5g balm pot from their Multiply site or php158 in a 4gms stick. But unfortunately the lighter shade is no longer available. The darker shade is still available though. The Ultimate Concealer on the other hand costs php135 for a 1g sample size. The next size is 2.5g pot for Php215. I want to try it out first so I got the 1g pot for a start, to see if this is would go well with my skin.

As for the products I initially got, I am going to make separate reviews for each (hopefully). I got so inspired with other product reviewer bloggers and I get a lot of help from them so i might as well join them and help others too. Until then :).

Now who already got all these stuffs that I'm getting from Bare Naturals? Would appreciate if you can share your experiences too. ^_^. God bless!

I Have A Time Machine & It's Called BED

2012-02-20T16:40:00.001+08:00

"I have a time machine and it's called bed. When I sleep there, I wake up in the future. So... any girl wanna travel with me?"

I got this SMS from a kid--who will not be named for the protection of his identity because he's a regular of our kids' Sunday school/cell group at church--that I found funny and disturbing at the same time that that kind of message came from him, even if it's intended to be a joke. What more disturbs me is the fact that he's a church kid! I can just wonder if he actually knows what the message means.

Attitude Towards Work: It's A Sin To Be Lazy

2012-02-15T09:09:00.000+08:00

This has been one of my devotions way back December 29, 2010. I decided to republish it to remind me of what should be my attitude towards anything I should do.

Passage: Proverbs 6:6-19

The passage starts by encouraging us to look at one of God's most wonderful creation, the ant. We almost always forget it's existence, until we get bitten by it. :) The ant, despite it's being a little creature, is the most responsible of all. The ant needs no boss to give it orders, motivational speeches, or a cracking whip to keep it working. No inspector to inspect their work, no need for anyone to hold them accountable. Ants are self motivated, self initiators. They work hard and diligently without anyone looking over their shoulders, applying pressure, or giving bonus or incentives. The ants also have a vision of what needs to be done (v.8 "yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest"), and they make preparations to meet that need. They know that everything they do contributes to their own well being, as well as everyone else in the community. They are able to maintain their focus and concentrate on the job at hand, not allowing distractions to lead them astray. They also work as a team. Each ant does his part, carrying his part of the load and doing his assigned role with dependability.

Well, ants indeed are responsible beings. Having read the passage made me think why I still get lazy. Well, compared to the ant, we have bigger brains, right? Yet they seem to think more responsibly than humans. I think it's because they don't get easily distracted by other things. Unlike humans, we have several things that gets us hooked up, like vices and some overdone recreations. We so much enjoy spending our time on things like watching TV, going to the mall, spending too much time in front of the computer, talking on the phone, texting, etc... things that don't really contribute much on our living. I mean, yeah we sometimes need a break, but it doesn't mean we have to be on break all the time. We have work to do!

I used to think being lazy is not such a big deal.. not a sin. Not until I read this topic. We might think we're not doing anything wrong with doing nothing at all, but actually, doing nothing is also equal to doing wrong! And this statement is supported by some Bible passages to.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 (New Living Translation)
Our orders--backed up by the Master, Jesus--are to refuse to have anything to do with those among you who are lazy and refuse to work the way we taught you. Don't permit them to freeload on the rest. We showed you how to pull your weight when we were with you, so get on with it. We didn't sit around on our hands expecting others to take care of us. In fact, we worked our fingers to the bone, up half the night moonlighting so you wouldn't be burdened with taking care of us. And it wasn't because we didn't have a right to your support; we did. We simply wanted to provide an example of diligence, hoping it would prove contagious. Don't you remember the rule we had when we lived with you? "If you don't work, you don't eat." And now we're getting reports that a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings are taking advantage of you. This must not be tolerated. We command them to get to work immediately--no excuses, no arguments--and earn their own keep.

See how the issue on being idle was addressed during that time! Everyone should earn their own keep. It's commanded. Ordered. Being lazy is not tolerated in the Bible either.

Though the passage in 2 Thessalonians talks about making a living, it also applies in our day to day lives. We sometimes plainly idle our times away. We might have accomplished so many things if we have spent our time accordingly. God wants us to be productive, to bear fruit.

I remember reading one chapter in J. Harris's book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" that talks about the same thing. He said there his mom uses the phrase "hustle while you wait" to express the same idea. If she sees any of them picking at food while she cooks dinner, she'll snap, like a football coach to his players "Don't just stand up there! Hustle while you wait!" That means set the table, put away the groceries, or load the dishwasher; be productive during a lull in the action.

Why is God being empathetic on spending our time wisely? Because He knows what's good for us, and He always want the best for us. Just like our parents, God doesn't want us doing away our time on things that doesn't contribute to our growth and maturity. He doesn't want us to become spoiled brats, but rather a capable individual. Being able to spend our time wisely contributes greatly to our maturity because it develops our being as a responsible individual, making the most of our time.

Also, God knows that being lazy will lead us only to destruction. Not only being idle, but also the bad habits that we have. If we continue on idling away, poverty will come with certainty and seeming suddenness because we're not alert or prepared.

How are we to spend our time then? God tells us in Colossians 3:17 and Colossians 3:23-24 how we could spend our time wisely, and pleasing for our Lord.

Colossians 3:17 (NIV)

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Always remember, in everything we do, it is the Lord we are serving. So do away with our bad habits and get ourselves to work! Work for the good.. for the best. Afterall, everything is also for our own good. And if we have done our tasks, we will all receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. :) Remember, everything will pay off. God bless you all.

Ignorant Much?

2012-02-10T18:36:00.001+08:00

To see a bigger image, click here.

Bare Naturals Order #1 Arrival

2012-02-10T16:20:00.049+08:00

So I now got my first order with Bare Naturals! Yey!

This how it arrived

my orders: the Emu Oil Plus, Skin Perfecting Primer, & Illumiglow Setting Powder with the freebies

free samples of the Obuasi soap, Kabuki Fairness, and Dollface Cheenee blush

Of course I got very excited when I received them, I wanted to try the Emu Oil Plus right away because I currently have a cystic pimple which is the reason why I ordered this product. It had a lot of raves on how effective it is at drying pimples so I told myself I should give it a try and today's the perfect time to try it. But since I haven't taken a bath yet and my face is not yet clean and I will be taking a bath in a few minutes, I decided to use it later.

So there. Overall, my first time ordering with Bare Naturals is good. I can't say it's a great experience because of the delays, but given it a good because I didn't mind and it was compensated by how nice they dealt with me. I am actually planning to order from them again.

To check out how everything went during the my first time order experience, click here.

First Time Order Experience with Bare Naturals

2012-02-09T20:13:00.003+08:00

I just placed an order with Bare Naturals since I've been hearing raves about some of their products. They offer a line of skin care and make up that caters to most Filipina's needs. It's gawang Pinoy!

I spent about Php903 for my loot and I'm excited to get all of them!

Here's my purchase history...

February 6: I texted them to inquire about the Emu Oil Plus which is their anti-pimple emu oil 'cause I'm prone to breakouts and I've read this is effective to most. This is Php428 for a 30ml bottle. Quite expensive but that's how much emu oils are. And I've heard some raves about it and since I'm a sucker for anything anti-pimple, I was sold. They responded within the day (not immediately because they're probably busy). I inquired of the availability and verified how much would it cost me with shipping fees. They told me it's in stock and that I would add Php50 for shipping anything less than 500gms. I also inquired if Face Perfector Concealer in Bisque Camouflage is available and they told me that everything is available. Also asked if they're accepting BPI deposits because that's the most convenient for me (transfer to anyone through BPI Mobile) and they said yes and provided their account number. Having answered my questions, I decided to place an order but was not able to do it this day because I was still checking all of their products for anything that I might want so I'll pay only one shipping.

February 7: I got ready to place my order. I did it through their Multiply site's order form and had the option to state what kind of samples I'd like to get with my purchase, but this is still subject to assessment. I still found it generous of them to offer samples. After I placed my order, I texted them right away and waited for their response. Irine texted me and asked for my name and told me that they will check it later. We had this text exchange before lunch. It was already afternoon but I haven't heard anything from them so I texted them again. twice I think. The day finished without getting any text from them after that.

February 8: I made a follow up of my order after lunch. They texted back asking for my name again and told me to always include the complete name when texting. Makes sense because they're probably getting a lot of inquiries and they just can't save all of those numbers. I asked what's the status of my order so I can already settle the payment. Turns out they responded to my order by email but the message landed in the Spam folder. They responded yesterday. So I immediately made the payment and sent them the confirmation by email. They told me the cutoff for payment for items to be shipped next day is until 6pm. I paid like about 4pm so I'm still within the cutoff. They said if my items get picked up by the courier tomorrow, I will get it Friday or Saturday. Well I just live in Sucat, Parañaque which is not far away from their office at Muntinlupa so it shouldn't take that long.

February 9: They told me that the Face Perfector Concealer in Bisque Camouflage is already out of stock. They said that it's going to be discontinued (got sad upon hearing this) and will be relaunched in 3 colors in 1? I got kind of confused about it but I guess I will just wait for that to come out. I wanted to get this because the product description says it's a pimple blemish stick that heals and covers dark under eyes, acne, and acne scars, and it comes in a handy twist tube, and is quite affordable for only Php158, 4gms. I was really looking forward to getting this so just imagine my disappointment. Besides, I was initially told it's available. The other color available is too dark for me.

So they offered me to get their powder concealer, the Ultimate Concealer in Linen for Php215 but thinking about it, I was actually more after the fact that the earlier was a blemish stick, and I consider the concealing feature a plus. I don't really need a concealer, and I find it tedious to apply one. So I said I will just find a similar product. I then looked for a different product with the same price but I only found the TNT Lip Tint and the Natural Pink Lip & Nipple Solid Gel and I don't need these too. I still have another product that I wanted to buy, which is the Illumiglow Setting Powder in Invisiglow which is Php200 for a 10g pot, so I just decided to get that and pay the balance since it is more expensive than the Perfector Concealer.

I didn't know if it was Ms. Lami the owner, or her staff Irine who I'm texting with but to my surprise, they told me to just pay the Php42 difference on my next purchase. Sweet! I know that's just quite a small amount but I didn't really expect they would have that much confidence that I'd be buying with them again, and that they trusted me for it. It was really such a nice gesture. Well they have probably sensed that there's still something that I wanted to get but I thought it's already too late for me to add it, but then...

At the last minute, I decided to get their Skin Perfecting Primer. I remember I had long been looking for a primer to try because I read it's good to use a primer for your makeup to last long and I don't really like frequent touch ups, in short I want my makeup as low maintenance as possible. Since I've hearing a lot of good feedback about this primer, I decided to add this in my order. I told them by text but thinking they may have already shipped my order, I decided to make a call for a quicker check. They told me it's already packed and ready for pickup but I still asked if I can still add it to save shipping and that I can pay immediately. They accommodated my request so I paid the difference together with my balance for the Illumiglow powder. That's Php225 for a 10ml pump bottle of primer plus Php42 balance. That's Php267 additional.

So that's how my order transaction with them went. Now I'm in wait mode for my orders to arrive. I have ready some negative feedback about them having some of the items wrong, so I'm hoping my order would be okay until it's arrival here.

Until next post. God bless!

Smart Sucks.

2011-11-07T10:18:00.002+08:00

I am talking about the SMART telecom service. I tried to use their promo SMARTalk Lite 15 as I need to reach a few loved ones to check if they'd be able to come on my wedding. SMARTalk Lite 15 gives unlimited calls from 1am to 11am to all Smart networks. So I registered this morning, and thinking this saves me a lot of money because I can get to talk to them without worrying about per minute charges and I have until 11am pa to do that. I got the confirmation at 8:48 AM, which still gives me 2 hours plus a few more minutes to call any of them in the province.

So I immediately dialed at once. Instruction says use prefix *6402 + the smart number you're calling. I did that. But.. IT DOESN'T CONNECT. The heck. It's now 10:03 AM and I am still not able to talk to a single Smart subscriber I am trying to reach. The call gets cut off even before it's connected. I don't even hear a "your call cannot be completed" nor "all lines are busy now" message. Now I'm frustrated. 15 pesos gone to Smart's pocket without me being able to use even a few seconds of their service.

I am still not sure though if they start counting from 1 AM the next day from the day you registered, but it doesn't make much sense. I know the service usually gets activated from the time you registered it and ends at exactly how many hours it said it's valid, not until what time their promo is effective. For this instance, mine's going to end at exactly 8:48 am tomorrow. But it doesn't make much sense if I am able to register now but not able to use the service if I'm still well within the time their unlicall promo is active. Globe works that way so all along I thought it should be the same for all networks. I still have to see if it works the other way but if it's not, Smart will prove themselves to be a money-hoarding company with extremely crappy services. This is not the first instance my Smart load was gone for nothing. That's the very reason why I don't use my Smart sim that much anymore. Mahal na nga mga promo nila, anlakas pang kumain ng load. Dugas!

I hope the people from Smart gets to read this. I might just be a prepaid user but you know, if your services are excellent, I could actually consider getting a postpaid plan and you'd get my money permanently and on a regular basis. But no thank you na lang.

Update: I was not able to use the service, not a single minute or second call. Crap talaga.

New Phone: Nokia 101 Dual-sim

2011-11-01T12:40:00.000+08:00

Current status: Taking a break from work
Listening to: Terrified by Katherine McPhee

I got myself a new Nokia 101, the cheapest dual-sim Nokia phone that is currently out in the market. I got mine for Php 1,450 from Fone Style Accessories store at the ground level of SM Bicutan yesterday. Not really the cheapest price, but this phone is currently selling like hotcakes so the store I inquired that happens to be selling this at only Php 1,399 already had it sold out. It's CellBoy, located at the same floor, and they had it on sale but it's already out of stock when I inquired.

I was initially looking for a MyPhone B15 duo but I've already asked all of the stores at SM Bicutan and they're all out of it. Well except for one who's selling packaged with a 2GB memory card at Php 1,790. I don't need the extra memory and even if I compute it by the cheapest price I know I get can this phone for which is Php 1,299 plus the getting an additional 2GB memory for Php 300 the most, it's still way too expensive for their price so I left it. After all, I'm just getting a second phone so my priority is budget. They said though that this phone is already phased out so I got my second option, Nokia 101. Certainly not cheaper, but I'm sure is of good quality.

I've taken pictures of my newly acquired gadget, the Nokia 101 dual-sim. It comes in 2 colors: black & red. I got the red one because my sister also got this phone in black and so I got the other color to avoid confusion.

Mine's red. The faded hand strap is mine. It's not included in the package.

Both black and red colors look nice (of course depending on one's preference), so getting the red color is not much of an issue for me. Besides, black is so common and most of the phones I owned is in black. My main phone, which is also a Nokia, the phased out model 6220 classic is also in black.

with its plastic from Fone Style

The receipt with the warranty card. Decided to keep a copy in case I re-sell this item.

Inside the box is just the charger, the headset, and the manuals. Nothing more.

The phone with its headset

Menu. I opted for the list view. It's also available in grid view.

My phone's software version. You can get yours by typing *#0000#

Back. This comes with a BL-5CB battery which
according to the specs lasts up to 25 days on standby with this phone.

The back without the battery. You'll see the 2 sim beds.

Summary of features:

Dual-sim, simultaneous standby.
Plays mp3 files
Support up to 16GB
Up to 25 days standby
1.8" TFT display
3.5 mm AV connector for standard earphones
GSM dual-band
Torch light
FM radio

What I liked about this phone:

A basic phone with an expandable memory. It claims to support up to 16GB, and the slot is strategically placed at the side of the phone for hot swapping and easier access. I haven't tried using a 16GB card though so I can't support that claim. I'm not sure if anyone's going to do that, but I won't because I have my iPod Touch for my portable media player and storage.
The torch light. Very useful indeed, especially when I rummage my chaotic bag for my stuffs in a public transportation and when looking for things in small dark spaces.
The 3.5 mm AV connector, though I'm not really using it. But I find it brilliant as one can use a standard earphone if they left the in-box headset. I've tried my iPod earphones and it worked, even with the radio. I initially thought that you can't play the radio without the Nokia headset but it appears that, the radio can't just be played without anything plugged in the AV connector. I don't know if a standard headset will work with this phone though. I didn't have the chance to try.
One inbox for all. Unlike other dual-sim phones like MyPhone for example, where the messages are stored 2 separate inboxes. It's not much of a bother really for me if that's something that I have to live with, but finding this feature of Nokia 101 is liberating. The messages are all in one inbox, determined by an icon on the right side to indicate from which sim the message was received. It's still more time consuming to exit and enter submenus just to access your messages so this feature is really cool.
Message counter. They've included a message counter for the number of SMS sent from each sim. Sweet! The message counter helps me see how much I saved and how much I was able to utilize my unlimited texting services.
Speaking clock as alarm tone. Surely, the time I should wake up cannot be more emphasized. Hehehe.
The finger friendly island keypad. It's soft and sensitive enough for pressing. A text addict's best friend.

What I didn't like:

There's no option to change the date format. It's dd.mm.yyyy by default. I would've wanted to be able to switch between mm.dd.yyyy & yyyy.mm.dd formats, but this is tolerable. Still a little disappointing.
No option to change the time format too. It's only in 12hr, no option for a 24hr clock or military time. Pinanindigan talaga ang pagiging basic. Gara.
I find the torch light somehow weak. It only has one LED and it has this lens part (I don't know if there's any specific term for this) that spreads out the light into a big open-mouth smile shape and I think it's the cause why it's weak. I prefer a light that's concentrated in the middle so at least there's a part that's strong, and I prefer that it darker places. MyPhone's better at this, having 2 LEDs and concentrated light. I don't want mine dispersed.
I would've loved an FM radio that doesn't require a plugged headset to play. MyPhone B15 duo has this feature.
The speaker at the back makes the sound weak if you place the phone front side up. If you're using this phone as an alarm clock, I suggest putting it face down so you're sure that you'd be awakened by its sound. The same principle would apply if you'll put the phone in loud speaker during a call. Could've been better if the speaker is placed anywhere on the side of the phone.
Earpiece loudness could be better. I've had better quality in my MyPhone, even when their speakers are compared. MyPhone wins in this part. It's really loud.
You cannot transfer files from your memory card to phone memory and vice versa. I wanted to have a custom ring and message alert tone but I'm not able to because you'd only be able to get 3rd party files if you have an extra memory storage plugged in the slot. I don't have a spare memory card so I just thought of copying at least a few in the phone memory for more custom options but the phone doesn't have this feature. Well you'd probably be able to get additional content in your phone memory if it's received OTA (over-the-air), not by hardware. Another sucker.

I've also read in forums that this phone has a restart problem, and voice leakage where whoever is beside you would be able to hear what your caller is saying even if you're not in loudspeaker mode. So far, I have not experienced any restart, having used a TM/Globe, Smart Buddy, and Sun SIMs but I'm still on my day 1 so I might be wrong. I have used this on a call too and I'm not sure of the voice leakage thing because I don't have anyone with me when I used it on a call. I have a wireless landline SIM which I haven't tried with this yet. I would just add to this post if something unusual happens when I get to use this with my wireless landline SIM.

Overall, my verdict is so-so. I find this phone not so great, but not so bad either. It can always be an option. But this is really just a basic phone, even with an mp3 player. Yes it can play mp3s, but don't expect much on the sound quality, and most phones now can play mp3 anyway.

Do you plan to get this phone too? I hope this post somehow helped. Have a nice day :).

Wanna know if your computer is a male or a female?

2011-08-23T23:54:00.001+08:00

I just saw this in my Facebook newsfeed tonight and tried it out of curiosity.

=============================================================
1. Open Notepad
2. Type the following line in notepad (Or simply copy paste):

CreateObject("SAPI.SpVoice").Speak"You are stubborn but I really love you honey"

3. Save file as "computer_gender.vbs"
4. Run the file by double clicking on it. If you hear a male voice, you have a guy; If you hear a female voice, you got a girl

Note: Turn on the speaker before running the file.

=============================================================

Kulit nito! Mine's a female. =D

Ikaw? What's your computer's gender?

Reading with Dry Eyes

2011-02-26T11:27:00.007+08:00

The book with my marker & used Bible on top of my laptop

I am currently reading the book When God Writes Your Love Story and I'm already halfway through it. It was lent to me by Shy, kasama ko sa Yuppies. I've started reading it 2 weeks ago before I fall asleep and I was actually not making much progress with that--Ive just moved to about 3-5 pages. So This morning, when I woke up early, I decided to sit on it as I rest my eyes from excessive staring at the computer monitor. My eyes were at random times feel burning pains which causes me to get teary eyed even when I'm not really crying. At times, I can't even open my eyes, I had to shut them for a while to be soothed by the tears it produced. And I seriously think wetting it with cold water would just make it worse. I've read somewhere in the internet that what I am having are symptoms of dry eyes.

So after reading that article from Wikipedia, I've realized I am not resting my eyes at all. Hehehe. Malamang may magagalit na naman sa 'kin nito sa katigasan ng ulo ko. But I feel that reading from a printed book is already a very welcome break for my eyes. I've been spending a great deal of time in front of the computer kasi. I'm about to take a bath pa naman in a few hours because I'm headed to a church friends' wedding this afternoon. And I have to perfectly polish our records to be ready for reporting by Monday. It gets really very hard for me when my procrastinator side kicks in. I want to kill it!

About the book, I find it full of insights. As I've mentioned, I'm still halfway through it. Had I have nothing up today, I can probably finish it in one sitting, because I find it very interesting. I had gone halfway through in a matter of 2-3 hours. It kind of helped me in knowing what to do with my own God written love story. The couple who wrote it were truly blessed, and I'm praying to God I'd have the same kind of relationship with my future husband. I know God will take care of it.

I'm planning to write a review and a summary of the parts or lines in the book that had the most impact on me, or those that I was able to identify with. I do hope though that I'd be able to do it. It would be great if I'd be able to share what I learned from the book, and for me to keep a record of what I learned as well.

When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others.

~Chinese proverb

Love is Waiting

2011-02-23T06:37:00.003+08:00

I suddenly felt a surge of emotion in my heart last night, that it was threatening to burst on me and make me spill words that I've been mostly afraid to admit to anyone whenever I start to feel it, during the course of my life. I suddenly had this longing inside me to tell what I feel, but then something inside me tells that it's not yet the right time. I changed my ym status to "I feel like my heart's gonna burst" and it immediately attracted the attention of close friends added in my ym list. Nix, being the polite girl she is, checked what's with it right away without asking too much info that might sound like she's prying on something very personal already. That's what I like about her. I told her it is indeed too personal that I think I can't share it to anyone at the moment and that the status just tells what I currently feel... I just don't feel comfy sharing it with anyone at the moment. I was praying for God's take on this and was asking Him to give me an immediate answer if possible because I was at that moment struggling of what's trying to burst my heart out.

I could've easily spilled this to that person had I not been able to hold it, thanks to Nix for being fast in asking :D. I can't give info to her, but I know the girl has a quite good intuition so I asked her what does she feel about it, and maybe we can start from there, so that I can also help myself. She then started off with checking how things are going. Then I told her I currently feel that my feelings are trying to overrule my mind. She quoted a line from the movie Fireproof: "Don't follow your heart because your heart can be deceived." Agree naman ako sa sinabi nya, and it felt like those few words made the juices in my brain flow to let me think clearly about the situation. I have to wait on God first. Patience. She also told me that God sometimes speak to her through songs and gave me two Brooke Fraser songs that I might want to check, "Faithful" and "Love is Waiting". My eyes caught the "Love is Waiting" first and searched for it in Youtube. And upon checking out the message, I can say it describes exactly what I felt I need to do.. or to say.

In the autumn on the ground,
between the traffic and the ordinary sounds
I am thinking signs and seasons while a north wind blows through
I watch as lovers pass me by
Walking stories - whos and hows and whys
Musing lazily on love, pondering you

I'll give it time, give it space and be still for a spell
When it's time to walk that way we wanna walk it well

[CHORUS:]
I'll be waiting for you baby
I'll be holding back the darkest night
Love is waiting til we're ready, til it's right
Love is waiting

It's my caution not the cold
There's no other hand that I would rather hold
The climate changes, I'm singing for the strangers about you
Don't keep time, slow the pace
Honey hold on if you can
the bets are getting surer now... that you're my man

[CHORUS]

[BRIDGE:]
I could write a million songs about the way you say my name
I could live a lifetime with you and then do it all again
and like I can't force the sun to rise or hasten summer's start,
neither should I rush my way into your heart

I was like... this is bull's eye. Shot right at the target. LoL! Ganda pa ng pagkakanta. And after listening to the song, I felt peace in my heart, and it got tamed. I chose to keep singing this song while I pray to God to let me know when would be the right time to reveal anything and how I should do it.

Love is patient. ~1 Corinthians 13:4

Overtime on a Saturday Morning

2011-02-19T07:04:00.001+08:00

I'm currently rendering an overtime on a rest day. Half-day lang naman. Though I'm not sure if it would be appropriate for me to ask for a pay for this because during the days I am not doing what I'm supposed to do resulting into this piled up job I currently have hence the OT request, I am getting paid in full. I even get paid in full during my absences when I got sick for a whole week but I think that's just right. I was just thinking I'd be unfair to my boss if I still ask for a pay for this OT request, though he's the one who really requested it. I'm handling the company finances and it's now in really bad shape and we already lost track. So I need to catch up on this right away or else, I'd be having the same issue I had this month in processing our salaries. Our salaries have been delayed because I am not doing my job properly. Shame on me.

Makeup Went Wrong

2011-02-03T10:09:00.004+08:00

I went to a debut of a close friend in church last Saturday, January 29, held at Vivere Hotel in Alabang. Since it's a special and kind of formal event, I needed to dress up, and that includes dressing up my face too. I am not used to having makeup in my face and when I was younger--I really didn't like putting on makeup but as I grew older, I realized this is a necessity for girls or women. I actually hated the idea of putting on makeup before but later on realized that there will be times I will not have a choice. I need to wear makeup specially during special events.

So as I was saying, I went to this debut and had to wear makeup. We were running late and so I didn't have much time to have options. I have a friend with me and the idea of spending thousand bucks on makeup for a one night event which is only a debut (buti sana kung awards night at bibigyan kami ng award at madaming paparazzi, we can probably get away with spending 1500 php--this is at Bench Fix--with just hair and makeup) so we went out to scout for a cheaper salon that will be able to do our hair and makeup right away... inside Festival Mall. Talk about not having much option while under time constraint.

We found Freshaire as the one who offers the cheapest hair and makeup in that mall, where makeup is done for only 200 pesos and hair, 400 pesos. However, we had to wait for about an hour before they do us and we no longer have much time so we headed to the next cheapest salon available--Going Straight. They do hair and makeup and hair is priced depending on the length. My friend and I have the same hair lengths, and they priced us almost Php 900 for hair and makeup.

We had our hair and makeup done there because they're able to take us in right away, sabay pa kami. It was a guy who did our hair and makeup and he's only one so while I wait for my turn 'cause he did my friend first, I went to get dressed. He made sure he did everything fast because we're running late and it took me some time to get dressed so when I went back, he's almost finished with my friend. My turn came and he did my makeup first, following the hair. Masyado yata nagmamadali si kuya, he forgot to apply foundation on my face. He did my eye makeup because that is the most challenging and complicated part of my face--or with any girl naman yata kasi it's where most of the colors go. So blend blend... with layer after layers of colors and here's what I got:

eye makup went wrong
That's me with the hair done na din. My hair almost went wrong too because initially, he did a cobra style daw tawag dun, to me it looked like I rode an open windowed jeep running at 150kph speed, with my hair not coming back to its place after. So I told him just raise my top a little and pull half of my hair back. I so didn't like everything talaga but sorry for me, I don't have a choice.

Yes--I went to the party looking like that. I just tried to carry it as much as I can but really, I was very disappointed. And we're late. I still had fun in the party. I don't want to ruin my night with that, though it made a big part in the event. The theme of the party is MTV style nga pala and I was trying to look like a korean pop star, which was an epic fail.

This is a lesson learned for me. And because of this, I've been watching makeup tutorials for asian eyes in Youtube. My eyes are a challenge because I have hooded lids--I have double lids but when my eyes open, the crease hides under, making my eyes look like I have mono lids or no lids at all. My eyes don't have definition or depth. It's very flat, like the typical asian eyes. And it's small, and chinky, and my brows are very high. Hirap makeup-an.

I saw in the tutorials that I'm going to need to use a lot of color talaga, even if I just want to create a simple look. I hope to learn to do my own makeup in the future to save me from spending a lot of money for something that will just extremely disappoint me after.