I Won! I Won!

I like entering online contests, it's easy, convenient and cheap (I don't have to purchase anything).  But there's just one problem, I'm terribly unlucky.  I never win anything.  Sad no?

But one day, I left a comment on projectvanity.com, never realizing that there was a contest going on, and whaddya know, I won.  Poor unlucky me actually won.  Guess I'm lucky after all!

I was given two jars of Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Body Scrub.  It's this new body scrub from Indonesia that I've been hearing about.  I love bath products, so of course I was excited to try out Asian Secrets.

"Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Body Scrub is a beauty treatment inspired by a most luxurious Javanese ritual called Lulur.  The ritual was originally intended for the bride-to-be in order to beautify, smoothen and whiten her skin before her wedding day.  Lulur originated from the Palaces of Java, Indonesia."

I like the formulation, it's nice and creamy.  I especially love the scent, green tea with light floral undertones, which lingers on your skin even after you've dried off.

The scrub beads are fine and isn't at all rough on the skin.  In fact, the beads are finer compared to St. Ive's Apricot Scrub, which I swear by.  It definitely holds true to it's promise of moisturizing and softening the skin because my skin is softer and silkier hours after stepping out of the shower. 

One thing I'm not impressed though is the jar packaging, which I think is sturdy enough for travel, but I just don't like the idea of double dipping especially in my bath products because it's not hygienic and a magnet for all types of bacteria.  I would have preferred a squeeze tube-type of packaging.  But then again, maybe it's just me.

Packaging issues aside, while I don't care much for the whitening benefits, I'm quite happy with the color of my skin, I like the feel of my skin after I use it, I like the scent and I love that it's very affordable.  At Watson's the small jar retails for Php80 and the big jar for Php130. 

Repurchase?  Hell, yeah!  I think Asian Secrets will now be a part of my daily shower ritual, once I get my shower fixed, but that's another story.

I just want to thank Liz of Project Vanity for choosing my comment and giving me a chance to try out Asian Secrets.

Shopping Alert: Robinson's Warehouse Sale

Early Chistmas shoppers and cheapoholics alike see you there!

Major Major Endorsers

 

Remember these Miss Universe guys who became instant You Tube sensations right before our viral eyes?  Well, big time na sila!

I know this is just a reenactment but it still makes me laugh in a major, major way.

(Lady) Gaga over Meat

Lady Gaga's meat outfit in the recent MTV Video Music Awards caused quite a stir, and that's putting it mildly.  Naturally, animal rights activists are offended.  But Lady Gaga defended herself by saying that the outfit is a statement to say "she's not a piece of meat."

Statement or no statement, I just think the outfit is plain gross.  I mean, can you just imagine what that dress smells like?


image from: www.aceshowbiz.com

What is Grimace?

The label said Neon Purple (by Twinkle nail polish), but I don't see anything neon about the color.  It reminds me more of Grimace, one of Ronald Mc Donald's pals.

Speaking of Grimace, does anyone know what he/she or it is?

What To Do?

I wanted to try out the boyfriend jeans look, but I'm too much of a cheapo to buy a new pair.  So, off I went to my closet to search among my old pairs.

I tried out one pair after the other.  Not only did I not find an appropriate boyfriend jeans.  S**t!  Nothing fits!
 
One pair managed to slip past my hips but it wouldn't close.  I'm really heartbroken over a well love Levi's 501 pair.  Oh woe is me!

So basically I have a useless pile of jeans occupying precious closet space.

Now I'm torn on what to do.  Should I lose weight, which is easier said than done, or should I just sell these pairs?  I'm pretty sentimental when it comes to my things.  What do you think?

Project Peklat: Week 9

It's been nine weeks since I started this Peklat/Sebo de Macho experiment.  My Sebo de Macho has officially hit pan bottom.  So, for Php14 a can, this certainly proves that a little goes a long way.

I think there's really a tremendous improvement since I last blogged about my peklat.  It looks flat now, the lumpiness is noticeable only if you look closely and touch it, which is really good news.  From afar, or if you really have poor eyesight, it looks like a dark (ugly) bruise.  It's also way smaller now.

I'm no longer in denial.  I've accepted the fact that my scar will never completely heal.  My knee will forever bear this mark.  Since I don't have plans of joining a beauty pageant, I've come to terms with this, in a major, major way.  Plus, this is a perfect excuse to try out those airbrush leg make up that everyone's been raving about.

Hermès Kelly

I found this video on YouTube where an Hermes Kelly morphs into every kind of material you can think of. 

Can I just say 110% drool worthy?!

Bigger and Better Urban Decay Eyeshadow Potion

In answer to request from fans and professional make-up artist alike, Urban Decay created Eyeshadow Primer Potion Professional Size.  A bigger and better version of the now cult classic product.

It's the same amazing formula that beauty addicts went gaga over in a more convenient squeeze tube.  This means no more wand applicator making this new product more hygienic to use.  Now, you can also squeeze out the product to the very last drop.  So yey to us cheapoholics!  More value for our hard earned cash.

Speaking of value, the UDPP Professional Size contains 150% more primer than the original bottle at 25 mL and retails at $29 (approx. Php1,392).  For more details visit the Urban Decay website.

Gone are days where you have to slice open a bottle of UDPP to depot the remaining product.  I heard or rather read, is dangerous because some of the powder from the bottle gets mixed into the product and may cause blindness.

Hmmm...if only Urban Decay is available here in the Philippines.  In the meantime, another product in my beauty wish list.



*image of sliced up UDPP courtesy of www.ehow.com

Dressing Down Button Downs

The longest job I ever had was with a very conservative company with a very strict dress code where casual Friday was unheard of.  My go-to outfit was usually a long sleeved button down shirt with slacks or a long sleeved button down shirt with a skirt, you get the picture.  So when I resigned, I had myself a closet full of button down shirts.

Now that I don't have to dress up as much, I'm trying to incorporate my business-y shirts with my more casual outfits.  Here are some of the looks I've come up with.

The Obvious Choice 

Shirt: Old Navy

Shorts: Greenhills

Shoes: SM

I know, it's such an obvious choice but I like the casual vibe going on here.  This is my take on the boyfriend shirt look, the kind of boyfriend who's into flowery prints.

A Stripey Affair

Shirt: my closet

Red tank top: my closet

Denim skirt: People are People

Slip-ons: Mphosis

I like the stripe on stripe detail here.

White Wash

Shirt: Mango

Shorts: Greenhills

Belt: my closet

Sandals: People are People

An all white ensemble reminds me of a cool breeze in the heat of summer.  It looks so calm, collected and put together.

Any more ideas on how to dress down a button down?

*first image courtesy of www.kpao.org

Of Bubble Gum and Cotton Candy Nails

I was in the mood for pink this week, not the screaming fuschias or very summer-y corals.  I wanted soft, candy colored pinks. 

The frosted shade of Twinkle's Pretty Old Rose on my nails reminds me of Cotton Candy, the pinkish childhood sweet treat long before I could properly pronounce, let alone worry, about diabetes. 

My toes have the subtlest shade of bubble gum pink.  Nice, sweet and appropriately named Love from Careline Classics.

Tip: Both Love and Pretty Old Rose make nice base coats for French tips.

Nokia Contest from Manila Reviews

I like joining contests online, it's easy and convenient.  But luck doesn't seem to be on my side, I never win anything.  Sad no?

Anyway, I joined another contest, Manila Reviews' Nokia: My Life Contest.

Up for grabs is a cool Nokia 5230.

The ideal phone for bloggers and camwhores alike, as it can store a lot of photos with a 70 MB storage, 128 MB RAM for its internal memory. It also has a card slot for a micro SD that can store up to 16GB.  For more details of this wonder phone please visit Nokia's website.

I'll keep my fingers crossed and hopefully I win.

My Morning and Night Basics

My morning ritual after I step out from the shower is to wash my face with Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser.  I know, I should be doing this anytime during shower but I'm just more used to washing my face with a sink in front of a mirror.  Wala lang, trip ko lang.  I've been using Cetaphil since the 1990's and I'm really hiyang with this brand.  It also doubles as a moisturizer (I put this on my face, wait for it to dry then rinse everything off) when I feel that my skin is kind of dry and make-up remover of sorts. 

After washing my face I put on my contact lenses (when I'm going out) then moisturizer and tinted moisturizer.  Right now I'm using Nivea Refreshing Fluid with SPF 30 and Pond's Anti-aging Day Ceam (mine ran out when I took this photo) and Myra Vitaglow Tinted Moistrizer.  I moisturize my face first before putting on the tinted moisturizer.  Also, I like the combination of Pond's and Vitaglow better.  Here's why.

When I'm done with my face, I put lotion on my arms and legs, something which I don't really enjoy.  I'm lotion averse, you see, I don't like anything sticky on my skin especially during the more humid days.  But I have dry skin so tiis ganda na lang.  I use Bath and Body Works lotion or body cream, the usual pasalubong from friends and relatives from the States.

At night, I wash my face before going to bed.  On most days it's Cetaphil which I sometimes use as a make-up remover by applying it on my face then wiping everything off with tissue.  But please note that this doesn't work with heavy make-up and stubbornly waterproof eyeliner and mascara. Once or twice a week, I exfoliate using St. Ive's Apricot Scrub.  I still have the one with the old packaging because a friend who knows that I love this product gave me a couple of tubes a few years ago.  Like Cetaphil, I've been using St. Ive's since the 90's. Lasty, I put on moisturizer again.

So this is almost daily ritual unless I'm too sleepy to wash my face at night.  Yeah, I know that's bad but sometimes I'm just too lazy to care.

I Heart Urban Decay Hearts NYC Palette

I saw this on Facebook and to say that it's so fabulous is an understatement.  Though a lot of the colors in this palette are included in the Book of Shadows I and II and Alice in Wonderland palettes, I still badly want this one.  UD Hearts NYC also includes 24/7 Eyeliner Pencils in Zero and Ransom and UD Primer Potion.

I heart!  I heart!

This palette will be available on October 1.  For those who can't wait that long Urban Decay will have a sneak peek event on August 28 at Sephora in Times Square, where 1,000 pieces of babies will be sold.  Check out their event invitation on Facebook.  Lucky duckies!

Dear Santa, I promise to be nice from here on, just let me have this for Christmas.  Please...pretty please.

*images taken from Facebook

Gift Ideas from Sephora

I saw some items on sephora.com. which I think will make nice gifts for kikay friends. All of the items in this post is below Php500 (I used a conversion rate of $1=Php48), most are below Php250 if you divide the total price by the number of items in each set.   Pretty affordable if you ask me, and the best part, your girl friends' feeling of being special, priceless.

Korres Vitamin E 10-color Pencil Kit

This set has a $160 value but retails at a more affordable (or should I say bargain) price of $32.50 (approx. Php 1560).


Sephora Favorites Best in Bronze Deluxe Sampler Set

I think this set, which has a value of $113 but retails for only $39 (approx. Php1872), is really sulit because it contains 10 of Sephora's most loved bronzers and luminizers.  Check this out:

• Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals All Over Face Color in Faux Tan
• Josie Maran Bronzing Argan Oil
• Lorac Tantalizer Baked Bronzer in Golden Bronze
• Too Faced Pink Leopard Bronzing Powder
• Sephora Collection Nail Polish in Bright Red
• Benefit High Beam
• Temptu Retouch Highlighter in Gold
• Smashbox Artificial Light Illuminating Lotion in Glow
• Tarte EmphaseyesWaterproof Clay Shadow Liner in Bronze 
• Korres Monoi Oil Bronzing Powder in Sunglow Light 

 

Sephora Favorites Eau Girl Scent Sampler 

Sephora gathered 8 of their eau de parfum bestsellers valued at $80 and retails for $40 (approx. Php1920).  The deluxe sample size fragrances in this kit includes:

• Michael Kors Very Hollywood Eau de Parfum
• Clean Eau de Parfum
• Calvin Klein euphoria Eau de Parfum
• Givenchy Very Irresistible Eau de Toilette
• Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne Eau de Parfum
• Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline Eau de Toilette
• Gucci Flora Eau de Parfum 
• Tocca Cleopatra Eau de Parfum 

A Eau Boy Scent Sampler is also available. 

 

Rosebud Perfume Co. Three Lavish Layers of Lip Balm

Let me just say, a lip balm is a dry chappy lip's best friend.  This cult classic brand retails for $16 (approx. Php768).  The set includes:

• Strawberry Lip Balm
• Rosebud Salve
• Minted Rose Lip Balm

Stila Lip Glaze Twinkle Set ($55 Value) $20 (approx. Php960)

 

Ideal for your girl friends who are into lip glosses.  I have one of these in Grapefruit, while I'm not a lipgloss person, I appreciate the fact that the lip glaze is not that sticky, as other lip glosses tend to be and it has this nice fruity taste.  I'm just confused about the pricing of this set, individually it retails for $22 but as set it only costs $20 (approx. Php960) and a set contains 4 pieces so this is pretty good deal.  The variants are:

• Grapefruit
• Mauvelous
• Pinkle Twinkle
• Cherry Pie

 

Stila Collectible Travel Palette Road to Radiance Across the USA and Pretty In Paris 

Across the USA

Pretty in Paris

I love palettes so if there's a gift that I would like receive it would definitely be this one, friends, hint...hint. This palette contains 4 eye shadows and a convertible color, a product that can be used both on the cheeks and the lips.  Originally priced at $65 but it now retails at $10 each (approx. Php480).  That's practically a steal!

You may think that it's a bit too early to think about the holidays, but with the "ber months" just around the corner, the sooner you start on that list, the better.

*all images taken from Sephora's website

4U2 Sweet Girl Dream Eyeliner Pencil

I got this on sale at 50% off.  I like that it's retractable and I was sweet talked by the saleslady who told me that this is one of their more popular items. 

There's nothing sweet nor dreamy about this product.  Heck, it's not even fit to be called an eyeliner!  It's just an overpriced retractable pencil.  See for yourself.

It's all over the place

Let me just say, raccoon eyes

Looks like an ugly black eye

Just to get my money's worth, I also tried using it as a base for a dark smokey eye do but no can do, it was like ugly raccoon eyes times ten.  Totally not fit for public viewing.

4U2 Dream Girl Eyeliner, IMO, is a total rip-off!  Really, really no likey.

Repurchase?  Obvious ba?

Project Peklat: Week 6

I talked to a doctor/brother about my keloid worries.  He impatiently told me and as I imagine trying to keep his voice from laughing, that unless you're a keloid former (the term he used), chances of a scar developing into a keloid is a medical curiosity.  The lumpy appearance of the scar is directly proportional to how deep the wound is.  But, the lumpy appearance may or may not disappear.  So yey to no keloid!  Boo to lumpy scar.

Anyhoo, there has quite been an improvement on over the last two weeks.  My peklat is definitely smaller.  Though the color is not yet even, it appears to be a monochromatic shade of flesh now.  The other edges are not as dark brown anymore.

It's not as lumpy anymore! 

Looks like there's hope for me yet.

Update on Myra and Nivea Reviews

Something totally weird happened when I used my Nivea Moisturizer and Myra Vitaglow!

I changed my moisturizer (from Pond's) to Nivea Replenishing Protect SPF 30.  I did my usual routine, applied moisturizer on my face, waited for a few minutes for my skin to absorb the product then I put on Myra Vitaglow.  I was running late so I never bothered to look at the mirror again.  Later, someone asked me if I've been to beach because my face appeared darker.  I checked my face and true enough it was darker, not in a bad way, more like a bronze healthy looking tan.

As soon as I got home I tried to reenact everything I did that day.

My hands looked two shades darker.

Just Myra Vitaglow

Nivea Refreshing Fluid +Vitaglow

Even my E.L.F. Matte Mauve palette looked darker.

Original swatch

Nivea+Vitaglow+E.L.F. Matte Mauve

I swear, this is the same palette. 

I wonder what could be the possible explanation for this?