Pssst...

Whenever I'm not in front of my computer, I have all these ideas of what to blog about but when I'm actually in front of my computer- BLANK.

So anyway, I'll be writing about my obsessions as of late which are most probably my obsessions a few months back. First up,

I am still, very much, a product junkie...

I feel I've already found my product soulmate in Cosrx but I still keep buying stuff for my face, hair and skin but to be fair, I feel they were needs more than wants. Here's my haul:

* The most recent Cosrx buy was their Two in One Poreless Power Liquid (from BeautyMNL)  and I'm loving it ♥ While I believe that it's the reason why my face is dark these days (because I don't wear sunscreen), it has helped in making my pores look smaller.

*I also bought a bottle of Klair's Midnight Blue Youth Activating Drop- almost half into the bottle and still I haven't seen any changes (or maybe I just don't know what to look for) in my skin. I apply it anyway.

* AD and I went to a Graphic Expo, which incidentally was next door a Beauty Expo. Destiny ♥ So we went inside the fair venue and inside was a booth of an online shop selling Korean beauty products and because I'm a bit of a lemming, here's my haul~

box of face masks for only Php50! Buy 1, Take 1

bought this cos it says 'keratin scaling'
Will try if this would get rid of my keratosis pilaris

Sulwhasoo!!
Got this because this brand is super expensive and
this trial set is super discounted at Php550
(albeit still expensive in my opinion)

 I broke out when I tried the face serum and cream and stopped using it muna, but the eye cream I still use at night.

* Biore Watery Gel sunscreen. I tried Biore's watery essence sunscreen but somehow every time I use it, my face feels bloated puffy. So with a heavy heart, pinamana ko na lang siya sa ate ko ang got myself the watery gel one which, I feel, agrees with my skin type more.

* From Lush, Sleepy and Dream Cream. The Dream Cream I want to use to treat my chicken skin cos apparently it heals eczema, etc. So far, my chicken skin hasn't improved yet. While the Sleep cream, supposedly, helps people get a more restful sleep. Feeling ko naman it did help or baka sadyang restful naman ang mga tulog ko. LOL.

* Oryspa Gugo & Aloe Shampoo and Conditioner. I love the scent and mas bagsak ang hair but it's still frizzy- tutsang all over pa din. The products claim to help hair growth and hope it will- it's still too early to tell.

* Extra virgin coconut oil for my chicken skin. Again. Darn chicken skin. I really want to get rid of it. So itchy. I've tried Lush and AC's Physiogel but both were not very helpful. What seems to help is scrubbing the affected area with any body sctub then slathering on any lotion (preferably, unscented).

Netflix, iflix and K-dramas

I've finally finished ALL nine seasons of Forensic Files. While the good thing about watching TV versus reading a book, I can work at the same time. Which explains why I haven't read any books lately. I also finished watching The Keepers which is somewhat similar to Forensic Files in the sense that they're trying to find out who killed Sr. Cathy and why she was killed, but also different because there was no evidence. I also started watching Fear Thy Neighbor (inspired by our very diperensyosang kapitbahay) and OMG they're so much like the easily annoyed psychotic, stiff people in the series. I want to watch pa but gahd so much negative energy.

Speaking of Netflix, I'm super SUPER excited because they're making To All The Boys I've Loved Before into a movie! Though I should remind myself not to set my expectations too high. But still... Peter Kavinsky!!!

Moving on to K-dramas... Currently watching While You Were Sleeping, My Ahjusshi, Something About the Rain and About Time.

First attempt to watch While You Were Sleeping was last year, around Christmas season. The series is is similar to the movie Sliding Doors wherein situations change depending on which path the characters choose to take. It sort of needs one's full attention so I put off watching the series until... now. Well, sorta. Cos I'm still busy but not as busy as last Christmas season (which reminds me that I have to start preparing for the Christmas season, ie. hoard bottles!).

My Ahjusshi is starting to pick up pace na din. I started watching because of the recap I read in a blog I follow but because of work and my short attention span due to the barrage of series and movies from all these streaming sites. So anyway, I like the story and I'd like to find out how IU will change sides. And oh, I also started watching because I thought Lee Sun-kyun is Uhm Tae-woong (Architecture 101 ♥♥♥). Hindi pala pero keri pa din. Weird talaga ng taste ko haha.

Next time na yun iba.

Mildliners, Washi Tapes, Atbp.

I. CAN'T. STOP. And seriously, it has to stop. Once I get my hands on the last Mildliner color (almost complete. yay!) titigil na talaga ako. And since we're already in the subject of supplies I use for my bullet journal... I left my bujo at a Starbucks coffee shop. Two whole weeks I left derailed. I didn't realize I was super dependent and attached to it when I lost it. Finally got it back early this week and now I finally got my sh*t together. Sort of. Haha.

So there, some of my preoccupations. 'Til the next post. Toodles!

Inday's Day Out

So I was supposed to meet up with an online seller in Glorietta yesterday. I sent them a text message Monday morning, around 11am to ask if we could meet up Tuesday in Makati para aside from the meet up, I can do all the other errands I've been meaning to do but didn't because, well, procrastination. They replied, "text tom early morning." I assumed it was a 'go' as long as I text them early.

I was in Makati at 7:30 in the morning. MORNING! I woke up at four frickin' thirty so I could hitch a ride with AD going to Makati. I sent the supplier a little before 8am to confirm our meet up. Reply ba naman sa akin, "tomorrow na lang." ANO 'YON? WALA SIYA SA MOOD? BUKAS NA LANG?!? Well, I was also at fault because I assumed tuloy nung Tuesday. It just happens that they're the only supplier of this material I need so I'm putting up with the unprofessional conduct. So fine pumayag ako na 'tomorrow na lang.' We're supposed to meet today at 12nn in Megamall. I sent them a message asking for a confirmation if the meet up will push through because I'm only going to Megamall to pick up the material and pay them. I texted them twice. No reply.

Hay. Nakaka-high blood.

So anyway aside from the no-show supplier, I was able to do all the other stuff in my to-do list and some more... Eto ayaw ko na napapadpad ako sa Landmark eh. Tapos 10% off pa on all regular products. Presenting yesterday's stash

decorative tray

black crate
actually part of a set but may also be purchased individually

The black crate is part of a set. There are 4 boxes and I got the third biggest. I really want it in white but it's out of stock so I got just one in black. Their sale is until the end of the month and new stock in white will be coming so I will wait for those ☺

wooden something from Landmark and Pantone mug from SM

I guess to other people this isn't a splurge but to me it is. I don't need them, well maybe except for product pictorial props, but I didn't really need to buy them. I'm kuripot that way. Haha.

I avoided the grocery to avoid unneccesary purchases but I needed to buy toothpaste (and if I find the Scholl pedi thingy), I went to the toiletries section and ended up buying not just a tube of toothpaste

because they're on sale...

I've been eyeing the Bifesta for about a year already but didn't muster enough courage (until now) to shell out 400 to buy it. Haha sabi sayo kuripot ako eh. The St Ives Pink Lemon & Mandarin Orange Scrub I saw last month in Savemore but put off buying it as I still have lots of facial washes and scrubs but because it's 10% off, bumili na rin ako kahapon.

Ooooh, it's so pretty ☺ This is how the Bifesta bottle looks like when you peel off the plastic. I love muted pastel colors.

And since we're on the topic of facial washes and scrubs (and indirectly, hoarding na din), here are the facial wash and scrubs we've accumulated (wala pa jan ang mga facial bar soaps)

from L to R: St Ives Pink Lemon & Mandarin Orange Scrub, VMV id Skin-Buffing Cleansing Scrub, Nature
Republic Argan Foam Cleanser, Olay Thermal Mini-peel and Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser

L to R: ROC Resurfacing Facial Cleanser, Sebamed Liquid Face & Body Wash, Benzac Facial Scrub,
Maxipeel Exfoliant Scrub and Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Facial Scrub

My favorites: Even if I just bought it yesterday, the St Ives Pink Lemon & Mandarin Orange Scrub is definitely one of my faves because of the scent (reminds me of  Neutrogena's Grapefruit facial wash) and I love the fine, grainy scrub texture (reminiscent of the other St Ives scrub, Green Tea), plus you could never go wrong with a St Ives facial wash and scrub ;) Another fave is the Benzac Facial Scrub whose scent I also love love love plus it's really effective against pimples and blackheads (ie. it doesn't make me break out). The downside of Benzac is it's a little pricey and I can't use it everyday ( just twice a week, tops!). The third runner-up is the ROC Max Resurfacing Facial Cleanser. I don't how much it costs cos it was AC who bought it. I also like the texture but not so much the scent. Its label says it's to be used prior your anti-aging soap/cleanser so the active anti-aging ingredient can penetrate your skin better.

I used to like the Olay Thermal Mini Peel; however, the warming effect, I think, has an effect on my skin. The dry areas (skin in between the chin and lower lip) and singit-singit sides of the nose, they darken on continued use of this scrub so I just use it occasionally. The VMV id Skin-Buffing Cleansing Scrub I bought last year as part of a set. Around this time last year, I had a bad case of pimples. mega-breakout galore! So I was desperate. I was sad and desperate which means I was easily cajoled into buying this beauty product. I followed the instructions to a T. They said the breakouts were going to worsen at first then improve eventually, with continued use of the kit. I used it for almost two months. I stopped using it when my complexion didn't improve.

The Sebamed  (bought here) and Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser (pasalubong from AB) were purchased I think last 2013 and 2012, respectively. Kaya sila tumagal ng hanggang 2015 kasi hindi ko masyado ginagamit- mga once a month pag nagsawa ako sa ginagamit ko. The Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Facial Scrub I must have used just twice or thrice. I bought it last 2013, too.

Maxipeel Exfoliant Scrub was bought on impulse, wala lang. Haha. The Argan Foaming Cleanser was a birthday gift to AC. I love the scent but I noticed my skin gets oilier after using.

So there my boring chronicling of the facial wash and scrubs we have in our bathroom. I'm bored. And too tamad to do anything productive. Bleh.

Umm...

Maybe next year I will make a resolution to update my blog more frequently. Not for anyone else, but for me actually. Sometimes, keeping an old-school journal, in other words, a notebook- may dangers of being found out by snoopy snoops (pero actually ako yung snoop so baka medyo safe na ako but you see, one can never be too sure. I am very wary of people like me. Haha! Plus, I can't put music, videos, pictures and other chuva in my old-school journal. What if I feel sentimental about my Korean music ten years ago? There's no way I can embed a YouTube video of Bogoshipda like this:

Diba? 

So anyway, I'm super mega backlogged na naman with all the things I should've begun months ago. Medyo I was caught off-guard when this whole relocation shizz happened at nang nagulumihanan ang mundo ko. The NS wasn't the only one displaced; my Production Area was, too. Eh medyo matagal akong maka-move no sa mga ganitong pangyayari. Pero in fernez, I've made several trips to the suppliers already. Still don't have everything I need but I could already start with what's available. And you know what's bongga? I have two giveaway orders for September. Huzzah! Thank God ☺ Talagang by January hindi ako magseself-mandated month-long rest aka hibernation aka guilt-free lazy days para hindi mawala sa momentum.

Yesterday, I was supposed to go to my suppliers but traffic was horrendous so that didn't push through. Instead, we went to SM Masinag and watched The Gifted, the movie I vowed to never, ever watch. Eh libre. So kinain ko na lang sinabi ko. Movie (non)review here. 

Yesterday's haul:

Organic products- massage oil, lemon soap and herbal balm. I like trying out new products, making myself the guinea pig. Hopefully effective sila.

Went to two suppliers today. V wasn't able to do her work so only my to-do's were accomplished. I treated her to Chinese lumpia at Muy Hong for driving me around.

Y to the Ummy. Corny.

Delish! I remember I didn't like this the first time I tried it but now, I loved it. Pero I can share one order of fresh lumpia (Php90/each) then order another dish. Nakakaumay if I were to finish one order all by myself- like what I did today because V didn't want to share hers. So I ate one whole lumpia and one order of siomai. So for dinner, I only ate veggies and a banana. Compromise ba.

But I am eating one huge piaya as I type this one and I saw two bags of Pop Corners which I am soooo tempted to eat at 10:30 pm! This means I should go to sleep soon before I feel more hungry and give in. 

What's Up, Doc?

♥ It's daddy's birthday today! We're celebrating later tonight with the cousins. It's pig out time again! Haha. Ayan naman kaya tumataba. Seriously, I need to lose a lot of weight. As in, A LOT. I gained ten pounds and I think this is the heaviest I've ever been. I feel like Totoro. Ha. Buti si Totoro, cute. I feel like a blob and a horrendous blob at that. Hindi cute. Kaya nga naman I'm bringing sexy back. Naks. Haha. My driver's license and vacation pictures were my wake up calls. Those and the fact that I can feel my back fats. Second day pa lang naman pero I did Zumba. Yay me! Hopefully I can do this everyday. Anak ng tinapa ang hirap ng no rice, no? So I'm going to post my progress in here. Sana nga lang may progress. Weight today: 140 lbs. *cringe*

♥ Going to rant here again about my favorite TV series. I am very very VERY disappointed that Suburgatory has been canceled. At least they gave me the ending that I want ☺ Now to the other shows... Watched Star-Crossed's and Bones's season finalés yesterday. Whattanending for both! Just as I'm beginning to get bored with Bones, they give me that nerve-wracking finalé. Yun lang ang alam ko eh Bones and Seeley live in an urban area meaning they have neighbors who could hear all those gunshots coming from high-powered guns so why didn't anyone alerted the police? Star-Crossed's ending? Mapapa-WTF ka talaga. Why'd you leave us hanging like that? Kasalanan yan lahat ni Emery. And on Hart of Dixie, it looks like we'll be back to Zoe + Wade. But first... seriously? Joel is perfectly fine when he hears Zoe profess undying love for Wade which means the whole time they were together she still loves or is hung up on Wade. And their break up was so recent. How can he not react violently to that? I'm still waiting for Jonah Breeland to come back, though. Anyway, have you heard? Rachel Bilson's expecting! She and Hayden Christensen are going to have a baby. I didn't even know they were still together. Ha.  

♥ Stash. I've been spending on a lot of  "beauty" products lately. I'm very frustrated with my skin, my hair and my weight. Haha. But really, I must be depressed or something.

I was supposed to buy only the liquid liner but they were able to make me buy two more products that I didn't really need. Anak talaga ako ng nanay ko. In fair, they were on sale that day but still I spent more than I what I originally planned to spend. I don't use them that much now. Tsaka kakasabi ko lang na hindi muna ako bibili ng kahit anong pangkilay because I have enough to last me two more years. And I haven't even gotten my Anastasia stash I bought last December (but I'm going to get it soon, yay!). Okay no more pangkilay products na talaga. Sabi nga ni Bo Sanchez: Drink Now or Drink Forever? I choose Drink Forever. Next time I should remind myself that. 

Another impulse buy.

 But it was on sale...  and at that time we just came from the province and my face is super sunog and I have all these discoloration on my face. This product had me at "fade." 

And here's another:

The thing with Snoe products, not everything is effective. The first Snoe products I bought (Magic Apple Whitening S-rub, Star Night Star Bright Night Perfecting Toner and the Emu Cleanse), weren't too effective. Okay lang the toner and the emu cleanse albeit cannot be used as standalone cleansing products. I need to use another facial wash aside from Emu Cleanse and also another toner/astringent aside from the toner. But the whitening rub? Not effective at all. I still have it here. The next Snoe product  bought was the Outzit soap  and it was amazeballs! I had such a good experience with the Outzit soap that I decided to buy and try another one. The next one was the Awesome Poresome soap and it was quite a disappointment that even if I haven't used up the entire bar, I already bought another one. Barre Beauté Bee Happy soap. This one had me naman at "anti-aging." I feel I already look haggardo versoza so I wanted to use something to ward off signs of aging. So far, so good although still not as good as Outzit. Another Snoe product I bought was the Poudre Phenomenon Pore-Erasing HD Powder. In fair, I like it. 

Aside from the abovementioned, I also bought this new Safeguard facial soap for sensitive skin plus the kojic and oatmeal soaps I bought from a customer. I'm using everything all at once and I don't even know what's effective and what's not.

♥ It's summer in the country and there's no denying nor escaping the fact. Normally we don't use the A/C when an electric fan would suffice because aside from the fact that it's cheaper, we're also helping the Earth by not contributing to more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. 

But this time, I succumbed. Kahit mag-isa lang ako sa kwarto, mag-e-aircon ako! But man my electric bill sucks! Eto ang literal na sala sa init, sala sa lamig. During the rainy season, I  have leaking roofs and overflowing gutters to think about. In the summer, it's sky-high electric bills. I already miss January and February weather.

♥ Last but not the least, today on the internet...

{source}
Y'all should see this list on Buzzfeed

Funny. 

And today's inspiration:

To Do Today: 1/turn my gratitude up, 2/watch for enchanted frogs, 3/search for the marvelous. That should keep me busy.
— Dr. SunWolf (@WordWhispers) February 1, 2014

Buh-bye. Gotta prepare for tonight's dinner. 

SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS

You know I already this topic in mind when I logged in to the system but now I can't remember what it is. So instead, I am blogging about my most recent product hoard ☺

pardon the crappy image. i don't have patience anymore
to make it more visually palatable. whatevs.

Actually, this was last month's product hoard pa: Hair Treats "Tsubaki" hair treatment, Maxi-peel Exfoliant Scrub, Cyleina Organic Carrot Soap and Snoe Outzit Acne Soap.

The 'Tsubaki' hair treatment I used to substitute for a conditioner because it is cheaper than a conditioner and it had me at tsubaki. I once bought this Japanese Tsubaki shampoo online before and from what I remember it had satisfactory results. What I didn't like from it was it made my hair oily at the end of the day, plus the fact that it is very expensive (700 per 220ml). But these days that my tresses need a little taming, I think I need a little tsubaki action. Okay naman siya. I like the minty feel on my scalp and my hair does feel soft afterwards. Buhaghag pa rin nga lang.

The discolored patch under my mouth has resurfaced AGAIN which explains the three products for facial care. AC bought Maxi-peel facial scrub before and I kinda liked it so I bought another one. I use it alternately with the St. Ives Green Tea Scrub (ang tagal maubos! Mas type ko pa rin ang Apricot Scrub). I haven't tried the carrot soap yet because I used the Outzit soap first. I have tried several Snoe products before and I wasn't happy with them so I was a little skeptical about buying another soap from them, but I was DESPERATE and would try anything to cure the worsening fate of my skin. So for 200 bucks, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best that this one will work its magic. So it's been a month already and I'm still using the soap and I'm very happy with the results ☺ Tiis lang kasi you have to leave it on your face for two minutes and when it's sitting on your face for that long, it starts to sting like crazy! But man, I love that soap and I recommend it to those with pimple problems.

Here's an update on the wonder cream I was raving about four months ago. Turns out it not-so-wonderful pala. Since the literature was in Chinese, I didn't understand a thing. It doesn't have lead or mercury but it should not be used on mucous membranes and it is where I apply it on! ¡Qué horror! So instead of lightening the area (which it did during the first few days I was using it), it burned the area and left it even darker. Frakkit.

So there goes another round of trial and error with myself as the guinea pig. Anyway... I have new product stashes from MM and AB.

These are from AB

again, pardon the crappy image. i did photoshop this a bit
but to no avail. still is crappy.

I love ALL but I bet you can guess what's my favorite... The Milani brow kit. The Benetint cheek tint is a close second although I don't know why it costs so much. Pero in fernez, hindi ako pinipimple. Apir.

And these are from MM

My favorite from this stash is the Garnier Roll-on for dark under eye circles. AC and I used it as a concealer for MM's wedding and effective siya. A close second is the Sephora Super-lift Eye Contour which I always forget to apply before going to sleep. Napansin ko nga puro eye product. Naisip ko, ganun na ba ako ka-haggard tingnan? Haha.

While in Roxas, I bought another product to try- Skinmate Shark Oil. I heard over the radio that it can treat sunburn on the face so I thought I needed to try it. So try it, I did. Verdict: Laos. The discoloration got darker and more noticeable.

So I finally remember what it is I originally thought of blogging about- my sorry life. Ha. Emo much? Well, I had my annual physical exam last week and I got the results today. I was worried about my blood sugar, most of all. Creatinine and lipid test aren't included. Buti na lang I got the doctor recommend that those tests be included also. Findings: I have fatty liver. The Chinese doctor already told me that but Western medicine confirming it is tragic. I guess I'd have to say goodbye to cheese, chocolates, mocha frappes and everything else I love to eat... for now. You see, fatty liver disease is a reversible condition so when everything normalizes again, I can indulge once again (but with caution).

I'm scheduled for two ultrasounds- liver and ovaries- on Monday. Wish me luck!

MORE STASH

Home alone with nothing better to do so I'm going to blog about my latest product hoards. Not really that many because I am trying to keep my spending at a minimum. So anyhoo, without further ado...

Lancome Blanc Expert Night Cream
The skin is quite problematic these days- combination kung combination. Oily in most areas most especially the T-zone, but extremely dry- so dry it's already discolored- in some like the area between the lower lip and the chin. Problem is I can't find a good moisturizer that will soothe the dry areas, not give me breakouts and not sting my skin. I've tried a lot and unfortunately haven't found a product I'm hiyang with. Cheaper moisturizers available at the grocery such as Pond's never worked for me. Physiogel used to work but now it doesn't anymore. Belo's Whitening Cream also used to work which was good cos it's cheap but suddenly it just stopped working. Anuber. So one day habang tumatambay sa kwarto ng aking nanay, I saw a new bottle of Lancome Blanc Expert night cream. It works! And I don't know if that's fortunately or unfortunately. The pro is I finally found something that works; the con, it's freakin' expensive. Mommy's stash was from AD who also got it for free. I hope she gets another free bottle soon. Asa.

Lancome Absolue Yeux
Another freebie c/o AD and this time she gave it to me! Yay! I think I really should start paying attention to mis ojos because I'm starting to look frakkin' old for my age which I think is mainly because of my weight. BUT I can see that the skin around my eyes are developing little crinkles already. Que horror! P*kshet. So this eye cream came into my life at the most opportune time. Well, it's just a teeny-tiny tube but beggars can't be choosers, right? I just need to remember to apply it before going to sleep.

Body Shop Tea Tree Facial Wash

I've been wanting to get this and try if it works on my skin. I think my skin needs a rest from all the harsh astringent I've been using and I figure, why not something natural? I remember AB's TBS Tea Tree Facial Wash I used to pilfer way back in college (hehe) and I remember how I love love loved its smell. Actually, when I went in to the Body Shop store, I was originally buying a Tea Tree Facial Scrub. I ended up buying the facial wash because it was on sale- P100 off the tag price. I was delighted & surprised with this facial wash because it really works and not only on my zits, mind you ;) A very effective anti-bacterial indeed. I'm actually thinking of getting the Tea Tree oil concentrate next time.

St. Ives Green Tea Facial Scrub

Another facial wash/scrub. If you could just see our bathroom sink, it is cluttered with facial wash, facial wash and more facial wash. I'm a big fan on St. Ives's Apricot Scrub but I wanted to try this new green tea scrub. I'm a sucker for facial wash, remember? Plus, it's green tea! I love green tea (but not the tsaa). Well, it's not as good as the apricot scrub and it makes my dry patches even drier and even more discolored so I don't use it on a daily basis, only when I feel my face needs a little scrubbing (which is everyday, actually, but this product is just too drying).

BL Cream
Wonder cream, IMHO. Only got to know about this product through my nail techs who recommended I use it for my humongous scar. It is actually very effective AND cheap. How cheap? P20 cheap. Yes, that cheap. Huzzah! But since it's from China and I can't decipher anything from it's literature because everything's in Chinese- I often joke that it contains lead and mercury. I don't know for sure if the product is actually mercury and lead-free. Let's just hope it is. But wait, there's more! Starting late last year, I developed these itchy chicken skin bumps on my forearms. These chicken skin bumps usually appear when my skin's dry. Usually, it goes away when I put regular body lotion (which I rarely do. Only when I have chicken skin because I have super sensitive [read: arte] skin and lotions make my arms breakout). But last year's chicken skin won't go away with lotion. I used Physiogel, Argan oil, VCO and coffee scrub but all to no avail. Las manicuristas suggested I use BL on the bumps, et voila, it worked. Wonder cream indeed. And since I'm in awe over this cheap cure-all, I reckon why not try it on my dry facial, discolored patches? I did and guess what- Look ma, no more dry, dark patches! Problem area moisturized and not discolored anymore. Wonder cream talaga, diba? I'm thinking of hoarding these, hehe. Let's just hope and pray that it doesn't contain lead and mercury and will work for all eternity.

Etude Easy Brow Pencil

And the obsession over anything pangkilay continues... SM Makati had this 10% on 10% sale. Originally planned on getting a Maybelline Master Shape Brow. However, I'm having second thoughts whether or not to buy one because I still have an abundant stash of brow powders and Maybelline's Master Shape Brow is available only in one color- black. So I did a little canvassing and found a cheaper brow pencil at the Etude counter- only P112 after discounts- and just the perfect shade of brown.

Lauat Hair Treatment Shampoo & Leave-on Hair Conditioner
I need to address the issue of my thinning and dry hair pronto which means to avoid harsh hair products. I chose Lauat because it has gugo as an ingredient which, supposedly, helps make your hair grow thicker. I also got the leave-on hair conditioner (in spite of a bad experience from it years before) so I could stop using hairspray to keep the frizziness at bay. They must have changed their formulation because it's not as oily was it was before (when I first tried their leave-on conditioner, literal na leave-on siya. Kahit binanlawan ko na siya ng limang beses, nanlilimahid pa rin ang anit ko sa coconut oil) and it amazingly tamed my frizzy baby bangs. For the first time in years, my hair looks groomed.

Syoss Shampoo & Conditioner
A Tresemme knock-off, you think? But it's made by Schwarzkopf so I guess it's legit and not a Chinese knock-off. Using this sparingly though because I think it has the same effect on my skin as Tresemme.

So there, my latest hoards (and freebies!). Now I have someone with me in the house so I'm going this end this already and go eat dinner. 'Til my next hoard. Toodles XOXO

i'm back, eb*k

Hey, the world didn't end last December 21st! Yes, I believed that the world could end, I believed in the possibility- after all, everything's possible, ya? Anyway, 2012's almost done and could you believe that this is only my 3rd post for the month??? Am I busy or am I busy? Naks. But really, I regret not being able to post here because there were a lot I wanted to blog about but didn't have the time. I promised I would post about Hart of Dixie religiously but I guess I broke that promise. I will try to make a kick-ass year-ender post, one that would encapsulate how awesome this year was. But for now, let's make this about... "beauty" products I've tried this year.

1. Tresemme shampoo & conditioner

I wanted to try this duo since someone vouched for its effectiveness in taming unruly tresses. Since AB sent us two or three big bottles of shampoo, I withheld buying these for a long time because 1) it is HUGE, and 2) very expensive. So I thought it was perfect when they came out with smaller "sampler" bottles. The verdict: very effective in taming my unruly do but it gave me gargantuan blackheads (which I eventually popped, so peklat galore ang mukha ko ngayon. In fairness, hindi ko na kailangan ng coins sa New Year. Tadtad na kasi ang mukha ko). I guess we were never meant to be. Ang pinakamalaking product fail for 2012. 

2-4. Snoe products

So shoot me for being gullible. I read about these products in a beauty blog and after researching about it in a few more websites, I was frantically searching for Snoe stores in the metro. So sinadya ko pa siya sa Galleria. So was it worth it?

Magic Apple Whitening S-rub The whitening effect doesn't last. Or maybe I'm just too lazy to religiously scrub my elbows and knees twice a week. But I have this dark spot below my ankle I wanted to whiten and after scrubbing with this, parang lalo siyang umitim. I guess it's too much friction. 

Star Night Star Bright Night Perfecting Toner Omigaahd, bringing only this toner to Singapore was a mistake. I thought, since super mega sun exposure kami doon, I can't use my ol' trusty "no pain, no gain" astringent. So anyway, I went home looking like a strawberry :( I guess this wasn't enough. Hardcore and balat ko- dapat alcohol. Haha. 

Emu Cleanse Masyado talaga akong makulit. I have hypersensitive skin which is a skin type's version of climate change: labo-labo. I knew I can never use anything oil-based on my skin, but still I thought giving this product a try. Ayan, pimple ang labas. 

So fakkit, I was pimply in most of my SG pictures. Natural products don't suit me. As I've said before, hardcore ang balat ko- tumutungga ng alcohol. Baka naman effective siya sa iba but on me, they're not as effective. I still use them but not standalone skin care products. I use the Emu Cleanse as a make-up remover. I still wash with a facial wash after. As for the toner, I use it on pimple scars. 

5. Aveeno Ultra Calming Foaming Cleanser

Also not effective on me. I told you, natural doesn't suit me. 

6. But this one is- Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser

Because it has salicylic acid- the wonder ingredient. But only slightly effective because it only has .5% salicylic acid. I need 2%. 

7. Oxy Acne Wash

Also not as effective. This one I got in SG since we don't have Oxy locally. I reckon this is not that effective on me because as I've said, I need 2% salicylic acid and this facial wash's active ingredient is triclosan :( Although I wished for this to work wonders on my zits, it didn't. 

8. Oxy Benzoyl Peroxide 10%

 What I really wanted was Oxy Cover because it is tinted so as to cover zits as it zaps them at the same time. Pero mailap si Oxy Cover. We scoured all grocery stores, pharmacies, Watson's and Guardians but to no avail. Again, this product is not that effective on my maximum strength zits. Winner pa rin ang benzamycin gel (which I need to replenish stock of).

9. Alba Botanica Natural Acnedote Astringent

This, maybe, is the only natural product that works on me. Last year I tried the Alba Botanica Deep Pore Wash. I liked the cool, minty feel on my skin but I was not satisfied. This year, I tried their astringent. It was effective in drying out zits but man, it STINGS A WHOLE FRIGGIN' LOT. As in I have to be directly in front of an electric fan while applying it on my face because it super hurts my face. It has 2% salicylic acid which explains the effectiveness but I don't think I can subject my face to such trauma twice daily. But I am still contemplating on getting the complete line- the deep pore wash, the face & body scrub and the invisible treament gel. It might be more effective when I use the complete line. 

10. Neutrogena Deep Clean Foaming Facial Wash in Pink Grapefruit

In my experience, Neutrogena isn't that effective on me. Actually, I had bad experience with their Deep Clean facial wash. When I was in high school, I used my sister's Neutrogena Deep Clean Facial Wash and after a while, I noticed it made the skin at the side of my nose and below the lower lip extremely dry to the point of discoloration. But I knew I had to try Neutrogena's Deep Clean Facial Cleanser in Pink Grapefruit- who could resist that pretty pink color?!? And I loooove grapefruit! So anyway, I wasn't expecting much from this product but man, it is pretty effective on me and my zits. My skin feels clean but it doesn't dry my dry patches further. My bottle's already half-empty and I wanted to get a second one when I empty out my supply, but my head's also telling me to give other facial washes a try :D But aside from my want to be adventurous with facial washes, this one's a keeper. 

So there you go, my product hits and misses for the year 2012. I have 1,500 worth of GCs I'm thinking of spending on this~

I would have to add P100 na lang to get the set. I was thinking of spending my GCs on Benefit's eyebrow kit pero sabi ni ate, "pangkilay na naman!!" I'm a little skeptical lang of Porefessional cos it might be just like L'oreal's smoothing resurfacing primer which clogs my pores and then makes me break out. But the girl at the make-up counter said Porefessional won't clog pores because it just sits on your skin. So anyway, I guess this set is perfect cos it's like a sampler for everything I wanted to buy, instead of buying everything full size.

So that's it pansit. Will have to try to fix my things and clear clutter just in time for the New Year. Wish me luck!

organic schmorganic

i'm not really big on the organic revolution but i like trying out new products.

i'm out of shampoo and conditioner so when i saw these on the shelves of shopwise, i thought maybe i should give it a try because 1) it's philippine-made and 2) they make use of natural products such as gugo. i got the strengthening shampoo with aloe vera, pearl powder and the conditioner with gugo bark and calamansi. both are peppermint scented which to me smells like feet. i like peppermint but when you work in a nail spa you tend to associate the smell of peppermint with feet. the shampoo is okay but i reckon the conditioner isn't really doing a good job. i have to put on a lot of the product and even having doing so, it's still buhol-buhol. so just after a week, my conditioner's almost finished and my hair still in a tangled mess. i'm not very happy with their conditioner. won't be buying again. i'd rather go for much cheaper conditioners that actually do their job.

but i'm fine with the shampoo- it's okay. it's only the conditioner i have an issue with.

cetaphil for oily/acne-prone skin

Because the facial wash my derma requires me to use costs an arm, I tried to subsitute with Cetaphil for Oily/Acne-Prone Skin. Now, I regret not sticking to what she prescribed for me to use because my skin's reacting (negatively) to the product- it's too harsh for my ultra-sensitive skin. Though my sister's leftover Loreal Mineral Foundation may also be the culprit. Why oh why does Neostrata have to cost that much?

Bah humbug.

latest haul: body shop's deo dry deodorant

DOES NOT WORK. I want my 550 back.

When my sister told me that Body Shop has this very effective all-natural deo, I got myself one. And this has got to be one of my biggest regrets to date. OA. Anyway, dahil hindi ako laking-aircon at pawisin, I got to put this product to test right away. And as I've said before, it doesn't work. Not even in non-stressful, non-scorching hot days. No dry effect whatsoever. I'd rather stick to my Mitchum 89-peso deodorant that works. Even Milcu works better!

Like what Lenka said, I want my money back!

latest haul: elianto's turquoise

I bought three new nail polish last Tuesday- Elianto's Grape Wine and Turqouise and Face Shop's BL607. Even though I have a nail spa, I am not as adventurous when it comes to nail color. I'd rather buff it shiny or have a french manicure and in times when I feel daring, I put red nail polish on. But tumblr has changed all that- now I am more experimental when it comes to colors and it has also made me adore nail art. Now, I am trying to scour cute nail polish colors to add a little color to my mainly red, pink and brown selection.

I really want China Glaze's For Audrey or Orly's Gumdrop but Chine Glaze is not yet available locally and looks like Gumdrop still hasn't reached Philippine shores. So I settled for the next best thing- Elianto's Turquoise.

China Glaze For Audrey

My version. This isn't how it really looks like.

I guess it's because of the camera's flash. It actually looks like this:

Did a little tweaking to capture the real color. We don't want false advertisement here, ya? It says Turquoise on the bottle but it's actually more like teal.

Not exactly what I was looking for but I'm loving it just the same.