Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The Reviews That Bought Me

Have you ever bought something after seeing it being reviewed on your favorite beauty blog or women's magazine? I did! But I didn't do it on a whim. I had some needs and they had the answers! Here are some of the things I got so far:

1. The Body Shop's Tea Tree Concealer based on an article from Meg sometime back in year 2001-2002


The best blemish concealer! I was even able to conceal a facial WOUND the size of a centavo with it!. I have 02, the 2nd of only 2 shades. Sells for Php495. It doesn't work on my dark undereyes though.

3.
Luminare Mineral Make Up as reviewed by Ms. Darlene of By Nature Handmade Soaps


She got me interested in mineral make up which made me try a lot. But I always come back to Luminare for my foundation and mineral veil.


3.
Ellana Eyeshadows as reviewed by Shen of Kikay Pinay


I love how affordable their multipurpose mineral make up is! -With a VERY WIDE range of colors too!


4. Garnier Light Eye Brightening Roll On based on an article from Cosmo sometime 2009



Works to visibly reduce puffiness and undereye dark circles. But I needed something more so I only finished my wand and did not buy again.


5.
L'Oreal Gentle Eye and Lip Make Up Remover as reviewed by Nikki of AskMeWhats

This solved my eye make up irritation problems!

6.
Urban Decay Primer Potion as reviewed by VanityClinic


This works to keep eyeshadows stay on very oily lids but make up enthusiasts were correct when they said eyeshadow becomes difficult to blend.

7. Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting serum as reviewed by Phoebe of SwipeSomeGloss (the review page must've been erased during her last blog glitch...)


I've had wrinkly eyelids from constantly rubbing my eyes due to irritation (I know it's bad, but the damage is done). I wanted to correct it with Eye Believe as reviewed by Ms. Darlene of By Nature Handmade Soaps but it was too expensive! Good thing Olay worked. Hasn't corrected everything though, but I noticed some lift after 2 weeks of usage.

8. Pineapple Peeling Gel as reviewed by Row of Cosmetic Candy


This really brightens the skin, ridding it of dull dead cells. You'll notice the difference between the skin in your eye area and the skin you exfoliated with this upon first application! Pores get to be minimized too!

Wow! I didn't think that list would go up to 8 as I was thinking of only 4 as I started this post. Watch out for a babies edition of this!


your every woman,


Sunday, January 24, 2010

Your Man on Make Up


Happy Sunday people! How are you doing today?

I don't know about you, but my hubby doesn't like it when I wear make up. You see, I have always loved make up since I was a kid. But when my hubby met me, I was battling financial issues causing me not to spend even a single centavo for make up. I also never talked about it then. And because of the whirlwind romance that we had, he only found out my love for make up as we were financially getting better.

He doesn't flat out hate it though. It's just that, you'll notice an irritated look just as I start priming my face and preparing my stuff. That same irritated look shows up when I'd check out make up counters on our visits to the mall. He'd rather indulge me in food and travel rather than approve my whims when it comes to make up. There was even a time when we fought about the time I spent prettifying myself for our daughter's first birthday! He said he'd rather see me doing make up on other people instead of on myself. But how can I be confident in coloring people's faces when I can't even perfect a smokey eye on myself?

And because he loves me enough to get the hang of it and can even be seen being proud of me as I pursue one of my loves, I still don't feel very comfortable. This is one of the reasons I almost never do my make up at home (aside from having a 2-year old who also wants to have her face colored as well...). I'd just take a bath, cleanse, tone, moisturize and sun-block my face before leaving and will continue with the rest at the office, which is not good, but I can't help it. Whenever I'm out with the hubby, it's mostly gonna be just lip and cheek tint for me.

Well, I'm just sharing. And it's not really a problem. It's just one spice of our lives. I have a friend at work who never liked being made up, but her husband encourages her to be. So I guess our husbands, like every human being, tends to want something they don't have.

So how about you? How does your man react to your being irresistibly vain?

your every woman,

Friday, January 22, 2010

Red Lips and Lined Eyes

Aside from the no make-up look, which I sometimes get tired of, I love wearing red lips matched with lined eyes. It really brings out my Asian features.

I've tried sugar red from The Natural Source but it's been a year and the lipstick had dried out. Plus, it's too frosty and doesn't give me the red I wanted as I was hoping for an effect similar to the Mac Russian Red's.

On the eyeliner part though, I am still in search of a good one that'll stay vibrant on my eyes from dusk 'til dawn (or vice versa since I work at a call center *wink*).

Here's what made it to my face at the
Sto. Niño festival.


Artdeco Perfect Color Lipstick #08
Pros:
-very pigmented
-stays on for hours, even through drinking and eating
-elegant black packaging
-on sale, originally priced at Php600+ but I got it for just Php465.

Cons:
-matte finish dries the lips
-will no longer be available locally (SA informed us that Artdeco will be around while supplies last or until April, whichever comes first)
-has the tendency to turn pinkish rather than a true red when fading


eyes not lined, face bare


Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner Pencil in Black

Pros:
-dries fast
-creamy
-pigmented
-has a built-in sharpener


Cons:
-sharpener doesn't give a nice pointed result
-smudges on oily lids and teary eye corners
-loses color quality at the end of the day (My right eyelid is oilier than my left, so even though it doesn't smudge on my left lid, I noticed that the color at the end of the day wasn't as black as it was when I first applied it.)
-price is so-so at around Php500 (-forgot the exact price)

after 8 hours of application and partying at the festival


with flash and w/o flash respectively


How about you, what is your favorite make up look? What do you use to achieve it?

your every woman,

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Toddler Feeding Problems



This is part 2 of my problems after Ella turned 2. I don't know if I'm an exaggerated parent or if I'm really having problems because Ella doesn't regularly eat solid food.

First I'm not sure if her teeth growth is delayed but picture this: She got her first teeth on the month of her first birthday, got the 2 bottom front teeth, 4 teeth beside the 4 front teeth, the 4 "pangil"-like teeth after a year and six months. I compared her to kids her age and most of them have completed their primary teeth by 6 months to 1 year.

Because of this, she had difficulty chewing food when we started giving her real solid food after the mashed ones. As she approached age 2, when she's had enough eating her meal, she'd throw up and I get to see the same chunks of food I fed her. I pitied her and I became more lenient with her eating solid food. She drinks a lot of milk and when we asked the pediatrician if it's enough, she said it is enough as long as we see that she's coping with the standard growth levels of kids her age.

Just a few months before becoming 2 years old, she grew 4 molars, and is yet to grow 4 more. But because she had not been used to eating solid food, she is not used to chewing. She still throws up the same chunks of food I fed her. And that's if she'll ever allow any solid food to enter her mouth.

To resolve this issue, we stopped giving her milk unless it's time to sleep. She cries a lot everytime she asks for one but we were firm in not giving her milk hoping she'll be hungry enough to ask for food. But she doesn't. I'm worried she might get ulcers of the stomach.

I've read and found out that one way to resolve this would be to prepare a variety of healthy finger food , preferably with dip, where kids can accesssibly take them when they want to. Table life of such food would be around 1-2 hours. This could work, however I'm also thinking, wouldn't it turn out to be messy and expensive?

I don't want to force feed my daughter as it will give her an unpleasant eating experience and may affect her behavior in the future. But does anyone have other ideas? How did you resolve eating problems when your children were toddlers? Or should I even be worrying about this?

your every woman,

Monday, January 18, 2010

Terrible Two's


I never realized the "terrible two" stage for toddlers was real until Ella turned 2! She's really being difficult now! She refuses to eat and drink vitamins! She'd rather have candy instead of real food! She'd remove all her clothes all the way to her nappy but isn't potty trained yet! If she decides to try a particular food which she eventually finds out that she doesn't like, she's going to spit it right there and then! She loves to threaten to spank if you disagree with what she wants! She cries uncontrollably too!

At this point, I really don't know how to handle her! I want to spank her but I don't know how to properly do it. I try to talk to her but there are things she can't understand yet, and sometimes there are also things that she refuses to hear out. I want to put her in a corner to think, but she doesn't get the idea.

Some books I've read say that after a scolding, there is no reason to withdraw affection because kids just snap back as if nothing happened. They say the love you show even though a child is being disciplined affects self esteem. And Ella makes it hard for me to decide whether to follow that principle or not because she always comes to hug me everytime I scold her. I'm not sure if it's the right way to do it because some of my elders say that clever kids think of it as your soft spot and tend to show more bad behavior towards you.

Both hubby and I are paranoid about how to properly raise our kid to become a better individual. We can always read, research and apply principles, but who's to say what Ella would become in the future. For now, I find comfort in the belief that not all parents actually research on how to bring up their children, like our parents, but the children somehow still grow up to be ok.

Is my Ella going to be ok? How did you go through your toddler's terrible two's?

your every woman,

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Viva Señor Sto. Niño!!!



If I'm not mistaken, the feast of the Sto. Niño is one of the most celebrated feasts in the Philippines. I feel fortunate that my mom's side of the family grew up in a Sto. Niño community in Manila. Because of this, we get to celebrate the feast of Sto. Niño together with the rest of the country in merriment every 3rd Sunday of January!


And even though the street festivities in our community is simple compared to what goes on in Cebu, I still appreciate it because I get to experience true Filipino culture everytime. I hope that the legacy of coming back to our old place just to celebrate the feast of Sto. Niño continues with my children and succeeding generations.


Hala Bira! Here's to bessy dancing our little Niña!!! *wink wink*

your every woman,

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Happy Anniversary Bessy!


I can't believe it's been 3 years since our first date! You see, bessy and I were colleagues at work but I had a bf at the time that's why I never really paid attention to the boy who was supposed to steal my heart. The relationship that I had with the ex was too on and off that I decided to watch the 2007 pyrotechnics display at the Mall of Asia with someone else...that's when I learned that bessy had a crush on me! Haha! We went out that same night and the rest, they say, is history!

Now we celebrate that date every year as our anniversary! You may notice that with a 2 year old baby girl, it must've been a whirlwind romance...but I'd never give up those 3 years for anything else in the world. It's like a lifetime was compressed in there. And we did go through more than anyone can imagine!

I love you bessy!


your every woman,


Host A Drinking Session With A Bang!!!


Dynamite had always been a food request from our drinking pals, and although neither hubby nor I drink, we still love serving (and eating) them!

If you're a bar hopper, I'm sure you've already tasted some of these. Here's how we make 'em!

Ingredients:

30 pcs green chili
1 large Eden cheese
30 pcs medium lumpia wrapper
1 egg white
ketchup-mayo dip

1. Cut each green chili vertically in the middle. Remove seeds and fill with cheese.


2. Wrap with lumpia wrapper and seal with egg white.
3. Deep fry and serve with ketchup-mayo dip.

Sorry I wasn't able to take a picture of the finished product. Our friends can't help but consume them as they came out of the frying pan.

your every woman,

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Sweet Fix For "Windang" Days



My aunt gave me Simple Pleasures' Sugar Frost Body Wash and Shimmering Body Mist and I am loving it!

I tried looking for it on the Internet and they're being sold at ebay and other US stores in dollars, so I'm not sure if they can be bought locally. My aunt has never been to the US btw.

I love how comforting the sugary sweet smell of these products is...never overpowering! Perfect for those queueing days at the call center!

Thanks tita Len!

your every woman,

Garnier Pure SOS Blemish Clear Pen Review

Times have been really crazy for me and because of that, pimples have been emerging on my face. Yes, plural! Not the usual ones when it's the time of the month.

I had to get a spot treatment immediately and when I saw this:


I just read the packaging and bought it right away!

From the packaging:

-Reduces imperfections in just 5 hours
-Softens marks

Well let me show you how my pimples look like now:

eeeew...lots of blackheads! must get a facial done!

I'm just sorry I didn't get a before shot. But the fact that they're still there even after the formula stayed overnight means that it didn't live up to it's claim of visibly reducing the appearance of pimples in just 5 hours.

And look at a close up of 1 healed pimple here:


The pimple was supposed to be just the small round spot at the center of the now dark spotted area. That was the area the formula covered when I pressed the tube.

It doesn't clear pimples and it doesn't prevent scarring...so what does it do? Harbor dirt on the face while it's there because it takes a very long while to completely dry up? Definitely a waste of approx. Php 200.

your every woman,

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Do It Yourself...Will Ya?

I am very fond of at-home beauty kits. They're affordable. You get all the time in the world to do it on yourself or someone else. You get to apply your own skills in the process without someone smirking their face at you. You will never feel shy about having someone do a procedure on you such as waxing because you do it on your own or with someone you trust at the comfort of your home. And you ALWAYS master the results.

Believe me, I have tried to do almost everything at home and I can say that not everything can be done efficiently. So let me give you an overview of the usual at-home beauty procedures and where and how to get the best results:



FACIAL

DIY:
Steam your face before extracting blackheads. Place a face towel soaked in warm water over the parts of your face that are not being extracted of blackheads. Clean face with facial scrub and apply face mask afterwards. Use cold water as final rinse. Tone and moisturize last.

*Product suggestions:

St. Ives Apricot Scrub
Holystic Haven's The Mud
Human Heart Nature's Tomato Toner
Holystic Haven's The Moisturizer


My Opinion:
If your face is not too problematic, then this is more likely to work on you. Better done with a skilled friend, btw. Otherwise, it would be best to seek help from experts, especially the ones licensed to treat facial problems.



WAX HAIR REMOVAL

DIY:
This is best done with cold sugar wax preparations as it saves you from potential burn and mistakes. Because sugar wax is water soluble, you can easily wash it with water just in case it's too painful for you to strip off. It can only be efficiently done on the arms, legs and facial hair except eyebrows. You would need help in the underarm and bikini areas.


*Product suggestions:

StripIt's Cold Wax Hair Removal

My Opinion:
If you can have someone help you wax those hard to reach areas, then this is no different from salon waxing at a fraction of the price. Eyebrows should never be waxed though as the risk of getting an odd shape is very high



MANICURE AND PEDICURE

DIY:
Soak your feet in a tub of warm water with epsom salts for relaxation and a tea bag for a deodorizing effect. Do your manicure while you're waiting but skip the polish for the meantime. After your hands are done, buff one foot at a time while the other is still soaked. Rinse feet thoroughly and proceed with pedicure. Apply polish on toenails before you do your fingernails. Make sure that you let each application dry before applying another coat for best results. Apply hand and foot moisturizers and massage away.

*Products suggestions:

Venus and Mars' Spa Milk Salt
Human Heart Nature's Super Fruits and Coco Flakes Body Scrub
Human Heart Nature's Hand & Foot Salve

My Opinion:
Practice makes perfect! Doing this on your own should be no different compared to if it was done at the salon. It's could even be better because you can gauge if your skin already hurts.



HAIR MASK/HOT OIL

DIY:
Apply hair mask all over hair after shampooing. You can choose to use commercially sold hair mask/hot oil solutions or virgin coconut oil or mayonnaise. Soak a bigger-than-the-average face towel in warm water, wring it and wrap it around your hair. Wrap everything with a shower cap and wait 15-30 mins before rinsing.

*Product suggestions:

Human Heart Nature's Mango Butter & Vitamin E Hair Mask
Human Heart Nature's Avocado & Gugo Bark Hair Mask

My Opinion:
DIY works just as well as if it's salon done.


HAIR COLOR

DIY:
Buy DIY kits and follow instructions.

*Product suggestions:

L'Oreal Feria
Revlon Colorsilk
L'Oreal Excellence Cremelights


My Opinion:
If you know your hair well, you should be able to pick the best hair color for it. DIY if your hair isn't problematic and if your purpose is just to change your hair color 1 to 2 times darker or lighter. If you need to cover gray hair, this is best done with any one else who could see even the back of your head. If you have scalp problems, your hair is previously chemically treated or is very dry, then professional coloring should be the best option.



HAIRCUT

DIY:
Only if you want bangs. Haha!

My Opinion:
If it's just bangs you want, I believe that you should be able to do it on your own. And even though I actually tried to layer my hair back in elementary, I don't suggest you do it too! :P

EYEBROW SHAPING

DIY:
Best done with tweezers

My Opinion:
If it's your first time, you might want to seek the services of a trained threader first just to get the perfect shape of your eyebrows. Then you can maintain the shape by tweezing scattered and misplaced hair when they grow.

*some photos were Googled

How much of these have you tried? Would love to hear your story!

your every woman,