GMarket Haul #4: And So The Hiatus Ends...

I couldn't take it anymore. The stress from reviewing was KILLING me. What was in order? A shopping spree at GMarket!!!^^

I controlled myself this time though, I didn't go overboard and just ordered 6 items, and 1 of those was my friend's. As you can see, my box is quite smaller this time around:

Let me give you a brief background on haul number 4. I was only able to order these items successfully after around a week, because my Paypal wasn't working on the GMarket site. It turned out the problem was I was using wrong browsers. I first used Safari, then Google Chrome, then Opera. None of them would let me pay through Paypal, even through a foreign credit card!

Finally, I used Internet Explorer. Lo and behold, it let me through! Thank goodness! I was already panicking because many of the items I initially ordered went out of stock due to the length of time I took in checking the stuff out.

It also took around 2 days for the orders to be shipped out of Korea. It was sent out on May 16, 2012 and arrived here in the Philippines the day after. Super quick!!!^^ That's what I super love about GMarket, your items arrive so quickly.

It took me over a week to get it from Customs because I had to ask someone to get it for me since I was busy with review and stuff. I only paid P500 as compared to the ginormous sums from before.

And then we open the box:

Here are my items: that silver package contains 3 pieces of clothing, namely a dress and 2 tops, plus the foundation and a cellphone case.

That cellphone case is for my LG Optimus Black, because there are ZERO phone cases available for it here in the Philippines. If you have the same phone as me, you can order it through HERE. Costs 5,900won ($3.61).

My friend ordered the GMARKET X BIGBANG Limited Edition Iphone4 case, which was to die for!!! It was pretty much perfect in every way. And so COOL. I mean duh, its BIG BANG!!!

I don't know if this case is still available, but you can try ordering it through HERE. This costs 25,900won ($23.36). Its also available for the Samsung Galaxy S2. Hahaha if you compare the cost of my cellphone case with this one, there's a huuuge difference.

Up next is my CLIO Diamond Rose HD Foundation, which I have been dyiiiing to use but can't because I have tons of foundations to finish first.

I got mine in Shade 23 which is the darkest shade, because as you guys remember, I bought the powder form of this foundation back then. Its a pretty big bottle, plus it comes with a FREE Clio White Cleansing Foam which is 40ml in size. Sulit!!!

You can get the same item HERE, plus other fabulous Clio items from the seller. They ship your orders out pretty quick and respond to your queries immediately. Costs 30,000won ($27.05).

On to the clothes! This here I just went into a buying frenzy because the clothes were so demn cheap! I got all 3 from the same seller, SARAQ. I am actually amazed with myself because I can estimate my sizes in Korea! Well, most of them are free size, except for the blouse and the dress though.

First up is the dress, which took me AGES to decide which one to get. This was the photo on the seller's page:

And here's how it looks like:

I'm very happy because the dress is exactly the same!!! You have to pardon the crappy camera taking a photo of the dress, but it fit me very well and it looks exactly how the model wears it.

You can get the dress from HERE, and its costs 15,900won ($13.92).

And now for the tops!

I got this blouse because I thought it looked really pretty on the model. I was super scared it wouldn't fit me though. But thank goodness it did.

This top is super cute and I love it. Like the dress, it looks exactly how it does on the website! You can get it HERE. It costs 9,900won ($8.71).

For my last top, I got an oversized shirt just in case the 2 prior purchases wouldn't fit me.

As with others, I was very satisfied with the shirt because the quality was good! You can get it HERE, costs 4,900won ($4.31).

Whew! Now let's all add them up and see how much I really spent:

Total Amount: 96,500won ($87.28)

Shipping fee: 15,700won ($13.82)

TOTAL: 112,200won ($98.74) -- converted to peso: P4,133.03

Customs: P500.00

GRAND TOTAL: P4633.03

What do you guys think? For all these stuff, was all of it worth it?

Buying from GMarket is always worth it for me though, I never regret shopping because I am never disappointed with any of my purchases.

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So so sorry!!!

Hello dear readers!

So far I've been getting a huge influx of comments on my blog, and its super breaking my heart that I can't update!

Guess why I can't?


Well...I lost the charger of my camera phone. And for some reason, my memory card broke and my laptop can't read it, so even if I have stocked up photos for posts, it just won't work :((

Please bear with me as I try to find a way to fix my camera. I am honestly in sheer desperadoes at the moment. In the meantime, please feel free to comment and ask any question here! I do have a Gmarket post coming up though :D

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NYX Round Lipsticks in Margarita and Jupiter Review

I am totally addicted to buying lipsticks right now, especially these NYX Round Lipsticks because they are just so cheap and come in so many colors!!!

This here is the NYX Round Lipstick in Margarita and Jupiter.

What NYX says:

NYX Round Lipstick is our classic lipstick for all-year round. The mineral-based emollient formula offers a beautiful velvet texture, saturated color and it resists wear and smudging. It’s your go-to lipstick. From Pure Nude to Pink Lyric to Chic Red, Round Lipstick is available in a jaw-dropping 126 shades.

Margarita is an orangey-pink shade on the tube, but when applied, it comes off a bit more vibrant. Jupiter is a shimmery light pink.

The formulas on these lipsticks are wonderful, it goes on smooth and brings out a lot of color with just one swipe! Its also very creamy and long-wearing.

A con I can think of the lipstick is that its kinda not suitable for Philippine weather! You have to keep this in a cool place, or else the lipstick will melt. Mine certainly did, I just keep it in my bag and since its summer, one of them melted (hence the non-photo of how the lipstick looks like).

And now here's how they look like on me:

This one is Margarita, its a very wearable shade that you can take from day to night. I'm not so sure though how it would fare on darker skinned girls, because the shade can make you look yellow-y. I wear this all the time though and it looks great on photos!

The more pa-tweetums color is Jupiter, with its baby pink shiny effect! I am in LOVE with this color!!! Its a bit frosty, but not too much. Cute cute color for summer!

I bought these from my most favorite online makeup shop, Digital Traincase. They're having a sale right now and each lipsticks costs only P135! Plus Multiply still has the free shipping for orders over P400, so its a great excuse to just hoard as many NYX Round Lipsticks as possible!!!

Follow the link HERE and happy shopping!

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Snoe White Whitening Detox Clay Mask Review

There is nothing better than finding a local product and totally loving it!

 Here comes SNOE, a brand I've been hearing about for quite some time, and which brought me on a trip to Trinoma just to get my hands on their products. I have to say I almost went gaga and wanted to try EVERYTHING they had out on their kiosk in Landmark, but I restrained myself and just bought 2 things, the Snoe White Whitening Detox Clay Mask and one of their soaps.

Masks are a must-have for me, but I usually go for paper masks because they're so easy to use. But I wanted to give this specific clay mask a try because it does sound promising.

What Snoe says:

Calamansi helps eliminates deep-seated dirt that has accumulated within the skin pores. The fruit can be used for whitening the skin, as well as a bleaching agent. Calamansi is rich in vitamin C and Alpha Hydroxyl Acids (AHA). It is a natural astringent that can eliminate blackheads and can dry up pimples. 

Snoe White Vitamin C-Rich Calamansi Whitening Detox Clay Mask of pure botanicals, herbs, and selct ingredients, absorb impurities and control excess oil to detoxify and renew your skin from deep within. Revitalize skin and help protect against the appearance of aging. Radiate health and beauty with Snoe Beauty Products!
Active Ingredients added to Calamansi:

• Activated Bamboo Charcoal -- attracts and absorbs impurities. It unclogs pores and removes dead skin cells from the top layer of the skin as it removes excess oil and dirt from pores effectively and completely.

• Kaolin -- cleanses, purifies, heals, soothes, nourishes and tones all skin types and improves blood circulation without leading to skin dryness.

• Collagen -- rejuvenates maturing skin, elasticize and softens, delays aging skin and hydrates and moisturizes as it improves skin's pigmentation.

HOW TO USE:
Once a week or as often as needed, open pores with warm, moist towel and apply or layer mask on. Allow to dry for 5-10 minutes, then rinse well. Watch your skin shake of the shroud of dullness and take on a new clarity.

Its only 40g of product, and is pretty small in size:

I like the feel of the clay mask though--when applied, it doesn't feel goopy or heavy at all. You can also control how much product gets layered on to your skin.

Although its only 40g, there is a LOT of product there. I've already used this for 2 weeks and there's still so much left. I use it twice a week (Mondays and Fridays) since my blackheads are a real problem.

I also love the mask because my skin has improved ever since I started using it. Masks are suppose to improve your skin tone and its over-all condition. True to its form, I'm less oilier than I usually am, plus some of my blackheads have disappeared.

One of its best features though is how easy it is to remove! Most clay mask are such a hassle to take off, that you end up pulling against your skin. But this specific mask comes off with water easily!

And now, I bring to you a shot of me wearing the mask (with a hint of aegyo there LOL):

Snoe White Whitening Detox Clay Mask is available for only P249.00 at Landmark Trinoma. You can also purchase it online at their website here. Check out their other amazing products!

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China Glaze Hunger Games Colors from the Capitol Stone Cold and Riveting Review

I have to admit that I am totally obsessed with The Hunger Games: the books as well as the film has made me go more gaga for it than Harry Potter! So its really no surprise that I would grab some polishes from the China Glaze Colors from the Capitol Collection.

Plus the person endorsing it is Effie Trinket, one of my most favorite characters! I was also ecstatic about this collection because China Glaze is right up there as my most beloved nail colors--because they churn out such fantastic and fascinating shades.

There are 12 polishes all in all, representing each district's product.

The 2 colors we got was Stone Cold (District 2 for Masonry) and Riveting (District 3 for Technology). I wanted to get Electrify (District 5 for Power) but they were currently out of stock at my favorite online shopping place, Digital Traincase.

I chose Stone Cold because all the online reviews raved on how different the polish was, and I do love it when a polish brings something new to the table!

Stone Cold though is very tricky to apply, since it dries with a matte finish. You have to quickly paint the entire nail before it dries up. But I am IN LOVE with the effect. As I said, its very very matte, with small silver glitters that are subdued when not under a light but come out a bit sparkling when it is.

Below, you can see how imperfect I did my nails, because it is really hard to get the right amount of coats on each nail!

But because I am so in love with the effect, its all okay for me and I will keep on trying until I perfect it! I do advise that you use 2 coats, allowing the 1st coat to dry completely then quickly adding on the second coat. 2 coats is also advisable because the polish tends to chip fast when you're doing ordinary tasks.

The matte effect disappears though if you apply a clear top coat, so if you want a different feel of the polish, just apply some!

My sister chose Riveting, as it had the whole "girl on fire" effect! Its a very very pretty red orange with small gold glitters. It has a glossy finish and is easy to apply!

The consistency of the polish after its applied appears to be jelly-like. Its a gorgeous color for summer and makes your fingers appear fairer.

China Glaze's Hunger Games Colors from the Capitol can be purchased online through Digital Traincase, at P360.00 each here. I think they're having another order delivered soon so do check back from time to time if the rest of the polishes would be available!

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IN2IT Waterproof Gel Liner Review

As all of you know, I am always on the look-out for cheaper but effective eyeliners as I cannot live without them. Recently I have been spending a small fortune on MAC's Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Engraved, which costs around P800 a piece. Now this can get rather expensive if you're an avid eye pencil user like me, as I usually use a liner pencil when I'm lazy to do eye make-up and do a standard smokey eye. I use up eyeliner pencils very quickly, and this was what prompted me to hunt down a new brand to use.

Here comes the IN2IT Waterproof Gel Liner in Very Black to the rescue! I've been seeing this around malls and I thought of giving it a try!

What IN2IT says:

A smooth and soft gel liner, that glides onto the skin. The pencil shape gives balance making it easier to hold and apply. Quick drying, waterproof, and super long wearing. No running, no smudging, no 'panda eyes', no fragrance. Easy to apply and remove.

One of the things I love about the product is that it comes with its own sharpener!

Sorry for the blurry photos, I don't know what was up with me that day, I just couldn't take good photos at all!

The pencil is very soft when you use it against your eye, even when you sharpen the tip it still remains its softness. But it always creates a thick line, so if you want a thinner line, you have to position the pencil well.

I also like the pencil because its best for tight lining the lower lash line. It doesn't hurt at all and my eyes are quite sensitive--or maybe they're used to being lined? I really don't know!

I tried to smudge it while it was drying, and it only moved a little bit. I wanted to test what would happen if I rub my eyes.

I like the creaminess of the formula and how thick the line comes out that you only need one stroke and you already have the desired color you want. It also doesn't smudge nor comes off with water, so you need an eye make-up remover for this one.

I'm currently eyeing the Aztec Gold version of this eyeliner because it looks super cool!:D

The IN2IT Waterproof Gel Liner is available in most department stores in SM or PCX for only P375.00.

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EOS Lip Balm Sphere in Sweet Mint Review

Hello everyone! Its so nice to finally put a post in this blog related to BEAUTY STUFF!!! Tonight I come bring you a review about EOS Lip Balm Sphere in Sweet Mint, a product I have been so curious to try since well...forever!!!

Its shaped like a small egg, and is just too cute to resist!

EOS actually stands for EVOLUTION FOR SMOOTH, and is famous for these egg-shaped lip balms that provide instant relief for dry chapped lips. I have to admit that I'm not a big user of lip balms, but who can resist using a product like this?!

What EOS says:

Can a lip balm make you smile? We think so. That's why we invented this one.

• Long-lasting moisture

• Shea butter & vitamin E

• Smoothes on clear

• New smooth sphere easily glides on

• Twist-off top

• Gluten-free

• Paraben-free

• Petrolatum-free

• Phthlate-free

EOS lip balm is 95% organic, 100% natural, and paraben and petrolatum free. Packed with antioxidant-rich vitamin E, soothing shea butter and jojoba oil, EOS keeps your lips moist, soft, and sensationally smooth.
Directions: Twist off top. Pucker up. Smooth on. Smile. 

Haha please pardon those lines on the lip balm, I've been using this for over a week already!

Results of the EOS lip balm I have to say, are amazing. Before I used this, my lips were peeling, it was totally disgusting to put on lipsticks! But when I applied it, after 2 days, my lips were completely cured. Right now I don't have crumbly lips anymore, but I'm addicted to putting on this lip balm that I still consistently apply it.

Unfortunately, after 2 weeks of using, I seem to have developed a weird allergy. My lips became extremely chapped and puffy! :(


EOS Lip Balm Spheres are available at Digital Traincase, for only P250. You can visit their store in Circles and Dots in Rockwell, Powerplant or buy through their online website here.

P.S. I love love love that online shop where I bought this lip balm, they answer quickly and bring the best products here! Please do check them out and I promise you'll go nuts from all the gorgeous and affordable products they have!^^

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Creations by Lourd Ramos Salon: Review

Okay so I know I'm known for patronizing Korean salons (since they get how to do my bangs right) but I have always wanted to try out Creations by Lourd Ramos, because of the glowing reviews made by several bloggers. Plus their haircut is more affordable at P300 than my usual haircut, so what the heck, I trooped on over and got myself some things done!

Well I was really planning to just get a haircut, but the color was priced at only P2000 for long hair, so I thought I should probably get my hair colored professionally, considering that it hasn't been coloring evenly due to that squid ink dye job I got back then.

The salon is pretty small, don't expect a huge one, but it makes up for its size with its cozy interiors:

I loved the minimalist white chairs (which were pretty comfy) and the design on the wallpaper!

I didn't like the shower area that much though, its pretty hard for someone short like me to put her head back. Nangangawit ako!!! Its better I think if you had to lie down? I'm not sure though, I think they should work on this.

The over-all experience though was great! I was given a lot of attention and they carefully listened to what I wanted. I initially wanted a red color but then they told me they needed to pre-lighten my hair. But I had to rule that out because it would cost me an additional P1,500. So what the stylist did was try to match my current hair color and try to make it even.

Unfortunately that didn't work! But what was totally great was that Lourd Ramos (himself!!!) came to check on my hair, found it unsatisfactory, as it was all two-tones, and had my stylist pre-lighten it--for free!

So all in all, I wasn't disappointed with how the color turned. I would definitely give this salon an 8.5/10 for its service. By the way, the massage while your getting your hair rinsed during hair color is divine! I almost fell asleep.

The only other thing though is that I wish they would include the hair treatment with the hair color, because my hair was left feeling dry and rough. I think that's a problem I have when I get my hair colored in salons. Unlike home coloring, they usually include a conditioning treatment to make it soft.

And...here's my final look!

I had my layers fixed plus got bangs! Those are suppose to be full frontal bangs but it was kinda hot so I pushed them to the side.

I love how even the color turned out! Total damage was P2000 (hair color) + P300 (haircut) = P2300. Pretty reasonable considering my hair is all even now.

Below is a list of their other services:

Creations by Lourd Ramos Salon is located at 3rd flr, Glorietta 5, Ayala Center, Makati.

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ETUDE HOUSE Bubble Hair Coloring in Natural Brown Review

I have been coloring my own hair for more than 5 years already. This is the first time I have ever encountered hair color like this! This folks, is ETUDE HOUSE's Bubble Hair Coloring in Natural Brown.

I first heard about this hair color from my sister, who purchased a box and tried it. She had never colored her hair on her own before, (always with my help, meaning I would apply it) and she successfully applied the color by her self. She was quite pleased with the result which convinced me to try it myself.

ETUDE HOUSE says:

Macro bubble booster helps your hair to absorb contents more efficiently so that quality of your hair and color will be better.

I got NATURAL BROWN, as the only shades available in the Etude House store I went to was that, Black and Dark Brown. I really wanted the Sweet Orange shade! Oh well, maybe next time. Here are the other shades:

Here are the contents of the box:

It consists of the following:
1) Hair dye

2) Color developer

3) Plastic wrap and some plastic gloves (very pleased that the box included these!)

4) Silky Perfumed Hair Treatment -- which I totally forgot to take a photo of, but its that purple sachet on the set photo.

The box is completely in Korean, but there are a few helpful illustrations to guide you on the box and inside a pamphlet:

Now here is a translation of how to use it:

Now these instructions are pretty vague, and of course you don't want to ruin your hair, right? Nor do you even want to botch the entire process--so I turn to my trusty friend (YOUTUBE) and found a video of how to apply bubble hair color:

So here are the simplified steps: (note some steps I added as my usual way of applying hair color)

1) Apply cold cream to your forehead and around the edges of your face to prevent color from seeping through.

The cold cream I'm using is Etude House's Happy Teatime milk tea cleansing cream. Review is posted HERE.

2) Remove #2's cap, and pour in #1.

3) Screw the lid back in.

4) Put on the plastic cape. Its an open sheet of plastic so I suggest pinning it with a hair clip to keep it in place. Put the gloves on as well. 

By the way, the gloves are kinda old looking, and is very difficult to put on. What I suggest you should do is blow into the hole to un-coil the glove.

5) Tilt the bottle sideways and back upright (please refer to the video HOW TO DO THIS!) a couple of times to mix the contents. It's very important that you don't simply shake the bottle. You will feel the pump bottle heat up as you do this.

6) Take off the stopper of the pump bottle so you can get the product out. Here's the bottle WITH the stopper:

Then just pull that extended tab to remove the lock:

7) Before applying the foam, comb your hair first so there are no tangles.

8) Unlike the usual hair dyes where you have to section your hair into quadrants, you start to apply the foam to the outside of your hair FIRST. So pump out the foam (the photo is below is ONE pump) with two pumps and apply to the outside of your hair.

Make sure the entire outside of your hair is entirely wet. Start from your roots to the tip, completely saturating each part. Don't scimp on the hair dye! Remember its only good for ONE USE so use it generously.

9) After your done with the outside of your hair, get more foam and run it through the inside of your hair. Do it until every strand is completely saturated with the dye.

10) If your hair is now covered entirely with the dye, pile the rest of your hair on top of your head and massage it in. Do this a couple of times and just let the dye go through. (its incredibly hard to take a photo of yourself while doing this!!!) Apply more foam to the hair near your crown.

11) After you're done, you can either pin up your hair or put on a shower cap for the waiting time. The box says you have to wait for 30 minutes before washing it off, but I waited for an hour (I don't really recommend this if your hair is sensitive and its the first time you're coloring you hair) because this is the usual waiting time I do whenever I color my hair.

Did the dye hurt? I have to admit I felt a slight tingly sensation

12) Remove the shower cap and go rinse it off! You will definitely feel that your hair is super crusty. And waaaay tangled. No worries though! That's what the hair treatment is for. Remember to use the ENTIRE SACHET to remove the dryness. Then ta-da! Good as new, plus it smells good too!

Here is a photo of how my hair looked like after the waiting time:

And now...the ULTIMATE TEST: did it color my hair?!

The BEFORE photo:

If you guys have read my previous hair color post, this hair has been dyed SUPER BLACK way back when I was in my depressed stage. That's why I have such a hard time coloring it.

The AFTER photo:

A MIRACLE! IT COLORED!!! Just a note though, this was an especially bright and sunny day. My hair definitely lightened up, on those parts that I had "virgin hair" (meaning it hadn't been subjected to the brutal torture of being dyed a squid ink black), and lightened those that had been previously dyed.

I was satisfied with the result. I do wish it colored my hair equally, but that part is mostly my fault because my hair isn't color-balanced to begin with.

I also have to admit that I had a harder time using this than ordinary hair dyes. Its probably because I'm used to brush-application where I can estimate if I'm applying it evenly. But as they say, practice makes perfect--and I'm looking forward to more experience with this hair dye by trying out other shades!

The hair dye is also quite affordable! Most drugstore brands cost more than P400 in the market but this is relatively cheaper. 

ETUDE HOUSE Bubble Hair Coloring is available in any Etude House branch (SM Megamall, SM The Block, Market Market!) for only P378.00!

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