Products I am Loving Right Now: Maxi-Peel Facial Wash and Skin White Whitening Deodorant

Today I felt like doing a "fave products" post because I just felt the urge to share these two everyday products I use. I start the day by using both and they do make being hygienic a lot better!

First up is the MAXI-PEEL Facial Wash. Do NOT mistake this one for the Maxi-Peel Facial Scrub, which is not meant to be used everyday. I think the latter has a deeper green color.

What MAXI-PEEL says:

Get that blemish-free, smoother, whiter, kutis-artista skin you have always desired through MAXI-PEEL Facial Wash!

Maximum Benefits:

- Anti-bacterial: fights pimple-causing bacteria.

- Deep cleansing: removes deep-seated oil and dirt.

- Fast whitening: evens out skin complexion in 2 weeks!

- Anti-acne & Smoothening: helps dry and remove pimples, dead skin cells, whiteheads and blackheads.

- Vitamin-enriched: has Vitamins B5, B3 and E.

- Cooling: gives that lightweight, refreshing after-feel!

DIRECTIONS: Place a small amount on hand and massage gently on wet face and neck. Rinse thoroughly.

Its a pretty small tube and you can easily squeeze the product out. A little goes a very long way--I only use less than a pea-sized amount for my entire face and neck. It suds up well!

I love using this because it actually got rid of a lot of my blemishes that the tea tree oil (reviewed earlier) couldn't clear up. I also like the cool feeling it leaves after every wash. Very refreshing!^^

A deodorant I've always used for over more than a year is the Skin White Whitening Deodorant. I like the Active Cool variant because the others are too powdery for my taste.

What SkinWhite says:

The whitening expert gives you whiter, smoother underarms in just 2 weeks. All new SkinWhite Whitening Deodorant has RENEWhite 3C that promises to deliver visible whitening in 2 weeks, and Vitanourish Formula that nourishes and smoothens your underarms.

I swear by this deodorant! It really gives you smoother underarms, but I don't know how much of an authority I am on that because I've never had a problem with dark or rough ones. But my underarms have been smooth for over a year, and I can only attribute it to my lovely deodorant.

Both the Maxi-Peel Facial Wash and Skin White Whitening Deodorant are under P100, and are available in leading supermarkets or any health & beauty shop.

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Tony Moly Goddess Style Berryberry Lovely Stick Review

I am beyond ecstatic that Tony Moly has finally found its way to Philippine shores! The more Korean make-up brands available here, the better! What's also great is that the prices remain to be affordable, and those who want lovely skincare and cute make-up can avail these whenever they want.

Since I had already spent a mini-fortune on Majolica Majorca products, I decided to buy just a lipstick this time around. This is the Tony Moly Goddess Style Berryberry Lovely Stick in PKLS02. I got it because I fell in love with the packaging--doesn't it look too cute?

The shade on the tube is a milky pink. There are other shades available but I chose this because the others were too orange on me.

The color on the tube stays true when swiped: still a nice milky pink and you can build up the color as much as you like.

And now on the lips:

Color on lips alone is not too matte and pretty light.

Swiped concealer first to hide the super redness of my lips and still comes out really light

The color is perfect if you like a really subtle lip color. I haven't tried the other shades because I liked this one immediately. It isn't that long-lasting, you have to retouch every so often, but the lipstick glides on well and no problems with putting it on.

Tony Moly Goddess Style Berryberry Lovely Stick costs Php345.00 at selected SM Department Stores (got mine at SM Makati!).

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CLIO Diamond Rose HD Two Way Cake SPF 40 PA++ Review

This review has long been overdue, but I took my time in evaluating this one because it has come to be one of my favorite products--ever!

What CLIO says:

It perfect coverage to your skin. This unique formulation includes finely micronized diamond and emolient powder, which softens skin by keeping moisturizing factors. Moisturizer supply moisturizing and firming effect on your skin.

Let's pretend we understand that, shall we? Kidding aside, the product boasts to have diamonds, finely micronized that is. I love this foundation because when you buy it, you get a refill immediately! So its like getting 2 powders for the price of 1. This cost me $22.45 (without shipping) so its definitely worth it.

The 2 sponges--both for powder or foundation is included.

The coverage is also great--although the powder puff is okay, I like to maximize its use by using a square sponge. Just soak the sponge first then apply to your face.  Its actually a two-way cake because you can use it wet and dry--wet if you want to use it like a foundation, or dry if its just for touch-ups or for light coverage.

I'm not sure if you can spot it, but the left side covers up more of my bluish veins than the right side. The powder is available in 3 shades, #13 in Light Beige, #21 in Natural Beige, and #23 in Medium Beige. The shade I got is #23 in Medium Beige.

I also find the packaging so pretty! CLIO really takes effort in packaging their products and its total eye-candy to whip it out and start touching up. There's a nice pattern pressed to the powder:

CLIO Diamond Rose HD Two Way Cake with SPF 40 PA++ is available at GMarket through seller jnv for only $22.45.

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Choosing your OB-GYN

I'm not really sure how reliable I am on this topic, but since I haven't made an entry for the past couple of months, I wanted to talk about something I needed help in and had no one else to turn to. It was finding the right OB-GYN.

NOOOO I WASN'T PREGNANT, it was more of a precautionary thing because my period has always been regular and for some reason, I was delayed for 3 months. I was a nervous wreck, I could not concentrate on my studies and I was always pre-occupied. I was already 21 years old at that time and had never been to an OB-GYN, heaven forbid I knew nothing that went on in that office, except for the dreaded word of PAP SMEAR which sounded entirely foreign to me (at least it sounded something like an alien abduction would do).

Before I start recounting my experiences, I would just like to say that it took me three tries before I scored my perfect ob-gyn. Its really a process of finding someone you are comfortable with and someone whom you place your complete confidence in. Finding an ob-gyn is not limited to pregnant or expecting women. As soon as you hit the age of 18, you should find yourself a doctor, especially if you are sexually active. Since the RH bill is a pretty heated issue these days in our country, I think its timely that we talk about reproductive health and how every woman has a right to know her options and monitor her own lifestyle.

Going back, my first ob-gyn was of the medium kind. The medium kind is what I describe as someone I wasn't too hot or too cold with. She made plenty of jokes, that's for sure, like whether I wanted a baby and all that since I was already at the "right" age--those did not make me comfortable at all. I mean I obviously don't want one if I keep asking you precautionary questions!

The second ob-gyn was more of a scary one. It was one of those "am I preggers or not" episodes and after she peered at me, she actually made a joke by saying, "uy, friends tayo ha." (Dunno if you guys get this but she was basically joking that if she delivered me the bad news that I was preggers we would still be friends) I nearly fell off the bed. Turned out she was joking. NOT FUNNY AT ALL! Plus she gave me a pap smear which kinda hurt, and did not even give me the results after she promised that she would give it in a week. Frustrating, yes, that's why I never went back.

My third and final ob-gyn was recommended to me by my sister. The doctor was her teacher in med school, and was also her ob-gyn. This doctor was a total hit--I felt very comfortable talking to her and sharing with her my questions and I didn't feel as if anyone was judging me. She never cracked jokes about the things I was serious about, and she was very appropriate in her actions. Everytime I need her help, she's just a text away. There is never a text that she does not reply to, considering she's due to give birth in July I think that's a good sign.

So what are my tips for finding the right ob-gyn for you? Here's the ff:
1) Ask for recommendations from people you know
It doesn't have to be your mom's ob-gyn, if you're too shy or you think it will be awkward if you ask her, try asking your sisters or your friends. The rate for a check-up never goes down lower than Php500, so its best to scout around for the best prices as well.

2) Don't force the issue
Do not ever think that just because you schedule an appointment with one doctor, that he or she will be your doctor forever. If you don't feel comfortable, or you feel that there's something off even if the doctor is not doing anything wrong, GO WITH YOUR GUT. Remember that you will be revealing to your ob-gyn some very intimate details and its important that you trust them.

3) Three (or four, or five...) times' the charm
If you don't find your ob-gyn success story on the first, second, or third, or fourth time--don't give up! There are a ton of doctors out there who might be just the right one for you. Picking out your ob-gyn is just like having a new pair of shoes calling out to you: it just feels right. Try and try until you succeed. Don't let one experience with this doctor get you down.

4) Listen
You're coming in to see an ob-gyn because you need their expert advice. There are a lot of online sites out there that give out information (such as this one lol), but its always best to consult those who are knowledgeable in their field before anything else. Remember, they've had over 10 years of studying this field under their belt and its important to listen to their advice--no matter how much you dislike it.

So that's it! I hope you guys were able to get something out of this entry.
Btw my sister said its recommended to get a pap smear as early as 18 years old even if you're not sexually active so they can check for infections or what-not.

Have a nice day!^^

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Etude House Miss Tangerine Petit Darling Nails Kit Review

I find the new Etude House Miss Tangerine line (with Dara as the endorser) absolutely cute. When I got the chance to visit the store, I wasted no time swatching all the products in the line and I was really tempted to get the blusher. But I restrained myself because I do have similar shades of the looks so I could just imitate them.

But I just had to buy the Miss Tangerine Petit Darling Nails Kit:

What Etude House says:

A trio of carefully chosen nail polishes that creates lovely Tangerine gradation nail art in three easy steps.

[Product Lineup]

1. Tangerine Pink Nail Color

2. Sparkling Tangerine Nail Coat

3. Bling Bling Tangerine Pearl Coat 

[Directions] 1. Apply #1 to nails, covering entire nail surface. 2. Allow nails to partly dry then apply #2 to nails from the midnail line to the tip. 3 Allow coats #1 and #2 to partly dry then apply #3 just along the nail tips.

First off, I want to say that I know nothing about nail art but because I want to try doing something different to my nails, I bought these. So here are the polishes up close:

The one on the left is my own Petit Darling clear polish which I also used for my nails for the top coat.

As the directions said, you first apply the Tangerine Pink Nail Color all over your nails:

I used 2 coats, because the color is pretty light.

Then after waiting for it to partly dry, apply the Sparkling Tangerine Pearl Coat from the middle of your nail all the way to the tip:

Only used 1 coat because we're topping it off with more shimmers.

Finally, after both coats are partly dry, apply the Bling Bling Tangerine Pearl Coat to your tips (think french tip!).

I extended it over the tips because I loved the way the colors blended together.

And now the finished product:

The Etude House Miss Tangerine Petit Darling Nails Kit is perfect for anyone who wants to wear a bit of tangerine in their lives but isn't sure if it would match well with their skin tone. The effect is also pretty subtle and isn't overpowering at all. Its also great for anyone like me who's a total noob when it comes to nail art.

Etude House Miss Tangerine Petit Darling Nails Kit is available at any Etude House store (SM The Block North Edsa or Megamall) for only P328.00.

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AVON Ultra Moisture Rich Lipstick + Glimmerstick Lipliner Reviews

Hey everyone! Here's part 2 of my AVON stash review, and coming up next are lipsticks and a lipliner!

What's hard about ordering from a catalogue (the way AVON does it) is that its hard to roadtest the shades prior to purchasing. That's usually my hesitation before buying AVON products.

So as you can see, I got 5 AVON Ultra Moisture Rich lipsticks in these shades, plus a glimmerstick liner in Red Brick:

A close-up of that AVON Glimmersticks Lipliner in Red Brick :

What AVON says:

Our #1 Liner!

Enhances the wear of any lipstick. Smooth, glide-on color. Long wear (wears up to 12 hours!) Retractable, self-sharpening.

Weird but true story: I have never used lipliner in my whole life! Its probably because the lipliner's purpose is to make your lips appear fuller, which I would never do because I think they're too full for my face. But the AVON glimmerstick lipliner is pretty easy to use--I didn't have a hard time tracing the outline of my lips and there's no need for sharpening. I'll have to see if I'll be using this one for future use.

Up next are the AVON Ultra Moisture Rich Lipsticks!

What AVON says:

Luxurious moisture, super-saturated colour. Targets dryness with hydrosphere technology. Contains jojoba oil and vitamin A, C, and E. 

I have to say I was pretty ecstatic most of all on these lippies, because they're so many! I was also very satisfied on their staying power as well as how they glide on. Moisture-wise (as what it promises), I didn't experience any drying effects.

Packaging-wise, I thought they looked really good and a nice addition to anyone's lipstick collection! The plastic case does NOT look cheap even though this one only sells for P199! Seriously!!!

But what I noticed the most is that some of the shades come on a bit sheer but some are highly pigmented. On to the shades I have:

M04 in Passionate Pink: this is one of the sheer shades I was telling you about. It goes on soft, so I had to layer it on. I don't know why they called it "passionate" since its not vibrant. I like the soft pink color it gives though, so if you want a non-overpowering pink, this is the shade to get.

M05 in Lava Love: highly pigmented color! I can't find the right words to describe its color, because its not a deep red (deceivingly so on the tube), nor is it a pink. Its more of an in-between shade, and very bright! That shade on my lips was achieved with only 1 swipe. You see where I'm getting? HIGHLY PIGMENTED. But love it when paired with low-key eyes. Its definitely something that will brighten up your face.

M104 in Deep Pomegranate: this is a dark red violet color that's also highly pigmented. I don't like the shade very much and won't be wearing this often--I actually used this for a costume look when my sister became a Black Swan for her creative photo (did the trick with a touch of black eyeshadow) because I wanted to achieve a bruised lip effect.

M200 in Charming Pomegranate: a fun fun color! I like this shade A LOT--because its different from the other shades. Again, this one is also highly pigmented and gives a high dose of color in 1 swipe. This is also best to pair with a simple eye look and no blush. Love this the most!:D

M306 in Coral Fantasy: looks more orangey on the tube than on the lips. This is more on the browner side of the color wheel than on the orange side. I actually used this to create a Miss Tangerine look similar to the one Dara has in her new Etude House campaign, which looked pretty good! A nice coral lippie for me, but you have to swipe it on around 2 layers so you can get that shade. Still also kinda sheer.


Here ends my AVON reviews, I hope you guys were able to find something you like because these lipsticks are lovely for the price they offer.

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2AM and 2NE1 COMING TO MANILA!!! [UPDATED]

I can seriously just float away from happiness right now. I took this time out of my hiatus just to spread the great great news that two of my most favorite k-pop bands are coming HERE!!! TO MANILAAAA!!!

First up will be 2AM, who will be here from April 28-30 (3 whole days!!! Imma hound them I swear!), 2011. Its not yet sure whether or not it will be a concert, a fan meet or a mall tour, since MCA Universal Philippines is still keeping it under wraps what they'll be doing.

I bet its a showcase like the one they did in Singapore.

They will be at the following venues on these dates:
APRIL 28, 6PM-  Newport Plaza at Resorts World, Manila (meet and greet)
APRIL 29, 6PM- The Venice Piazza at Mckinley Hill, The Fort (meet and greet)
APRIL 30, 5PM-  Eastwood Mall Open Park (Grand Showcase)

For the meet and greet, you have to purchase a copy of their Philippine limited edition so you can have it signed and meet the boys in person!!!:D

For more information, you can follow their updates on either of these sites:
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/2AMLiveInManila2011
TWITTER:  http://twitter.com/2AM_Manila2011
They keep teasing us with what's going to happen, but I am sooo soo excited!!!

Next up is 2NE1, who will be having their concert here in Manila on May 15, 2011 at the Araneta Coliseum. Better start saving up guys, because for sure YG will price the tickets high.

No other details yet as when tickets will be released, but keep checking out TICKETNET so you can buy your tickets as soon as they come out!

For more information, check our Manila Concert Scene: http://manilaconcertscene.tumblr.com/post/3953265735 

P.S. The 2ne1 concert has been moved to June 4, 2011! Check here for more details: http://manilaconcertscene.tumblr.com/post/4160202224

I hope someone can sponsor me covering these events (ahem ahem!!!)...are you guys as excited as I am!?!?

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The Tea Tree Oil Project - Day 2

And so the Tea Tree Oil Project continues!!!

I've been applying this one ALL THE TIME--okay maybe four times today. The salesladies at The Body Shop told me I should apply it everytime I wash my face. It just so happened that I stayed in the house all day.

On to the progress:
[photos as usual will be AFTER the jump just in case your eyes are sensitive and don't want to see them pimples!] 

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The Tea Tree Oil Project - Day 1

I am seriously on the edge of sheer desperadoes--I have been breaking out ever since I got so stressed with school lately. And its not just the gentle break-out, its the intense RED, THROBBING HUGE pimples that came out! I have been trying everything, even tried Maxi-peel (made the pimples dry up and made me peel, but more on that next time on my real review), but they're still there.

So when I heard about the wonderful effects of The Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil, I immediately purchased some because I am really really desperate to get these pimples out!!!

What will follow this entry will be day-to-day updates on how the pimples are doing. I'm really determined to keep this project up to date because I'm sure a lot of you are also curious about Tea Tree Oil and its hopefully good effects.

What The Body Shop says:

A medicine cabinet must. A pre-blended oil which can be used in many different ways to help soothe blemished skin. Dab directly onto skin at first sign of a blemish.

I have read nothing but great reviews on this product, so I am praying that this will work for me as well.

The Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil is available at The Body Shop for only P425.
The Body Shop also has a whole line for tea tree oil, they got concealers, toners, cleansing creams, etc. They have a great promo going on that gets you a buy 1 take 1 on all their best-sellers, so go buy now!!!

Now on to the photos of my sad blemished skin so you guys can take note of the progress: [enclosed this part in a jump just in case you get too grossed out--it is pretty nasty]

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AVON Ideal Shade Liquid Foundation + Smooth Mineral Eyeshadow Review

Just look at these make-up! I won it all as a prize from Nikki of AskMeWhats, one of my favorite bloggers around! They all come from Avon and I was so happy to receive them because I have been wanting to try their line since forever but had no idea how to choose the right shades and stuff because you have to buy it from a catalogue.

Was I happy when I got this package in the mail?

Hell YES!!!

So this post starts my backlog, and I'll be starting with the first 2 items on the left, which is the Avon Ideal Shade Liquid Foundation and the Smooth Mineral Eyeshadow.

First up is the Avon Ideal Shade Liquid Foundation:

What AVON says:

Formulated with PreciseLight Technology.** For continuous balance, adds moisture or absorbs oil wherever needed. Natural satin smooth finish. Featherlight medium coverage.

**PRECISELIGHT TECHNOLOGY has innovative light-adjusting pigments, making your skin look natural wherever you are.

So here's how the bottle looks inside:

Definitely not a big fan of this narrow-mouth glass packaging. Its hard to control the amount of foundation that comes out of the bottle. What I did was I would turn the bottle upside down, then get the contents from the inside of the lid so I don't waste the product.

The shade that I was given is NATURAL, which is actually close to my actual skintone:

The foundation has a lightweight feel, and you cannot find any heavy coverage. It gave me a dewy complexion, which I think is okay if you have dry skin. I have super oily skin so I don't use this a lot. It was pretty okay for me.
I think its available in 2 other shades.

Next up is the AVON Smooth Mineral Eyeshadow:

I have to say I loved this one! As I've said before, I'm not a fan of mineral make-up because it usually means its not pigmented. But this eyeshadow is really really nice, and I love this even if it takes more care to apply it than regular eyeshadow, due to the fall-outs that occur when you brush it on.

The shade that I got is Mocha Goddess.

What AVON says:

Superfine powder pigments blend like a dream. Use one or layer, go sheer or smoky. Whisper-soft, air-light. Natural radiance, pure luxury.

I have to say though, I'm also not a fan of the packaging because its sometimes hard to twist the brush out of the bottle:

But the brush is very nice, it doesn't feel scratchy and helps glide on your eyeshadow to your lid!

I use this by dusting it on to my lid first: (pretend that my hand is my lid), then I smooth it all over with the added brush.

Here's the look I came up with using only this eyeshadow and just added some pencil eyeliner to complete it:

Sorry if its so blurry! But I'm sure you can see that the shadow is very shimmery. What I love most about the eyeshadow is that it has a range of colors--its not just a drab brown, it has a nice copper finish over the brown.

Also, the color is so pigmented! You have to be careful in getting the amount of shadow you desire, since the brush is submerged in the powder, its bound to contain a lot. So give the brush a little shake before you apply it directly on your eye. Or apply a little, smooth it over with a clean finger, then just add more if you want.


Reviews on the lipsticks and the lipliner coming tomorrow!
This post officially ends my blogging hiatus, happy summer everyone!!! How's the cold weather treating you?:D (Wasn't that an ironic statement? Hahaha!) 

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