Human Heart Nature Lip Balms in Watermelon, Mandarin and Peppermint

There is nothing special with these lip balms. But they're not as greasy as their counterparts. The Mandarin flavored balm reminds of chili. Yes, chilis! I don't know why but the moment I swipe them on my lips, I am reminded of dried chili flakes. Only after a few seconds does it taste like oranges. Or when you lick your lips a little. The Watermelon variant is too overpowering for me. The watermelon scent is too much. I like watermelon but I don't like my lips smelling like one. It's almost like you've sprayed on watermelon cologne. I love the Peppermint one best. Or maybe I'm just biased. I like that it's not overwhelming, that the smell is gentle and I forget about it after a few minutes. The Mandarin variant makes my lips a bit warm. Almost like there's something warm that's always close to my lips. The peppermint just has a tingling effect.

I bought these three for only P129.75. Now, they've increased their price to P149.75. Human Heart Nature website.

Human Heart Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil and Tomato and Lemongrass Toner

Unfortunately, I'm allergic to this product. The product is best applied under the eye area. I only put a teeny tiny amount but still ended up with itchy, watery eyes the next day. I only used this twice so now I'm selling it in ebay along with the Human Heart Nature Tomato and Lemongrass Toner.

This toner would have been great except it left my skin so oily. Because of the cold weather, the skin on my face is drying up. It would've been better had it left my face with a little moisture. Not way too oily! I only used this twice so it's about 98% full. I think it would work best with normal skin.  The beauty oil is 99% full.

I'm selling these two with some other goodies:

2 pink pouches, 1 chocolate brown coin purse, 1 pair peach bra straps and one lavender cellphone charm. This is a P500 value which you can get for only P350! We're manilathriftstyle on ebay. If you want to buy these now, leave a comment and I will contact you.

Simple Pleasures Winter Frost Hope Lotion

If you don't like thick lotions, stay away from this product. It's very thick. I think it's because it's a winter lotion? Or probably it's just a theme.

Anyway, my skin gets uber dry during the 'ber' months especially December. I normally use Jergen's Ultra Healing Lotion on my legs during this time. My problem with that is, it's too sticky. I really don't like that but I have to use it to keep my legs safe. My legs become itchy when they're dry. And I try so hard not to scratch. I have the same skin on the legs as my uncle's. But his condition is much worse. He gets very dry legs all year long to the point that it gets wounds because of too much scratching. I on the other hand, am like a snake. I literally shed skin all over. And the dry skin that gets shed off are big flakes. But after the cold has passed, I'm left with really soft and smooth skin. So it's not really bad after all. And maybe that's the reason why I have this fascination for lotions and body butters.

When using this lotion, just dispense a small amount first. You can add more later. Because it's very thick, you have to rub it in a few times. My morning ritual actually takes long because of this lotion. I only use this on the lower portion of my legs and the top of my feet. I use a different lotion from the knees up because I really don't like the heavy feeling that I get from it. It's also great if you have dry hands. Don't worry, once it's absorbed by the skin, it's not greasy at all. If your office is like the North Pole, you may want to reapply after a few hours. I notice that when we I go home, my skin is dry again.

The smell is also nice. Very light, reminds me of baby powder. I checked the label and it says the fragrance used was perfume. But it didn't indicate exactly what.

One big tube costs P349.75 at Rustan's but I think it's on sale now.

Will I buy another one? (This was a gift). Probably not. This will last me a year!

Etude House...

Je t'aime.

In the picture:

• Nail polish
• 3 lipsticks
• 2 nail polish remover
• Happy Teatime makeup remover
• Blush
• Eye Shadow
• Concealer stick
• and the talking cat

At Last! My First Electric Toothbrush

An electric toothbrush might be common in 1st world and western countries but here in the Philippines, it's considered somewhat a luxury because of their steep prices. I've always wanted one but considering the price of refills, I'd always turn my back and buy a loaf of bread and mayo instead. Until one day, I found this at Beauty by SM.

When Beauty by SM was only a few weeks old, all the stocks they had were the Oral-B expensive ones. They cost from P5,000-P10,000. This, however, costs only P254. The brand is Watsons. Oh, how I love Watsons!

Buying this toothbrush was not out of laziness or luxury. Actually, for a person with polymyositis, it's considered a necessity. Doctors advise patients to be ready for this debilitating disease. Doctors say that patients with the illness might not be able to comb their hair or brush their teeth in the long run. I'm not getting ready for that, trust me. You see, I have very sensitive gums. And the vibrating motion of an electric toothbrush helps massage my gums thus lessening bleeding. It's true! I've been using this toothbrush for almost a month now and my gums hardly bleed when I use a regular toothbrush at work.

Some other benefits of an electric toothbrush include:

• Dentist-like cleaning - After using an ET, you will always get that feeling
• Great at removing stains - especially when you use this with a whitening toothpaste
• Fresher breath - because it gets to those hard-to-reach areas and cleans in-between teeth more effectively
• Teeth and gum protection - you don't have to brush as hard when you use a manual toothbrush. There is less strain on your gums and your enamel stays intact.

I don't have any point of comparison but this ET works for me. It's not too heavy, it cleans teeth well and it only uses 2AA batteries. I only have to go through my whole mouth twice to get a good clean. That's time saving for you! 

Plus the refills only cost P199:

Hopefully this will last a long time. It's really great that Watsons can produce products like these at a fraction of the cost of branded ones. Some years ago, we also bought a digital thermometer from Watsons which costs P100 and it's still functioning well today. 

This is also available at Watsons Greenbelt. 

What's your take on electric toothbrushes?

Spotlight Bazaar at Rockwell

Like what the poster says, this is a Medical Benefit Bazaar by the UP Pre-Medical Honor Society (UP PMHS). The bazaar is from 10 am to 9 pm. The bazaar will feature 2009 trends and will introduce the latest collections and products for 2010. The bazaar benefits Tulong sa Kapwa KAPATID which aims to provide education for underprivileged children in cooperation with the  YAPAK (Yaman Ang Pag-aralin Ang Kabataan) program. The event will also generate funds for the UP PMHS-IBAA Free Clinic, an annual medical mission to Bataan, Batangas and Metro Manila.

See you there!

Triple Your Points at Beauty by SM

I'm so going to do my weekend toiletry shopping there!

Simple Pleasures Angel Food Cake Shower Gel

Hmmm... I like the bottle. That's all.

Sorry, I don't like the smell of this product. It doesn't smell like pastry or a cake at all. It smells really weird to me. I don't like its consistency. It's too thick. It's like sipon already. Am I being too harsh? Maybe. But it's very seldom that I find a shower gel that I dislike. It doesn't give me too much rashes though. Just one or two.

Simple Pleasures available at Rustan's.

Happiness is in the Little Things

Did that make you happy or what? God is in the details.

Human Heart Nature Hand and Foot Salve

I also heart this product!

According to merriam-webster online, a salve is an unctuous adhesive substance for application to wounds or sores. I have to admit that when I saw this product online, the first image in my head was that of an old apothecary. I don't see nor hear the word salve nowadays. But I'm a sucker for lotions, foot treatments and the like so I just had to have this. I'm glad I did.

This product got the unctuous part right. It's really thick and greasy. MB wipes his hands after he massages my feet (oh, yes. I get foot rubs every now and then from the sweet guy). Well, he's a guy and he doesn't want the gunk all over his hands. Whereas if it were me, I just rub the salve into my hands.

The smell is wonderful. You don't smell the carrots at all. Just the eucalyptus. It relieves my feet of aches and pains and soreness after a session of yoga. It also helped relieve the pain in my ankle.

As this is a salve, don't expect your feet to be soft and supple the next morning. Sure it helps make your feet a  little soft but I wouldn't rely on this product too much for that.

The Human Heart Nature Hand and Foot Salve costs P99.75. Repurchase? YES, YES, YES!

Human Heart Nature Organic Eucalyptus Massage Oil

I'm in love with this product. It's the best massage oil I've tried and believe me, I've tried a lot. The first night I used this, I slept like a baby. The eucalyptus scent cleared my sinus and made me breathe easier. It also put me to sleep. Aside from lavender, minty scents make me relax and sleep better. It's also not that greasy. Once it gets absorbed by your skin it feels like lotion. It also makes your skin soft and smooth in the morning.

The only thing we don't like about this is it's in a spray bottle. And it doesn't dispense like perfume or cleanser. It dispenses the oil like a water pistol. If it's too close on your skin, it will sting a little. It's also bad as it ricochets to the eyes. MB got hit in the eye a couple of times. What he does now is he puts the spray close to his palms then he closes his fingers over the entire thing to avoid getting hit in the eye.

It comes in lemongrass, guava and eucalyptus scents. A product proudly Pinoy manufactured by Gandang Kalikasan Inc and the people at Gawad Kalinga.

For only P99.75, you bet I'll buy this product again! I really heart this product! Buy now!

My Christmas Loot

My Christmas loot was absolutely crazy! I got lotions and lotions and lotions! Well, not all lotions. I got different goodies from The Body Shop courtesy of my best friend Diosa.

This is the first of the lot, given by Ms. P from the office. Thanks Ms. P! Angel Food Cake Shower Gel from Simple Pleasures Rustan's.

Next is this Hope Winter Frost Lotion also from Simple Pleasures Rustan's. This was given to me by my other BFF,C. He's a guy by the way.

Bath and Body Works Freshwater Cucumber Body Lotion from my sister

And this really fabulous pamper basket from Diosa which I haven't opened until now! How could I? It just looks too cute. It's just displayed on my dresser.

With all these goodies, you know what that means right? Reviews galore!

Have a Vacation Now!

Pssst... Do you want to know a secret? You can still have that much needed vacation now at an affordable price. Are you familiar with Segara Villas Subic? Sounds good right? Then go to this blog and avail of the special promo. It's really affordable, trust me. You can compare the prices on the blog to the prices in Segara's website. Hurry! This is a limited offer only!

Inspiration

More inspiration...

I am drawn to paintings of women. I look at the eyes, the expression and the feeling that the paintings exude. From time to time, when my mind is blank and it's hard for me to write, I look at the first few paintings. When I need to be creative to develop a concept or create jewelry, I look at the other group of paintings by Andrew Atroshenko.

I like pinup and 60's style paintings. I love the fashion in that world. I like how the people looked back then. That's why I was drawn to these works by Edwin Georgi. I love the way he captured emotion in those eyes.

For the Atroshenko paintings, I like the sadness and the sensuality that he was able to capture. Like the women are in control of everything. For paintings with men on them, I look for sadness in the eyes or sad looking eyes. Even in anime, I look for the guy who has sad eyes. I have absolutely no idea why sadness inspires me.

What inspires you?

Garnier Gentle Clarifying Foam and Whiten and Protect Moisturizing Cream

Because I bought so much stuff from Maybelline, (and maybe prodded the attendant a little) Nerissa gave me this:

Actually 7 boxes which contained:

Let's take a look at the Garnier Gentle Clarifying Foam first.

If you have sensitive skin, I will tell you upfront to avoid this product by all means! First time I used this, my face broke out into a gajillion zits. Kidding, just 2. Even MB who has normal skin had 3 huge pimples for a few days! And we had 7 mini bottles which I gave to my cousins. I hope they had a better experience than us.

Now the Whiten and Protect Moisturizing Cream is another story...

I have absolutely no idea why I'm so hiyang to this product. I don't break out. I even use it to whiten some dark spots on my face. I've been using it for months now and have not encountered a problem. One pack is enough for 2 applications on my face, neck and décolletage. I'm now using this instead of Pond's. I no longer use any Pond's product after so many years of loyalty to the brand.

I like this cream. It's not greasy, not oily.It leaves a smooth matte finish. And even after a few hours without makeup, my face is not shiny at all unlike with Pond's moisturizers. I also like the subtle fragrance. It doesn't give me allergies. If you have sensitive skin, I suggest you test this product out first before applying all over your face. Maybe apply some on the insides of your elbow or on your jaw line then test for itching and rashes.

This product blends well with makeup primers and liquid foundation from The Face Shop. Will I repurchase? Already did! Bought 2 bottles in spite of still having a dozen or so more of the free packs.

How about you? Do you you use Garnier products? How do you find them?

Information at Your Fingertips

What's the deadliest combination of traits a woman can have? Beauty and Brains. If you have both, you can do anything you want and achieve more than you can hope for or ever imagine. That is, if you use them wisely. Women in this millemium are more empowered. We hold careers that were once only thought of as exclusively for men. Women continue to rock the business world. And with that, you need an arsenal of knowledge to stay on top of your game. As an employee, manager, etc. you need to take care of yourself. You should know your rights and be up-to-date in this dog-eat-dog world.

Introducing Information at Your Fingertips - a blog started by a dear friend not too long ago. It has very useful information for career women (and men). These are things we often wondered about but didn't have the courage (or the time) to ask our HR Managers. Now, all the answers are at your fingertips. I personally find this very useful. I no longer bug her about HR questions. Most of my questions' answers are in there.

The one in the pic was especially useful for the holidays. Click on the picture for an enlarged version. Now if there's a holiday and you're required to work, you can check if you were compensated correctly come payday. Just checkout your payslip.

For more useful information, visit her website.

Maybelline Water Shine Collagen Shimmer Lipstick

To continue this very late post, here's the second lipstick I bought from the Maybelline sale at Watson's Greenbelt last year. Oh my, last year sounds too distant.

Anyway, this is Maybelline Water Shine Collagen Shimmer Lipstick. Aside from being a mouthful, it actually makes your mouth (lips) pretty. Like the other water shine lipstick, this lasts a long time, about 5 hours give or take. You don't need to reapply every now and then unlike with the other brands. Just be sure that you ditch the habit of licking your lips. Me, I take a sip of water every now and then so my lipstick just goes to my tumbler. And even with that, I still have some left by 12 pm.

It contains collagen. Isn't that supposed to give you Angelina lips? I don't really notice a difference or even an illusion but I still like this lipstick. I bought it for the color and the cute packaging. 

I really like the packaging of this lipstick. It reminds me of a penlight. Or a really fancy cigarette(!). I like the metallic purple color. It just looks so sosyal in an evening bag. Because it's so slim and sexy, I've decided to coordinate my other makeup with this. My other makeup have to be slim and sexy too to fit inside my tiny kikay kit.

I like the subtle shimmer it gives my lips. It's not in your face sparkly like Edward Cullen. Harhar! It doesn't dry my lips and does not give me allergies so it's a green light for girls with sensitive skin. This shade is BP21.

The original price is P399 (I think) and I got it for P249. Don't ask if I'll repurchase. Duh! = )

A Trip Down Memory Lane...

Beautiful! I've never seen Manila so clean! Tondo was a premier place with the finest business buildings. And had "skyscrapers"! Pasig River was teeming with life. People wore beautiful clothes. Even kalesa drivers wore long sleeved polos! Beautiful trees still lined the streets. My grandfather was 16 when this was shot. I could just imagine how teenagers were back then. My grandma was 9.  Markets were so clean! Carvings and statues on Jones Bridge were absolutely stunning!

I wish we could make Manila (and the whole Philippines) like this again.