Glow by Lady E

I was finally able to visit Forever 21 last weekend. It was overwhelming. I felt “ sawa” afterwards. We went there early but there were still lots and lots of people. Nakakainis   because they have a lot of counters but only 2 were open so the line was really long. (Hello, F21 Management! Please do something about this! Don’t boast of numerous cashier stations when you’re only going to man 2!) Good thing I got there earlier. About 5 minutes of waiting, I looked back and saw an awfully long line forming! Anyway, I got a few clothes and accessories. Here are the earrings that I bought: Forever 21 earrings  The silver one was broken when I got home. Good thing I have tools so I was able to fix it I didn’t get any necklaces because as you may know, I can make bead necklaces. I only buy jewelry which I know I can’t make because I don’t have access to the materials. I sure hope we get more suppliers here. By the way, if you know any bead, pendants, jewelry materials supplier,...

I always need a pick-me-upper when I wake up and this never fails to brighten up my mornings: I have a confession to make. I don’t own any Havaianas. Seriously. When it first entered Philippine shores, I felt that the prices were ridiculous. Never mind that it’s “indestructible”. I wouldn’t pay Php3,000 for a pair of tsinelas. That was years and years ago. Fast forward to today most pairs are affordable.  Another reason is I want variety in my wardrobe whether it be shoes, bags, etc. and I want to see a lot of pieces. If I want flip flops, I must have several different flip flops. Had I bought Havaianas, I would have been stuck with just a few pieces because I’m watching my budget. That’s why most of the time, I prefer cheaper items because I can always change them. When Banana Peel started, I was hooked because they had colorful flip flops at very affordable prices. I would buy several pairs per week. I would buy flip flops for all my family just so I can see different flip ...

Php114.75. That’s how much this product costs… and it has changed my life forever. Trim Silk Slanted Tip Tweezers I don’t pluck my eyebrows. I use an eyebrow razor to groom them because I just don’t have the time to pluck stray hairs one by one. I have absolutely zero patience for it. I also don’t like the stinging sensation in my eyes. I can tolerate the pain on my skin but my eyes are very sensitive. They tear up at the slightest irritation. I saw this pair of tweezers at The Landmark and was drawn to the color. I was intrigued because it looks really different from its counterparts on the shelf. Since the brand is Trim, I thought that the quality is good. After all, all my nail clippers are Trim and I’ve been using them for more than a decade already! I was right! It’s a deep magenta and the body feels rubbery. Matte and rubbery, you can grip the tweezers firmly. I like the cover that keeps the tip clean. The tip is a bit sharp but not enough to cut you and it’s very thi...

 Instead of makeup and skin care products, I chose to buy these:   Chelsea Sandals, Caronia Blue Velvet Nails I originally wanted 3 pairs of shoes from The Ramp but sadly, they didn’t have stocks. The SA said that there’s only one stock per size and the display was “new”. So not true! I’ve been eyeing those shoes for more than 2 weeks plus the shoes were already very dirty and they call that new?? Don’t you just hate it when SA’s do that? Sometimes they’re just too lazy to get new stocks that they’ll just push whatever’s on display even if it’s dirty or damaged. So off I went to SM to just look around. I spotted a pair that I liked but changed my mind after I went back to it. That’s how I shop. I take a look around, make a mental note of the things  I like then walk around some more. When I come back and I still like it then I buy it. I went to Chelsea just to look around. At this time, I was totally resigned to the idea of buying new shoes. It’s just my luck that I ...

 Without further ado, let me present my completed Project 30-Pan: Project 30-Pan   I survived about 1-2 months without buying anything new, just the everyday essentials. My Project Pan works a little different. You see, I hoard products. If I like something, I buy it. If it works, I’ll buy about 5 more in one go. I have several products at home that are waiting to be opened and tested. I do a Project Pan to limit my hoarding and at the same time, be able to use the products before they spoil or something. It also controls the budget. = ) I don’t pick out products to empty. I just use products until I reach the desired number of pans, in this case 30, before buying new stuff again. Here are my finished products: TFS Hand Lotion 3 Monea Curling Lotion 2 Grape Bella Body Wash 2 Grape Bella Body Scrub Nivea Happy Time Lotion Nivea Q10 Firming Lotion Human Heart Nature Strengthening Shampoo Eskinol Calamansi Toner Celeteque Toner 2 Holy Seat GenTeal Eye Drops Nivea Angel Star B...

You might think that the following products that I will feature are trivial but remember that a workman is only as good as his tools or in our case, an artist/beauty enthusiast. Baby Company Cotton Swabs, Watsons Soft Square Puffs, Hello Kitty Baby Wipes, Watsons Velvety Soft Tissues When I was younger, I didn’t care what brand of cotton or tissue I used. I always got the cheapest. That was until I decided to take care of my skin more and apply make up more(!) The Watsons brand of facial square puffs is one of the best for me. It’s soft and smooth and does not have those annoying bits of hard cotton (skin?) It doesn’t leave trails of cotton on my face even when I use it to remove makeup using my Etude House Makeup Remover which is cream based. It’s also very cheap at Php98 for two packs. Another Watsons product that I like is this Velvety Soft Tissue that comes in a box. I use it as my vanity tissue for wiping hands after applying hair products, to blot lipstick, and to spot clean ...

When I buy new products, I allow myself at least 2 weeks to a month before I do a review. It might seem that the products I feature here are always new but in truth, they’ve been sitting around in my vanity or bathroom for quite some time now, being tested. There are even times when I feature a product that has already reached pan i.e. Nivea Angel Star Body Soufflé. This product is no exception:   L’oreal Men Expert Hydra Energetic Detoxifying Foam   MB has been using this for a month now and so we can safely evaluate it. It claims to instantly detoxify skin – Check. Reveals more radiant – Check, even skin – X. MB is fair. He’s actually 5x whiter than me but his face is oily so the oil makes him look darker. After using this, his face became brighter but the oil is still there. I’ve noticed that his face is softer now. His face is still oily but not as oily as before. So I guessed this facial foam controlled that a bit. He also didn’t break out and didn’t get allergies. So...

The MAC Fabulous Felines Collection will be released internationally on September 10! I'm so excited! I promised myself that this collection will be my first MAC cosmetics buys. I just hope they will have enough stocks for everybody.

I’ve become OC with brush cleaning that’s why when I read somewhere in Oprah that you “need to wash (or was it clean?) your brushes ONCE EVERY FEW MONTHS”, I cringed. I’m sure most of you wash/clean your brushes every after use.  I sure do. I deep cleanse them once a week and clean them with a brush cleaner after every use. This particular product is what I use: Ellana Clean It Up Brush Cleaner I’ve never tried any other brand because the others that I’ve seen are quite pricey. This one from Ellana fits my budget perfectly. This is the new formula and costs Php170 but I only got it for Php150 because the sales attendant that was in charge of the booth was MIA and so the other SA’s from the other booths subbed for her. They couldn’t find the price tag for the brush cleaner and I was already waiting for 20 minutes so the girl just decided to stick the Php150 price tag. That’s a 20-peso savings. Score! It’s funny because on the label it says it’s an oil-free formula then at the bo...

It’s Monday and I’m bummed out. The cold really gets to me. It’s nice that the sun has let up a bit but boohoo for my aching joints and muscles. Woke up this morning feeling awfully tired with my limbs hard and useless. Half of me was paralyzed again. I kept thinking that I need to go to work to supplement my shopping trips because my Project Pan is done! That’s the only good surprise for me this morning. I was able to finish the last Project Pan participant. Teehee.. But enough about that and let me introduce you to one product that perks up my day.   Nivea Angel Star Body Soft Soufflé Packaging is very cute. It’s a nice baby pink shade. It gets better inside: Keep it in The product itself is covered with foil. I love it! It looks like this when you open it. It’s called soufflé because it really looks and feels like soufflé! It’s very light (like a perfect soufflé) and smells amazing. No need to worry if it’s hot outside. Nivea Angel Star Body Soufflé is non-sticky even when...

I found this very useful quiz about the energy that we use everyday. It makes me reflect on myself and my work. Hope you find it useful too.

Even in beauty school, the students admit that perfecting the eyebrows is one of the hardest lessons to learn. About more than a decade ago, I read an interview with Myrza Sison in one of the local magazines. She said that when she does interviews, she immediately looks at the eyebrows. If they’re not groomed, then she doesn’t bother with the interviewee anymore. She says how can a person take care of her job when she couldn’t even take care of her brows? Of course in their world, this applies a lot. In other parts of the corporate world, not only do your looks matter but more importantly, your brains. Myrza’s statement made an impact in my life. From then on, not only did I pay special attention to my brows but to the rest of my appearance as well. After all, it was only a matter of years (back then) when it would be my turn to be the interviewee. And looks, as we all know, can be powerful especially when applying for a job. I never learned how to use eyebrow pencils so over the yea...

They say no pain, no gain. I say work smart, not hard. Why would you want to suffer when there’s an easier alternative, right? I became curious with skin firming lotions after trying Nivea’s. Nivea worked but it was way too sticky for me and I don’t like sticky lotions. I chanced upon this, one day while in the mall: St. Ives Skin Firming Lotion St. Ives products have been in my family for years so I didn’t have any qualms in purchasing this. I’d say that it was a wise decision indeed. The product promises firmer skin in 2 weeks. It did make my skin firmer. Just be sure to apply this religiously. I only apply this at night on trouble areas and I’ve seen results. What more if you apply this twice a day, everyday! I am certain that I didn’t apply this for 2 weeks straight on my first run. I tend to forget these things especially when I’m too tired or have too much in my mind.    In case you want to read the label This pump bottle costs Php210 at Watsons. Plus points for the...

Wouldn’t it be nice if people stopped ageing when they’ve reached their best appearance? Well, until someone finds the Fountain of Youth or everybody turns into a Cullen then beauty products would have to do. One such product line that promises an ageless beauty is Eskinol Ageless. Eskinol Ageless Toner I was drawn to the container that looked like a mini missile. = ) The actual bottle really looks nice. The power of packaging at its best. The Eskinol Ageless Toner promises to help reduce fine lines and visible signs of ageing. It also deep cleanses and prepares the skin for the day or night creams  (which I reviewed) in the same line. Lastly, it minimizes pores and helps firm skin. First time I used this, I instantly felt my face tighten. It also cleanses nicely. I can’t really say that the fine lines disappeared but my skin improved a little after using this for 2 weeks. After that, my face broke out into very itchy rashes which eventually turned into pimples. Yikes! So I st...

Does that sound like a commercial or what? I know most of you are already familiar with this product but allow me to feature it here as I was amazed when I saw this on my officemate’s table about a few months ago.   Vaseline Total Moisture Nourishing Lotion Imagine, Vaseline can afford to offer a product worth Php15?! And with a nice packaging at that. It kinda makes you wonder how much they’re really earning with one bottle of lotion. So anyway, this is the original lotion. It still retains the original scent which I’m not crazy about. I totally hated this lotion when I was a kid. I didn’t like it when my mom would slather this on her legs and arms because I didn’t like the smell and it was so sticky. Fast forward to a couple of decades, give or take, and I find myself buying this product. It comes in 2 variants. The other one is the whitening lotion. I don’t like that so I purchased this one. This is totally for my hands and feet. I’m not putting this on my legs or arms No w...

I've been out of commission for the past few days because I had a terrible, hectic, exhausting weekend. I lost 6 cats to the flu virus. Apparently, this type of virus is deadly to cats. But it's really funny that the virus can be killed by regular household bleach. I had to file for under time last Thursday afternoon to help my mom control the flu in my kitty colony. I filed for leave on Friday because almost half the population was sick. Add to that, MB was suffering from migraines so early in the morning and had to skip work. So it was just me and my mom fighting this awful virus.  We took care of our cats almost round the clock. As soon as we finish giving meds, I'm already in the kitchen busy preparing their next meal. It was a whirlwind of food, syringes, meds, vitamin C, milk, Lightwater and Hydrite. Not to mention Lysol and Zonrox every few hours.  Some might think that this is a little bit exaggerated but I think one can never understand the devotion and love an o...

I’m a huge fan of scrubs. I guess I feel a little too weird about a stranger handling my feet. Or maybe because I’ve had a bad experience with foot scrubs at the David’s Salon near our place many years ago. After that, I opted to just buy DIY treatments, anyway, we have that massaging foot tub at home similar to the ones they use at the salons. Over the years, I’ve tried different brands of foot scrubs, both local and imported. This is the brand that I’m using now:   Caronia Renewing Foot Scrub I’m pretty sure this is not a new product as I’ve already tried this years ago. I guess they just repackaged and re-marketed the brand. The formula is also better. The green tea scent is great. It calms my nerves. The minty feeling is very good for my tired feet. The beads are just the right size. They don’t hurt nor do they tickle even when I scrub really hard using a pumice stone. The directions on the back suggest to use the scrub for the hands too. I do this when I remember to. I mus...

It’s Thursday! Surviving the week so far? Well, we have to right? For me, shopping is a very good motivation that’s why I try to drag myself out of bed every morning and just think about all the beautiful things that I can buy with the day’s salary. Boy, if you’ve got an auto immune disease, waking up in the morning can be quite a struggle. Anyway, to keep you sane (and pretty!) may I suggest these colors to brighten up your mood:   Caronia Nail Polish in Bliss and Mint Frost Even the names are very appropriate, don’t you think? If you like Caronia Nail Polish, I suggest you buy them anywhere else but SM or Watsons. One bottle costs Php32 at Beauty by SM whereas at Landmark, it only costs Php24.75. That’s a huge difference, enough for a jeepney fare! Hope you ladies are having a slammin’ week. One more day to go!

Since I am burning out from problems at work and stuff, I’ve decided that this week, bits + treats will feature pampering products. These are products that I look forward to when I get home or wake up in the morning. I already started with the foot spray yesterday and today is no exception. Nivea Happy Time Body Lotion I’ve had this lotion since December or January, I think but I only got around to using it last May. I bought this only because I needed a Nivea product to get a crystal encrusted butterfly bag chain from Watsons. I guess you’re familiar with that since most of you are Watsons regulars. I thought this lotion will just be normal, regular, nothing special but I was surprised when I tried it. It had a nice citrus-bamboo smell that really makes me feel good and awake in the morning when I slather this on after bathing. The scent is very light and very pleasing to my nose. It makes me feel energized to start my day. The lotion itself is non-sticky and is very light, perf...

 A big shoutout to Lady Mitchelli and the Peachy Pink Sisters for this award: Thank you dear lovely ladies for this first award! The rules from Lady Mitchelli are: 1. Post the award on your blog 2. Link to the person who has given you the award 3. Pass the award to other 15 blogs you've discovered 4. Let these 15 bloggers know that you've given them an award I haven’t really “discovered” new blogs recently so I’m giving this award to these wonderful persons, in random order: 1. Kitten 2. Sugar 3. Peachy Pink Sisters 4. Donnarence 5. Renay Shanel 6. Jing 7. Lady Mitchelli , of course! I’m kinda breaking the rules here as I’m only posting 7 blogs. 7 is my favorite number, after all. I’ll get to the other 8 when I’ve discovered them. But for now, I sincerely love these girls’ blogs.

If there is one product that Migraine Boy and I agree on, it’s… The Body Shop Lemongrass Refreshing Foot Spray We absolutely adore this product! When we get home after work, after about 15 minutes of walking to the jeepney stop then to our house, this lemongrass foot spray is a savior. It really refreshes your feet after a hard day’s work. It keeps your feet smelling nice too. We both love the cooling effect and the subtle smell of lemongrass. It’s not overpowering. The spray is non-drying although it doesn’t make your feet soft either. I think MB appreciates this better than I do because I always wear sandals and open shoes whereas his feet are always enclosed. He really looks forward to taking his shoes and socks off and spraying his feet.Well, I do the spraying because it’s his way of making lambing . I would also do it that way because if I give the bottle to him, he might spray half of the bottle away!  And I’m trying to stretch the use of this as much as I can. This w...

First of all, this sample doesn’t have enough for you to really test it. When applied on the face and neck, it will only last for about 2-3 uses. That’s really not enough time to gauge the effectiveness of this whitening product. I tried this on my face and in only 5 seconds, my face broke out into large, very itchy rashes. I had to wash my face again just to get rid of the itchiness. Sadly, the rashes stayed on for days. The rest of the product I tried on my elbows and knees to no effect, of course. The sample amount was too little. I got this from Cosmo magazine and it came with a 10% discount voucher. So I guess you know that I won’t be using it. 

Saw this yesterday at Mercury while buying MB”s migraine meds:   So cute! And it’s only Php35! I checked at Landmark Super today but they don’t have these canisters. The only thing I don’t like about this is the tape that they use to seal the top. The print sticks to the edge of the cover. But I can live with that. I only saw 2 designs so I got them both. On a side note, if you have moderate to severe migraines, you might want to ask your Neuro about Lyrica. MB’s neuro suggested he take this at night when he gets a migraine attack during the day to prevent further attacks the following day. It’s sort of a happy pill. It makes you sleep very soundly. I tried this for my polymyositis and it works. It’s non-addicting too. But you do get very vivid dreams. You’ll be able to remember most of your dreams when you wake up. = ) Oh, and one thing more. If you regularly take Ponstan SF and Lyrica, you can ask your doctor for a discount card. It’s a lifetime discount card but it’s onl...

Dear Friends, As you may or may not know, I've been designing bead jewelry since I was 16. What started as a hobby resulted to a part-time business which helped pay for my tuition, medical bills and of course, emergency shopping!  It's been going on and off for a few years now. I've joined several bazaars in the past and my creations have been featured in a magazine. Now I'm using this as part of my final project in Ateneo. The original name is La Rue des Bijoux but now, I'm using the translation - Street of Jewels. Please visit this new blog of mine, Street of Jewels  and comment/critique on how to make it better, what things you want to see, etc. If I may also ask, please click on the Follow button. It will really help a lot in terms of evaluation. This is just a portion of the final project which is due on Saturday, July 3, 2010. I will be honest. I'm not sure if I'll be able to update this regularly  because I need time to make jewelry and time is a v...

I got these 2 weeks ago and just didn't have the time to take photos of them. Herbench Cream Wallet and Tapestry Print Notebook from National The notebook is not exactly cheap at Php389. Hey, it's no Moleskine but it suits me just fine. I like that it's hardbound and it has an elastic to keep it closed at all times. That's important for me because I have a very cluttered bag and I don't use a bag organizer. It also has a pocket on the back cover so you can put receipts, small notes, etc. I bought a notebook because my eyp organizer died on me. I didn't buy any of those fancy organizers back in January because I already had one which I got for free. It was a very simple organizer but it was just not made well. The pages came loose and so I had no choice but to get a notebook. I chose a notebook because I don't really need the dates. I use this notebook for budgeting, jotting down important things, listing the things that I need and want to buy and so on. ...

Do you girls follow the 3-month rule when it comes to mascara? Do you use them until they run out or dry up? I've read some reviews about the Carmex lip balm saying that it actually dries up your lips. Is this true? I've always wanted to try this but the reviews are stopping me.  Hope you can enlighten me.

I just can't get enough of Maybelline Watershine Pure lipsticks. I always buy my Maybelline lipsticks when they're on sale because 20% savings is not bad! I bought my first Maybelline Watershine lipstick a few months back. It hasn't failed me ever since. It is still a favorite especially on days when I want a no-brainer lip color.  Maybelline Watershine Pure R22 on lip concealer Maybelline Watershine Pure R22  The photos above were taken with flash. The color is actually redder. It looks pink on the photos. This is my first red lipstick. I love this lipstick because it doesn't dry up my lips, it stays on for a considerable amount of time and is affordable. And a red lipstick always make your teeth look whiter. This lipstick usually retails for about Php249+ but I got it for only Php199.  Note: This is a backlog post so the price may be different now.  I maintain only 12 lipsticks at a time to ensure that I get the best out of each one. I'm almost done with ...