Craves: Coffee Shop Planner

The main culprit for my weight gain are coffee shop planners last year. I had this plan on getting all the planners from all the 3 coffee shops and did not notice until too late that the venti caramel macchiato wasn't doing me any favors.

Nevertheless, looking back on 2015 and the one planner I did end up using, it was a really good idea to get one. I was able to plan my leaves and write down some of the important things that I always keep on forgetting. 

So then I will get another one this year. One thing I've learned is to keep the Christmas drinks at tall and lite and the others to full-leaf teas only. It's both cheaper and less likely to keep me from extra large sizes.

Share: Toshi Phone Case

I don't like cellphone cases because I don't buy the most popular units so the cases available aren't the cutest and with accesories, looks over funtion win for me so why bother, right?

Unfortunately, with a three-year old who picks up the phone every chance he gets, I ended up giving up on the no-case thing and started a hunt a weekend ago. Thankfully, Toshi is available.with their universal cases and they have a lot of cute designs so I picked one that makes me yearn for Disneyland.

It fits anything in the range it's meant for but with my slim phone (Xperia C3), the case feels like it was meant for a bulkier phone. My one peeve is that I can't take pictures from the back like I used to be able to. On a last note, it's pretty so I got what I wanted, and that's what matters to me.

Crave: Shu Uemura Calligraph: Ink Liquid Eyeliner

I want this a lot and should have snatched it when I swatched it at the store a few months ago. It stayed on for two whole days at the back of my hand. I washed my hands on those days. That's just impressive.

Picture from the product website.

Share: Late Night Snack

I tend to eat snacks late at night at home on weekends. Sometimes, I raid my son's snacks and other times, I make my own from leftovers like this.

I wasn't sure what to cut the nori sheets with so I folded it and ripped it by the folds, scooped a spoonful of rice and topped it with some leftover breaded shrimps. I prefer it with plain shrimps or even canned tuna because I like tasting the fishy flavor enhanced by the seaweeds but we use what we have. A little Japanese mayonnaise makes it creamy and perfect.

I fold the sheets over everything and they end up in bite-size pieces that I gobble up way too soon. Yum.

Love: Stila Color Me Pretty Lip and Cheek Palette

I've always been pale. So much so that an ex mentioned I looked like death on the stage screen at our graduation rites in college. Blush and lipstick have always been my friends. This Stila Palette is my current bosom buddy.

Cheek blush are normally not found in palette versions and this particular set was a dream. Not only could it be used on the cheeks, it was also for the lips. Even better than that, it sold for less than the price of a single Stila Convertible in the Philippines.

Cream blushes may be touchy but these are just perfect for me. I actually can use any of the colors on the cheeks depending on the mood. The lightest one, Kitten, works well as a highlighter, instead of cheek flush on me. All the others range from intense to a natural flush. Blending is easy too. I use my hands or a stiff brush and just blend out from a dab at the center of my cheeks.

I didn't use these for the lips at first but I now reach for them often for that purpose. They may be easy to blend out on the cheeks but they end out pigmented for the lips. I just dab with my fingers and I've got a mono cheek and lip look that works. It could be drying sometimes but I don't mind a whole lot.

These wear well on the cheeks, staying put for an 8-hour workday. On the lips, not as long, as I tend to bite. For the price, so well worth it.

I don't think I'll every get a chance to buy these again but if they offer another one, I am so going to hoard.

Review: Laura Mercier Eye Canvas

This particular eye primer from Laura Mercier has become a daily essential in my make-up routine. It neutralizes my lid area, makes eye liner and eye shadow last longer and makes their colors pop. All these are important for me as I'm the type to get panda eyes at the end of the day from fall-out out of any type of eye make-up.

I use only a little of the product every time as too much ends up in the creases.It's got a mousse-like consistency and is easy to spread without any type of tugging. Once set, it doesn't budge and helps in making the application of eyeliner and eyeshadow smoother. Eyeshadow is easier to blend in too.

I've been using it for more than a month almost everyday but there hasn't been a lot of dent so it's an economical buy for me. I got it at 40 off but I'm not going to hesitate in a repurchase at full price as it's totally worth it.

Review: Nars Blush Desire/Amour

I've gotten a chance to get my grubby paws on some Nars products and I'm lucky to get one blush compact with two shades each. One is Desire, a hot pink shade and the other Amour, a matte coral (they call it peachy pink).
 

Of the two shades, I prefer using the Amour as coral looks the most natural on me when it comes to blush. Also, I was a little afraid of Desire. It was just so pink on the pan. I wondered if it'd look too Dresden doll on me. Trying both of them out, however, made me realize that one is as pigmented as the other.
 

If you don't get enough warning on the pigmentation, it's not hard at all to go overboard in applying these blush shades. There's a lot of pigments, even with just a light stroke of the brush on the pan. You don't layer with this. You just apply once and it's good. Lasting power is great as well. If you're careful, one compact can last quite a long time so the price is worth it.

This is not a full-sized product but there's a possibility this thing will last even longer than most of my other compacts. I'm happy with it. My complaint, the dreaded Nars packaging. It's matte black and it picks up everything.

Review: VMV Hypoallergenics Skin the Bluff N2

I wasn't able to take a picture when I bought it so the inked label on the cover has somewhat faded when I finally got to doing so. This is my choice for concealer from VMV whenever I have breakouts, which is most days for the past month.

I got the N2 from the SA's advise. I always consult them on first-time purchases like this. It is a peachy-colored concealer with a very creamy texture and smells slightly of raw potatoes. It's got organic VCO and monolaurin so I'm happy with what it can do for my skin.

I use a finger when using it over the undereye area. It's perfect for concealing dark circles as it's very creamy so it's very easy to blend in. It can crease on lines if too much of the product is used, though, so a light hand is key. For dark spots, I try to use a concealer brush so I can be exact on the spot I'm using it on as the color is pinker than my skintone and would become obvious if messed up. After spreading and dabbing, I blend it in using a bluffing brush and set it with a bit of powder.

As a concealer, it gives decent coverage. I've used better ones that lasts so much longer and conceal more but I can't get better skin-benefits from any other ones. I've been using it with some other VMV products and my skin has been improving so much faster than I usually expect it to so I'm thankful for this.

Love: Anthology Shoes Bondi Orange

This is the Bondi from Anthology Shoes. The color is supposedly orange but it looks more like yellow to me.

The specs from the site are below:

• Sheep skin leather upper
• 4-inch EVA cork wedge sandals
• Cushioned leather insoles
• Anthology rubber sole

These are my most comfortable pair of shoes. I ❤ it so much. It's so easy to match with most outfits and brings a pop of color when I need it. I'm a crybaby when it comes to shoes as a slight pinch gives me bloody blisters at the end of the day but this pair was so comfy even the first time I tried them on that I have no complaints the whole day. I've even tried it on a shopping trip and I have no blisters to report.

One downside I noticed is that the rubber sole is slightly peeling off about half an inch at the back after a few months of use. It's not that overused yet so that's bad. But then, I bought this at an insanely low price at their sale portion so I'll try to get it to a cobbler to lengthen the life of these lovelies so no regrets.

Review: The Body Shop Cheek Color

As usual with my usual purchases from the Body Shop, this particular item was on sale. I got the shade 10, a peachy darkish pink shade with no hint of shimmer. I love the packaging as I can see the product without flipping the top open and I'm always into silver edges.

Using it for a while, I find it to be a great everyday shade. It's sheer but buildable, making it ideal for me as I tend to overdo on blush sometimes. It looks natural, if put on right with a blush brush and lasts long enough, if properly set with finishing powder.

 

It's not a current favorite but it's used fairly often. I like that I picked it up but I doubt I'll miss if I didn't as I have lots of similar shades. Nevertheless, given the same discount, I might pick it up again or another one with a different shade.

Crave: Kenzo Flower Tag

I have always wanted to buy the Kenzo Flower because of the beautiful bottle but I just didn't feel that the scent actually suits me. They have released quite e a few versions over the years but they have not stirred me until now.

When I tried the scent of the Kenzo Flower Tag earlier, I wasn't expecting much but I actually quite liked it. They sprayed it over a piece of paper and I put it inside my pocket. As I tend to put my hands inside my pocket every now and then, the scent has transferred a bit and I'm pleasantly surprised to say that I'm liking it even more. It has grown on me and I'm also liking that the there is still a faint scent left even after more than a few hours already.

The scent is a bit floral with a hint of tea. It's a lot more Oriental than the original and I want it.

Picture from the product website.

Share: Cookies and Cream Pudding

I was surfing food blogs when I saw a version of ref cake with Oreos instead of fruits. It was quite easy to follow so I tried it at home and my little baby loved it a lot.

It was quite easy to make, lining the Oreos under a mixture of cream and condensed milk and putting as many layers as you prefer but my one fail regarding the recipe was that the Oreos stayed hard, no matter how long I left it at the fridge. It wasn't too hard but it sure failed as a cake. Also, the top Oreo layer floated up, no matter how deep I buried it under the cream.

So to improve over that version, I made it into a pudding instead. To do so, I used a box of cream, half a box of condensed milk and a pack of Oreos and some thin chocolate to decorate the top layer.

It's so easy to make. I whipped the cream and milk together and crushed the cookies. I then swirled it together and flattened the top. I refrigerated it overnight and it's set. For extra effort, you can add chocolate shavings on top. Yum.

Review: Marionnaud Retractable Brush

I wanted an all-around brush for the make-up kit I tote around because I didn’t want to bring my whole brush set nor did I want to plunk in a single brush in the bag with no protection whatsoever. A retractable brush seems like the best idea so far. I went with Marionnaud as a starter.

So far, there have been ups and downs. It turned out to be a stiffer brush than I thought it would be. The hairs are just so darned thick. I didn’t like swirling it over my face because of the rough feeling nor did I like how it picked up powder as it pokes way too much product out.

On another side, it’s a great blending brush. If I let it out a half-inch, it’s great for blending liquid foundation in. I put the foundation on the back of my hand, dab the brush and apply it over my face in very light feathery strokes. A quarter-inch and it’s great for concealer blending.

This brush has made it so much easier to fake the semi-perfect complexion, being so flexible in its uses. If only it didn’t feel so rough, then I’d be a happy monkey. Maybe I should plunk money for their premium line instead.

Sorry over the white cast as the brush was used before I took pictures.

Love: The Body Shop Nature's Minerals Blusher Brush

I'm one of those people who look way too pale without blush so a good blush brush is ideal.

I was really happy to find this particular brush on sale. It's a kabuki version of a blush brush. It's very soft, round and made of synthetic materials. It's smaller than most blush brushes but good for small hands.

This brush is meant to be used with loose mineral blush but I like using it for small blush compacts. It picks up pigment well and applies them without streaks. It's my ideal blush brush.

I like to use an oil cleanser in washing this. There wasn't a lot of fall-out after.

I store this in my make-up bag inside the packet. The packet itself picks up a lot of dirt and lint, though but it protects the brush well enough. All-in-all, it's a great buy.

Review: Human Nature 100% Natural Smoothing Hair Serum

When it comes to hair serum, most of the stuff around is made up of silicones and even more silicones. Though I’m not necessarily against silicones for hair care, it’s one of the proven ingredients that break me out so bad. When Human Nature went and developed their all-natural serum with no silicones and mostly plant oils, I honestly did a giddy little dance.

Another thing that made me happy was that it was available at our local grocery store so there’s no need to order online or anything. As soon as I saw it, I swooped it up with no second thoughts. 

It’s a very economical buy, though you wouldn’t think so at first use because if you’re used to other hair serum, there might be a tendency to overapply. When the instruction says one pump or less, it really means it. They could possibly sell this in a smaller bottle and I wouldn’t complain because it’s going to last a long time. 

There’s a tendency to get greasy if you use too much. It actually feels dry on my hands but greasy hair is weighed down hair. The type that looks wet even when it’s already dried down. When you get the right amount in, it’s good. I can’t say my hair is fluffier, softer and all around manageable with just this but I’m good with it and I’ll repurchase once I run out as there's a long-term benefit with continued use.

Plant oils rule.