The Face Shop Power Perfection BB Cream Review

Foundations cause my skin to break out, so I never use one. At best, I would use a tinted moisturizer. However these tinted moisturizers do not work well under extreme heat and does not control facial oil. As such, I have been on the look out for facial care that will not block my pores yet will provide a decent coverage to even out the skin tone.

Here comes The Face Shop. I love this brand because for every purchase, it keeps on proving to be good value for money.
I recently bought their Power Perfection BB Cream. Unfortunately, this only comes in 2 colors: light beige and natural beige. The box says it is a wrinkle improvement + sunscreen + whitening beauty blemish cream, thus earning its name as the brand's perfect BB cream. It retails for PhP1495 per tube of 40g.

At first I was hesitant to buy this because I had been hovering over the Matte BB Cream which sells for PhP 1200. The face shop lady told me that I better use their Power Perfection BB cream instead in order to enjoy more skin benefits. I figured why not go for it. Some youtube reviews would say that there are matte BB creams that can be flaky or too dry so I guess going after the Power Perfection variant will yield better results. Also, the trick with drugstore products is to ask the sales lady what she uses. I did that when I discovered the maybelline gel eyeliner, I did that when I purchased the Majolica Majorca eyeshadow palette, and a couple of other beauty products where I have no idea how to know the quality of. Also, the branch where I bought this tube from is on its soft launch, and they were actually having a bit of an airconditioning issue. Yet, the sales lady looks glam. She wasn't all matte, but she looked polished. I figured, in that heat, it might as well be a good buy.

The snout pumps out just a little amount which you can control. I don't know how this tube will last but it looks like I only need a few beads and I'm all covered in the face and neck. One thing I noticed is that you will have to use a brush to spread it evenly because using your fingers will require you to tug a lot on your skin, and that's not good for keeping away the wrinkles. You do not need too much because it indeed provides good coverage. It seems to me as a buildable product so I do not use too much or else I would look unusually white. The finish is somewhere in the middle of matte and dewy so no problem with going flaky or being too dewy.

As for the staying power, I tried it on for 6 hours under airconditioning with a little walking outside during the lunch break, no retouching. I still looked decent, and my t-zone wasn't oily. It looked like my natural skin, only less oily. I also tried it for 8 hours without airconditioning, I did get oily afterwards and I felt the gunk on my face somehow, like there was something thick on my face, but it stayed on my skin without melting (tinted moisturizers melt really bad).

I cannot say this is a steal because it is not, but it provides good coverage and controls my oily t-zone. It also makes me look polished. I have yet to prove the whitening and anti wrinkle benefits. The spf is at 37 and I guess most beauty products can easily throw that out as a benefit so I am no longer questioning if that is true. However, what is important to me is that this is a BB cream and not any pore-blocking foundation which can be a great risk for me to have pimples.

I like that The Face Shop always gives some freebies if you reach a certain amount. They gave me a free 70mL cleansing foam (pic shown above) for reaching PhP1500 because I also bought a mask for PhP65.


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It is now April 7, 2013 and I still have this BB Cream. I use it everyday and believe me - everyday. It deserves a Best Buy Stamp Award. Good coverage, good oil control yet you look dewy in a put together way, really reliable, and you only need a few beads to cover the face and neck. I need to get a smaller tube for my travel kit, because I found out that it also comes in a half sized tube!

UP Lantern Parade 2012 - College of Engineering's DeceptIKOT

I landed upon this video on youtube showing the entry of the College of Engineering in the 2012 University of the Philippines Lantern Parade. Guys, you must understand that the UP Lantern Parade is a festive activity showcasing lanterns made by students (and sometimes some people within the UP community join too) using minimal budget. Year on year, we expect the UP College of Fine Arts to win this category.

I have always watched this parade and I must say this year, the College of Engineering did a fine fine job indeed at making a Decepticon Robot out of a jeepney! This they called the DeceptIKOT, derived from the Decepticon Robots and the UP Ikot which is the route of the jeepney inside the University (Ikot means to go around or turn around). I must say I was in awe of this! Great job, and great video. The one who posted this video was on the best angle to showcase the transformation of a jeepney with the UP logo on the side into an Optimus Prime looking "Decepticon".

Here is the description according to Ji Reyes who was kind enough to share this on youtube:

"One of the crowd favorites of the night. The mechanical design and construction were done by the UP Department of Mechanical Engineering and the UP Gears and Pinions. The lights and electronics were done by the Power Electronics Laboratory of the UP Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute.

The frame was a single input linkage using a dc motor with gearbox as the prime mover. The turntable was manually operated. For a tight budget, this was a big achievement."

I am really proud of this, a really interesting entry from my college :) I understand how minimal the budget can be, and how limited the time is to create this huge lantern. Midterms and all other types of exams happen right before the Engineering Week so this is a huge task for the assigned students and the supporting faculty who made this happen. Applause for you guys!!!

Here's the link: http://youtu.be/BM0HPwmMU0o

Majolica Majorca Eyeshadow BR 751 Review

I tried the Majolica Majorca mini palette in BR 751. This brand is owned by Shiseido, and as such, I wanted to try out the pigmentation. I was also on the look out for a nice gold eyeshadow. Every time I run out of my staple shade, I run to the nearest drugstore.

Glad to have seen a nice combination of colors in the BR 751. I am into 4 colors usually and this one just does the trick.

From Top Left, clockwise: Gold, gun metal, baby pink silver (what MM call's the "Trick on Powder"), and brown with shimmer.
I use the gold for the lid, the gun metal and brown for the crease using an angled brush and blending brush, and the silver for the outer tear duct corner to brighten the eyes using an angled brush or a thin brush.

This palette retails for PhP795 at watsons and comes with a sponge applicator. It can last for 4 hours without any eyeshadow primers. I only noticed that the colors are more vibrant if you do not use any eye primers or brush, and instead use your finger tips to apply. The only trade off for not using the eye primer is that you have to retouch the eye shadow after a few hours, approximately 4 hours.

The color combination is so detailed that they considered the right shade to put on the brow bone as highlighter and the tear ducts. I really love this combination! I also like the consistency of the gold eyeshadow because it is a bit creamy but only if you apply using your fingertips.

The gun metal and the brown colors last longer than the gold. The pinkish silver fades over a few hours but retains its shimmer so that is okay with me.

Overall, I would recommend this palette because it is a nice nude combination in 4 colors that come in a handy pack. I would however still gear towards the color pay off of The Face Shop's Face It Styling Triple Eyes.

My Costume for "White Christmas Party"

I had some difficulty trying to find a getup for the white Christmas party. But somehow, it all came together with this dress I bought from People are People, which was on sale for only PhP600. For the inner tube, I wore my Terranova tube dress in yellow. I used a NY and Co. white knit scarf to put on my hair and tied it in a bohemian knot but it somehow looked like a bonnet. For shoes, I wore brown aerosoles ankle boots. I had an Aldo lips necklace too.

For make up, I used the following:

1. Revlon Photoready Compact Make up in 100 Vanilla - as base

2. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer

3. Urban Decay De luxe Eyeshadow in Fishnet

4. Majolica Majorca mini palette in BR 751 (hover on the name Majolica Majorca to get the link for my blog on this brand :)  )
5. Shu Uemura glitter eyeshadows in G White Gold 311 and G Pink 135
6. Maybelline Gel Eyeliner in Black
7. My Big Fatty Mascara by Urban Decay

Check out my left eye which is the color combination I followed:

For the cheeks, I used
1. NYC Color Wheel Mosaic Face Powder in 723A Pink Cheek Glow - because I accidentally left my bronzer, the ever reliable Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess

2. Urban Decay After Glow Glide On Cheek Tint - as highlighter

For the lips I used
1. Avon Glimmersticks Lip Liner in Red Brick

2. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in "Matte 006 Really Red"

Here's the final look:

For an affordable Angus Beef Burger - get it from Burger King!

Hey guys,

I was doing my search for dirt cheap yet stylish and comfy ballet flats (which I will blog about soon after the break ins are done!) when I passed by Burger King. I figured what the hell? Let's get some really tough burger this time! Lo and behold: I landed upon the most affordable 100% Angus Beef Burger. For only 200 PhP, you get a value meal for a decently sized burger, square angus beef patty with excess on the sides of the bun, cheese, glazed with steak sauce, plus some crunchy bits (crispy onions and they added to the flavor). Now I wanted an upsize apple Hi-C, so my total bill was PhP215. Not bad baby!

I made the image larger so you can see the burger clearly.

Now I hate to compare this with Shake Shack, because what I had there was really pumped up. It had bacon. I had the Single Smoke Shack, and according to the menu from the branch in Flat Iron District NYC, it is : cheeseburger topped with niman ranch all natural applewood smoked bacon, chopped bacon, chopped cherry pepper and shacksauce.The dressing of Shake Shack is superb. It is something that they must have created on their own, I am not sure, but the thing is I have not tasted it anywhere in all the steak sauces all over grocery stores. That I say, hats off to you Shake Shack. However, the bacon is a wrong idea because everything you put with bacon tastes great. I made that mistake. It kind of drowned the taste of the Angus Beef. So maybe that was why I wasn't too impressed. Not to mention the line was amazingly long: 30 minutes to line up, about 7-10minutes to wait for your order to buzz (they give you a puck that vibrates with lights) --- all for an Angus beef Smoke Shack burger (has crunchy bacon), really good cheesy fries, and 650 calorie Fair Trade Shake. Total Damage? Aproximately 12 USD. See the long line below:

I am not a burger lover, but this one from Burger King really made my day. So try it out, it is super affordable :)

Gel Nail Polish: Are they really worth it??

My nails on my hands rarely have nail polish and I always keep them short. I find nail polish to be too much of a hassle because it breaks, it cracks, and it doesn't last long enough. Give it 3 days and you need to get that bottle of nail polish remover to make sure your hands don't look like you do not care about hygiene.

I found out about these gel nail polish from a colleague and saw that hers lasted for 4 weeks. 4 weeks is like bliss! So I went to California Nails and Day Spa to have it done.

The entire nail color application together with the gel lasted for about 1 hour. They put the gel first, then you will have to insert your hand in the gadget with a lamp which cures the nail polish and makes it set so hard so fast. Then there will be around 4 rounds of nail polish + curing (about 25-30 seconds under the lamp). So in total, about 5 repetitions of polish+curing.

How did it look? See below. It is actually very very pretty. The edges look like they are done so well, so gelly, and appears to be wet but with enough surface tension that it doesn't smear. But actually, there is no surface tension there. It is in fact well cured, really dry, and really polished. Now I have done many things with my hands, name it: replacing phone cases, laundry, cooking, what have you! It never cracks and it doesn't chip on the tips at all!!! Amazing!!!!

I am not one to indulge on these things. I always look for bargain finds so I can blog about it and spread the good news. Now what made me want to try it out? It was PhP500 at California Nails and Day Spa. That's not cheap, that is actually ridiculous. However, if it can last me 4 weeks, that is already a great deal, considering the cheapest decent manicure with polish will cost around 100php and will last you for 3 days...6 days for nail polish brands like OPI, China Glaze, The FaceShop, or Ulta.

So how long did it last on me? Day 12 showed signs of minor chipping on the sides. Here is day 16, where you can see my nails have grown so fast as seen on the base:

Today as I post this new photo, it is Day 19 of the gel nail polish done by California Nails and Day Spa. I definitely need to have this taken off. The said salon charges about 150php to take them off but they will remove it for PhP100 if you will have another round done by them. If they are not the ones who initially placed the gel polish on you, they charge about 250php for removal.

Will I have this done again? Probably............but not as frequent. I do recommend it if your nails do not grow as fast as mine. My colleague still has her gel polish intact, we actually went to the salon together to have it done. Hers are still a-ok, and there is no sign of nail growth at all. If your nails grow too fast, and you will notice this because your hair grows fast too, then this is a bit of an indulgence for you. You might want to reserve this for a really good event or a planned holiday/vacation, the sand on the beach cannot damage this at all! It will last you more than 6 days for sure, no chipping, no breaking. And that is still a breakthrough, but yet again, only IF price is not an issue.

Memories of pearl farm...sometimes i keep still and relive the moments... Created with PhotoShake for Android

Autumn in New York

October 27, 2012 -  Finally! After 3 attempts at Bryant Park, 2 visits at Central Park, New York has turned auburn and amber at Riverside Park!

Here are some photos. It is just in time before hurricane Sandy arrives tomorrow Sunday until Tuesday. Calling all photo and Instagram enthusiasts! I hope the hurricane doesn't take all those orange leaves away.......and you get to see it by Wednesday :)

Autumn in New York = "Fall" in Love!

I have found my favorite mascara: Urban Decay's Big Fatty Mascara

I have been using mascara here and there, often to just darken the tips of my lashes because I hate the clumpy look and the heavy feel. Without any particular requirement, I have used types such as basic black, brown shades, volumizers, lengtheners, waterproof (the rainy days can get tricky with mascara, but I hate these because I lose my lashes by the time I wash my face).

I was neither pleased nor unhappy with my many mascara brands. I used 1 or 2 brands at a time in no more than 6 months. Then I just replace with any new brand that I wanna try.

Now the search is over! I had the opportunity to try Urban Decay's Big Fatty Mascara. It is categorized as a Thickening and Lengthening Mascara, and I'm telling you, it is a game changer in the field of mascaras. Its brush is too pretty that it combs all your lashes no matter how thick or close together they are. The end result is a natural-looking lash but defined at the tips so they look longer. For some reason, I never had the need to put so much, it never gets clumpy, and it's very light. I do not have that feeling that I have bushy lashes if you know what I mean, like some mascaras make it annoying to blink.

Above are photos of the box and the brush up close. It is priced at 20USD. Urban Decay reformulated this and I think they redesigned the packaging too, but hey, this old one suits me great! How much more for a reformulated version?

The only problem I had with this mascara is that when you use it in places with hot weather, it does not dry up fast enough. So be very careful that you do not smear it after applying. It must have something to do with the oil in the formula. Nevertheless, I still love it because it lasts longer unlike other tubes which dry up so fast even before you use the entire bottle.

The box reads: "It's big, it's fat, it should be illegal. Infused with hemp oil, this mascara is a trip, taking lashes to a new realm where fantasy and reality collide. The big, fuzzy brush makes lashes look so full, so dreamy... so surreal! The creamy formula thickens, lengthens, and glosses lashes. Just one use, and you're addicted."

......and indeed, I am.

My Central Park Tour

As I was waiting for Central Park to get all auburn and amber, here are some photos I took in October 2012. It is a nice chilly weather where you can go around the park leisurely from 2pm-5pm. I followed the recommendation of Lonely Planet to make a walk tour that will lead me to the lake, the Bethesda Fountain, the Great Lawn.

I got off the train at 72nd West Central Park. And here begins my phototour.......

The Bethesda Fountain is amazing and I wonder how it looks like in winter...

Shakespeare Garden

The tree right on top of Strawberry Fields "Imagine"

The park is a nice place to walk the dog, read a book, stare at the lake... Autumn in New York is indeed something :)