AMW Bulletin: Creations Salon Contest + Studio SnR x Bobbi Brown's Mastering the Basics

Dear Philippine Readers:
It's a good sunshine-y Tuesday!  Another Bulletin Alert from yours truly!  Are you ready?

You can get a chance to win a total makeover (cut, color, nails) from THE Lourd Ramos himself!  

Mechanics:

• Like Creations Salon by Lourd Ramos on Facebook and follow them on Twitter (creations_lourd). 
• Lourd Ramos is best known for his flawless, natural-looking makeup. So get flawless and take a shot of your best natural look. Post your photo publicly on our Facebook wall.. 
• Tell them what inspired your look -- BE CREATIVE and don't be afraid to get down to the details. Finally, answer this question.
• Why do you deserve a makeover by Lourd Ramos?
• Submission of photos will run from January 18 - February 15, 2012. 
• Winner will be picked on February 18, 2012 and will be notified via email.

 Do follow instructions and contest won't happen HERE on AMW site.

Next, a lot of you want to learn make up and Studio SnR kicked off the year 2012 with another The Beauty High Tea Series for Bobbi's Mastering the Basics!  I've attended once and mind you, I have learned so much and learning should NEVER stop!

To read about my experience, smile and click HERE.

Oh, before I forget, this time, Studio SnR partners with Serenitea!  Oooohhh you get to enjoy learning at the same time enjoy drinks from Serenitea!

I'll be back for more information from the li'l birdies that are nice enough to tell me what's happening out there! :)

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

(Note: Author is not affiliated with companies mentioned in this post.  This serves as information purposes only.)

AMW Reviews: Dove Damage Therapy Intense Repair Treatment Mask

I have been holding off the review of the Dove Damage Therapy Hair Treatment as I don't know how most of my local readers can search for this product since this was gifted to me by my brother from Shanghai! 

Oh yes, my brother knows how crazy I was in terms of taking care of my hair so he always brings back random hair treatment stuff and so far, he's got good taste! :)

Anyway, I'm starting to blab again and the point of the story, I recently saw a commercial on TV from Dove and I'm happy to learn that Dove hair care products are FINALLY available in Manila!  So I'm ready to share my reviews and not put "Not locally available" as Con! :)

Dove Damage Therapy says ---

Dove Damage Therapy Intensive Repair Treatment Mask helps to ensure hair is more resilient to future damage. Contains conditioning ingredients to help smooth hair and prevent future damage and moisture loss, moisturising serums and oils to keep hair looking and feeling manageable, a vita-protein complex to replenish the hair and fibre actives to help rebuild internal intra-protein bonds within the hair cortex to repair internal damage. Suitable for use in the shower. 

Size: 200ml

AMW says ---

Pros

• Well sealed upon purchase.

• The mouth of the packaging is quite big so easy to grab enough product.
• This can also be used as daily conditioner if your hair is damaged.
• Hair feels soft and easy to comb.
• Even when massaged on the scalp area, this does not weigh down hair.
• No oily feel.
• One tub lasts me more than 2 months.  Quite a deal considering I sometimes use this as regular conditioner.
• Smells great!
• Does lessen frizz (but not completely remove them)
  

Cons

• Those who have super frizzy hair may not see results right away.
• Everything is in Chinese so I'm not sure if the local version does have an English translation. (lucky me I can read Chinese though) :)

Overall
This is a very simple hair treatment that targets dryness, hair gets smoother and easy to comb even after first use.

Tips

• Apply starting from the mid-shaft of the hair to bottom.
• Do this on a weekly basis.  If your hair is very damaged, do this treatment twice a week.
• Though instructions ask you to put this on for around 5 minutes, on days I have enough time, I apply a generous amount onto a damp hair and wrap my hair with a cling wrap or shower cap and let it sit for an hour!  My hair feels and looks gorgeous for the whole week!
• How to prevent hair loss in women? Many have asked, well one way to prevent it is to use weekly treatment for hair to be softer and tangle-free which makes brushing or combing easier.

Will I repurchase?
Yes!

To whom do I recommend this to?
Best for normal to dry, damaged hair.

Where to purchase and how much?
At leading groceries and department stores for Php253.00(approx $5.88).

Have you tried Dove Hair Care products?

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

Eureka Moment: "Organization-On-Sale" plus L.A. Art Deco Polishes!

Don't you just hate it when you try to get organized but you have to spend a lot just to be one?  I don't know about you but I feel that way! 

Over the weekend, we went to Trinoma Mall and look the Eureka Moments I've had?  I know some of you  have been there back and forth so you probably knew about these, I'm too late at times but it doesn't hurt to share...even when I'm late :)

Remember the Eureka Moments HERE and HERE?

Well, good news to start off Year of the Dragon!  These lovelies are FINALLY on sale!

The pastel colored ones (in the middle) is on 30% off while the darker colored ones (right side) were on 20% off!  The price range is about Php2,500 so you do your Math!  I didn't, I just got too excited to calculate!  Did I buy it?  No, as I already have a good storage system at home but I'm sure a lot of you will be happy to know these gorgeous drawers are on sale! 

Aside from makeup organization, I'm sure most of you are into accessories like me!  The Foldable Earring Screen which I blogged about a year or 2 years ago is on sale! 

50% off from Php899.75  (approx $20.90)

to Php450.00 (approx $10.50)

30% off for Necklace Stand

around Php450.00 (approx $10.45) 

to Php315.00 (approx $7.30)

**All of the products mentioned above are sighted at True Value, Trinoma.

I have to be honest with you, I'm not sure until when the SALE will run so do give them a call to check or head on to True Value, Trinoma or other branches as early as TODAY! 

Now, on to the thin brushed Nail Art Pens from L.A. Colors!  Since THIS blog post, a lot of you have been emailing me telling me they can't seem to find them at Market! Market! So what does AMW do?  Search like a "hawk" on various malls to help you guys find the next target to hoard the gorgeous L.A. Colors Art Deco Pens which I use a lot on my Nail Art Tutorials!

Located at Landmark, Trinoma Mall

for Php99.75 (approx $2.00)

Hope this post is helpful to some of you looking for ways to save up!!! :)
Cheers to more Eureka Moments!

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

Nail Art Tutorial: Getting Back That Romance

January 2012 is almost over!  Time flew by so fast I can't keep up! Do you feel the same?

Today, my brother will be leaving the country again after a wonderful week vacation for the Chinese Holidays.  I feel sad but at the same time, I'm thanking God for the time we spent as a family!  I'm sure there will be more bonding moments between us!

To prepare myself for the Month of the Hearts, I will be sharing a nail art tutorial with me Getting Back That Romance!

I've done several drawings from cute to crazy!  Today, I will be sharing a simple nail art tutorial that is friendly for office ladies!

Keep in mind that this nail art design is not originally mine, I think I saw this design somewhere online last year and I was trying to search for this again but failed!  So if you know who did this nail art design, let me know so I can link the person back :)

Step 1:

Apply a base coat of your choice to prevent your nails from yellowing.  I chose a light pinkish shade from Wet N' Wild 205A Sugar Coat.  Applied 2 coats and let dry.

Weekend Food Tripping at: Indulgence by Irene

When I read raves from various food bloggers in town regarding the new Quezo de Bola Cheesecake made by a certain Irene.  I was thinking to myself..."Irene who? The name sounds familiar!"

True enough, she's someone I know!  She's the wife of Tales from the Tummy, I told Mr. AMW right away to support them!  When Mr. AMW heard the name: "Quezo de Bola Cheesecake", he squirmed and said: "I'll support you in spirit but I won't be putting anything Quezo de Bola near my mouth!" :P  Men!  :P

So over the weekend, during our family bonding at Crown Regency Makati, our dear foodie blogger friend Richard kindly delivered the Quezo de Bola Cheesecake and I excitedly shared it to the family!

You have to excuse the ugly "sliced cheesecake" photo below!  I was too lazy to ring up housekeeping and I can't wait to try the cheesecake everyone's been raving about! 

The smart Nikki used a "coffee stirrer" in slicing the cheesecake!   Best slicing I've done! :P  So no complaints okay? :P

First slice offered to my mom, my mom gave this huge "OH it's delicious" sound!  My brother agreed, I took a huge bite myself and enjoyed the richness of cheese minus the "umay" (fed up) feeling.  I can't even taste the Quezo de Bola "taste" that I am not fond of but I can literally feel the texture of Quezo De Bola!  It was New Years' Eve all over again!

*insert Katy Perry's Fireworks song*

Because we all gave a thumbs up sign, curious Mr. AMW finally gave in and asked me to promise him he won't regret the "tasting".  I did not only promise him but I even fed him and held his hand!  :P  

I guess everyone's waiting for the final verdict?

YES!  He loved it too, he loved it so much he asked for 2nd slice! *tsk* One slice for me and 2 for him?  Who said life is fair? :P  Off I went to pass the rest to my sister and my brother-in-law, everyone loved it!  Even my nephew!  

I therefore conclude (just like any Science project), Indulgence by Irene Quezo De Bola Cheesecake passed our standard and mind you...of all ages! :)

Quezo de Bola Cheesecake

9 inch - Php900.00 (approx $21.00)

4 1/2 inch - P200.00 (approx $4.65)
For Orders: 0922-8303900/0917-6225800
Pick up in Ortigas
Meet up in Magallanes - Weekday mornings and afternoons

Add them up on Facebook, I promise you looking at pictures won't make you fat.  Once you order, I'm not liable :P

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

AMW Bulletin: Benefit's Hi San Francisco!

Dear AMW Readers:
Our friends from Benefit have something exciting in store for everyone!  

4 Benebabes will win the following ---

• Exclusive meet and greet, makeup session/lesson and photo shoot with gorgeous Benebabes and Global Benefit authorities Maggie and Annie Ford Danielson!
• Php10,000 worth of Benefit products and services! (Php5,000 worth of products and Php5,000 worth of brow waxing certificates!)
• Represent a model a San Francisco Look (California, Bohemian, Lovely, Professional) at the Benefit Grand Launch Event on February 7 at the Greenbelt 5 Gallery!

That's a whole lot of BeneFUN! :)

Feel free to click photo to enlarge and read more details or visit Benefit Cosmetics Philippines FB Page for updates!

Who's joining?
Goodluck!

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

AMW Reports: Manila Ocean Park

"Mom, dad!  I booked tickets to Ocean Park so let's spend the afternoon when we get the chance okay?"

My dad goes: "Ocean Park...in Hong Kong?" 

It's nice how my dad didn't know we have Ocean Park in Manila and it was my biggest pleasure to take them along with me to enjoy life in the ocean! 

The perfect timing?  When my brother came back for a vacation, we head off during the Chinese New Year's break and boy was the place packed!  Though the long queue made me almost regret for picking that specific day, I'm glad everything was organized!

Here are the activities we went for:

Sea Lion Show - Php150.00 (approx $3.50)

Oceanarium - Php400.00 (approx $9.30)

Musical Fountain Show - Php300.00 (approx $7.00)

Bought the Summer Package Oceanarium + Musical Fountain Show for Php500.00 saving Php200.00!  

To those who have old parents like I do, do not worry and I highly advise everyone to take their parents or grandparents with them for bonding!  You can borrow a wheelchair by surrendering your parents' or grandparents' Senior Citizen Card at the entrance of Manila Ocean Park.  The wheelchair is very comfortable to sit at!  :)

We watched the 4:30pm Sea Lion Show and get to learn more than a thing or two about Sea Lions! 

In Manila Ocean Park, they have a total of 5 Sea Lions!  4 of them are females and only 1 male!

 

These talented and smart Sea Lions who came all the way from South America made me realize how little I know about other creatures created by God!

Sea Lions are mammals because they have lungs, who have very flexible body and can do a lot of stunts and look so cute at the same time!

After approximately 20 minutes of show, off we went to enjoy the Oceanarium to experience marine life, as they say, without getting wet in Asia's largest underwater viewing tunnel!  

 

I am amazed as I see characters from the cartoon Finding Nemo came into life! :)

So many Nemos!!!

 

"Dory" is right beside this fish but we can't seem to take a good shot of her! :)

Shark friends of Dory :)

The "school bus" of Nemo and his classmates

right at the end part of the movie! :)

 Aside from Finding Nemo characters, I found a lot more creatures I haven't seen in my entire life!

Super tiny crablets :P

And some weird looking guy who smirked right through us! :P

Aawww, this one looks sweeter :P

I read that the Oceanarium here in Manila showcases 5,000 varieties of marine creatures endemic to the Philippines and the Southeast Asia!

As soon as we exited the Oceanarium, perfect timing as we got the perfect view of Sunset :)

And a perfect view of Mr. and Mrs. AMW :P

We didn't get the chance to roam the whole place as I am with my dad so we went for a quick snack at North Park to relax and wait for the 7:00pm Musical Fountain Show.

It was a little bit over 30 minutes of grand fountains coming to life with music and dancing laser lights!

It made the audience screamed when animated sea friends emerges from the water screen

 And the super bright lights accompanied with fireworks made the great ending!

It was a wonderful day and I'm glad to have spent it with my loved ones! :)

Have you been to Manila Ocean Park?  

What other must visit activities shall we head off to?

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!
Love your family! :)

AMW Bulletin: Dove Website is Up!

Hi everyone, weekend is within reach!  I'm sure a lot of my readers here are also blog readers of various websites!  From beauty, fashion, food, travel and a whole lot more! 

I myself is a "blog-hopper" grasshopper (sorry I just need to say that) :P.  Today, I want to share a blog that I got to learn when I attended the Dove meeting last year!  Various articles were written by professionals on different topics and I find myself browsing the site and have been enjoying the articles posted! As you know, learning is FUN and we should never stop!

DOVE Real Beauty Basics

One of the many articles that caught my interest is the Breaking the Beauty Myth: How to Get Rid of Eye bags.

I have been asked so many times by my friends and blog readers on how to really get rid of eye bags and I think this phrase which I copied from the site is a start for us to learn the root cause before we can target on finding ways to lessen or if all else's fail, cover them!  Before we beat them, we have to join them and understand them! :)

**feel free to click to enlarge image

Err, after reading this article, I guess, I suffer from both dark circles and eye bags! :(  How about you? 

So yes, please head on to the article and you'll learn a thing or two about those unsightly eye bags we want to get rid off! :)  

Oh, can I just share that they also have articles written about HAIR too?  ---> the topic closest to my heart after Make up! Let's browse the site together shall we?  And don't forget to share your favorite article to me!

Happy Reading!
Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

(This is a sponsored post.)

Tip for the Day: Primers

Good morning loves! :)  How's your day today?  Mine will definitely be filled with caffeine + loads of love!  :P  I am going into a super busy February and the coming months so please bear with me if your requests won't come in as fast as a lightning!  I will try my best to accommodate all your requests (Yes, even nude painting of myself) *gasps*  

You should know by now that I'm JUST JOKING!  :P

Today, I will continue my Twilight saga, I talked about my takes on Foundations that I've tried and heard about in THIS POST and a lot of you have been asking me to continue the series! 

So let's talk about Primers, primers that I've tried and used and see which ones could work for you too! :) Keep in mind to purchase at your own discretion, I write this post base on my personal usage and some to my clients.

For Dry Skin

Why should dry-skinned individuals use primers?  Well, it's a matter of choice but I suggest we do especially when attending special events. :)  Can you imagine a well-polished face cracks and peels after a couple of hours inside an air-conditioned room?  Charge it to experience, been there, done that! :)

SPEND

Becca Silky Hydrating Primer

I have been using this on mature skinned clients and they love the scent too!  This product feels like moisturizer and gets absorbed into the skin easily.

Benefit's That Gal Brightening Face Primer

Brightening is one way to fake healthy glow of a skin that is dry and you can definitely get that from Benefit's That Gal!

Paul & Joe Moisturizing Foundation Primer

I believe in its name because it felt like a light moisturizer upon application!  It gets absorbed into dry areas easily thus creating a nice, plump base to start with foundation application.

SAVE

Any moisturizer that works for you or your client.  Serums are wonderful option too!  I love serums from GoodSkin Labs.

For Oily Skin

I have used a lot of primers for Oily skinned as most of my clients suffer from this skin type!  Here are my top choices as of the moment.

SPEND 
Smashbox Photo Finish

This is one of the best oil-control primer available in the market and has been sold out when it first came into our market.  The problem with this product is the presence of "silicone" in it's list of  ingredients and may cause breakout to some people!  That's why I do not use this much on gigs as I don't want my client to wake up with pimples even though they tell me they aren't allergic to any ingredients.

Smashbox Photo Finish Light

I have finished 3 bottles of this and I really recommend them to brides!  This is lightweight and water-based.  So far, I do not have any texts or calls from clients telling me I ruined their skin!  *knocks on wood*.  

Make Up For Ever All Mat Face Mattifying Primer

I have tried a sample size of this and the texture and effect is similar to Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Light.

Laura Mercier Oil-Free Foundation Primer

This one does not contain any silicone ingredients and it feels like an oil-free moisturizer when applied.  The good part of using this is that foundation can be applied with ease minus the oily feel.

SAVE

L'Oreal Paris Base Magique

I can't seem to find really good, inexpensive oil-control primers and one that pops inside my head right away for SAVE is L'Oreal Base Magique!  I have used this on clients who were off for an outdoor pre-nup pictorial!  This may not have the best oil-control power like those on the SPEND portion but for its price, it exceeds my expectation.

Ellana Make It Last Makeup Primer 

I'm not sure if this is still available but I got a sample size of this and have used this on oily-skinned friends and it does work wonders.  This product contains silicone.

Revlon Beyond Natural Smoothing Primer

Keep in mind that this could feel a bit heavy on skin and must be applied sparingly!  Not all skin type will agree with the ingredients of this primer!  I find this primer works better on male clients!

For Normal/Combination Skin

I try not to put much primer on a normal skin but only apply on areas that oil up or dries out!  I do use 2 primers at a time for one client as we should really put on products where it is needed! 

SPEND

Paul and Joe Protective Foundation Primer UV

Cover FX SkinPrep Primer

My dearest blogger friend Gracie sent me this and it pains me as I've been using this a lot on clients of any skin type and it worked on all of them!  I am done with this tube and I guess I have to search online to repurchase this! 

SAVE

You can go for any "save" items from above and apply only on areas needed.

Please do keep in mind that less is always more, try not to put a lot of products on your face as possible!  One huge tip:  If your current foundation or setting powder gives you the Oil-control or Hydration your skin needs, then you can always skip primer application and your skin will thank you for it! :)

Can you share more "Primer Finds" for our readers out there?
What's your skin type and what's your favorite primer?

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!