Monday, October 26, 2009

AMW Reports: Becca Cosmetics Counter


Happy Monday people!  I won't be having any Monday blues because I won't be at work today, I will be off for a passport renewal so I took the day off!  Passport renewal means more places to go? *I wish!*

Let me bring in sunshine for our Monday Blues to the rest of the crew who has to work!  When I posted about my Becca Cream Blush review, one reader emailed me and asked me Becca stuffs should they expect when they visit the counter.  My mind went blank. Seriously, I can't seem to remember, so when I had to chance to visit the counter again, I didn't think twice to ask my "ninja husband" to help me take shots.  Sorry it's not that clear as he used a cellphone camera!  A ninja shouldn't be obvious right? :P

Note: Yours truly is off to a wedding party right after so please do not think I'm dressing up just to shop! lol

Becca Counter is located inside Adora mall.  Adora is located at the 2nd and 3rd floor of Greenbelt 5.  It reminded me of Rustan's (for people who are familiar with it) but better, its a posh looking area that sells perfumes, cosmetics, clothing and a lot more. 

Becca greeted me with a nice makeup area.  2 of the exact one on photo!  You can freely roam around and check out the testers that are readily available for you.  They also include cotton pads, paper napkin and alcohol for you to disinfect before and after testing!  I love it when cosmetic counters took the effort to do these.





First stop, the Complexion and Makeup section.  Looking at the photo below, the left side are the Stick Foundations while the simple packaging on the right side are their tinted moisturizers called Luminous Skin Color




I tested the Luminous Skin Color and I am loving the texture.  I am really happy to announce that they have wide range of shades for every skin color.



Next stop, the Compact Concealers, if you are familiar with Eve Pearl concealers, the concept is similar, 2 concealer shades in one compact, but I think the Becca Concealers are larger in size, correct me if I'm wrong.  Same as the Stick Foundation and Luminous Skin Color, these are available i wide ranges of shades for both warm and cool skin tone.



The Fine Pressed Powders are too cute to miss out!  They are separated in Light and Dark.  I've swiped the powder on hand and they are very silky indeed.  Those cute little jars you see that looks like MAC's loose pigments?  They're Loose Powders.  I believe they are used to set foundation and some people like it in loose form!  So they have it!  I personally like the pressed version though, as always!



Another cute jar called Loose Shimmer Powders are there for the cheeks area.  These are multi-functional and can be used for eyes, cheeks, body or even the lips!  They also have their bestselling Becca Beach Tint on a cute squeeze type tube.



 And several shades of Becca Cream blushes that are lined up like an army!



As I went oooohing and ahhing on all the products.  The diligent photographer strategically took shots on everything while I'm checking out the lips area.  There are Sheer Tint Lip Color packed in a nice silver lipstick tube, Glossy Lip Tints packaged in a glass tube and another set of Beach Tints for the lips!  They also have Lip Liners but I don't see a lot of shades available for it.  The nude lip liner caught my eye!



And I nearly forgot this area!  I was amazed when I saw their display for makeup brushes and beauty tools!  They don't come in cheap, but with my quick touch test, these brushes are definitely promising!




 I like it how their products are all strategically displayed and there's a huge sofa where you can sit or relax, or probably a place where most "significant" others would sit while waiting for their loved ones spend their lifetime savings! lol



A guy from Adora came towards us (not to tell me that I look pretty) but to tell us that we're not allowed to take photos. I smiled my sweetest smile and apologized....

"Sorry, we will be leaving..."
*whispers to husband*
"Sorry, we will be leaving...we got enough shots before you caught us!"
Bleh :P




Do expect a review on 
Becca Silky Hydrating Primer soon!
Yes, Primer Lady strikes again! :D 







Keep smilin'
Stay happy!



Sunday, October 25, 2009

Weekend Food Tripping at: Home Cooked Meals


Home cooked meals are still the best in my opinion!  There are a lot of great food out there but nothing beats the warmth of meals made by your relatives or loved ones!  Thinking about it, I do miss my mom's cooking!  My mom doesn't cook much recently but before I move on to the sad story, let me go to the brighter side.

We were invited by Keith's Aunt and Uncle for a dinner over the weekend.  Keith and I love their cooking and it really fills the tummy with a huge smile on our faces!  I love it that they prepare different and well thought dishes each and everytime!  What did we fill our tummy with?


Steamed egg with eggplant

Steamed egg itself is wonderful, but with a mix of eggplant
and the soft texture of the egg, perfect to start the meal!



Fish Fillet Strips

This is my ultimate favorite!  The batter they use is perfect and not oily at all!
The meal was accompanied with home maid mayonnaise!  Sorry not on photo
the Fish strips was gone in less than 10 minutes! lol



Noodles with Vegetables

The noodles my look dry or tasteless
but looks really can be deceiving
it's the healthiest and most tasteful noodles I've tried



Hong Ba (Red Meat)

A Chinese version of Adobo (Filipino Dish) 
Pork leg cooked til the fire is "red" served with thick sauce.
These are basically cooked in long hours! The longer the better
The photo of the Pork may look dry but there's a separate sauce that came with it









Nothing beats dessert!
A nice Dairy Queen 
Vanilla Ice Cream Bar Cookie Bar




And a DQ Dilly Bar







Do you prefer home cooked meals 
or you'd rather spend the money to dine outside? 

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!


Saturday, October 24, 2009

AMW Reviews: Amu'in Shower Gel


I am a soap user and have always been, but soaps no matter how moisturizing they call themselves, aren't enough for my super dry skin.  Recently, I've been purchasing Bath Lotion or Shower Gel to ease up my dryness while taking a shower.  When I was given the chance to try the Amu'in range of products, I jumped in the chance as an all natural products are always a big YES for me.

After my review on the "Alaga" (Care) line including the Hand Sanitizer and the Moisturizing Hand Lotion, it's time for me to give "Sigla" (Energy) a try!  This time, its a shower gel!




Amu'in Shower Gel in Sigla says ---



Jump start your day and bring the sunshine in with this moisturizing and cleansing body wash using refreshing Lemongrass, Peppermint, May Chang, and Lemon essential oils with Mango Extract.

  • Energizing
  • Great to use in the morning
  • Moisturizes and cleanses
  • Contains 100% pure and natural essential oils
  • Do not use if pregnant
Key Ingredients
Lemongrass, Peppermint, May Chang, and Lemon essential oils with Mango extract.



AMW says ---

Pros

  • locally made
  • natural ingredients
  • no allergies
  • it doesn't dry out my skin
  • energizes me a bit
  • nice and simple packaging
Cons
  • not safe for pregnant women
  • not everyone would like the scent, it may get too tiring to the nose if used longer
  • for international readers: Locally made, so have to purchase online
  • scent is gone by an hour or so (I don't mind about this)
Tips
  • perfect to use this with a wash cloth
  • mix the shower gel in a tub of water then dip your wash cloth to gently scrub your body
  • always follow with body lotion or cream right after shower to keep your skin moisturized.

Overall

The Amu'in Shower Gel in Sigla is a nice addition for your morning routine, its scent does energize me during shower but a cup of coffee is still needed for me to last the day :)

Will I repurchase?
I don't think so, don't get me wrong, this is a good  product but I seldom repurchase the same brand of shower gels!

Where to purchase and how much?
Amu'in Multiply site Php435.00 (approx $9.25) for 450ml
or you can purchase the sample sizes from Gift Sets. 


Are you a soap or shower gel user?
Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

Friday, October 23, 2009

I Wonder: " Does Packaging Make You Spend More?"


Happy Friday!!!  Thanks for all the lovely comments I get on each posts that I make, it really gave me the drive to create better articles daily for my blog to be very helpful to some of you out there. And I learn so much from reading comments too!  So thank you...thank you...thank you.

When I posted my review yesterday on the Revlon Custom Creations Foundation, I did mention that the packaging intrigued me so much that a couple or negative reviews didn't stop me from purchasing,

That's where my weekend "I Wonder" question comes in...

"Does Packaging for both Cosmetics and Makeup 
Make You Want To Spend More?"

AMW says ---

For skincare, it'll be great if a product comes in with good packaging but I wouldn't mind if they don't as what's important for me is the quality of the skincare product.  See how much I love my Clinique Skincare products evenhough some of their packaging are just...blah?



As for cosmetics, I would still go for quality.  I know, I broke down with the Revlon Custom Creations Foundation, but to my defense, the rest of my purchases are based on quality!  And it's not like it was a crappy product!  *being defensive*

I am sure everyone would go for quality, but once, have you purchased something you think is similar to what you own but you just can't help it because the packaging is just too cute?  Are you one of those who went crazy with the Stila Barbie Collection, the MAC Hello Kitty or even the Paul & Joe Disney collection?
 




.............................. *still waiting for your answer*


Don't worry, I'm sure you're not alone, I guess in some way or another, we are all guilty of it, no wonder several beauty companies are quite smart in packaging and repacking their products.

Before I end this post,  let me admit something... I purchased my first Paul & Joe product because of it's packaging too!  Whew, I'm glad the quality's not crappy :)







I know...flowers again huh? *winks*
Keep smilin'
Stay happy!




Thursday, October 22, 2009

NU107 Rock Awards 2009 Free Tickets






Dear Philippine Readers:

15 people will get 2 FREE tickets to the NU107 Rock Awards 2009 happening on October 30 at the World Trade Center.

Simply upload a photo of your recent* Levi's purchase with proof of  purchase and tag it as Levi's Loop on Facebook. First 15 people to upload  their photo get the tickets. Redemption details will be emailed upon
confirmation.

In order to tag Levi's, you can find their fan page at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Levisr-Loop-Membership-Program/157632462626.

Levi's Loop members can also use their points to redeem tickets. 2 tickets
per redemption. Details will be emailed upon confirmation of redemption.

To know more about the NU107 Rock Awards 2009, visit
http://rockawards.nu107fm.com/

Tickets are sold at Ticketnet.

*Any purchase from October 1-29, 2009.

Keep smilin'
Stay Happy! :)