Thursday, August 16, 2012

AMW Reports: AMW Tried Segway!

Segway isn't new to me!  The first time I saw it was last year during our Singapore trip!  We were super tired after all the walking at the Universal Studios then we went straight to Sentosa Island, I saw huge posters of Jackie Chan on Segway and I playfully asked Mr. AMW to buy me one!  Of course he chuckled and play deaf!  *hahaha*

When Nuffnang Philippines contacted me and asked me if I would like to try Segway with friends, I immediately said yes!  Mr. AMW was very excited as well!

Why use a Segway you ask?
Well, it is one great alternative to accomplish daily tasks like going around the village, going to a nearby store, etc...  Segway is called "The Sweet Green Ride" because it's an electric two-wheeled, self-balancing transportation, easier to park, can take you places without as much noise and pollution as a scooter and can travel as far as 40km on a single battery charge.  This device was first introduced to the public on "Good Morning America in year 2002" and 10 years after, it's finally here in the Philippines.

Before we hopped on the Segway ride, Angela and I were given a short brief for safety precautions.  I have to admit, both Angela and I were squeezing each other's arm as we wanted to run out of the court!  (Yes, we're over-reacting that way!)


We were each guided by a Segway personnel on the basics. I kept in mind that the movement is totally controlled by me so I can't go dancing and shake my booty while we were on the Segway course!

Angela on Segway for the first time

And me getting nervous and laughing at the same time!

The Segway stays upright by itself, stepping on the Segway needs to be done in caution.  As soon as you're comfortable, lean a bit forward for the Personal Transporter (PT) to move forward,  To move backward, leaning a bit backward is the key.


The Lean Steer frame is easy to manage, turning left and right is quite easy making the Segway course challenging yet fun!  After the first round, both Angela and I relaxed a bit and increased the speed.  
 

We actually felt safe and in control!  This is definitely easier than riding a bike!  *laughs*


Off we went for a short course at Rockwell's old basketball court.


Angela having fun

and isn't it obvious that I'm enjoying this too?

No wonder international celebrities like Jackie Chan, Justin Bieber, Jim Carry plus local celebrities like Pops Fernandez and Crystalle Belo were all seen using a Segway PT.
I wouldn't mind owning one!  Seriously, I don't want to get off the ride!  Angela and I managed to go for 4 rounds!

Kiddie Mr. AMW gave Segway a try too!

To learn more about the Segway PT, visit www.segway.com.ph or LIKE them on Facebook.

** Simply Moving Philippines, Inc. is the exclusive local distributors of Segway PT
** Thanks to Arthur and Angela for the photos!

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!





(this is a sponsored post.)



AMW Reviews: Palgantong Vita White BB Cream SPF30 PA++

BB Creams --- a huge gift from the Beauty God!  Since my first discovery of the famous Blemish Balm Creams, I never stopped using them as my skin can tends to breathe better.  How?  The answer is simple,  I tend to use less foundation or  none on a good skin days!

I have tons of "BB Creams"-related queries and the most common question is: "What's the best BB Cream for me?".   I'm very consistent in explaining to readers on how difficult it is to find the best BB cream for you without you having to test them on your own.

Yes, beauty bloggers are everywhere and almost all beauty bloggers I know have tried at least 1 BB Cream brand!  You can probably pick the best BB Cream for you based on a Beauty Blogger who has the same skin type or skin tone as you do but bear in mind that at the end of the day, our skin are uniquely different from others!  Skin 79 VIP Gold may be the best BB Cream for me but a friend of mine suffered serious allergic reactions to it!  My friend swore on Missha BB Cream but it didn't work for me as it gave me the itch!  

Can we blame the BB Cream brands?  No!  That's why I always explain to BB Cream fanatics to do researches, read reviews and then test them!  Ask a friend who owns the brand of BB Cream you want to give you a sample or go to the stores and ask if they offer samples!  

At the end of the day, the best way to find the best BB cream for you is to test them on your skin!

And why the fuzz over BB Creams?  It's a no-brainer that my review for today is (yet another) BB Cream called Palgantong Vita White BB Cream!

(Note from author: I've seen Palgantong products everywhere when I visited Tokyo!  The products were selling like hotcakes!)


Palgantong says ---
This is a one of a kind BB Cream, when wore, results in a poreless, flawless complexion. It also has great coverage that can blur out minor imperfections. SPF 30 PA++ blocks off UVA and UVB rays. It also brightens your complexion as you wear it throughout the day. Long-lasting, and great even for oily skin.

Some other special points of this product :
* has good coverage
* has good sun protection against burning and aging
* gives your skin a hydrated look
* contains various including Vitamin B3, C and E, & Pearl Extract to reduce the appearance of spots.
* brightens the skin
* creamy coverage minimizes the look of fine lines and wrinkles
* good coverage but lightweight in feel.

Shades Available :
#10 Light Beige - yellowish in tone
#20 Natural Beige - pinkish in tone

AMW says ---
Pros
  • Well sealed upon purchase.
 
  • Squeeze type tube.
 
  • Lightweight.
  • Buildable coverage.  From medium to heavy.
  • Stays the whole day even on humid weather.
  • Matte finish.
  • A little goes a long way.
  • Has SPF30 PA++
  • Happy that the 2 shades are meant for yellowish and pinkish tone.  At least we have both bases covered.
  • Smooth consistency, easy to blend.
Cons
  • Just like most BB Creams, limited shades. 
  • Not widely available in the local market.
  • Darker skinned individuals may find this to be light.
  • With direct flash, may create white cast due to its SPF content.
Overall
I'm quite impressed with the Palgantong Vita White BB Cream in terms of its coverage and its creaminess making the product easy to blend.  The scent is mild and leaves skin looking fresh the whole day!

Tips
  • If you have sensitive skin, do a patch test.
  • BB Cream application comes after skin care routine.  
  • Apply with clean fingers.  Massage gently and wait for the product to settle down before going to the next makeup routine.
  • If you have dry skin, it is best to moisturize your skin properly then follow with the BB Cream.
  • If you have extremely dry skin, mix a bit of your favorite moisturizer with the BB Cream.  I've done it and I love the result.
  • If you have oily skin, you can apply Palgantong Vita White BB Cream as it is as it will result into a fresh, matte finish.
  • If you have good-looking skin to start with, top the BB Cream with your choice of loose powder.  Oily skin would appreciate following this up with Palgantong's Theatrical Powder.  (I tried this combo and it dried out my skin even more!  Note: I have normal/dry skin!)
  •  If you need more coverage, set the BB Cream with powder foundation of choice.  This is the best time to adjust your BB Cream shade.  If this is too light on you, it's time to bring out those powder foundations you bought in the past that's a bit too dark on you!
  • Felt the effect is too matte for your taste?  Pull out your brightening powders or face highlighters!
Will I repurchase?
I may not repurchase for now as I have a lot of BB Creams to finish up.  I wouldn't mind recommending this to others though!

To whom do I recommend this to?
Normal, Combination, Oily skinned individuals are all welcome to try this!  Best for NC20-35 MAC users.

Where to purchase and how much?
Online via Beauty & Minerals for Php1,200.00 (approx $28.00).

 Photos

The box is written in Japanese.  To those who don't know, Palgantong the brand is from Japan!  I've seen a lot of girls in Tokyo Japan grabbing random Palgantong Products.  They're selling like hot-pancakes there!

 The shade I got is #10
Light Beige 

 A tiny amount shows true light beige shade.


No sparkles.  
Coverage is buildable and I'm quite impressed with its pigmentation.'
The color did not came off grey like other BB creams.

Light Beige seems to be too light for my skin

But after a minute or 2, the product settled and it blends into my skin quite well!  With this BB Cream, I like finishing this up with a medium beige shade of powder foundation or bronzer to give more life to my overall look.

Before and After (Applied Palgantong Vita White BB Cream alone)
My skin looks more even and the redness were gone.


Here's a photo after powder foundation application that's a shade darker than my skin.
  It made my skin looks healthier.

Have you tried any Palgantong products?
I used to purchase them at Greenhills but the store closed down!  At present I own 3 Palgantong products --- The Vita White BB Cream, The Sky Long Mascara and Theatrical Powder.

I'd love to try more!  Any other recommendations?

Follow AskMeWhats on Twitter 
Get "photo-updated" on Instagram (search "AskMeWhats")

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!



Wednesday, August 15, 2012

How to: Contour the Face for Daytime




Good morning AMW Readers!  I'm still suffering from colds, maybe I pushed my body to the limit, but I'm staying positive!  I may look like crap at the moment but there's always makeup to the rescue!  *shhh*

For this week's "This Is How I Do It" post, it is inspired by readers' comments on how they dislike to contour on regular days as it will look fake on them!  Well guess what?  There is such thing as contouring for daytime!  That's why I came up with a simple tutorial I do as I like to create dimension on my face but it's always subtle-looking!  

Before you scroll further down, here are some of the old articles I've written about Nose Contouring and  face contouring (super old post).  Some of the products I've used are a shade or 2 darker powder foundation, MAC sculpting powder in Lightsweep/Shadester, Stila Contouring Trio and in this tutorial, my Yves Rocher Duo Powder/Bronzer!  (reviews will be up in the future)

Hope you enjoy my mini tutorial!  Feel free to click Comment below if you have further queries! 

Let's start with the nose area...

With a soft angled eyeshadow brush or any fluffy brush, apply the contouring powder starting from the inner corner of the eyes as shown on photo below.


Tuesday, August 14, 2012

AMW Reports: My Favorite Beauty Bar Opens MORE Branches

I used to work at Libis area in a Fortune Top 500 company.  Everyday I would walk through Robinsons Galleria to wait for a bus or sometimes, my mom would pick me up!  While my thoughts were lingering on work, emails and client calls, there are 2 places that I love to visit that would temporarily put my stressful life on hold!  

Auntie Anne's for my quick Almond Pretzel fix then the Beauty Bar as I love to keep myself updated with brands, products and trends!

I do own a lot of makeup and skincare products at present but the first few significant ones are actually bought from various Beauty Bar Branches.

Weeks before my 25th birthday, Mr. AMW and I went inside the Beauty Bar, Shangri-La mall and he took notice on how much time I took staring at the Smashbox Beyond Beauty Encounter Brush Kit.  



Because I've been a very loving girlfriend *winks*  and I've been a super hardworking, Mr. AMW gifted me my first-ever full -sized brush set and that's when my goal to learn makeup professionally started. 

After receiving my first brush set, I started to build up my make up collection and I've always been very keen on buying the basics as a starter kit.

As seen on my first few months of blogging, I talk a lot about Burt's Bees products.  Some of the Burt's Bees products I used are ---

Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Toner


Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm
(which I repurchased three times)
 Burt's Bees Lifeguard's Choice

I would hop from one Beauty Bar branch to another and always leave the store with at least something that would give me the push to learn more about makeup artistry!  I expanded my brush collection by purchasing Prestige brushes!  Since MAC was a bit too much for someone starting up on makeup at that time, I picked a MAC 224 dupe called Prestige #103 Shadow Crease Brush and then followed with  Prestige #102 Shadow Contour Brush.  Both brushes are still doing well at present and I'm glad I invested on them.

Birds of the same feathers flock together, they say.   I find this statement true as I found myself surrounded by friends who are into makeup too!  It was still fresh in my mind our fun Kris Kringle game!  The girl I picked wrote down here wish and it was the Prestige Eyeshadow Quad which made me extra happy as I get  to go back to the Beauty Bar!  I find roaming around the store gives me the relaxation and satisfaction.
Imagine the good news when I received an email recently advising me that Beauty Bar will be opening up more branches!  Yay for all of us!
  • Bonifacio High Street – August 2012
  • Magnolia Mall, Quezon City – September 2012
  • Subic – September 2012
  • Glorietta – October 2012
  • Bacolod – December 2012
The news made me extra happy as I have more reasons to visit the store especially now that they have more brands!  They carry my favorite Andrea Modlash Adhesive and also my K-Palette 24H Real Lasting Eyebrow Liners and K-Palette 24H Real Lasting Eyeliner Waterproof.  Oh, don't even make me talk about the sponges, eyelashes and nail polishes!

Are you excited that more Beauty Bar stores are opening up soon?
What do you usually purchase inside the Beauty Bar?


Follow AskMeWhats on Twitter 
Get "photo-updated" on Instagram (search "AskMeWhats")  

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!













(this is a sponsored post.)

AMW Reviews: Black Beauty Silk Conditioner and Hot Oil

If you are into hair care products, today's post is perfect for you!  I've been taking my time reviewing each of the hair care products as we all know, the real results will take approximately 3-4 weeks of usage!

I have received Black Beauty Products a couple of months ago (almost 2 months), after I'm done with my L'Oreal Elseve Conditioner, I used a clarifying lotion to wash off all the product built up and started my conditioning regimen using Black Beauty Silk Conditioner and Black Beauty Hot Oil with Vitamin E.


 Let's start with the conditioner...


Black Beauty says ---
A deep moisturizing formula designed to help repair and nourish dry, damaged hair.  Its all natural formula adds volume to limp hair and detangles hair strands without greasiness.

Ingredients: Deionized Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Stearyl Alcohol, etc.. (sorry I can't read the ingredients list, too small)

AMW says ---
Pros
  • Smells great!
  • Prevents tangles.
  • Hair feels soft and light.
  • No greasy-feel!
  • No dandruff. 
  • Available in different sizes making it easy to test if products work for you or not without spending a lot.  Available in 10ml, 120ml, 500ml and 948ml.
Cons
  • May not be moisturizing enough for super dry, sensitized hair.
Tips
  • Same with all conditioners, apply from mid-shaft until tips, try not to apply on the roots as hair may fall limp.
  • Leave conditioner for more than 10 minutes if possible.  
  • Use clarifying shampoos at least once a week to remove product build-up.
Will I repurchase?
Yes

To whom do I recommend this to?
Best used by people who have oily, normal or dry hair!  Extreme dried out hair or sensitized hair may use the Hot Oil Treatment I will be discussing below.

Where to purchase and how much?
Available in all Mercury drugstores nationwide and all SM Hypermart supermarkets for
10ml Php8.75 (approx $0.20)
120ml Php79.75 (approx $1.85)
500ml Php265.50 (approx $6.20)
948ml Php552.00 (approx $12.90)

Product photos

Easy flip cap just like regular shampoo and conditioner

The conditioner is not too liquid nor too sticky, the texture is just right.

Now let's head on to the more potent version of the Silk Conditioner, the Hot Oil with Vitamin E treatment.


Black Beauty says ---
A natural leave-on treatment SPA for damaged, relaxed or color-treated hair.  Black Beauty Hot Oil is formulated with healthy blend of Vitamins and Protein based nutrients that helps to nourish and rejuvenate hair.  It provides a pleasant, long lasting freshness and cooling-effect to the scalp.

Ingredients: EDTA, Deionized Water, Carbomer, Cetyl Stearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth 20, Glyceryl Monostearate, Mineral Oil, Virgin Coconut Oil, Triethanolamine, Propylene Glycol, Polyquartermium 7, Vitamin E, Silk Protein, Pine Bud Extract, Menthyl Lactate, Preservative, Dimethicone, Fragrance, Panthenol.

AMW says ---
Pros
  • The added cooling-effect on scalp leaves me rejunvenated.
  • A little goes a long way.
  • Hair feels soft, tangle-free and light.
  • No greasy-feel.
  • Available in different sizes making it easy to test if products work for you or not without spending a lot.  Available in 20ml, 200ml, 300ml and 948ml.
Cons
  • Scent could be overwhelming to some users.
Tips
  •  If you have extremely dry or sensitized hair, instead of finishing up with a regular conditioner after shampooing, grab a small amount of the Black Beauty Hot Oil treatment with Vitamin E and apply all over hair and treat it like regular conditioner!  Hair will be more moisturized.
  • If you have time, wrap your hair with a shower cap and leave it for at least 15-20 minutes at least once a week.
  • Once signs of irritations occur (since this product can be applied on scalp unlike the conditioner), stop usage immediately!
Will I repurchase?
Yes.

To whom do I recommend this to?
Any hair type that needs the extra boost of moisture.

Where to purchase and how much?
Available in all Mercury drugstores nationwide and all SM Hypermart supermarkets for Php128.00 (approx $3.00) 300ml.

Product Photo


Overall both products targets hair that needed moisture!  It does give the moisture my hair deserves and I find myself waking up with softer, smoother hair.  With regards to the shine, I can't seem to see it for now!

I'm glad Black Beauty is coming up with more products as my mom used to be addicted to Black Beauty Shampoo and that's the only product I knew back then!

Have you tried Black Beauty hair treatment?
It's proudly Philippine made by the way!
Feel free to LIKE them on Facebook.


Follow AskMeWhats on Twitter 
Get "photo-updated" on Instagram (search "AskMeWhats")

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!






(Products sent for review. Opinions 100% mine.  Please purchase at your own discretion.)