Askmewhats

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Weekend Food Tripping at: Banana Leaf + A Cute Combination

Happy Sunday friends! I had a very busy week! Though I was off for the whole week for a holiday, it was a very busy one! Accompanied my brother who came back for vacation, went to an event, went out with friends, had a wonderful makeup workshop...it was really an exciting week for me! I do feel tired but it's all worth it :)

Weekend food tripping! I think I skipped the post last week! It was a week full of food and laughter! Love to eat .. and bond! Let me start with a very simple dish that I came to realize that it's a favorite of mine! CURRY!!!!

Went to the Banana Leaf Restaurant to have a nice curry fix!

Malayan Chicken Curry with Potatoes

Php228.00 (approx $4.97)

I love chicken and I love curry! Some chicken hates me as I'm allergic to it! But I don't care! It's chicken on curry sauce! I can taste the coconut and curry blended perfectly!

Deep Fried Pandan Chicken

Php168.00 (approx $3.65)

Another Thai dish favorite dish of mine! And it's not surprisingly CHICKEN again! The chicken itself is marinated in pandan sauce as what I know the deep fried with pandan leaf!

Yummy chicken minus the bones!

And you'd think I'll only talk about food? I bought something really nice to use! I finally own a very cute mouse and mouse pad! This is made by A4!

It's pink. The mouse design matches the mousepad!

Now I'm more inspired to blog!

Have a wonderful weekend!

I will be off for another weekend food tripping. My brother will be leaving the country soon! I'm going to miss him!

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

AMW Reviews: Charm Luxe Retractable Kabuki

I am serious when I said I am a brush addict! I am a fan of retractable brush for personal use as I love using brush to retouch! And having a brush that's scattered inside my makeup kit is a pet peeve of mine! I can't bare having bristles exposed to dirt!

I've had my Charm Retractable Kabuki brush inside my personal makeup kit for more than a year, its still ok, but an upgrade wouldn't hurt especially if it's friendly to the pocket!!!

Introducing...my new Charm Luxe Retractable Kabuki....still in PINK!

Charm Luxe Retractable Kabuki says ---

For girls on the go who love stuffing their stuffs in their bag, the Charm Luxe Retractable Kabuki is the perfect travel companion, and perfect trophy makeup item in your bag! Like the Charm Luxe Kabuki, the Luxe Retractable Kabuki is made of synthetic, vegan hair, that glides like velvet no matter how much you buff it on your skin!

AMW says ---

Pros

very soft, synthetic hair

does not scratch the skin no matter how many times I buff
no bleeding or shedding! Surprisingly, the pink color did not bleed!
since it's retractable, it protects the brush hairs from dirt

very inexpensive
cute pink color!
brush hair dries faster as compared to the Charm Retractable Kabuki
small and fits the hand perfectly

Cons

the retractable portion does not cover all the "hairs" as compared to my previous one, in which, you have to be careful in closing the cap

if you're OC with brand name, the CHARM inscription fades after several washes, as seen on photo below, the older version I have does not have the CHARM name anymore (I seriously do not mind!)

Overall

It's a perfect travel brush for pink lovers who likes synthetic bristles with light to medium coverage. You can always build up the coverage by re-applying and it doesn't hurt to re-apply no matter how many times as the hair feels so soft on skin! For retractable K-brushes, I prefer synthetic bristles as it dries faster than natural bristles and it stays the way it was first purchased no matter how many times I've washed it.

Tips

always wash the brush well prior to using
though this is retractable, do wash the brush frequently still! I know it's tempting not to wash this as often as other brushes who are more exposed
make sure the brush hairs are dry before you close the cap
dry the brush laying flat on a towel, do not let it stand up to prevent water from getting into the glue

Will I repurchase?

Yes! Great gift for friends too!

Where to purchase and how much?

At Beauty & Minerals website for Php500.00 (approx $10.90)

A close up shot on the Charm Luxe Retractable Kabuki

The size as compared to the first Charm K-Brush I own

As compared to the older version

the brush hair of the Luxe K-brush is longer

which is perfect for natural finish

I seriously need to get into brush rehab! But please lock me in together with my brush collection ok? At least, I'll keep myself busy washing my brushes and touching them! *hahaha*

Have a wonderful weekend! Today is the Dollface Personal Make-up Workshop!!! I am so excited! Wish me luck! Oh yes, before I forget, over the weekend, I went to an event and I also relaxed for a spa treatment after a year!!! Will keep you wonderful readers posted with AskMeWhats' Reports! Check back for it soon!

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

Friday, February 19, 2010

AMW Reviews: Kerastase Reflection Chroma Reflect Masque

Finally!!! Lemmings after lemmings, stopover from one salon to the other. I finally purchase another Kerastase hair treatment! There are so many ranges of Kerastase products targeted for different hair needs. I have tried Kerastase Oleo Relax way back and instead of repurchasing the same product, I've decided to give the Reflection range a try since for the past years, I've colored my hair multiple times and my hair obviously lacks the luster and shine it was born with! The Kerastase Reflection Chroma Reflect is set to be for "sensitised hair", in simpler language, for hair that has been chemically damaged. <-- points to my own hair!

Kerastase Chroma Reflect says ---

A rich and luxurious conditioning treatment for thick and very sensitised colored hair. This beautiful hair mask conditioner aims to restore the hair fiber and give the hair a masque aims to leavve the hair supple and soft with a beautiful luster and mirror-like shine, while helping to provide the hair against external aggressions.

size: 200ml

AMW says ---

Pros

a little goes a long way, I use at least 1.5 tablespoon for my hair length
smells great
makes hair softer and more manageable
makes hair color livelier
nice color coordinated packaging base on range
has a protective cap

Cons

pricey as compared to other hair treatment

Overall

I've always been offered Kerastase hair treatment when I asked for salon treatments. Though purchasing this is quite pricey, I would calculate the times I can treat my hair and it's still cheaper as compared to having it done in a salon.

First time using the Chroma Reflect Masque, I felt it's a bit sticky after first wash and I find my hair a bit hard to comb! This happens to most hair masque I've tried so I did not panic. What I love about this masque is on it's 2nd and 3rd and the days to come. I can definitely see my hair shinier and more manageable.

Tips

from Kerastase

Apply 1 to 2 teaspoons to clean, towel-dried hair.
Massage through from roots to ends, focusing on sensitized areas.
Leave on for 10 minutes.
Emulsify with warm water and rinse thoroughly.

from AMW

use this treatment once or twice a week depending on the degree of damage of your hair
try to concentrate the product on damaged areas
massage onto hair and scalp gently, be gentle especially when hair is wet
if your hair is very damaged, do not save up on product and use as much as you can to help save your hair!

Will I repurchase?

Definitely. I did!

Where to purchase and how much?
I bought mine at First Aid, Greenbelt for, Php2,625 (approx $57.00), other salons do sell these too

For international readers, there are online sites selling these.

Have you tried Kerastase home or salon treatment?
Tell me your experience!

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Eureka Moment: I Can Now Shop at Sephora!

Good Eureka day everyone!!! I know how some of you like my Eureka Moments. I enjoy sharing some good finds and exciting treasures!

I remember those days that I would "window shop" at Sephora website! How I wish I can shop there! But because of geographical difficulties, all I can do is salivate in front of the screen as I see the deals passing by my very own eyes! That's when I'm glad that there are smart sellers out there who reads the mind of buyers like us! I've chanced up a local multiply seller called Maison d'elan House of Flair online store. I believe we can pre-order anything available at Victoria Secret and Sephora. There are also some interesting on hand products sold.

Anyways, yours truly got intrigued with the Benefit To Go Beauty Bestseller priced at $10.00 and they sell it for Php715.00 (approx $15.50) + shipping! Not bad since I get the product faster and I'm sure the product will get to my hands as compared to getting lost in local post offices!

I wanted to try the famous Posietint for quite some time and I don't want to spend a lot on a full size not knowing if it'll work for me or not. Since the price ain't bad, I gave it a go! The order came in approximately 2 weeks! And here's how it was packaged!!!!

Finally! I have my own Benefit to Go Beauty Bestseller! I can't wait to test them and give you a review as soon as I have the chance to do so!!! My heart melts when I see sample sizes housed in a very cute packaging.

This set contains:
- 0.08 oz Posietint: A poppy-pink tinted lip & cheek stain
- 0.06 oz Some Kind-A Gorgeous: The foundation faker
- 0.25 oz That Gal: A brightening face primer
- 0.09 oz High Beam: A luminescent complexion enhancer

The itchy hands tested the Posietint right away! The shade is really pretty! No wonder it was raved by many!

I also got a freebie from the seller! Thanks for the Hourglass Veil Oil Free Mineral Primer

I will definitely window shop more at Sephora! Glad to have a third party seller who helps bring these products! Oh, please do not forget to email the seller on how much they would sell the product plus shipping rate before you place an order!

Sephora addicts out there, hope this helps!
Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Nail Art Tutorial: "The Heat is On" Nails

Happy nail art day!!! After Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day, I can definitely feel the heat! Summer's definitely coming! So my nail art tutorial for this week is inspired by summery colors! Let's turn on the heat and enjoy the sun! Don't forget the SPF ok?