♥ FOOD & RESTAURANT: Cafe Canary - Home of Brick Oven Pizza

Hello everyone!

Calling all food lovers in Davao! There's a newly opened cafe in the South. Pizza lovers (like me hihi) will surely love the place and the food, of course. :)

Okay, honestly, at first I thought it was a mustache until the owner told us that those are birds kissing. Hehe!

♥ EVENT: Mary Kay's 17th Anniversary

Hello everyone!

Mary Kay, one of the biggest cosmetics companies in the world, hosted an intimate gathering last May 12 in Davao City to celebrate its 17th anniversary in the Philippines, and at the same time, the birthday of its visionary founder and namesake, Mary Kay Ash.

The event took place at Sea Green Café and the place was accentuated with chic floral décor and clean elements, perfect for an intimate yet fun celebration. Members of the media and blog community enjoyed a sumptuous and healthy lunch as they discovered more about the Mary Kay brand. Guests also took part in an interactive skin care and make up class, where they picked up beauty tips and tricks and put together their own beauty palettes using Mary Kay products and I am one of the lucky few. Yay! :D

When Mary Kay Ash founded the brand over 5 decades ago, her cause was clear and simple: to enrich and elevate the lives of women all over the world.

♥ EXPERIENCE: My Skin Origins Facial and Skincare Center

Hello everyone!

Did you know that having regular facial will benefit your skin? I know some of you might think that facial can harm your skin and might worsen your acne because of the pricking. I can't blame you because I, myself, thought of that before. I have acne-prone skin so I am hesitant to try facial services. But the time came when I had severe acne, and I mean cystic acne, I just had to try and experience facial service because I wanted to pop the pimples and I don't want to do that on my own so I had to go and have a professional do it for me. So this is not my first time to experience a facial service and I have been looking for a trusted facial center where I am comfortable to go to because I'm planning to have regular facials as much as possible. Is My Skin Origins Facial and Skincare Center the one? ;)

My Skin Origins Mission: 

We at My Skin Essential, Phils. will dedicate ourselves in providing every woman, man, and their families an opportunity to have healthy, radiant and glowing skin naturally.

♥ REVIEW: EB Advance Eyeshadow 5 Shades

Hello everyone!

When I was just practicing doing my own makeup and starting to build up my makeup collection, I always buy eye shadows in palette because it already has so many colors to play with and that time I was really into eye makeup. I remembered I bought a 360-color eye shadow palette and I only used it at home because it was too bulky to bring with. But when I got to work, I got no time to play with my eye shadow palettes anymore and I realized that I only need the basic colors, like the neutral colors, for everyday use. So, I was looking for an affordable eye shadow and I always see this EB Advance Eyeshadow 5 Shades on the internet being raved.

Price: P120

Availability: Any Ever Bilena counters

If you're interested to know more about this product, then please keep on reading. :)

♥ EVENT: McDonald's Kiddie Crew Workshop 2017

Hello everyone!

I remembered when I was in elementary school, I always look forward for summer because I get to join workshops. My most unforgettable experience I had was when I joined a kiddie crew workshop. So many years has passed and the kiddie crew workshop is still going on every summer. I'm happy that I was a kiddie crew and happy for the kids today to experience this kind of workshop because, indeed, the kid will learn so many things that they will bring with them as they grow. For more information about the Kiddie Crew Workshop, please keep on reading. :)

Summer is the perfect season for letting your kids learn and experience new things, and with McDonald’s Kiddie Crew Workshop, they can do just that!

♥ REVIEW: Lily's Touch Miracle Cream

Hello everyone!

I have heard and read a lot of positive reviews about this product but I kept discouraging myself because my wallet doesn't allow me to buy anything. Huhuhu! I was also quite hesitant because I know that there is no such thing as "miracle" for my skin. Hahaha! But then again, I wasn't able to control myself that long so I went ahead and bought the product. :D

Price: P450

Bought at: prettyangelshoppe

Description: Rich with whitening and anti-aging ingredients, this hypoallergenic cream will make your skin lighter, smoother and brighter in seven days.

♥ TIP: Use one facial mask twice

Hello everyone!

This might not be new to you but for me it is. I don't usually use facial masks because I feel like I'm wasting the excess essence inside the pack. But I really wanted to use it religiously because of the benefits it will give for my skin. But then again, I get discourage every time I think about the reason why I don't use facial masks. So, I thought, if only I could find a dry face mask then I can maximize the essence in the pack. Then, one day, my prayers (well, not really, hehe) were answered. I, finally, found a dry mask so I started this experiment of mine and it went pretty well. So, here I am sharing it with you (I'm referring to people who still don't know this tip/hack). :D

If you are interested then please keep on reading. :)

♥ HAUL & FIRST IMPRESSION REVIEW: Guerlain Cosmetics

Hello everyone!

We all know the struggle of wanting to buy a specific product, especially high-end ones, but can't find a store or a shop selling it. That's the disadvantage of living in the Philippines. But some people have their own way. They take advantage of their relatives outside the Philippines to buy the product for them. Good for the people who have relatives outside the Philippines. But for those who don't have, don't fret because there is now a solution to our problem. :)

Buying high-end beauty products is not a problem anymore because there is now a website that caters to our luxurious needs. SephoraPH now has a website that delivers within the Philippines. All the latest beauty products from well-known high-end brands are available on that website. How cool is that?? :D

Speaking of high-end brands, I want to share with you my beauty finds from the brand Guerlain. Besides, that's the point of this blog post hence the title. Hehehe! 

"Guerlain is a French perfume and cosmetics and skincare house, among the oldest in the world. It has a large customer following, and has traditionally been held in high esteem in the perfume industry." -- source: Wikipedia

♥ REVIEW: Skin Genie Lip and Cheek Stain Alive!

Hello everyone!

I guess I have tried and reviewed on my blog every type and every kind of lip products available in the market. But then I noticed that there is this very common lip product nowadays that I haven't reviewed yet. Well I've tried it way way way back when I was in high school. I am talking about lip tints. Lip tints have been very common lately, am I right? I have seen a lot of different brands making their own lip tint line. For today, I am going to review a lip tint from the brand Skin Genie. It is called the Lip and Cheek Stain Alive! by Skin Genie.

Price: P80

Bought at: BeautyMNL

Description: An all-natural makeup gel that delivers gorgeous color on lips and cheeks. Lip and Cheek Stain Alive makes your lip and cheeks come alive. It is packed with moisturizing ingredients that nourish, soothe, and protect your lip and cheek with gorgeous colors. Sweetly scented and easy to apply. Perfect for a sweet flush of color.

♥ REVIEW: Paddle/Oval Brushes

Hello everyone!

Back when I was just learning to do makeup, I bought all kinds of brushes. I bought brush sets and individual brushes that are not in sets. Every time there is a new type of brush released in the market, I always buy one for myself to try. But that was before, I am a changed woman now. Hahaha! I mean, I realized that I already have a lot of brushes and that I need to start saving my money. Besides, I don't wear foundation on a daily basis so I don't use my brushes that often unlike before when I was just practicing doing makeup.

Last year, there was this new brush that was trending on the internet and that some beauty gurus/enthusiasts rave about. It is called the Paddle Brush or Oval Brush because it is shaped in oval. It doesn't look like the usual brush but it looks like a toothbrush. It's been trending since last year so I know you know what I'm talking about. Hahaha! As usual, I got curious and got tempted to buy but I really controlled myself and, I tell you, it was difficult. :( 

One day, I joined a giveaway with the said brush as the prize because I am fond of joining giveaways and luckily I won! It was the perfect timing because it was my birthday when I won it. So, I have already experienced how the brushes perform and so here is my review. :)

♥ EXPERIENCE & HAUL: BeautyMNL Shopping

Hello everyone!

First of all, let me greet each and everyone of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! :)

Today, I am going to share with you my shopping experience from an online shopping website called BeautyMNL. BeautyMNL is a beauty shop that sells only authentic makeup from both local and high-end makeup brands. I have heard about BeautyMNL earlier this year so I checked the website and it was like a makeup heaven. All the brands that I love are there so I don't need to go to the mall anymore. It is very convenient plus I'll get to discover new brands that are affordable. 

Now that is Christmas season, I had the chance to experience shopping at BeautyMNL. :)

♥ REVIEW: Quick FX Sun Block

Hello there!

In the country where I live, the weather is so hot. The scorching sun will burn your skin and it is harmful. It may cause skin cancer. That is why, sunblock is a must not only for girls but also for the boys. Investing in a good quality sunblock is very good but if you lack on budget, like me (lol!), then I understand if you'll look for a more affordable one.

Ever heard of Quick FX? They are very popular especially if you are into beauty because a lot of beauty bloggers have been raving the said brand. Their products are skincare and cosmetics which are made in Korea. So, you can assure that it is of good quality.

For today, I am going to review the Quick FX Sunblock which, I think, is their latest product introduced in the market. Let us start the review after the jump. :)

Price: Php99

Bought at: Watsons

Description:

• With SPF 50 to absorb and reflect UV rays that cause skin damage. 
• Prevents sun spots and freckles.
• With Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide, known to filter a wide range of UV rays.
• With Niacinamide that helps lighten the skin for a clean and clear finish.
• With Adenosine that helps prevent skin aging and improves skin resilience by promoting the synthesis of collagen.
• With Lotus Water, a powerful antioxidant that leaves the skin hydrated .
• Provides light coverage to conceal skin imperfections.
• With BSASM - a blend of 7 extracts to soothe the skin. It is known as a safe and effective agent against skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and acne.
• With Herb Extracts, effective in tightening the skin for a reduced appearance of pores.

♥ REVIEW: Pink Sugar Cosmetics Sugar Tint Lip & Cheek Tint

Hi everyone!

I am back with a review of another liquid lipstick product. If you have been my follower in IG and a reader of my blog, you should have known that I have a love and hate relationship with liquid lipsticks and that I prefer semi-matte than a flat matte finish. But, as what I have posted on IG, this product is the only exemption. I am talking about Pink Sugar Cosmetics' Sugar Tint Lip & Cheek tint. Pink Sugar has been in the market for quite some time already and what made a mark to me are their creamy matte lipsticks and sugar tints because their shades are really attractive. I love their creamy matte lipsticks and just recently I bought their sugar tint because of curiosity, hoping it would work on me. So, without further ado, let's head on to the review after the jump. :)

Price: Php349

Bought at: SM Lanang Department Store

Description: Long-lasting, lightweight formula; delivers a lovely matte finish; moisturizes, nourishes, and softens lips during use; formulated with coconut oil, aloe vera, and vitamins A, C, and E; fades to a pretty stain over time for a natural flush of color.

♥ EXPERIENCE: Mindanao Beauty Expo 2016

Hello there!

To those who didn't know, I just had my hair colored last month by myself. Yes! See the full story here if you want to know how it ended up. I also stated there how I wanted my hair colored by professionals but sad to say I have no moolah and that's why I did it myself. Hahaha! Luckily, I saw a post on Facebook that they are looking for hair models for the Mindanao Beauty Expo 2016 where there are professional hairstylists from Manila who will showcase their hair creations and of course they need hair models for that. So, I immediately signed up without thinking twice. I got too excited because finally an opportunity for me to have a professional do my hair for free. Hehehe! 

Just a little background, Mindanao Beauty Expo is an event where professional hairstylists from different well known brands from Manila and other countries showcase their hair creations, may it be hair styles or hair color. There are also seminars and competitions that aspiring and amateur hairstylists can join. Anyway, keep on reading if you are interested in knowing what happened and the products they used on me as far as I have remembered. There will be photos on each process they did on my hair. :)

♥ REVIEW: LA Girl Matte Flat Finish Pigment Gloss

Hello everyone!

Being a lipstick junkie, I have tried every kind and every type of lipstick there is in the market. Because of that, I discovered the type of lipstick that I love and that is a creamy matte lipstick. And my most hated type of lipstick is the liquid lipstick. I mean, not that I really really hate it, I just have a love and hate relationship with it. I love the shades liquid lipsticks have but I hate how it feels on my lips and I am having a hard time applying it because it dries so fast. Every time a brand introduces liquid lipsticks, I need to control myself from buying because I know I won't like it and I won't be able to use it everyday. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to control myself when I saw these LA Girl Matte Flat Finish Pigment Gloss because they are so affordable and also I wanted to see for myself what the hype is all about. :D

Price: P165

Bought at: NCCC Department Store

Also available in: Watsons and other leading department stores

Description: Blurring the lines between lipstick and lip gloss, Matte Pigment Gloss has become a favorite of makeup artists, bloggers and fans. Available in 16 bold shades that provide rich and intense color in a flat finish for all day wear. The long wearing formula goes on as a highly pigmented liquid and dries to a flat matte finish, for a gorgeous velvety perfection that last and lasts.

♥ DIY: Bleaching and Coloring Hair

Hello everyone!

Yes, I am back to blogging! Yey! It has been almost two years since I "abandoned" my blog because my laptop broke and I am so poor I could not buy a new one. :( But I am always active on IG so follow me there. I did reviews there for the mean time. I still visit my blog though and encouraging myself to go back to blogging and here I am! :D Hopefully, I could post a lot before the year ends. 

Also, I am excited to announce that I am now an official member of Davao Bloggers Society. Yey me! It is also one of the reasons why I came back to blogging. I am looking forward for the events, workshops, etc. that I will be doing as part of the DBS. Hopefully, it will enhance my skills in blogging and be more exposed to the blogging world. And of course, gain new blogger friends. Hehe!

Anyway, for my first post of the year, I will be sharing to you my first attempt in bleaching and coloring my hair with the help of my aunt. I just want to share it here in my blog because I know there are also a lot of girls and guys out there who want to color their hair with not so common colors, it is called fashion colors nowadays, but we all know that we need to have a budget of Php5,000 and up if we want our hair to be done by professionals in a salon. But I don't have that amount of money and it hurts my pocket if I will just spend it on my hair. So, I decided to do it myself with the help of my aunt and with the help of the internet. Just a disclaimer though, we are all first timers here, my aunt and I. Also, I have done a lot of research and I contemplated for how many months before I finally decided to do it myself. I am not encouraging you to do it yourself by writing this post but to give you reference based on my experience. So, if you are interested, just keep on reading. :D

Hair Background

Before anything else, I would just like to share my hair background. All that my hair had undergone. My hair is originally wavy. I had my hair relaxed since I was in Grade Six. So, basically, I don't have a virgin hair. I color my hair once in a while because I'm afraid that it might cause so much damage to my already damaged hair that is why it took so long for me to finally decide to color and even bleach my hair. Last May, I had my hair relaxed again. I always had my hair relaxed every after 6 months to 1 year to maintain my not so straight hair. Hehe! Then I colored my hair using the Etude House Bubble Coloring. I shared my experience about that product on my IG. It was a very long post, I should have made a blog post instead. Anyway, that was the last treatment my hair had. And then after a month or so, I bleached my hair. 

It took me almost one year to contemplate and also made some research about bleaching and study hair coloring through the internet because, as what I have said, I am afraid that it would totally destroy my hair. I always think that my hair is very damaged due to hair relaxing that is why I always think twice. And I forgot to mention that I blow dry my hair EVERYDAY. Could you imagine the damage from the heat? :/ But I always do hair treatments at home which will be in a different blog post so stay tuned for that. ;)

Anyway, let's stop this blah blah and talk about the main topic of this blog post. Hehe!

♥ REVIEW: One Earth Organics Powerful Hydrating Lip Scrub

Hello there!

I love matte lipsticks. But apparently, my lips won't let me wear them. I have a very dry lips to the point that I can peel off the skin and will cause a wound on my lips. I really hate it when that happens. Unfortunately, it happens almost every time I wear lipsticks especially matte. I don't know what causes my dry lips. So what I do is I'm trying to prevent it by using a lip scrub which I discovered just lately. I was very curious about this lip scrub but it's a bit expensive so I searched for a DIY lip scrub. But I am too lazy to make one. I know I lack determination. Lol! And I was very thankful when I was given a lip scrub that I have been eye-ing. I am talking about One Earth Organics Powerful Hydrating Lip Scrub. And I will be sharing my experiences and opinions about this product after the jump. :)

Price: P456

Bought at: castielorganicsdavao

Description: This Lip Scrub enhances circulation while promoting glossy and healthy looking lips. It absorbs quickly and completely into the lips to rehydrate without clogging pores. A true lip treatment, particularly beneficial to sensitive lips. Rosehip Fiber will help to slough off excess cells, while mango butter is rich in anti-oxidants to soften, smooth and moisturize rough dry skin. Jojoba is rich in Vitamin E and a natural anti-oxidant as well, penetrates the lips to plump and moisturize.

♥ REVIEW: MAC Retro Matte Lipstick

Hello there!

Aaaah!!! I really can't contain my happiness and excitement right now. Even though I owned this lipstick weeks ago, I still get excited whenever I hold it in my hands and wear it on my lips. Hahaha! But seriously, I am really really happy to finally own a MAC lipstick. This is my very first high end makeup that is why I get all excited to share it to you. Lol! Getting this lipstick is actually unplanned, it just happens that the daughter of my boss is selling MAC lipsticks and she was like pushing us to buy from her. And then tadaaaa, I got this MAC Retro Matte in the shade Dangerous. I actually like to get the shade Viva Glam 1 but unfortunately there was someone who got it first. :( But, I'm still happy with what I got. Hehe! :)

Price: P900

♥ REVIEW: Bangkok Face Gem Fruit Pudding Cream and Lotus Sparkling Mask

Hello there!

Bangkok products are popular in the market nowadays and they claim to be more effective than other products. And because I am a person who wants to get rid all of my insecurities, I finally decided to jump into the bandwagon and try Bangkok products. There are a lot of Bangkok products which are affordable yet effective, based on the feed backs that I have read. But of course, it is not applicable to everyone since our skin reacts differently. So, in order for me to know if it really is effective, I took the risk to try Bangkok products. The product that I will be reviewing today is a face cream and a face mask. This is the Bangkok Face Gem Fruit Pudding Cream and Lotus Sparkling Mask. I believe these two should be used together to achieve better results. Keep on reading to know my experiences and opinions about these products. :)

Price: P1500 (for both)

Bought at: bangkokface_davao

Description: WHY BANGKOK FACE? BEST ANTI-AGING CREAM WHICH IS 100% ORGANIC ~ BEST for Lifting-Firming ~ BEST Face Whitening ~ BEST Pore Tightening ~ Spot Corrector ~ Antioxidant I'll tell you, it's worth a TRY!

♥ REVIEW: New White Underarm Cream

Hello there!

Have you ever dreamed of having flawlessly white, odorless and smooth underarms? Well, I did. I admit that I don't have perfect underarms. I don't need to describe them to you but let's just say that I am not proud of them. I always use deodorant before but it didn't give me enough satisfaction. So I stopped using it because I also realized that deodorants have a lot of chemicals. I was using an underarm powder until I decided to try the popular products nowadays which are from Bangkok, Thailand. I tried this thing called New White Underarm Cream because the claimed results are so promising. I was hesitant at first because I have sensitive skin and I am afraid that I might get allergic reactions from the product. So, let us start the review and see if it is worth the try. :)

Price: P100

Bought at: beautypanic101

Description: New White Underarm Cream is the solution to all your underarm problems. It is a deodorant. It can whiten the groin, knee, bikini line, armpit, elbow, nipples, and other dark areas. There is a production of Fruit Acid AHA + Vitamin C. It contains no chemicals like mercury so it is safe and gentle even on sensitive skin. It sheds dead skin cell that helps whiten the skin. See results as fast as 7 days. It has no stains and no sticky residue. It also stimulates the production of Collagen and Elastin making the skin strong and flexible and helps tighten the pores.