Issa's Diary

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

2011-12-31T22:49:00.001+08:00

[sweater - Forever21 / scallop bodycon skirt - shop Laces and Bows / Jeffrey Campbell inspired platforms - Shop Dainty]

Recently, I've been obsessed with anything sequined, glittery, sparkling stuffs and this sweater was a great find from Forever21! Not too flashy though - which I like. But I am not sure how long the trend will live.

My current fave necklace I got from Robinsons Department store! I love the details!

Mia Casa sparrow and airplane connector rings

Cheers to New Year! It has been a great 2011 for me. Super thankful to everyone who has been part of my journey through thick and thin, especially to my family who supported me all the way. Looking forward to a more productive 2012 for me. I can't wait what's in store in the coming year. HAPPY NEW YEAR guys! Cheers!

P.S. Thanks to my Mama who took all these pictures! :)

Merry Christmas

2011-12-31T19:01:00.002+08:00

Mamas' Christmas village at home. Every year it gets bigger and bigger with the addition of more village houses. Can't wait for next years' Christmas village!

Last year, our Christmas tree was decorated with mini stuffed toys because Christmas is for the children. But this year, we decided to decorate it with gold and red accents.

Christmas lights all around our house!

simple noche buena for the family :)

Christmas themed nails :)

[chiffon dress - Forever21 / nude pump - Parisian / necklace - Vanity / Love connector ring - Forever21]

We all had fun feasting on our noche buena plus opening of gifts after. It was indeed a merry Christmas for all of us. Looking forward to next year, although I'm not sure I'd be able to spend it i with my family like it has always been ever since. But still, I am embracing a new challenge and environment for me. Will definitely make the best of it!

Back to back

2011-12-12T21:50:00.001+08:00

Hi guys! As usual, I will be starting my post apologizing for being MIA for sooo long. I've been really busy with so many things the past few months and I'm not complaining at all! Will reveal about it soon, and something that really excites me. By the way, thank you for the new followers even if this little blog of mine isn't that worth reading for. (hehe)

Anyway, here's what I wore to my sister's pinning ceremony. As always, I'm a supportive sister and I took photos for the event even outfit shots! Haha

[red striped top - Topshop / navy trousers - Candy / leopard belt - SM dept. store / satchel - Bangkok / flats - Suelas / rings - Mia Casa]

*Hopefully I'd still be eager to posts more here before I get super busy with career. Chos!
Till next!

Outfit Diaries: Pink Polka

2011-09-05T20:39:00.002+08:00

I'm so sorry for the lame title. I know I suck creating catchy titles for all my blog posts. Anyways, this is what I wore for my sister's birthday. Nothing fancy actually. We just had lunch at our fave restaurant. Nothing big for that day because first, mother was not around because she had a trip in Laoag with her friends and got stranded there because of heavy rains. Second, it was the founder's week of our Alma Mater, so my sister was very busy with all the activities in line for the week.

[polka dot top - Bangkok / jeggings - HerBench / flats - Parisian / Cambridge inspired satchel - Impulse Co / Love connector ring - Forever21]

I am super loving this satchel because of its size. It can fit all the things I wanted to bring with me all the time. The color is perfect as well because it's my favorite. Before I used to settle only for black and brown colors for bags because it can match any outfit. But now, I am more adventurous. I love catching peoples' attention. Haha. Do check out Impulse Co for fashionable and quality bags at reasonable prices.

Btw, Vern of A Shoetale is having a giveaway on her blog. Do check out the details here :)

REVIEW: Etude House Proof 10 Liquid liner and Drawing Eyebrow

2011-08-24T19:38:00.002+08:00

Here's another review after MIA for awhile. As promised, I'll be reviewing the stuffs I bought at Etude House SM Cebu branch a couple of months ago.

So I bought the Proof 10 Liquid Liner just to try my luck from it. I am a gel liner user for 2 years already and I thought I was satisfied with it. Not when I first tried the EH Proof 10 liquid liner. It was love at first try (if there's such saying!), seriously I felt instantly inlove on how the brush tip glides easily on my eyelids. I can make a winged - eye look easily because of it's fine tip. It's size is just perfect when using and bringing anywhere even in your small pouch. True to its claim, it is waterproof. It doesn't smudge easily nor crack. Once it's applied, it dries fast that you don't even have to wait that long to apply another coat or mascara. I, myself have oily lids so wearing this liquid liner was never a problem. This is now my favorite liquid liner so far.

On the other hand, Etude House' Drawing Eyebrow is another favorite. I can fill in sparse areas of my eyebrows without looking like an old - lady - with - a - tattoo-ed - eyebrow. Haha. Honestly, it's just the right shade of brown (I got #2) which looks natural when applied. This is easier to bring around your make-up kit because it's retractable and you don't need to bring all the time a sharpener unlike other eyebrow pencils. The other end actually has a spoolie brush which you can use to tame unwanted hairs before or after. What's great is that it cost only 178 pesos if I remember correctly and it's refillable as well. I'm actually on my second refill now because I love it so much.

P.S. I am not a pro in applying eyeliner, this is the best I can do. Not as good as others maybe so forgive me. :)

.

Products used in photos:
Mary Kay quad eyeshadow
Etude House Proof 10 Liquid Liner
Etude House Drawing brow
Maybelline Magnum Mascara

On a lighter note, I've read good reviews of Dolly Wink liquid eyeliner and Majolica Majorca, I might try one of these soon.

How about you, what's your favorite eyeliner so far?

Online hauls

2011-07-31T22:08:00.000+08:00

I got myself frenchbraid necklace and bracelet in yummy colors from ExtremeFinds. I love how it makes a simple outfit stands out by just accessorizing using these. I wore these with a plain white batwing top from Folded and Hung and beige trousers and instantly a boring outfit turned into an interesting one. I love ExtremeFinds for their fashion forward accessories. They have a wide range of frenchbraid necklaces in different color combinations, feather and tassel earrings, connector rings, friendship bracelets and others. You can check out their awesome stuffs here:

facebook.com/mustloveExtremeFinds

and at The Ramp Trinoma under Stylebreak, Park Mall Cebu under TONIC, Tiendesitas fashion village under TONIC, ROCKWELL archaelogy WISDOM

email: extremefinds2010@yahoo.com
For faster transaction:
09178242428

And finally I got a pair of Suelas flat shoes.

According to their site:

SUELAS is an innovative footwear concept for the modern woman on the go. Designed with the challenges facing a contemporary urban lifestyle in mind, these stylish shoes cater to every woman's footwear needs. Its novel design allow the footwear to be be flattened, folded and rolled, making it a flexible, comfortable and revolutionary solution to footwear problems women face everyday.

I can finally attest to how comfortable wearing a pair of Suelas. The shoes is made of soft and quality materials, it is made of real leather lining and rubber soles that will make sure you'll never get blisters after a long days' walk. I, myself is a big fan of flat shoes especially when I travel and it requires a lot of walking. A good pair of shoes is really important and some of my shoes doesn't give that blister free after. I'm glad Suelas came up with this fabulous idea. Not only it is comfortable, the shoes it self can be folded so as to fit in your smallest bag, thus their tagline, "Flatten it, fold it, roll it. And the world of opportunity is at your feet". On top of that, Suelas is proudly Philippine made! I'm definitely going to grab more pairs soon! Visit their site for fabulous pairs http://www.suelasonline.com/

For my first pair, I chose Collana in tan color.

Enjoy your Sunday! ♥

Coffee time

2011-07-24T00:17:00.000+08:00

Met up this afternoon with a very close friend of mine back in college whom I haven't seen for awhile. It's always fun catching up with her because we've been together in college through thick and thin. We love reminiscing our memories during our nursing life in Silliman - from our case presentations, hospital duties, medical mission, class presentations, food trips, sleep overs, and even our enemies back then. Haha She is one of my funniest friends whom I can share anything when it comes to fashion, food, travels, studies, work, and guys of course. There's never a single boring moment talking with her.

[batwing top - Folded and Hung / beige trousers and satchel - from Bangkok / belt - SM Dept. store / frenchbraid necklace and bracelet - ExtremeFinds / flats - Suelas ]

I'll blog next time my new accessories which I got from ExtremeFinds and flats from Suelas.
Enjoy your weekend! ♥

Outfit Diaries: Pleated maxi skirt

2011-07-19T23:01:00.000+08:00

Had a great weekend with family in our home. Had barbecue party while swimming and playing in the pool. It was a day well spent because everyone was around. I decided to play dress up using my new shoes! I got so excited with our new shoes that I dragged my sister to take my pictures (thanks to her btw!). I love the skirt I'm wearing too because I can freely move around with it plus I remember my grandmother who has lotsa nice maxi and midi skirts like these too. I will try to raid her closet one of these days for awesome vintage finds.

[Peter Pan collar eyelet top - random find / pleated maxi skirt - Bangkok / belt - Dept. store / bag - Bangkok / Jeffrey Campbell foxy inspired platforms - Shop Dainty

I'm so loving my new shoes! It's so comfortable and feels like your just wearing normal sandals :) My sister also owns one which she loves too.

Have a great week guys!
Your comments are highly appreciated :)

Outfit Diaries: Purple Clouds and Nature

2011-07-06T19:24:00.000+08:00

I totally forgot I have this picture wearing my fave Peter Pan collar top in the prettiest shade of purple and cream. As you all know, I'm loving Peter Pan collared tops nowadays. I also wore my new turban which I got from Bangkok during our recent trip there. Anyways, I'm sharing to you few pictures I snapped over the weekend. Sorry for the crappy editing, I'm not really good at it. :)

[Peter Pan collar top and turban - Bangkok/ Denim pants - Levi's/ floral flats - Cotton On]

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Outfit Diaries: Fashion Show

2011-07-01T16:43:00.000+08:00

From now on, I will be using the title "Outfit Diaries" for my outfit posts. It's such a dilemma trying to think about a certain title for all my posts. I'm really bad at making title posts that are catchy. So sorry for that, so from now on I'll just use that and and a related note on the event or something. Haha.

Anyhoo, so this is what I wore during the Laces&Bows Shop fashion Show during the acquaintance party of Silliman University's College of Business Administration.

*I'm not really active on Lookbook, but hey if you have time please hype my looks. It will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Enjoy the weekend! xoxo

Laces&Bows Fashion Show

2011-06-29T17:01:00.000+08:00

It was such a great honor to be invited by Silliman University College of Business Administration to sponsor a fashion show in their acquaintance party. It was actually through my sister that made this fashion show possible. I and my sister is proud to be invited for such event to sort of advertise our online shop to mostly students. Thank you very much!

It was actually a mix of girl models and some guy models with their own clothes. We created 10 different looks for the models which showcases our upcoming collection soon and also to advertise our online shop Laces and Bows. It was a successful event, thanks to the team who helped me and my sister.

It was also a dream come true because I did the make-up of 3 of the models, I styled them as well, and was the photographer of the show since my sister was super busy with other stuffs during that time. Anyhoo, here are the pics from the fashion show.

photos during the show

some of our models

Models together with me and my sister plus Pauline(black dress) of the CBA council

*credits to Charmain and Ramon for some of the runway photos

Shop Laces and Bows: Teaser

2011-06-09T23:45:00.000+08:00

We are finally launching our new collection for our shop tomorrow entitled "Back to Neverland". Add us up on Facebook click here The collection will be revealed on Friday, June 10, 2011 at 8pm (Philippine time).

For the mean time, here is our teaser for the new collection:)

Hope you guys could check it out!:))

Peter Pan goes to Town

2011-06-06T22:25:00.000+08:00

I think I’m way too far behind the trend “color blocking”. I’ve seen lots of chictopians rocking their stylish color blocking outfits and it definitely caught my eye. So I decided to give it a try. I chose this orange and teal combination which is just perfect together. I love how both colors pop with each other plus matching it with nude pumps which I’m currently loving. I never thought mixing bold colors would look good together. I remember before, one of my motto is to never mix the colors red and pink together, but damn I was wrong. Haha. Eversince this color blocking trend came, all the colors you can think of will actually work. Hopefully I can show you guys another colorblocking outfit in my future posts.

P.S. I love the collar of this top very much thus the blog title!:))

[Peter Pan collar top and teal skirt - bangkok// nude pumps - Parisian// bucket bag - Bangkok]

[snake ring - Divisoria// flower ring from Bangkok// swiftlet connector ring - mall]

Welcoming June!

2011-06-02T09:20:00.000+08:00

Time flies so fast! It's already June and I think I've done nothing really that productive. I feel that I always have those lazy days when I just wanna stay and relax at home. Hopefully great news will come this June for me.

nude and black lace dress - Bangkok // nude pumps - Parisian at SM Dept. Store

earrings I got from Bangkok during our recent stay for only 20Baht

My love for owls. /owl ring with flower and faux diamond - Bangkok // blue green owl ring - boutique

Say hello to my newest pair of heels! Finally nude pumps! I've been searching for the perfect nude and height plus the price as well. Goodthing Parisian carries one at such a reasonable price. Although it's not that comfy to walk in, there's always a saying "Tiis ganda!"

How was your weekend? Let me know!
Drop me some comments:))

Bangkok Love: Arrival, Food Trip and Shopping

2011-05-29T21:12:00.000+08:00

Hai gaiz! Finally I'm back on the track. It's been awhile since my last post and everytime I start a new post, I always mention how I lack updates. So sorry for that. Maybe next time if I can't update that much I'll just blog about great photos.

Anyways, last May 19-23 I was able to go back to the beautiful place of Thailand. It was actually my third time there and the first 2 visits were actually spent touring their beautiful places. This time around, we didn't plan on any tour around Bangkok but rather just shop and food trips.

I love Suvarnabhumi Airport! Very clean and organized. I wouldn't feel lost going around. And it feels really different upon stepping Bangkok soil. I still remember how warm the people in Thailand are. People are very respectful and kind. Not to mention patient as well.

This is the first time I rode on a tuk-tuk. At first I was hesitant to try it because I felt like it would just lose it's balance while on the rode because as what I noticed, the tuk-tuk drivers drive so fast! But I had no choice since it was too far to go to Siam Paragon and Central World from Platinum Mall by feet. Yay! Goodthing we did because the driver rerouted his way choosing a traffic-less way going to the mall.

This is my favorite shopping area in Bangkok - Platinum Mall! It has lots of fashionable clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, and lotsa more! Definitely a haven to all fashionista girls.

I'm definitely gonna miss this Oreo crepe at Platinum Mall foodcourt. It was only 45 Baht and delicious!

Did a little shopping at Forever21. I think it's way bigger than the one in megamall.

While finding our way to the taxi waiting area, my sister grabbed my attention right away when she saw lots of Barbie dolls! There was actually a showcase something of different Barbie dolls plus sale. FYI, I'm a big fan of Barbie dolls and just recently I started to revive my dolls before when I was a younger. Right now I'm more into the collector's item Barbie dolls. Good thing it was on sale and I was able to snag the reproduction version of the 1959 Barbie model.

Yummy cakes on buy one take one while passing by one of the stalls in Central World. I love the tiramizu!

[Top and cuffed shorts: Bayo, tassle loafers: Chilli Margarita, stachel: Bangkok find, accessories: Accessorize]

Etude House Review and Fashion Haul

2011-03-12T09:05:00.000+08:00

I have been meaning to visit Etude House for the longest time now, so when I had the chance to visit the mall I stopped by there. At first, I wanted to purchase the EH Lucid Darling lipstick in #05 which is a Barbie pink in color. Unfortunately, it was out of stock. It must be the "it color" girls choose over other colors. I didn't want to settle for another lippy from there because I really wanted that certain color which I read from the web all the awesome reviews.And I also wanted the Revlon Colorburst lipstick in Baby Pink so I just let go of my eagerness to buy a lipstick at Etude House. I just search the store for another stuffs that I might like. Luckily I found the perfect brow pencil in brown! It was love at first sight because I've been dreaming of a brow pencil in a perfect shade of brown and not to mention it was priced at less than 200php! I also got the Happy Tea time cleansing cold cream in Milk Tea. The saleslady suggested I get the other variant for oily face but I wanted milk for my skin so there I never listened and follow my heart! I've been using this for a week already and my skin loves it! I love the consistency, not to thick and easy to apply and rub on the face. I can see the make-up that is removed from the tissue. I love the smell too. Lastly, I got the Romantic Beauty Stand which is perfect for my new dresser that I ordered (will post pictures soon!). This is where I will probably place my comb, brushes, or my mascaras, brow pencil, etc. Not make-up brushes because they're just gonna collect dust from there. Not so hygienic :(

Etude House brow pencil in brown

Happy Tea Time Cold cream's creamy texture contains milk protein to remove dirt and make-up while keeping skin moisturized with the pleasant fragrance of tea

I also visited the department store and got a few stuffs. I got a maxi dress perfect for this summer. A lace top and corset which I have yet to figure out how am gonna style it. A bandeau top and leopard print sunglasses. Then I got a striped top from F&H and laced sleeveless top from Bayo. (sorry seems like I was just enumerating everything!haha).

And yay for another pair of Levi's! And I'm a slight curve! Finally I'd be able to claim my Levi's loop metallic ID soon.

Off to French Baker to have lunch with Mama and brother. I love their Honey roast pork in a L' orange!

Recognition Day

2011-02-21T11:37:00.000+08:00

Last week, we attended the recognition day of my sister at her school (which also happens to be my Alma Mater as well). Their college awarded students who excelled both in academics and co-curricular activities. My sister is a dean lister for 3 consecutive years already and among the juniors in her batch she got the highest QPA grade. It was a fine Thursday morning and it was such a nostalgic feeling going to the Silliman University church again after awhile.

Silliman University church

sister with her awards / she's wearing a dress from Bangkok, white thin belt and black pumps

off to Mamia's restaurant after the ceremony

blueberry cheesecake! one of my faves!

my order: Pork something with mashed potato and vegetables

Mama's chicken barbecue with rice and vegetables

my sister's chicken cordon bleu with rice and vegetables

brownie a la mode ( definitely my fave at Mamia's)

outfit: bow lace top from Forever21, black trousers from Shopaholic, grey wedges from Mendrez, charm bracelets from Accessorize, flower ring from Divi

my floral vintage nail art design

another outfit shot taken by the sister :)

Clear skies with happy clouds

2011-02-16T09:39:00.000+08:00

navy blue sheer polka dot top - random find from Bangkok/ black high waist shorts- random brand/ vintage brown bag - Bangkok/ gray wedge sandals - Mendrez/ wooden bangles/ Love key connector ring - Forever21, bow ring - Just G

The past few days has really been a tiresome for me. I had to run some errands from here and there. I was completing all the required documents I needed for my application. I was also busy with the renovation of my bedroom. From choosing the best shade of pink for the color of the wall as well as the moldings and cabinets. It was tiring yet I enjoyed it so much. I was very happy with the outcome of the color. Just the perfect shade of pink. Now I'm very excited for the dresser and 2 side tables that I ordered. I search the internet for ideas and ask a furniture maker in our town to copy it. I'm looking forward to the outcome hopefully by next week. I'm also on the hunt of the perfect curtains, frames, display shelf and other stuffs for my room. I'm thinking of buying that bird cage I found at a shop here in our place, I think it will look pretty as an ornament. What do you think? By the way my theme for my room is something like victorian, vintage-y floral. I can't really explain. But I will post pictures once it is done soon.

Belated Happy Valentines Day everyone!

Hong Kong Trip 2010: Day 4

2011-01-26T21:27:00.000+08:00

On our fourth day, we had breakfast at Charlie Brown Cafe which is just across our hotel. It was very convenient for all of us because it was just a walking distance. The place is Charlie Brown themed. At the entrance, you will be greeted by a huge Charlie Brown statue standing near the stairs. The cafe is located on the second floor but there is a glass display of cakes and other pastries located at the entrance. Upon climbing up the stair, you will see a display of Charlie Brown characters and his friends as well. Then when you reach about 15 steps, you will then see the counter which is self-service. There were alot to choose from the menu. They have pancakes, croissants, sandwiches, and egg muffins to mention a few. They also serve lunch meals. I had the mini croissant with ham and cheese paired with orange juice. The food was okay. Well I cannot really judge it just like that because it was my first time to eat there. What made the place extra special is the ambiance. Everything looks cute. The tables, chairs, ceiling, dividers, doors, and other decorations. The place is perfect for some cup of coffee while reading a good book or newspaper. Definitely a place to relax. I suggest to those coming to Hong Kong to visit the cafe for that one of a kind experience.

Next on our itinerary was to go to the century old Peak Tram. According to history, it is the first mode of transportation of the HK locals. Today, the Peak Tram is used to carry tourists and other visitors to the upper portion of Hong Kong. From the Central district to the Victoia Peak via the mid-levels, tourists will have a great view of the harbour and HK skyscrapers. Upon reaching the Peak tram terminus, this is where you will purchase tickets. Other attractions located there is the Madame Tussauds wax museum and Sky terrace. You can opt to purchase combination tickets to save on money as well as going back via the Peak Tram again. We just chose to see the Madame Tussauds via Peak tram going and coming back. At the wax museum, you will have the opportunity to take pictures with your favorite stars and other famous people. For example Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Lady Gaga, Adolf Hitler, and David Beckham. We did not go with the Sky Terrace view because it was very cold that time and foggy. You wont see clearly the beautiful view. We just had lunch at Burger King located inside the mall. When it was time for us to go down, the queue to the Peak Tram was long and what made it worst is that the line was located outside the mall. Imagine how cold it was and it was raining too. Good thing our trusty coats did their job well by protecting us.

After our peak Tram journey, we travelled by ferry going back and walked to Avenue of Stars to witness the Symphony of Lights every 8pm. The show wasn't that entertaining much. So after that we just walked going to 1881 Heritage, to Canton Road and shopped a little at H & M (you can check my HK haul post here ). We also went to Mongkok for last minute shopping before we leave for Macau the next day.

Charlie brown sign

Charlie Brown's head cake

ceiling

mini croissant with ham and cheese and orange juice

this way to Peak tram

going up

entrance to the Madame Tussauds wax museum

clock tower

Symphony of Lights

H&M shop

Hong Kong Trip 2010: Day 3

2011-01-26T01:07:00.000+08:00

December 22-27, 2010

Woke up by the beautiful sunshine peeking through our room window with the curtains draping. It was a beautiful morning indeed. We had a rested sleep not to mention the comfort of our bed wrapped in soft white fabric bedsheets. After getting dressed, we had our Disney themed breakfast which we booked together with our hotel room and themepark tickets. The mood was very festive with all the food choices. From dimsum, breads, rice, sausages and hams, cereals, desserts, juices - I could barely choose where to start. But I was actually eyeing on the Mickey waffles! It was tasty too. I super enjoyed our breakfast. The price we paid was worth it. Right after breakfast, we went back to our rooms and check-out. Since we still would be going inside the themepark again, we just left our luggages in the lobby provided with claim tags. We got the 2-day stay in the park to save on money yet enjoying it double. We took advantage of the free bus shuttles going around the hotels and themepark. First we dropped by the other Disney hotel. The design is different from the other one. Upon entering the premises, you will notice Victorian style structure. Inside the hotel is also beautiful with the big chandelier and Christmas tree. They also have a beautiful garden where kids can play around.

We got to the themepark, we decided to go first to the rides and shows which we failed to visit the first time we went there. (First was in June 2008). The last time we were there, the train was in maintenance, so hurriedly queue up to experience the ride. The next was we watched the Lion show which was spectacular! We also waited for the parade which is Christmas themed. After that, we had lunch. We watched the Golden Mickeys the second time around and Philharmonic Orchestra which was kinda boring since it was still the same. Nothing has change. We just tried the other rides, this time with my sister - the Space Mountain. I think the second time was scarier! I can't explain why, probable since I already anticipated what to experience. Haha. Then we just stayed until 6pm in the park. We opted not to wait for the fireworks at 9pm since we watched already the night before.

table + other stuffs

Mickey waffle

different breads and pastries

outfit: purple floral dress - Forever21, black coat - Esprit, black tights- random find, black boots -Forever21, violet scarf - random find, brown satchel - Bangkok

breakfast lounge/restaurant

Disneyland Hotel

castle

balloons for sale

Minnie Mouse

ladies dancing during the parade

Let it snow float

The Golden Mickeys

Lion King show

Disneyland at night

Around 7pm, we got our luggages and rode a taxi back to Kowloon where we checked in to another hotel. This is where we will spend Christmas. First time away from home. We basically just walk along the streets and followed the people to where they're going. We actually walked going to Avenue of Stars but it was crowded already and the police won't allow anymore people to go there. So we were left to nowhere. But watching all the people come and go was fun. This is the first time I experienced such celebration. Little did I know that they don't usually gather around their houses for Christmas but rather with a group of friends to have fun. Everyone was dressed up in their most stylish coat and boots.

did a little shopping at Cotton On because of the massive sale

saw this cute dog in winter costume while walking along the streets of Peking road

Merry Christmas with our big bow headpieces!

Hong Kong Trip 2010: Day 1 & 2

2011-01-26T01:06:00.000+08:00

December 22 - 27, 2010

My second time to visit HK. We left Manila past midnight already via Cebu Pacific flight to HongKong. The flight was delayed 2 hours for some reasons which was ruined our plan that night. We arrived HK around 4am already. Supposedly, we'd exchange a few US dollar to HK dollar in the airport to buy Octopus cards. Unfortunately, shops were closed by past midnight. We just decided to take the bus N21 to our hostel. We just slept for barely 2 hours in the hostel, which is not a bad thing because we just paid a small amount for our stay. In the early morning, we had our breakfast at Mcdonald's just located a few steps from our hostel then we travelled by taxi to Lantau Island where we will transfer to Disneyland Hollywood hotel. We opted to travel by taxi since we had big luggages to carry and there were 6 of us. So 2 taxis were enough. By the time we arrived, it was not yet checked in time so we just left our luggages at the lobby. Our plan for the day was to visit Ngong Ping village. We then bought Octopus cards at the Disney MTR station. From there, we rode the MTR from Disneyland to Sunny Bay and interchanged at the Tung Chung line. We entered the CityGate Outlet store just and had lunch at the Food Republic. At around 12noon, we rode the escalator going to the cable car station. The queue for the ride was so long, but good thing my mother booked our tickets online so minus the hassle of lining up. It was really a straight walk going up there while others barely moved on their feet. Hay! So the ride was about 25 minutes overlooking the beautiful place. We also enjoyed the sights in the Ngong Ping Village. The weather was fine too. It was cold about 15 degrees yet the sun was shining through which was perfect because I didn't sweat eventhough we walked and walked. They also had Christmas decorations with matching snow, well artificial only but it was still cute. We really had a great time taking pictures. We went back to Disneyland hotel through the same route. We rested for 2 hours and then went inside the themepark by night time. Was able to catch the Procession of toys and later ended the night watching the spectacular fireworks display.

cute Mickey Mouse handrail in the train

very cozy that I wanted to sleep already there

crystal cabin where the bottom part is glass so you can see what's under

outfit: black and white striped top - Dept. store find, red floral skirt - Bayo, Black trench coat - thrifted, black stockings -random find, black boots - Forever21, brown satchel - Bangkok find

Coke in a different shape of bottle - awesome!

random find figurines in a store in Ngong Ping

real or not?

I love Doraemon!

cozy Disney theme room - spacious room and big beds

bathroom stuffs

Hollywood Hotel view by night

for my chictopia! haha

swimming pool in the hotel

I love bokeh photography!

going to the cafe

sweets before sleeping time

mango cream cake?

Hong Kong Haul

2011-01-16T17:14:00.000+08:00

Few stuffs I got during a recent trip in HK during the holiday season.

floral top - Cotton On, floral flats with bow - Cotton On, Bow striped top - H&M, white tank top - H&M, Earrings set - H&M, black mittens (not in the pic) - H&M

closer look on how pretty those flats from Cotton On and cheap too! I got them on sale for HK$49 only. The earrings from H&M are my fave too because they're a classic. I can wear them anytime and match with any outfit.

L to R: bow headpiece - HK streets, nail art brush set - Bonjour, dotting tool - Bonjour, eye magic gel eyeliner - Bonjour, Rubi nail polish - Cotton On, glitter nail polish by Etude House, red nail polish - Revlon, lip ice lipbalm - Bonjour, Palty hair dye - Bonjour, Noir blanc lipgloss - Bonjour, Kiss me lipgloss, Moschino and Lanvin Eclat miniature perfumes, nail beads

nail products!

Finally got my package from Wei when I won her blog contest. Thank you so much!

My first time to win in any contest in the blogosphere! Yay!

Our dreams give us strength

2011-01-10T17:53:00.000+08:00

Make this strength to make them come true:)

Just wanna share to you our Christmas Tree this year. I and my mom decided to place cute teddy bear stuffs for a different look since Christmas is all about sharing especially to the less fortunate. Earlier this month, we gave little gifts to a school in the barrio. This school is very close to our hearts because my late grandfather was a pioneer teacher in this school. It was such a great feeling to be able to share our blessings to the kids. The smile in their faces was unexplainable. Definitely worth all the sleepless nights we had for preparing everything.

navy blue dress with peter pan collar - Bangkok, wedge booties - online, accessories - H&M

Palty Hair Dye Review

2011-01-08T18:12:00.000+08:00

Finally my sister decided to have her hair colored. We bought this Palty hair dye when we went to Bangkok, Thailand last October. Palty is a Japanese brand designed to work well with Asian darker hair. Our first choice actually was Prettia Hair Dye but it was pricier so we just settled for this. It was about 350 Baht when we bought it and we chose the color Caramel brown.

contents of the box

my sister has dark brown hair so more or less

we expect a lighter brown effect after coloring

2) this is where you'll mix it and cover with the comb like cap

1) hair color

comb/cap, gloves, conditioner, instructions in Japanese

box

original hair color

no flash

So basically, we just research through youtube tutorials and blog reviews on how to apply this since the instructions included in the box were in Japanese. All we can understand are the pictures. So thank God for those reviews we found online. After mixing number 1 and 2, I applied it on my sister's hair by sections and leave for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, shampoo and condition hair.

after 30 minutes: the result

I think the color change is not that noticeable much. I agree that one box isn't really enough especially if you have long and thick hair. But I recommend this for everyone out there, who wants to try to DIY hair coloring. The procedure itself is easy. While on the process, I asked my sister if she felt any tingling sensation on the scalp but she replied none. There was no strong smell too so it's safe to use. I suggest you get 2 boxes if you have long and thick hair.

*Make sure to do an allergy test first on your arm before you apply the dye on your hair:)

I would love to read your comments:)xoxo

Thailand Trip Day 3 and 4

2011-01-07T12:27:00.000+08:00

Our third day in Bangkok was spent shopping around Siam Paragon, Central World, Pratunam, MBK, Pantip Plaza and my favorite Platinum Mall again. We also went to Chatuchak weekend market because as what I read and heard from people, it sells affordable stuffs. But when we got there, it was scorching hot that day and after about 2 hours going around the different stalls we could hardly breath already. It was really hot, no air conditioning because stalls are just located outside so we opted to just go back to Platinum and continue shopping there since I myself believed I got more fashionable yet affordable stuffs to get there.

lots of different stalls that sells fashionable clothes at a cheap price

On our last day, we went to Damnoen Saduak Floating market where small canals are filled with people selling goods using a "bangka" or small boat. After that we then drive to Kanchanaburi province where you can see the death railway that was used years years ago. It was during the World War II when the Japanese Imperial army began the construction of the infamous Death Railway including the bridge over river Kwai.

At the floating market

coconut juice for sale

Bridge over the River Kwai

tourists everywhere

Thailand Trip Day 2

2010-11-14T20:50:00.000+08:00

when we were there it was not yet open

not worth it to watch, we just wasted 250Baht for the show yet it's not that nice

too cute to ignore

this is what I had for lunch

yellow sports car

SOLD!

outside Siam Paragon

going to Central World

busy streets at night

Our next day in Bangkok was spent by going to Siam Paragon, Central World, Pantip Plaza and Platinum Mall. My favorite would be Platinum Mall because it has everything I want. My eyes dilated most of the time by looking at all the items for sale. They have everything I like. from dresses, tops, shorts,trousers, denim shorts,bags, shoes, accessories, and all. Gosh, it's really like heaven! And everything is cheap too! Your money will go a long way when you shop there.

Thailand Trip Day 1

2010-11-14T19:39:00.000+08:00

Sawadee Ka/Kap! Welcome to Thailand! As promised, I will be sharing to you our awesome trip in Thailand. This is actually our second time to come and just like the first trip we had last December 2008, it is still one of the best places to visit. From our previous trip, we went to the Grand palace, Temples, Elephants, Noong Nooch Botanical Garden, and Coral Island. This time, we went south of Thailand. First up we went to Bang Pa-In Palace. This is the old palace of their King and Queen. It has all sorts of awesome structure, of course some are made of gold! Check the pictures.

as you enter the place, a beautiful garden welcomes you

everything is well-manicured

feels like your in Europe! haha

plants formed like elephants!

Btw, our driver that day was a fellow Filipino so it was really easy to communicate and ask him questions. He brought us to a local restaurant for lunch. I had sweet and sour chicken - cooked the Thai way while my mother tried the most raved Pad thai. Food was good, It tasted well.

For our next stop, we ask Marc (driver) to bring us to Ayutthaya. It is where the ruins are located. Here's a brief history of Ayutthaya that I got from the internet (http://thaifolk.com/)

"Ayutthaya had consecutively been a prosperous kingdom for 417 years. There had been 33 kings who reigned the kingdom over that period, beginning with King Uthong in 1893 B.E. The kingdom's glorious time ended when it succumbed to Burmese troops on 7th April 2310 B.E., concluding 5 dynasties that used to reign the kingdom of Ayutthaya, namely Chiang Rai, Suwannbhuma, Pra Ruang, Prasat Tong, and Ban Plu Luang dynasty."

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Pad thai - one of their native foods

noodles in different colors?

face of Buddha surrounded by the roots of a tree

coconut juice

Siam Niramit Cultural show - a must see show when you visit Thailand

food banquet before the start of the show; so many food choices and delicious too. There were also spicy dishes and for those that are vegetarians

entertainment of different dances before the start of the actual show in which photo taking is not allowed inside:/

I miss blogging + Online Shop

2010-11-14T17:20:00.000+08:00

Oh my! It's almost 2 months since the last time I post something here in my blog. Well, the past few months had really been an awesome! First, my cousins went home for a vacation here in the Philippines. We enjoyed so much all the fun activities we did. (I'll have a post about that soon!). Second, I and my family went to Bangkok, Thailand for the second time around. It was indeed a very memorable trip and to mention, I had an awesome shopping experience! Definitely one of the best places to shop for cheap yet fashionable clothes. And I am so excited to share with you guys pictures of our trip plus the stuffs I bought there. Third, I and my sister recently opened our new online shop called Laces and Bows. It's on facebook so if you have an account do check us. We our currently on our 2nd collection. I am extremely happy that the 1st collection did so well. It's actually sold out already! Here's some of the pictures from the shop.

Go check our online shop on Facebook!

Lastly, Wei han of xwhlo emailed me saying that I won her blog giveaway. It's actually my first time to win a contest here in the blogosphere world. Super happy. Here's what I won. I hope I'll get it before Christmas time, definitely the perfect gift.

2010-09-27T20:56:00.000+08:00

floral romper - online find, brown/cream oxfords shoes - Bayo, boater hat - random find, bow ring - Mixberry, camera necklace - Bangkok find

I'm officially a year older and a year wiser. Just spent the day before with the family in our hometown. The mother cooked lunch, and I also helped prepare some dishes. Everything went fine especially when you spend it with the most important people in your life.

Finally I'm now on LOOKBOOK!

2010-09-14T15:58:00.000+08:00

Yes, you heard it right! Haha. I just recently signed up my account on lookbook. Aside from Chictopia , I can post my looks now here. Check my account and hype!

Bipolar weather

2010-09-13T14:36:00.000+08:00

Saturdate

2010-08-22T20:10:00.000+08:00

It was a lazy Saturday afternoon spent with my sister and boy cousin. They had no class in the afternoon (my sister has classes every Saturday mornings) so we decided to hit the mall and watch the latest movie. The movie theater was jam-packed with mostly "highschool-ers" who I think are just classmates. We watched a horror movie but the high school group of people started to scream inappropriately. They did things that usually makes you angry. I just think they sounded corny. I was really disappointed with the people together watching with us and at the same time, I was not impressed with the outcome of the movie as opposed to the reviews I've seen and read in the television and newspaper.

Anyways, after the movie we were hungry. We went to Gabby's Bistro to satisfy our cravings.

fancy lights

sister's spaghetti (which has a better name but I forgot:( )

cousin's order

blueberry cheesecake which I got to share with my sister

mango crepe

sweet cravings

the outfit: floral top- department store, black trousers,

grey flats - Parisian at SM, grey sling bag- Mango

Roadtrip to Negros Occidental

2010-08-21T13:14:00.000+08:00

Last May, my family and I had the best roadtrip going to Negros Occidental, particularly Bacolod City. Since it was summer time, we decided to go on a funfilled trip together with our ever trusted Pajero SUV.

starting point: Dumaguete City
1st stopover: Manjuyod for some refreshments

2nd stopover: San Carlos City for lunch, specifically Jollibee. (It was the only place where we thought we could have lunch super fast because we were all hungry and thirsty, it is located inside the Gaisano Mall)
3rd stopover: next town to look for more ice for our drinks inside the cooler.
3rd stopover: Tuboso for picture taking of the vast area of sugar cane plantation.

4th stopover: Silay City where the Jalandoni museum and Balay Negrense can be found.

Big sign as you enter the museum of the Jalandoni's

this is what used to be their refrigerator before, ice were still exported from Europe to preserved their food

Don Victor Gaston's house built in 1897

stairs divided separetely for girls and boys

4- poster bed with intricate carvings

5th stopover: Talisay City. The picturesque view of the Ruins. What made it more interesting is the rough road going there and we even got lost on our way finding where it is. Mama's and I's research on the net wasn't that helpful enough!haha

picturesque view of the Ruins

burned down in WWII

entrance to the mansion

the "Ruins"

garden

Finally, we reach Bacolod City and had of course chicken inasal for dinner. Off to the hotel.

The next day was spent searching for the famous Calea cakes and pastries. Bought chocolate cake thinking it was the one being raved in the blogosphere but actually it's the otherchocolate cake partly hidden in the cafe with the name 'imported chocolate cake'. Darn. We also tasted their blueberry cheesecake. This one is kinda different because of it's crust is made of honey oats and nuts pressed firmly.

Calea cakes and pastries (Robinsons Mall branch)

blueberry cheesecake

After satisfying my cravings, we went to Mambukal as we heard that it has improved alot since the last time we went there years ago. It wasn't even functioning the last we were there but to our surprise when we reached there, the whole area was crowded! Well, it was a Sunday and there were a couple of people having their convention something, some having their reunions and family gatherings thus we just decided to look for another place since parking area was crowded as well. We tried asking for the route to Buenos Aires - a mountain resort but ended up going to Pata-an, another mountain resort with falls. Haay, a long trip indeed. We just had lunch there and after awhile back on the road again to go home.

man-made lake

bridge

butterfly sanctuary

All in all we almost toured the whole Negros already considering that we came from Siaton the day before that.

P.S. towns that I still haven't visited in Negros - Cauayan, Sipalay, Hinoba-an and Basay!

Update + Blog Giveaways!

2010-08-18T13:58:00.000+08:00

Hey everyone! It's been awhile since I last updated my blog. Well, I was pretty much busy with other things plus a beach trip with my cousins. (photos to be uploaded soon!) Anyway, I've decided that I will make this blog not only about beauty stuffs, but also travels, adventures, fashion, food, and other random things happening every single day. So watch out for that.

For now, I will be posting awesome blog giveaways. Make sure to visit their site and join the giveaway!

Toddles!

Borniilove Sweet Romantic Giveaway

Prizes include:

♥ MAC Hello Kitty limited edition pink lip gloss
♥ JILL STUART limited sweet bridal Double Ring Collection

♥ CANMAKE four shiny eyes eye shadow in pearl white, peach, pink and brown
♥ JILL STUART loose powder blusher in pink passion

Contest ends on August 31, 2010. Check her blog for all the details

Panda Girl's 400th follower giveaway

Prizes are:

1. Malica Majorca Lash Expander 2. Panda Mousemat 3. Tony Moly Ice Cream Face Mask 4. Cookie Mirror 5. Panda Speaker Pillow (plug in your mp3 player and listen whilst resting your head on the pillow) 6. Ice Cream Pen 7.Skin79 Miniature BB creams 8.Panda facepaper 9.White chocolate Iphone Cover

Contest ends on September 30, 2010. Check her blog for all the details.

Lora's 50th follower giveaway

Check her blog for the contest details. Ends on August 24, 2010

Wei Han's End of Summer Giveaway

Prizes included are:

1. Sticky hair things
2. "Suki" eyeshadow kit
3. Cute food shape erasers
4. Orange soda pop lip balm
5. "B&C Apple" hand cream
6. 12 eyeshadow colours
7. Flavoured "Marion Lip Balms"
8. Another few cute food shape erasers
9. "Koji Spring Heart" eyelashes
10. "Sweet Chocolate" eyelash case
11. 6 packs of "3D Design Nail Sticker"
12. "Scent of Rose" oil blotting paper [Scented]

Giveaway Ends on October 31, 2010. Check her ,a href="http://xwhlo.blogspot.com/2010/08/end-of-my-summer-giveaway.html">blog for the details.

Diane Regina's Mini Loot Giveaway

Ends on August 31, 2010

Check her blog for the details:D

Fruity Lashes Housewarming Giveaway

Ends on September 15, 2010

Check her blog for the details

OOTD: nautical stripes & vintage

2010-07-26T14:20:00.000+08:00

Zara striped top, laced white inner tube, black highwaist shorts, Bayo brown oxfords,Liz Claiborne vintage purse, bow rings, pearl bangles

NOTD + New Shoes!

2010-07-23T20:37:00.000+08:00

After almost a month of no nail polish, decided to treat my nails for color. I chose pumping red this time. I'm super inlove with the redness of this nail polish not to mention that I bought it for only 18pesos! What a steal! I'm definitely getting more colors from this brand called Bichun. I search the net and found out that this is a Chinese product. I just hope the chemicals used in these are safe:)

Yay for new shoes! I got these lovely oxford/brogues shoes yesterday at Bayo. The first time I saw these I knew I just have to get them. So after accompanying my mother at the department store I went back there to buy one. This style comes in two different colors: black/white and brown/white. It retails at 1,095.00pesos. At first I wanted to get the black/white ones but I realized that these brown/white one looks better. I just love the vintage look of these shoes!

Rebonded hair + New haircut

2010-07-22T16:42:00.000+08:00

Aah lazy days! I just wanna share to you guys my newly rebonded hair, some 3 weeks ago. Well, not really new anymore. Haha. Anyway, it was my 3rd time to have my hair rebonded and eversince then, I love the results. I don't really have curly hair before, just thick and a little bit wavy. I envy girls with nice straight hair that's why I decided to have my hair rebonded. I do this yearly, after noticing inches of wavy hair growing back again.

The first picture shows the results, but then I decided to have it layered to look better. Then the second one shows the result after I had it layered at a salon here in our place. It's a new hair salon (Korean inspired), and they had a promo of 50pesos only for haircut, so I gave it a try. By the way, that is my original hair color.

What are your opinions of rebonded hair? Share your insights!

Review: Revlon Photoready Make-up + Colorburst Lipstick

2010-07-10T22:20:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! How was your day? As for me, it was a very memorable day for we celebrated my mom's birthday today. We surprised her by giving her a bouquet of white and pink roses. So sweet! She loves flowers so much that I knew she would really appreciate our little something for her. We also cooked great foods and invited close relatives. It was a fun day for all of us.

Anyway, this entry is purposely one for my review on Revlon's products. I know it took me quite a long time to do this. So sorry for that ;)

REVLON PHOTOREADY MAKE-UP

According to their site:

Revlon PhotoReady™ Makeup - for poreless, airbrushed skin in any light. Photochromatic pigments bend and reflect light to erase every flaw. Complete, yet undetectable coverage. Soft, luminous finish.

- Oil free
- Fragrance free
- SPF 20

I got the 006 medium beige
Retails for 995php

when blended onto skin, shimmer quite visible

My say:

Provides a good coverage, coverage is buildable
It covers my imperfections
Comes with a hygienic pump bottle
Looks flawless and smooth
With a variety of shades to choose from

The downside:

I have to admit that my face gets oily after several hours, but I really have an oily skin so I think that's just normal :D
I heard it has shimmery effect, I noticed that too when I swatched it at the back of my hand, but once you apply it n your face, it's barely noticeable

COLORBURST LIPSTICK

According to their site:

-Instant burst of rich, true color with a featherlight feel
-Elasticolor™ technology provides immediate color release and hugs lips with a burst of weightless color that feels like a second skin
-Available in range of 20 gorgeous shades

I got the Mauve and Soft Nude Lippies
Retails for 575php

lipstick swatches

My say:

I am inlove with these lipsticks!
The packaging looks sleek and sophisticated; it has quilted finish on 2 sides of the lipstick
The top part of the packaging also tells you a lot of the color of whats inside
Revlon logo carved on the lipstick
Very moisturizing, it doesn't dry out my lips that much
You may skip applying lipgloss because the lipstick itself has a glossy finish

The downside:

May melt when kept inside your bag for a long time, as what my Mom experienced with her lipstick.

Please excuse my ugly looking lips=)

#70Soft Nude is my fave so far. Its a very pale nude. It gives me a very fresh and sweet look. I like it that it compliments my skin tone very much. Definitely a must try for girls who are looking for the best nude lipstick.

#Mauve is a pretty pinkish lilac shade. I don't know how to describe it well. The color is buildable, in my picture I applied 2 layers. I also love this shade since it looks so natural on me.

Overall I would rate Revlon Photoready Foundation and Colorburst lipsticks 4.5/5

EOTD + FOTD

2010-07-07T22:25:00.000+08:00

Sharing to you my eye make-up for today. Just a simple clean look. I'm not really good yet in applying eye make-up but I'm learning through different tutorials and blog entries.

Products used:

Eyes:

Coastal Scents 78 palette
L.A. colors eyeshadow
in2it gel eyeliner
Avon mascara

Face:

Revlon Photoready Foundation in 006 Medium Beige
Ever Bilena concealer
Maybelline Face Powder
E.l.f.studio line blush in peachykeen

Lips:

Chapstick lip balm
Revlon Colorburst lipstick in Mauve

Eclipse Movie

2010-07-03T21:29:00.000+08:00

Finally the day has come for the opening of Twilight Saga's third movie installment - Eclipse. Goodthing for us here in the Philippines, the day of the opening was also a holiday since our it is also the inaguration of our new president Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino. My sister and I planned that day to watch the movie Eclipse for both of us are die hard fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. And I heard a lot of good raves about the making of the movie, in addition to the new director assigned to it.

We went to the mall earlier, just in time for the opening. We knew already that there would be a lot of people lining up early because it was a holiday and basically no class for the students all eager to watch the movie. Our instincts was right, the moment we went near the movie theater, a couple of people were already in queue. We were the 15th persons probably in line but as the clock was ticking, yet the theater hasn't opened moviegoers we growing in number. The movie started at 12:35 and luckily we were able to buy tickets an hour before it started.

As the movie started, we can hear a lot of fangirls screaming especially when Jacob Lautner's body is shown. Haha Oh well, you can't blame them for he is really sexy and has grown into a man. On the other hand, the casts really did well on their characters. They have grown so much compare to the first movie Twilight. The director also did a very good job. I would say, this is the best among the other movies. I am looking forward to the next one.

Collective Haul

2010-06-08T21:50:00.000+08:00

Hey there! So sorry for the lack of updates lately. Anyways, here's a collective haul I got last month. I got several stuffs from L.A. colors because they were having a big sale. I knew I just had to have a lot of good stuffs. I'm also very happy my sister and I found these art deco nail polishes. Now, we wouldn't have a hard time designing our nails.

(L to R: ELF Studio Line blush in peachykeen, L.A. colors waterproof mascara, L.A. colors lip gloss, L.A. colors lipstick in Nude, L.A. colors art deco nail polishes in white and hot pink, Caronia nailpolish in Cindy and L.A. colors trio eyeshadow)

I also got myself the E.L.F. blush in peachykeen. Now this is something new from the range of blushes I have because this time, the shade is more coral-ish - peachy compared to my favorites- which are in pinks. I'm actually stuck with this blush right now. It kinda blends well with my complexion now after I got a little darker from sun exposure. I'm setting aside my other blushes first and I'll think this E.L.F. blush will go along way. Not to mention that is cheap too.

My sister and I also purchased these cute rings. I'm actually inlove with bow stuffs right now. From rings to necklaces, and tops. The first two rings were bought at Just G and the gold one I found at the SM Department store, accessories section. And finally, I found these pearl bangles. It was way cheaper from the ones I saw before that's why I'm so happy with these purchase. I actually saw them while I was paying at the counter at Genevieve Gozum.

I also bought a couple of tops. The black top I got from SM department store. It has a cute flower design and I also love the hemline which is weird. The white top is from Genevieve Gozum and the last 2 tops from Terranova. Lastly, I got myself a new pair of jeans from Levi's. I think this is from their new collection called Curves which says it hugs your curves perfectly. Kinda pricey for 3499php but I'm very contented with the fit. Everytime I buy a new pair, Levi's is actually my first choice because it fits on me well.

So I think that's it for now guys. I actually have more reviews due already. But I'm focusing on my review now. Next I'll be reviewing my current haul from Revlon (photoready foundation and 2 lipstick from their colorburst collection).

Review: Etude House and Lioele Korean Products

2010-05-21T22:52:00.000+08:00

Hi guys! So sorry for MIA, I was literally very busy with my IELTS review that I never got to update my blog for awhile. The review is really taking much of my time even if it's just a 2-hour review. I'm actually reading and writing more now in preparation for the exam by the end of June. I hope I'll do well. I'm crossing my fingers. =)

Anyways, as promised, I'll be doing a review on my recent Etude House and Lioele products. So here it is.

Etude House Dual Fibre Cheek Brush

I got this brush from Ebay and it comes with this plastic packaging/protection something. I read a lot of good reviews about this so I tried it myself. I've actually used this for 3 weeks already since I purchased it, and I've washed it twice. I love using this when applying my foundation or BB cream, but I also tried using this for my blush. So the verdict, there wasn't a lot of shedding. I actually just noticed 1 or 2 hairs from the very first time I washed it. The hair is also very smooth that it doesn't poke your gentle skin. I also love how dense the hairs are. As you can see the pictures below in close up. It also gives you that airbrush effect after using this which I totally love.

I heard this is a good dupe for the expensive Mac 188, so I'm very happy that I discovered this brush.

I'm giving this 4.5/5 rating. The price is good. I bought this for 470php but you can purchase this directly from the Etude House boutique for a cheaper price.

Lioele Blooming Cushion Touch Blusher

I first heard about this Korean brand from Jen of frmheadtotoe . She gave it a positive review so I tried it myself. The packaging is really cute. It comes in this pink jar with cover. Inside you can see a cute puff that you will use to buff on your cheeks. This product comes in 2 colors only: pink and peach. At first, I had difficulty deciding which color to pick because in the first place, I have too many pinkish blushes already but I really want the pink packaging. So I finally chose this pink over the peachy one.

In the beginning, I had a hard time applying the color on my cheeks. The color was hard to build up. I had to buff it really well so the color would just show up. But when I got to use this more often, I finally learned how to use it well. I don't anymore find it hard to apply because as the the time passed by, the blush almost stayed on the puff so building your desired color was easier.

I'll probably give this product a 3.5 /5 since I'm still more comfortable in using a brush for my blush. And maybe I'll get to use this more often when I'm really in a hurray. In that way, I won't have to grab a brush but instead, I'll just buff this on my cheeks and I'm ready to go.

Fresh Cherry Tint

I find this a very refreshing lip tint. After application my lips really feel refresh. It also gives a little pinkish color. But after awhile, my lips feel dry. I'm probable giving this a 3/5 rating.

Lioele Princess-y Mirror

I got this cute pink mirror because it looks so adorable. It comes in 2 colors: fushsia pink and pink. I got the pink one.

I'm sharing to you in my next post my recent haul including some tops and jeans. =)

REVIEW: Ever Bilena Mousse Concealer

2010-05-06T19:10:00.000+08:00

I've been searching for the perfect concealer that will work for me. I want it to not just to cover my undereye dark circles but I also want it to flawlessly cover my blemishes. So when I went to the mall one time for some sight seeing, I checked out Ever Bilena counter and found this mousse concealer. I wanted to try my luck on this product so I bought it. It wasn't really a pain to try this out since it only cost me 175 pesos!

Sandy Beige shade

Ingredients: Mica, polybutene, mineral oil, titanium dioxide, ceresin, talc, octy palmitate, PEG -30, dipolhydroxystearate, cera microcystallina, butyrospermum, parkii (shea butter), tocopheryl acetate

Net Weight: 12grams

Retails for: 175 pesos

Shades: available in 3 or 4 (I'm not quite sure)

swatch

when blended to the skin

before

After applying concealer

The good stuff:

cheap
available in different shades
smells good
easy to blend
able to conceal my undereye dark circles

The low down:

I think this is only available locally
quite heavy jar to bring with you everyday
packaging not hygienic
unable to cover my blemishes

I think this is not yet my best concealer, I have yet to search for other brands out there. I wanna try NYX concealer in a jar. I've read good reviews about it so maybe I'll try that next time.

Mini Haul

2010-05-06T18:18:00.000+08:00

Another mini haul I got over the week. I bought stuffs that I actually need. I got myself an eyebrow shaver because the one I'm currently using isn't that sharp anymore. This is the first time I'm gonna try this brand. It is actually made in Japan so I guess the quality is better compared to the ones locally made. The razor is also longer, about 3-4 inches long so I have yet to explore the use of the long razor. Next thing I got is pore tape. There are 10 tapes inside the box and this cost me 120php or about $3. I think this is pricier compared to the ones in Bench stores which can be purchase individually. Again this is my first time to try this brand and let's see how this works. Then I grabbed these girly looking oil blotting papers, which in the packaging says that the paper itself is printed. I thought the print in the sheets is similar to the print in the packaging, which is the girl but to my dismay it turned out that the prints are cutesy teddy bears. Haha. I also got wet wipes, nail polishes from Caronia, Bobbie, Mwah, Chic and a mousse concealer from Ever Bilena. My review will follow :)

Nail polishes from Caronia, Bobbie, Chic, and Mwah!

Nose Pore Tape

I also did a little bit of school supplies shopping now that I'm reviewing for IELTS exam. I missed doing this after I graduated college so you can see how I love getting cute stuffs to use for my review.

Once I saw this envelope, I immediately grabbed them for I love Precious Moments so much. I also got a small notebook for note-taking.

NOTD: Regular Ashley

2010-05-02T17:14:00.000+08:00

I thought I already found my perfect dupe for that super famous Chanel Particuliere 505 nail polish. When I first compared it on the pictures on the net and some reviews found on the blogoshere, it look really similar. But when I uploaded the pictures already it came out to be grayish in color. The Chanel Particuliere actually looks a little bit brownish. Anyways, I still love this nail polish I bought recently. The brand is called "klik"and I got it for P14 only for a 7ml bottle. The color is called Regular Ashley. It glides smoothly when applied and a 2-3 coatings will give you the color just like mine.

Pros:

* affordable
* wide range of other colors available
* glides on smoothly when applied

Cons:

* I think this is only available locally
* needs 2-3 coatings to achieve the color

Maybelline Watershine Pure Review

2010-05-02T16:58:00.000+08:00

I bought this Maybelline lipstick recently during a short trip to the mall. I initially was looking for a nude lippy but I fell inlove with this pale pink I found on the counter. It was 20% off the regular price too so I felt very happy with my purchase. What I also love about this is that it glides smoothly on my lips and gives me that moisturized look. I just apply my fave chapstick before I put this on and there's no need to top it off with a lipgloss. But if you want a more shinier look, of course you can apply your fave lipgloss.

Watershine Pure in B24

It looks very natural on me. It actually looks pale pink.

Etude House and Lioele mini haul

2010-04-16T23:02:00.000+08:00

After 2 days my package finally arrive. I got few items from Etude House and Lioele in ebay. Since I learn about Etude House, it has become my favorite beauty store. The problem is that we don't have a store here in our place so I just rely online to browse and buy stuffs. I also heard from Jen's this other Korean brand that also sells cute beauty stuffs so I tried it. I hope to do a review about these stuffs in the future after I've tried and tested them.

Nicely packed

I also got a lot of freebies including this Lioele make-up remover pads!

So these are the ET and Lioele stuffs that I got.

NOTD: Perfect nude

2010-04-15T11:31:00.001+08:00

I got bored waiting for my downloads last night and I remember I just bought a new polish so I painted my nails. I used Caronia's touch of beige. I am so inlove with the outcome of the color. Just perfect for those lazy days when you don't want your nails to look colorful. The color is so demure. I'm thinking of painting my toenails too later.

The color kinda resembles my fingers too!

Will post more NOTD in the future!

Mini Haul

2010-04-14T22:10:00.001+08:00

This is my first post on my hauls that I got from some stores here in our place. Me and my Mom drove one sunny afternoon to do some errands including buying medicines for my grandmother and paying bills. After that we're free to go anywhere. SO we went to Robinson's department store and got some stuffs. I bought some facial tissues, Kleenex, Caronia nail polish in touch of beige, and Loreal Paris' Smooth Intense anti-frizz serum. This is my first time trying the hair serum so I don't know yet how this will work on me. I intentionally bought this to apply on my hair before ironing it. The product actually smells good but I find it really sticky (well ain't hair serum should be sticky right?!) Well, will just update you if this works fine. :)

I also got Hello Kitty stuffs from another store. A pencil eraser, sharpener, and a little container. I have no idea why I bought them. I just found them too cute and cheap so I grabbed them. I always have a thing for anything pink and well, Hello Kitty. On the other hand the container thing, I'm thinking of placing my jewelry there especially when I go travel because sometimes I just place them in the inner pocket of my purse especially my earrings and sometimes it gets misplaced. I also bought a cute pen with the heart mushy thing on top.

I also love this earrings I found near the counter. It comes in different colors but I chose this purple one.

And lastly, a falsies, idk why i got these as well. I don't use one at the moment (but maybe in the future), I just wanna try this for a more dramatic look. And did I mention that it's very cheap too, just some random China products. Good for amateurs like me to try.

P.S. I'm waiting for my Etude House and Lioele stuffs I bought online. I hope it arrives by tomorrow. I'll post pictures right away;)

Viva la Juicy Perfume by Juicy Couture Review

2010-04-11T23:13:00.000+08:00

Product Description:

Juicy Couture presents Viva La Juicy, an enticing scent of wild berries and mandarins, honeysuckle, gardenia, and jasmine. To round it out, amber, caramel, vanilla, sandalwood, and praline add just the right touch of sweetness.

I just purchased this 100 ml perfume spray almost a month ago in ebay. I got it from AVR, a reputable seller of perfumes. The perfume comes in a pretty fuchsia box which I can't just throw away because it's cuteness.

Anyhow, the bottle is quite heavy compared to my other 100 ml perfumes. The cap comes with a pretty fuchsia bow and a "J" charm attached to it by a safety pin. The bottle also comes with a gold plated Juicy Couture logo. The bottle itself is really pretty, very girly and sweet. So far I'm inlove with this scent. I almost use it everyday even if I'm just stuck in the house the whole day.

The smell is kinda fruity, sweet like candy and floral-ish. What I really noticed too is the top note of vanilla which reminds me of my Mom's perfume too. The scent is very refreshing, just perfect for the tropical weather we have here in the Philippines. I also got a lot of compliments using this!

One thing I just noticed is the scent doesn't stay very long that much. I usually spritz more or less 6-8 sprays all over my body yet after 3-4 hours the scent fades already. I asked my mom and sister if they can still smell the scent on me and they said it's not that noticeable anymore. But what I really love about this perfume is that it's not too overpowering. The scent is so refreshing. I don't know if I'll purchase another bottle after I consume this since I get tired of same scents after using them for awhile.

Cherry Nail Art Tutorial

2010-04-11T00:22:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! Here’s a simple nail art tutorial which I’m sure you’ll do better than I did :D This will work both on short or long nails. Enjoy! :)

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

1. Base coat, yellow, red, white, and clear nail polishes. Any brand will do :D

2. Toothpick or anything that has a small tip.

3. Your creativity :D

STEPS:

STEP 1: Apply base coat to your nails for protection. Let it set and dry.

STEP 2: Next is to apply yellow nail polish, actually you can choose any color you want :D Apply 2 layers of the color or until it will look opaque.

STEP3: Now get your toothpick or any thing that has a sharp tip. Grab your green nail polish and dab the end of the toothpick and use this to create stems of the cherries. Start from the end of your nails going almost halfway. Make sure to leave enough space for your cherries. You can actually put a leaf for a more detailed look. :D

STEP 4: Make sure your nail polish is dry before doing this next step. Get your red color and apply 2 dots resembling a cherry. Try to make it as round as possible. You can either use the toothpick or just the tip of the nail polish’ brush. Let it dry.

STEP 5: You’re almost done :D. You can add a thin curve line using white nail polish on the cherry so it would look dramatic. Just don’t forget to apply a clear nail polish for protection :))

Now you have pretty nails just in time for the summer! - issa:)

P.S. Sorry for the watermark because I just grabbed these from my Tumblr account.

Etude House Lovely Cookie blusher review

2010-04-09T23:21:00.000+08:00

I ordered this cute pink blush from Etude House online and it arrived 2 days after. At first, I was really more into the packaging because it’s just irresistible. I’m a sucker for anything kawaii and pink. Goodthing I discovered this Korean brand of cosmetics. The cookie blusher actually comes in 5 different shades. 1. Pink 2. Rose 3. Orange 4. Sugar Pink and 5. Lovely Pink. I got the Pink shade since it looks not too light and yet not too dark in the picture online while I was browsing. It also comes with a cute blush puff with a cute bow on top of it. Reaally cute! When I tried it, I was a bit disappointed because it turned out too light. You need an ample amount to get that rosy pink glow on your cheeks. Compared to my other blushes which I only need 1-2 strokes on my cheeks, this one needs more application. But when you get the desired pink glow it actually turns out pretty cute. I prefer using this with my own blush brush so I can apply it well on my cheeks.

P.S. I tried doing a swatch on this but my camera failed me. Prolly I’ll try next time:D I’ll just update you. :0

because I need a dose of coffee..

2009-09-12T15:19:00.000+08:00

white cardigan / floral dress / belt from Bangkok / white wedges / brown bangles

Look of the Week

2009-09-11T10:33:00.001+08:00

Got featured on FABSUGAR's Look of the Week

What I'm lovin now

2009-09-10T21:07:00.000+08:00

My new Juicy Couture perfume! I'm addicted to it's scent!

I quickly laugh at everything...

2009-09-10T20:08:00.000+08:00

I quickly laugh at everything, for fear of having to cry...

So sorry I wasn’t able to keep my promise. I wasn’t able to keep you updated with my outfits and blogging too. I was terribly sick the past few days. I even had to be absent on work. I was just stucked at home doing nothing. Even blogging prevented me because I was too lazy. But now I think I’m all okay. I will probably go back to work tomorrow.

Anyhoo, the top that I'm wearing here is thrifted a few weeks ago (go check my previous post). I got it for only $1 and it's so comfortable. It was really love at first sight when I found this. So chic!

dept. store bought white cover - up / thrifted black and white striped top / black high waisted skirt / black flat shoes bought in HK / black quilted bag / purple bangles from Tomato

xoxo,

issa♥

Thrift Shopping

2009-08-31T22:58:00.000+08:00

Ohh the joy of thrift shopping! It was a lazy afternoon when we decided to go to ukay-ukay ( it is a Visayan term for thrift shopping). We were lucky enough that they had new arrivals. We were digging through piles and piles of clothes when we found these fabulous stuffs. And we got home several great stuffs that just cost us 300php!

these are the stuffs I got!

details of the floral top I found that just cost 45php!

it was love at first sight when I found this animal print top!

high waisted skirt with a great print

details of the skirt

P.S. will post more pictures wearing these fabulous finds next time:D

Save me from the HEAT!

2009-08-30T20:53:00.000+08:00

I woke up late today and to my dismay, there was no electricity. Crap! This usually happens here in our place once every month. I don't know the real reason either why this has been happening every month. So to save ourselves from the sweat we'd get by just staying in our house - imagine no TV, internet connection, air conditioner or electric fan, we decided to eat out. My uncle and aunt was also with us. We had our lunch at Gabby's Bistro. I ordered fish n' chips with rice again (yes! I also had this a week ago in Gabby's) and discovered my new love - Dirt Cup! It's actually a chocolate mousse with some gummy candies. We stayed there longer to save ourselves from scorching heat of the sun and also while waiting for my other Aunt whom I'll be fetching. She went to Siquijor with some of her brods and sis from their organization.

After fetching my Aunt, I also went thrift shopping! Yay! I'll post my thrift finds next time here:D

while waiting for our orders, I took this pic

this is what was on our table

mug filled with hit calamansi juice

my new love! DIRT CUP!

xoxo, issa ♥

Bubbly Yellow

2009-08-30T19:41:00.000+08:00

This is what I did the other day, prettifying little sister for her friends' debut party. I did her hair and make - up. Just a simple look to match with her outfit. By the way, my sister also just celebrated her 18th party, nothing big party happen though. Happy 18th birthday sis!

yellow ruffled top / black custom made skirt / black purse / Wild Diva black platform shoes

xoxo, issa

Sunshine and denims

2009-08-29T22:37:00.000+08:00

I woke up early today. Had classes at 8am (ooh! did I mention that I'm back with my masterals?!). So to make the story short, yes I am back with my masterals for now, but I'm still exploring things. Maybe the next day my mind will change again. Anyhoo, the weather was weird today, it was scorching hot when I went out but it poured a little for awhile while we were having our classes. I was really mad that my newly washed car got wet. :( Now I need to have it clean again. Goodthing though that we only had classes in the morning. I spent my afternoon just bloghopping and posting pictures. Normally I take a nap but I was really hooked in front of my laptop. I just stopped when the connection got crazy.

gray tank top from Bayo / denim vest from Next Jeans / Gap denim shorts / T-strap yellow sandals bought in Thailand / Yellow sling bag

Busy Day

2009-08-29T14:32:00.000+08:00

I spent my day today celebrating the founders week of my alma mater. It is actually the 108th year celebration of my school. Me and my mom were supposed to watch the parade but the mom had some important stuffs to so I just accompanied her. The school's alumni are also busy preparing for their respective batch's reunion. Last night, my Aunties attended a costume party for their organizations' 45th year. I helped them dressed up and tried to copy the hairstyle that we found on the net. One of my Aunt played Cruella Deville while the other imitate Jang Guem of Korea. I also helped my sister prepare for the debut of her close friend. I did her hair and make -up. I’m not really a pro in doing this but with a little help from the tutorials found on the net, I can manage to prettify her. (Will post later how it turned out=)

outfit: custom made blazer / Zara white top / Old navy shorts / Gojane platform gladiator heels / Mango gray sling bag / boutique Eiffel Tower charm long necklace / purple bangles

Remember on my previous post, I wanted this badly and so lucky I am and found this at Water Lily!

I want want to wear these now!

2009-08-28T21:06:00.000+08:00

street glam by heavenblush featuring Forever21

New Shoes!

2009-08-28T18:51:00.000+08:00

Okay, so I forgot to blog about this new baby that just came.

My Aunt just arrived from the US last week and brought with her my shoe orders! I asked her to buy for me online those fierce shoes I saw at GoJane.com. I was really excited of her arrival knowing that I have something to look forward to (oh, not that I'm not excited to see her) lol. From the moment she gave me the box, my heart was really palpitating fast! Just like the same feeling when your taking an oral exam..hehe.. I was not sure if the size I ordered was really exact for me. But when I finally tried them on..voila! They are just perfect! I am speechless. The shoes are really pretty.

box!

here it is!

fierce heels!

fierce heels!

Balik Talent

2009-08-27T13:29:00.000+08:00

We attended the Balik Talent sponsored by the class 1969 of Silliman University College of Nursing at the Luce Auditorium. Several speakers were invited to talk to Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, new trends on neonatal care, etc.

Had lunch after at Gabby's Bistro:D

Pan Hellenic Medical Mission

2009-08-27T10:32:00.000+08:00

The Pan Hellenic Society is celebrating it's 45th year this year. One way of celebrating it was to hold a medical mission at Mantuyop, Siaton. My Aunt who is one of the pioneering batch of the group organized it. Services offered were free dental, Pap Smear, random blood sugar taking, blood pressure taking, deworming, and referrals to several doctors.

teaching locals how to do RBS

doctor doing an eye examination

children had a check up too!

I had fun taking the RBS of the locals!

credits: Arianne Reva Monte de Ramos for the pics

Things I want NOW!!!

2009-08-16T19:51:00.000+08:00

1. long cardigan

- I want a black or grey cardigan long enough to cover the butt area
- Zara, Topshop, Mango or even unbranded ones will do :D

2. vintage charm long necklaces
- okay, so I want an Eiffel Tower charm, camera, a carousel or pony
- I found several already at ebay but I need to save first!

3. black blazer
- been seeing a lot of boyfriend blazers on celebs nowadays, then maybe I should have one too!
- this would be perfect with a dress, jeans, or even shorts

4. platforms heels
- I'm actually waiting for a pair to arrive that I ordered from gojane (see pic no.3)
5. sling bags/purse

credits: yesstyle.com, zooshop.multiply.com, flickerphotos, ebay

I cried a bucket of tears :(

2009-08-14T22:14:00.000+08:00

Why? because of this movie..super touching..I just love the plot of this movie..

My sister recommended me to watch Koizora (Sky of Love), a Japanese movie but I was hesitant at first because I was not really into Jap movies. I am more of watching Korean movies when the koreanovela became a hit here in the Phils. But out of boredom, I gave it a try.

Koizora (Sky of Love) is a love story written by Mika that was originally published on the popular cellphone site Mahou no Irando. It tells about the experiences of Mika as a high school student who first fall inlove to a bond hair guy named Hiro. As their love grows, they faced many trials. But they prove that love conquers all.

When they first met

Hiro and Mika in their fave place

When Hiro was breaking up with Mika

the part where I was already crying..huhu

Random quizzes

2009-08-14T22:08:00.000+08:00

I Scored a 93%!

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Online Dating

Oh yeah! A passing rate of 93%. Not bad though:D

Caffeine Test kuno!:D

2009-08-14T21:55:00.000+08:00

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Dating Sites

Cafe Evada

2009-08-11T22:15:00.000+08:00

We tried this new place at Portal Building owned by Koreans studying in Silliman. Cafe Evada replaced Miracle Mile. We ordered Ju meok bab (rice cake) - sticky rice mixed with tuna and beef, cookie monster - mixed fruits with a cookie topped with vanilla ice cream (a must try!:D), then choco shake and my all time fave - Iced tea! haha:X

The owner took our photo and posted via FB

Ju meok bab (rice cake)

cookie monster

They don't have much choices yet but I noticed most customers order spaghetti (either bolognese or oven), so prolly next time I should try that.