Hoot-worthy finds of 2011!

Given that my small giveaway (click here!) asks your top makeup or skincare product, it's only proper that I show mine! 2011 was quite a year, and personally, it was a year where things finally started to pick up. I'm ending this on a happier note than I have the past two years. I'm excited for and not dreading 2012!

I'm ready for you, 2012!

So before the year ends, here are my best beauty and fashion-related finds for 2011 in no particular order. Consider these as mini-reviews as well!

The Moonleaf 2012 Planner Giveaway

Hi, I'm alive. Just really busy, but I had to put this one up! :)

Are you a planner person? Planners and organizers have been in my life since highschool, when a friend (hi Makee!) gifted me with one. It was one of those planners with cute images and designs on the pages, much like the Korean or Chinese planners we see around stores today. I've never gone without one since.

My planners since college, most recent at the top.

Shopping with Catalogue 63

When my package from Catalogue 63 arrived, I remembered a certain song from The Sound of Music at Resorts World (which is quite nice, by the way!). The lyrics went like this:

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens,

Brown paper packages tied up with string...

...these are a few of my favorite things!

The TIGI Bedhead Ipad Giveaway!

Hey ladies (and gents)! Here's another quick giveaway you can join, courtesy of TIGI Philippines! I know I wouldn't mind seeing a row of awesome haircare products on my dresser. ;)

Who doesn't love great hair? TIGI Philippines, the leading company of fashionable and funky hair care is now on Facebook and Twitter! 

To kick off the TIGI experience, we're awarding one lucky fan with their very own iPad plus oodles of cool TIGI products! The rules? As easy as pie -- just follow the simple mechanics below to qualify!

Mechanics:

1. Like TIGI-Bedhead Philippines Fanpage on Facebook.

2. Post this on your wall publicly: "Follow '@TIGI - Bed Head, Catwalk, S Factor' on Facebook and get a chance to win an iPad plus rockin' TIGI goodies." Share the love and tag two of your friends in your post. Example:

Follow @TIGI - Bed Head, Catwalk, S Factor on Facebook and get a chance to win an iPad plus rockin' TIGI goodies. @________ @________

3. Follow TIGI-Bedhead's Twitter at @BedheadPH and tweet this to your followers: 

“Say hello to fab hair! Follow @BedheadPH and get a chance to win an iPad plus rockin' TIGI goodies http://ow.ly/6RQEP.” 

4. That's it! 

Terms and conditions:

- Giveaway will run until DECEMBER 15, 2011. This is open to Philippine residents only. 
- The winner will be picked by TIGI and notified via email.
- Preferably, the winner should be able to travel to Manila to claim his/her prize. 


See, it's super easy! I just did it myself ;) Good luck, everyone!

Review: Johnson's Baby Creamy Oil Cocoa & Shea Butter

It is now that time of year where I want nothing more than to bundle up in cozy knits and shawls. While the cool weather is awesome, it does not bode well for our skin as the low temperature tends to strip moisture from the surface. Dryness also aggravates psoriasis, so moisturizing becomes even more of a priority for me. My weapon of choice is Johnson's baby creamy oil, which I first featured in my skincare routine (which I need to update now, haha).

From the Owldrobe: Work and Play

It's been quite a week! Had a special project for work, which I might do a ninja shots post on if the pictures are good enough for that. Before I show you my work and play outfits, though, let me share a little something that also happened this week. Early on my work took me to the far reaches of Makati for a workshop, where I decided to take advantage of the opportunity presented to me:

Goodbye hair!

What's your everyday look?

I seldom do FOTDs, mainly because I don't wear a lot of makeup on a daily basis. I'm not very adventurous when it comes to eyeshadows and blushes, and I would rather spend more time and money on skincare--except perhaps for lipsticks! However, most of my days don't call for a bare face, so over time I've managed to get a routine down pat. This is how I look like most days:

From the Owldrobe: Walking Tall

I've no voice for a couple of days now; the Internet, my phones, and a notepad are my sole channels of expression. My family and friends are having a field day about "asserting my right to silence" and saying things like, "ask Ursula for your voice back". I really hope it happens soon, because I can't wait to sing again!

My current predicament. I need to kiss my true love before tomorrow at sundown, quick!

At work, we have masses on Wednesdays and Fridays where I join the choir. On one of those days I looked to my left and right and realized I was shorter than everyone in my row. This happens all the time, of course, but I felt to small because everyone was wearing heels! I immediately worked out a shoe schedule for myself where mass days are heels days, while I can rest in between. My skintone Ferretti heels are my staple, but I've picked up a few pairs to rotate it with in the last few months.

Mini-Review: NYX Round Lipsticks in Fig and Georgia

Adding another review to the plethora of NYX round lipstick reviews! This product is so well-documented online and I am not surprised. It's impossible to find a shade you won't like since they have a dizzying number of colors and finishes, it's creamy, and it's cheap. It does have a distinct scent but you can't smell it on your lips anyway, so other than that there is really no reason to pass on a tube. Or two. Or five.

This will be a mini-review as I've already gone over the formula and packaging in a previous entry, click here to read! I'll be focusing on the shades for this one.

From the Owldrobe: The School of Satchel

Today is the day: my birthday! Yay! Another year older, and another number to defend when people claim I'm still in highschool. :P I do plan to be productive by showing up at work, but I also anticipate pizza in the afternoon and Chili's for dinner. Hmm, my tummy might be more productive than I will be today, I hope not! Haha.

One thing's for sure though: this bag will bear witness to any and all of today's events! 

What do you GET UP for?

Oh September. It's the month of many birthdays, including my own, and I keep finding excuses to go shopping. I also got my first paycheck as a full-time member of the workforce this month, so you can imagine what happened that same day. I did get shoes for my sister, though, who is also a September baby. :)

For self-confessed shopping addicts (okay, like me), a program like GET UP is just the kind of thing we need to feel better about our beloved hobby. I found out about this straight from work, though it's been ongoing for some time now.

Taking their cue from the word “getup”, GET UP is not just about what people wear, but it is also the call to action to do something valuable for others and the country. While CSRs like these are usually limited to just the employees of any one company, Golden ABC (GABC) is now offering its customers, clients, family and friends a chance to GET UP for something too. You can also take your pick as to which advocacy you’d like to support!

Our current partner advocacies

The first thing you’ll want to do is to drop by your nearest Penshoppe, Oxygen, MEMO, ForMe, or Regatta store. For every Php1,000 minimum single receipt purchase from any of these brands, you can donate Php25 to a partner advocacy. They'll give you a GET UP tag at the counter, which will contain your unique code number, password pin (which has to be written by the staff), instructions and the GET UP logo.

Next, head to a computer that preferably has a connected webcam. Log on to www.getup.ph and click on the “DONATE” button.

Fill 'er up!

You’ll be asked to pick whether you’ll GET UP for Education, Community Building, Environment, or Arts & Culture. I picked Arts & Culture because I adore the partner institution, Museo Pambata. Hee.

And you’re done! The GET UP site tracks the donations in real-time, so you’ll be able to see how much has been donated to each advocacy. There’s no limit to how much you can donate, so shop all you want (yay!). I hope more people contribute to the Arts & Culture and Community Building sectors, 'cause I'd like to see what those peeking icons look like.

As a little thank you, the lovely people behind GET UP prepared a little somethin' somethin'. After donating, click on the "See Something Cool" button. Take the printed pattern on your GET UP tag and show it to your webcam—make sure your face is included! Keep that hand steady too. Something’ll pop up that’s sure to amuse you. I won't spoil it, though. Hehe.

Hi, I look stoned. Sorry :))

For more information, do visit GET UP at www.getup.ph, and Golden ABC at www.goldenabc.com.

Review: Etude House Happy Teatime Line (Milk Tea)

I love milk tea! I've loved it even before tea shops started sprouting around the metro, but it was rather hard to find. Sometimes the 7-11 I went to back in college would be out of bottled Mineshine milk tea. Now I don't have to go so far to get my fix; I can just use my cleansing cream and facial wash from Etude House's Happy Teatime line. It's a different kind of craving. ;)

Let's tackle them one by one after the jump.

Off-Topic: Art Lives at 10a Alabama

Mmm. I think I deserve a toink on the head for this entry, because apparently I've already edited the photos for it before--which is by far the hardest thing to do for a blog entry, I think. I forgot that I had done so and spent this week telling myself "mag-edit ka naaaaaaa!" Sigh. Toink my head please? :)

Now that I've remembered though, I can get to typing! Welcome to the Off-Topic series, where I will ramble on about any and all things, accompanied by the usual happy photos. The only requirement is that they are pretty, intriguing, whathaveyou. These are things not wholly related to fashion & beauty, but may interest you nonetheless. Today I feature 10a Alabama.

Picture from 10a Alabama

This post will be photo-heavy, kk? Click for more!

This Bella is a Winner

Hello, ladies and gents! Hope your long weekend was fun despite the continuous rains. :) We have the mini-vacation hangover ourselves, so please do forgive us for the slight delay in announcing the winner of the Bella Belara giveaway.

After verifying the results, here is the random number of the lucky girl: 

And our 18th commenter is...

Congratulations, Theresa! Your win has been announced as well at the Mary Kay Philippines page. Please send your address and contact details to jerica.chingcuangco@mkcorp.com for further instructions--Mary Kay will take care of shipping the prize to you. I hope you'll like Bella Belara as much as I did. :)

Thank you to everyone who joined! I'm inspired to try doing a giveaway of my very own, so watch this space. You never know when it'll pop up. ;)

Office-Appropriate Nail Polish

An obsession with pretty nails has plagued me the past month or so. The string of jobhunting activities required a little more put-together look, and a quick rifle through my cabinet revealed only a couple of work-appropriate shades. That is how, in the span of a month, I have managed to amass these:

Ok so the last one is a bit of a cheat in terms of work-appropriateness, but it was still fun to try! Let me explain that after the jump, mm?

Mary Kay Bella Belara, and a giveaway!

Scent is a powerful factor for me. I get attracted to beauty products that smell nice, and conversely I get the heebie-jeebies with an unusual or overpowering scent. My most recent turn-off was an herbal body wash with actual herbs inside. Nice gimmick, but scent-wise, no thanks!

Scent is powerful for me because they evoke memories, whether they're good or bad or sad. I'm not sure who else thinks the same way, but if they do, I want to make a good and lasting impression on the people around me. Even if it's just by way of the nose! I was able to try Bella Belara Eau de Parfum for the past week, thanks to the kind folks from Mary Kay. Good impressions definitely abound!

Bella Belara is a fruity floral perfume. Its top notes, the first whiffs you get upon spraying, are apricot and red nectarine. Middle notes of rose and Moroccan jasmine form the heart of the perfume, and sit over the base notes of blonde woods and cool moss. Altogether they form a scent that is both pleasant and intoxicating, but still pretty light. It's a great perfume for daytime and requires minimal fuss--one or two sprays and you're out the door.

Aaand if you're a packaging nut, Bella Belara is housed in a sexy glass bottle with a gradient design. My favorite part is actually the cap, because it looks like a little top hat. This Bella is owl-approved for purchase!

 
*mwah*

Bella Belara is Php2,300 and may be sourced through your friendly Mary Kay Beauty Consultant. You can get one for free, though, by just answering this question:

1.     LIKE the Mary Kay Philippines Fan Page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/marykayphilippines)

2.     Answer the question on the poster (Which do you prefer: Perfume, Cologne or Body Spray?) by commenting on this blog entry. 

3.     POST a comment (one comment only!) below stating your name (first name will do) and birth year on your comment.  Please include a link to your Facebook so we can verify that you complied with step. Example:

I love cologne!

Angelica, November 1986

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/heavensent

4.     The winners will be chosen randomly.

5.     Contest runs from August 13-27, 2011. The entries will be verified from August 27-30. The winner will be announced on AUGUST 31 on this blog as well as on Mary Kay Philippines’ AUGUST IN BLOOM tab on Facebook. :)

6.     Entrants must be at least 18 years old to qualify.

7.     Contest is for Philippine based fans only.

8.     For entries to qualify, they must follow all the mechanics stated above. Any entrant who skipped a step will be disqualified during the judging period.

Eeeee my first giveaway! I'm really excited. :D Good luck y'all! And thank you Mary Kay Philippines for this opportunity. :)

Review: Clinique Superdefense SPF 25 PA+++

Moisturizer is the one skincare product I cannot live without (lipbalm is second). I don't mind going out of the house with nary a trace of makeup on, as long as I have moisturized beforehand. I was able to get a very generous sample size of Clinique Superdefense SPF 25/PA +++ at the Clinique party last April, which I started using around May. I am about to run out of it in a matter of days so I figured it was time for a review.

Description (from Sasa.com):

Clinique SUPERDEFENSE SPF25 Age Defense Moisturizer is the four-dimension protection against the effects of sun, stress and time. This daily moisturizer delivers all-rounded protection to help skin combat the elements that conspire to age skin, Start at the first signs if aging and you can virtually help deactivate skin’s visible responses—lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone. Even enhance the barrier function that keeps skin firm and supple.

It stabilizes sunscreen for protection against UVA (the aging rays) and UVB (the burning rays).

It prompts skin’s defenses into full alert mode, boosting a natural repair response.

It helps skin deflect the visible effects of emotional stress—those fight or flight reactions—that can start a cascade of damage within skin, surfacing as lines, wrinkles, uneven tone.

Price & Amount: Php 2,950 for 50mL

A One-Hour Entry

I have exactly an hour between lunch and heading out once again for some errands, so I figured I'd challenge myself to come up with an entry in that time and let y'all know that I'm not dead. :p The past month or so has been challenging, with my mom's hospital trip, recovery period, work and jobhunting coming one after the other. I do update quite often on Twitter, though!

So, one hour. What can I tell you in one hour?

I've been trying to finish up the stuff from my skincare routine, and then some. From left: Pure Beauty Super Brightening toner, Mary Kay Velocity facial cleanser, my HG Neutrogena Ultra Sheer, the top half of my Etude House Happy Teatime cleansing foam, and Asian Secrets lulur scrub. I've reviewed most of these except for the last two, but both are decent in their own right. I'm still trying to scrape out the bottom half of the Etude cleansing foam--I could not believe the amount left after I squeezed it almost flat. Plus I don't think I can let go of that milk tea scent just yet.

I've also been blessed, beauty and fashion-wise, lately. I took these blessings as a sign that I should probably start blogging again, haha.

First, an e.l.f. palette from Lady E's recent giveaway--can't wait to play with it! (Yes, it's upside down. A downside to my one-hour timeframe.) I was able to meet her at the recent SuperSale bazaar which I will write about soon, in the meantime see her entry about it here. I forgot to add the NYX Fig lipstick she gave me then in the picture. Also, my lovely friend The Stepford Witch sent me samples! I've been wanting to try out the Shu Uemura cleansing oils for the longest time and she was sweet enough to send these along with a few others, thank you so much :) You might notice the yellow one is already open, hee. I transferred it to another container so I could make the most out of it. Thank you, dear! :) 

I was a good girl for the most part during the SuperSale bazaar, and I went around the tent three times before deciding to purchase this satchel. Isn't she just gorgeous? I fell in love with her color, and her secrets--she has not one, but two main pockets hiding under that flap. I'm the type of person who carries her house in her bag, and this baby is serving me quite well. We've been inseparable, except for the times when I had to leave her home since I'd be taking a laptop.

I was also a good girl when I met up with Kira in Trinoma, and as luck would have had it, Accessorize was on sale! Normally I would look at the jewelry but then the scarves and shawls caught my eye, and I almost never left the display before purchasing something. I ended up taking home this oriental-themed scarf for only Php 270. It has been my constant companion while jobhunting this week. I usually wear it around my neck, and when it's too humid I tie it around the old rose satchel as a pretty bag accessory.

This is exactly how I look while making this entry. Featuring my new scarf love and MAC Speed Dial lipstick.

 

Last but definitely not the least, a sneak peek from my upcoming off-topic posts--that is, something not wholly related to either beauty or fashion. These Off-Topic posts will be about stuff that I just want to share, and they can be about anything--food, issues, and pretty things. Lots and lots of pretty things.

So, hello. I'm back. :D Your turn to share! Any new hauls? Did you recently hit pan or are about to hit pan on something? Let me know!

Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2011: "10"

Can't believe there's less than half a year left. I had to attend to a number of personal matters in the latter half of June, and now it's July--time flies by so fast. To start off the month, I present you with a long-overdue visual treat: Philippine Fashion Week! I watched the Tuesday shows last May (see, overdue) for the thepoc.net, which included "10": ten designers and ten collections, all from the University of Santo Tomas. Some took a literal approach to the theme by showcasing collections using their school colors or symbols, while others grabbed the opportunity to present their signature styles to the fullest.

Here are a few of my favorites from the show. Good seat = good shots!

If you need (or want) new shoes...

Every girl needs a good pair of shoes. Personally I believe that shoes are an investment and I don't mind paying more for something that lasts, but I'm glad Ferretti shoes are dependable at a very reasonable price point. I've used my pair for both casual and formal wear, and they still look pretty spiffy.

So, do you want shoes? Wait, don't answer that. Just join!

Mechanics:
1. Take a picture of you wearing your Ferretti shoes with your best outfit. Post the photo on the Ferretti FB Page's Wall, with a short description of your entry.


2. The entry with the most number of positive comments from unique Facebook users wins. So, ask your friends and family to leave a comment on your photo! They can leave a comment simply saying "LOVE IT!"


3. Contest ends on June 30. Winner gets to take home a P3,000 gift certificate from Ferretti.


Terms and conditions:
Mechanics are subject to change without prior notice. We will contact the winner once we announce them, after which they are given one week to reply to our Facebook message. Failure to reply will forfeit their prize.

I'm dreaming of getting shoes that I don't really need if I had that GC, just because they're pretty. Hee! Considering that they're also coming out with new arrivals every couple of weeks or so, there's a lot to choose from! Check out their Blogspot and Facebook page for more details. :)

P.S. The Mary Kay Daddy & Me contest poster has been updated--you can win a Lash Love mascara as well! ;)

Mary Kay salutes Father's Day!

Is your dad taking care of his skin? Do you have a gift for him for Father's Day? If you answered no to either question, you might want to join this contest from Mary Kay! Hey, that rhymes. :)

Win a treat for your dad this Father’s Day! Mary Kay Philippines is introducing two NEW products to their men’s skin care line—the MKMen Cleanser and MKMen Toner—and the best part is, you can get this for free, along with an MKMen Moisturizer Sunscreen SPF 25! It’s the perfect gift for your dad this Father’s day.

For more details on the contest, just check out their Facebook page! Bet your dad will be flattered with the number of likes on his picture. ;) Thanks Jerica for the heads up!

Review: Etude House LUCIDarling Fantastic Sponge BB Cake

Etude House has pretty much established itself in the Philippine market, hasn't it? A year or so ago I had to plot special trips to Megamall to see their small shop, but now that shop has been replaced with a bigger one and I just have to make a quick trip to SM North if I feel like browsing. Their products are fairly marked-up from the original Korean prices and the Pink Card membership allows for instant gratification since every P100 spent gets you 2 pesos back which you can use on your next purchase... ok, maybe that last one isn't always a good thing, but it does save you money at some point.

Today's review is on one of the first Etude products I ever bought, at a time when I didn't know any better about my skin type. Ooh, shiny pretty thing, can I have you? How can you not be intrigued with something that looks like this?:

Photo credit: bbcreamqueen.com

It either belongs in an ancient temple beside tarnished brass implements, or in outer space. Take your pick.

From the Owldrobe and FOTD: Ode To Summer

That was a pretty short summer. The heat was definitely no fun, but not much sunlight meant not enough time for those fun summer activities. Plus, summer also spelled near-lazy dressing inasmuch as it spelled near-zero makeup. I made an effort in the makeup department on this particular day, though, because I was meeting a friend.

White lace dress: thrifted
Silver quilted flats: Anthology Shoes

I took to dresses a lot this summer, because it was just too hot for jeans. (It was too hot to do anything.) This dress... is hard to belt. Not sure what kind of belt will go with it, too. It's very pretty but it's a tent dress by nature, and the lace at the bottom belies its true length. I still really like it, though! My mom & I had a favorite seller who would sell her items on a buy-one-take-one basis and for a time we regularly visited her stall on payday weekends. This was one of the many beautiful things I was able to get from her. I haven't paid a visit this year, but that's probably a good thing because I need to downsize my closet.

As for the shoes... barring those times when I had nailpolish and therefore license to wear open-toed shoes, I lived in these all summer. They had enough room for movement but they didn't fly off my feet like most flats do, and they're sensible-looking but not too mommy-like. Aaand I just noticed the quilted pattern of the shoes mirrors the pattern on the dress. Awesome.

  

Action shots, haha.

And my FOTD then:

• Skin Food Red Bean BB Cream SPF20 PA+
• NYX Concealer in a Jar
• IN2IT brow powder
• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• Sephora Color Play 5-in-1 II Fashion Edition eyeshadows and blush
• Maybelline gel liner
• Maybelline Volum' Express Hypercurl Cat Eyes mascara
• Mentholatum LipIce Fruity
• NYX Tea Rose

I like my cool weather and I look forward to layering again, but yeah, I miss the sun sometimes.