Am I such a looser for trying the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream only now? Feels like it. (^_^) The SMLC is probably one the cult favorites made by NYX. Even before the Kylie Lip Kit or ColourPop became popular, the SMLC was already a favorite among beauty bloggers and makeup junkies alike. Well, as they say, late is better than never, so never say never. Does that make sense? Ha ha. I'm sharing my experience after the jump.


NYX SOFT MATTE LIP CREAM 
Shade: Stockholm/SMLC02
Price: 390.00//Size: 8 mL
Where I Got It: www.beautymnl.com
Also available at different online shops, this lip cream is basically everywhere but be wary about fake ones of these. That's why I got it from an online shop I can trust like BeautyMNL
I checked out Nyx's website and as I write this, there are about 34 shades of the Soft Matte Lip Cream to choose from. They are all named after different cities around the globe; you got it right, there is a Manila shade. I wanted a nude one though so I picked Stockholm, one of the most recommended nude shade.

PACKAGING, LABELS, ETC.
So here is the photo of the tube of this lip cream. I'd imagined the tube to be lengthier but in real life it's just a little over 2 and 1/2 inches in length (excluding the black cap). Printed at the bottom is the shade name but in truth you won't be needing the shade name if you are trying to find this in your vault of lipsticks. This one is pretty easy to spot since you can easily see the color of the tube. Moreover, what you see is what you get because the color on the tube is the actual color of the lip cream.

I dislike lip products with strong scents but I can make an exception for this one because it smells really good. It smells like cake! Or candy! It's amazing!

"Halla, Stockholm!" According to Google that is how you say "Hello" in Swedish.
Check out the doe foot applicator. I think the slanting angle at the tip is perfect during application.  I also like that it's not too big and it's great for tracing and drawing at the corners of the mouth.
 
The tube and the doe foot applicator.
Here are some of the details on the label and you can see that it's made in....where else? :) It's also indicated that it can be used up to 18 months after opening (18M). I am not sure though if I could reach the 18 month mark since it doesn't seem like there's plenty of product inside the tube. And there's no way for me to squeeze the tube to the very last drop. 

Details
Ingredients
SWATCHES
The color has been described as Mid-Tone Beige Pink on the NYX Website. I picked this one because I didn't want anything bright. I didn't want to get anything too beige because I will look washed out so I picked one that leans towards the pinkish side. So here are the swatches under different light settings.
Indoor with flash
Daylight
IN ACTION
Since this is a lip cream, it is of course, creamy (LOL). Creamy in a mousy way, not in a runny way. Upon application on the lips it doesn't immediately set. You have about thirty second before it dries to a fully matte, flat finish that clings to the lips. No qualms about the matte finish since it doesn't feel uncomfortable. Well of course girls, you know how it feels to wear matte lipsticks. There's a certain tight feeling on the lips at first but goes away after a while.

So that photo would be a blowup of my lips before and after applying the Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream. This is a matte lippie girls, so you know the drill about keeping the lips prepped prior to application.
Top: Bare Lips
Bottom: Wearing the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream
Excuse the hair hahaha! My au naturelle look using the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream on my lips.
For the staying power, I think it lasted on my lips without budging for about 4 to 5 hours, with careful eating and drinking. It would be a different story though if you eat oily food. No, it cannot brave our favorite Filipino dishes, sad to say.

TO CAP THINGS...
Color-wise I think I made the right choice. I think it can instantly prettify me without looking overdone. Perfect for the office. Matte and nude is the current trend but owning a nude that looks good on you is a classic move and this one's a keeper. 


XO,
Carissa
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I was in the middle of a big wave (details on another blog post) when my daughter celebrated her fifth birthday. It was also my nth birthday on December 13. Try not to do the maths, okay, I'm not YET 30! Ha ha. This post is nearly two weeks late because of the "big wave", but anyway, December is still our birthday month so I figured it's not too late. While Typhoon Nina whips up the Bicol Region , I'm whipping up a concoction made up from some childhood photos of my beloved scrumptious little chocolate baby cupcake, who sometimes insists on being called Sweetheart Love. Not being emotional here; just reminiscing on some old memories. Thank God they were captured by the lens. They are golden. :) She is who she is because of the wonderful people who surrounded her from the very beginning.

Moments before her christening.
When I actually saw her up close for the first time.
 I have dim memories about seeing her for the first time after delivering her. I only remember seeing a slimy head. There's a sense of peace, knowing that you did well in the labor department.  For once I didn't want to be bothered with thoughts about the challenges that comes with motherhood. I just wanted to stare at her.
Sick for the first time.
And thus the feeling of  having your heart trampled and crushed over and over again. She had neonatal jaundice right after we were discharged from the hospital. She underwent a week-long phototheraphy at the Divine Word Hospital; we also spent Christmas there.
Those moments under the morning sun.
She badly needed it after the bout with neonatal jaundice.
Learning to bathe someone so fragile.
Not an easy feat.
When she was just about the same size as Baby Tin Tin.
I don't know if when did we start calling this white teddy as Baby Tin Tin. She still has it; it's still her favorite bedfellow; we would all be damned if this teddy suddenly got lost. She can't sleep without it; it's basically part of the family.
When she was dressed up for winter, in the middle of summer.
'Nuff said.
When she sported that haircut.
No hard feelings. The sole purpose was to keep the hair away from the eyes.
Enjoying an otherwise unhealthy meal.
Yeah yeah, we indulge them sometimes.
There there. I have tons of photos of her actually but I've chosen a handful from the ones taken before her first birthday because I'm stoked at how tall she is now. How far we've come and still a long way to go! We have a tall five year-old. We're looking good and hopefully might hit the 5'8" mark someday. Ha ha. 

This is me, always looking at you, golden girl. Forever.

XO,
Mummy Cassie
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Hi! Today I'm going to share a quick review about the ABBAMART Belleme Shy Smile Blusher. I'm not that much of a blush-on gal but there are days when I look pale and a pop of color could really make a huge difference. Here's my current go-to blusher. Let's get the ball rolling! Review is after the jump!


ABBAMART Belleme Shy Smile Blusher
Shade: Rose Gold
Size: 8g
Price: Marked Php 400.00 but slashed down to Php 260.00
Where I Got It: ph.althea.kr
If you'd like to read about my shopping experience with Althea Korea, please click here.

Here's the list of ingredients. Of course, there are a bunch of things that we can't read here. LOL. Made in Korea, too!
My Take
Packaging
The box that came with this blusher made me smile on first sight. Why, it reminded me so much of my own daughter's drawings. It even has a big BLUSHER word on top, just in case you forgot what this makeup is for. I couldn't help but smile too, when I saw the blusher itself, since there's a smiley underneath the BELLEME print. Belle means beautiful, ayt?! So BELLEME = Beautiful Me. This blush on is so cheeky. Pun intended. 

When I saw this on the Althea site, I thought that the packaging is just so similar with the ones sold locally. What surprised me was that the plastic packaging of this blusher didn't feel so flimsy at all! You are probably familiar with local products that feel like they could break if you aren't careful when opening. You've probably experienced owning products that have containers getting damaged even before consuming the product itself. This one's a notch above them; the plastic container is of good material.


First Impressions
There are no ugly or overwhelming scent emanating from this product, that's another plus! The first thing that you'll notice upon looking at the pan is that it really is true to its shade name: it is rosy and it has golden flecks or glitters. The glitters could be a cause for concern - they look chunky on the pan, as you can see in the photo above.

I have made a concentrated swatch on my arm and they are. Both of the photos were shot under artificial light.You can definitely spot the glitters, ayt? 



Road Testing
Of course, the best way to find out if the product will look good on you is to actually test it. I have no qualms about the texture of the powder. It feels silky smooth on the face. And voila! This is me wearing it.

Just a comparison of my bare face and my lightly made up face. Of course you can see how the Belleme Shy Smile Blusher in Rose Gold livened up my face. ;)
Cool, ayt? How the blush on gave dimension to my face. Not to mention, it made me look prettily blushing. Here's another photo of me wearing the blush on. It looks pinkish in other photos and a bit peachy on others. But same same, it gives a certain glow to the face. For this one, I figured that red lipstick already made a statement so the cheeks had to look subdued so I applied the blush on with a light hand. You can barely see the glitters, right?

Just a subtle flush of color on the face. Sorry about the baggies tho. (^_^)
Of course, since I live in a tropical country and it is constantly sweltering hot, I had no expectations about this one lasting all day on my face. So, I have an 8:00 am, and by mid-day I would do a touch-up. But there's still a tinge of peach even if I don't touch-up.

***
Whenever I Google "Best Blush On", NARS Orgasm would always be the top search. Beauty junkies would describe it as the perfect peach-pink color, with just the right amount of glitter that it makes you look glowing from within. The Orgasm sadly, is expensive at nearly Php 2,000.00 a pop. Even if I had the money, I am not going to splurge that much. So when I shopped for a blusher at Althea, I just looked for something similar based on other girls' description of the color. Now, I cannot say for certain if this is anywhere near the Orgasm in color or in texture. But I am happily blushing while wearing this, looking pretty even. Nay! I think I am glowing from within. Haha! I am definitely happy about this purchase.

XO,

Carissa
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Anyone who loves books about royalty and historical fiction will have heard about Philippa Gregory. She has penned several books on that theme; The Other Boleyn Girl is among them. My personal favorites are The Lady Of The Rivers, The White Queen and The White Princess; the last two have been adapted as TV series.

This recent read of mine, The Constant Princess had been sitting on my reading list for a while. I couldn't even figure out who the story was about based on the title. When I found out that it was about Katherine of Aragon, I sort of felt lazy to read on. I felt that her life won't be an interesting topic. The mere mention of her name conjures thoughts of a frumpy queen who was dumped by the dashing Henry VIII because she couldn't give him a longed-for heir. When I finished rereading The Other Boleyn Girl, I remembered that I also had The Constant Princess so I decided to read it too while I was still high on the Tudor drug.


The book is divided into several parts, to distinguish the different stages of her life: Princess of Wales, Princess-In-Waiting, Princess Again and Katherine Queen of England. What I love about this book is that Philippa took the liberty to fill in the gaps in history with colorful story telling. :)

 
Portrait of Katherine of Aragon by Michael Sittow, c 1502. Photo Credit: englishhistory.net
I finished the book and as I write this, I know better than to scoff at the memory of Queen Katherine, or should I say Catalina. Henry may have married five times more after dumping her but in my humble opinion, none of them could match up to King Ferdinand of Aragon's and Queen Isabella of Castile's daughter. Her parents were the greatest Crusaders in Christendom, the first kings of the united Spain, hellbent on driving away the Moors from Granada. It is in their military camp that the toddler Catalina would learn about the values of faith and courage - values that she would hold on to in her trying times. While I'm at it, I have peppered this blog post with several photos of The Alhambra Palace: the beautiful palace within a fortress which was turned over to Catalina's family when the Moors of Granada surrendered. It is basically where she grew up. Cozy!

The Alhambra Palace: Photo Credit : traveldigg.com 
💟Caught Up In Their Love Story💟
We know from history that fifteen year old Catalina d'Aragon came to England in 1501 to marry Arthur, Prince of Wales, heir of King Henry VII. They got married and lived in Wales as newly weds but after a few months, Arthur dies suddenly. Catalina claims that their marriage was never consumated, bluntly put they never had sexual intercourse, and so she is still pure as a virgin and therefore free to marry the younger brother Henry. They too get married and she becomes queen. Easy peasy!

Philippa's version had me crying cupfuls because she seamlessly weaves a love story between Arthur and Katherine with the Welsh countryside and the Ludlow Castle in the backdrop. She made me root for them, wanted them to rule England together, even if I was aware that anytime soon Arthur would be snatched by death in the story. They had dreams and Arthur was aware that Catalina's ultimate dream was to become Queen of England. On his deathbed, Arthur made Catalina promise that she would maintain that their marriage was not consumated and that they were never in love. In doing so, Catalina would have a chance at marrying the new heir, Henry  and another shot at being crowned as Queen of England. It's heartbreaking how Catalina had to rise above mourning for her beloved to fulfill their dreams.

Interior Dome in The Alhambra Palace. Photo Credit: traveldigg.com 
Court of The Myrtles, Alhambra Palace: Photo Credit: planetware.com
👑The Constant Princess👑
It's an apt title because she really is constantly the tough one despite all the trials and hardships that she went through. For starters, being a kid raised in a military camp is already tough; she saw and experienced many things that a child ought not to see. As a teenager she served as her parents' pawn to fulfill an alliance with England and married not out of love but of obligation. She eventually found love in her husband but he too was taken away from her. After Arthur's death, her future became uncertain. She waited about seven years more, before she was married to Henry VIII, only after the death of his father. During those 7 years, she was  basically neglected by the royal court and was forced to live in destitution. But Catalina was headstrong and she believed that Harry would choose to marry her in the end. Her persistence paid off and eventually she fulfilled her and Arthur's dream and she became Queen of England. On their first night as husband and wife, she convinced Henry that she was still a virgin.

Even as she was Queen, she still received opposition from Henry's grandmother, Margaret Beaufort. until her death. Henry was an ambitious king and he wanted to reclaim lands in France and so he went into war. Meanwhile, England's neighbor Scotland had been a troublesome lot and they kept raiding the borders. So while Henry was campaigning in France, Katherine served as Regent and was busy defending the kingdom against Scotland. I daresay her parents would've been proud of her victory.

Henry and Katherine's marriage was fraught with miscarriages, stillbirth and infant death. More than two decades after their marriage, Henry was doubting that God was punishing him for marrying his brother's wife. He has also been having mistresses but Katherine chose to look the other way and never complained. When Anne Boleyn, a lady-in-waiting came into the picture, she recognized that there could be trouble because it was clear that Anne didn't just want Henry but was also after her crown.

Present day Ludlow Castle.
"Words have weight. Something once said cannot be unsaid, meaning is like a stone dropped into a pool; the ripples will spread and you cannot know what bank they wash against." 

On the epilogue of The Constant Princess, Katherine says these words as she recognizes the gravity of the words she told Henry more than twenty years ago when she had to convince him that she was a virgin untouched on the first night of their marriage. The same words have been used by the The King and Anne Boleyn's camp to discredit her; to further prove that God does not approve of their marriage that is why they have never been blessed with a male heir. The same reason was also used as grounds for divorce.

We know from history that Katherine was treated badly after the "divorce". Much like her life after Arthur's death, she was sent away to a faraway castle way from the court. She was not allowed to see her daughter, the Princess Mary and was barely able to communicate with her. She died alone and I wished she had a far better life at the end. But if I were to believe what's written in the book and bank on the story that Arthur was indeed her one and only true love, then I'd be happy to think that they fulfilled their promise of meeting again in "Al-Yanna": the word that means garden, secret place, and paradise.

One of the many gardens at Alhambra Palace. Image from Pinterest. (Source)
I deeply revere the memory of Queen Katherine.

XO,
Carissa
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Celeteque DermoScience, despite the foreign-sounding name, is a Filipino brand. It is produced by INNOVITELLE INC., a subsidiary of the United Laboratories Inc., more popularly known by its abbreviation UNILAB, the company that has also brought us Biogesic, Bioflu, and Myra, among others.

I saw this Hydration Traveler's Basics at a local Mercury Drug. I decided to purchase it because I was running low on toner and at Php 140.00 (about $3.00 USD), I would also be able to try the entire set, which includes a facial wash and a moisturizer. Each of the tube or bottle contains about 25 mL of product which I think is enough for me to decide if I would buy the full size or not. Let's check 'em out after the jump.

Celeteque DermoScience Hydration Traveler's Basics: Facial Wash, Toner and Facial Moisturizer
My skin isn't exactly the dry type but I do know that all skin types need hydration and moisturization. I'm more of the oily gal but I only get pimples about once or twice a month. 

Here are the details about each of the products included in the set.

The deets
Ingredients
CELETEQUE DERMOSCIENCE HYDRATION FACIAL WASH
Celeteque DermoScience Hydration Facial Wash
"...has a combination of mild cleansing agents and Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF) also found in the skin to gently yet effectively clean while improving the skin's moisture level."

You can probably see in the photo that this facial wash comes in a clear orange-colored liquid form, a bit runny actually. I couldn't exactly point out how it smells like but it's just a light scent; comparable to the scent of a minty toothpaste or a soap maybe, but just muted down a bit. It gives off minimal amount of bubbles when used on the face. After washing it off, there's a feeling that traces of it are left on the face but that feeling dissipates after a while and skin feels squeaky clean and supple at the same time.

CELETEQUE DERMOSCIENCE HYDRATION FACIAL MOISTURIZER
Celeteque Dermoscience Hydration Facial Moisturizer
"...has a unique hydrogel formulation that provides the skin with optimum hydration without the greasy after-feel. Its triple moisturizing system contains Glycerin, Pro-Vitamin B5, and Aloe Vera that works deep down to provide lasting relief from skin dryness. It also has Dimethicone that seals in the skin's moisture."

This one come in a gel type that is easily absorbed by the skin. Indeed, I love how my skin felt moisturized without the greasy feel. It literally just melts into the skin upon contact. 

CELETEQUE DERMOSCIENCE HYDRATION TONER
Celeteque DermoScience Hydration Alcohol-Free Toner
"...contains Witch Hazel Extract to soothe the skin while it removes the last traces of stubborn dirt."
I like how this toner doesn't sting and doesn't make the skin feel dry. It is also very lightly scented and smells like the facial wash.

***
I am definitely going to buy the full-sized toner since I prefer alcohol-free formulation for my face. I also would like to buy the moisturizer when I run out of it because I loved how it made my skin feel soft. I also loved the simplicity of it - no whitening stuff. Just a basic moisturizer to make the skin feel supple and hydrated.
I also discovered that Celeteque DermoScience actually has an online shop:


That just makes shopping easier, don't it? You can also buy the Celeteque makeup line from that website so that's a thrill!

XO,

Carissa
Here's a photo of my bare face, and I have used the Celeteque set. I know I have a huge problem with my baggies but I consider it a good day if I woke up with no pimples. :)
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If you happen to frequent Watsons shops, you have probably seen these tiny Quick FX products just lurking around there somewhere. They are very affordable; I think for these three the price range is from Php 50.00 to about a hundred. I also love the packaging because it's travel-friendly and can fit into a little purse. Check 'em out after the jump.

Meet these cuties from Quick FX!

QUICK FX PIMPLE ERASER
Short description: Helps dry up pimples, helps diminish dark spots due to scarring, helps protect skin against the sun 
Actives: Glycolic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin C and Niacinamide
Ingredients of Quick FX  Pimple Eraser
I'll be honest. This isn't a miracle worker. It's not like you put it on at night and on the next day the pimple would be (poooooooof) gone. Afterall, this only costs less than a hundred pesos (about $2). What I do love about this product is that it helps alleviate the pain of the fat pimp. It also helps fight the swelling or in other words, it doesn't make the irrittation worse. After about two days, the pimp would die and heal to a nice pinkish scar and not a black spot. 

QUICK FX EYELIFT CREAM
Short description: Helps reduce the appearance of lines, dark circles and puffiness, helps refine and tone areas around the yes.
Actives: Ellagic Acid and Niacinamide
Ingredients of Quick FX Eyelift Cream
I have conceded a long time ago that my baggies are  a hopeless case. They are a constant companion even if I've had a good night's sleep. Unless I spend a fortune, I know that they are not going away anytime soon. I use this Eyelift Cream as a pre-concealer undereye cream, especially when I am using a cream concealer. It helps the concealer go smoothly and not appear patchy.

QUICK FX NO-SHINE MATTIFIER
Short description: absorbs oil to control shine for a smooth, matte finish, conceals fine lines and pores for visibly radiant skin instantly
Actives: Salicylic Acid, Chamomile, Tea Tree Extract & MatteWax
Ingredients of Quick FX No-Shine Mattifier
This one is described as a light moisturizer but I actually just use it on top of my moisturizer as a primer. I apply it on my T-zone and on my cheeks where my pores are most prominent and it really helps blur the pores and imperfections a bit. It makes the skin feel soft and smooth and that sort of gives you a clean canvas for applying the foundation.

***
These are great finds at such an affordable price. Staying pretty doesn't mean you have to break the bank. You just have to look around; sometimes, treasures come in small packages. 

Personally, these Quick FX products are ideal as a backup to your favorite eye creams or primer. You know, these are the ones you can use for office makeup where hindi mo naman kailangan sobrang ganda! LOL. I mean. You can have a more expensive primer or eye cream at hand and you can alternate with these so you won't easily run out of your more expensive ones. Agree?

These are also ideal for students who are lookin' stressed. The Eyelift Cream and the Pimple Eraser could be a big help. Even the No-Shine Mattifier can give them a needed glow. The prices are definitely student-friendly.

There are days when you wake up looking pretty and glowing and there are days that you just look dull. So assess what your skin needs and if all you need is just quick fixing and not a full blown overhaul (!), then Quick FX is your friend.

XO,
Carissa


EDIT: NOVEMBER 13, 2017
I had a record high - five pimples at the same time. One below my nose, two on my chin and two on my forehead. Quick FX really helped a great deal in the quick healing of my pimples. Not instant though, but in two days they looked better. There's also no scarring. 
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We are always here to celebrate Tin's milestones big or small. She's four now, goes to the local daycare and is just starting to experience some school events. She started big though and became the band leader, pronto! So here she is, looking determined and I think she's killin' it. :) She and her classmates also took part in the modern and folk dance activities which were fun to watch despite their mismatched steps. Fun starts after the jump!

Hail the band leader!
In a Nutshell...
Republic Act No. 10661 signed by President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III in 2015
AN ACT DECLARING NOVEMBER OF EVERY YEAR AS NATIONAL CHILDREN’S MONTH  also known as the “National Children’s Month Act”
The month of November of every year is hereby declared as “National Children’s Month”. This declaration commemorates the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 November 1989, and seeks to instill its significance in the Filipino consciousness.
This year's theme is:
Isulong: Kalidad Na Edukasyon Para Sa Lahat Ng Bata!

Uhm, where did we learn to pose like that?
This whole event happened on November 17, 2016. There was a parade around town, a program at the plaza, and several competitions were held for singing, reciting, drawing and dancing. Hot arroz caldo and hard-boiled eggs were served to all the kids.  This was all made possible through the efforts of the Local Government Unit of Allen, the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, private stakeholders and of course the participation of the different daycare centers in the entire municipality.

The gathering of these little kids was a sight to behold. You can see that they were all eager to show off what they have practiced for weeks and weeks and weeks. Tin was definitely excited about her costumes, especially the tiara. It was also a time for her and her friends to just hang out and have fun.

 Here are some of the photos taken during the event.  Something we can all look back on when we're old and graying, huh? :)
All those years of watching Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows may have finally paid off. Here she is with her cousins, showing off her gams.
Hanging out on the iconic statue of  St. James The Greater, is my Tin with her BFFs/classmates Nonoy, Tin Tin Liit and An-an.
Modern Dance Presentation
I believe this was supposed to be a ground demo but majority of the kiddos didn't know what to do? :)
The frenemies, about to take the center stage with the Folk Dance Presentation  - Tin Tin Liit and Tin Tin Laki
Folk Dance Presentation
Even if the presentation wasn't perfect, its heartwarming to see your kid do her  best.
Rights of the Child
Since the spotlight is on our kids, I'd like to share something that I found on the UNICEF website which was adapted by the SOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGES. These are the rights of the child.

Here's to more years of celebrating National Children's Month.


XO,
Carissa
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Thanks for visiting my blog! Don't forget to follow or drop some comments!

Thanks for visiting my blog! Don't forget to follow or drop some comments!