This world is high on throwbacks these days....so I thought I'd contribute mine. :) I unearthed these photos on a recent trip to sweet home Burauen. I was so surprised when I found them because I thought the backup CDs were drenched in wet when Yolanda b*tch-slapped Eastern Visayas in 2013. They survived!

I internally debated whether I should post these photos because I look pretty embarrassing on them. I mean frizzy hair, dark skin, and bell-bottomed pants? C'mmon! But then, I realized that this is a blog post about the place and not about my looks so let's not focus on that. Besides, if we decide to focus on the looks, look how far ten years has brought me. Ha ha ha. 

These were taken at Calamba, Laguna during our fieldtrip for our PI 100 class, about February-ish of 2008. We were a few months away from graduating! Anyway, PI 100 was the subject name for Life and Works of Rizal, in case you are curious. :) 

At The Huge Banga
At the Calambanga - the World's Biggest Claypot! We look so pale, don't we? I can't remember if we've already take breakfast. :)
Because we learned from this field trip that the name of the City of Calamba was derived from "kalan-banga", which means "clay stove" (kalan) and "water jar" (banga). Anyways, it has the names of the barangays of Calamba written all over it and they all look like they fit into a jigsaw puzzle. Pretty cool huh.

That Church Across The Banga



And I couldn't even remember the name of the church so I had to Google it. I typed "church in Calamba Laguna across the Rizal Shrine" for added measure. And tadah! It's called the St. John The Baptist Church of Calamba. Jose Rizal was said to have been christened in this church.

 At The Birth Place of Jose Rizal
Yes! Because this is what we came for! And I truly am curious about where our national hero was born. It turns out that the rumors were true: he had a nice CRIB. I don't mean a baby crib; I mean like likthe MTV Cribs show where they toured a celebrity house. I'm pretty sure his house was opulent for the 1800's Pinoy standard.

Sadly we weren't allowed to take photos of the interior so I just had to scan my memory about what the insides looked. I'm kidding. You can actually check Google for the photos inside the Rizal House. I checked and my memory was refreshed. Yes, the grand staircase made of wood was the first thing that caught my attention. Everything else went on a blur of vintage furniture and memorabilia. I learned that the house itself was just a replica since the original house was destroyed.










I remember there was a statue of the child Rizal on the grounds of the Shrine but I couldn't find any photos.

I remember writing  a lengthy paper about this whole field trip: we also visited Intramuros and other places connected to Rizal (like the UST).

I remember...gosh, my memory is so dim. I remember very little it was like ten years ago!

But I know our PI 100 class had fun during that trip. :)

XOXO,
Carissa
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"The Heir" and "The Crown". Thirty five suitors, one Princess Eadlyn Schreave.
I am a certified royalty nut and if there's any literature which broaches on that topic I am sure to devour it almost instantly. I was introduced to The Selection Series by non other than my younger sister. It is composed of five books: The Selection, The Elite, The One, The Heir and The Crown. For all I know, I thought it would be just a trilogy but Kiera had some more stuff up her sleeve. The last two books are new additions. I just finished reading the last one over the weekend and well, let's just say I enjoyed the rather tearful ending. 

Photo credits to hyagrace.blogspot.com
*SPOILER ALERT*
So, it's a YA series set in the near future, precisely after the Third World War, in a country called Illea which occupies present day North America and some parts of South America. The ruling class is the monarchy (the Schreave family); the society has a caste system (One to Eight; One being the highest). The story revolves around the Selection process of finding a suitable spouse for the heir to the throne which is done through (gasp!) picking one representative from each province (that makes 35 candidates), inviting them to the palace, and the Prince decides who stays up to the very end. Very Big Brother-ish ha!

The first three books talks about how Prince Maxon Schreave found his perfect match in America Singer, a Five. At the end of the third book, they vowed that when the time comes, they will never subject their own child to such Selection again.

Well, who would have seen this coming. In time, Maxon and America became the rulers of Illea. They successfully eliminated the castes but trouble was brewing everywhere that King Maxon thought a distraction would come handy while we was trying to figure a way to fix things. He thought that having a new Selection to find a spouse for Princess Eadlyn was the perfect way to distract the people of Illea.

The synopsis for "The Heir".
I remember how headstrong and stubborn Queen America was when she entered the Selection twenty years ago. She didn't want to enter in the first place and she was sort of dragged by her own mother to put her name in. I totes understood where Princess Eadlyn's bullheadedness was coming from because she didn't want to be married off to some stranger. She wasn't even thinking about marrying yet. As the thirty five eligible bachelors pour into her home, she was thinking of ways of how to get rid of each one of them.

Thirty five choices it is.
How do I go about this without sounding like a bleary-eyed teenager. Lelz. But here we are. It's an entertaining little piece of a series mixed with some awkwardness. It's awkward isn't it, to have some 35 guys having to compete (literally) for one's love and attention. And truth is, Princess Eadlyn is not just an ordinary girl, she is the future queen. If she has been planning all along to teach the boys (and her parents) some lessons, it is she in the end who learns to open up and knows more about the lives, situations and backgrounds of her future subjects.

She agreed to have a Selection but she was fully decided on not falling in love. Here's a girl, who always felt like she was being watched all her life and that she has some large shoes to fill once she ascends the throne and as such she was always afraid to make mistakes and break the rules. 

In the end, she falls in love with someone but she has to break rules in order to be with him because (gasp!) he wasn't one of the 35 guys but was simply an interpreter of one of the Selected. 

In the end, she finds love in the most unexpected situation.
*Insert bleary-eyed teenager mode again here*
Because that's how love comes, ayt? When you least expect it. Maybe even when you don't want it. Gah! What a cliche. With some very wise words from her Daddy, she decided in the end to stand up for her love and everyone gets a happy ending. And why not.

I also mentioned that my face ended up being tear-stained in the end that's because Kiera packs all of her punches on the last few pages of the book. Trust me.

If anything, reading books such as these keep me young at heart. And I especially love it when the protagonist is beautiful, smart and brave girl.

XO,

Carissa

PS. Here's the hierarchy of the caste system in Illea.
Photo credits to www.emaze.com
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When I first saw the process of the Korean Skin Care, I was like, "SRSLY?". Some say it's a 12-step process, other's say it's ten but for someone like me who's been accustomed to the cleanse-tone-moisturize ritual, it's very overwhelming. I even feel lazy sometimes with the 3 step process, how much more if it's a dozen. (0_0)

I noticed that prior to washing the face with a cleanser, there is a pre-cleansing process that involved removing the makeup, either with a cleansing oil, cleansing balm, cleansing water, etc. I wear makeup everyday when I go to work but I've always just been fine with washing my face at the end of the day. When I saw this Gentle Cleansing Oil at the Human Nature website I decided to try it out and see the difference that pre-cleansing would bring. You can read my review after the jump.


Human Nature Gentle Cleansing Oil
Price: Php 199.75  for 95 ml
Where I Got It: online, www.humanheartnature.com


About The Product

Good skin starts with a clean slate! Doing a primary sweep of excess oils and dirt with a cleansing oil allows your facial wash to more effectively cleanse your skin. This beauty practice is called the double cleansing method, recommended by beauty gurus to avoid enlarged pores and acne due to leftover dirt and grime. 



Our premium cleansing oil erases all traces of makeup, even the most stubborn waterproof mascara. It works double-time too – it's made with sunflower seed oil which helps condition your lashes and moisturize your skin.
-www.humanheartnature.com


Ingredients
Premium cosmetic-grade Helianthus annuus (sunflower) oil, fragrance (all-natural)

Packaging
It comes in a handy, clear plastic bottle that has a pump for dispensing the product.

Up Close

The oil looks white from this photo but IRL it's light yellow. It has a floral scent that I could do without but since it's there I'd put it in record that it's not bothersome. ;)

 How To Use
Pump two to three times onto palm and massage on face then wipe it off with a soft cloth towel.

In Action

For the purpose of this blog post I made a heavy swatch of a black creamy waterproof eyeliner and tried to clean one part with one swipe of a soft cloth soaked in water and the other part with a soft cloth with the Human Nature Gentle Cleansing Oil. I guess you can clearly see how the test turned out. The cleaner side (lower part) is the one swiped with the Cleansing Oil. Not bad.

To summarize, I just made this bullet list of pros and cons that I can think of as of this moment.

Pros
- Affordability. You only need a small amount for cleansing so I'm guesstimating that this bottle could last up to 4 or 5 months. with me
- Effective. Before I discovered this product, I observed that there would still be traces of dirt on my face after toning up twice. Now, there's barely any dirt when I tone.
- Nourishing. It's made of sunflower oil so while I'm cleaning my face I'm also basically nourishing it. I have an oily skin and sometimes, I get too excited that I just over scrub while washing my face which could lead to dryness and even irritation. When I use this one, I don't feel any tightness or dryness after washing, my skin just feels soft and supple.
- Didn't give me any breakouts. Now, I don't know if it would have the same effects on your skin.

Cons
-It's made of oil, so yes, it feels greasy. :)

I got past that little greasy issue so I'm loving this product. Anyway, you're going to wash it off afterwards so why worry. 

I hope you liked this review. Drop a comment if you have queries.

XOXO,

Carissa
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June 15, 2017
"Baby, this is what you came for..."

I know that that is a Rihanna song penned by Taylor Swift/Calvin Harris but for someone who flew in all the way to Manila from Leyte just to see the Godney Spearit herself, it just feels like it. And here I am, over a month after the show, still feeling tears in my eyes whenever some wonderful memory of Britney's hair flips and hand flicks crosses my mind.


***
"I'm like a ring leader, I call the shots. I'm like a firecracker, I make it hot."

Yes she is. Yes she does.
You see her on TV, on YouTube, and you know that she is larger than life. In real life though, when you are in the same room with her, she is phenomenal; she's like a force that can make the room explode.

At the Mall of Asia Arena hours before the show.
The show lasted for just over an hour. However, the preparations and the things we did just to make it to June 15, 2017, goes way beyond that. 
We can go back to March 28, 2017, when she decided to drop the news on Facebook that she will be coming to Manila for a concert. You'd think April Fool's Day came too early and Britney could just be playing with our emotions. But when the Britney Army PH started reacting and you realize that it's for reals, how can you not scream at the top of your lungs. 

 Two decades worth of screaming, that is.

 And then there were those succeeding events that occurred that would give you doubt if the show would push through. Good thing the authorities were on their toes for this big event. 

The police force deployed at the MOA Arena for the Britney concert. 
MOA Arena's rules were also pretty stringent so we felt secured when we entered the venue. You can feel the excitement and the common love for Britney that bound us all. The crowd was mostly composed of 20 to 40 years olds. But there were also younger ones and it was heartwarming to see that they had their moms or dads tagging along. Or is it the other way around? LOL.
The beeline towards the entrance.
And we're in!
Now watch me....waiting. :)
Is it 9:00 PM yet?
The "Work Bitch" intro was our cue to screaaaaam and cry. And you just remember how you'd wait up on MTV just to catch "Born To Make You Happy", and you just fail to cop the dance moves all the time. 

You think of the time that she "grew up" and started wearing those deconstructed clothes and wonder how she looked so good on them. All sorts of memories just come flashing back and you cry even more.

Britney: Live In Manila// Work Bitch
Britney: Live In Manila// Womanizer
There were no dull moments in this concert. How can you be bored when you know all the lyrics to her songs? Emphasis on "Philippines" when Britney performed "Piece Of Me" lest we forget what country she's in. Hope she felt "kilig" about that part.
Britney: Live In Manila// Piece of Me
Britney: Live In Manila// ...Baby One More Time
We also sang Madonna's part in "Me Against The Music" like, no big deal. 

There are no downtimes; there's no part where the performer sings a slow song and rests. Britney danced to all twenty songs. She's 35, by the way.

Britney: Live In Manila// Me Against The Music
She's amazing.




***
We didn't want the night to end but eventually it did. We knew the show ends with "Till The World Ends" so it is the part when we were went on our feet, raised our hands, sang, screamed and cried like there's no tomorrow. 


Thank you Britney, for slaying it on June 15, 2017. And thank you for "jumping over drama and landing on your feet". How you made it through the worst part of your life will always be an inspiration for me and all of your fans throughout the world. Gosh I tear up again as I type that.

 XO,
Carissa
PS. I will never forget how shrill and high pitched her voice was, I didn't expect that. LOL.
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The pink and yellow hues of the packaging of my latest Sample Room picks just makes me feel giddy and girly. So while I'm at it, here's a sneak peek of the three products. I got them at the start of this month and as usual, I was happy to see the familiar Sample Room bag arrive at my doorstep. These products will be very useful for the next couple of months, especially the one that I got for my daughter.

Without further ado, here they are!


Drum rolls for product number 1...

Cathy Doll Whitening Sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++
Price: Php 299.00, 60 ml
Whitening and sun protection rolled into one. Thanks Cathy Doll!
"This cream from Cathy Doll guarantees that your skin will be bright and spot-free. Containing L-Glutathione and SPF50 PA+++, its high-definition UV protection and whitening ingredients immediately brightens your skin and penetrates skin layers fast to minimize dryness, ward off heat and deliver an intense cooling sensation."
-text from www.sampleroom.ph

I got a full-sized sample, hooray! I'm really excited about the sun protection part of this product more than the whitening part. Morena and proud here! ;) But if it would be able to remove dark spots and keep my skin moisturized, why not? I will be road testing this one and review is coming soon!

 Product number 2, coming up!

Johnson's Active Kids Shiny Drops Shampoo
Price: Php 131.00, 200 ml
Hope this keeps away the bad hair days!
"Everyone knows that babies need special care for their hair. But did you know that toddler hair is still sensitive? Even if your little princess is already active, her hair is still thinner and more prone to damage compared to adult hair. It’s prone to tangles, damage, and brittleness.


The new Shiny Drops™ shampoo is infused with Argan Oil so that it can make your hair shine like a princess like adult shampoo, but it is also mild with its No More Tears™ formula."
-text from www.sampleroom.ph

Another full sized sample! And it's huge! Double hooray! I grabbed this one because my daughter would  be attending kindergarten school this month and she will be more active than usual. I'm loving the gentleness of this product because my daughter really hates it when her eyes get stung by bath product. No tears and stings from this one. It is also lightly scented and although at the end of the day, even if the scent is gone her hair doesn't smell like sweat.

...And last but not the least, product number 3!

Celeteque Matte Moisturizer with SPF 30
Price: 
Don't they look so cute? Sample-sized Celeteque moisturizers.
I couldn't find the deets about this product at the Sample Room Page or the Celeteque page but I have recently purchased the Celeteque DermoScience Sun Care Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 and I think that there would be similarities between these two products. These babies will have an edge though because of the higher SPF content and oily-skinned gals will be benefited because of the matte finish promise. 

 I will write  a blog post comparing the two in the future. Watch out for that!
****
I'm glad that I picked these products since they will all be very useful for a mom and a skin care junkie like me. 
Thanks Sample Room! My points are close to 200 now and being a member for more than four years has had its perks. 
This current order could have cost me more or less Php 500.00 but since I got them from Sample Room they're absolutely free. I just paid Php 150.00 for the shipping.

I'm looking forward to reviewing these products and getting another haul from Sample Room.

XO,
Carissa
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Gwyneth Paltrow recently divulged her beauty secrets on VOGUE and I couldn't help but be intrigued because her age is certainly not showing on her face. BTW, she's almost 45 and her skin looks glowing. Her choice products obviously are from GOOP, since she is the CEO of the said company. Now, I can't afford GOOP let's be honest. :) However, if there's something that I deduced from the VOGUE article, it's that she uses clean products for her skin care and cosmetics. Clean, as in, natural, paraben and other harmful chemicals-free kind of products. I may not be able to get some GOOP but I know of a certain brand that is just as clean and all-natural. And it's closer to home. :)

I've been a fan of Human Nature for ages now, I just thought it was time to rediscover the brand. Here are the products that I recently purchased.

Human Nature takes center stage in my current skin care routine.
Human Nature Gentle Cleansing Oil
Price: Php 199.75, 95 ml
Take it off gently - the makeup - with the Human Nature Gentle Cleansing Oil.

"Good skin starts with a clean slate! Doing a primary sweep of excess oils and dirt with a cleansing oil allows your facial wash to more effectively cleanse your skin. This beauty practice is called the double cleansing method, recommended by beauty gurus to avoid enlarged pores and acne due to leftover dirt and grime."

Me Then: What need have I of a greasy cleansing oil?
Me Now: Where have you been all my laaaaayf?!!!

I will do a full review on this soon. :)


Human Nature 100% Natural Detoxifying Mask + Scrub
Price: Php 249.75, 100 g
The Human Nature 100% Natural Detoxifying Mask + Scrub smells divine!

"Pollution and stress take a toxic toll on your skin daily. Take a pinch of time to escape, recover and bounce back with this multitasking mask+scrub duet and unveil fabulously soft, smooth skin – all in the comfort of your own home."

 This is also one of my new favorites. Once upon a time, I thought cleansing was enough. Now that I've found this I'm never going back. I will also do a full review of this product soon.

 Human Nature Balancing Facial Wash
Price: Php 199.75 for 200 ml
The Human Nature Balancing Facial Wash always keeps me coming back.

"Some things may look better shiny, but never your face! Finally flaunt shine-free skin with the oil control formulation of Balancing Facial Wash with manila elemi. Its natural formula strikes the perfect balance between effectively eliminating excess oils and naturally moisturizing the skin."

 This isn't the first time that I tried the Human Nature Balancing Facial Wash but I think they've made updates on the formulation and added those grainy stuff which based on the ingredients might be the loofah. I still love it though and no matter how many other facial washes I try, I'm safe in the knowledge that this Balancing Facial Wash will always work for me.

 Human Nature Balancing Face Toner
Price: Php 184.75, 200 ml
Tone it up, because cleansing ain't enough.

"Complete your natural face routine with the improved formulation of Balancing Face Toner! Bursting with manila elemi, a prized ingredient known for its skin-care benefits and healing properties, and sugar beet, now you can help keep oil under control for shine-free, refreshed skin!"

 In case there's still some dirt left after double cleansing and scrubbing I have this Human Nature Balancing Toner to be thorough. It really smells soooooo good too!

 Human Nature 100% Natural Night Moisturizer
Price: Php174.75, 100 ml
Lather up before saying good night.

"Indulge your skin in a nourishing slumber with our Night Moisturizer, made richer with pure jojoba oil and plant collagen, and with a calming scent to make your nightly skin repair more relaxing."

 I think I've sung enough praises for this product on this post. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I don't know which of the ingredients does it but it really helps in calming down and healing my zits. 
***
I think these products will be good enough for two to 3 months. So far so good. I have not experienced any major breakouts. I've been using them for a month now and I'm feeling really good. I just need to remind myself to be more consistent though. Consistency is always the key when it comes to skin care. Sometimes I get too lazy to double cleanse or tone and it really shows on the skin so I just try to do better on the next day.

Cheers Human Nature! Thanks to you, safe and natural products are available to us at affordable prices.

XO,
Carissa
*Disclaimer: These products were all bought by me, using my own money. I'm not getting any compensation for writing this blog. I'm merely sharing my honest opinions about these products based on my experience.*
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