I have recently emptied a tub of this powder. It's my second one so I guess it's about time for me to share my thoughts about this product. Details are after the jump.

Name: 3W Professional Natural Make-Up Powder (formerly DODO Palgantong Powder)
Shade: #23 Natural Beige
Price: Php 250.00
Where I Got It: shopee.ph
What Is It?
The 3W Clinic Professional Natural Make-Up Powder (formerly known as DODO Palgantong Powder) is a loose setting powder. It is said to be one of the most popular setting powders in South Korea and Japan and is also favored among celebrities there. It is well-loved because it is said to deliver the following effects:
- Slimming Effect: Makes your face look slimmer with a 3-dimensional effect caused by ligher reflection
- Long Lasting: Strong against water or sweat
- Does not come off easily
- Lasts long and effectively absorbs oil
- Blooming Effect: The light-scattering powder results to a bright and dewy finish
- Silky and Hydrated Skin
- It maintains the skin’s natural moisture and prevents loss of moisture
*I got these details from Lazada.
If those claims are written on the packaging, we can't know for sure. But if there's anybody here who can read Hangul... :)
Packaging
The bulky tub is made of plastic: not the kind that will easily break when dropped.



It has an uber soft powder puff: I have two of these now and I'm not tossing them anytime soon.

This sticker was on the plastic sifter, covering the holes.


Up Close
That's the sifter. And check out how finely milled this powder is.

I wish that there's any way to make you feel how fine and soft the texture of the powder is just by looking at this picture. But it is. I know that the powder looks beige-y in this photo, and even in real IRL but when swatched it's hardly beige. You'll see on the next photos.

In Action
On the first photo I only have a foundation on. I used the L'Oreal Paris Infallible Stay Fresh Foundation in shade 104, and also I have the Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser underneath it. No illusions, I know that my skin isn't smooth even with primer and foundation on. :) On the second photo, I baked with the Palgantong Powder. I think you can see that it has made a considerably great impact, specially when it has fully set. The FOTD photo has not been retouched, just blurred out the background.

My Take
I'll take point by point, since we have the product claims at the start of this post.
Slimming effect? I've been using this for a long time but I have never given much thought if it really gives a slimming effect on my face. Contouring is still the way for me and anyway, I can't focus on the slimming when I can see that it has a blooming effect on me. And it's not just blooming, it also brightening and smoothing effect.
It also leaves a silky smooth feel on the skin.
For the "long lasting claim", it still pretty much looks intact after 5 hours, after which a touch-up would be necessary. Oil starts to seep after about 3 - 4 hours. Given that my work place isn't air-conditioned and it's sweltering hot in here, that's pretty decent.

A few of the negative stuff that I can say about this is the bulkiness of the packaging. It's really big and it won't easily fit into some kikay kits. You can always solve that problem by transferring it into a smaller container, anyway it's not hard to remove that sifter. Based on my experience, it's also not ideal to pile this up on your face because it can get cakey. Light is still the good way to go.

To wrap things up, I've mentioned that I've emptied two tubs of this and I will be making a purchase of this very soon. This is one of my favorite go-to loose setting powders. And for that price, you get 30g of product. How sick is that?

XO,
Carissa
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Name: San San Eyebrow Powder Duo
Shade: Chocolate - Dark Brown
Price: Php 150.00 
Where I Got It: Free, from my office mate, Ate Annie
Available at: HBC Stores Nationwide
Truth be told, I haven't been in need of brow products lately because I'm still quiet satisfied with my Maybelline Fashion Brow Palette. But... I've been receiving brow products from my friends that I think I will be stocked until next year. Not complaining here, LOL. I received this one two weeks ago and I have been using it a lot. Like I said, I was quiet surprised with the performance of this eyebrow palette.

So let's check it out.
It's small, just over 2 inches across so it won't take much space in your kikay kit if you plan to bring it with you. The packaging is quiet flimsy so it's not wise to drop this. The small mirror in the inner compartment definitely comes in handy for on the go application. It comes with a slanted brush which has a bristles that are a bit stiff but I realized that the bristles actually work well with the product.

Swatches
It's quiet pigmented, see.

Ingredients and Other Details
The manufacturing and expiry dates are explicitly written on the packaging.


In Action
Here are my before and after application photos and you can definitely see that it is pigmented and that it is a good match for my dark hair color. It also looks quiet natural on me. I used dry application on this one and the color adheres well to my eyebrows. However, staying power is not so great when applied dry and you might need a brow mascara to set it. And word of caution: if you apply this dry, there will be fall outs so be sure to tap out the excess powder or there will be some mess on your face. 

To avoid the powdery fall outs I decided to apply this damp: by dipping the slanted brush in a bit of water. Through this technique I avoided the powdery fall outs and the color appeared more vivid on my brows. It also stayed intact the whole day.

Overall, this eyebrow palette is definitely a keeper. It's easy to use. I am not an expert in drawing brows and the San San Eyebrow Powder has definitely made the job easier.  I owe it to the softness of the powder and how well the color translates into my brows, making it look natural and not overdrawn.

I could definitely see myself buying this again but it would take a while to consume the pans. :)

XO,

Carissa
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I got this facial foam from Althea during my latest haul. Imma give you the deets and review about this product after the jump!

The Face Shop Herb Day 365 Cleansing Foam
Variety: Lemon
Price: Php 150.00, discounted from Php 300.00
Size: 170 ml
Where I Got It: ph.althea.kr

"Formulated with lemon extract, this mild cleansing foam helps remove dead skin cells and leaves skin fresh."

I can never keep up with the 10 Step Korean Skin Care. Who has the time? However, I've taken a leaf out of their book and really focused on something that I can manage. I used to be just the cleanse-tone-moisturize type of girl but now I have realized the importance of pre-cleansing. I wear makeup almost every working day and I am horrified about all the times in the past that I didn't pre-cleanse. Well, I am a convert now and my current go-to cleansing oil is the Human Nature Gentle Cleansing Oil which I have previously reviewed.

Now, on to the product at hand. The Face Shop Herb Day 365 Cleansing Foam is my current go-to cleansing foam which I use after the pre-cleansing process. It will be, for such a long time because this cleansing foam is huge: comes in 170 ml . For the price of Php 150.00, I really got the good end of the deal.

Labels and Packaging

Good luck with the hangul. But I think it's been translated at the bottom part. The expiry date is also indicated at the edge of the tube.

Ingredients
Aside from lemon extracts, it also contains extracts from other plants like horse chestnut bark, saponaria oficinalis (soap wort), alchemilla vulgaris (lady's mantle), and sage herb. I Googled the benefits of using these plant extracts. Of course , lemon has brightening effects. For the others, read benefits of using horse chestnut here, saponaria oficinalis here, alchemilla vulgaris here, and sage herb here.
My Take
I use a pea-sized amount which is enough to clean the entire face so it's pretty economical. In this photo it doesn't look like it's all foamed up because I only put a small amount of water. LOL. But with enough water, it will lather up and become foamy. 
It has a tangy smell, reminiscent of a Mountain Dew soft drink. I was worried that since lemon is lemon, it might be harsh or that it would sting a bit. Thankfully, it is indeed mild. Some facial foams would be too mild that you won't feel that it's helping in the cleansing department. This one doesn't sting but skin feels clean, fresh, soft and well-scrubbed after using it. 
It works well with my current choice of cleansing oil because it can wash off the greasy feeling. I use lukewarm water to wash if off.

Overall, I think I made a good choice in buying this stuff from Althea, both for the price and the good performance.

XO,
Carissa

Edit: Nov 13, 2017
After using it for a month, I noticed some small pimples popping on my forehead. I stopped using this for a while and the pimple disappeared. I guess this facial wash is not for me after all. :(
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And am I such a loser for belatedly discovering this song? Well, better late than later. Right? Drops of Jupiter...it's lovely. It has received some accolades (two Grammies!). It's almost old enough to vote (recorded in 2000). It made me want to pick up a guitar; something that I haven't done in forever. It's not like I still know how to play it, but still.
I discovered it through Taylor Swift. Yes, that girl again.

So it goes, Taylor dropped Gorgeous over the weekend and I realized, just like the world over, that the Old Taylor is not dead after all. I decided to watch the Old Taylor via a copy of the Speak Now World Tour. Then I got to the part that I usually skipped, the one where she sit's under a "tree", wearing a purple dress, singing and playing the guitar. I decided not to skip this part this time and boy was I surprised. And I was like,  "so this is Drops of Jupiter".

I could only catch fried chicken through Taylor's rendition so I immediately consulted Google. Here's what I got. And gosh, some people may not like wordy stuff or they haven't got the time to analyze it but this is exactly my thing!

DROPS OF JUPITER (TELL ME)
Now that she's back in the atmosphere //With drops of Jupiter in her hair, hey, hey
She acts like summer and walks like rain //Reminds me that there's time to change, hey, hey
Since the return from her stay on the moon //She listens like spring and she talks like June, hey, hey

Tell me, did you sail across the sun //Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded
And that heaven is overrated //Tell me, did you fall from a shooting star
One without a permanent scar//And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there

Now that she's back from that soul vacation //Tracing her way through the constellation, hey, hey
She checks out Mozart while she does tae-bo //Reminds me that there's room to grow, hey, hey
Now that she's back in the atmosphere //I'm afraid that she might think of me as plain ol' Jane
Told a story about a man who is too afraid to fly so he never did land

Tell me did the wind sweep you off your feet//Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back to the milky way//And tell me, did Venus blow your mind
Was it everything you wanted to find// And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there

Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken //Your best friend always sticking up for you even when I know you're wrong
Can you imagine no first dance, freeze dried romance //Five-hour phone conversation
The best soy latte that you ever had, and me

Tell me did the wind sweep you off your feet //Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back toward the Milky Way
And are you lonely looking for yourself out there?

Tell me did you sail across the sun //Did you make it to the milky way to see the lights all faded
And that heaven is overrated
Tell me, did you fall from a shooting star//One without a permanent scar
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there
Songwriters: Charles Colin / Charlie Colin / James Stafford / James W Stafford / Pat Monahan / Robert Hotchkiss / Robert S Hotchkiss / Scott Underwood / Scott Michael Underwood
Drops of Jupiter lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

***
Of course, I have a thing for dissecting lyrics and I discovered through numerous online discussions that Pat Monahan wrote this after loosing his mom. Like saying he haven't really lost her and that she just vacayed throughout the Galaxy and now she's back with "drops of Jupiter" in her hair, and he wants her to talk about all the adventures in the outer space.
But we could only imagine her answer, right? Maybe that's the painful part. 😔
But you would also notice that the lyrics seem to have references to different people.
It could be about someone who was in a relationship but decided to take some time off.
It could about your best friend, whom you were always in love with.
It could be about any important person in your life.

I love this song for it's lyrics but when I think about it, I hope to never loose someone so dear that I would be singing this song with tears in my eyes. Quiet impossible too, though. If life must run it's due course. Anyway, let's not think about that.

Meanwhile, here's the bespoke rendition of Taylor Swift of Drops of Jupiter, straight out of YouTube. Credits to the owner.


XO, Carissa
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We recently ended up at Maria's Kitchen one lazy afternoon, since we were looking for a place to chill out and to get our tummies filled. We is me, my husband and our daughter. Maria's Kitchen is one of the popular food spots in our town. While waiting for our orders, I  kept myself busy by taking random snaps inside the place. Blogger duties, ayt?

Anyway, if I may describe the setting at Maria's Kitchen, I'd say it feels very homey. It's literally a home too, anyway, because it is located inside the compound of the owner's home. The garden, to be exact. The structures are a mixture of old and new; wood and metal and other knickknacks. You see old photos and books, figurines and other old things which had been re-purposed. Even the broken umbrellas and peeling off paints seem to just blend in well.
Anyway, one of the things that I love about this place is the presence of greens which keeps the whole place looking clean and fresh. Let's check out the photos after the jump.


Vintage Feels
Celestine also busied herself with her own thing, perusing the swing, slide, and seesaw. I kept running after her but decided to give up because we can't stop her from being a child. Can we now?
Up up and away!
When you walk the slide because it's too short for you.
Pretty ingenious, huh? Yes, that's a faucet and it works.
This here is one of the eye-catching stuff at Maria's Kitchen. Celestine couldn't help keep coming back to it.

#PusuanMoNa, bes. 
Like I said, this place has an abundance of trees, plants and foliage. I noticed this heart-shaped plant and then I realized that there are plenty of these scattered around the area.
Mabuti pa ang halaman may puso. Ikaw wala! #corny #hugot
The Food
It's a bummer that I failed to take photos of the menu. But fret not, I think I can recount the lineup and the prices from my mind. The menu is composed of burgers, sandwiches and desserts. The burger's prices start at Php 99.00. This here, is the most expensive one which comes at Php 139.00. It's called the Maria's Overload and it's huge. I knew that I won't be able to consume it all by myself so I didn't bother ordering another one for my hubby. Sharing the calories is caring, dahlings. :) Meanwhile, our daughter only wanted fries, so she gladly gobbled the whole plate of.

Maria's Overload//Price: Php 139.00
Sandwiches are priced at about Php 50.00 to Php 70.00 while the fries are Php 25.00. A pitcher of their chilled juices cost Php 50.00, and it's good for three people. I think their desserts are priced no more than Php 100.00. Pretty affordable, huh.

Maria's Kitchen is located at Bahay ni Jose, Pascual B. Gutay St., Brgy. Sabang 2, Allen, Northern Samar, right across St. Francis College.

XO,
Carissa

PS.
We took some snaps of ourselves too. :)
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Pond's is arguably one of the most popular skin care products in the Philippines. You can ask anyone and you would know that it has a great brand recall. It may be due to it's affordability and availability. Their products also address some of the most common concerns of the Filipina woman - whitening and staying spot and pimple-free.
I have recently wandered through the hallowed beauty aisle of a local grocery and chanced upon these Pond's products. I can vaguely recall that Pond's Facial Wash and Creams were among the first beauty products that I tried as a teenager. Sachets are always a great way to sample products so I grabbed some and also a small version of one of its toner. Let's see how my experience went.


Pond's White Beauty Pinkish White Facial Foam
Washes away dead skin cells and dullness to reveal your pinkish white skin
Details and Ingredients of  Pond's White Beauty Pinkish White//Price: Php 
Will I buy the full size?
Maybe. I'm just neutral about it. But it's not a bad choice.
Sometimes, a facial foam is a facial is a facial foam and there is nothing really remarkable about the experience of using it. Well, my skin felt soft after using it. It didn't feel tight or dry. I didn't get any breakouts while using it. If you love wearing makeup, you ought to pre-cleanse before using this because it can't really clean deeply as I still see some residue if I use this alone for cleansing. It says that it washes away dead skin cells and dullness to reveal a pinkish white skin but a cleanser can only do so much. If you don't back it up with a cream or sun protection, there's a huge chance that optimal whitening may not be achieved.

Pond's Acne Clear Toner
Enriched with Salicylic Acid, Tea Tree Oil and Pore Tightening Essence
Details and Ingredients of Pond's Acne Clear Toner//Price: 
Will I buy it again?
Yes! Definitely! My skin feels fresher, smoother and cleaner every time I use this. It doesn't sting and it really helps in minimizing my pores, even just for a while. I was having a breakout along my jawline and this toner just came in time. I have not had a single zit in that area, or anywhere in my face since I started using it. Salicylic Acid and Tea Tree Oil has always been good to me. :)

Pond's White Beauty Spot-less Rosy White Day Cream
Powdery Finish Day Cream for Oily Skin prone to pimple marks
Details and Ingredients of Pond's White Beauty Day Cream//Price: 
Will I buy the full size?
Maybe. More on the Yes side of Maybe. :)
I love the brightening effect that this product gives to my face. It does give a powdery, even dry finish however it doesn't keep my face oil-free for long because I am quiet oily. I have also observed that my face heats up when I have this on - so it traps the heat and I just sweat a lot. I think the sweat contributes to the oiliness too. The package also doesn't specifically say if it has any SPF so it's a bummer since we all know how necessary any amount of sun protection is.
But I still gave it a maybe since it makes my face look bright and glowing. There are days that I really need something like this. :) I just partner is with a good ol' powder like the Maybelline White Superfresh which mattifies my skin and has an SPF 34. And keep a hanky at bay.

Here's a dollop of the Facial Wash and the Day Cream.

XO,

Carissa
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I could almost hear my mother's voice saying: "What on earth are hand creams for? Do you really need one?" :)
I won't say it's a necessity; I could do without one.
But...I saw this hand cream on Althea and it came with an affordable price tag so I thought that I could treat my hands with some luxury without having to spend a million bucks.
Come take a look.


What Is It?
The BoomdeAhDah Water Drop Hand Cream promises to moisturize and keep the hands refreshed with a light finish. It is enriched with Gardenia Extracts to add vitality to the skin. It also comes with a pleasant floral scent.

Ingredients 

Errrm...

In Action
The consistency of this hand cream is unlike any hand cream that I have tried before and it is certainly not what I have expected. I expected it to be creamy like a lotion but it turned out to be somewhat like a primer in texture. However, a few seconds after application, almost immediately after contact with a warm hand, it just melts and turns into water drops. The watery drops feel like sweat or tears, but not in an icky way. It is easily absorbed by the skin and doesn't leave a greasy feel. My hands certainly feel soft and moisturized. It smells really good too. It has a floral scent and I wish I would be able to find a perfume that smells as good as this.

If there's any downside to this product, it would be that I have to keep on reapplying because the scent doesn't last long.

XO,
Carissa
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Despite my busy schedule, I have managed to finish one book for September. Hurray for that! Between work and motherhood, I was able to squeeze in Ramsom Riggs' Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children. Books, they keep me young at heart. ;)

It took me quiet a while to finish this book because I'm only able to read a few pages before I doze off. In my teens I would have devoured this in one go. However, when I reached the climax of the story, I really made an effort to wake up at odd hours so that I would be able to finish it before I start the day.

The book contains some creepy-looking vintage photos and it really sparked my curiosity. I even thought that it's a horror story of some sort. However, when I started reading I felt at ease because of the many familiar elements in the book. Even the writing style is familiar. We have a teenage boy for a protagonist. Hello Harry Potter and Percy Jackson! :) Jacob Portman is just as adventurous as those two gentlemen, respectively.

I learned from the beginning of the story that he has a grandfather and it easily reminded me of my own. I don't know if grandpas are all the same but mine is just like his: loves to tell tale tales; so tall that you don't even know if its for real or not. But I enjoy it all the same. At the mention of monsters, I could almost tell that his grandfather will die and that he will try to search for the monster who killed him. I also knew that he will find out the truth about those vintage photos that his grandfather showed. That's the only part I could predict though. The rest...

I felt like I was Jacob himself who was at a loss about this certain Miss Peregrine and her home for those peculiar children. Did they even exist? Were they really creepy? I was basically speed-reading that part where he sees the peculiars for the first time. Like he had to meet Miss Paregrine first before I take a break from reading. Ha ha.

I was just in awe as Jacob was, when he found out the truth about the peculiars. It was like finding Neverland. And I knew that he couldn't get too happy because there's always a hitch somewhere around the bend.

I can't wait to read the next books:


XO,
Carissa
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Someone's busy making sandcastles. 

While I try to get us three, in one photo.

We keep our feet on the ground.

We look forward to what lies ahead.

XO,
Carissa :)
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I've got a feeling this'll be a monthly thing and I am finally getting the hang of being a stage mother.  :) Last month we had Buwan ng Wika, and for this month, Tin was part of the Kindergarten Festival of Talents. Competitions for different talents were held in her school. She was part of the creative dance competition. 
They danced to the tune of "Basketbol" and they were all dressed accordingly. 
My baby is all dolled up!
Her costume was made by Mommy Neneng (her grandmother).

Here's a clip of half of the dance routine.  Cute little things!

And the winner is...... Team ACES!
The kids together with the kindergarten teachers of Allen Central Elementary School.

***
Every experience should bring lessons and I know that, young as my daughter is, she has learned something beyond wiggling her butt or jiggling those pompoms. She has made a conscious effort to rehearse everyday, and bugged us in case we forgot. She has definitely learned a thing or two about taking instructions. And now she knows how it feels to win.

For me, I never thought I could get bleary eyed watching  a rendition of a song by Viva Hotbabes. But, here we are. :)

XO,
Mummy Cassie
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Here's a long overdue review of the L'Oreal Paris Infallible Stay Fresh Foundation in Shade 104 Golden Beige.
Price: Php 525.00, discounted from Php 700.00
Where I Got It: www.beautymnl.com
Labels & Packaging
I love the glass bottle. It's sleek and makes it feel expensive. The pump is absolutely great. It has never failed me and I'm able to get just the right amount of product.

Ingredients
I hope you can read that. LOL.
In Action
I love the consistency of this liquid foundation because it's not runny, just the right amount of creaminess. In my experience though, there's a bit of tug during application so it's better if I use it with a moisturizer or a primer underneath. It is easily absorbed and sets easily so I prefer using it with a damp sponge. 
Left: a dollop//Right: blended out
Check out the coverage in this photo. It may look like 104 Golden Beige is tad too light for my skin but I am a acidic so by the time the foundation oxidizes it's my right shade. I applied half of my face with this foundation and I bet you can see the demarcation. It covered my baggies well, huh?
Based on the label, it says that there's :
-No transfer
-No Visible Imperfections
-No Visible Shine
-No Dry-out
-No Mask Effect
If I have to be specific about these promises, based on my experience, here are my opinions point by point.
-There are minimal transfers once the foundation is set. Unless you rub it off on purpose of course.
- It covered some of my imperfections, like my baggies but my pores and scars are still pretty much visible.
-No visible shine upon application but of course I'm an oily gal so by noontime, I expect oils to seep.
-No Dry-out? Not applicable to me because I'm pretty much oily.
- I agree that there's no mask effect. It blends pretty well, specially if I use a damp sponge.

Overall
Of course, it still boils down to one thing: do I love it or not.
TBH, I see a huge difference on my skin when I put this foundation on. It may not totally cover all my imperfections but it already does a heck of a job just by brightening and evening out my complexion. I get the help of a primer for my pores.
It's lightweight and doesn't feel messy on my face even if I sweat a bit. It pretty much stays on my face the whole working day and with just a touch up with powder on the 4th or the 5th hour of wearing this, I still look fine. I don't know if you can stay fresh for 24 hours as its name claims but I'm not willing to try wearing this for a whole day. LOL. 
Yes I love it and it's gonna stay on my list of good foundations. When I run out of this one though I will try the other L'Oreal variant, the  matte one that comes in a tube.

XO,
Carissa
PS. With a little help of setting powder and primer, here's how the foundation looks on me.
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