Showing posts with label Random Favorites. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Random Favorites. Show all posts
I admit that I have a love-hate relationship with Taylor Swift. Okay, it's more like a one-sided thing because I'm the only one who's aware of it. LOL. 
What I mean is, I have long ago accepted that she's just a human being and that she isn't perfect. She falters sometimes, and yes, I get angry at her sometimes. And for every bend, I always find it in my heart to love her. Moreover, she's been with me through some tough times through her music so she's done a great deal of stuff for me. 
As I await the release of her new album "Reputation", I decided to make a list of her songs which I love; ten of them.
It's a tough call because she has tons of hits. But these are based not on Billboard but on  my own preference and how it made an impact on my life, so it's gonna be a bit diverse. 
For added measure, I also added five runner's up, just because. :)
So here they are. If I can listen to ten of Taylor Swift's songs over again, these would be the ones on loop.

"State of Grace"
...and that guitar riff at the beginning that seems to transport me to a different place. I can't pick a favorite line from this song because I love all the lyrics in its entirety.
"Love is a ruthless game unless you play it good and right."

"Ours"
It's a song that reminds me so much of my daughter. I think the video had just come out when I'd given birth and it played a lot while I was just new to being a mom, so it gives me a really warm feeling. :) And it's a really sweet song with a great melody.
"I'll fight their doubt and give you faith with this song for you."

"I Knew You Were Trouble"
The perfect song. The Taylor Swift song that I have nothing to complain about. When it came out, I thought, what a great time to be brokenhearted. 
"'Til you put me down"

"Sparks Fly"
...never fails to make me smile.

"Mary's Song"
Story telling in one song, here it is, yes.

"All Too Well"
The sad song. We all need something like this once in a while.
"You call me up again just to break me like a promise. So casually cruel in the name of being honest."

"I Know Places"
My favorite song from the album "1989". I just get turned on when she says "...And we run!". Ha ha. I also loved her rendition of it on the "1989 World Tour DVD" and I just keep on rerunning that part. Yes, the guy dancer was also noticed.
"We take their shots, We're bulletproof."

"Fearless"
My anthem, circa 2008. Ha ha. Let's just say it has helped me through some tough times.
"Clean"
For having a unique sound that I never grow tired of.
"You're still all over me like a wine-stained dress I can't wear anymore."

"Fifteen"
It's the song that I wished I'd heard when I was fifteen. It would have made a whole lot of difference.

The Five Runners Up :)
"Safe and Sound" - I sang it a lot in my mind after Super Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan. Tear-stained, babe.
"Long Live" - Spell victory with this song. It just reminds me of that time when we were champions during the Sportfest.
"22" - The lady jam. I have self-proclaimed after all that I am forever 22.
"All You Had To Do Was Stay" - Can you listen to "I Know Places" and not put this on next?
"Wildest Dreams" - Dark and sexy.

***
November please come soon, we are soooooo excited for "Reputation".

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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Gossip Girl last aired like four years ago (2012) but I still adore (and miss) the pair of Leighton Meester and Blake Lively who played the now iconic roles of Blair Waldorf and Serena Van Der Woodsen. In truth, I was only able to watch in full up to the the fourth season, and some episodes of the 5th, but hey, am still a big fan here. I still can't get over about how stylish and lovely they looked, and as I write this, I'm watching the sixth season. Yey! It's been a long time coming.


So while I'm at it, I just sort of looked back at some if their photos from Gossip Girl. How time flies; both Blake and Leighton are now moms just like me. ;)
S and B, ready to do the divide and conquer strategy. Image from styl.sh
There, there. You can't really blame girls the world over who wanted to cop their looks and style. I never really went beyond the bed hair and the headband when copying their styles but these two are my girl crushes a lot of times I want to be beautiful and feel beautiful just like them. Ha ha. Achieve ba? I'll try. These are some of the products I tried for beauty ala B and S.

***
Beachborn Sea Salt Spray
Price: Php 199.00
Where I Got It: BeautyMNL

How to achieve the beach waves?
The name Serena is synonymous to slept-in hair. Wanting to cop those manes? I've been there. That's why I was really thrilled when I came across this product on BeautyMNL. It's really easy to use; you just spray, scrunch, air dry, and voila! Beach waves! I have observed though that it doesn't hold the waves that long and after a while, hair starts to feel sticky and weighed down. I've also had issues about the sprayer and I had to transfer it to a different spritzer so that I can continue using it. Then a few months later, when I tried to sniff the product if it was still okay, instead of the sea-salty smell it used to have, it just smelled sickly sweet that borders on being stale. Too bad. :(
Love Levels: 💓💓💓🖤🖤


Vaseline Lip Therapy
Price: Php 88.00
Where I Got It: BeautyMNL

Here are the details and the ingredients list.
Blair's doll-like lips make her look a cherub even when she is the Queen of Schemes. And wouldn't you agree that no matter how lovely the color of your lipstick is or how expensive it is, if your lips are chapped, it won't look flattering on you. That's  why I always make sure that my lips are smooth. When I saw this one on BeautyMNL I got really curious about it. It's less than a hundred pesos so I decided to buy it. It really helps in healing chapped lips. It goes smoothly and doesn't feel heavy or thick. I have one problem about it tho: it smells like petroleum and I'm really bothered.
Love Levels: 💓💓💓💓🖤

Y.E.T Police Mask (Oil Control)
Price: Php 24.00
Where I Got It: ph.althea.kr

Congratulations if you can read hangul. If not, at least the ingredients list is in English.
My girls S and B love shiny things but I'm sure they won't like it if the shine's on their faces. That's why I always try to find ways to control my own oil field. 
This mask sheet came with the Althea haul that I had last November 2016. I love the tangy smell of the essence and it really enlivens the senses. This mask sheet stings the skin a bit tho. My husband said the same thing when he perused one sheet. There's a noticeable softness of the skin after using it but I can't really say that it controls oil because I still had the same troubles after using it.
Love Levels: 💓💓💓🖤🖤

Human Nature 100% Natural Night Moisturizer
Price: Php 175.00
Where I Got It: www.humanheartnature.com

Both S and B have glowing skin. Lucky them since they have all the money in the world to keep them looking lovely. One thing I've learned about skin care over the years is the magical word called consistency. Maybe your routine is the simple cleanse-tone-moisturize or the 12 Step Korean Beauty Regimen, it always calls for consistency to make something work. Yes, that includes moisturizing at night. 

 The Human Nature 100% Natural Night Moisturizer would have to be one of my most favorite night moisturizers. It might be a bit thick or heavy for some people's taste but for me, I just love slathering it on my face at night. And since it doesn't contain harmful or chemical based stuff, I just put more more more. I don't know if which of the ingredients does it but this moisturizer just calms my skin down. For example, if there's an impending zit, on the next day it will have healed a bit. Does that make any sense? Well I've experienced it many times with this moisturizer. Aside from that, I always wake up with glowing and non-greasy skin when I wake up. That's why, the Love Levels for this one is just 💓💓💓💓💓.
***
I'll just leave it here.
I cried buckets while watching the final episodes.

XO,
Carissa
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I finally dipped my hand on the cheesecake making experience. It's rather easy and very very rewarding. First time to food blog too, so forgive me if my takes aren't perfect yet. I'll work on it. It's rather hard when you cook and take photos at the same time. :) No excuses! 

I got this recipe from the Facebook page called No-Bake Cakes, Pies and More. There are lots and lots of recipes there. The recipe was actually for a No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake but since I and my brother couldn't find blueberries in can, we settled for the cherry one. 
Cherry cherry boom boom for the tummy. ;)
Ingredients

For Pie Crust
2 cups of Crushed Graham Crackers
About half of that Dari Creme Butter

For Filling
1 cup of water
1 tbsp unflavored Gulaman Powder
1 pack All Purpose Cream
1 can condensed milk
1 bar Cream Cheese
1 egg

For Topping
1 can of Red Ruby Cherries

How It's Done
Pie Crust
1. Make the pie crust by mixing 2 cups of Crushed Graham Crackers and half of that bar of butter. Make sure it's evenly mixed and there are no more lumps of butter.

2. Press the mixture evenly on your container of choice. I used a 9-inch baking pan. While preparing the filling I put the Pie Crust in the fridge to harden 'em.

Filling+Assembling
1. Dissolve 1 tbsp of Unflavored Gulaman in 1 cup of water. Set aside.

2. Beat the egg. Set aside.

*Tip* I used the Stainless Steel Cooking Pot of a rice cooker as a mixing bowl because I'm going to cook the mixture later so there would be no need to transfer it to another cooking pot.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the All Purpose Cream and the condensed milk until smooth. 

4. Afterwards, add the Cream Cheese as well. Mix until smooth. 
5. Cook the mixture over low fire. Mix constantly to make sure it's not burning up. LOL. 

6. Add the Gulaman mixture.

7. If you notice that it's turning bubbly, turn off the fire then add the beaten egg.

8. Get your Pie Crust and pour the cooked Filling mixture over it. It will speedily set so make sure you're quick.
9. Pour the Red Cherry on top.

And tadaaaaa...... It's almost gone. LOL. Everyone at home loved this Cherry Cheesecake. I thought I'd flopped because the cherry seemed sour and was a bit off but it complimented with the filling. It balanced the sweetness of the filling. No umay!

I was able to make 2 pans of it but if you want the filling to be thicker, you can put everything in a single pan.

XO,

Cassie

PS. Sharing is caring... Thanks to No-Bake Cakes, Pies and More. I look forward to making more of your featured recipes.
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It’s a hot summer yet again. That doesn't need a lot of explaining since I bet we can all feel it. Herewith are my April Favorites – stuff that helped me survive through this withering month (besides water and and the good ol' electric fan). Obviously I went for stuff with sun protecting capacities and those that would stay put even if I sweat buckets.

The Belo Trinity
Belo UPF Umbrella, Belo Perfecting Shield Tinted Sunscreen SPF 50 PA ++++ and Belo SunExpert Body Shield SPF 60 ++++

I got all of these from Sample Room which I wrote about here. They've been very useful for me this month and rarely a day has gone by without me using them.

The Belo Umbrella has UPF 50. UPF  represents the fabric’s ability to reduce UV Transmissions. I was also completely sold by the cute design and the very girly color. Form and function is love, after all. (^_^) I will have the photo of that umbrella at the end of this post.

Belo Perfecting Shield Tinted Sunscreen SPF 50 PA ++++
As if the umbrella’s UPF 50 were not enough, I also used this tinted sunscreen with SPF 50 on my face a lot. It’s perfect for the dewy no make-up look. Very light and tone-adapting too!

Belo SunExpert Body Shield SPF 60 ++++
Whether going to the beach or just to the office,  this baby’s SPF 60 is no small stuff, thank you very much!  I mix this up with regular lotion for added protection.

Milea Eyebrow/Eyeliner Powder in Dark Choco
Me thinks I can go out sans lipstick or blush but never without eyebrows. I wasn't gifted with the loveliest set of brows and eyes and I’m constantly in need of defining when it comes to those areas. This double tasker has helped me so much this month. I use this on my brows and it looks natural and stays put. I use this as an eyeliner and I don’t bother with eyeshadows anymore. Very seldom do I get to consume any product to the very last and for this one, the little jar is almost empty.

The Human Nature Duo
Colored Lip Balm in Pink Orchid and Perfect Glow Mineral Blush in Pink Matte

If I never have to use another lipstick in my life, I could live with the Human Nature Tinted Lip Balm in Pink Orchid forever and still feel content. It’s a winner in the MLBB (My Lips But Better) department. I wish it would never fade away but as lip balms go, I could only wish so much. (@_@)

As for the blush on, up until now I’ve decided to do away with it lest I look like a clown. The Perfect Glow Mineral Blush in Pink Matte has changed my perspective. The color is subtle but buildable. Stays put on my face too! For a review of this, click here.

The Big Dark Frames and the Floral Scarf
I think I've been photographed several times this month with this scarf and for good reason: it gives life even to the plainest white tee (which I love wearing due to very hot weather). And as for the frames, whenever I put them on, I feel like I’m in league with the icons of the 60's and the 70's. Or maybe that’s putting it too much. Ha ha. I got both of these from Zalora.
The Belo Umbrella with the vintage-looking shades from Something Borrowed and the floral scarf.

This summer’s been exceptionally hot but these simple, affordable trinkets made me feel ever so cool.

XO,

Carissa
*All products used in this post were purchased by the author

April 2016 Favorites

by on Saturday, May 07, 2016
It’s a hot summer yet again. That doesn't need a lot of explaining since I bet we can all feel it. Herewith are my April Favorites – st...
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I've just finished a 2-month  VIP Membership subscription with Sample Room and obviously the pressing questions would be:
1. If I was happy and contented with the whole 'experience'; and
2. If I would be renewing my membership.
Well, I've give you a quick rundown of the whole lot that I got for the whole duration and see how it went. :)
Beauty loots from Sample Room. I'll lay them out for you later.
For those who don't already know, Sample Room 'is the Philippines' first ever beauty and lifestyle sampling website'. Upon membership you get 100 points which you can use to order some samples in the site. You review the products in turn and the points spent will be awarded back to you. To know more about Sample Room, you can read here and to know  more on how to become a member, you can read it here.

In the middle January 2016, I decided to avail of the VIP Membership so that I can have more points and avail of more products. I've been a regular member since 2013 and I thought it was about time to level up. :) I spent 799 for 1000 points and a soon as I received the points in my account, it was time for order galore!

For starters, here's what I got as a VIP Gift: Burt's Bees Lip Gloss in Summer Twilight.
A little 'Thank You' card plus 1 pc. of Burt's Bees Lip Gloss in Summer Twilight - Retail Price: Php 700.00
Order #1 
1 pc 20 g Olay Total Effects Pore Minimizing CC Cream (Medium) - Php 499.00
1 pc 40 ml Zenutrients Gugo Strengthening Hair Serum - Php 499.00
1 pc 5.67g Burt's Bees Lip Gloss (Rosy Dawn) - Php 700.00
Hearts for the CC Cream and the two lippies! :)
Order #2
2 pcs 40 ml Cream Silk Standout Straight Leave-On Cream - Php 98.00
1 pc 5.67g Burt's Bees Lip Gloss (Sunny Day) - Php 700.00
1 pc 20g Blushing Beauty Lick My Lips Color-Changing Lip Balm - Php 200.00
The color-changing lip balm sparked my interest. 
Order#3
1 pc 150 ml Belo Intensive Whitening Body Cream SPF 30 - Php 199.77
1 pc 65g Belo Intensive Whitening Bar with Exfoliating Body Scrubs - Php 64.75
1 pc 50 ml Belo Intensive Whitening BB Cream SPF 50 & PA ++++ - Php 349.75
All of them are favorites, especially the BB Cream. Now, if only the soap didn't melt away so fast....
Order #4
1 pc 150 ml Olay Total Effects Pore Minimizing Toner - Php 849.00
1 pc 10g Pond’s Flawless White Dewy Rose Whitening Soft Cream SPF 30 PA+++ - Php 179.00
1 pc 40 ml Dove Deo Original Roll-On - Php 89.00
The Olay toner is just humongous in size!!!
Order #5
1 pc Belo SunExpert Sunbrella UPF50 - Php 450.00
1 pc 140 ml Belo SunExpert Ultragentle Sheer Spray SPF50 and PA+++ - Php 539.75
1 pc 100 ml Belo SunExpert Body Shield SPF60 and PA+++ - Php 459.75
All of them are winners! Especially the Sunbrella!!! Not your ordinary umbrella.
Order #6
1 pc 50 ml Belo SunExpert Perfecting Shield Tinted Sunscreen SPF50 and PA++++ - Php 449.75
1 pc 75ml Pantene Hair Fall Control Conditioner - Php 55.00
1 pc 75ml Pantene Hair Fall Control Shampoo - Php 49.75
The Tinted Sunscreen is my favorite in this lot.
Verdict
I'm obviously happy about the whole lot that I got for the whole 2-month period. Living in a town in the province means that I rarely get some new offerings in the grocery store aisles. With Sample Room's site, ordering is very convenient. I'm also glad that I was able to avail full-sized products.
Moreover, if we let the numbers speak, I'm obviously at the winning end.
The total price of all the products that I got amounted to  Php 7, 131.27. I only spent Php 1,689.00 for the membership fees and shipping expenses.

...but oooops!
There are times that I think that I could have ordered more if only the packages arrived faster. Sample Room ships via Xend, which in turn passes it on to LBC so instead of arriving in 2 days it usually arrives after 5 days or more.

Reminders
Be sure that you review your products thoroughly and specifically, otherwise, Sample Room wouldn't approve it and you won't be able to get your points back easily. :( Read the guidelines here.

To cap things, I plan to avail of the VIP Membership again in the future. I'm just visiting Sample Room's site from time to time to see if there are new products that would interest me in particular.

XO,

Carissa
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It is true that I am quiet a huge fan of Taylor Swift and that most of the songs in my playlist are very recent but when I have some downtime and I get a little, I dunno, sad and dramatic, I reach for something familiar and close to my heart from the 90’s. Two words guys: Alanis Morisette. And as it turns out, she has a song for each of my moods and the perfect lines for expressing things I cannot find the right words for. Let’s press play.
More After the Jump»
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Hi histo-fiction addicts such as myself! Thanks for coming back and reading this two-part post about the Ladies Jane, Elizabeth and Jacquetta. You can click here to read about the first part where I discussed Innocent Traitor and The Lady Elizabeth. Now let's get down to business and talk about the Lady of the Rivers as promised. ;)

I don’t know if you’ve heard of her because she isn’t a character who gets discussed so much on a mainstream level. I got curious about her when I watched the TV adaptation of  The White Queen, another book by Philippa Gregory. I asked myself if what kind of woman would have the guts to go toe to toe with King Edward IV’s mother, Duchess Cecily of York when she is just a mere wife of a baron. Further readings about her life gave me all the answers. So many kings and queens are descended from her so I think she's a rock star! 
More After the Jump»
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