Here's a review of Ever Bilena's Matte Liquid Lipstick in Sexy Nude .
Ever Bilena Matte Liquid Lipstick
Shade: Sexy Nude
Price: Php 185.00
Where I Got It: Watsons, Gaisano Grand Catarman, Catarman, Northern Samar
Where to Buy: drugstores and department store nationwide, Ever Bilena is basically everywhere these days!

What is it?
Matte liquid lipsticks are trendy these days and here's Ever Bilena's take on it.

Ingredients


Packaging, Labels and Other Details
It comes in a no frills plastic tube packaging. The shade name is labelled at the top of the tube cap. Other details like manufacturing date, etc are written at the bottom of the tube.

Here's the doe foot applicator. I love the size of it. Just perfect for outlining the lips. I also love how the product doesn't gather up at the base of the cap. 
Swatch
Here's the swatch. Sexy Nude is a peachy-pink shade of nude.

In Action
Here's a photo of my bare, freshly scrubbed lip vs. wearing two layers of the Ever Bilena Matte Liquid Lipstick in Sexy Nude.

My Take
I  picked this color because I'd just ran out of my NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Stockholm and since Sexy Nude looked so close in terms of color on the tube, I decided to try it out.When swatched side by side, the two look like twins but as the products dry up, NYX SMLC Stockholm stays true to its peachy-pink shade while EB Matte Liquid Lipstick oxidizes to a more pink shade, albeit it's not very obvious on my photo above. 

Now on to my comments about the EB Matte Liquid Lipstick. It has a scent that I could associate with vanilla and coconuts or that Butter Coconut biscuit cracker. The scent lingers on for while and stays on faintly even after the product has dried up. 

It comes in a creamy liquid formula; not too runny at all. It doesn't dry up easily so you have ample time to apply it. I have observed though that the best way for me to apply it is to not try to have many passes with the applicator. Just outline the lips, fill-up the blanks, press lips together and leave it alone. It will look just fine and even compared to when I try to keep layering the product. It will look glossy for a while but after more than a minute, it will dry down to a powdery matte looking finish.

There's a unsettling feeling left behind though even after it has set, when you press your lips together, they kind of stick. It doesn't affect the color of the product though and I tried kissing the back of my hand, even if it sticks, the color doesn't transfer.

It doesn't come off easily, so if you won't drink or eat, I will look great for about three hours. It won't go away easily naman if you drink water for like 1 or 2 times but if you keep drinking or eating oily food it will eventually fade.

For the price point, I think this product is a good one, especially if you are just exploring the world of liquid lipsticks. It has a good color pay-off and didn't look or feel flaky on my lips.

Ever Bilena Matte Liquid Lipstick in Sexy Nude Rating
Packaging: 3.5/5
Performance: 3/5
Longevity : 3/5
Quality: 3/5
User Friendliness: 3/5
Overall: 3.1/5

Have you tried this product?
Drop a comment below.

XO,
Carissa
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Clay masks are all the rage these days and of course I wouldn't want to be left behind in trying out this trend. However, it's not jut the trendiness that attracts me but also the benefits that come with using facial masks.
This one from Beauty Bakery for instance contains charcoal, crushed apricot seeds and olive seeds. It promises to pull away deep seated dirt and sebum from the skin. It also promises to tighten pores. I have  oily, pimple-prone skin with large pores and this product certainly fits the bill.
So, did it work for me?
Review is after the jump.

Beauty Bakery Charcoal & Clay Scrub Mask
Price: 199.00
Where to Buy: www.beautymnl.com

What is it?
Functions as an exfoliating scrub and purifying mask; thoroughly cleanses by drawing out toxins, excess sebum, and deep-seated dirt; removes pore-clogging bacteria to tighten and refine skin; formulated with charcoal, crushed apricot seeds, and olive seeds; smoothens and mattifies skin for a fresh, glowing look. -www.beautymnl.com


Packaging, Ingredients & Other Details
It comes in a small black tub which contains 100 grams of product. Packaging is pretty simple and all the labels are written at the top of the cap. The 'how to use' is written but the ingredients of the product is not indicated in the labels.


There's a tag at the bottom of the tub which contains the expiry month and year. The product came shrink-wrapped so that's a guarantee that the product is fresh and unused.

In Action
The clay mask takes on the charcoal-grey color. When the product is spread, you can see that it has these tiny grainy stuff which help in exfoliating the skin.
Here's a photo of me while wearing the mask and after washing it off.

My Take
I'll have to be very honest: the first thing that caught my attention about this product was the fact that it has a Php 199.00 price tag. After that, I started reading the reviews at BeautyMNL and was thoroughly convinced that it's worth trying out.

I'll cut the chase here: I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PRODUCT! 

It smells great - like fruits but I can't tell if what kind of fruit - and doesn't feel uncomfortable when worn. If anything, it has a slight cooling effect on the face. As the instruction says, I rub it in circular motion but instead of washing it off immediately, I love to leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes.

After washing it off, I can immediately tell the difference. My facial skin feels soft and baby smooth to touch. My pores become visibly tighter. I could just be imagining that but I got compliments too from my officemate who noticed that my pores were looking tame and I'm not too oily. :) I've only used it three times as I write this blog and I promise to be more masipag in applying this mask.

A little goes a long way too with this product so I guess this 100g tub while last for a while.

If I may make a suggestion for room for improvement, I'd like a more specific label, like for the ingredients to be indicated in the packaging because I really love being informed of what I'm putting in my skin. Of course I was able to catch the ingredients at BeautyMNL but some of us may not be able to have the same access to that site. That's it. Just a little small, tiny, little baby hiccup (or something like that, as said by Liam Neeson in Love Actually).

For the price, this products can't be beat. Beauty Bakery is also a proudly Filipino company, so I just feel happy that we keep churning out great quality products in the local scene.

Rating of The Beauty Bakery Charcoal and Clay Scrub Mask


Packaging - 3/5
Quality - 4/5
Performance - 4/5
Price - 5/5
User- friendliness - 4/5
Over-all - 4/5

Have you tried this product from Beauty Bakery?
Have you tried other products from Beauty Bakery?
Drop me a comment about it. 

XO,
Carissa
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It was my first time try out anything from Icebergs and the experience certainly did not disappoint. Thanks to mama for bankrolling this eating sesh.

Here are some of the treats that we sampled at Icebergs.

We shared this plate of Nachos. 
Nachos//Price: Php 218.00
We also had a plate of Country Fries (Price: Php 148.00) but I wasn't able to take a photo of it because I was already too busy devouring with my Halo Halo. Moreover, if there's fries on the table, it's almost immediately gone. Anyway, the fries weren't like thin sliced McDo or Jollibee fries but more like potato wedges with some spices and a tasty mayo dip.

This Godzilla is a bit pricey at Php 418.00 but it's a huge serving which can be shared by three to 4 people so it's ideal for family or for barkadas. I mean, that's a lot of ice cream. 
Godzilla//Price: Php 418.00
Club sandwich, y'all. It also has some fries.
Club Sandwich//Price: Php 218.00
Mama had this Caramel Flan and I was able to sample it too. I loved the mixture of fruits plus the caramel flan flavored ice cream. I particularly enjoyed those round, white stuff which is macapuno.
Caramel Flan//Price: Php 148.00
And here's my halo halo, the Halo Dozen, which I had a bit of a hard time trying to consume. Not because it wasn't good but because the serving was BIG! For Php 118.00 I think it's very sulit. Mama came to the rescue when I could no longer go on. That's what moms are for. :) 

Halo Dozen//Price: Php 118.00
Here are a few candid shots while we were waiting and eating. Thankfully the topic didn't revolve around 'who among mama's kids is adopted'. See now, I am struggling with my Halo Dozen. Celestine is still reeling over the fact that the strawberries taste sour. It was the first time that she tasted strawberries. 


I'll just end this by saying that this isn't the last time that I'll be seeing Icerbergs. :)

XOXO, 
Carissa

Icebergs is located at the 1L Robinsons Place Tacloban Extension
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First of all, I brushed up on my little Photoshop skills to create this banner. I'm glad that I've still got it. I mean, I don't do as much graphics as I used to. So it's simple. I just played up with the colors of her uniform. :)

On April 2nd, Celestine officially finished Kindergarten and was deemed ready, along with a hundred others, to move up to 1st grade.

While waiting for the Processional, I took these photos. It was a sweltering day by the way. Summer is here! She's looking lovely and excited on these photos. She decided beforehand that she wanted braids and a butterfly headband. Her Tita Jeny did her hair. I put some light makeup on her and just dabbed a lip and cheek tint for a hint of color. I also pinned that pink ribbon corsage on her. I noticed that no one else did that so maybe it's not a thing here in Allen. But growing up in Burauen, I always had a corsage on during Recognition Days so it's a tradition. Anyway.


Hot outside, and also hot inside the venue with hundreds of warm bodies all crowded up to witness the sea of yellows, marching up to get their awards. But we didn't mind at all.
No, we didn't mind. Especially if we came here to rack up a few awards. She got the Dancer Award (really?!), Golden Heart Award, Mathinic Award and Star Reader Award.
She also played a part in the Program. She delivered the "Pasasalamat" or "Thank You". It's funny, she wouldn't even start her speech until I came up front to take the video. I'm glad that she did well because we practiced a lot. I also reminded her to not fidget around so you see, she's well behaved onstage.

Here she is with her adviser, Maam Mary Jean. This one's really special because she really adores her teacher. We also have a photo here of some of the teachers and administrators of Allen Central Elementary School headed by Ma'm Maribel A. Formaran.



And here's our family photo!

Getting into the first grade will be  challenge for my daughter and I promise as a mom, ka- career -in ko and pag support kay baby girl.
Go go go!
She did say that she's ready to be a Grade 1 with full conviction. Aja!

XOXO,
Carissa
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Well, to start off - it's the third month of 2018 already and here I am talking about a planner! Ha ha. But it's not yet too late, I guess, since I still have the rest of the year to write stuff. Moreover, the Mercury Drug Suki Day Book is not just  a regular planner or a journal. It is dubbed as a "companion to a mindful life".
Let's check it out. Open, open.
These are regular planner fairings: the personal information, the calendar (with Philippine Holidays), and the planner proper itself. There are also pages for writing journals.
The Personal Info page.
The Calendars for the years 2017, 2018 and 2019.
The planner.
In between the journal pages are the pagebreakers with "interesting information and tips on how you can be mindful in living your life". Here are examples of those pagebreakers.
Here's to being mindful of your sleeping habits.
Here's to being mindful of your eating habits.
Here's to being mindful of your water intake.
Here's to being mindful of your priorities.
Here's to being mindful of your posture.

Here's to being mindful of what you post on social media.

There are also some activities to try out.
We all know what these doodles are for, don't we?

There are other doodles of this sort, suggesting some fun activities like tracing constellations or going to museums but this particular one kinda reminded me of myself. 

This'll be a must-try the next time I go out and take a stroll. My plan is to not just to do the checklist but to take photos of each item as well.

I'd love to try this one out: the 30-Day Social Media Detox. It'll be kinda hard I guess but adjustments always require some form of sacrifice. I have noticed that I have become screen dependent of late and I'd like to minimize this habit.


+++
Now, I know you might be wondering if how much this Suki Day Book cost me. Or rather, how many stickers did I have to collect to get this.  :P
Well, anyone who has 30+ points on their Mercury Drug Suki Card can avail of this planner. But the stocks are limited, I guess. I was lucky that even at this time of the year, I was able to grab one of these. I spotted only three pieces of it in my local Mercury Drug counter

Props to Mercury Drug for coming up with this well thought-out planner. Even the material doesn't feel or look cheap.
The pagebreakers are making my rusty mind work and I've been reassessing how I've been dealing with, and taking care of me, so far.
This planner will certainly be useful to me even next year.
But I will keep my eyes peeled for Suki Day Book 2019! :)

XO,
Carissa
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Here's a review of the ZOEVA En Taupe Eyeshadow Palette.


ZOEVA En Taupe Eyeshadow Palette
Price: USD 27.00 (on www.zoevacosmetics.com) or around Php 1, 400.00
Where To Buy: www.sephora.ph

What Is It?
Always en vogue, the ZOEVA En Taupe Eyeshadow Palette is determined by a sophisticated variation of warm and cool-toned taupe shades, complementary to every skin tone. Inspired by precious fabrics and the art of couture, the exquisite brownish-grey, iridescent beige and edgy metallic hues with violet undertones are velvety-soft to apply and indispensable for artistically extravagant beauty statements and elegant contemporary looks.

Finishes: Matte, Matte with glitter, Satin

The formulation of the eyeshadows is enriched with vitamin E and is 100% free of parabens, mineral oils, perfume and phthalates. Made in Italy. - www.zoevacosmetics.com

Ingredients
Up Close
Palette size: 18.8 x 8.8 x 1.0 cm
Diameter per pan: 2.6 cm
Net weight: 10 x 1.5 g / 10 x 0.05 oz
Swatches/Shades Description
Here we go again. :) I'm not that much of an expert in naming shades so I would just call 'em as I see 'em.
Top Row
Stitch by Stitch - matte creamy white; ideal for highlighting the brow bone or just for applying all over the lids
Handmade - duo-chrome peach that shifts into a subtle gold when applied; lovely for highlighting the inner corner of the eye.
Gallery - matte taupe but you get a bit of lilac when you apply it
Hour by Hour - matte sand on the palette but when swatched, looks like pale rosy brown
Old Master - matte dark grey with tiny golden flecks

Bottom Row
Spun Pearl - frosted silver-y white
Sheers & Voiles - duo-chrome light grey that shifts into pale pink when swatched
Outline - shimmery brown-taupe
Wrapped In Silk - shimmery grey-taupe
Exquisite - matte plum

In Action
First Photo : I used Hour by Hour all over the lids, then I topped it with Outline
Second Photo: I used Gallery all over the lids, then topped it with Wrapped In Silk

My Take
Anyone who sees this palette thinks that it's a bar of chocolate. Needless to say, I love how sleek it is. The packaging is made of sturdy cardboard which closes up tight with a magnet. It also has a cardboard sleeve which holds the whole thing together.

The color selection is in the taupe (gray-brown) range but it also includes some silvery, bronzy and plum colors.  Some colors look alright on my light-medium warm skin tone but I can imagine that they would all really look better, and even dramatic on someone who has a fairer skin tone. The shades look lovely actually and are quiet pigmented but some the colors just don't translate well on me. The powder blends well, they don't get chalky, and are easy to apply. Barely any fallout and applies smoothly on my lids. The staying power is great on me. I would apply it in the morning and even up to 6 - 7 hours it's still there.

My favorite shades are Handmade, Sheers & Voiles, Outline and Wrapped In Silk and Exquisite. They are the only ones that I can full off with my warm skin tone. They are basically fragrance-free and according to the packaging, can be used up to 36  months after opening.

To conclude, I will get myself another ZOEVA Eyeshadow Palette in a different range of colors, probably with warmer tones because I love the quality of it. I think I just got the wrong shades, LOL.

Rating of ZOEVA En Taupe Palette

Packaging - 4/5
Pigmentation - 4/5
Quality - 4/5
Performance - 4/5
Price - 3.5/5
User- friendliness - 4/5
Over-all -  3.91/5

 XO,
Carissa
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