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From Manila with Love Blog


I didn't exactly disconnect from the world when I was in Camp Agos, because it wasn't necessarily a sabbatical or no-tech retreat but it was extremely easy to not get any signal ( especially if you're a globe subscriber).

There were no other 'attractions' other than the river. No other 'activities' other than lounging around the place, swimming in the river or waterfalls ( after trekking to it). If you get antsy by the lack of activity I suggest you bring a book, a tablet (for movies/reading), and a physical activity item (beach ball, floatie, frisbee etc).



But if you want hours of doing blissful nothing and just soak the sun and nature all around you, this is a pretty good spot albeit a little expensive if you're by yourself or in a duo.





What to pack :

  • Trekking/hiking outfit
    • I recommend leggings if you're prone to insect bites and slipping. Also, it helps with the itchy plants that you'll be wading through and the rocks/pebbles in case you do slip.
  • Snacks
    • Chips, crisps, juice packs, and sodas (maybe some 🍷 🍹 🍻 ) are optional but highly recommended. There are stores near the camp where you can buy snacks but they close pretty early (as early as 5PM)
  • Non-perishable food
    • Canned food, bread, and noodle packs/cups are nice to bring if you want to experience cooking but don't want the trouble of lugging raw meat around and spending a fortune on ice so it won't go bad.
  • Mosquito repellant, sunblock, sunglasses, a hat and wet-proof/dry bag
  • Swimwear but not string bikinis because they will fly off and the river faeries and waterfall nymphs will laugh.
  • Cash
    • You'll be surprised how often people forget to bring cash to places like this
  • Optional
    • Floatation devices/floaties, volleyball, water sport paraphernalia etc
    • Your own pillows and blankets
      • We brought our own blankets for fear of the ones there not being clean enough, but they were, thankfully. Still we ended up using the blankets as a cover for the rope 'seating section' because 1, it was dusty with lots of cobwebs and 2, the ropes hurt.






Suggestions:
  • Ask the caretakers for a cooler (separate payment) you're probably going to need it
  • Buy drinking water (from the caretakers) instead of packing gallons for the duration of your stay
    • Trust me, it's easier this way and not pricey at all
  • Go in a group
    • It's cheaper and the costs of food and transportation are significantly reduced
  • Use trekking sandals not flip-flops or sneakers
    • There's a lot of walking so you might think Oh! Sneakers! but it becomes heavy once the water soaks into it plus the stones and mud are very slippery after your shoes get wet. Pass on the flip-flops as well. The strong rush of the water might render your flip-flops useless.
  • Go trekking
    • Watch out for a lot of animal shit
  • Visit the waterfalls
    • Time passes by slowly here and you need something to do for the rest of the time you're not relaxing/sleeping


Have you been to Camp Agos? I'll probably go back, but this time in a group 'coz I think it's infinitely more sustainable and fun in a group. And like I said, cheaper.


xx,
CJ


Camp Agos Daraitan Rizal
https://www.facebook.com/camp.agos.daraitan/
https://www.instagram.com/camp.agos.daraitan/?hl=en


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A fraghead is someone who collects, reads about and discusses fragrances. Simply said, a person who loves to inquire, read, and discuss perfumes in more detail other than 'this smells good/this smells bad'.
I believe I tick those boxes, although this is just a self-diagnosis. Buying perfume is an expensive vice or hobby (depending on where you are in your fragrance obsession) so some brands are not enticing enough for me to try, especially niche and high-end designers like Tom Ford and Diptyque. So what I do is go to clone houses.

Clone house - Perfume brands that specialize in creating clones or duplicates of scents of more 'expensive' brands/houses.



Here are 3 local clone houses that you should keep on your radar

Eternal Scents and Fragrances
Safe to say this might be my favourite local clone brand as of the moment. The glass bottle is simple and easy to stack -albeit being pretty basic and devoid of imagination. That said, this is the longest wearing perfume and 'closest to the real thing' that I own.

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A post shared by CJ Sū (@manilawithlove)


I've tried US clone brands that are close to their inspiration as well and while I like those immensely, this brand is pound for pound or drop for drop(?) better. Mostly because it's easier to acquire. The presentation is (box, ribbons, and hand-written note from the owner) *chef's kisses* as well.




The roster of scents is quite large in my opinion, they have Tom Ford, Diptyque, MFK, and Le Labo for the niche and Chanel, Dior, etc for the higher-end lines. Some celebrity brands and designers are there as well, but personally if you're going for clones, go for the clones of high-end or niche.

Talking about the fragrance itself, there might be some sharpness in the scent or a note or two differences. Despite that, to a casual fraghead (or non-fraghead), their mixes are pretty good copies. Longevity is approximately 6+ hours

I recommend Eternal Scents for people who want a cheaper backup or every-day version of their pricey fragrances. Shhhh! They won't know the difference!

Price range : ₱450 - 550
Store link : eternalscentsmnl.com



Symmetry Lab
I don't have much experience with Symmetry Lab compared to Eternal (where I have had more than 4 scents in total), I only have this one clone of Carolina Herrera Good Girl. 

Let's start with packaging. First of -the bottle design is gorgeous. The all black square bottle is visually different from most local clones. Topping it off is a nice wooden cap, very reminiscent of Nasomatto. The box itself lends a bit more credibility and adds to the over-all brand presentation.

As for the scent, at first it was more alcohol-heavy than I expected. It also didn't last long and didn't project. So I kept it in my closet for a few weeks. Tried it again in cooler weather and it fared much better- stronger and more projection. Definitely less alcohol in the first spray and lasted longer over-all (approximately 4-5 hours). Please note that I spray quite heavily, a minimum of 5 sprays in total for all my fragrances.


I read this particular scent is very close to the original, which prompted me to get it. Bottomline? It's a pretty solid introduction to the scent without shelling out a lot of money. Symmetry also produces popular niche as well as designer fragrances, similar to Eternal Scents, though the latter has a wider range of offerings.

I recommend Symmetry Lab for people who are looking for an over-all good scent in display-worthy packaging. Great for gifting because of the box!

Price range : ₱499 - 1,250
Store link : shopee.ph/symmetrylabph


Le Fofo
Like Symmetry, I only have one scent from this brand but that's enough for me to sing its praises.
Housed in a plastic tub, inside a velvet pouch is this cylindrical bottle and "Sauvage" cap. To be honest they really got me with this unique bottle design. I've only ever seen this type of bottle in designer brands. The label is quite simple, maybe a bit 'cheap-feeling' but the over-all look is good for gifting. 



What I do like about this particular scent is the oil content and the fragrance itself. It's a clone of a discontinued fragrance of By Killian. That day I was looking for a coconutty scent that I could layer with my other fragrances, to get the 'beach sun tan/sunscreen lotion' vibe and I heard that By Killian Love The Way You Feel was a great scent for that particular profile.

While this doesn't say much in the projection department, it makes up for it in the longevity office. (*sorry*)Lasts for about 4-5 hours on my skin, but layered with another fragrance lasts up to 6+. 

This brand is lovingly hand-made with the perfume oil flown from Dubai!

I recommend Le Fofo to people who are looking for discontinued and luxury/niche fragrances.

Price range : ₱699-900
Store link : https://shopee.ph/fofosboutique?categoryId=100630&itemId=13421852202

I know there are a lot more brands out there I have yet to try. What clone brands do you love or would you like featured? Let me know in my socials or email!


xx,
CJ



PS. The sprayers and atomizers for all of these brands are pretty good except the Eternal one- it's a hit or miss tbh. Some Eternal bottles tend to leak as there's a high oil content in the liquid and it loosens the cap.


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careline-products-blush-bb-cream-eyeliner-review-1
Careline has been around for years. Being the (little) sister company of Ever Bilena, this brand is as ubiquitous as its predecessor. Department store to drugstore you've most likely spotted a few of this brand's items.

Basing on the packaging alone you know that this is geared for the more younger crowd. That said, there are times when gems can be found in the cheaper and teeny-bopper side of the makeup aisle. Read on for what I think are hits and misses.

You're rushing. You don't want to stress anymore than you need to. You need a quick gift idea STAT. Here's a list. No time to waste!

2016 is coming to a close and out come the gift guides from the interwebs. Of course this site's no different! For our first gift guide we'll be focusing on local indie beauty brands. More specifically the organic + natural kinds.



BDJbox is a monthly subscription box service with boxes reserved up to months in advance. Among all the subscription boxes in the Philippines, this one I personally think has more traction. I scoured reviews and gathered that they have great customer service and work with great brands.

For this March, BDJbox works exclusively with Ponds a very prominent and well-known brand in the Philippines.

I'm definitely not a ponds girl. I've tried most of their products before when I was still a teenager - dealing with hormonal changes - and they never seemed to work. If anything else, they worsened my condition as well as dampened my fragile teenage self-esteem. Sob...sob...sniffle.

But for the sake of science and to give Ponds another chance, I've tried all the skincare (started March 10) and have some interesting thoughts about each one.


Pond's Pearl Cleansing Gel (100g / Php155)

Touted to be perfect for sensitive skin because its non-drying and has its milder ingredients.

Thoughts :The only other gel cleanser I've tried is ZA's and Pond's lathers quite well compared. I do agree that it's mild and leaves my skin soft after rinsing but I feel like it leaves a light film of soap still. It however has a very distinct and strong rose-scent as with most products in this line.

Top 3 Ingredients : Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Glycerin.


Pond's Flawless White Ultra Luminous Serum (30ml / Php480)

Has VA0-B3 helps in blocking skin pigmentation and helps renew skin with Genactiv that interrupts melanin (skin pigmentation) cycles. Both are meant to reduce dark spots and discoloration and in 7 days.

Thoughts: I really like this. The consistency is kinda similar to dry oil and dries to a matte finish. It's very light on the face and leaves it as I said matte and also smooth.

Top 3 Ingredients : Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin and Water


Pond's Flawless White Re-Brightening Night Cream (50g / Php340)

Genactiv is the prominent selling point here again, which helps repair skin damage, and lightens and evens out dark spots.

Thoughts : It's very emollient, and significantly heavier compared to the Rose gel. The first time I used it I got a steroid-induced pea size amount and it was more than enough to cover my face and my neck generously.



Pond's Flawless White Dewy Rose Gel (50g / Php399)

Infused with Rose Lumiere serum made from Alpine rose extract which helps lock in moisture and reduce dullness.

Thoughts : Korean skincare and Neutrogena aren't new to the technology that is gel moisturizers and Pond's is the latest one to join their ranks with the introduction of their own gel-based moisturizer.

The second you open the jar, you're hit with the fragrance. It's light on the skin, absorbs quite easily, and again left my face silky smooth.

Top 3 ingredients : Water, Glycerin and Dimethicone. Ah that explains the smoothness.


Pond's Flawless White BB Cream (25g / Php299)

Has SPF 30 PA++ it's also enriched with Genactiv.
Thoughts : I haven't tried this yet, but from the reviews I've read the light one is pink-based and suitable for NW25 skin and lighter while the beige is suitable for NC35 skin and darker.


OVER-ALL
I love the tub designs on the Rose gel and Night cream. Yes, they're glass-bottomed and not ideal for travel but they do look very elegant on the dresser.

The serum and the Rose gel are my top bets for this line. The cleanser is nice and gentle too. BUT I broke out two days after I started with my new regimen. And the only things I changed are my cleanser, day and night moisturizer and serum. So I have a little investigating to do. I'm currently just using the cleanser and will try to add on the others slowly.

For a Php580 box, it's worth more than what you pay for. You do the math...
...seriously I can't be bothered, you do it.

Thank you to BDJ and Ponds for sending me this box with full-sized products (hello!) and giving me the opportunity try out your exclusive box this March.



xx,
CJ


PS. If you're iffy about Rose scents or fragrances in skincare in general, I don't think you'll like this. It's very very fragrant.

PPS. I'm bummed that dark morena or mulato skin isn't more celebrated in the beauty industry, especially the skincare department. It's a work in progress but giant industries like Pond's should use more dark-skinned models for their products other than their whitening line.
Not against whitening in general, to each their own. But do you get my drift? I do hope this helps in lightening my pimple marks and discoloration (I thought that sunblock was only for the beach/pool when I was young) Haha anobateh.

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