I just love it when companies inject cheeky names in their products. Skinny dipping is by far my favorite blush name, Hot flash...meh not so much.
I got these blushes from ebay for around 200Php (approx $5) each and at the time, I was so enamored by all things Benefit, most especially their boxed blushes so seeing a cheaper version on ebay was kinda providential (HA). I figured since it's in a similar format with 1/10249 of the price, might as well give it a whirl.

What can I say, aesthetics make up 50% of my purchasing decision.

"We ♥ out animal friends. We don't test our products on them"

Now while I love the little snippet of love for out little critter friends, I'm rather wary of its truthfulness. Usually companies that don't test on animals, have the cruelty free bunny on them. And this one doesn't have any on the plastic box it came in nor on the blush box.

I was diagnosed with having Butter Fingers, hence the mangled blush which I tried to fix.  Emphasis on the tried.

Like I said, I love the packaging but the box itself is misleading in a way that I thought it contained a lot of product.(I mean it does - contains 5.7 grams. But I was kinda expecting it to be a little deeper. Blame the cheapskate that I am) The way the metal pan is placed inside the blush was flimsy as well.

The elastic band on the lid held a brush which I removed because it was utterly useless. The brush was so tiny and the hairs were so thin and sparse it seemed like a prank.


Do not be fooled. The hairs are just 1cm thick when flattened. Dishonor on you Hard Candy! Dishonor on your family! Dishonor on your cow!

And now for some swatches!

I was trying to make the lens focus, but it kept focusing on my face...so there goes my fist.

Skinny Dipping has this lovely tangerine that I like. The other one is sort of a mauvey color. Both are satin with silver shimmers in them and blend nicely. Now the mauve, looks extremely natural on me save for the obvious shimmer.The orange one wins for me though -the color is super bright!



Here I am wearing a mixture of the orange and mauve and the result is a nice apricot color on my face. The mixed swatch looks different though because I didn't get an equal amount when I swirled my brush.

One thing to note is that this particular blush is quite pigmented so swirling around the brush in the pan gets a ton of product on the brush and you only need a little when applying. I personally switched to a stippling brush so there's less product and I can build it up gradually.

Hot Flash is more matte overall. The brown one makes for a good eye-shadow too. Comparing the 2 blushes, Skinny Dipping is definitely more fragile and powdery (Hot Flashes is a little powdery too) but Hot Flashes has more color combinations. Even after having 2 satin finishes, the final look is still matte.

Swirling all the colors, the result is a healthy red-pink blush. It definitely brightened my complexion. I would say this is a little more girly and sweet, and Skinny dipping is a little more healthy and adventurous.

Lasting power is ok. Skinny dipping doesn't last as long as I'd like. The shimmers stay though, the pigment is barely there.

Are they worth it? Not really. There are definitely better and cheaper blushes out there (Jordana, Ever Bilena, Careline, Nichido, Essence etc) but I'd say it's ok because the packaging is nice and the colors are unique to my collection.

What's your everyday/no-brainer top blush color and/or brand?

I stumbled on this little gem of a video, and as you've read from the title, it's DIY mascara from OREOS. While I commend her enthusiasm, I don't think I'll be trying this out any time soon. How about you?

I always loved going to this place before, but now, I'm starting to think the quality isn't what I remembered.

I went to the MOA/Mall of Asia branch and got a 10 inch garden pizza, fries and a cooler. The toppings on the pizza were so-so, the dough could be fresher it was a tiny bit stale. It might just be reheated and not freshly made for the day. It also had some peas which I could do without.

My main gripe was this cheddar cheese fries though. The fries were soggy and soft right off the bat. *puts on expert chef hat* With fries the exterior has to be a little crunchy while the interior has to have that soft fluffy potato goodness.

This was just a wet blanket. There was nothing ssspecial about dem fries.

After giving the restaurant so many chances and ordering different dishes from different branches at separate occasions, this was the last straw. The strawberry cooler (not photographed) was good though - I tasted real strawberries.

With all the casual dining joints popping-up here and there, what I ate paled in comparison.

Dear Burgoo,
You knew this was coming. I tried to make it work, but we've just grown up and sadly grown apart. This is goodbye.

PS. The shtick with the paper table cover and crayon-writing upside-down is still alive. The waiters were all very attentive...then again the customers barely filled half the room so it was easy to attend to all of us I think.

PPS. Seeing as it's Valentine's day I suggest you take your date elsewhere if you want to impress them and let them know your palate is not to be touched by sub par cuisine such as this. The ambiance at night is perfect for talking, but the food is definitely forgettable.

In my arsenal of bases this one doesn't offer the most coverage, or rather it's completely non-existent.
That was a bit of an exaggeration, so let's go with sheer to light coverage. I bought this on sale at Watsons as my official initiation to the brand and it wasn't love at first try, let me tell you that much. Currently, I'm treating this as my sunscreen as it has SPF 50 PA+++(Protection Grade of UV-A), one of the highest I've tried in BB creams.

At 20 g/.07 oz it's light and doesn't take up space in my bag. The white and pink scheme is pleasing to the eyes too.

Consistency is creamy and thick but doesn't feel heavy on the skin. It also has a very slight floral-like scent when you get really close. Application-wise is ok, it blends nicely, a little at a time with fingers, brush or sponge. It sets to a nice dewy and natural finish on me, albeit still a tiny bit tacky.

As you can see, it just lightened my skin by about 2-3 shades. I noticed some grayish areas when I tried this on my face, probably due to the pink undertone of this BB. The whiteness tones down after 5-10 minutes and of course you can always color-correct with a powder.


Let's look at the claims.


Now, it definitely brightened my skin tone instantly but I'm skeptical on the skin lightening after said 10 day period. It has, as I said a slight tacky finish so setting this is non-negotiable if you're oily so the non-sticky finish claim is a definite stretch. I imagine this to be a good base for other creams or liquid bases because of its tackiness, it just has to set completely otherwise it would just move the BB and the other base on your face. It looks good under powder foundations/setting powders though.

Oil control is virtually non-existent as well, but one thing I commend this on is its lasting power. It stayed on for about 2 hours set with a powder under a typical humid day (Note: I sweat a lot and I have an oily t-zone) before it started to show signs of fading .

For 199 Philippine Pesos/PHP with 20g I would recommend it as a moisturizing SPF for dry skinned people. It's also very travel friendly and can act as a suitable primer for powders. But if you're looking for coverage this isn't it.

Now, would I repurchase? No. Since I treat this solely as my SPF, I much prefer lighter, water-based formulas.

Have you tried this BB cream or have you tried any bases from ZA?

This purchase came about when I was randomly but very strategically, browsing the beauty section of The Landmark. The Landmark is pretty well known to stock some cheap random brand tools, more specifically brushes. And I always love going through the aisles to look at random beauty items.

1. My ELF flat top brush has been monstrously resurrected after I attempted to prolong its life using pliers on the ferrule.
2. It's synthetic hence perfect for creams and liquids.
3. The hairs are red.
4. It's cheap at around 130-180 Philippine Pesos/PHP

I'm back with a proper review for you (been a while, I know). You might think me too young to use eye creams, but prevention is better than the cure as they say.


At first I didn't see the point since, I am just 23 and I thought eye creams were supposed to be used when you're 30 and up (according to one article I read, you start showing small signs of aging when you hit your late 20s going into 30s, so prevention should start at around 25)

I'm two years too early but who cares. I don't.

*This is a sample size I got from the goody bag during the KATE Tokyo launch.*

Consistency is thick and creamy. It's emollient and sinks in slowly. It's not a fast drying eye cream, so if you're looking for something more snappy, I suggest go for an eye gel. They tend to dry faster. As most gels are wont to do.





It has a very very light flowery talc smell but doesn't irritate my eyes or anything.

I like the moisturized feeling it gives. It's a nice step to add (if I remember to do it) and being the thinnest skin (or one of) it requires a little bit more attention at least to me. So despite not being a necessity I like to think it'll help me in the future.



I wouldn't say it's my holy grail, but it's not a bad eye cream. And knowing it's a known Japanese brand I'm reassured that excellent ingredients were used and that the product was tested thoroughly. I mean, have you seen their skin? Apart from their diet, they have the best skin in my opinion.

You can find these at some Watsons' stores and Department stores - Beauty section.


PS. What eye creams have you used, and can recommend me?
PPS. What do you think about eye creams/gels in general in relation to adequate age usage?
PPPS. Seriously, have you seen Japanese people's skin?

To be honest I have been weaning myself from sugary drinks, but Coca Cola's latest campaign of women entrepreneurship through small to medium businesses like sari-sari stores is hard to ignore. Especially since I like to think of myself as an empowered  woman and I sincerely believe that sari-sari stores shouldn't be called as such unless they carry this quintessential beverage that has been around since the first patented engine. (Yes, I did my research)


Now while I do find it a little cheesy, I find the video cute too and it actually isn't far from the truth. I mean, we've seen it before. These stores build a community. And these stores help families and individuals as well, who've been looking to be their own bosses.

I might not want a sari-sari store of my own, but I do respect the fact that these women don't want to work for someone, they want their blood, sweat and tears to be for them, from their hard work. They are entrepreneurs whether they know it or not. Through this Share Sari Saring Happiness campaign, we all know Coca-Cola realized this too - that these small stores and most often than not, women owners are what helps keep Coca- Cola alive and thriving.

Training courses, business advice, financial services are the only starting points they're willing to share so no other obstacles can come in the way of empowering 5 million women by 2020 or 5by20 one of the goals of the Share Sari Saring Happiness.

Christmas is definitely over and done with, but the spirit is very much alive through this gift  - it is still technically the Christmas season, and what better gift to receive than the opportunity to better yourself, support you and the people you love and become part of a growing community of women entrepreneurs who know what they want and have the support and whatever they need to achieve it.

What do you think of women entrepreneurs, women bosses or just women being women doing business like every other person out there. There are a lot of prejudices and glass ceilings, inconsistencies and unfair treatment when it comes to women in the workplace. I for one do not stand for gender inequality in this day and age.

Thoughts?