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Saturday 31 December 2011

A blessed 2011 it has been...

Hey lovely readers!

I know I have not been blogging a lot lately. It's not because I don't have anything interesting to blog about; I kinda have a lot (product reviews, hauls, etc.). However, I literally have been swamped with work that I really thought of quitting my job. Like seriously! I even sent out my CV's to companies already.

But, this post is not to whine about my job. I wanted to make a post on the last day of the year to look back at my 2011. There have been a lot of things that happened to me this 2011. Bad things have happened too but I am glad that the good things outweighed the bad. Here is a rundown of the great things that happened in 2011:

1. I turned 22 on March 1, 2011. I know that for most people, reaching your twenties is a bad thing. Yeah, we're getting old. But we should really be thankful for every year that we get to celebrate our birthday. We should be thankful for our lives! I am also thankful that in 2011, I didn't have any major illness, nor did any member of my family. I hope the new year will also be illness-free. ;)

2. I felt like a jet setter in 2011. Well, I've only been to other places in the Philippines in 2011, but I traveled a lot this year. In April, I went to Cebu for Holy Week. Then a week after Cebu, I went to Davao and stayed there for another week. Well, I went to Davao for work related reasons, but who cares? Haha. Then in July, I went to Boracay. Boracay had to be my most memorable trip yet! I just loved the island, the blue waters and the white sand! In September, I went to Davao again for work related reasons. To add to those travels are the two times I went home to visit my family. Whew!

3. I survived my first year of work! Ohh my gosshh! I never thought it would happen but I did survive my first year of work at my job! I admit that this first year has been stressful, both emotionally and mentally. But I am happy that I was able to survive. :)

4. In 2011, I have seriously started my collection of beauty related products! And now I think I have a lot! Haha. My collection is seriously growing that I feel like I should do a make-up collection post. I hope to discover more good quality products in 2012 and I am looking forward to expanding my collection!

5. I started blogging in 2011! Yep, it was during the last quarter of 2011 that I started blogging. I have always wanted to blog but my tight schedule was always in the way. However, I decided to start blogging because it is a cool way to express myself, my interests and hobbies and to learn about other things as well. Ever since I started blogging, I have met some cool people in the blogging world too! I know I have not been faithful in writing blog posts, but I plan to remedy this. ;)

2011 has been a very blessed year. I have been blessed with good health, a job, a great family and good friends. I hope 2012 will bring even more blessings to me, my family, my friends and to the blogging community! I am looking forward to a life changing 2012. I hope I'll meet new friends, blog more, travel more, find a fulfilling job and find myself.

I hope everyone out there had a wonderful 2011 and I hope 2012 will be even more wonderful for you!

Happy New Year!

Till my next blog post!

Xoxo,
G <3

Friday 25 November 2011

Jewelry Haul!

Hey lovelies!

OMG! This blogpost is beyond overdue! I haven't posted in a very loooong time and for that, please accept my apologies. I have been swamped with work. Ugh!

Anyway, this blogpost is about a little jewelry haul. My sister flew in to the big city about a month ago. And I asked her if she and our mom could go to "Mixed and Match", one of my favorite stores back home, to get me some jewelry. I swear, "Mixed and Match" has some lovely jewelry which come really cheap.

I was ecstatic to find that my sister and my mom got me some really cool stuff! Thanks sis and mom!

I adore this green bangle with gold details!

This necklace with a huge heart pendant and small coin charms is just nice! I wore it one time with just a plain black T-shirt and jeans and it completed my outfit.

This necklace with chunky charms would look great on a dress or top with a low neckline!

I have always wanted a locket type necklace and now I have this! The locket really opens up but you can't put pictures inside it.

This has to be my favorite piece out of the entire bunch! I just love it! Simple yet elegant! 

I love this set of bangles! The wooden bangle makes the entire set stylish and cool!

Aren't these pieces so divine?  And they look as if they could go with any outfit! Plus, they're really cheap! Sorry, I forgot the prices but if I remember correctly, the entire bunch didn't cost more than Php 300.

I hope you liked my haul! If you guys have any idea for styling these jewelries with the right outfit, please do comment below!

Till my next blogpost!

Xoxo,
G <3

Thursday 27 October 2011

TV Shows that I'm Loving

Hey lovelies!

I have been a TV addict for a very long time! Even as a student, I really made it a point to squeeze some TV viewing into my busy schedule. However, when I went to the big city to review for my licensure exams, my dormitory only had one television, which was located on the living room and was turned on from 7 - 10 PM only. So, for the 6 months that I lived in that dormitory, I hardly watched any TV at all.

Even when I started working, I couldn't find my self to watch TV anymore. Although I have a television where I live now, I still couldn't catch my favorites shows. So I ended up finding myself watching my favorite shows on the internet.

These past few weeks, I have been totally hooked on a few shows and I would like to share them with you!

HART OF DIXIE

(Photo courtesy of Hart of Dixie's Facebook Fanpage)

This is probably my favorite show these days! Well, I have to say I am completely biased for liking this show because of Rachel Bilson (I have loved her since The O.C. and she is one of my fashion icons)! However, this show is really good! Its main cast includes Rachel Bilson (of course!), Scott Porter, Wilson Bethel, Cress Williams, and Jamie King. Hart of Dixie is a story of a doctor named Zoe Hart (Rachel's character) who  inherits a small practice in Bluebell, Alabama. Zoe struggles on a daily basis as she tries to fit in into a new town and to prove that she is a good doctor.

I love this show because its funny, witty and refreshing. The cast is amazing too! Jamie King plays the perfect southern belle as Lemon Breeland, Scott Porter plays Lemon's charming fiance George Tucker, Cress Williams plays the town mayor Lavon Hayes and Wilson Bethel plays Wade Kinsella, the town bad boy and a probable love interest for Zoe. 

THE SECRET CIRCLE

(Photo courtesy of imdb.com)

I just started watching this series today and I can say that I love it! I guess it's because of the story revolving around magic and witchcraft. ;)

The Secret Circle is the story of Cassie Blake, who until the untimely death of her mother, didn't know that she was a witch. When her mother died in a tragic fire accident, she moved to Chance Harbor to live with her grandmother. There she meets 5 other teenagers who says that she is a witch, just like them. The 5 others convince Cassie that she is a witch and that she is needed to bind the circle of 6 witches in order to be able to control their powers. 

This show is engaging and very thrilling to watch. I can't wait to watch more episodes and see what Cassie will find out about herself, her powers, and the mystery of the secret circle.

GOSSIP GIRL SEASON 5

(Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Of course, who doesn't love Gossip Girl?! The show is now on its 5th season and the plot is juicier than ever!

Season 5 finds Blair engaged to a Prince Louis of Monaco and is expecting their first child. Serena on the other hand is taking a semester off and is working for a movie producer. Nate finds himself working for and having a sexual relationship with a very gorgeous older woman played by Elizabeth Hurley. Dan is now a published author thanks to his novel called Inside which is inspired by his life, family and friends. Chuck now has a dog named Monkey and still keeps to himself most of the time.

I just love this show since its first ever episode! I love the fashion involved in this show too!!! Blair and Serena's outfits are just divine! I can't wait to see more of this season and I couldn't wait to see what scandal Gossip Girl can unravel about our favorite upper east-siders.

I hope you guys will check out these shows as I am sure you will love them!

Till my next blog post.

Xoxo,
G <3


Saturday 22 October 2011

Collective Haul: NYX Cosmetics, Nichido Cosmetics, Nail Polishes and More

Hey lovelies!

Over the past few weeks, I have accumulated some new stuff so I decided to post a "collective haul" blog. Mind you, these items were not purchased all at once. ;)

A friend of mine sells cosmetics through her Facebook page called Beauty's Treasure. She had a sale a few weeks ago and I decided to buy some stuff from her. Among the items on sale were some NYX Cosmetics items. I bought my first ever NYX product from her months ago and since then, I have always loved NYX!
I was so happy that NYX Round Lipsticks were included in her sale for only Php 110! I have never tried NYX lippies before so I grabbed a few of these lippies. My first impression with these lipsticks is that they are so smooth! They smell good too! I want to collect NYX lipsticks from now on! Haha.
 I also bought an eye shadow palette from the Caribbean Collection called "I Dream of Aruba". This palette cost me Php 235. For me, NYX eye shadows are great! They are highly pigmented, very blendable, and comes in a variety of wonderful colors.  NYX Round Lipsticks normally retail for Php 160 - Php 180 while the eye shadow palette normally costs Php 450.

My NYX Cosmetics Items

"I Dream of Aruba" from the Caribbean Collection

Swatches of the eye shadows in the palette. Sorry, these shadows don't have individual names.

NYX Round Lipsticks
From left to right: Margarita, Tea Rose, Femme, Fire and Chambord
Chambord became my instant favorite, by the way!


To continue my enthusiasm for lipsticks, I also recently got 3 lipsticks from Nichido. These lipsticks are part of the Juicy Lips line and they only retail for Php 88! 


Nichido Lipsticks from the Juicy Lips line.
From left to right: Hawaiian Punch, Apple Cider and Raspberry Float

My first impression with these lipsticks is that they are not as smooth as the NYX lipsticks. However, I still love the colors and I can use a lip balm first for smooth application.


The Landmark in Makati is having a Cosmetics Fair from October 1-31, 2011 and I got some goodies from this fair!!!! Cosmetics, nail polishes and other beauty items are all on sale! I couldn't resist 'coz some of the items were 20% off!

Of course I got some nail related items! I got some nail stickers for Php 29.75 each and this set of 6 colored nail files retail for only Php 19.75.

Caress Nail Polishes retail for Php 22.75 each
From left to right: Purple Frost, Real Tan, Sweet 16, Ophra and Cyclamen Pink

I also saw this cracked nail polish and I almost fainted! I have been looking for something like this for quite some time but the ones that are made by China Glaze and other imported brands are not readily available in the Philippines. So I was really happy when I saw this. They didn't have that much variety in terms of colors though. This retail for Php 34.75.

Swatches of the Caress Nail Polishes
From thumb to pinkie: Purple Frost, Sweet 16, Cyclamen Pink, Ophra and Real Tan

During the fair, I also got some cosmetic products...

I got a concealer from E.L.F in the shade Honey (Php 129.75). I also got the Aqua Gel Foundation from Maybelline which originally retails for Php 349 but I got it for Php 239! Such a great deal, right?! Finally, I also got some cosmetic wedges which I can use in applying my foundation (Php 59.75).

Whew! That collective haul was kinda massive! Haha.
I'm going to try the products in this haul right away and I might post a review of some of these products soon.

I'm really sorry about the quality of the photos. I was only using my camera phone. :(

Till my next blog post!

Xoxo,
G <3

Saturday 15 October 2011

Haul: Nail Polishes from Etude House and The Face Shop

Hey there!

I recently went to Etude House and The Face Shop to check out some of their goodies.


This is my first time to ever purchase anything from Etude House. I have heard some good reviews about their products, but being a nail polish addict, I want to try their nail polishes first. So I bought 5 which really caused a dent in my pocket. ;)

I really love Etude House's cute paper bag!

My lovely purchases. ;)



Petit Darling Nails in Matte Nos. 2 & 3. Php 98 each.


Lucid Darling Nails Spangle #03 Silver. Php 128.

Petit Darling Nails PK011 and BL505. Php 48 each.


Nail polishes applied with one coat.

Nail polishes applied with 2 coats and top coat.

First Impressions:
  • Etude House's packaging for their nail polishes is really cute.
  • The colors are very opaque. No need to apply more than two coats! Yay!
  • As for color variety, I don't think they have much to choose from. I'm not sure if the store that I went to didn't have that much stock. ;)
  • The nail polish bottles are really tiny. So I find them really pricey for just a small amount of nail polish.


I also went to The Face Shop recently and bought more nail polishes there. I'm just obsessed right?! Haha. My nail polish collection is expanding! Anyway, it is not my first time to purchase polishes from The Face Shop. I already have 2 nail polishes from this store. I was disappointed though with those 2 nails polishes that I own because they are very sheer. You need to apply 3-4 coats to make them very opaque. However, when I went to The Face Shop recently, they had some lovely colors that I just couldn't resist. ;)



BL607. Php 95.

One coat.

Two coats.

GR501 and RD301. Php 95 each.


One coat.


Two coats.

One coat.

Two coats.

First impressions:
  • I was really amazed at how opaque these colors came out. I only needed a maximum of two coats! 
  • Compared to the Etude House nail polishes, The Face Shop nail polishes have bigger bottles and more quantity.
  • The Face Shop has an amazing color range to choose from!
  • Based on experience, their nail polishes don't chip really fast unless you apply a good base coat before applying the nail polish.
So, there goes my haul. I know their pricey but I don't purchase nail polishes that often. ;)
Etude House and The Face Shop are located at major malls. :P

Till my next blog post.

Xoxo,
G <3


Dinner Buffet at Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City

Hello guys!

Last Thursday, my friends from the office and I went to Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City for dinner. Marco Polo is Davao's premier hotel and its dinner buffet did not disappoint. My eyes grew to the size of saucers as I saw their wide selection of food, especially the desserts! I literally wanted to take the chocolate fountain home! 

Anyway, here are some pictures that I want to share with you. Be warned though, these pictures will surely make your mouth water. I should have taken more pictures but I was more concerned with eating. Haha.  ;)



My Dinner Plate. 
California Maki, Dimsum, Baked Scallops, and Baked Potatoes.
I know I should have gotten more food like pasta or steak. But with just the California Maki and Baked Scallops, I was already in heaven. ;)

My Dessert Plate.
All I can say is Yumo!!!

The chocolate fountain that I wanted to steal! I loved the consistency of the chocolate. It was just so yummy! When I tasted it, I had what I call "Food Orgasm"!

Other desserts on the dessert table. The hotel had a wide array of desserts. There was even a station where you could fix your own halo-halo! It even had 4 flavors of ice cream!!!

If ever you guys visit Davao City, make sure to stop by Marco Polo Hotel and have some of the best food your palate will ever taste! ;)

Till my next blog post.

Xoxo,
G <3

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Fashion Inspiration: Rachel Bilson

Hey lovelies!

I know I have been gone for a few days. I have been swamped with work so my blog kinda took a backseat. :(
Anyway, I was browsing the web a while ago and I saw a picture that screamed fashion! Well, this picture is one of Rachel Bilson, who is one of my Hollywood Fashion Icons.

I fell in love with Rachel and her sense of fashion when I first saw her as the fun and rich Summer Roberts from the O.C. As she graduated from that television show, I still followed her career and fashion endeavors. Since then, she has launched a fashion line for DKNY called Edie Rose. Recently, it was reported that she will soon be launching a shoe line called ShoeMint. Apparently, Ms. Bilson doesn't only dabble in fashion. She even designed a tabletop collection called Edie Rose Home!

 Every time I see a picture of her, her fashion sense really draws me and inspires me. Some of her fashion pieces are just simple yet she carries them with such poise and grace.

(Photo courtesy of fabsugar.com)

In this picture, Rachel is wearing a Suno Spring 2012 frock and a  Vanessa Bruno blazer. She finished the look with a chain strap bag and sky-high mary janes

I just loved the outfit that Rachel is wearing in this picture. It is the kind of outfit that you could wear on a number of occasions. One can wear it for work or for a lunch out with friends. Or minus the blazer, one can wear the outfit out on a dinner party. ;)

Till my next blog post.

Xoxo,
G <3

Monday 10 October 2011

The A-Z of Me


Hey guys!

I saw this blog post from "A Girl and a Beauty Blog" and I thought that this would be fun to do!

Age: 22. Turning 23 on March 2012

Bed Size: Queen Size

Chore you Hate: Dusting the windows

Dogs: American Bulldog named Abba and Japanese Spitz named Snow

Essential start of your day: Taking a bath

Favourite Colour: purple and blue

Gold or Silver: silver

Height: 5"5

Instruments I play: I enrolled for guitar lessons once but didn't take it seriously. I also had piano lessons as a kid.

Job Title: Junior Associate

Kids: None!

Live: Quezon City

Mom's name: Gina

Nickname: G, Jam, Ghia

Pet Peeve: People who couldn't go even to the restroom without a companion.

Quote from a movie: Carpe Diem! - The Dead Poets Society

Right or left handed: Right handed

Siblings: 2 - a younger brother and sister

Time you wake up: on Mondays, 4:30 am because of coding; on Tuesdays-Fridays, 5:30 am; on Weekends, 12noon!

Underwear: Cotton undies

Vegetables you dislike: I hate vegies in general.

What makes you run late: Doing my make up

X-rays you've had done: Standard x-rays during annual check ups

Yummy food you make: garlic bread!

Zoo animal: Lion!

Till my next blog post.

Xoxo,
G <3

Sunday 9 October 2011

OOTD: Simple Gray Shirt and Jeans

Hello fellas!

Since we planned to visit Davao's People's Park tonight, I thought of wearing something comfortable for strolling around the park.

Here is what I wore tonight.

Blue Jeans that I got from Divisoria, Gray shirt with two pockets at the front from Penshoppe, Black Ballet Flats from Parisian, and Blue Purse with chain designs also from Parisian. I also wore two necklaces; one with an Eiffel Tower pendant and the other with a heart pendant. 

I also wore this vintage looking ring. ;)

Till my next blog post.

Xoxo,
G <3

Viaje: Davao City's People's Park

Hey fellas!

Today, my friends and I went to visit Davao's People's Park. We strolled around the park and took a lot of pictures! Then, we went to Banok's, a local restaurant, and had our dinner there.

Here are some of the pictures that we took around the park. ;)
















I found a fan in this little girl! She just couldn't stop staring at me! Haha.














Till my next blog post.

Xoxo,
G <3

Saturday 31 December 2011

A blessed 2011 it has been...

Hey lovely readers!

I know I have not been blogging a lot lately. It's not because I don't have anything interesting to blog about; I kinda have a lot (product reviews, hauls, etc.). However, I literally have been swamped with work that I really thought of quitting my job. Like seriously! I even sent out my CV's to companies already.

But, this post is not to whine about my job. I wanted to make a post on the last day of the year to look back at my 2011. There have been a lot of things that happened to me this 2011. Bad things have happened too but I am glad that the good things outweighed the bad. Here is a rundown of the great things that happened in 2011:

1. I turned 22 on March 1, 2011. I know that for most people, reaching your twenties is a bad thing. Yeah, we're getting old. But we should really be thankful for every year that we get to celebrate our birthday. We should be thankful for our lives! I am also thankful that in 2011, I didn't have any major illness, nor did any member of my family. I hope the new year will also be illness-free. ;)

2. I felt like a jet setter in 2011. Well, I've only been to other places in the Philippines in 2011, but I traveled a lot this year. In April, I went to Cebu for Holy Week. Then a week after Cebu, I went to Davao and stayed there for another week. Well, I went to Davao for work related reasons, but who cares? Haha. Then in July, I went to Boracay. Boracay had to be my most memorable trip yet! I just loved the island, the blue waters and the white sand! In September, I went to Davao again for work related reasons. To add to those travels are the two times I went home to visit my family. Whew!

3. I survived my first year of work! Ohh my gosshh! I never thought it would happen but I did survive my first year of work at my job! I admit that this first year has been stressful, both emotionally and mentally. But I am happy that I was able to survive. :)

4. In 2011, I have seriously started my collection of beauty related products! And now I think I have a lot! Haha. My collection is seriously growing that I feel like I should do a make-up collection post. I hope to discover more good quality products in 2012 and I am looking forward to expanding my collection!

5. I started blogging in 2011! Yep, it was during the last quarter of 2011 that I started blogging. I have always wanted to blog but my tight schedule was always in the way. However, I decided to start blogging because it is a cool way to express myself, my interests and hobbies and to learn about other things as well. Ever since I started blogging, I have met some cool people in the blogging world too! I know I have not been faithful in writing blog posts, but I plan to remedy this. ;)

2011 has been a very blessed year. I have been blessed with good health, a job, a great family and good friends. I hope 2012 will bring even more blessings to me, my family, my friends and to the blogging community! I am looking forward to a life changing 2012. I hope I'll meet new friends, blog more, travel more, find a fulfilling job and find myself.

I hope everyone out there had a wonderful 2011 and I hope 2012 will be even more wonderful for you!

Happy New Year!

Till my next blog post!

Xoxo,
G <3

Friday 25 November 2011

Jewelry Haul!

Hey lovelies!

OMG! This blogpost is beyond overdue! I haven't posted in a very loooong time and for that, please accept my apologies. I have been swamped with work. Ugh!

Anyway, this blogpost is about a little jewelry haul. My sister flew in to the big city about a month ago. And I asked her if she and our mom could go to "Mixed and Match", one of my favorite stores back home, to get me some jewelry. I swear, "Mixed and Match" has some lovely jewelry which come really cheap.

I was ecstatic to find that my sister and my mom got me some really cool stuff! Thanks sis and mom!

I adore this green bangle with gold details!

This necklace with a huge heart pendant and small coin charms is just nice! I wore it one time with just a plain black T-shirt and jeans and it completed my outfit.

This necklace with chunky charms would look great on a dress or top with a low neckline!

I have always wanted a locket type necklace and now I have this! The locket really opens up but you can't put pictures inside it.

This has to be my favorite piece out of the entire bunch! I just love it! Simple yet elegant! 

I love this set of bangles! The wooden bangle makes the entire set stylish and cool!

Aren't these pieces so divine?  And they look as if they could go with any outfit! Plus, they're really cheap! Sorry, I forgot the prices but if I remember correctly, the entire bunch didn't cost more than Php 300.

I hope you liked my haul! If you guys have any idea for styling these jewelries with the right outfit, please do comment below!

Till my next blogpost!

Xoxo,
G <3

Thursday 27 October 2011

TV Shows that I'm Loving

Hey lovelies!

I have been a TV addict for a very long time! Even as a student, I really made it a point to squeeze some TV viewing into my busy schedule. However, when I went to the big city to review for my licensure exams, my dormitory only had one television, which was located on the living room and was turned on from 7 - 10 PM only. So, for the 6 months that I lived in that dormitory, I hardly watched any TV at all.

Even when I started working, I couldn't find my self to watch TV anymore. Although I have a television where I live now, I still couldn't catch my favorites shows. So I ended up finding myself watching my favorite shows on the internet.

These past few weeks, I have been totally hooked on a few shows and I would like to share them with you!

HART OF DIXIE

(Photo courtesy of Hart of Dixie's Facebook Fanpage)

This is probably my favorite show these days! Well, I have to say I am completely biased for liking this show because of Rachel Bilson (I have loved her since The O.C. and she is one of my fashion icons)! However, this show is really good! Its main cast includes Rachel Bilson (of course!), Scott Porter, Wilson Bethel, Cress Williams, and Jamie King. Hart of Dixie is a story of a doctor named Zoe Hart (Rachel's character) who  inherits a small practice in Bluebell, Alabama. Zoe struggles on a daily basis as she tries to fit in into a new town and to prove that she is a good doctor.

I love this show because its funny, witty and refreshing. The cast is amazing too! Jamie King plays the perfect southern belle as Lemon Breeland, Scott Porter plays Lemon's charming fiance George Tucker, Cress Williams plays the town mayor Lavon Hayes and Wilson Bethel plays Wade Kinsella, the town bad boy and a probable love interest for Zoe. 

THE SECRET CIRCLE

(Photo courtesy of imdb.com)

I just started watching this series today and I can say that I love it! I guess it's because of the story revolving around magic and witchcraft. ;)

The Secret Circle is the story of Cassie Blake, who until the untimely death of her mother, didn't know that she was a witch. When her mother died in a tragic fire accident, she moved to Chance Harbor to live with her grandmother. There she meets 5 other teenagers who says that she is a witch, just like them. The 5 others convince Cassie that she is a witch and that she is needed to bind the circle of 6 witches in order to be able to control their powers. 

This show is engaging and very thrilling to watch. I can't wait to watch more episodes and see what Cassie will find out about herself, her powers, and the mystery of the secret circle.

GOSSIP GIRL SEASON 5

(Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Of course, who doesn't love Gossip Girl?! The show is now on its 5th season and the plot is juicier than ever!

Season 5 finds Blair engaged to a Prince Louis of Monaco and is expecting their first child. Serena on the other hand is taking a semester off and is working for a movie producer. Nate finds himself working for and having a sexual relationship with a very gorgeous older woman played by Elizabeth Hurley. Dan is now a published author thanks to his novel called Inside which is inspired by his life, family and friends. Chuck now has a dog named Monkey and still keeps to himself most of the time.

I just love this show since its first ever episode! I love the fashion involved in this show too!!! Blair and Serena's outfits are just divine! I can't wait to see more of this season and I couldn't wait to see what scandal Gossip Girl can unravel about our favorite upper east-siders.

I hope you guys will check out these shows as I am sure you will love them!

Till my next blog post.

Xoxo,
G <3


Saturday 22 October 2011

Collective Haul: NYX Cosmetics, Nichido Cosmetics, Nail Polishes and More

Hey lovelies!

Over the past few weeks, I have accumulated some new stuff so I decided to post a "collective haul" blog. Mind you, these items were not purchased all at once. ;)

A friend of mine sells cosmetics through her Facebook page called Beauty's Treasure. She had a sale a few weeks ago and I decided to buy some stuff from her. Among the items on sale were some NYX Cosmetics items. I bought my first ever NYX product from her months ago and since then, I have always loved NYX!
I was so happy that NYX Round Lipsticks were included in her sale for only Php 110! I have never tried NYX lippies before so I grabbed a few of these lippies. My first impression with these lipsticks is that they are so smooth! They smell good too! I want to collect NYX lipsticks from now on! Haha.
 I also bought an eye shadow palette from the Caribbean Collection called "I Dream of Aruba". This palette cost me Php 235. For me, NYX eye shadows are great! They are highly pigmented, very blendable, and comes in a variety of wonderful colors.  NYX Round Lipsticks normally retail for Php 160 - Php 180 while the eye shadow palette normally costs Php 450.

My NYX Cosmetics Items

"I Dream of Aruba" from the Caribbean Collection

Swatches of the eye shadows in the palette. Sorry, these shadows don't have individual names.

NYX Round Lipsticks
From left to right: Margarita, Tea Rose, Femme, Fire and Chambord
Chambord became my instant favorite, by the way!


To continue my enthusiasm for lipsticks, I also recently got 3 lipsticks from Nichido. These lipsticks are part of the Juicy Lips line and they only retail for Php 88! 


Nichido Lipsticks from the Juicy Lips line.
From left to right: Hawaiian Punch, Apple Cider and Raspberry Float

My first impression with these lipsticks is that they are not as smooth as the NYX lipsticks. However, I still love the colors and I can use a lip balm first for smooth application.


The Landmark in Makati is having a Cosmetics Fair from October 1-31, 2011 and I got some goodies from this fair!!!! Cosmetics, nail polishes and other beauty items are all on sale! I couldn't resist 'coz some of the items were 20% off!

Of course I got some nail related items! I got some nail stickers for Php 29.75 each and this set of 6 colored nail files retail for only Php 19.75.

Caress Nail Polishes retail for Php 22.75 each
From left to right: Purple Frost, Real Tan, Sweet 16, Ophra and Cyclamen Pink

I also saw this cracked nail polish and I almost fainted! I have been looking for something like this for quite some time but the ones that are made by China Glaze and other imported brands are not readily available in the Philippines. So I was really happy when I saw this. They didn't have that much variety in terms of colors though. This retail for Php 34.75.

Swatches of the Caress Nail Polishes
From thumb to pinkie: Purple Frost, Sweet 16, Cyclamen Pink, Ophra and Real Tan

During the fair, I also got some cosmetic products...

I got a concealer from E.L.F in the shade Honey (Php 129.75). I also got the Aqua Gel Foundation from Maybelline which originally retails for Php 349 but I got it for Php 239! Such a great deal, right?! Finally, I also got some cosmetic wedges which I can use in applying my foundation (Php 59.75).

Whew! That collective haul was kinda massive! Haha.
I'm going to try the products in this haul right away and I might post a review of some of these products soon.

I'm really sorry about the quality of the photos. I was only using my camera phone. :(

Till my next blog post!

Xoxo,
G <3

Saturday 15 October 2011

Haul: Nail Polishes from Etude House and The Face Shop

Hey there!

I recently went to Etude House and The Face Shop to check out some of their goodies.


This is my first time to ever purchase anything from Etude House. I have heard some good reviews about their products, but being a nail polish addict, I want to try their nail polishes first. So I bought 5 which really caused a dent in my pocket. ;)

I really love Etude House's cute paper bag!

My lovely purchases. ;)



Petit Darling Nails in Matte Nos. 2 & 3. Php 98 each.


Lucid Darling Nails Spangle #03 Silver. Php 128.

Petit Darling Nails PK011 and BL505. Php 48 each.


Nail polishes applied with one coat.

Nail polishes applied with 2 coats and top coat.

First Impressions:
  • Etude House's packaging for their nail polishes is really cute.
  • The colors are very opaque. No need to apply more than two coats! Yay!
  • As for color variety, I don't think they have much to choose from. I'm not sure if the store that I went to didn't have that much stock. ;)
  • The nail polish bottles are really tiny. So I find them really pricey for just a small amount of nail polish.


I also went to The Face Shop recently and bought more nail polishes there. I'm just obsessed right?! Haha. My nail polish collection is expanding! Anyway, it is not my first time to purchase polishes from The Face Shop. I already have 2 nail polishes from this store. I was disappointed though with those 2 nails polishes that I own because they are very sheer. You need to apply 3-4 coats to make them very opaque. However, when I went to The Face Shop recently, they had some lovely colors that I just couldn't resist. ;)



BL607. Php 95.

One coat.

Two coats.

GR501 and RD301. Php 95 each.


One coat.


Two coats.

One coat.

Two coats.

First impressions:
  • I was really amazed at how opaque these colors came out. I only needed a maximum of two coats! 
  • Compared to the Etude House nail polishes, The Face Shop nail polishes have bigger bottles and more quantity.
  • The Face Shop has an amazing color range to choose from!
  • Based on experience, their nail polishes don't chip really fast unless you apply a good base coat before applying the nail polish.
So, there goes my haul. I know their pricey but I don't purchase nail polishes that often. ;)
Etude House and The Face Shop are located at major malls. :P

Till my next blog post.

Xoxo,
G <3


Dinner Buffet at Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City

Hello guys!

Last Thursday, my friends from the office and I went to Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City for dinner. Marco Polo is Davao's premier hotel and its dinner buffet did not disappoint. My eyes grew to the size of saucers as I saw their wide selection of food, especially the desserts! I literally wanted to take the chocolate fountain home! 

Anyway, here are some pictures that I want to share with you. Be warned though, these pictures will surely make your mouth water. I should have taken more pictures but I was more concerned with eating. Haha.  ;)



My Dinner Plate. 
California Maki, Dimsum, Baked Scallops, and Baked Potatoes.
I know I should have gotten more food like pasta or steak. But with just the California Maki and Baked Scallops, I was already in heaven. ;)

My Dessert Plate.
All I can say is Yumo!!!

The chocolate fountain that I wanted to steal! I loved the consistency of the chocolate. It was just so yummy! When I tasted it, I had what I call "Food Orgasm"!

Other desserts on the dessert table. The hotel had a wide array of desserts. There was even a station where you could fix your own halo-halo! It even had 4 flavors of ice cream!!!

If ever you guys visit Davao City, make sure to stop by Marco Polo Hotel and have some of the best food your palate will ever taste! ;)

Till my next blog post.

Xoxo,
G <3

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Fashion Inspiration: Rachel Bilson

Hey lovelies!

I know I have been gone for a few days. I have been swamped with work so my blog kinda took a backseat. :(
Anyway, I was browsing the web a while ago and I saw a picture that screamed fashion! Well, this picture is one of Rachel Bilson, who is one of my Hollywood Fashion Icons.

I fell in love with Rachel and her sense of fashion when I first saw her as the fun and rich Summer Roberts from the O.C. As she graduated from that television show, I still followed her career and fashion endeavors. Since then, she has launched a fashion line for DKNY called Edie Rose. Recently, it was reported that she will soon be launching a shoe line called ShoeMint. Apparently, Ms. Bilson doesn't only dabble in fashion. She even designed a tabletop collection called Edie Rose Home!

 Every time I see a picture of her, her fashion sense really draws me and inspires me. Some of her fashion pieces are just simple yet she carries them with such poise and grace.

(Photo courtesy of fabsugar.com)

In this picture, Rachel is wearing a Suno Spring 2012 frock and a  Vanessa Bruno blazer. She finished the look with a chain strap bag and sky-high mary janes

I just loved the outfit that Rachel is wearing in this picture. It is the kind of outfit that you could wear on a number of occasions. One can wear it for work or for a lunch out with friends. Or minus the blazer, one can wear the outfit out on a dinner party. ;)

Till my next blog post.

Xoxo,
G <3

Monday 10 October 2011

The A-Z of Me


Hey guys!

I saw this blog post from "A Girl and a Beauty Blog" and I thought that this would be fun to do!

Age: 22. Turning 23 on March 2012

Bed Size: Queen Size

Chore you Hate: Dusting the windows

Dogs: American Bulldog named Abba and Japanese Spitz named Snow

Essential start of your day: Taking a bath

Favourite Colour: purple and blue

Gold or Silver: silver

Height: 5"5

Instruments I play: I enrolled for guitar lessons once but didn't take it seriously. I also had piano lessons as a kid.

Job Title: Junior Associate

Kids: None!

Live: Quezon City

Mom's name: Gina

Nickname: G, Jam, Ghia

Pet Peeve: People who couldn't go even to the restroom without a companion.

Quote from a movie: Carpe Diem! - The Dead Poets Society

Right or left handed: Right handed

Siblings: 2 - a younger brother and sister

Time you wake up: on Mondays, 4:30 am because of coding; on Tuesdays-Fridays, 5:30 am; on Weekends, 12noon!

Underwear: Cotton undies

Vegetables you dislike: I hate vegies in general.

What makes you run late: Doing my make up

X-rays you've had done: Standard x-rays during annual check ups

Yummy food you make: garlic bread!

Zoo animal: Lion!

Till my next blog post.

Xoxo,
G <3

Sunday 9 October 2011

OOTD: Simple Gray Shirt and Jeans

Hello fellas!

Since we planned to visit Davao's People's Park tonight, I thought of wearing something comfortable for strolling around the park.

Here is what I wore tonight.

Blue Jeans that I got from Divisoria, Gray shirt with two pockets at the front from Penshoppe, Black Ballet Flats from Parisian, and Blue Purse with chain designs also from Parisian. I also wore two necklaces; one with an Eiffel Tower pendant and the other with a heart pendant. 

I also wore this vintage looking ring. ;)

Till my next blog post.

Xoxo,
G <3

Viaje: Davao City's People's Park

Hey fellas!

Today, my friends and I went to visit Davao's People's Park. We strolled around the park and took a lot of pictures! Then, we went to Banok's, a local restaurant, and had our dinner there.

Here are some of the pictures that we took around the park. ;)
















I found a fan in this little girl! She just couldn't stop staring at me! Haha.














Till my next blog post.

Xoxo,
G <3