Tonymoly Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream Review

I'm into peeling these days. Remember my battle against the reptilian skin? I've been testing several ultra moisturizing creams but they seem to only aggravate oiliness and not really solve my "scaly-yucky" skin problem. Oily and scaly really sounded gross, if you ask me. Actually, it's my love affair with lulur scrubs that gave me an idea to try peeling agents and see if they would be able to put an end to the reptilian skin.

I understand that peeling of course can be drying, since it will slough off dead skin cells, force them to shed so ultra moisturizing creams are still in order. However I'm quite hesitant to try super strong peeling agents ala "kutis artista" and my foraging through racks of local supermarkets proved to be futile (yep, that localbrand peeling cream from my October beauty on a budget post -  sad to say - didn't work despite the call to "measure nyo pa")

These Korean beauty products got my attention though. Yup they're quite pricey and I'd prolly buy just an item every payday but they are soooo lovely to look at and they never fail to amaze me. Yup, I was definitely bitten by the Korean bug, their BonChon chicken being on top!

Moving on, here's Tonymoly Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream:

Nice packaging :) a bit bulky so I wasn't able to bring this on trips. Notice that I was already missing the leaf-shaped product tag that should be attached to the little "stem": it is because the little boy thought this to be a toy and played with it before I even got the chance to get a picture of it. 

It opens right in the middle, like this:

As the name Appletox implies, it smells of apples. The smell is not too strong, just right, so when you finally apply the cream on face, you'll feel instantly relaxed :)

What I like about this product is that you'll see the peeling action as soon as you apply. I was sold as soon as the salesgirl demo-ed the cream on the side of my hand! 

See the white particles on my fingers? That's what you get after massaging the cream on skin. No joke ^_^

The hubby teased me that it's just the cream reacting to the rubbing motion and not the dead skin sloughing off but I really don't care. I'm having fun using it. It can do circus on my face for all I care. lol :) 

The best part is that you don't need to follow it up with any facial cream since it doesn't feel dry afterwards, it feels moisturized even after you rinse it off. No, your skin won't visibly peel afterwards too (no "naagnas" look, i swear. lol) and I can see improvements on my face after a week - that's 3 days/applications: tone looks a little more even, BB cream working better, and my undereye circles are visibly lightened. My whiteheads were also.. contained? lol. what a word. :D 

Anyway, not so bad at 565php since you'll only need a small amount when applying. Ideally, 2-3 times a week depending on your skin type. Since I'm battling the reptilian skin, I go for 3 times a week. I apply it first thing in the morning while the baby is still asleep just so I won't risk having his delicate skin rub on my treated face. According to Tonymoly's website, Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream contains Green Apple extract, AHA and Papaya extract so I imagine it's safe enough for me to use.

How to use according to their website:

"After daily cleansing, apply an appropritate amount onto the skin and gently massage in a circular motion. Once dirt particles appear, simply rinse off with lukewarm water. Recommended to use 1~2 times a week."

So far I am happy with this product although I'm eyeing their other product, the Tomatox Magic White Massage Pack, priced at 560php. Perhaps on next payday since I have already blown away my Christmas money on Ebay and Facebook auctions. lol :D

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! :)

Sendong Tragedy: Why Mothers Are Mourning

Let me just get this off my chest.

I was not online last weekend so it was just yesterday when I saw these pics:

It breaks my heart to see these kids. Killed by the flood. This could have been avoided, but now it's too late. I can't even imagine being the mother of these kids. I would probably wish I was killed too. With my family.

There's no use in pointing fingers now. What angers me though is the lack of sympathy the victims are getting from "some" people. Dear "someone", you should really be ashamed of yourself. You may be childless, unable to really understand what has happened here but surely you don't want this happening to your nieces and nephews. I'm not going to mention a name but you know who you are.

sad.

*photos are not mine, credits to original uploader. Please email me to claim credits for photos here.*

Serenitea goes JUMBO!!

So what warranted a quick trip to Solenad on a rainy, Monday night?

Just these babies ^_^

JUMBO MILK TEAS! 

Order a large cup from their Top 10 store picks (list available on counter)  and you automatically get the Jumbo cup - no additional charge. Too bad my newest discovery Frosting Black Tea was not included in the list but Okinawa and Wintermelon made it. Above is Choco Milk Tea and Wintermelon, both with Panna Cotta for sinkers. The empty jumbo cups were brought home for souvenir. lol :)

Jumbo cups promo is from December 19-21, 2011 only. So that means you only have now til tomorrow to catch the jumbo cups. That's also the reason why a quick trip last night was a must!

justsharingmyaddiction. :)

Rustan's Supermarket Finds: Snickers Ice Cream Bar And More!

One night I found myself unexpectedly alone - and hungry. The hubby and the kids went and visited the inlaws while I stayed behind meeting a deadline. I was expecting them to be back by 7pm but traffic got in the way so there I was, kind of lost on what to do. Remember that being alone and all by myself is as rare as a dinosaur to me so I was both exhilarated and nervous. We were staying at my sisters' condo which is basically within Ateneo area so there really was no shortage in terms of places to eat.

I was also prepped up and ready to go so I decided to go out and grab something while waiting. I figured it won't take me more than 15mins to and fro so down the elevator and out I went.

The mommy in me pulled me to the nearest supermarket for a little investigation and inspection. lol. Of all the choices available to me at that time, I chose the supermarket, ikr!

Happy that I made the right choice though as these are what I found!

Ice cream! Ice cream! Ice cream!

Forget diet, here's another one: 

Andes Mint cookies!

I love these guys in plain chocolates but these are love too!! ^_^ Snickers ice cream bar, Twix ice cream bar and M&M's Cookie ice cream sandwich cost 70pesos a piece. Andes Creme de Menthe cookies is 170pesos, also available at Shopwise Festival Mall - Alabang. 

Cheers! :)

I'm Joining BC Bloggers!

I've seen a couple of blogs with this logo on them and I got curious. As a blogger, it is important that you try to reach out to other bloggers and get to know them, personally if possible but cyberfriends are okay too ^_^ In less than 6 months of Love, your 30something mom's bloglife, I was able to gain some blogger friends and quite frankly, they inspire me to write more.

I try to join as many blog groups as possible and BC Bloggers, as I found out, is run by a lovely Filipina mom who happens to be 30something too :) This alone got me interested in joining their group!

So here it is, if you are interested in joining too, just click on the image below:

I hope this would be a fruitful one for me. Cheers! :)

Skin Food Gold Kiwi Gift Sets Giveaway!!

Chic and Sassy Mom is running an exciting giveaway! Teamed up with Skin Food Philippines, they will be giving away Skin Food Gold Kiwi trial kits, best part is.. no purchase required! You just have to sign up a form, wait for your e-voucher (which means you need to have an email to join) then go ahead and claim your trial kit from these Skinfood outlets: MOA, North Edsa, Abreeza Davao, SM Baguio, Megamall, Marquee Mall, Ayala Cebu, JCentre Cebu and SM Marilao. Easy right? So go ahead and click on the image below, it will lead you straight to Chic and Sassy Mom's Skin Food Gold Kiwi Gift Sets Giveaway post!

Cheers! :)

Your Guide to MY Christmas Stocking Stuffers

Again, this is supposed to guide you on what to get and stuff my Christmas stocking, not the other way around. lol :D

Since my hubby is stalking my blog - I'm assuming he is thoroughly impressed with my writing and not just simply spying on what this girl is thinking! - I am hoping he'll read this and get the idea and go get me some of listed below :)

I guess this could work for most mommies too. *what?! we have Christmas stocking too!!*

Anyway, here's my list:

1. iPhone or a Blackberry phone. This is really pushing it. I can happily settle with an iTouch :)
2. VS or Bath and Body gift set. I am going to hang a bigger stocking this Christmas just to make sure it will fit! As for the smell, it's hard to go wrong with Victoria Secret and Bath and Body so don't fret, anything would do :) One hint though is that I am a "floral" person so please don't get me anything "fruity". Remember that, daddies: "floral" and "fruity", know your wifey's preference.
3. Chocolates. Please don't get me Curly Tops this year, I've been munching on them all year long and I feel this is the right time for a change. Reese would be nice too :)
4. La Senza lingerie. Please don't get anything too sexy as I don't want the kids to see me in that and since we're sharing room with them, a sexy, lacy lingerie will only gather dust inside the undies-drawer and I will only go on dreaming of the time when I'll be able to wear them sans bilbil. Save that for the bra and panty set which I could wear underneath my favorite mumu. I just hope your breastfeeding son won't notice that the bra is not the regular cotton one.
5. Spa certificate. A nice massage would do me good :)
6. A day off. Whole day. With my best girls. I want that written in a piece of paper with your signature on it stuffed inside my Christmas stocking. Oh, and I want the kids to sign it too just so they won't call me and tell many upsetting things just to get me to come home.
7. Automatic washing machine. okay, that won't fit. ^_^

Merry Christmas mommies!! :)

Your Guide To Metro Milk Teas

In our search for the best milk tea in town, me and my hubby came up with this list, complete with recommendations for first timers such as names of their bestsellers (as they can be very confusing!), our own recommendations, addons/sinkers, sweetness level, etc -- things you need to know as soon as you hit the counter to order! I really don't get it why some milk tea places make it really hard for first timers to come up with something as simple as milk tea! Why don't they just put together something for gullible us -- something standard and basic? besides, milk teas, more or less, taste the same, we clueless flock won't know the difference -- just so standing there clueless as what to order won't feel too awkward and embarrassing? justsaying.

Anyway, I hope to add some more to this post as we are still trying and testing milk tea places and would love to hear your recommendations too! Please comment your favorite milk tea -- place and combinations. :)

Going forward, let me start with my first love:

1. SERENITEA

There's no forgetting this one! Simply put, this started our love affair with milk teas. My other Serenitea post tells more about their place and their offerings, this one I'll keep short and sweet :) Their bestsellers are Okinawa, Wintermelon and Hokkaido. I personally like Assam -- not on the list and Frosting Black Tea - also not on the list. lol. It is okay to order full/standard sweetness except for the Hokkaido as it is already quite sweet. I suggest you go for 50% if you order Hokkaido. Malty Choco is also good but not a hint of tea in there. Recommended sinkers are crystals (nata de coco), pearls (black gummies) and panna cotta. So remember, it's Okinawa. Large. Standard. Crystals. (that's my hubby's order. lol) Large costs Php100-105. Frosting Black Tea has ice cream as sinkers so if you would like some pearls in there, you will have to pay 15pesos for additional sinkers. Anyway it's so good, I don't mind paying extra :) Ohh, and I hope the JUMBO cups will stay forever and ever because they are really fun!

Branches: Alabang Town Center, Solenad 2 Sta. Rosa Laguna, Katipunan QC

2. ZAGU

A little blah but it'll make do when you're in immediate need of a milk tea fix. What I don't like about Zagu's milk tea is that it lacks the kick. Maybe because of the slushie texture, it didn't work with the milk tea taste. Like I said, it is good but not OMG-good however if you consider the price, I think just around Php 45-50 and the convenience of getting this one (hello, sa dami ba naman Zagu outlets?) then I think it is worth mentioning here. Golden words to remember when ordering: Milk tea manong/ate. Large.

Branches: hello?!

3. TEA.OLOGY

First and only time we went to tea.ology not because their milk teas are bad but their location is quite inconvenient for us. The hubby was the one who suggested we try this place as he saw this while browsing Instragram. We ordered Frosted Mint Chocolate milk tea. A large cup costs Php95. My daughter liked it (that should be a good sign as she didn't want anything to do with milk teas!) The hubby and I are willing to give it a second try if there's a chance.

Branches: Katipunan QC

4. MOONLEAF

This must be the most convenient milk tea place for us since it is only an elevator away from my sisters' place where we usually spend the weekend. Moonleaf is good as you can really get that milk and tea flavor, you can even separate the taste if you concentrate in doing so. lol. kidding ;) Anyway, order Hakka. nata. -- that's it, unless you would like to adjust sweetness. I'm not a fan of their pearls though, a little tough for me. Cheap but most recommended at Php75 a cup (not sure if they have sizes though)

Branches: Loyola Heights

5. FRUTTI FROYO

Now we're getting somewhere! Frutti Froyo is known for their "make-your-own" froyos but just recently they have expanded their offerings to include waffles and milk teas. I have a feeling that there will be more (notice the "plus" on cup) Anyway, this one's simple too, just say "Royal, panna cotta" and you're done. Reasonably priced too, only Php90 for a large cup. The hubby loves this so much, this is his number 1 pick!

Branches: Alabang, Solenad 2, Trinoma

Now, please welcome my true love:

6. GONG CHA

God, this is indeed true love! ^_^ Toffee Milk Tea with Coconut Jelly at 50% sweetness is a must try! For some reason, their tea is more distinct and the milk is creamier, just the right combination for a perfect milk tea. I hope they hurry up and open that ATC branch already, I've been dying to get one sip again. lol. A little pricey but hey, it's worth it! Php110 for this large cup but you can skip the addons and get away with Php90.

Branches: Glorietta 4-food court, Sky Garden - SM North Edsa

7. CHOWKING NAI CHA

The first time I tried this, it was a major FAIL. It was too sweet and the taste was really weird. lol :D However, when I saw their "new and improved" poster - and I was really craving for a cup of milk tea that I won't mind if it's another fail - I gave it another try. Good thing I did too because the taste improved and the pearls have a potential. HAVE, because I really think the ones we got were undercooked - they were tough. as in TOUGH. lol :D really cheap at 37Php. 

8. CHATIME

Okay, I would like to think that I have a love-hate relationship with Chatime. I'm not liking their milk teas, the first time I ordered, I specifically asked for their bestseller; they gave me the Pearl Milk Tea (photo above). There was  nothing spectacular about it. I gave it another try and went for Chatime Milk Tea. Again, there's nothing to it that I would rave about. But I'm totally inlove with their Choco Banana Milk Tea and Chocolate Mousse (read more about it here) So, I think I would have to recommend trying their other varieties, aside from their milk teas to be able to really appreciate Chatime. Drinks are from 50-90Php but addons are priced separately at 15-20Php

Branches:  SM North Edsa, Alabang Town Center

9. TEA-RRIFIC

This one's fairly new and it belongs to the Fruitas family (yep, those stalls in malls serving fruit shakes and buko things - btw, I love them ^^) So, it coming from a reputable company, it is only normal to be curious and try right? Try, I did. Price range is 45-65Php. I ordered Wintermelon, the safest bet. Well.. it was good. Not out-of-this-world good but..yeah, good enough. However, I have yet to try their smooth-tea (fruit+tea) because I heard that is their bestseller. we'll see..

Branches:  Malls? but SM San Pablo has one so..

Help me improve this post! I'd like to hear your favorite milk teas and your experiences/recommendations in these places so I could try them out the next time I visit. Cheers! ^_^

Maybelline Clear Smooth Minerals B.B Cream

I've been dabbling with BB creams since June this year. What triggered my fascination with BB creams was my sister's "dewy" looking skin on our trip to Tagaytay last Holy Week. She was looking all Korean and fresh but I noticed her blemishes were gone. That was the beginning of my love affair with BB creams!

WARNING!! THIS IS MY FIRST EVER COSMETIC REVIEW POST so please bear with this noob! lol :D

This is my first ever BB cream for reasons:

1. It was readily available at SM San Pablo (Watsons) where I usually start my cosmetic hunts.
2. It was reasonably priced (Php 299, i think) and since I was just starting with BB creams, I would like to start with something that won't really make a dent in my budget just in case I won't like it.
3. It was -- still is, I think -- available in one color only so I didn't have to think too much about what color to get. lol. lazy me! :D

Maybelline, since it's a known brand, felt like a good and sensible choice for me so I grabbed it without further ado. Fast forward 6 months, I'm still using it. lol :)

Maybelline Clear Smooth BB cream Php 299

Maybelline BB cream claims to brighten and even out skin. It also covers imperfections, moisturizes and protects with SPF 26. According to label, it should be applied after moisturizer.

Maybelline BB cream on skin

A little dot goes a loooong way so be very careful when dispensing as the consistency is a little thinner than most BB creams! That small amount you see above can easily cover the whole back area of my hand.

Maybelline BB cream blended

Photo above is when you blend the BB cream. The glittery area would be the one with blended BB cream. Don't be afraid of the glittering effect, it doesn't really show like that on face as I applied more than what's recommended on my hand for this photo-op only. lol. I hope you see the difference though.

With and without BB cream

The one with BB cream tube on side would be the one with blended BB cream, the other one is au naturel. I hope you see that the veins were less noticeable with the BB cream on, compared to the hand without.

With and without BB cream lighted photo-op. lol

I tried taking photos of my hands with light and I hope to God I'm not the only one seeing the difference! lol. let me know if my photos are bad, I'll just do another round for swatches. :)

What I like about Maybelline Clear Smooth BB Cream is that it's very easy to blend because of its thin consistency. It brightens, yes, but it doesn't really hide imperfections efficiently as I still have to apply concealer when I use this especially around eye area -- okay fine, eyebags! Perfect when on the go since it feels like you're just applying moisturizer on your face. Perfect too if you are without a face mirror to consult if you did alright applying makeup as it spreads evenly without exerting too much effort. lol.

It's lightweight, would not feel like there's a ton of makeup piled on your face and my skin didn't break out, thank God. Best of all, it is suitable for sensitive skin so it managed to keep my skin allergy at bay and I didn't worry rubbing some on little boy's skin when cuddling. I bring this tube with me when traveling since it is conveniently packed in a small, slim tube.

Cheers! :)

Help me improve this review! Please throw in your questions and requests and I will update this post or better yet, share your experience with this BB cream. Thank you ^_^

HoshiGirl’s ELF Christmas Giveaway!

Giveaway time!!

HoshiGirl is running a giveaway and it's soo easy to join :) Her swag bag is looking nice too! ELF is one of my favorite drugstore products as it is cheap BUT very dependable in making my face look nice. :)

You can get ELF from SM Makati, ground floor, right beside Etude's booth, a little skip-step from Wet N Wild's. Anyway, back to HoshiGirl's giveaway:

really nice :)

• Plumping Lip Glaze – Oasis
• Plumping Lip Glaze – Baby Lips
• Brightening Eye Color – Luxe
• Natural Radiance Blusher – Bronze
• Natural Radiance Blusher – Pink
• Clarifying Pressed Powder
• Two-way Cake Foundation – Pale Peach
• Mechanical Eyelash Curler
• Bronzing Brush
• Eyeshadow Brush

Giveaway ends December 23, 2011 so don't forget to join :) Here's the link to join HoshiGirl's giveaway: http://hoshigirl.com/hoshigirls-elf-christmas-giveaway

Cheers!  :)

What's This Baby Doing #2

I guess this is C's own version of jack-in-the-box? lol ^_^