Alabang Town Center, I Love You More Today Than Yesterday!

Gaah, my blog post title is sooo cheesy. lol! :D

Anyway just a quick post about some *of my favorite* stores now open at Alabang Town Center.

Tony Moly and Etude House. side by side. :)

J.Co, where line is always long. :D

Then of course: Banapple, Serenitea, BonChon, PCX, The Face Shop, Jamba Juice, Johnny Rockets, Chili's, Friday's, P.F Chang's, Beauty Bar, Healthy Options, Tous Les Jours (buy 1 take 1 on selected items. 8:30PM. EVERYDAY), Gong Cha, Ramen X, North Park, Shu Uemura, my favorite NYX stall.. okay, this is getting too long now, just check them out okay? :)

#perksoflivinginstarosa. :)

Mood Matchy Matchy: Fran Wilson Mood Matcher 12 hr Lip Color Review

Fran Wilson Moodmatcher lipstick, you made it worth my mad-dashing to ATC last Monday! lol :D

My BFF is a self-confessed magic lipstick girl while I, I don't know, I just didn't take them seriously maybe because they reminded me of all those Barbie "lipsticks" I tantrum-ed for when I was a kid ~ pretty but useless. lol :D

but you know how endless harping and praising by your BESTFRIEND could get you to, at least, be curious about something right? So when this appeared on my Instagram newsfeed ~ posted by Beauty bar Philippines, I got curious and checked it out on makeupalley (where honest ratings of  makeup-loving ladies go) Whoa! It's 4.7 out of 5. Impressive!   

According to site, its strongest point would be its lasting power, 12 hours as claimed. I think there are 10 different colors to choose from, which are all available at Beauty Bar - ATC! Yey! The most popular ones are red and green. I got orange because according to their website, it turns to *shades of coral*. not on my lips though. it turned magenta-ish on me. lol. not a color spectrum I expected but it was nice. :)

Fran Wilson Mood Matcher 12 hr Lip Color in Orange 195Php

You see, that's the fun part of using magic lippies, you just don't know what you'll be sporting next. One time, I sported a BRIGHT PINK from the same stick. lol :D it was funny. :D

as for the staying power, YES, it stayed on my lips for a long time but definitely not STRONG 12 hours! partly because it's more of a tint (minus the dryness if you use regular tints like Benetint or Tony Moly Cherry tint) than a regular lipstick (say, Revlon lippies?) It feels like gloss on lips but it stains ~ so all good there. Another thing to consider is that it fades on "wetter" areas while the "drier" areas of your lips stay true to its "chosen color of the day". then the faded areas turn to yet another color/shade that it is possible to end with ombre lips if you don't check frequently enough. The plus side though is that it looks really natural on lips so if you end up with ombre lips, people would just assume you have "natural" ombre lips. lol. just kidding :) please do check once in a while. the stick is as fickle minded as me when it comes to color of the day :)

It has a funny smell ~ uhm, "granny lippy" smell? but its tolerable. to take this off, you will need an oil based makeup remover. your plain ol' tissue doesn't stand a chance as it really really REALLY stains the lips. :)

not drying at all which I love, love, love! can withstand eating and drinking. doesn't transfer *hubby approves*

hmm.. what else? ahh, 195Php for a stick. Beauty Bar Philippines has them online and instore. They also come in a box ~ not sure how many inside though ~ which is a little under 1k. Perfect if you are thinking of buying several for friends, etc.

Packaging is a little *bleh*, it looks flimsy but it is sturdy enough to be carried around. and it locks when you put the cap back on so this baby is safe when inside your bag. Careful with the cap as the stick doesn't go all the way down.

Last words? Fun. Natural looking. Cheap. Fun *again* lol :D

#willgetmatchingmoodring.lol :D

Foodspotting in Tagaytay: Rowena's Half-half Cheese Tarts

This is our latest Tagaytay discovery: Rowena's!

I heard their cheese tarts are good so on our way back home last week, I begged my hubby to stop by and let me buy a box. He was a little bit grumpy that day so I summoned my "grumpier, bitchy" self ~pouty, crumpled face included, ready to throw a tantrum~ just to let him know how serious I was in getting my hands on these babies. he relented. He didn't come into the store with me though. He stayed in the car which means I had to be very quick about my business.

I jumped out the car, made a mad dash into the store and went straight to the lady stacking boxes of tarts and asked to be introduced to their bestseller. It looks like it wasn't the first time they were asked such a question because ~very calmly~ she handed me a box of half-half. That's half blueberry, half strawberry. 6 in total for 170Php. I also bought a piece of egg tart (40Php) as peace offering to the oh-so-grumpy-one [you know who!]

Rowena's Half-half Cheese Tarts. That's Strawberry and Blueberry, their bestsellers :)

Long story short, the egg tart was a success since it made the ogre [you know who!] happy and less grumpy. Their blueberry tarts are good too, but I fell inlove with the strawberry tarts *sigh* :) They are so convenient to bring along travels since they are something you could just pop into your mouth ~a whole piece. no crumbly crust so no messy car too. creamy and it has just the right amount of tartness in it too.

I suggest you try their apple tarts too, next to strawberry cheese tarts, apple tart is my bet (because we came back the next day to buy more egg tarts ~HAH!) didn't like the chocolate mousse tart that much though.

#bestever!

Mommy's Cheap Thrills: Shawill Blusher #01

Good morning Monday! BV people go away *erm, forever?* :D

You know how it is when you go out and shop and got everyone else in the family a little something only to realize that you didn't get anything for yourself at all and there's only 150Php in your pocket? Story of my life. lol :D

Usually I get myself a bottle of nailpolish and a cup of milk tea just to tide me over until the next payday ~or personal allowance~ but this time I found myself at Shawill's counter and face to face with some gorgeous looking blushers! I was intrigued by the shades they offer. The blushers look "matte" and exactly what I was looking for ~contrary to their eyeshadows which all look shimmery. The blushers look really nice. I decided to go with the ones in black compact instead of the cutesy [cheaper Php99] pink ones ~and I don't know why too!

I was looking for something "orangey" and the testers.., well, I don't know why but, this #01 shade looked orange enough for me when I was testing it but when I came home and opened it, it's reddish. I guess the closest shade to properly describe this would be "Coral" so yeah, I'm still okay with this ~but still eyeing #04, that's the orangey shade according to my research. lol >.<

Shawill Blusher #01 Php138

Shawill Blusher #01 "pan" shot

This blusher is such a revelation! It's smooth to apply and not chalky at all. Looks natural on me and not cheapy, if you ask me. very much buildable and good pigmentation. Shot below is two swipes already so I usually need just one since I have this habit of applying cheek tint underneath. Staying power is decent enough. Use it with a primer and it stays on all through the day but without primer, reapplication by midday perhaps. The amount of product in pan is just right ~as you can see, when you flip the blusher open, there's a free brush underneath so by calculation, there's only a decent amount of product in there but that's okay because I don't want too many of it anyway ~i need it to be almost empty before expiration date, you see. so I won't feel bad throwing it away.

While I'm loving the product itself, I really think the compact [case ~whatever you call it] sucks. lol :D it feels what, flimsy? that's why I don't carry it around in my bag. The brush is almost useless [go see first photo] mas malago pa ang walis ng auto supply! [walis with bangs post] but honestly, for its price, sulit na! Better buy a Z-palette then depot. lol :D

#hurrayforcheapfinds!

Tony Moly Cat's Wink Shiny Skin Foundation Review

Confession time! This is my first ever liquid foundation. lol :D Never a fan of heavy makeup ~maybe because it doesn't really look good on me and with my kind of lifestyle, well, it just doesn't suit me~ I always go for lightweights and natural looking makeup. Just something to enhance what I already have ~the good ones, of course. lol :) Staying power is also a huge plus since I'm not a fan of touch-ups

I've always been curious about how a liquid foundie feels on face though. Months ago, I started testing the ones from Revlon but I find them too thick and the Colorstay line stings so bad. This is another thing to consider when I look for things to put on my face, I need to be very careful NOT to trigger my allergies which means no strong smell, no strong anything.

I was actually looking for a BB cream to replace my "retiring" Maybelline tube ~my travel buddy. What I had in mind was something small and slim in packaging *think Maybelline* so I could carry it with me when travelling. I tested the one from 4U2 [great coverage, inexpensive at 199Php] however I hesitated because its cap didn't look reliable enough for travelling judging from the mess it made with the tester but when I stopped by at TonyMoly, it was love at first sight with this:

Tony Moly Cat's Wink Shiny Skin Foundation #3 Natural Beige 

I know it's not a BB cream! it's not even a BB+foundation. It's just a liquid foundation but when the kind lady swatched it on the back of my hand, I was really impressed! It blended perfectly and I honestly think it made my skin glow. didn't crack or show lines ~you know, I do, sort of, skin "flexing" when testing makeups just to see if the thing can cope with my smiling, frowning etc without showing the eyesore lines. lol ^^ This foundation from TonyMoly passed the test with flying colors. Yey!

Very lightweight but awesome coverage ~on some days it's even okay to go out without applying concealer. #3 matches my skintone perfectly ~has 3 different tones, #1 being the lightest but since the only available tester number at that time was #3 and I was actually okay with it, I went for #3 [no regrets ^^] best of all, it's the perfect size for me!

I've been using this for almost a month and I must say, I'm very happy with this purchase. No irritation so far but has a slight "plasticky" smell upon application which goes away after some time. It stays all day judging from the amount I take off at night vs when I was using just BB cream. I think it's working well with my combi skin, although I usually blot at midday [not too oily on blotter though vs Maybelline liquid BB cream]. Does a really good job in hiding my visible pores so I come out nice and smooth everytime. I'm perfectly okay with the price ^^

I would like to try the green makeup base next time. I heard it's good too :)

#lazywednesdaymorning

Foodspotting: Josephine Restaurant's Bulalo Steak

I think my husband is on a mission. I really think he's putting together his very own Top 10 *bulalo steak* list and hellbent on sampling every bulalo steak in existence. Good God.

So this one's from Josephine Restaurant up in Tagaytay ~we go there every week to visit Padre Pio, give thanks for blessings coming our way and offer prayers. Anyway, personally, I love their Mutya ng Cavite ~their house version of seafood chowder~ and would crave it every now and then. 

This bulalo steak looks dry. It's because the gravy was served separately. lol :) but it is good. I'm not sure but I think it's 500Php+ per order but it was really big and could feed 3-4. Sulit na :)

Oh and they have a killer view that you might want to check out while there. Last time I checked they still offer buffet lunch ~which I would like to try as well BUT the hubby is quite fixated on Dad's nowadays so it may have to wait a while

#takingabreakfromwork :)

Josephine Restaurant 
Km. 58 Gen. Aguinaldo Highway, Maharlika West, Tagaytay City

Guess Who Got A Makeover? :)

Tada!!

My 4-year old lappy! Yay! :D

*must be a weird post for you but this is the first time I "customized" a gadget EVER, well, because it just doesn't feel right putting stickers and whatevers on gadgets. BUT. My lappy wanted a makeover ~she must be really tired of her looks then~ so I gave her one. Yay! we're both happy. That owl looks really nice on her :)*

#shortestpostever? :*

Random Tuesday: KFC Mac and Cheese Bites, Starbucks Ice Cream, Munchkins, Pork Floss and A Broom with Bangs.

Tons of work ahead of me today but I'm too giddy to even start one! Tomorrow is our much-awaited company convention ~ i work online [I'm with their offshore department] so this is our first ever! ~ and I'm so excited!!! ^^ I got my hair digipermed last Saturday [will blog about it soon!! really really sucky photos, and I forgot to take pictures of my new 'do with my cutie Korean stylist because I was pleasantly shocked on how he was able to make my hair nice and fluffy despite the language barrier. lol] I'm getting foot spa and mani/pedi later today [half convention-related, half favor to my feet. lol] :)

anyway, I tried KFC Mac and Cheese Bites last week and I wasn't really impressed with it. I really think it should have salsa to go with it and if it actually does then KFC staff should always remember NOT to leave it behind because the bites don't taste good without them. #justsayin'

I was craving for some Ben & Jerry's but I wasn't up for some shopping at S&R so I just looked for them in *several* regular supermarkets. I was able to find a couple of them at Shopwise-Festival Mall but those Starbucks ice cream pints made me squeal with delight! Prices are at 300Php range per pint.

..and then some more..

those Snickers and Twix pints are, i think, 145Php each and Snickers bars and M&M cookie sandwiches are 65Php a piece.

This Munchkins tin pail is sooo cute! we're using it now as a trinket pail and it's still cute. lol :D I heard they're serving red velvet Munchkins in the US. I hope they ~ those red velvets ~ come to the Philippines ^^

I'm inlove with pork floss all my life! My "angkong" [lolo in Tagalog, grandpa in English] used to bring a bag home as "pasalubong" from Binondo [they used to sell them by kilos, i'm not sure if they still do] I sometimes use it on porridge or oatmeal but I prefer eating it as is. ^^ I found a bag at a Lord Stow's branch. I think it's 180Php per bag.

I borrowed this funny looking broom from an auto parts store downstairs [the owner is a grumpy ogre. lol] *wink, wink* I had a hardtime picking up dust but I eventually got them all out. The owner said "Pwede pa yan, may bangs pa" lol :D

so that's it! wish me luck for tomorrow's event! ;)

#giddytuesday :)

Popoy Approves! Spiderman Lightup Timer Toothbrush

My son has this weird habit of changing names and naming things/people. Just last month, he insisted that we call him "Nani". While I didn't really like it, we went along with it and in no time, everyone in the household referred to him as "Nani". I thought it was that sometimes I call him "Noni" for no particular reason however, the other night, he came up with yet another name to call himself. this time, it's "Popoy"

of course, I was aghast!

then his yayo is now named "Berting" which used to be "Jujun" (his real name is Jun). Please don't ask me how and where he got these names because I really don't know.

Anyway, I saw this blinking toothbrush and decided to get one for Popoy since he's into Spider-man and Batman these days (goodbye Cars!) The light blinks for full 60 seconds which is good since it entertains Popoy while I go deeper into his mouth without risking a bite. With a regular toothbrush, a full 10 seconds would be a miracle already so for me, this is godsend!

has soft bristles and this is very important because I don't want Popoy hurting his gums while brushing his teeth. He's getting good at brushing his front teeth by himself but he gets gigil so I make sure his toothbrush has soft bristles.

According to package, when the light no longer flashes, it is time to change the toothbrush (approx 3 months)

no problem so far in using this toothbrush. That is if you don't count the number of times I had to look for it come brushing time since Popoy took it and played with Spiderman somewhere.

Overall, I'm happy with this lightup timer toothbrush since we're having a huge success in using it. I'm thinking now maybe I should include this into my toddler inaanaks' gift bags!

#excitedforwednesday! Yay! :)