current skincare

So now that it's out there (in Instagram I mean!) that I'm 'up the duff', I can now explain my change of skincare routine. :) So apparently I can't use my trusted Stieva-A, a tretinoin, that really did a good job in getting me off my breakout phase. I think it works by effectively regulating oil in your pores thus preventing the onset of blackheads and inflammation. I also have to steer clear of any 'acid' (e.g., salicylic acid, AHA) containing products although I think a bit salicylic acid is actually okay (as long as it's the topical kind).

From my last wishlist I bought the Malin+Goetz Acne Treatment (Whoopi Goldberg actually raved about this in The View), and then instead of the Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel which has AHA, I opted to buy other Mario Badescu products like the Buffering Lotion and Silver Powder.

Apparently sulfur based acne treatment is okay to use when pregnant but don't take my word for it. I just used my own judgment and some comments in forums to back up my decision to use this in lieu of the typical salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide or tretinoin based products.

Anyway, here are the products I've been using so far. There's quite a lot in there but I switch them up every now, depending on my mood (which may not be a good thing!) but trust me, I'm not wasting any of these (as Raymund would be delighted to know!).

I'll just do a quickie review (Raymund is counting on me to do some chores that's why) so here goes!

Facial cleanser: Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay and Alpha-H Triple Action Cleanser with Thyme

They're both gel based cleansers that don't lather much which I like (this kind of means they're also not drying). I've almost used up my Alpha-H bottle so I bought the Skin Rescue one from Sephora, based only on reviews. They're both catered to oily skin, and are meant to remove excess sebum and/or balance skin moisture. Alpha-H has thyme which is supposed to have antibacterial properties. I like them both but I feel Skin Rescue is much more deep cleansing while Alpha-H is more calming, so I use Alpha-H in the morning when my skin is not full of gunk yet. :) I would probably try other facial cleansers eventually when I run out, as I think there are better cleansers out there that are not drying yet would still do a good job of clearing out pores.

Exfoliators: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant and Skinstitut Enzymatic Micro Peel

I'm adamant about exfoliating as I figured this is the key to preventing acne! And not the abrasive kind of exfoliating as that can aggravate already blemished skin. I stopped using my trusted Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant as it has lactic and hydroxy acid so instead I've  been using the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant if I want smooth skin from deeper exfoliation (only on parts of my face that don't currently have blemishes) or the Skinstitut Enzymatic Micro Peel for those parts which already have acne (cystic or otherwise).

Moisturizer: Yes to Tomatoes Daily Balancing Moisturizer

I only use this or an even gentler one (Swisse Vit E moisturizer) because I now get a bit oily again on my T-zone (since having stopped using Stieva-A). I think Yes to Tomatoes is good but not super great. I mean it does a good job of keeping breakouts and oil at bay but there's probably a better moisturizer out there. I'll still keep using this though as a morning moisturizer.

Acne Treatment/Prevention: Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion and Silver Powder, and Malin+Goetz Acne Treatment

So the Buffering Lotion and Malin+Goetz Acne Treatment both contain sulfur and are for cystic acne, which I still get sometimes on my jawline and forehead. :( They're both quite effective, but I feel that Malin+Goetz is more high-strength. They both tend to dry skin so they should be applied only to affected areas and moisturizing is a must. The Buffering Lotion is safer to use if you're pregnant because it doesn't have salicylic acid unlike the Malin+Goetz one. I prefer applying Malin+Goetz (with a cotton bud), because the Buffering Lotion is too runny and doesn't even have the consistency of a lotion. I also use the Silver Powder for drawing out blackheads. I'm not totally convinced yet but it does give a tiny-pore effect after usage ('effect' being the operative word because I dunno if blackheads are actually drawn out but they do kind of come out). What I dislike about this is that it being a sort of mask (powder applied with water) it gets quite messy as the powder begins to dry and fall out like crazy. Other than that I think I need this but would prefer not to use it. :D

If you're wondering if these have given me clearer skin, I wouldn't say absolutely but they help. You can't really fight hormones, but I'm just thankful I only get occasional acne still (albeit more often because I became lax with exfoliating due to products that are not okay to use at the moment) and have not experienced morning sickness (i.e., no throwing up or nausea, unless headaches count?) in my first trimester which is now over.

Anyways, I am absolutely thrilled to be pregnant (with the good or unpleasant changes it may bring) and that will probably the topic of my next posts if I do find the time to blog. :) See ya!

alternative base

Last year was when I discovered the beauty of matte foundation. Ever since the havoc my skin experienced in 2011, it was hard to find a base that would stay put on my oily/combination skin that at the same time would give enough coverage for my blemishes. Matte foundation did the job, in my case it's the Revlon Colorstay Foundation, which I first bought at 50% discount from Chemist Warehouse.

I guess I am past that breakout phase (crossing my fingers) and now, save for a few blemishes that pop up every once in a while, I'm pretty happy with how my skin's behaving. I'm also beginning to notice how heavy full-coverage foundations feel on the face. Unfortunately, I hoarded some Revlon Colorstay at Duty Free before I boarded my flight from Manila last January. So I'm kind of stuck with them. But recently (and slowly) I've started to break away from heavy liquid matte foundation with these:

Kiehl's Actively Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream & Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation

I bought the Kiehl's BB cream when I was in the Philippines last December and had a not-so-good first impression of it. But despite the oiliness I experienced on my T-zone when I first tried this, it also gave me a dewy effect off my cheeks and for that reason, I've been using it whenever I go out on weekends - saves me time because I only need to apply my Dermalogica Oil Free Matte SPF 30 on my forehead, as this already has SPF 50.

And then there's Tarte. Everything Estee said about this foundation is true. I'm not really into powder foundation, or any foundation I need a brush for. But I got interested in this because I'm kind of over liquid foundation by now. Sometimes I feel that it gives you this unfinished look, like you need a setting powder on top or something (that I obviously don't have and won't bother applying especially when it's hard enough for me to catch the bus or train to work). And I guess it's not easy for powder to feel heavy on the skin, so for that I was willing to buy a brush. There's a brush that goes with this (as mentioned in my wishlist) but I found it too expensive so I just bought an ordinary mineral powder brush. Mine's not excellent but it's okay for now. Seeing that I'm likely to buy this foundation again in the future, I'd probably buy the airbuki brush with it next time.

So as Estee said, at first you don't feel like anything's happening as you apply this, but by the end of it you'd see an improvement on your skin tone/texture. I'm actually amazed by the finished product because it still looks like skin (quoting Estee again). :) I won't say it's full coverage but it does hide some redness or blemishes. It's important to apply a moisturizer before this  - I once skipped it and it emphasized some dryness around old blemishes. It lasts a while I'd say, and it feels like you're not wearing anything on your face, which for me is what I like most about it. 

I got the shade light-medium-neutral - I found it really easy to select the right colour for me using their shade finder.

I'm pretty happy using a combination of my Kiehl's BB cream and Tarte airbrush mineral foundation and I'd definitely give my liquid foundation a break (once in a while - can't afford not to use it as I still have 2 bottles!).

Next time I'll probably write about my new skincare products, when I can divulge more about my life lately. I've kind of revised my skincare routine due to some ingredients I can't risk using at the moment. ;)

xx

makeup and skincare wishlist

For someone who likes makeup but can't buy them at their usual US price, shopping can get a bit frustrating. I mean, who'd want to pay for a $40 Revlon Colorstay Foundation or a $36 MAC lipstick? Simply outrageous. This explains my hoarding tendencies when a) I'm back in the motherland, b) I'm in duty free shops, or c) when there's a 50% discount at Chemist Warehouse.

Recently, I discovered a cosmetics shop called Mecca Cosmetica. They have 2 stores in town (a.k.a. Queen St Mall), and I went to both these stores sometime yesterday for my afternoon walk (i.e., my get-out-of-the-office break). I just wanted to buy a NARS radiant creamy concealer which a lot of people have raved about. It's sold for AU$35 (US price is $29 + tax). Because AUD is not doing as well as it did 2 years ago, I'd say you can get a NARS here for almost the same as its US price!

This concealer is definitely worth the price. Wore a bit of this at kick boxing and after sweating buckets (I exaggerate) this was not completely wiped out!

So I checked out the website and I also chanced upon some Soap and Glory products. I've been meaning to buy a muscle soothing soak bath or an equivalent shower gel (although we do have a bath tub, being an advocate of water, I don't like the idea of using up that much water for just 1 bath) for when we go home sore after kick boxing. But the 5 stars on Clean On Me just caught my eye and I thought of getting that one instead. I still have to go back for a 'Valentine's gift' for Raymund (which I'll be using as well, lol!) and probably some other stuff (help!)... but all this online window shopping kind of knocked some sense into me too. I used to be so practical, a cheapskate, with incredible self-control (back when I was saving for my MS). I can't just spend hundreds of dollars buying whatever I fancy. So I have a plan. And that is to not spend more than a $100 per month on skincare and makeup, and to buy skincare products only when I've used up the ones I'm currently using.

Because of this plan, I have come up with a wishlist instead. This wishlist is mostly a product of my online window shopping, star ratings, and Estee's blog (note: prices if indicated below are in AUD/from Mecca Cosmetica).

1. Malin + Goetz Acne Treatment ($32). Tbh, I just saw this today but it got such high praises from people who've used it, hence making it to my list. I don't get that much breakouts now but I still am prone to hormonal acne (the reason I had to buy the NARS concealer btw!). Might have to buy this sooner rather than later (my drugstore acne treatment Oxy is almost empty!) although price is a bit steep!

2. Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel ($18.95). Again, high star ratings! Plus, I know Mario Badescu has been pretty popular in the skincare field because his products are apparently effective. I'm also now a fan of non-foaming gel cleansers. I'm currently using Alpha-H Triple Action Cleanser which I like a lot! I kind of didn't know how to use it before, therefore using excessive amounts to 'thoroughly' clean my face. 1.5 months later, I think I've used up half the bottle already. :( I'll give this Mario Badescu cleanser a try then.

3. Korres Mango Butter Lipstick in Orange Brown ($35.95) or YSL Glossy Stain in Corail Aquatique ($50). Huge price difference between these two but I still am in search for the perfect coral lipstick that's not too pink. Korres I saw from Temptalia sometime back while the YSL one was one of Estee's high-end favourite lipsticks (plus she just looks so gorgeous wearing it here). I think I'm leaning more towards YSL but I don't think I can justify spending that much on a lippie (actually I can - quality over quantity!) but I have to make sure I'm happy with how long lasting it is and that it feels comfortable on the lips (since it's a gloss!).

4. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Glisten or theBalm Cindy-Lou Manizer. Tarte Glisten is a blush which also has some highlighting effect while theBalm Cindy-Lou is the other way around (I think!). Blaming Estee again for featuring these, although I think Tarte Glisten better suits my need (okay, want), that is I'd prefer a blush to a highlighter, and the highlighter in Glisten is a just nice bonus! But theBalm's packaging deserves plus points! Would probably ask someone to buy this for me if someone's going to the US or Canada.

5. Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation (and the matching airbuki powder brush!). Estee raved about this as well, and even did a tutorial. I would buy this too if I happen to order online from Tarte (apparently, 20% on your first order but not sure how much shipping would cost). Either way, buying 3 Tarte products would already cost me over a hundred dollars. So if I'm buying these, it would have to be for a very good reason!

6. Urban Decay Naked 3 Eyeshadow Palette. Everything happens for a reason! Now I can see why I managed to stop myself from buying any of the first 2 Naked palettes. Naked 3 consists of rose-hued neutrals which is so me, I reckon! :p

Most of these would probably be my 30th birthday gift to myself, that is if I can wait for December. :)

everyday lips

Not that I've been obsessed with interested in makeup for that long, but let's go back to where it all started. The lips! If there's one thing I wish I got interested in before I got married, it would be lippies. For our wedding, I just bought a cheap lipstick (probably about P300 or $7), that I didn't even spend 5 minutes choosing. I can still remember my mom telling me by the end of our wedding reception, that she wished I retouched my lipstick after dinner. Needless to say I had chapped lips by the end of the night, que horror!

Here's one wedding photo where my lips still looked a-okay!

I bought my first 'researched' lipstick last year and some months later, I now own a few! Obviously, I don't have thin lips, something I was conscious of when I was younger, but like Anne Curtis (hihi), I outgrew that insecurity and am actually happy I have quite plenty of space to apply lipstick on. :D For now I'll just talk about my everyday go-to lip products. Apparently, there's such a disproportionate amount of lip products in my purse that the only non-lip ones you'll find there are my MAC sheer pressed powder and a hair brush. :)

For work, I only wear foundation/powder and some lip colour. I would normally apply my Carmex lip balm before leaving for work. If I'm lucky and have time before the bus arrives, I would apply my balm stain (when the first lip balm has already dried a bit). Depends on what I feel like that day (and what I'm wearing), it would be a toss between Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey (mauve pink) and Adore (brick red).

Some days I would apply a lipstick rather than just a balm stain. Like if there's no morning tea (i.e., snacking with colleagues where they can witness your lipstick disappear in an instant), I would wear MAC Cosmo, or Creme in Your Coffee (CIYC) so it could last until noon. These colours are quite similar, both muted brown pink, with CIYC just a tad darker. I think because I have pigmented lips (more reddish/plum than pink), CIYC is more my MLBB colour (sorry, you have to learn makeup acronyms on your own :p).

I don't know why I have two Lanolips in my bag. Lanolips is a lip ointment with SPF 15, comes in a tube like Carmex so I have no issues with breeding bacteria and such (one aspect of my OCD). I've had Apples for quite a while now, and was what I used to apply before I discovered the Revlon balm stains. Then I bought Rhubarb when I was about to run out of Apples. They're both lovely colours, but because they're also sheer, they don't last long and Rhubarb is hardly noticeable when applied on the lips. Apples looks like it's a bright red but it actually looks quite natural and flattering. I usually apply Rhubarb after lunch when my lips begin to chap.

Oh and I also have the Revlon balm stain in Crush! This is way too dark for office wear I think, but I love plum/deep berry colours (like my MAC Craving and Soar) so I apply this sometimes - just very lightly - before leaving the office, when I'm just probably on my way to Woolies anyway (or gym/kick boxing/dinner out). I think the 3 Revlon balm stains I have don't exactly have the same feel/consistency. Crush for me is the most drying and Honey the most moisturising.

Anyway, they seem like quite a lot but I like variety. :) And also because I feel obligated to use all of them (I did buy more than I need, oops), I bring them with me so I can just grab them whenever rather than leaving them at home.

Lastly, here are some swatches. I didn't know taking a photo of my arm could be quite a task! I took several shots but I think this one best represents the colours (and is the least blurry!).

That's it! Looks like I don't have any excuse should you catch me with chapped lips. ;)

first love: benefit

You'd have to agree, you don't forget your first love. Because I've recently been reintroduced to the world of makeup, I made a point to check out my first love makeup-wise - and mine's Benefit!

I wasn't really into makeup when I bought my first Benefit. I guess I was more intrigued with Benetint than I was actually interested in makeup. I remember just wanting to have subtly flushed cheeks that looked natural and dewy rather than matte. And as Benetint also works as a lip stain, I used to apply it on my lips as well.

I was fascinated with Benefit's packaging too so that's definitely one factor that made me spend $$$ on their products. I'd have to say my favourite product then was B Spot. It's one of their first fragrances that I believe has now been discontinued. Even Raymund loved that perfume on me and would 'fund' my purchase when I ran out (my go-to Benefit stall was Tangs at Orchard, Singapore). I don't know how many bottles of it (and Benetint) I bought, but there's quite a few. I even had one that came in a box with an extra sample and a mirror (bought by my aunt from the US). I use the box now for letters and other important sentimental stuff!

Other Benefit products I bought (or asked my aunt to buy for me) that I hadn't really utilized much were Dr Feel Good, which was sort of a primer that I got after reading a rave about it in a magazine, and Some Kinda Gorgeous, a foundation that I think I wanted merely because of the packaging.

I remember walking in SF by myself and going in a Benefit store and it just felt so surreal. We met again, and in SF, the city where Benefit originated from. I don't remember buying anything, probably because I was still a starving student (or then recently graduated) at the time, and it was already enough for me that I found it in one of my leisurely walks while I was there. So, when my ex-boss had a US trip (and was spending a weekend in SF) late last year, I browsed the Benefit website and asked him to buy this for me:

I love Benefit kits. I never owned one before this but I liked looking at their kit selections, just to see what items they've put together and the themes behind them.

I chose Groovy Kind-a Love because it has most of the stuff I needed. My first love blush, Benetint, a powder blush, mascara, primer (sort of), and an eyeshadow palette!

My ex-boss told me while he was at Macy's that if I bought 2, I would get a free eyeliner, which I didn't really need. So I told him to just buy one. I kind of regret that sometimes because I like this kit a lot! I want to have it forever! :)

Me liking this kit may not say much because I'm a makeup newbie and thus easy to please, having not much expectations and being easily dazzled by their glitter (oops remembered a sad story about this, don't mean to be a Debbie Downer) and pretty packaging. But I do like everything here. Haven't used POREfessional much, I used it one time on my mom and she actually checked it out at Benefit so I guess that's something? They're Real is my mascara at the moment and I like that it's so easy to use! It gives clean 'enhanced' lashes, which is exactly what I prefer. The eyeshadows are a nice neutral palette and I like this so much better than my NYX one which I thought was quite subpar (gave it to my mom). Dandelion (matte) and Gimme Fever (shimmery) are a pretty blush combination and I like how it brightens up my face.

Moving on... my other new Benefit kit is Finding Mr Bright! This was a birthday & Christmas gift from my sis-in-law Thessa which she gave me on our stopover at SG (before flying to MNL last December). I couldn't stop gushing over this. It's such a pretty tiny kit and a totally unexpected one. 

I've tried most of them on my skin but haven't really used them all on my face. :D Erase Paste has been really handy and the one I've used most in this kit (even Raymund did :D). My friend Vanessa said it's a good under eye concealer, which I should remember using it as (not that I notice those things when looking in the mirror). I'm so psyched to use High Beam. It's a highlighter, and it looked really nice when I swatched it. I remember seeing a photo of Anne Curtis where she obviously had highlighter applied above her cheekbones and that made me decide I wanted a highligher! I should also remind myself to use Girl Meets Pearl and Posie Tint whenever possible. :)

I love that these kits come with how-to's and tips!

It's unfortunate that Benefit here is almost twice its US price (USD-AUD conversion and tax are fine but...). So will probably purchase some Benefit when I travel or if someone's going to the US.

And I'm convinced that with Benefit, kits are the way to go! You get to have all these cute items in a pretty box and if you're like me who doesn't use makeup everyday, these sizes are perfect.

That's it for now! It's a long weekend here btw, so if I don't get hooked on watching Criminal Minds or drive to the coast like locals do this Australia Day weekend, I might blog some other makeup purchases soon. ;)

kiehl's haul

And my first post of the year goes to... Kiehl's!

Now I don't really intend to feature a lot of products here and I don't plan on starting a dedicated blog for product reviews because I don't have heaps (and I also don't want to condone my makeup/skincare (over)spending). As I told my friend Vanessa, who rubbed off some of her makeup obsessions on me, my OCD will hopefully prevent me from spending way too much on these pretty sparkly things (more on my OCD later, I'm not OC as in just being anal but I am actually moderately obsessive-compulsive and will probably see a shrink about it soon now that I have Medicare!).

Anyway, on to Kiehl's! I didn't really own anything Kiehl's until I got a sample from my Nordstrom buys. To me Kiehl's was a pricey brand and though it has pretty potent products, it was something I would just pass on because I simply didn't want to spend too much on skincare. People I've known before 2011 might remember my sudden breakout which happened whilst I was studying very hard at Stanford. :-s While I'm very thankful for having gone to that school and be taught by the best professors, the phrase "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times" best describes my year there. :p Anyways, since having experienced constant breakouts (didn't really leave me until after our wedding in Dec 2012 - which just meant that mine was due to stress, because unfortunately, planning a wedding was also kind of stressful for me especially when you had your skin to worry about!), I don't really mind spending/splurging on skincare.

But the reason I went to Kiehl's was actually to buy a gift for my mom. The sample I got from Nordstrom was the Super Multi-Corrective Cream, which I thought was pretty awesome. Unfortch, at my young age of 29 (eek!) I already have wrinkles. I'd like to think it's from constantly greeting/nodding/smiling at people and not my neglect of putting moisturizer. When I tried the cream, my skin looked supple the next day and the wrinkles not as obvious. Well, with words like 'super' and 'multi', I'm sold. :) So I got this for my mom and even though it hurt (my bank account), I don't regret buying it. My mom's happy with it too, which is great. Anyway, I was told that if I get 2 products I'd get 3 small items free. I grabbed the chance because I love promos (and use them to justify buying another unnecessary item). So I got me some Kiehl's too.

Before I talk about what I bought, I should tell you that I went there a second time and also fell into the trap of getting a 2nd unnecessary item to get other free items... and buying something of a certain price to claim points and get another free item. :-s So in the end these are what I end up with.

1. Blemish Control Daily Skin-Clearing Treatment. This feels light and quite liquidy for a spot application, but it's probably because it can (or meant to) be spread on the whole face if desired. I have much clearer skin now, and I'm not sure who to thank for that (Stieva-A, Avene, my hormones settling down?), so I can't tell how effective this is in curing pimples. I'm using it though as a form of prevention and for my spots. My pimple marks are quite faded now too - I remember having a really obvious one a week before Christmas that became significantly lighter in about less than a week's time, which my facial therapist also noticed and was amazed by. So it might be this product working (I will come up with more helpful and clearer reviews next time!).

2. Actively Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream. I got this on my 2nd visit to the store. I went to the store specifically for this after reading an article on the December 2013 issue of Preview, where the featured girl mentioned this and how fresh this made her face look. I wish I read reviews before immediately grabbing this on one of my 30-min shopping sprees (we were that busy!). But you'd also understand why this was so tempting just from reading words like "instantly perfecting", "proven to correct skin tone", "vitamin C", "SPF 50", and "reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines" - I mean it sounded so perfect, plus a gleaming commendation from a Preview girl, why hesitate (aside from the price)? I wouldn't really mind if it has quite a strong smell due to the high SPF, as long as it stays semi-matte looking for hours. I thought I was over my oily forehead phase (I still have combination skin) but when I first tried this, it made me look like a greaseball. And then I checked reviews - and other people got the same experience too, plus some breakouts for the unfortunate ones. I didn't break out probably because I didn't dare apply it on my forehead again! I got the courage to use it again just because I feel obligated to, but now just outside my T-zone. And I am quite happy with the effect - dewy cheeks and a matte forehead (using my regular foundation lightly).

3. Creme de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Body Polish. I must admit this was the 2nd unnecessary item. This was proof of my realization that I get 'sales-talked' easily. The item itself sounded so yummy: luxurious creamy formula, shea and jojoba butters, sweet almond oil with luffa. And I'd say it delivers. Gives you the things it claims to do - soft, smooth and hydrated skin. This actually makes me excited to take a bath. :)

4. All these freebies! What I love about Kiehl's is their generous samples. Some I gave to my mom and my sis-in-law. Here are what I'm left with:

- Powerful Wrinkle Reducing Eye Cream, Wrinkle & Pore Reducing Cream
- Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleanser, Cleansing Masque, Pore Minimizing Lotion
- Clearly Corrective White Clarity-Activating Toner, Purifying Foaming Cleanser
- Double Strength Deep Wrinkle Filler (Oh dear! Will use this when I'm desperate!)
- Midnight Recovery Eye

And because I claimed my Kiehl's points (I got double points because it was my birthday month last December) I got a full-size Clearly Corrective White Skin Brightening Exfoliator. I haven't opened this yet because I still have my Dermalogica exfoliants and also because I'm not too keen on using exfoliators that have beads or the like (for fear of spreading bacteria if you have pimples, which I'm sort of free of at the moment). It sounds promising though but not as tempting as their other products that have all the keywords you're looking for.

As a summary, I'm quite happy with my purchases. Quite because they're still expensive, and the BB cream made my T-zone so oily. Not sure I would buy these stuff again except for the Blemish Control Daily Skin-Clearing Treatment, which I think is a good substitute for Stieva-A especially when the time comes that I can't apply tretinoin cream anymore. :) And if I ever run out of facial cleanser and masque, I'll probably buy the Rare Earth ones (I've tried them and was satisfied). As for my shopping experience, I'd say it was fun! Helpful sales people, not too pushy, and generous samples (I went to the Trinoma branch). I'd go back to Kiehl's again (only) if I'm comfortable splurging, but will definitely do my own research first and then be happily swayed when I get there. :)

december on my mind

We're going home in 21 days! The past weeks my mind was just everywhere, but mostly torn between news from the motherland, and my excitement about going home. I can't not acknowledge that Filipinos are still reeling from the tragedy caused by Typhoon Haiyan. I am extremely grateful for all the help and generosity that other countries have extended to the Philippines, and of course, for Filipinos both at home and abroad, who have done the same. I remember quoting Desiderata during a similar disaster brought by Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) a few years back: Everywhere, life is full of heroism.

But I choose to write on a lighter note today, just because I can't contain my excitement about being home. Yesterday Raymund and I celebrated our 11th month of being married. Well, not really. It went on like this: me asking him to check my IG (he's logged in on my IG in his phone), telling him it's our 11th month, him smiling nervously and saying 'that's why we're watching a movie!' and us grabbing a quick bite from Sushi Station and then running off to the theater to not miss our movie reservation. HAHA. I've learned a long time ago not to feel offended about him forgetting dates (especially after I finished reading the book I've been plugging for months now: Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps) - as long as he doesn't forget to buy me the stuff in my wishlist for 3 occasions this December: my birthday, our anniversary and Christmas! :p

Lest I sound too self-absorbed if I blog about my wishlist, I'll just talk about things I'm looking forward to and some reasonable stuff I'd like to get for the said 3 occasions! :)

1. Dinner & brunch with friends in SG. Unfortunately it's such a short time to catch up with dear friends like Crazy, The Moons, Brian and my sister-in-law Thessa. But I'm still happy to have this overnight layover in SG and definitely excited to see everyone again. I'm thinking Makansutra by the bay, and kaya toast for brekky!

Us at Makansutra 2 years ago

2. Shopping. It's no secret that things are more expensive here in Australia. Shopping in SG means GST is refundable. :) I told my friend Crazy that I plan to be in Orchard as soon as the malls open. But the more I think about it, the more it sounds convenient and wise to shop at Changi Airport instead. I'm sure they have MAC and perfume stores there. The only other thing that's not clothes, accessories or makeup that I want to buy is this. I need a new mixer!! How cute is it? Kitchenaide is quite expensive so if I can't find a good deal, any other stainless steel mixer would do.

3. Eating Asian and Christmas food, which would include: peanut roll from Polland (not the country but the hopia store! I don't know what it's called exactly but my mom usually buys this for me when I'm home), bibingka, Baliwag liempo, Tokyo Tokyo beef misono, Yoshinoya gyudon, seafood dishes, eclairs from Beard Papa's, maybe some Chewy Jr cream puffs, and of course Mr Bean pancakes (and maybe some pork floss from Bread Pan - I'm quite embarrassed to say this because it's so unhealthy!). Come to think of it, I am actually not missing as much Filipino dishes as I used to, maybe because there's not a lot that have veggies in them and most of what I remember being excited about as a kid are fried.

 Chewy Jr cream puff - they're definitely something. But IMO, I think I make better ones. :)

4. Cooking for family and friends. I don't have a lot of awesome dishes in my repertoire but I know a few. :) The secret is butter! But since I also plan to cook healthy for my folks, I'll try to cook with lots of veggies and without oil.

5. The Farm at San Benito. We are still on the waiting list because we chose a date that's in their peak season. Still, I'm so looking forward to amazing vegetarian food and some relaxation.

Coconut bacon for brekky?

6. Weddings. December last year was chaotic but happy chaotic. I went to 3 weddings including my own. The madness of last year's wedding preps felt like ages ago actually, but the memories still vivid! Madness in that we were crazy busy, not because we're the bride/groom-zilla type who wanted a big production, but simply because we were pressed for time, meeting suppliers and trying to do stuff ourselves on the short time we had in Manila. Raymund and I didn't even get a prenup shoot because even our photographer was booked out. This year, we have at least 3 weddings to attend. I have two dresses at the moment, a long brown gown I'm recycling from last year and a beige/light brown dress that I bought from my trip in June. I seriously have to wear other colours! I'm thinking plum to go with my Craving lipstick (ikr, it's usually the other way around!). Boy am I glad I know more about makeup now! But more than getting dressed up, I'm so excited to celebrate these momentous occasions with the couples!

Because of my one-shoulder dress, I'm thinking of side-swept curls. :D

7. Saving the best for last - catching up with family and friends in PH. I hope we have time for KTV!! :) And Starbucks or Cinnabon for chats. Christmas at home is something I will always miss and will try to be there for. I'm just beyond happy to be celebrating Noche Buena and Christmas with our relatives. :)

Christmas display at Cupcakes by Sonja a few years ago

See you friends soon! :)