Review: Fashion 21 Dipliner

This is my newly bought Fashion 21 Dipliner. I'd been using my old one for over 2 years and I had to throw it out (because unlike a pencil, you cannot sharpen dipliners and as it can go INSIDE your eye, it's better to throw it out after 1 year), so I bought a new one today.



What's nice about this liner is that it's cheap at P115 (around $3), so I don't feel too bad for disposing it.I also like the non-tube packaging. Also, it comes with a manufacturing date (circled-this one at 21/2/12) so I know when I should be throwing it out.



The tip is flexible so you can get a nice thick line or a thin one (top to bottom). Though it isn't a true black, you can layer it on or not wipe it too much before applying to get a deeper black. It's going to need to dry for a lot longer if you do the latter, so don't open your eyes for 15 seconds to prevent smudging. Afterwards, THIS DOES NOT BUDGE on my oily face. Unless you rub your eye, it's there to stay!

Pros

• cheap
• with manufacturing date
• long lasting (nearly anything proof)

Cons

• not a deep black

I'm not very good at applying make up so I prefer using pencils, but I just love this product.

Edit: May 15, 2013. I may have gotten oilier, but right now, this liner lasts less than 8 hours now. I am probably not going to buy this product again.

Oversharing About Underarms Part I

Ever since I've reached puberty, I've had 3 problems with my underarms.

1. Hair
2. Skin darkening
3. BO

There are many ways to get rid of the first problem and they all come with pro's and cons. Also note that they also all have risks of ingrowns, etc.

1. shaving
+quick
+painless
+can be done continuously (you can always look "hairless")
+cheap on the short term
-expensive in the long term (considering how many blades you'll need over your lifetime along with shaving cream)
-hair grows quickly after one day
-possibility of nicking skin
-may cause skin darkening

I avoid shaving unless I'm in need of a quick fix. I think it's a good idea to have a razor stocked at home in case of emergencies.

2. plucking
+slow return of hair
+may be done at any time (you can always be "hairless")
+cheap (all you need are tweezers)
-time consuming
-painful
-may cause skin darkening

This is only to get rid of any stray hairs: I don't use it as my primary hair removal method.

3. epilating
+slow return of hair
+quick
+cheap in the long term
-painful
-expensive in the short term
-hair has to be a certain length

I like using this, except it doesn't get all the hair sometimes (hair grows in different directions) so you have to change angles.

4. depilating
+hair grows back quickly compared to 3 and 5 (not as quick as shaving)
+painless
-expensive
-possibility of chemical injury
-slow

Not something I'd recommend for underarms (sensitive as they are).

5. waxing
+can be cheap (DIY)
+slow return of hair
-hair has to be a certain length
-painful
-can be expensive (done in a salon)

When using hot wax, i tend to burn myself (darkening my skin in the process), and I can' get the hang of using sugaring or cold wax. I prefer having it done professionally, and be hairless for a around 10 days, but it does get expensive.

Tutorial: How to Jump Start a Car

Take this with a grain of salt. I'm not responsible for your car troubles. This is just what works for me.

Nails: Layering

I haven't been able to do my nails lately, and I've only recently realized that I don't have my preferred top coat lying around. I've been forced to use the Seche with 1 dropper-full of Restore Thus, bubbles galore coz I can't use it well...



Raw (without cleaning): One layer of China Glaze Liquid Leather with one layer of NYC Wing It Wine Creme

Use two different polishes to create a new color. This one reminds me of a glittery version of Lincoln Park After Dark.

Review: Eskinol Dermaclear-C Facial Cleanser

So I've finished this bottle and am off to get a new, bigger bottle as soon as I can.

I've been using this for a while as my on the go toner (since it's a small bottle) and when I am on a break-out streak (aside from my "go natural" stint). There is a smaller and a larger size available, but I bought the 75 ml one. This toner really gets all the dirt out. It's harsh on the skin -it's alcohol based- so I wouldn't recommend it for sensitive skin types. I use this once a day at most, since it is a strong toner. Don't forget to moisturize after!

It's also very cheap, so you don't feel bad about using a lot of product at once: I like to drown the cotton when I use this toner. I also tend to clean the back of my neck more when I use this compared with other toners(TMI). The smell reminds me of hand sanitizer, in the days before they added scents to them.



Pros
-Cheap
-Deep cleaning
-Contains Salicylic acid
-Portable

Cons
-Alcohol-based = Harsh on skin (the only drawback, but a dealbreaker for most normal people, I like the clean feeling... see my opinion about alcohol in toners)

Buy again? Yes!



I'm not sure, but I think the packaging has changed. Though it say's "Facial Cleanser," this thing is a toner. I have no idea why it's called a cleanser...

Tarragon Tea

Today was my first time at Sonya's Garden! Sonya's Garden is a popular garden/inn in Tagaytay, Philippines. I was fortunate as the flowers were in bloom at this time, so I recommend that you go there before the flowers fall. Aside from the garden and inn, there is a restaurant, spa and panaderia (bakery).

I was able to take a look at a room at the inn with my family, and it looked amazing (go to the site for pictures). Unfortunately, I coudn't possibly afford the rates if I were to go with my friends. :(

I didn't end up in either the spa or restaurant, but at the panaderia: the cheese hopia and scones are a must try.

What I did end up buying was a pack of tarragon leaves. As soon as I went home, I made this:



Tarragon Tea!

1. Pick 5-6 leaves and put them in the bottom of a cup. Mine came in a bunch so I dumped the entire thing without checking how many leaves there were.

2. Add enough boiling water to cover the leaves and swirl for a few seconds.

3. Discard the water and add enough water to fill the cup.

4. Steep for 5 minutes

Tarragon tea smells like rootbeer :O

Natural or Not?

So, I've done it: I've spent one month of my life without using many "unnatural products" on my face aside from my cleanser. For the past month, I've been using:

1. The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner
2. Zen Zest Tea Tree Oil (as spot treatment)
3. Calamansi (as a mask)
4. Honey (as a mask)

I may review these better in the future. However, I have found that they are not suitable to my needs. Though some of them seemed helpful, they were not very effective at stopping zits with my stressful lifestyle.

So, I'm going back and adding tretinoin to the mix. Also, going to the derma as soon as I can. :) Hopefully, my face will fare better (I'm too ashamed to post pics).

Review: Lioncity Dermatograph

Have you heard of a dermatograph? It's a wax (I think? at least this brand) stick wrapped around paper. They say you can use it to write on different media, but I use it as a replacement highliter for words written in newsprint. This is because normal highlighters are too thick and tend to stain the other side of the paper.


Pros
-cheap (Less than P15 or around $0.50)
-come in a variety of colors
-convenient (no need to sharpen)
-fun (I love the unrolling process)
-allows you to track usage (unlike highlighters that will run out unexpectedly)


Cons
-lighter than highlighters (you'll have to use a heavier hand)
-like a pencil: it can break unexpectedly, and you'll never be able to use the stub when it's about an inch long
-string may give out


The Lioncity Dermatograph tends to be variable in quality: some sticks are definitely better than others. I can work around some of them by using my fingernails to remove the paper if the string breaks, but it gets really annoying.

Review: Cutex Instant Nail Whitener

Sometimes, it's best to hide your sin of keeping nail polish for too long on your nails! As it is something I do occasionally, I try to keep a concealer for my nails. I've been using Cutex Instant Nail Whitener. These coat your nails white to hide those yellow stains. It makes your nails look french tipped, so I also use this instead of doing a french tip which I have trouble doing.


Pros
-cheap
- no DBP, Toluene or Formaldehyde
- dries quickly

Cons
-hard to maneuver brush, can streak if not well done.

I still consider nail brighteners to be polishes, just one you don't need to use a base or top coat for :))




Last 3 fingernails have 1 coat on. Ring and thumb sans nail whitener. Looks just like a basecoat, which is why the instructions are to have 2 coats.



You can see the difference now. Last 3 fingernails have 2 coats on. Ring and thumb with 1 coat whitener.

Buy again? No, this bottle will last me a while and I'd like to avoid getting yellow nails in the future.

To all (incoming) freshmen

When your teacher gives you a recommended reading list, especially a primary textbook, you should make the effort to read it, even if the teacher doesn't tell you to.

What is covered in class is sometimes not equal to what will be covered in the exams.

What's In Your Vanity Case?

I've recently gone to an interview and had to bring some make-up with me. Everything I need for everyday makeup is now inside this case.

Note: This case also doubles as a pencil case for me so aside from the pretty-fying stuff, I have these:

USB, stapler, staples, pencil lead, clips, post-its and pens.


This kit contains:
1. Hand sanitizer- always clean your hands before touching your face and make-up.
2. Baby wipes- to wipe off your face before putting anything on
3. Lip balm- to prep your lips
4. Moisturizer- to prep your face
5. Liquid foundation
6. Powder foundation
7. Kabuki brush
8. Blush
9. Lipstick
10. Lipgloss
11. Eyeliner
12. Hair wax
13. Hair pins
14. Hair ties
15. Nail file
16. Perfume
Edit: 17. Comb! Can't believe I forgot to list it.

A quick tip 2

Have to remove nail polish?

If you're gonna remove your nail polish, you might as well cut your nails beforehand. It saves time and nail polish remover, especially if you're wearing glitter polish (which take years to remove. It also makes sure that your nails are stronger when you cut them compared to post nail polish remover strength).

Only Filipinos will get this, I'm afraid XD

There is one lesson I have learned
From experience, this is earned

When at home, you must take care
never to be unaware

You must always have on hand
the greatest weapons in the land

Against man's greatest foe today
The flying force that comes our way

Wield the hammer strong and sure
Aim the arrow to ensure

Victory! And never miss,
The deadly thing known as ipis

Marshmallows

The trouble with instant hot chocolate: the marshmallows are too few and tiny.

Whenever I feel too lazy to make my own hot cocoa (with equal parts sugar and cocoa powder along with milk and water), I break out that instant pack of liquid goodness(Nestle or Swiss Miss). Whenever I get one with Marshmallows, I feel sad when I see those tiny little things that melt too quickly in my cup.

Thus, I like having a few colored marshmallows on hand.



These are the perfect size for me: small enough to fit in my mouth on a sip, but large enough not to melt completely after a minute. Having a little color in my cup also cheers me up.


I do not recommend snacking on marshmallows, but for hot chocolate? Marshmallows are perfect.

Hungry? Have a yoghurt parfait!

Thinking about honey makes me hungry. Actually, I i just get hungry a lot. So I made something that can be called a yoghurt parfait, but with just one fruit. It actually looks more like a breakfast cereal, except using apples (because an apple a day keeps the doctor away!).

Slice half (or a whole) an apple in a bowl. Now since I had honey on hand, I drizzled a teaspoon of it on top of the apple, but you don't actually need it (like I needed it with papaya).



Then load with yoghurt. It looks just like cereal! This yoghurt was made with full cream milk, so it's a lot sweeter than the lower calorie alternatives.



Enjoy!

Review: Bench Fix Professional Molding Clay: Clay Doh

Sachets! You gotta love 'em. While some countries prefer Jumbo sizes, the trend in the Philippines is the use ofsachets: aside from being convenient, they are cheaper (in the absolute sense-which is a necessity in a third world country where people may not be able to splurge for a larger version). If you manage your product well, you can actually make your sachet last for more than one session. Like samples, which these are sometimes, they are excellent for people who don't want to commit to a product. I don't use hairsprays/gels/waxes often (sometimes, I barely even brush my hair!), so I'd rather have these little things than a jar of something I will barely use.

Anway, this is a single sachet of the stuff. 4 grams worth of product, for I forgot how much. It describes itself as having a 5/5 hold and 1/5 shine (in the bench range of hair products). The thing on my finger isn't dirt, it's a bit of the clay :)



I used that bit on my finger tip to coat the top of my fringe. As you can see, it seems shiny and white close up, but it doesn't look like that in real life, it's just the light reflecting off the product.

On a sidenote, I am that hirsute! (at least facially :|)



Why I prefer hair wax:

Pros
-doesn't give that greasy look that pomades give
-easy to wash off
-doesn't give a wet look like gel does
-doesn't dry my hair out (like gel)

I use this to tame my hair and hold curls. I don't want wet/greasy hair! Since I don't use it for extreme styles (which gels are better for), I have no problem with the hold.

Why I prefer this wax:
-hold is good
-non-shiny
-smells good (I don't like the smell of hair gels in general)

I admit that I don't try the other popular brand here (Gatsby) because I find the ads too masculine looking. lol. So I can't compare it with other waxes (just with other hair products in general, so maybe this shouldn't be a "review" but a comparison of the 3- wax, gel, pomade? I'm not gonna change it. Maybe talk about it if somebody asks).

A little product goes a long way, but with my current hair, I can use up a sachet in one go.

Add something sweet

I'm on a honey mask kick right now.

I've been plagued with acne since my recent allergic reaction. In an attempt to stop it, I used tretinoin on my face nightly. It made my face sting since I usually use it only 2x or 3x a week, but I persevered. Unfortunately, I think I had a bad reaction to formalin or something under the mask I was using (maybe due to the heat or poor circulation); my mouth region started to burn! It was mildly painful, so I washed it off and added some moisturizer as soon as possible.

Now, I'm using "natural methods" to heal my face. Right now, that means honey and calamansi (a citrus fruit; family Rutaceae- the local, cheaper version of lemons/limes) with more of the former than the latter.

I like to drink tea while waiting for the proper time to remove my mask (20 mins or so, some people leave honey masks overnight). I've been using honey as a sweetener (which I do sometimes) because I get too lazy to get the sugar. There is definitely a taste difference between white sugar, brown sugar and honey; you can prefer each type for different foods. However, I was wondering which one was healthier. Everyone keeps saying use honey instead of sugar, because it's sweeter and it's natural/good for you (actually because it has a lower glycemic index), but should you really?

Note: I used 21 grams because it's what's relevant to me (as I'm comparing it with the honey I have which says 21 grams is 1 tablespoon; 21 grams is around 6 teaspoons, 15 grams is around 1 tablespoon ). Stats from wikipedia

21 grams Granulated sugar:
-81.27 calories
-nutrients higher than 10% suggested daily values: none
-glycemic index: 64*

21 grams Brown sugar:
-79.17 calories
-nutrients higher than 10% suggested daily values: Iron (15%)
-glycemic index: 64*

21 grams Honey (21 grams):
-63.84 calories
-nutrients higher than 10% suggested daily values: none
-glycemic index: 31-78 (from wikipedia), 30 for raw honey*

*from fitsugar.com "Glycemic Index: Where Do Sweeteners Form?" at 10/14/11 - not mine :)

Wikipedia says that brown sugar, being denser though, packs more sugar than white, so unless you have scales at home, you might be consuming more brown sugar than you think! An added benefit of honey: you can't make a "heaping" tablespoon out of it.

If my honey actually scores a 30 on the GI, then honey is the way to go. However, for small quantities (for instance, in my tea- milk tea too), I think I'd prefer using brown sugar, thank you. Why?

1 tablespoon brown sugar has less calories than 1 tablespoon honey, and since I don't usually eat carbs during my study time, the glycemic load isn't that much.

Using honey is less convenient than using sugar (since honey is runny/messy) and I end up with too much honey in the spoon and less in my tea, and thus end up putting even more honey.

I don't have a container to share it in for tea with others :)

I'm just lazy that way.

Edit: according to this other source (nutritiondata.com, "Glycemic Index) which gives honey a GI of 55, sugar has a GL of 8 while honey has 9.

Subspace Coffee House

A Raspberry Mocha at Subspace Coffee House. The little raspberry syrup leaves reminded me of hearts (just in time for valentines).

This little coffee house has very interesting decorations, so it's fun to pop in once in a while. Unfortunately, it's only open until 11 pm Mondays to Saturdays. I wish it were open longer. I tend to do my best studying after midnight :)

Every 1st and 3rd monday of the month, Subspace gives free upsizes!

Review: Dove Go Fresh Waterlily and Fresh Mint Body Wash

I've been blogging a lot for some reason. I don't know why, but I don't expect it to last.

I'm a sucker for anything minty, so that was an automatic plus. This body wash gives you a light tingly feeling, which I love (some people might not). It doesn't come off as a mint scent, more like a "clean" scent. I feel that this is a unisex scent (as most clean, unflowery scents are to me), which I'm not too fond of.

This is a good "after PE/gym" bath product (since it makes you feel and smell clean. The scent is strong enough to work as a fragrance, so you wouldn't have to spritz anything afterwards. My problem with this is that I don't have any perfumes or lotions that would match with this, so this is doomed to be a "travel/gym/anywhere I can't bring my closet" kind of item. I'd use this as a replacement pick-me-up/wake-me-up if it weren't so. It is for this reason that I wouldn't repurchase this item, unless someone gives me a lotion or perfume that could match with this.

Don't expect this body wash to lather very well, or moisturize like a lotion.

PROS:
-minty feeling
-clean scent
-not expensive

CONS:
-doesn't lather well*
-doesn't moisturize well**


*lather is not correlated to cleaning power. It just feels and looks better.
**for a dove product (maybe I'm not using enough?).

Gym

I don't have a gym membership. I'm on this trial thing where I get a certain number of days in a gym for a limited time period. Unfortunately, all the machines intimidate me. I just end up going to the Zumba classes (the whole reason I paid for the trial thing: in the Philippines, these trial things aren't free :( which sucks). I enjoy those classes since it makes time fly, but since my gym buddy is gone (you know who you are!), I don't feel as motivated to go.

For some people out there who want to get fit, it might be in your best interest to have a friend go with you to motivate you to get your butt in shape.

I guess I'm one of those people who aren't meant for the gym (especially without a companion). I think I have to use alternative exercises instead after this trial thing runs out.

Speaking of butts, I've seen the way some people dress for the gym. Some of them even have make up on! I doubt they use foundation (I haven't gotten close enough to check, I'm shy...) but they definitely have blush going on.

For me, make up + sweat = icky. I've never gotten over that fact. I wonder how some people can stand it.

Trouble Sleeping? Try aromatherapy!

This is a bottle of Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Sleep Pillow Mist.

I must say that I used to be an insomniac, and this helped me when I had trouble falling asleep. Lavender is my "it's time to sleep scent" along with Chamomile tea. Having trigger cues such as the flavor of tea or the scent surrounding you helps you sleep by constant association, along with the natural properties of the substance.

When you want to go to sleep, make sure that:

1. your lights are off
2. your tv is off
3. you haven't exercised recently
4. you aren't thinking about anything

I only use extras such as this when I had more trouble than normal. Of course, I've been having the opposite problem recently: I've been sleeping way too much.

It's better that you don't associate your sleeping area with other activities. I end up sleeping while studying when I do it on the bed T_T

This product may irritate you, so check before buying. For me, the only real con of this product is it's smell: it's so good! It makes me want to smush my face into my pillow. It's bad because I might suffocate myself and the pillow could be dirty and contribue to my zits.

Still, I keep this at my bedside table for when I want to remind myself, that it's time to snooze again :)

Edit: my nails are one layer of Jade is the New Black by OPI with China Glaze's Atlantis at the edges: the product of too much goopy quick dry top coat (I get the same results with Seche Vite and Orly Won't Chip :|).

Review: Seche Restore

Unlike it's hard to use relative (Seche Vite), I actually like Seche Restore. With Seche Vite, I get awful goopy results, along with any other quick dry top coats.

Use Seche Restore to thin out your old polishes and resurrect them from their old, dried, clumpy state. Unfortunately, this comes with a couple of cons.

1. The packaging is horrible.

Look at the picture. To the right is the pipette for the Restore. I have no place to put it, so I keep the original packaging since I don't want it out in the open.

2. If you look at the ingredients list or the warning label, you will see that it contains toluene. It says that this product may "cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm." A quick search on the internet shows that toluene can cause neurological damage. Also, due to schoolwork, I have found that substances such as toluene can cause taste and smell disorders. It may not seem like much compared to the others, but it IS a valid concern, and the one I'm most worried about right now.

I will not repurchase this product, though it does work (though I have been doing worse, what with my constant exposure to formaldehyde :( ). It's not worth the risk. Hopefully, they will find something better to replace it. Good bye old polishes. At least until something better comes out.


TIP: DO NOT over expose yourself to your nail stuff. Once a month will do and be sure to have open air circulation.

On that note, given the love of air conditioning, how many nail technicians have been overexposed to toluene and the like?

Patch testing

I often do not patch test for allergic reactions. It's bad, I know! I want to do this for box dyes but I don't know HOW am I supposed to patch test these products.

For those that have separate bottle for the peroxide and a tube of dye, you can put a little of both in a separate container, mix them, then test on yourself. Unfortunately, the boxes I've bought have a non-sealable container for the peroxide. Then I think to myself: this stuff will decompose pretty quickly and I need to keep this on for 48 hours (H2O2 -> H2O). So I end up putting it on anyway without a patch test :( I take it all off if it itches, but it's not a good way to do it.

I do patch test for facial products (because it's really easy!). However, recently, I patch tested a product on my jaw line for 7 hours. It was fine. However, when I used it the next day, it seems I had an allergic reaction after 5 hours on my face! It was horrible :| I'm still paying for it right now.

Urgh. I don't know how to explain it. Maybe my face is just weird.

Mouthwash

Although I know that mouthwash isn't strictly necessary, there's just something about it that I love. Maybe it's because:

1) It freshens breath
2) It wakes you up

I don't really care that much about the germ-killing effect (with possible temporary dryness), though I hope it helps since I'm horrible at flossing (how do you floss your molars? I've never been able to do it :( ).

Although, you still have to be careful that the mouthwash you use doesn't stain your teeth (Chlorohexedine). I use mouthwash only 3x max a week because I drink a lot of coffee and tea.

What does make me curious is how come most people prefer to use a dilute version of mouthwash versus a concentrate. The concentrated solution is just a bit more expensive, but you get at least 3x more of the product. Sure, the diluted version is good for kids (who cannot be trusted NOT to check the label before swilling a mouthful of concentrate) and for travel, but the concentrate does it's job longer. I love the fact that you can control how hot your mouth will get by changing the amount of water you use. I just don't see why diluted mouthwash is more popular than concentrate.

Cleansing Oil: An experiment

Today I'm going to be experimenting with 3 cleansing oils (because I REALLY don't want to study for my exams tomorrow)!

Warning: very picture heavy.




These are the three I'm going to review:

DHC Cleansing Oil (left) Shu Uemura Skin Purifier (center) Elianto Green Tea Cleansing Oil (right)



First I drew this on my arm: 1) Water only 2) DHC 3) Shu 4) Elianto 5) Control



After 5 strokes of each substance (i washed and dried the finger i used to apply to avoid contamination), it looked like this. The water looked to be the most effective.



After 5 strokes with water, it looked like this. Elianto looked to be the "murkiest."



After 5 more strokes: At this point, it seems as if the Elianto was taking out the most dirt.



Now DHC looked "cleanest." But...



After putting a tissue over, it seems that 3 (Shu) took a lot of marker with it.



But my arm looked like this after it dried. Close up, you can see that the DHC (2) cleaned up most of the line, but left the most residue. Shu (3) and Elianto (4) cleaned up equally well, but Shu (3) left the more residue than Elianto (4).

I don't know if you can generalize it for make-up, but if stain removal on skin is what you're looking for...

General Conclusions:

1. All three cleansing oils (2,3 and 4) did better than the water only (1) condition.
2. Water (1) still had a significant effect compared to the untreated condition.
3. Using a cleansing oil still means you have to rinse it off well.


I, myself, would prefer Elianto as a cleansing oil because of the price difference between it and Shu and DHC.


Edit: You can actually get rid of the marker stain by rubbing it like a madman, but I doubt that's what you want to do with your face.

Innies

To all you innies out there (like me!):

It is very important to clean your belly button once in a while.

You will need a q-tip (or several) and baby oil.

1) Coat the tip in baby oil.
2) Clean your innie.
3) When the q-tip looks disgusting, use the other side.
4) Repeat until as clean as possible.

Don't rush this, as you might hurt yourself.

Extra tip: Avoid leaving soap residue on your belly button, and dry it after bathing ;)

A quick tip

For those who handle icky smelling substances all the time:

1) Rub petroleum jelly or a lotion on your hands so the smell won't stink so much. Make sure to put a lot under your fingernails; they tend to trap all the icky stuff you might not get when you wash your hands.

2) Use gloves and make sure they fit well.

3) Wash hands thoroughly with an anti-bac soap. If possible, use a nail brush to take out the stuff the soap and your own finger nails can't get (make sure to wash the brush afterwards!)

4) This is optional. Use a hand sanitizer or alcohol (if it smells icky, it might be icky)

5) Moisturize with a hand lotion.


:)

Umbrella! A guide

Every guy and girl should have one!

Coming from the Philippines, I often see people of both genders toting around umbrellas. However, when I go outside the Phil, those numbers decrease- first the males, then the females. I find this strange, considering the sun rises and sets everyday nearly everywhere inhabited. So if you're someone who walks underneath the sun, and you don't wear clothes that cover 90% of your body, you should have one.

So how do you choose your umbrella? The most important thing is to choose the right umbrella for the weather in which you live (or have an umbrella for every occassion):

SUNNY
If the sun is shining, then you should get an umbrella with silver coating on the inside. No ifs, no buts. Open the umbrella under a light; the less light that passes through, the better. I prefer using darker colors since less light passes through, and less light means less UV rays and headaches.

Btw, it is still extremely important to use a sunscreen/sunblock as light reflects off everywhere!

RAINY
If its pouring, make sure that the umbrella you use is waterproof! No lace or canvass ones, no matter how pretty they are. Also, no wooden handles or pieces, you might damage them from the constant dampness.

WINDY
Make sure that your umbrella is reversible. Ask your sales lady if it is, and test it out yourself afterwards: Assume a fencing position, and make quick forward and backward movements of your arm until the umbrella reverses its shape, then do the same to bring it back to its usual shape.

The next most important condition to consider is convenience. Do you want to hold a full size umbrella that can double as a weapon/cane? Or would you prefer a fold-able one you can tote in your bag? Full size umbrellas are generally sturdier, but prone to being forgotten (as you leave them outside/in umbrella stands). Also, if you would like an automatic umbrella, know that your umbrella probably won't be reversible, but could save precious seconds in a downpour.

Less important are size and style.

How many people will be sheltering under the shade of the umbrella? For me, an umbrella that can shelter one person is enough, as everyone I know has one at all times. If you don't have one, your loss. However, I realize that some people prefer bigger ones to shade (potential) loved ones, get less wet (especially when they have a lot of stuff), etc.

As for variety, one has many umbrellas to choose from. I used to have this lovely wood and lace umbrella. Not very effective for rainy days (and for sunny days), but it looked quite nice. You can use your umbrella to express your sense of style! As for color, while black is good because it goes with nearly everything, I prefer more vibrant ones.

My Grosser Schatten foldable umbrella (P390 or less than $8)



Some light still passes through, but not much :)



My umbrella, partially reversed!

The Female O

Nothing dirty here people.

Semi-recently, I watched a part of a video wherein Maggie Gyllenhaal was talking about the female orgasm. I didn't get to the end, but the reason why there is a female orgasm seems fairly obvious to me...

She said that females don't need orgasms to procreate, but men do (when they ejaculate, they orgasm). However, don't males follow the female template? After all, the head of the penis and the clitoris share a common origin. Evolution is a tinkerer, and it would be far too much effort to insure that one gender had orgasms while another didn't. It's so much easier to leave it behind.

Also, it can be called an exaptation... It's been adapted to make sex more fun. If people have more sex, there should be more babies! This was true until the advent of modern,effective contraception.

I hope that's what they found at least.


It just freaks me out how oppressed women must have been if doctors couldn't understand what an orgasm looked like in the opposite gender.

Politics: An analogue

Note: I notice that I switch POVs.



A family, representing the people, shall live in a house called the State, with a garden called the Church. Sometimes, the house you live in is an oldie but a goodie. Sometimes, the house you live in is new and shiny. Though there are always going to be a few problems that come from home ownership, a family with the means, knowledge and motivation will be able to fix, and even spruce up, their home and garden.



However, there are houses that are so broken down (inside/outside) that it is beyond the family's ability to help. In that case, either you bulldoze the structure and build anew or sell it to a sucker out there.



In the same way, the garden is supposed to provide a sense of peace. There are small gardens and big gardens; gardens that require a lot of maintenance and those those that do not; and gardens that are well-manicured and those that grow willy nilly. There are some families who do not like gardens, and that is ok. A family member may decide to put a mini-garden in his/her room instead. It is perfectly fine. Unfortunately, we will not talk about families without gardens.



Gardens can also be a source of problems. There might be pests that come and infect your garden. In fact, bird droppings and ants might be something you will need to deal with constantly. You might not even be able to afford the upkeep of a house and a garden. In this case, compromises will have to be made. A sane person will tell you to favor the house unless your garden is a source of income.



There might also be a time when, if the family does not keep the garden in check, the garden becomes overgrown: Trees might affect the foundations of the house; ivy might crumble the walls; and moss might grow in strange places. This is why you must always know the state of your garden!



In this case, to repair your house, you must tear down some of your existing walls/foundations/etc. Then you must decide: to kill your garden and create more rooms; to trim your garden and rebuild parts of your house; to let your garden grow, sacrificing floor space.



If both the house and garden are not worth saving, move out.

Oil My Life + Bubble Away Orly

The oils in my life: stuff I'm using now.



Hair
Giga Virgin Coconut Oil (I've posted about this: time consuming, but lovely result)
Result: Nice, healthy, shiny hair with coconut-y smell!
Price: Cheap (I've forgotten! see previous post)

Citre Shine Anti-Frizz Serum
Result: Shiny, non-frizzy hair with citrus smell. Need only a small amount or risk lanky, oily looking hair.
Price: Ok, (less than P300, $6 and lasts a long time)

Face
DHC Deep Cleansing Oil
Result: semi-clean face, I don't feel comfortable using this alone. I use it as a make-up remover.
Pricer: Expensive (around P800, $16)



Body
Neutrogena Body Oil
Result: Lovely smelling, soft skin. I love this!!! Bottle gets very dirty easily though. Wish I bought the pump.
Price: OK (forgot how much this costs >.<)

Human Heart Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil
Result: Soft skin. Said to have whitening properties: I use it on my underarm, but no results yet. Can be used on the undereye area. Smells like baby oil to me...
Price: Cheap (P120, less than $3)


Bonus
Bobby Brown Extra Face Oil
Result: Soft face with nice, herby(?) smell. I love this, especially when the weather gets colder. I only use it at night, because oil will cook my face over here in the morning.
Price: This is a sample, so it's free. The real thing is too expensive for me!

On another note: I'm never using Orly Won't Chip Again!

I used it to revive my mani today. I had a hard time using it because it was so thick (this is why I prefer top2bottom: dual purpose AND easy to use). Two hours later, I took a bath and it bubbled like crazy.



It is bubblier in real life. -.-

Also, got a wound in my big toe from a pedi on my cuticle. Now have to put betadaine on it 2x a day ...

Old Manicures + Stickers

An old manicure I had on a month ago. I placed it on, then a few days later, I also added some stickers my friend gave me. You can actually see where the stickers end. I am so fail.

Eyes

People say that eyes are the window to the soul. Maybe that's why makeup artists spend so much time on them, along with erasing imperfections to the skin. Thank you sister!


I wish I could maintain my brows. :(

I'm glad summer term is over. It's time to relax now.

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Cakes

The three T's:



Turtle pie (top)
Toblerone cheesecake (left)
Triple decker cheesecake (right)

This is why I have a hard time losing weight.

Review: Superdrug Tea Tree Peel Off Face Mask

Pros:
-A lot of product (10 ml: may be used twice)
-Strong minty feel that lasts (from the peppermint: this could be a con for sensitive people, but I love the way it cools my face)
-Hardens quickly (unless you put a lot in one area)
-Easy to remove

Cons:
-Packaging: bad for controlling amount (because it was a sachet)
-Application is messy, gel-like texture hardens quickly (could be a pro for neater people)
-Strong smell (of tea tree)
-Cost: Expensive (79 pesos) for one-use

This made the giant zit on my face come to a point, which is very good for me.

Will I buy again? No, there are cheaper masks that work well and smell better :)

Papaya

I love how papaya tastes! Luckily, I was able to buy one. Add a little honey and you get yumminess! Just make sure you put your honey in a separate container to make sure you don't use too much. With honey, a little goes a long way.



I also used what was left of the honey to create a lip scrub. Just added some brown sugar. Bonus: it has papaya juice from all the dipping!

Hair Spa at Home

One of the great things about living in the Phil is having access to lots and lots of coconut oil. Using GIGA Venture's cold pressed coconut oil (left) and bath origins lavender aromatherapy oil (right) and a hair steamer (not shown), I was able to make my own cheap hair spa! I don't remember how much the lavender costs, but the GIGA oil is P180 only (I'm not sure how much in ml.. haha, but it's a lot).

I've used it 3 times already, and I still have around 3/4ths of the bottle left- the oil level's above the label. And I don't skimp on product.

Just pour as much coconut oil as you think you need (which isn't much, i just eyeball it, but I think it's around 6-8 tablespoons for me) in a small container, add 3-4 drops lavender oil and mix. Section your hair to coat it evenly. I like to have three layers from crown to nape: the middle layer is divided into two and the last, bottom layer is divided into three. I use one tablespoon on each section and rub the rest into my scalp.

Clamp hair and steam for 20 minutes. My hair looks like this after steaming.



Wash twice-thrice with shampoo :) It smells coconut-y at first (the lavender cuts it and makes it less harsh) but it disappears at the next wash (I sorta like the smell-haha). Hair is now soft and shiny!

PROS:
Cheap
Effective
Natural (for those who care)
Coconut Scent

CONS
Coconut Scent
Need some sort of steamer (maybe only the steam makes it soft??? I don't think so though... maybe i will experiment or find prior research)

Effect lasts around 10 days for me. But I like doing it every week for that pampered feeling.

Sundae Surprise

Last Saturday, I was in the mall craving for a sundae. Since McDo was full, I went to the dessert stall in the food court. I found out that you can ADD toppings! For only 7 pesos, I added hot fudge to my strawberry sundae. Here's how it looks:

Back!!!

I lost my usb connector and only found it now :( It's a new season already :( What have I been up to now...



I received this in the mail! It was from the mystery shampoo thing, but i received it waaay after the event. Anyway, I tried it out for 14 days.

Pros:
-smells good
-lathers well

Cons
-made my scalp dandruff-y after 14 days without an anti-dandruff shampoo (but I can't blame it for not being one too)

It may have reduced my hair fall due to breakage; However, since that really isn't a problem for me, I can't say I saw a significant difference.



I was also able to catalogue all my greens! I have 7 of them! heehee. can you guess the shades?



Compared my nails for holloween and christmas:



Holloween




Christmas and my first time using seche vite's top coat: I don't like the consistency. It's too thick and I can't apply it very well...

I love my long nails but I think I have to cut them since I'm having difficulty typing.

Wish I could post more. haha.

Dream

It is close to midnight and everyone is asleep. I am at my window. Impossibly, it is open. I look outside. A cool breeze comes in. My heart is hollow, but it feels like lead. I am waiting for something. My upper body sticks out, straining to the sky. I know I can do this. I jump.

I jump out the window and land on a nearby tree. I am deliriously happy, though I knew I would succeed. I start jumping from tree to tree. I stop to steady myself. I fear that something is chasing me, so I go further. I hop from tree to empty lot to tree. Each jump lasts longer, goes higher. Again and again until I feel like I can touch the stars.

I want to touch them. I try and I fail, but it's alright since I can try again.

Once more. I am so close. The air freezes in my lungs as my lips turn blue. I am ecstatic, my hand moves. I am going to touch a star. Then I start to fall. It is gravity, yet it is not. It is slower than I would expect. My heart starts pounding: If I crash, would I die? The sky is beautiful. It is a blanket of dark velvet with little glowing lights- crystals creating an unknown design. I fall and this image blurs. I hit the ground, but I am unharmed.

So I do it again, again, again.

I lose track of time. Then the velvet lightens and orange fire lights up the sky. It is morning and my head feels as if it were wrapped in cotton. I am sad, exhausted, overjoyed. I leap to my window and fall into my bed.

I fall asleep and I wake up.

Freaky or Fab?

My amateur nail art! Inspired by the Philippine Flag and the new president of the country.
Orly Witch's Blue, China Glaze Ruby Pumps and random yellow nail art pen.

I didn't want to post this because of the sloppy nail color application, but it's too pretty (for me anyway) for me not to post.



Konad plate something. Base color OPI Suiz Says Feng Shui and konad in china glaze adore.

I like blues and greens.

Fortune Cookies

What are fortune cookies made of? According to wikipedia, it is made of flour, sugar, vanilla and oil. However, to me, they smell and taste like Play-Doh. I don't think it's because of the flour and water combination, but what else could it be?

Biore: Deep Cleansing Pore Strips

I bought some pore strips for my brother a week ago for less than $4 (In the US) and tested it.



My brother washed his face. This is his nose before the strip and after cleansing.



I removed the strip from its container, twisted it around then placed it on my brother's face. You have to put it on (1)quickly on a (2) wet nose or else it won't work as well. That was my mistake.


This is his nose after, you can see some improvement. It would be better if his nose was wetter and I was quicker though.


This is the nose strip; you can see that it works. However, it pulled more hair than heads. I should correct that next try.

The Cost of Entertainment

It is a fact of life that people wish to be entertained. One theory is that its purpose is to dissuade us from asking the right questions and looking for answers. We continue to preoccupy ourselves with the monotonously mundane and the mindboggling magical. In other words, we’re either slaving away for our basic needs or escaping into fantasy.

A long time ago, the Roman Empire was a force to behold. It held all the cards: Its citizens had everything they could need and want. What they wanted most was entertainment.

They got it.

For this need, a billion animals were imported from around the world to be slaughtered for sport. Never mind that several species became extinct due to the heavy demands of a bloodthirsty populace. The deaths of both animals and people (as long as they did not belong to the group) did not affect them at all.

This was before the television was invented.

However, we haven’t changed at all. Even with all our advancements, we are content with not thinking, not acting. We are content to watch. Never mind phrases such as greenhouse gases, climate change, and natural disasters. The TV needs electricity, shopping bags need paper and the disposable lifestyle is too convenient to forsake.

And if there is some form of entertainment that highlights the need for change, it is only talked about until the latest scandal.

What will happen to the world ten years from now? What will happen to me 10 years from now?

I don’t know, but right now, I don’t think I’d want to know the answer. So maybe I just shouldn't think about it.

Water Bottle

When I was in grade school, I used to to carry a large water jug to school everyday. Inside the container was either iced tea or orange juice with a lot of ice. This habit changed when I was in high school: I replaced the sugary treat with plain water. I then used part of my lunch money to buy drinks when I needed a sugar rush. However, I graduated and soon went to college. Carrying something as bulky as a water jug was inconvenient, so I turned to water dispensers and buying drinks in the cafeteria.

I then realized that I was spending TOO much money on drinks when I got thirsty. Thus, just recently, I have begun toting around a water bottle. It's much smaller, and I can refill the contents with the water dispensers at zero cost. Because of this new habit, I have reduced my drink bill by 50% to 70%.

Looking back, I know I'd save 100% if I could stop myself from buying sweet treats, but I can't...

At least water bottles are easy on my pocket, and the environment (think of all the plastic I'm not wasting :)).