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.