Koryo Korean Barbeque

Every time I pass by the Sky Garden at SM CIty North EDSA, I would see Koryo's Garlic Potato Take Out stall outside their resto, get tempted, and give in! Last weekend, my sisters were looking for snacks in the mall, and we went to Koryo.

I love how modern and stylish the ambiance is. It's a good place to hang out.

Koryo's World Famous Garlic Potato

"Fried potato cubes tossed in our unique sweet, tangy and garlicky sauce with nutty toppings. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Perfect with your favorite Koryo BBQ meals, or on its own as a snack!"

Koryo Garlic Potato (P65.00)

It's our first time to order Garlic Potato for dine-in since we usually have it for take out. Well, that was a bad move. The Garlic Potato was not freshly cooked. I think it was just reheated several times, hence the hard texture of the potato. We had a hard time poking the metal fork into it so we could eat it. On the other hand, the take out version of this was delicious; perfectly fried garlic potato to a crisp on the outside, but soft and tender on the inside. No problems with using a soft, plastic fork with the take out Garlic Potato. The next time we'll have our Koryo fix, I'll make sure to order from their take out stall.

Have you tried Koryo?

Love,

Helen

Lorys Hair Cream

Some of us might think that imported hair care products are expensive, but wait till you see and use this! Lorys Hair Cream is made in Brazil. It is also available in countries such as USA, UK, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and more. Just last year, it entered the Philippine shores, and it could be the best thing to happen to your hair!

Lorys Hair Cream is very versatile, as you can use it every day as a regular conditioner, or as an at-home hair spa treatment. This product enhances the growth and density of your hair, and restores its natural shine and softness. Since it is made from natural ingredients, it's bound to be good for you!

Last year, I won in Lorys Hair Cream's Facebook promo, and got myself a tub of this!

Lorys Hair Cream in Duo Chocolate

It looks (and smells) like chocolate pudding!

Lorys Hair Cream in Duo Chocolate with thermal activated silicone was developed for the intensive care of damaged and sensible hair. This jar smells so wonderful; think, chocolate truffles for your hair! I love how it managed to repair my damaged hair. I used it as my everyday conditioner, and it took many months for me and my family to finish this jar.

After finishing Duo Chocolate, I went for Lorys Hair Cream in Ceramides. My hair needs all the care it can get.

Lorys Hair Cream in Ceramides

This one looks like sweet strawberry cream!

Lorys Hair Cream in Ceramides was developed to deeply treat and condition the opaque and damaged hair. I think the 2 tubs of Lorys Hair Cream I have tried gave the same effect to my hair - leaving it soft and healthy. The Ceramides variant's scent was like a typical salon's conditioner. The next time I go to the mall, I'm gonna buy a shower cap and use it with this hair cream, so I could experience a DIY hair spa treatment at home. Between the 2, I liked the Duo Chocolate variant more, but I think I will try Fruit Cocktail next time.

Here is the list of available variants of Lorys Hair Cream:

• Ceramides
• Duo Chocolate
• Fruit Cocktail
• Shea Butter
• Snake Oil
• Sun Care

Would I repurchase? Definitely! This product works and gives value for your money.

Price: P350.00 (1000g)

Available in Watsons, Landmark, and PCX.

Which Lorys Hair Cream variant is your favorite? :)

Love,

Helen

Maybelline Color Sensational Moisture Extreme Lipstick

Maybelline Color Sensational Moisture Extreme Lipstick is my favorite lipstick to date. I have 2 tubes of this, one in Blushing Berry and another one in Coral Sunrise. Thanks, Maybelline for giving me these lippies!

The first lipstick in Blushing Berry is red with a hint of pink in it. I love its satiny feel - no shimmer or metallic effect. This color is a unique pretty shade of red that would make a statement on your look, so you would need less makeup elsewhere.

Blushing Berry

The second tube I have is Coral Sunrise. I think it is perfect for summer nights. It has a little bit of gold flecks to it, and this will surely look beautiful with deeper skin tones. The swatch below was taken in front of bright daylight (so it came out lighter than it was).

Coral Sunrise

Why I love it:

• The packaging of the lipstick comes in red, pink, coral, and brown (nude) for easy identification of your lipsticks within the same color family.
• The manufacturing date is printed on the sticker below the tube of all Maybelline lipsticks, so you would know the freshness of the product (and when to toss it out).
• It gives true color payoff - the sticker below the tube gives quite an accurate idea on what the shade inside is, and the color of the lipstick in the tube is the same as what will show up on your lips (depending on your application).
• It is highly pigmented.
• It is long lasting (compared to other Maybelline lipsticks).
• It does not bleed or feather.
• It has a wide variety of shades per color family, and is super affordable so you can get one shade from their red, pink, coral, and nude collections!

Will I repurchase? Definitely!

Price: P299.00

Available at Landmark, SM Department Stores, Watsons, and Robinsons Department Stores nationwide.

Although coral/orange lips are hot right now, I still can't part with my red lipstick! Among the 2, Blushing Berry is still my favorite. What is your favorite shade from the Maybelline Color Sensational Moisture Extreme Lipstick collection?

Love,

Helen

Beat the Heat with Korean Ice Cream

Love ice cream? Then you have to try this!

Melona Melon Flavored Ice Cream Bar (P29.00)

It's not like any other ice drop or ice candy you have tasted before. This one is real ice cream in a bar. Every bite is pure honeydew melon goodness!

The are other flavors available, and they're all good. Another must try is the coffee flavored ice cream bar - better than overpriced gourmet coffee available in the market.



These yummy Korean ice creams are available in Waltermart Supermarket for as low as P29.00 a pop! Indulge!

Love,
Helen

Ocean Potion Suncare: SPF 50 Anti-Aging Sunblock

For my recent beach trip with my sisters, I made sure to bring SPF. We used Ocean Potion Suncare's Anti Aging Sunblock with SPF 50, since we needed all the protection we could get!

Ocean Potion Suncare says:

• Fortified with Vitamin D3
• Enriched with Seaplant Extracts & Vitamins A, C, E
• Hypo-Allergenic & Non-Greasy
• Water & Sweat Resistant
• Paraben Free

"Fair-skinned and need an extra strength in sun barrier? Our Broad Spectrum, Anti-Aging Lotion SPF 50 provides a high level of UVA / UVB protection if you burn easily, or for stronger sun days. We use patented Solaplex (TM) technology to guarantee reliable, longer lasting coverage proven to hold up under the sun. Best of all, this quick-absorbing formula glides on easily and helps reduce free radicals to keep your skin looking young. It's broad coverage that gets broad applause."

Why we loved this product:

• This handy tube is perfect for travel.
• This tube of sunblock was very effective. The high SPF of 50 protected our fair skin so we did not get tanned.
• This product also smells sweet, it had a candy/bubblegum scent.
• It felt light on the skin, and it was easily absorbed.
• It never got sticky on the skin, despite the hot and sunny day.

Would I repurchase? Yes! It works and it smells like candy.
Price: P169.00 for 44.4ml
Available at Beauty by SM.

We did not get to finish up this tube so I will still be using it when I go out on normal days. The sun gets scorching hot these days, don't you agree? Plus, SPF is not only for the beach. Let's take care of our skin as much as possible.

What sunblock do you use? Do share. :)

Love,
Helen

Lunch Date at Chef Robert

My sisters were all raving about this restaurant in Banawe for the longest time, so for our lunch date today, my boyfriend and I went to Chef Robert.

These were what we ordered:

Cheesy Chicken Rice Melt (P165.00)

- Chicken cutlet in cream cheese & melted cheese.

How cheesy do you like your chicken to be served? We like it THIS MUCH! This dish was so good! I loved how big the serving was, too. WARNING! This Cheesy Chicken Rice Melt may make you order a serving of extra rice!

Fish Fillet in Hollandaise Sauce (Reg. P135.00, Big. P260.00)
Pan seared fish fillets served with a rich Hollandaise Sauce

I am not a fan of fish, but this one is different. I loved how soft and tender the fish meat is, and how the buttery Hollandaise sauce was, plus a slight tang of lemon to it. Absolutely delectable!

Panna Cotta (P85.00)
A creamy mouth watering panna cotta with your choice of mango or blueberry topping.

My sister was (and is still) craving for this blueberry panna cotta ever since she tasted it last month. Every time we mentioned "Chef Robert" she would tell us to try out this dessert. And I did! I love how fresh the blueberries were, the flavor popped in my mouth! The panna cotta was super soft and creamy. I loved the milky flavor, it tasted like vanilla sundae (in soft gelatin form). I love the perfect mix of this dessert's flavor and texture. Next time, I will try the panna cotta in mango!

Chef Robert offers delicious food, big servings, and good service - definitely value for your money. We loved this restaurant a lot, and will surely visit again soon!

Chef Robert
847 Banawe Street, Quezon City
Telephone No. 740-9330
Open Monday to Sunday, 7:00 AM-10:00 PM

Love,
Helen

L'Oreal Infallible Lipcolour Compact

I have never used a lipstick that stays on for like forever, so when I was gifted by my colleague with the L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour Compact in 220 Terra Cotta, I got all excited and tried it on ASAP!

L'Oreal says:

At last, the first long-wearing lipcolour that will not disappoint. The Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour's patented formula offeres superior elasticity for 16 hours of beautiful, comfortable colour that won't flake off or wear out mid-lip. An intensely moisturizing complex including Marine Collagen and Vitamin E protects and conditions lips, preventing moisture loss over time. A patented precision applicator and innovative mirror packaging mean colour goes on-and stays on-beautifully.

I love the packaging because it also serves as a mirror.

At first, I thought that this was just a lipgloss. But this liquid lipcolour gives a solid, matte look.

The conditioning top coat is really moisturizing.

This version is different with what we have here in the Philippines.

What we have here is a solid lipstick for its lipcolour.

Tips:

Step 1: Apply a thin layer of lipcolour to clean lips. For best results, allow to dry for 2 minutes.


Be careful not to get this on your teeth.This liquid lipstick dries quickly to a matte finish. As it was drying, it gave my lips a dry and tight feeling, so you really have to use to conditioning topcoat afterward.

Step 2: Apply conditioning topcoat to seal colour and provide a natural shine.


This gave my lips instant relief (from the dry feeling). I like the natural, glossy finish. And the lipcolour does not stain the conditioning topcoat.

The result: A natural finish, perfect for everyday wear.

I tried rubbing this off with tissue but it does not budge. After eating and drinking, there is still no sign of fading. This lipcolor stays on for hours! There will be no retouching needed here, and the color won't bleed or travel to your teeth. You may reapply the conditioning topcoat throughout the day to prevent dryness. At the end of the day, you have to use an oil-based makeup remover to get this off your lips.

I don't know about the price and availability of this product in the Philippines, but I have seen some of these being sold on Ebay. :)

What other long-wearing lipcolours have you tried?

Love,
Helen

Olay Natural White Bar

Olay Natural White Healthy Fairness with Vitamin C was launched less than a month ago and I was super excited to try it out, since I have been using their soaps for quite some time.

Olay says:

Reveal your skin's natural radiance with Olay Natural White Healthy Fairness body bar! Formulated with certain Olay facial skin care ingredients, Olay Natural White Healthy Fairness with Vitamin C helps maintain your skin's natural fairness to bare your skin's radiance.

Pros:

• It smells fresh (not overpowering). The scent lingers mildly on the skin.
• It lathers well and is easy to wash off.
• The soap had a harder texture (compared to the past Olay body bars), which means it won't easily melt in your soap dish.

Cons:

• Because of its harder texture (as mentioned above), this bar is not as creamy as past versions of Olay bars. This soap left a clean but dry feeling on my skin. I am not a huge fan of the "squeaky clean" feeling after shower because I feel that my skin was stripped off all of its moisture.
• I can't tell if there is really a brightening effect on my skin. It works like a regular soap to me.

Would I repurchase? No. But I would try the new Age Defying bar to see if it is any better than the previous version.

Price: P45.00

Available at leading supermarkets and drugstores nationwide.

Have you tried the new Olay body bars? How did you like it?

Love,

Helen

Lay Bare Waxing Salon

Hair removal is a crucial part of one's personal hygiene, and with that, I always choose the most painless way possible (hello, depilatory creams!). For the longest time, I have been curious about waxing and how it would be any better than the tradional threading, plucking, and shaving. Last month, I decided to take the plunge and tried out Lay Bare Waxing Salon's (in Burgundy Taft) Full Body Wax. Special thanks to The Body Shop for my GC! This service is meant to wax every single strand of unwanted hair on my face and body. However, I left out my upper lips, arms, and back because I am not super hair anyway (and I was also apprehensive on the adverse effects or skin reactions I could get, since it was my first time to get waxed ever).

What I availed was eyebrow threading, underarm, chest, brazilian, and full-leg wax. I was so anxious the entire procedure. But thankfully, only the eyebrow threading and brazilian wax hurt! I was super satisfied with the result - clean, smooth, fairer, and hair-free skin! After waxing attendant applied anti-bacterial lotion on my waxed areas, since my pores were open and bacteria could easily get in.

Here are the rates:

What I liked about Lay Bare:

• Cold, sugar wax is used by Lay Bare. There is no risk of hot wax burning your skin. This cold, sugar wax also has exfoliating properties so dead skin cells come off with unwanted hair.
• Their services are super affordable, so there's no excuse to be hairy!
• Their staff are friendly and professional. You would feel less awkward than you really are because you can talk to them during the procedure and ask questions on after-wax care.
• The result of the wax was clean and baby-smooth skin.
• Post wax, I did not get ingrown skin. But be sure to use body scrub regularly so dead skin cells won't clog your pores.

What I did not like:

• The waxing attendants did not wear gloves the entire procedure. I think this goes for all Lay Bare branches, so if you're super OC, then you may bring your own pair of disposable gloves for their use.
• A week after the wax, my chest and stomach area got rashes/small pimples (which lasted for about a month). It's gone now, but I do have small scars left. :(

Waxing reminders from Lay Bare Waxing Salon:

1. After waxing, refrain from washing the newly waxed part for 4 hours.
2. If you get waxed during the early evening, wait till the next day to wash the waxed area.
3. Don't scratch or rub.
4. Avoind putting on make-up, lotion, powder, cologne, etc. after getting waxed.
5. Apply antibacterial cream 2x a day after every wax.
6. For redness and minor swelling, apply cold compress by wrapping an ice cube around a washcloth and press it gently on the waxed area. It should make it subside quickly.
7. Refrain from strenuous activities that will make you sweat to prevent any bacterial infections.

After the wax, the staff gave me a Lay Bare loyalty card which I can use on my next visit.

I am still thinking of going back though, maybe for underarm and brazilian wax. And they also have value packages on their services so you could get to save money.

Image from Lay Bare Waxing Salon's Facebook page.

Have you tried waxing in Lay Bare?

Love,

Helen

The Body Shop Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream

Whenever I go to The Body Shop's Love Your Body Workshops, the first step of the workshop is always the 3-step skin-care routine, which is cleansing, toning, and moisturizing. I was recommended to try their Seaweed range, which is good for combination to oily skin. Upon using the Seaweed range to cleanse, tone, and moisturize, my skin instantly felt soft, clean, and cool. I love the lightweight feel of this range, as I am not a fan of heavy and smelly face creams. After the workshop, I proceded to buy my own tub of The Body Shop Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream.

Why I love it:

The gel-cream texture of this moisturizer feels light and cool on your skin.

It dries clear; leaves no white cast on the skin.

It is easily absorbed.

It smells clean and fresh.

It is not greasy at all.

It kept my skin matte for half a day, as I used this as a moisturizer/makeup primer.

It did not cause breakouts or any skin irritations.

I am super satisfied with my purchase; I even got this on a bargain for just P250.00 because of the special offer (exclusive for members) after the workshop. For people with oily to combination skin, this product would keep your skin moisturized and matte without drying it out.

Would I repurchase? Maybe. It would take me a long time to finish this tub!

Price: P750.00 (50ml)

Available at all The Body Shop stores nationwide.

D' Original Maki Haus

Time for some Chinese cuisine! Along Banawe in Quezon City is a roster of restaurants (from the regular fast food chain to restaurants which specializes in different types of cuisine). D' Original Maki Haus' specialty is Maki (Noodle Soup), but we have not tried it yet. Instead, my friends, my boyfriend, and I love going here for their Yang Chow Fried Rice.

Here's what we ordered:

Yang Chow Fried Rice (P185.00)

One large order of their delicious Yang Chow Fried Rice is good for 3 to 4 people - or so they say, because my boyfriend and I finished one large order in just one sitting! It is topped with scrambled eggs, shrimp, bits of vegetables and meat. It's so good, you can eat it on its own (but don't, because you have to taste their Shirmp Roll!)

Shrimp Roll (P145.00)

Their Shrimp Roll is our favorite thing to order to complement the Yang Chow Fried Rice. It is tender shrimp meat wrapped in a thin, crisp layer of sesame seeds.

Hipon Rebusado (P65.00)

We were looking for something affordable from their menu, in case our Shrimp Roll was not enough for our large order of rice, so we picked this. Hipon Rebusado is somewhat like a meatloaf with one whole piece of shrimp in the center. Can you say that we love shrimp? :)

This restaurant is very underrated! Maybe it is not yet discovered by the public because of its quaint size, plain exterior, and simple ambiance. But if you are looking for good, no-nonsense Chinese food, then you have to try this one out!

Here is their menu:

D' Original Maki Haus

683 Banawe Street, Quezon City

Telephone numbers: (02)411-8767 and (02)666-1468

I hope you enjoyed this review. If you have tried this restaurant, do let me know how you find it. :)

Love,

Helen

Why I Love Being a "Love Your Body" Member

Who would have thought that the beauty brand I just once admired and saved up for with my allowance way back in high school would give me a great beauty experience like no other? I love The Body Shop for their Body Butters which I religiously use every night. Early this year, they had a Facebook contest wherein people could share why they love The Body Shop's Body Butters, so naturally, I joined! :) I got elated to know that I won the grand prize, and this marked the start of my being a true Love Your Body Member!

My Love Your Body Card

The grand prize of the contest was a Full Body Wax from Lay Bare Waxing Salon. The Body Shop was very generous to throw in a Body Butter and Body Scrub in Mango, my favorite variant! I also received my Love Your Body membership, which included a Love Your Body Card and Beauty Book that same day.

Awarding with The Body Shop Robinsons Manila staff and Ms. Moira of Love Your Body

The Grand Prize! :)

Here is my favorite book: Love Your Body Beauty Book! This book contains discount coupons worth P9,000. A true treat for The Body Shop lovers out there!

I love that they featured best sellers in this book, plus tips on how to use them, and discount coupons, too!

I already used up a coupon because I bought my Mom a tub of Shea Body Butter for her birthday! I got a full-sized Shea Shower Cream for free with the coupon I used! Mom was thrilled with her gifts. :)

One perk of being a Love Your Body member is that you get to be invited to makeup workshops and product launches. This one was held at The Body Shop SM City North EDSA, which is my favorite branch!

Being an active member, I also participate in The Body Shop's Facebook page. I got this as a consolation prize for their Dreams Unlimited contest. I love this Dreams Unlimited Body Wash and Body Lotion duo; it smells heavenly!

I also got to participate in their Empower Your Beauty Event held last month in SM Mall of Asia. I went there after work for a makeover. Ms. Isay did my makeover, and I love how she used light shades of pink to brighten up my features. She was really great!

Ms. Isay and I

Together with Ms. Cecille, resident makeup artist of The Body Shop SM City

Free Moisture White Shiso BB Cream and Rainforest Hair Butter from the makeover

The latest event I attended was the Grand Launch of the Moisture White Shiso BB Cream also held in SM Mall of Asia. There were free skin consultations, makeovers, picture-taking at their photo booth, fashion shows, and guest appearances by famous personalities.

Natural day look by Ms. Morning

After the event, we went to the store to claim our goodies. We saw the Love Your Body team distributing the beauty loots and of course Ms. Bernice from Love Your Body was there. :)

My friend, Mary, Ms. Bernice from The Body Shop, and I

Cosmetic pouch with freebies inside for the first 100 email registrants

Gift pack for the 1st 100 Love Your Body members who registered in the event

Being a Love Your Body member is the best beauty decision any kikay girl can make! :) And it's so easy to sign up!
Just follow these 3 simple steps:
1. Visit any The Body Shop store near you.
2. Fill out the application form.
3. Pay P300.00 membership fee (that is good for 2 years)

Privileges of being a Love Your Body member:
1. Earn reward points on your purchases
2. Free shopping - use your points and vouchers to pay for your purchases
3. Divine discounts - exclusive to members
4. Love Your Body Beauty Book - packed with beauty tips and Member-only offers
5. Invitations to Member-only event
6. Be the first to know about the latest news and product launches
7. A special birthday treat - one time 20% discount on regular priced products during your birthday month

Nice right? What are you waiting for? Sign up now, be an active member, and see you on the next The Body Shop event!

Love,
Helen