UT Vote & Win: Win Uniqlo's UT & go to Japan for FREE!

Why wear a T-shirt, when you can wear a UT? The UT is Uniqlo's T-shirt brand of personal expression - a tool that enables you to make a statement. It's a reflection of who you are, where you've been, and what you love. I'm all for the idea of expressing ourselves through what we wear, and UT captures the very essence of that.

I'm sure everyone is very excited for the very first Uniqlo store to open here in the Philippines, and that will be on June 15, 2012, at SM Mall of Asia. Now, Uniqlo gives us all a chance to experience UT even before their store opens thru the UT Vote & Win promo!

The UT Vote & Win promo is an online and on-site promo for UT. Every week, there will be 100 winners of UT merchandise. This promo will run for 7 weeks, which means 700 UTs will be given away, and it's so easy to join!

Online (via Facebook)

(1) Like Uniqlo Philippines on Facebook.

(2) Click on the Uniqlo Vote & Win tab and allow the app to start voting for your favorite UT design.

Onsite (via UT Hoarding Wall at SM Mall of Asia)

(1) Visit the UT Hoarding Wall every Saturday and Sunday.

(2) Log on to Facebook using the iPads provided in the activity area.

UT Hoarding Wall

Photo Credit: Abaigeal Quiohilag

You can share the link of the UT Vote & Win app to your friends for more chances of winning. If you're super lucky, you can win as much UTs as you can, since there is no limit to how many times you can win in this promo. (Now that's exciting!)

The winner of the trip to Japan for 2 (which includes round-trip tickets for 2 and hotel accommodation) will be chosen among participants who voted the winning UT design via electronic raffle. He/she will be awarded on the opening date of the Uniqlo Philippines store.

Since I am a girly girl, I'll be voting for Hello Kitty and Barbie! Even if I didn't win this time, I'll still join everyday. Who knows when my luck will come? :)

Hello Kitty UT

Uniqlo is a proud supporter of Hellosmile, a project committed to educating people about the prevention of cervical cancer. As part of these efforts, Uniqlo will donate 30 yen (about P16.00) from the sale of each T-shirt featuring Hello Kitty, the project's main character.

Barbie UT

The UT Vote & Win promo started last April 28, 2012 and will end on June 10, 2012.

Whoever you are and whatever you feel, there will always be a UT for you! Laura Ashley, Barbie, Hello Kitty, Peanuts/Snoopy, Marvel Comics, and DC Comics are just some of the many designs of UT. Each UT retails at P790.00. For more pictures of the different designs of UT on the UT Hoarding Wall, visit my album here.

Love,

Helen

The Body Shop Chocomania Body Butter

Who doesn't love chocolates? ♥ Now you can indulge all you can without worrying about toothache and weight gain with The Body Shop's Chocomania Body Butter.

I love chocolates and body butters, so seeing The Body Shop Chocomania Body Butter was indeed a feast for my senses. Too bad I can't eat it! This product is part of the Chocomania collection they launched last February for Valentine's Day.

What I have is the cute little tub so it's very handy for travel. It is said to give 48-hours feel good hydration, but I can't validate that since I don't go for 48 hours straight without taking a bath. I use this only at night since I find it sticky and thick for daytime. In fact, it's actually quite sticky on the skin for the first few minutes you have this on your skin (compared to other body butters I've used). You'll have to massage it on and let it seep into your skin first, and it won't feel as sticky after 10 minutes or so. You'll be left with silky smooth skin afterwards! This is a very good product for dry, cracked heels. I slather this product on as soon as I feel my heels drying, and it soothes and smooths my skin instantly. 

This body butter leaves a sweet, nutty, chocolate scent (which reminds me of the other nutty body butter variants from The Body Shop) that lingers. I put it on before I sleep, and I can still smell hints of it when I wake up.

The Chocomania Body Butter contains 45% community fair trade Ingredients, such as Shea Butter, Soybean Oil, Honey, Sucrose, Cocoa Seed Butter, Babassu Seed Oil, Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Brazil Nut Seed Oil, Sesame Seed Oil, Olive Fruit Oil, Marula Seed Oil, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice. Sounds pretty much like food, doesn't it?

Love,
Helen

Bar-B-King Charcoal-Grilled Barbecues

Care for a fancy Angus Beef Belly meal for only P150.00? Bar-B-King Charcoal-Grilled Barbecues can offer that and more! If you're up for a different take on fast food, then you seriously have to check this restaurant out.

Bar-B-King is a quick-service restaurant that focuses on charcoal-grilled barbecues like pork, liempo, beef, steaks, pork chops, sea foods, vegetables, and more.

The clean kitchen of Bar-B-King is open and the diners could see how the crew prepares the food. The kitchen has an outdoor grilling or ihaw-ihaw ambiance, coupled with the cozy and cool interiors.

Check out their menu:

   

They serve noodle snacks like pancit bihon, pancit canton, pancit luglug, and spaghetti.

And because we Pinoys are rice-lovers, all Bar-B-Meals come with unlimited rice, softdrinks, and soup.

Affordable soup and veggies are also available to go together with your meals.

It was actually my first time to be at Bar-B-King because of Bar-B-King's blogger event held last week. Thanks to them, we all got to try this restaurant's newest offering, The Ultimate Angus Beef Belly.

The Angus Beef Belly is USDA certified so you know that you're getting the real and pure Angus Beef goodness.  It's first baked then grilled which results to its tender texture - you can use a spoon to slice it! Tasty Au Jus gravy and a side dish of corn and carrots complete the meal. Like all Bar-B-Meals, It is served with unlimited Bar-B-Rice, hot tinola soup, and 12 oz. soda.

The Angus Beef Belly was mostly tender and you can really use a spoon to slice it (but I had a little struggle with slicing it on some of the most-grilled parts). Each piece was juicy and flavorful. Even if I don't like sauces, I find myself dipping into the gravy every so often, which was really good. Each serving of the Angus Beef Belly is weighed per portion, so you're sure to get your money's worth. I got the part with lots of fat in it, so I didn't get to finish the entire thing, but I got really full after the meal! All these costs only P150.00, which makes it even better, since you'd get to have your fill of Angus beef at a very affordable price.

The next time I'm craving for some fast food, I'm definitely keeping Bar-B-King in mind. I'd like to try their Bar-B-Shrimps meal next!

Bar-B-King is located in SM Megamall (basement level, building B), SM Makati, SM Rosario, SM Dasmariñas, and SM Olongapo.

Like Bar-B-King Charcoal-Grilled Barbecues on Facebook today!

Love,

Helen

Carmex

Chapped lips have never been a problem of mine until this summer. The temperature keeps rising, it's insanely hot and my lips have felt the effects of the harsh weather. Now, it's quite dry and rough to touch. (I know I should drink water more often.) These Carmex samples came just in time to rescue my lips. (Thanks, Carmex team!)

There are 4 Carmex variants to choose from. There's the Original Carmex Jar (that comes in a pot), the Original Carmex Tube (that's more like a glossy balm), and the Original Carmex Stick and Carmex Strawberry Stick, both with Click Stick Movement Control Technology (which is basically in a normal lip balm stick form - only it has a clicking sound when you turn the base to dispense the product).

Original Carmex Jar: The one that started it all.

This is the original formula that is available since 1937, with over 1 billion jars sold! It's supposed to be in a more solid form, but mine's sort of melted maybe because of the scorching weather we've been having lately. I'm not complaining since this texture makes it more easy to apply. This lip balm relieves the symptoms of chapped lips and cold sores. It gives a tingly feel that lasts for about 5 minutes. It looks very natural on my lips, not glossy or waxy at all. It also makes my lips feel soft and smooth. I like using this at home or at night and I don't bring it out so much because my hands get dirty all the time and I wouldn't want to contaminate it. For those with issues with regards to lip balms in pot form, then you might want to try the one in gel-type below.

Original Carmex Tube: Your main squeeze

This gel-type version of Carmex is perfect for those who want a glossy sheen to their lips without the sticky feel. I love how the texture of this lip balm glides so smoothly on my lips. This can be used together with lipstick for a moisturizing boost. I also like the packaging - it's soft, squeezy, and hygienic. I'd choose this over the other glosses in my kit anytime.

Original Carmex Stick: Solid protection in a stick.
Carmex Strawberry Stick: A berry nice way to treat your lips.

I was excited to try this out, especially the strawberry variant since it smelled so good (the taste, not so much). I liked that it has SPF 15, perfect because lips need all the SPF they could get, especially when we're outdoors. This lip balm has a thick, buttery, and waxy texture which is good for those in cooler climates. I think this is meant to be used alone. I tried using this under my lipstick but it ended up looking messy, so I'll use other the Carmex in pot or tube form for that purpose.

Each type of Carmes lip balms may include some or all of the following ingredients that moisturize and help heal chapped lips and cold sores while protecting them from further damage.

• Menthol — Kills germs and relieves discomfort.
• Camphor — Alleviates pain.
• Phenol — Kills germs, exfoliates and anesthetizes.
• Lanolin — Softens, lubricates and protects.
• Cocoa Butter — Moisturizes and protects.
• Salicylic Acid — Exfoliates and relieves pain.
• Aloe Butter — Helps heal and soothe.
• Vitamin E — Reduces damaging free radicals.
• Shea Butter — Prevents dry, cracked lips.
• Petrolatum — A moisturizing barrier that protects the lips.

You might notice Carmex having salicylic acid, and I used to wonder why the hell a lip balm would have that as in ingredient, because salicylic acid is meant to treat acne when it comes to skincare products. For Carmex, this salicylic acid aids in the mild exfoliation of the lips so it allows other healing ingredients to penetrate effectively to your lips. True enough, my dry lips experienced mild peeling on the first few days of use. I've noticed that almost all variants of Carmex have a medicinal smell to it. Some might not like it, but I find a positive side to that, since you won't want to lick your lips after you apply this one on. (Lips are more prone to chapping and drying when licked.)

Carmex is available in the following stores for only P109.75 each:

• PCX outlets (Robinsons Place Manila, Festival Mall, Rockwell, Alabang Town Center)
• First Aid (Greenbelt 3)
• Robinson's Department Stores (nationwide)
• Landmark Department Stores (Makati and Trinoma)
• Shopwise Supermarkets
• Pure Beauty, Serendra (2nd floor)
• Boracay Budget Mart
• Suesh, Greenhills
• Red Dot, Laoag Ilocos Norte

Carmex has been helping lips for 75 years now. Many makeup artists and celebrities swear by it for good reasons. No matter what type of lip balm you're looking for (be it in pot, tube, or stick), there's bound to be a Carmex match for you!
Love,
Helen

PS. Like Carmex Philippines on Facebook to learn more about their products.

Etude House Playhouse Pink Fair 2012

Ever since I saw the announcement of the Etude House Playhouse event in their Facebook page, I so wanted to go! I knew that this event would be all pink and girly, and it was so near our place (all the more reason I should go). I got very lucky 2 days before the event, because I won 2 tickets to the Etude House Playhouse from Belle De Jour Power Planner! (Thanks so much, BDJ and Andei for meeting up with me for the tickets!) This event was held last weekend at SM City North EDSA The Block Atrium.

Etude House Playhouse Ticket

Everyone had free Strawberry Macaron de Paris from Tous Les Jours and free Selecta Cornetto Discs!

There were also free pink popcorn and cotton candy!

There were 4 booths wherein you could play cute games such as these:

Goal In! Pink Powder Spot

You had to throw the giant cotton buds and shoot it inside the basket. I got skinny and flimsy arms so I was only able to shoot one. I got a BB cream sample for that, not bad at all! :D

Sweetie's Spin

While this got me all excited because it required minimal effort (haha!), I did not win anything from it! "At least you tried," it told me. Har har!

Who Am I?

For this booth, you had to choose 3 color-coded balls, and throw it to the corresponding product on the wall. I was only able to stick one ball to the right product so I got a Silk Scarf Hair Treatment sample.

Doll Me Up

This was the last game booth, and my sister and I went back the second day to for this since the line was too long and not moving. When we got back there on Sunday, there was just 3 girls lining up for this so we went for it! I got a Nymph Aura Volumer sample and a Shinee folder (which I gave to my sister since she wanted it more than I did).

While lining up for the photobooth which we thought was the Meg magazine booth, I got to meet pretty beauty blogger Jannah! Do check out her blog, too!

I also got to see in person these fashionably fab ladies from Meg!

With L.A. Ferriols and Ning Hilario

With Dazzle

Freebies!

My sister and I went to the Playhouse for 2 days, because there were too much people during the first day so we didn't stay for long. We were able to play games without the looong lines during the second day! We were also able to get back issues of Meg on the second day since they ran out of stocks during day 1.

Thank you, Belle De Jour Power Planner for the tickets! Thanks also to Etude House for making this event possible for us. :)

Love,
Helen

Wear My Design Contest for Ensembles Spring 2013

Ensembles gives all aspiring fashion designers a big-time chance to break into the fashion world by joining the Wear My Design Contest. Winning dresses will be produced for Ensembles Spring Dresses 2013 Collection, with YOUR name credited as the designer. These said dresses will also be worn by Carmina Villaroel for her next photoshoot.

This is Ensembles' first ever design competition, and they're looking for original and smartly-flattering creations. No prior experience is required for you to join this contest, but you do have to know, understand, and most of all, love the Ensembles' style.

To join, you just have to submit an application form (available here) together with a prototype of the dress (or dresses) you created to any Ensembles store or their head office in Malate, Manila. You don't even have to know how to sew, as you can have someone do it for you, as long as the original design is yours. There is no limit as to the number of dresses you can submit. All approved submissions will then be posted in the Ensembles Facebook page for online voting (which comprises 10% of the criteria).

If it isn't already rewarding to see your own design being produced by Ensembles, and seeing other people don your creations, there are much more prizes in store for the winning designers! Each winner will receive P8,000.00 cash and P8,000.00 worth of Ensembles GCs, 2 pieces of his/her designed garment with the color and size he/she prefers, a make-over by Piandre Salon, coffee and snack gift pack from Bo's Coffee, and a gift pack from VMV Hypoallergenics. Winners will also be featured in the Ensembles website, in broadsheets, as well as various social media outlets.

That's not all, because the first 5 approved submissions will instantly be rewarded with P2,000.00 worth of GCs from Ensembles, so you better get your creative juices flowing and make that winning dress! Contest is from May 1, 2012 to June 30, 2012.

For the complete mechanics and rules of the Wear My Design Contest, visit the Ensembles website. Don't forget to like Ensembles on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Pinterest!

Love,
Helen

Listerine Natural Green Tea Launch at Umu, Dusit Thani

Meet the newest addition to the iconic mouthwash brand Listerine: Listerine Natural Green Tea Antiseptic Mouthwash. Truth to be told, I haven't used any type of mouthwash before since I felt that brushing and flossing are already enough for good dental hygiene, but it's always good to learn and try new things.

I used to think that mouthwashes are an additional but unnecessary step to oral hygiene, until I found out that brushing alone cleans only 25% of your mouth. In the Philippines, 92.4% of the population have the most common disease known to man, which are dental caries or tooth decay. This can easily be prevented by 3 simple steps to good oral hygiene: brushing, flossing, and rinsing with a mouthwash.


Listerine Natural Green Tea Antiseptic Mouthwash is the natural way to fight tooth decay. It contains green tea extract and 2x more fluoride (vs. other Listerine variants), and it kills 99.9% of germs in your mouth and shields teeth from tooth decay.


Natural green tea contains catechins that inhibit cavity-causing bacteria, tannins that prevent build-up of plaque, and fluoride that strengthens teeth enamel. Fluoride, on the other hand, remineralizes and restores the enamel strength, resists acid attacks from bacteria and sugar, and reverses early signs of tooth decay. It has been found that Japanese kids who drank a cup of green tea after a meal had significantly less tooth decay compared to those who didn't drink green tea after a meal. This shows green tea's affinity to the enamel of the teeth.

It's nice to know that this mouthwash is alcohol-free and has a mild flavor. The liquid solution formula is unique as it coats the teeth, which forms a protective shield to prevent cavities from forming. I've been using this mouthwash for days and I noticed that it takes a longer amount of time for plaque (that sticky white film that coats the teeth and causes cavities) to form on the surface of my teeth. Also, I've noticed less freaky morning breath after I wake up, which is a good thing. This mouthwash will leave your mouth clean and fresh for a longer period of time.

The new Listerine Natural Green Tea Mouthwash is available in leading supermarkets, drugstores, and department stores for about P75.00 for 80ml and P170.00 for 250ml. That's a small price to pay for stronger, healthier teeth and gums with less cavities.

Here are some pictures from the launch:

The launch was held in Umu, Dusit Thani, in Makati. The restaurant has a dim and relaxing atmosphere, and they served excellent and authentic Japanese cuisine.

Green Iced Tea & Hot Green Tea

Pumpkin Tofu

Shaké (salmon) and Maguro (tuna) Sashimi

Miso Soup

Kani Salad

Crispy Shrimp, Kisu and Assorted Vegetable Tempura

With Krissy and Cai

With Maggie

It was nice to learn something new, and meet new friends during the event. Thanks, Maggie, Krissy, and Cai for being my table-mates. Thank you, Nuffnang and Listerine Philippines for the invite!

Love,
Helen

Sulit.com.ph: Ano Hanap Mo?

Everyday, someone is looking for something they would like to have. As consumers, there is always a need or want to buy something. And this day and age, online shopping has become a trend because of the ease and convenience it brings to us. Try searching for something in the internet, and the results almost always leads to sulit.com.ph, the Philippines' #1 classified ads website. With more than 4 million page views and 450,000 unique visitors daily, this has been the go-to destination for people looking for the best options and deals.

Lahat tayo, may hinahanap.

RJ David, Co-founder and Managing Director | Me-anne Bundalian, Business, Sales and Marketing Manager

What started as an experimental venture five years ago, with the initial capital of just P2,400.00 (for the domain and the web hosting), was the business venture RJ David and his wife Arianne founded. They ventured into online classifieds which achieved unexpected success. People liked the idea of having their products listed in the website, which is a form of free advertising and marketing, making them easily searchable in the internet, and giving them instant web presence.

Now, you can experience more of sulit.com.ph, as they launch their newest television, radio, print, and billboard ads, featuring the authoritative voice of the Lourd de Veyra, with the tagline and basic question: "Ano hanap mo?".

With just 3 simple steps namely Hanap, Usap, Deal, sulit.com.ph makes it easy for us to connect with sellers or buyers because of its user-friendly messaging system as well as a community forum, where members could engage in different discussions of their interests. And if you're vying for the top, most visible spot that would appear when people search for your products, you may opt to use Sulit Gold, a paid virtual currency that gives members additional features and services.

Bloggers

Visit sulit.com.ph today and find what you're looking for, be it a free new iPad or a free brand new 2012 Honda City.

Love,
Helen