The Food Club Manila's First Anniversary Dinner

The last time I was at The Food Club was when my high school friend celebrated his birthday here with the entire barkada almost a year ago. I don't do buffets quite often since I have the takaw-tingin syndrome, where I get overwhelmed with all the food in sight, want to try everything, but easily get full. However, this place is worth revisiting, and I was quite excited to see what's up with The Food Club a year after it's soft opening.

Aside from their newly lowered rates for buffet lunch and dinner, I was curious with their menu update. Old favorites and new dishes to try made me excited!

 

Same as before, the restaurant was bright, neat, and spacious. The chandeliers add a nice touch of class. On the side of the restaurants are more private couch/table setups which are perfect for dates or smaller groups. This proves that you don't need to go to a hotel to experience a luxurious buffet.

Now on to my favorite part which is the food. I wasn't able to cover EVERYTHING they had to offer, but here are what caught my eye.

The have fresh and crisp salads, breads, and various types of cheeses to go with a glass of wine if you wish.

Fans of Japanese food will happy to see their lovely sushi spread. There are also different kinds of tempura - ebi, vegetable, etc.

I've noticed that most food I gravitated to was on the Asian fusion side. But they do serve pastas and pizzas too!

 

I was stopped by this sign. Xiao Long Bao Section, and a friendly chef approached me and asked if I wanted them to cook some for me. Yes, please!

Dimsum all you can, of course! I had my fair share of Hakaw.

You'd see a seafood section tucked inside the myriad of food trays. They didn't serve lobsters, oysters, and mussels anymore (sad), but they had crabs and plump shrimps, which you can let them cook according to your liking. Garlic butter? Sweet chili? Go!

On the front display were Singaporean Crab and Buttered Garlic Shrimp.

They also served meats such as turkey (with cranberry sauce) and roast beef over at the carving station. Hello there, medium rare beefy goodness!

After all the MEATing was dessert heaven!

 

Lovely chocolate fountains with sweets and fruits. My favorite will be the simple white mallows drizzled in white chocolate.

Cake slices and dessert shots in all flavors imaginable.

Glorious Filipino-inspired desserts such as good ol' hot taho, kakanin, and halo-halo. I spy the huge slice of leche flan by the counter.

Fruits for the health conscious (which you can make more sinful by passing it by the chocolate fountains), and yummy gummies for the kids. The also had a Big Scoop ice cream counter, and a crepe station beside it.

 

Drinks are already included in the buffet charge - yes, including beer and red wine. But usually everyone goes for their fresh fruit shakes (try the watermelon shake!). There are also juices, but something new for me is the Milo Shake. I bet this one's popular among kids (and even adults).

So here are what I had for dinner:

You can see here my "no I'm not a fan of seafood" plate, with buttered garlic crab and shrimps, ebi tempura, hakaw, and fish fillet.

Xiao long bao served in a hot bamboo basket with vinegar and garlic slivers dip.

Refreshing glass of watermelon shake.

Slices of medium rare roast beef.

Red wine to go with my roast beef. (I forgot which brand they served, but it was from Spain.)

Desserts for a sweet ending. Everything on the plate was good. I had creme brulee, oreo shooter, mallows, meringue, and red velvet cake.

*Kids ages 6-11 pay for half the price, and kids 5 years old and below eat for free.

The Food Club Manila
Unit E Bluebaywalk Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Avenue cor. Edsa, Pasay City

Store hours: Mon-Sun 11:00–14:30, 17:30–22:30

For reservations:
http://www.thefoodclub.com.ph/reservations/
Phone: 7368001 / 7798673
Mobile: 09064281669
Email: info@thefoodclub.com.ph

Like The Food Club Manila on Facebook for more information. See you at the CLUB! :D

Love,

Helen

Ofra Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in Laguna Beach

When I first saw Ofra Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick inside my Flawless Beauty Glamourbox, I thought it was another tinted gloss masquerading as a liquid lipstick. Boy, was I so wrong! Upon swatching it on my arm, it quickly turned matte, which made me fall in love at first sight.

Ofra Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in Laguna Beach

Here's to a full lip color in one step! The vibrant colors of these liquid lipsticks will give you a vivacious look. Creamy and soft in texture, they moisturize the lips with antioxidants and Vitamin E. With five hours of staying power, they create a lipstick effect that does not feather!

Ingredients:

The packaging of this liquid lipstick is simple - too simple for my liking. For something that costs almost P1,000.00, I expect a fancier packaging and not one that has a sticker for its label. (Which is now fading, after months of usage). For its price, the product itself better be worth it.

It comes in a slim tube with a doe-foot applicator, but I like blending it with my pinky to make it more even.

Swatches:

Before - During - After

Based on the packaging, I'd think Laguna Beach was a nude shade with pink undertones, but apparently it goes on dusty pink. It goes on from a creamy, highly pigmented formula to super matte in seconds. So amazing!

Laguna Beach is a very lovely shade of pink. Not MLBB, but it looks perfectly natural - nothing too Barbie or neon. And it's matte, what's not to love? It lasts really long too, around 4 to 5 hours, but that's without eating or drinking. (It starts fading when you eat or drink.)  It comes in a yummy vanilla scent, too!

As for the cons, it emphasizes my lip lines and it dries my lips because of its matte formula. Example, I apply it in the morning when my lips are in a normal condition, but when it starts to fade and I need to retouch in the afternoon, my lips are sometimes flaky already - and flaky lips and matte lippies aren't really a good combo.

Price: P950.00

Available at Glamourbox

I have mixed emotions with this product. I love the shade, the finish, but I don't love how I end up with dry lips, so I make sure to have a matte-ish lip balm at hand whenever I use this.

Glamourbox girls! Have you tried Ofra Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick? :D

Like GlamourboxPH and Ofra Cosmetics Philippines on Facebook for more information.

Love,

Helen

The Body Shop Honeymania Lip Balm

New year, new lip balm! :)

Since I'm almost done with the stick lip balm I religiously use at night, it's about time I reward myself by opening a new lip balm from my stash. Haha :D I've mentioned before that the OC me wants to finish a stick/pot of lip balm first before opening a new one so they won't accumulate. Now I have around 2-3 in circulation, which is not bad at all!

I'm madly in love with the Honeymania range of products from The Body Shop. I mean, everything from that line smells simply divine. From the bar soap (which I've kept in my drawer for x months already, and it makes my clothes smell really really good), to the shower gel and body butter, and now this cute little lip balm that looks like a tiny tub of lip butter (but it's a balm, not butter). The only thing I need now is the EDT to completely honey-fy myself! (And the EDT also smells super amazingly light, floral, sweet, and feminine.)

Okay back to the main topic, which is this lip balm!

The Body Shop Honeymania Lip Balm

This luxuriously sweet lip balm contains Community Fair Trade honey made from the nectar of wildflowers. It has a sweet, floral scent and leaves lips feeling kissably soft.

• Sweet, floral scent
• For softer-feeling lips

This pot contains 9g of honey goodness, and is good for 12 months after opening. (I'm pretty sure I'll be keeping mine for longer!)

Ingredients:

It contains grape seed oil as main ingredient. Also, honey of course! What's so nice about having honey is beauty products is because it acts as a humectant - something that attracts and retains moisture, very ideal for the lips where it easily gets dry.

 

The packaging comes in a pot, but the design is different from the regular Born Lippy Lip Balms. It comes in a similar packaging to The Body Shop's Lip Butters, but for Honeymania, it's a lip balm inside. I prefer lip balm over lip butter because it's transparent when worn, the latter comes in whitish shades that can make my lips look pale.

Swatches:

Bare lips

With Honeymania Lip Balm ♥

Even if it comes in a tub, this one's currently my favorite lip balm because of its texture, scent, and flavor. It has a buttery texture that melts on your lips upon application. It's able to comfort and hydrate dry lips right after application, and it stays on for around 3 hours. The scent is a subtle yet very lovely floral one, very mild compared to the entire Honeymania range. My favorite effect of it is that it makes my lips taste so kissably sweet! It has no tint, no SPF, but that's okay since I mainly wear this indoors. My lips look and feel healthier whenever I have this on. Even my youngest sister who isn't kikay at all and doesn't like makeup likes the Honeymania Lip Balm! ♥

Price: P250.00

Available at all The Body Shop stores nationwide

Learn more about the rest of the Honeymania range here. Like The Body Shop, Philippines on Facebook and follow them on Instagram @thebodyshopph for more information.

Love,

Helen

Mario Badescu Skincare Regimen

Strange, it's when I break out that I get more adventurous with skincare products. I have this principle of "don't fix it if it ain't broken" when it comes to my skin. So when my skin is "broken", I try (almost) everything I have in my beauty stash just to zap those zits out.

I received this sample set of Mario Badescu skincare products from one of their workshops. These were the products they recommended for my oily skin. The brand is pretty famous for their Drying Lotion, which even Hollywood celebs swear by! I have yet to try that, so for now, here's my take on these Mario Badescu products.

These travel-sized samples lasted me for about 1-2 weeks - ample time for a review. The original packaging comes in simple bottles, which reminded me of a hybrid between the packaging of Kiehl's and those self-concocted products that most dermatologists sell. I was pleasantly surprised to know that the price range of Mario Badescu isn't expensive considering the value for money and the size of the product your getting.

Now on to the actual reviews:

Notice the sticker labels of the products containing C, O, S, and ALL - those are skin type indicators. C for combination, O for oily, and S for sensitive.

 

 Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel

A refreshing oil controlling cleanser. Our non-foaming gel cleanser is deep cleansing and refreshing for oily skin. Removes make-up, dirt, and oil thoroughly without over drying skin. Exfoliating Alpha Hydroxy formula helps prevent buildup that can cause blackheads and pimples.

How to Use: Twice daily, massage in a circular motion on wet skin, avoiding eye area. Rinse with tepid water. Pat dry and follow with toner or astringent.

Ingredients: Deionized Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Grapefruit (Citrus Grandis Fruit) Extract, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Methylparaben, Propylparaben

I'm used to sulfate-free shampoos and they way they don't bubble up, but for a facial wash this is something new for me. Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel doesn't foam up at all, which took a bit of getting used to. This one's super gentle, but exfoliating as well (without rough beads, but with AHA from grapefruit). The scent is mildly herbal, but it doesn't bother me. This one leaves my skin soft and supple after rinsing, which I like. However, I still feel that I need a separate makeup remover prior to this facial wash for my skin to feel really clean.

Mario Badescu Special Cucumber Lotion

Refreshing, disinfecting and deep cleaning astringent that is effective in drying up existing acne blemishes while preventing new eruptions. Sulfur and soothing Cucumber based, acne fighting formula that is non-drying and non-irritating.

How to Use: Twice daily after cleansing, pat skin dry and apply lotion dampened cotton by wiping in an outward direction until cotton comes up clean. Avoid eye area. Follow with moisturizer or night cream.

Ingredients: Deionized Water (Aqua), Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Sulfate, Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus) Extract, Nonoxynol-9

This toner contains alcohol high up on the ingredients list, but it doesn't make my face feel dry and tight. The cucumber content probably works to combat dryness and soothe the skin. This toner doesn't sting as much as other astringents I've used. My sister commented on the strong alcohol scent as I was applying this to my face using a cotton ball, but again, the scent doesn't bother me since I've used "stronger" toners before. To me, this smells kind of fresh! It effectively removes leftover makeup, cleanser, and dirt off your face. This one also helped dry up my stubborn and sudden cystic acne breakouts around my chin faster.

Mario Badescu Seaweed Night Cream

Hydrate skin while you sleep with our lightweight, oil-free night cream. Elastin, Collagen, and Hyaluronic Acid combine with the vitamins and minerals found in Bladderwrack Extract to nourish dehydrated skin. The result is smooth, dewy, younger-looking skin overnight.

How to Use: Apply daily on clean skin avoiding eye area. If product gets into eyes, rinse well with water.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water,Eau), Glycerin, Isopropyl Myristate, Stearic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Carbomer, Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sodium Benzoate, Triethanolamine, Diazolidinyl Urea, Mica, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 19140 (Yellow 5), CI 42090 (Blue 1), CI 77288 (Chromium Oxide Green)

I wasn't able to try the Oil Free Moisturizer (for day), so I'll just review the Seaweed Night Cream. The night cream I was surprised since it came in a green shade. The cream feels a bit thick, which made me worry a bit since I have oily skin. But still, I trusted the label stating that this is for combination, oily, and sensitive skin types. I used this night cream when my skin felt rough due to the drying cold weather and breakouts (big and small). This didn't aggravate existing pimples, instead, it helped ease the skin (particularly the dry patches) around my pimples. No more flaky skin! It's softer to touch and I could really feel the difference whenever I use this night cream as my skin is more plump and hydrated.

Mario Badescu AHA Botanical Body Soap

AHA Botanical Body Soap is enriched with fresh Fruit Extracts to exfoliate and cleanse the skin. Papaya and Grapefruit Extracts help breakdown dead skin cells to leave skin feeling soft and smooth. Ginseng Extract rejuvenates while Oat Protein soothes sensitive and irritated areas. Excellent choice for those with problem skin on the back, chest and shoulders. Leaves no soapy residue and smells heavenly.

How to Use: Use daily as an all over body wash avoiding face and eyes. Apply to wet skin with a soft cloth, loofah or sponge. Rinse thoroughly.

Beauty Tip: Deep clean and exfoliate areas of body acne by washing with this soap daily and following up with our Special Cleansing Lotion O body astringent. For dry bumpy skin on arms and shoulders, follow shower or bath with Papaya Body Lotion for extra exfoliating and skin smoothing benefits.

Ingredients: Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Deionized Water (Aqua), Ginseng (Panax Ginseng Root) Extract, Grapefruit (Citrus Grandis Fruit) Extract, Papaya (Carica Papaya) Extract, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Oat (Avena Sativa Kernel) Protein

Unlike the Botanical Facial Gel, this one bubbles up. It has a similar but stronger scent compared to the one for the face. At first, I thought this was a regular body wash. Upon doing research, I found out that it was intended for body acne and/or chicken skin. Then, I realized it really worked since the pimple at the back of my neck dried up after around 3 washes with this. And so, I immediately conserved it for my just in case I get bacne moments. No wasting!

If you may have noticed the ingredients list, Mario Badescu products don't boast of multiple actives that are exotic and impossibly hard to pronounce. The products are simple, but they work. That's what I like best about this brand.

For your shopping convenience, Mario Badescu is now available at Sephora online. You get free shipping for orders above P1,300. :)

Love,

Helen