Get Confident and Intimate with Priva Perfect Care

February finally draws to a close. For sure, everyone would want to keep the fire of love month burning all-year round! Just last week, I received an extra special package from Toni Gonzaga-Soriano containing her secrets for a romantic ritual.

"Your love is my light, sun of all my mornings, fire of all my nights."

 -Brenda Gonzalez-Quintero 
 

When one visualizes a romantic setting, a scented candle always comes to mind! But there is something else you need if you want to level up on those intimate moments. It would take more than merely magic or chemistry to make things work if you really want to get really close. Is it freedom from dark secrets, a firm resolve to spice things up, or a pump of multi-confidence?
 

When you become more conscious of intimate care, bar soap isn't enough. I'm actually on the last few drops of my Priva Skin Lightening and Cooling Intimate Wash when this package arrived. (So timely!) I'm fond of the pink variant because it contains glutathione and natural strawberry extract to lighten dark skin areas. The blue variant, Priva Skin Firming and Cooling Intimate Wash, contains collagen and Kwao Krua. Their newest release, Priva Perfect Care 2-in-1 Intimate Wash, is their most advanced variant yet, and is the best of both worlds!

The NEW Priva Perfect Care 2-in-1 Intimate Wash is the first multi-benefit feminine wash specially formulated with glutathione that helps lighten dark skin areas and collagen to help improve smoothness of the skin. It provides leveled up confidence because it effectively addresses the intimate care needs of our lady bits. Admit it, lightening and smoothening your skin down there would be a huge confidence boost. (Now if someone would create an intimate wash that would make the hair disappear forever. That would be even more perfect. Haha!)
 

Priva Perfect Care smells mild and clean - nothing over the top. It has the usual liquid but not watery texture and it foams up quite nicely. It's gentle and it doesn't irritate or dry my skin. It has Revitacool, which gives me an instant fresh and cool sensation with every wash. (Actually, all Priva variants are cooling, too.) Priva is tested by OB-Gynecologists to be safe and effective for everyday use. They say skin improvement results can be seen in as early as 2 weeks; I think it'll take longer than that, but I don't mind.

Priva is for the woman who wants more - and gets it! It is the premium feminine wash used for everyday care of the intimate area with added benefits that specifically address their leveled-up needs. Priva goes beyond cleansing, and is the superior choice when it comes to meaningful intimate care benefits. It’s definitely high time for Perfect Care down there!

The NEW Priva Perfect Care 2-in-1 Intimate Wash is available in 60mL (P69) and 150mL (P149), and is available in all leading supermarkets and beauty stores nationwide.

Love,
Helen
 

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Current Skincare Routine

Here's my updated skincare routine for 2016. I've actually been using these products everyday for the past few months. It's a mix of drugstore products, because you don't have burn your wallet just to have a good complexion. :D

For makeup remover: SAVE or SPLURGE
 

I have oily skin so I like to use something light and refreshing for my entire face, just like Bifesta Sebum Cleansing Lotion. It's a 2-in-1 product - cleanser and toner, and it actually feels just like water! You can just apply this using a cotton pad to cut short your skincare routine for tired nights and/or for when you have something done on your face (AKA eyebrow threading or tattoo) and can't wet your face. Super handy! It's efficient, and I like it a lot since it removes my everyday light makeup quickly. (My everyday makeup is devoid of any eye makeup, so that's another story.)

For days when I wear heavy waterproof makeup and/or eye makeup (shimmer eyeshadow, liner, and mascara), Bifesta Sebum Cleansing Lotion is not enough. To prevent tugging, I reach for my potent cleansing oil, Shu Uemura Whitefficient Skin Purifier, to remove my makeup with minimal effort. As in, it melts off my makeup in seconds. This is also a 2-step product: makeup remover and facial cleanser. You first apply it as oil all over your face (or on your eyes and lips, if you prefer), massage to loosen the makeup, emulsify it with water, and rinse off. A little goes a long way with this one, so a big bottle will last you months.

For makeup removers, you can SAVE because there are a lot of options that will get the job done, but SPEND if you want to save time and get it done with minimal effort. 
 

Bifesta Sebum Cleansing Lotion (P419)
 

Shu Uemura Whitefficient Skin Purifier
 

For facial wash: SAVE

Belo Essentials AcnePro Pimple-Fighting Gel Face Wash (P99.75)
 

Don't fall for facial cleansers that promise you the world. At the end of the day, all they do is wash off dirt and oil from your face, while the fancy ingredients only sit for about a minute on your face. For my facial wash, I just use whatever is on the sink. This time, it's from Belo AcnePro. I like that it cleanses without drying out my skin, but I honestly prefer a less-scented foamier one. This gel fomula lathers up a bit, and it takes me more product than usual to get it to foam up and remove all the oil from my face. The good side is that this one's not drying at all considering it's an anti-acne product. It's also unique since its active ingredient is purified bee venom, a natural ingredient that fights pimples and reduces inflammation. 
  
For toner: SPEND
 

Tony Moly AC Control Whitening Toner (P898)
 

Toner restores the skin's PH balance after washing (usually with soap, which is alkaline). Our skin has a thin, protective layer on its surface, referred to as the acid mantle. Toner removes leftover dirt, oil, and makeup our cleanser might have skipped, thus minimizing breakouts. They also prime the skin for it to absorb moisturizer better. I like Tony Moly AC Control Whitening Toner since it makes my skin feel soft! I've used up this bottle to the last drop, and I loved how mild and gentle it is. Long term use also resulted to lighter post-acne marks. 

For eye cream: SPEND
 

Bioderma Sensibio Eye Contour Gel (P1,248)
 

Bioderma is a French drugstore skincare brand. Bioderma Sensibio Eye Contour Gel is for sensitive skin. It's hydrating and it has a light gel cream texture that feels refreshing on the eyes. It moisturizes my skin without feeling oily, so I can use this even during daytime under makeup. It is gentle as it didn't irritate my eye area - no itchiness, no milia. Puffy eyes aren't my biggest problem, so I can't tell if it really depuffs, but it doesn't lighten dark circles. Overall, this is a basic eye cream; it moisturizes gently and prevents wrinkles. 

For pimple/spot treatment: SAVE

Nature Republic Bee Venom Treatment Spot (P525)
 

I picked this product up on whim during Nature Republic's launch at Robinsons Place Manila. Little did I know that my sister and I will be using this almost everyday. Yes. We all love this!

For starters, this one is made of MD Water (Alps Matterhorn Glacier Water) and 77% Bee Venom Complex. The ingredients list is extremely long, but it's mostly filled with natural extracts from plants. This product is a spot treatment, and I use it for zits that have reared their ugly head, and those that have yet to come (when I feel a bump forming). It flattens pimples before they fully emerge. It works in drying out my pimples in 2-3 days. It has a gel cream texture that absorbs well. It doesn't dry the skin surrounding the zit, nor does it sting or leave a dark post-acne mark. The packaging comes in a hygienic squeeze tube with a slim nozzle to dispense the right amount of product. The best part is that it contains 30ml worth of product. This could last me over a year; but then again, my two sisters steal this from me every night. It's super effective and it has been keeping my skin clear for over 3 months. Now, I want the entire Nature Republic Bee Venom range!

For moisturizer: SAVE
 

Pond's Flawless White Dewy Rose Gel (P399)

I say SAVE because moisturizers don't go into deeper layers of the skin. (Serums do.) This one's my unexpected favorite light moisturizer. The only Pond's product I've ever used consistently was their cold cream and this! I was initially apprehensive of using this one at first since its rose smell was kind of strong for a face product, but I tried it anyway. I'm happy to say that I'm now halfway through with my third tub, and I'm planning to repurchase. They came out with a cream version of this with SPF (interesting), but I'd still go for the gel formula because of my oily skin. This moisturizer absorbs quickly, and the scent goes away in a minute. It keeps my skin hydrated but never shiny. The gel formula feels cooling, too!

I've also spotted a nice promo from Pond's at Landmark Trinoma. Get a free exclusive rose gold sling bag when you buy P500 worth of Pond's Flawless White products inclusive of 25g BB Cream. I've been lemming for the Ponds Flawless White BB Cream in Light since Julia reviewed it, so now's the perfect time to shop! :D 
 
Love,

Helen

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Valentine's Day at Sip & Gogh

Every Valentine's Day used to be boring for me. I'd usually head straight home and be a hermit, avoiding all the traffic, chaos, and overpriced menus for that particular day. I've always convinced myself that I'm not the romantic type, that I was a chill girl. But then, I also liked chocolates and flowers. At the end of the day, I'm still a girly girl. My Panda knew, and between us, I think he's the sweeter one.

We both like Japanese food and have a shared love for sushi, especially salmon sashimi! Omakase in Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato is our default go-to place because they can do no wrong. The mainstay in our every order is always Dynamite Roll! We went here again for our pre-Valentine's day date.

Last Sunday, our choir was scheduled to sing 愛喜樂生命, and before the song offering, my Panda surprised me with flowers, pralines, and a love letter. :> We had a quick lunch at Happy Lulu with my family, and headed straight to Sip & Gogh Ayala Heights for our date.

I was surprised to find out that Sip & Gogh Ayala Heights is just located so close to my office in Commonwealth, and just about 30 minutes away from my place.

House rules are pretty simple and fun: (1) Paint, (2) Sip, and (3) Laugh!

We went during an Open Session, which meant we could pick any painting from their wall to recreate!

Sip & Gogh makes use of acrylic paint. This type of paint can be thinned with just water. It has no scent, and it dries quickly.

Getting ready!

Since we both dream of going to Japan in the future, we were both inspired to paint sakura scenery. These were the masterpieces we were going to copy! Each session comes with a complimentary first drink of your choice (wine, fruit juice, or soda) and snack like this cheese platter.

I was actually wondering how I could accomplish such a nice painting, since all I can draw are stick people. The last time I painted was when I was in Grade 2, where I painted an "under the sea" scene on pad paper using watercolor. As for my Panda, I had no doubts about his artistic skills, even if he told me this was his first time to do a legit painting on canvas. The artists/staff at Sip & Gogh were very supportive and they won't judge. For starters, they'd draw 2 basic lines like these, and they'll tell you from there which part to shade with which color, and the types of strokes to make. With this experience, I learned that you can make a decent painting with just 3 brushes!

I won't bore you with the steps, you have to experience it for yourself. Painting is very therapeutic and FUN!

Linx '16

Helen '16

I had the bench modified into a couple holding hands. That's us in Japan! :D

And here are our mandatory mugshots! Very happy with the outcome of our artworks. :D

This date was different and it's my favorite to date. (Thank you, Panda!) Why watch a movie when you can paint?

Panda! ❤

We'll be back for sure! Next time, we want to try Paint Your Date or Date 2 Create! :D Visit sipandgogh.com and Like Sip & Gogh Ayala Heights on Facebook for more information.

Love,
Helen

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Cafe Kumori at SM The Block

My sister once raved about a cheesecake she bought from SM Makati. She couldn't remember the name, but when we passed by The Block last month, she got all excited by the restaurant that was under construction then, which was Cafe Kumori! :D Kumori has stalls in SM and Landmark Makati, and here in SM North EDSA, they opened a cafe last January 31! I couldn't be happier with this, since it's so near our place! I dropped by yesterday, and for a Tuesday, there were a lot of people in the store.
 

I wanted to take photos of the store to show my Dad, since he's a huge fan of bread and he loves hoarding them at Breaktalk and Tous les Jours. Competition is on! :D After he saw these photos, he became sad because he was at SM North last Sunday, and wasn't able to pass by the area. I asked him which bread he liked so I could buy some for him today, and he said "ALL". :o

Self-service for the bread station. So fun! :3 The breads and pastries all look so fresh and soft. I was surprised with the prices too, I didn't expect them to be affordable. Happy problem here. Haha :D

Blueberry Brioche (P51)
 

Kadawari Cream Bun (P37)
 

Croissant (P49) & Pan O Chocolate (P55)
 

Choco Bo (P30)
 

Fuwa-Fuwa Chocolate (P48)
 

Fuwa-Fuwa Cream Bun (P48)
 

Apple Bun (P45)
 

Salmon Bonito (P55)
 

Crabstick Bun (P58)
 

Cheesy Ham & Mushroom Bun (P49)

Cheesy Sausage Bun (P47)
 

Caramel Crunch (P750, whole; P115, mini)

Apple Crumble (P99)
 

Hanjuku Cheese (P240, 5 pieces; P48, 1 piece)
 

Krone (P49)

Salted Cheesecake Yakigashi (P85) & Marshmallow Choco Yakigashi (P82)
 

I honestly wanted to try almost everything in store! On my list are the Kadawari Cream Bun, Fuwa-Fuwa Chocolate, Apple Bun (so cute!), Salmon Bonito, and Crabstick Bun. And the cakes and drinks, too! But on my first visit, I got these cutie little cakes first for my Panda. I initially wanted to get these on Saturday, but I figured that stocks will run out once Valentine's Day comes, so I bought them ASAP. Haha! I will be back today for the breads! Wait for me... :D

Note: I was able to try the Hanjuku Cheese! It was really a #biteintoclouds experience. The small piece is worth it since it literally melts in your mouth. 
 

Cafe Kumori just gave me an excuse to drop by SM The Block more frequently after work! Like Kumori Philippines on Facebook for more information.

Love,

Helen 

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