I'm Wild About The Body Shop's Personalized Body Butters + Holiday Collection 2016

I love it when I get personalized presents, no matter how simple they may be. The thoughtful touch will always be very appreciated. This Christmas, The Body Shop makes Christmas shopping easier (and sweeter) as you can now personalize their best-selling body butters to give to your love ones! 🎅 The designs are so cute, too! 🐼

Yesterday, I dropped by The Body Shop's roving Christmas booth to see how it's done and to check out their exciting holiday collection. The booth is currently at SM MOA's Atrium and I think today's the last day before it transfers elsewhere. (YAY because MOA is too far from my place, but I went anyway because it's The Body Shop.😍)

Are you wild about someone? 😉

Personalise your body butter in 3 easy steps!

Step 1: Buy any 200ml or 400ml Body Butter.

Core collection

Read ALL my reviews here: Wild Argan Oil, Blueberry, Honeymania, Brazil Nut, Shea, Chocomania, Duo (discontinued), Cranberry Joy, Satsuma, Mango)

I actually miss the days when I'd review a tiny tub of Body Butter with all my might. That's where I started after all.😄 Every time I'm invited to The Body Shop's events I still feel kilig!

Limited edition (P995)

I have reviewed a LOT of The Body Shop's Body Butters and witnessed their makeovers (starting from over a decade ago). It's easy to fall in love with them because they always leave my dry and flaky skin silky! If I were you, I'd pick from the limited edition pile since they won't be around after Christmas.

From top to bottom, AKA from the order of my favorites from this season's limited edition bath and body collection:

• Vanilla Chai with hand-picked vanilla from Madagascar
• Warm and inviting, this rich scent envelopes the senses. Creamy milk and addictive vanilla are peppered with notes of warm cinnamon, cardamom, ad sweetened with brown sugar for a fragrance your skin will love to drink in.

• Spiced Apple with cold-pressed apple seed oil from the alps
• Quintessentially festive, this mouth-watering scent perfectly captures the season of indulgence. The aroma of freshly baked apples is warmed with notes of cinnamon and freshened with crispness of orange and white flowers for deliciously fragrant blend you'll pick every time.

• Frosted Berries with cranberries from North America
• Irresistibly juicy, this contemporary winter recipe stirs the senses. Balancing fresh notes of cranberry, blackcurrant and raspberry with white flowers, creamy praline and sweet vanilla, it makes for a truly beautiful berry blend.

These 3 are so familiar, but they've managed to combine it with different notes each year, so it's always something new! The vanilla and apple variants are spiced with hints of cinnamon and they smell sweet with a hint of spice. They smell deliciously edible, but please don't taste them! 😋

Before I get any more carried away, here's the next step!

Step 2: Take your Body Butter to the till and a consultant will show you how to make your own personalized label.

Of course, I chose Vanilla Chai! 💛 The scent is deliciously warm, I can't wait for the cooler days to come so I can wrap myself in everything vanilla.

There were 4 animal designs, and of course I chose PANDA! If you're a new reader of my blog, Panda is my boyfriend. Hihi! 

He's crazy about The Body Shop too, and his all-time favorite is the Strawberry Shower Gel.🍓 (Not bamboo!)

The sticker will take about a minute to be finished.

Step 3: Apply the sticker and that's it! You've made your Body Butter wildly different.

 I'm wild about Linx 🐼

These Small Gift Sets (P1,595) are so cute! 🍏🍎

What's amazing is for every specially selected gift you buy this Christmas, The Body Shop will help protect endangered creatures and restore 1 square metre of rainforest.💚

Of course, the holidays aren't compete without new make-up! 💄

Down To Earth Eye Palette (P1,395)

Down To Earth 8 Eye Shade Palette (P1,995)

Matte Colour Crush Lipstick (P795)

Eye Colour Stick (P695)

Matte Lip Liquid Lipstick (P495)

YES! The Body Shop also has matte liquid lipsticks and the 11 shades are absolutely gorgeous!

I swatched ALL shades for YOU! 💋 My first picks were the nudes, but they didn't go well with my pale skin even if they looked stunning on others. (No fair!) I was recommended the underrated shade Goa Magnolia (8th from the left), which is a deep berry pink. It looked really lovely and is my kind of pink. My favorite from the range has to be the deep and dark Sicily Iris - the tube almost looks black! 😲 It came as a surprise, too. I thought it would look patchy, but it applied evenly on my lips. It lasted long until I got home and I even ate but it's still there. I love it. Huhu. When it was finally time to remove it with a makeup remover, I got sad because feeling ko nabawasan yung ganda ko. HAHA! I want to avoid the mall at all costs because I hate traffic, but oh well. I need it. LOL. I think it's currently on sale at P350, but I'm not sure if its for everyone or Love Your Body Club members only. 😗

Sooooo... Are you curious about the personalize your Body Butter or the Matte Lip Liquid Lipsticks? Haha 😆 Follow The Body Shop on Facebook and @thebodyshopph on IG to be updated on the schedule of the next roving Christmas booth. Who knows, I might see you there! 🎄

Thank you for these, The Body Shop! 💋

Love,
Helen

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"Pretty Looks" Dupe for Less Than P600!

Guys, I've found a Pretty Looks dupe for less than P600! 😮 You know the ads you see on Facebook where they show perfectly tattooed brows? I've had mine done before and it was an expensive beauty investment that I'm still happy about. But I've found one that works as nicely, without the long-term commitment. Curious?

It's the Etude House Tint My Brows Gel! This one's actually my super early Christmas gift for my sister because she asked for it. So the swatches you'll see later are her brows, not mine.

Etude House Tint My Brows Gel in #3 Gray Brown

There are 3 shades, and the first two (Brown and Light Brown) were more on the brownish side which turns yellow in time. My hair is pure black, but as I was purchasing, the SA pushed me to get the Brown shade, which I declined. 😛 My sister has dark brown hair, she she wouldn't want to be sporting yellowish brows, so Gray Brown was the safest bet.

 

New concept eyebrow gel tint that makes eyebrow makeup last long after removing the tint.

The packaging was really simple. There was no hint of cuteness, but it's alright because it serves its purpose. The expiry date is printed on the tube, and based on the box this product is good for 12 months after first use. I think otherwise, because the testers were already goopy. I think this will be usable for about 3 to 6 months. The applicator is a simple brush and it applies the product nicely.

With this product, you have to have brows that are already shaped well. For beginners, I'd still recommend using a brow pencil or powder since this kind of tint might be complicated. This one's for those who are used to doing their brows but are tired of drawing them everyday. 😁 This product smells surprisingly good, despite its gooey black look.

What you have to do is to clean your face first so the tint has a smooth surface (free from oil and dust) to adhere to. Be generous when applying the tint, since it dries up and would be easier to pull out if it's a thick layer. Dry it for at least 2 hours, or even overnight if sigurista ka. If you make a mistake, make sure to wipe it away before it sets on your skin.

After it dries, remove it starting from your inner brows. Do not remove it forcibly since it may pull out the eyebrow.

TENEN! Not bad for a first-timer. My sister is a fan of Korean brows, hence the low arch.

 

The finished product uncannily looks like my tattooed brows right now. Do not use facial wash on your brows within 24 hours from using this product, or else it will sting. She used this product in the evening, and when she washed her face in the morning, she forgot about the facial wash tip, and a bit of her brow's tail got erased, but no biggie. She just reapplied a bit of the product on her brows for less than an hour, and everything was good. (Her brows looked more natural after washing her face.) I think this tint will last her 2 to 3 days. Sarap gumising ng may kilay. Haha 😊 So far, she's happy and I'm amazed.

Price: P528

Available at all Etude House stores nationwide

Love,
Helen

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Happy List: Christmassy Things I Saw at Landers

Off topic, I just found out that Blogspot now has Emojis. Cute! 🎄

Yesterday, I did a grocery run with Panda and Desi at Landers Balintawak (which is surprisingly walking distance from my house). So to brands who hold events in Makati or Fort, you can see how much I love you when I decide to show up. 😉

I spotted a lot of "Christmassy" things, so this can serve as your cheat sheet when you're looking for Christmas gifts on your next visit to Landers. (Their branch in Otis is now open, so you don't have to go all the way to Quezon City if you live in Manila.) I'll include the prices for your reference. 🎅 And no, this post won't have anything to do with Christmas lights, Christmas balls, ham, queso de bola, and fruitcake. Everything here is Helen approved! 😊

1. Hershey's Kisses Mint Truffle (P300) 🍫

OMG! They're back! I've been buying this every year since I first saw it way back 2009! And it's the first time they've changed their packaging from this:

Both versions look fine with me, but I remember them being cheaper last year, like at around P230 per pack in other supermarkets. I guess I'll have to wait first for other places to carry this item before buying. 😀 (As you can see, I really scout for minty things.)

But if you can't wait, by all means, go hoard! 🙊 They have a LOT of stocks on the shelves as of yesterday.

2. Crayola Gingerbread House Kit (P700)

This one's so cute! No baking required. Haha! I want to give this to my niece, but I think I'm the one who really wants it.

3. Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa Mix in Mint Chocolate (6 Envelopes) (P247) ☕

I've seen this last year, and it's still so cute! The tin is making it expensive, though. I just want my choco mint fix, please.

4. Owl White Coffee Peppermint (8 Sachets) (P240) ⛄

When I saw this, I forgot I even wanted the cute box of Swiss Miss Mint Chocolate because this one's a MUSIC BOX! 🎶

LOOK! :D It's legit! Now I don't even know hot the White Coffee Peppermint tastes like, but you can never go wrong with peppermint. ;)

5. Welch's Limited Edition Mocktail (P190) 🍸

Last year's holiday edition was just their red and white sparkling juice in festive packaging at S&R (which I regretted not getting, and ended up buying the plain one since that was the only one available at Landmark). This year's sparkling mocktails come in 4 flavors, and I want to try ALL of them: Sangria, Mango Bellini, Piña Colada, and Strawberry Daiquiri. I was able to try Strawberry Daiquiri and it was good! We even got to mix it with a mango drink at the cafe, and it was amazing! 

6. Ferrero Rocher (in holiday packaging)

Ferrero Rocher is a gift that's given on any and every occasion. I am not fond of nuts, but I'd take Ferrero Rocher any day. Sarap eh! Ang mahal lang. They come up with very classy packaging. The gift box is around P240, and the Christmas tree is around P670 if I remember it correctly.

The next ones aren't exactly Christmas-themed, but the caught my attention as well and you can certainly give them as gifts, too.

7. Hubba Bubba Bubble Tape (P60)

These are so nostalgic! Imagine, 6 feet of sugary fun. My teeth says no, but my heart says yes! I still think that the Awesome Original flavor is the best. The green one in Sour Green Apple comes in a glittery packaging.

8. Altoids Peppermint Tin (P100) & Ice Breakers in Wintergreen and Coolmint (P110)

You might stop buying these from Candy Corner, they're cheaper here!

9. Hoegaarden Rosée 750ml (P400) 🌹

Me encanta! Pink beer! 😍 I don't know if it's good, but I want to try the individual can first before getting this big bottle. I didn't see it in stock though!

10. Herbs 🌿

Merry Christmas! From this angle, the display reminds me of a skinny Christmas tree. Each pot of herb costs P85. It's my dream to have a garden of herbs, vegetables, and even fruits so I can just pick some outside and cook. For now, this will do. 😛 I think my Mom would like this very much! How convenient it would be for cooking. 👍

Hope you enjoyed this Happy List! 💖 Which one is your favorite?

Facebook: Landers Superstore
Instagram: @landersph

Love,
Helen

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Now Baking: Betty Crocker Hershey's Cookies 'n' Creme Cookie Mix

Being a taong bahay has its perks. For one, I'm learning new life skills like never before! Now I can cook for my sisters. I like coming up with new pasta dishes by making use of what we have at home (and decluttering our ref at the same time). Just this week, I made Chap Chae, which my Dad approved of! :D

One cooking (or baking) experiment I enjoyed is baking Betty Crocker Hershey's Cookies 'n' Creme Premium Cookie Mix! I first saw it while I was scrolling through Facebook, where Rowena posts her home-cooked dishes. (Mukhang masarap lahat, promise!) So I hurriedly looked for it on my next grocery run. I found a lot of stocks at Landmark Supermarket in Trinoma, and each box costs only P178.50! Yay!

Instructions:
 

 
Ingredients:
 

To bake the cookies, you'll just need 1 egg and 1/3 cup butter! Plus the cookie mix, of course.

The box says, "Do not eat raw cookie dough." So I tried the white chocolate chips before mixing it. Hoho

Just use a spoon to mix the ingredients. After blending it all together, you can start baking!

Because it was my first time to bake, I was so worried why my oven was smoking. Scary. I Googled it and it turned out to be normal. I followed the instructions in the box and set my temperature at 350°F. It turned out to be too hot, so my first batch of cookies were so brown. LOL Also, when the cookies came out of the oven, I poked them and they seemed soft. So akala ko hilaw pa, and I baked them again for a few minutes. (Yun pala normal lang for them to be soft at first and they will harden upon cooling.)

My second batch turned out to be more decent, but flat. Huhu. I froze the dough first to save it for next time. (You can freeze cookie dough for up to 3 months.)

I went to DeAntonni Hobby Cafe yesterday, where their resident baker/owner Desi helped me bake the rest of the cookie dough. (All the cakes you see in the cafe, she bakes from scratch! Not like me who loves shortcuts. Haha) Guys, I swear she has magic hands.

Look how pretty the cookies are! :D She adjusted the temperature to 325°F, which resulted to cookies that are crisp on the edge and chewy on the inside. Sarap!

The box says we can come up with 2 dozen 2-inch cookies. In total, we were able to make 32 pieces of regular-sized cookies from 1 box! Yay. Ubos na. :P

That was really fun! Do share more baking tips with me! :D

Love,

Helen

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