Saturday, March 31, 2012

Hit Pan: March 2012

I began doing these "Hit Pan" posts starting this January, and this is my third one. It has become a month-end ritual for me. I use lots of beauty products, and I feel like it's an accomplishment sticking to one and finishing it. I have yet to finish a makeup product; all of these are personal care items. Because of beauty blogging, I get to try many products, and if a product does not work out for me, I try to find others who might find a better use for it so it won't be a waste (which therefore never gets hit panned by me).


These are the products that I've used up this month:



1. Human Nature Natural Strengthening Shampoo
I used this together with its matching conditioner (which I emptied last January). The strengthening shampoo and conditioner do not smell as fragrant as conventional hair care products, and even it's green (grassy) scent does not linger. I had this experience of riding the jeepney on a sunny lunch hour, and the smell of smoke and sweat sticked to my hair like crazy, I had to tie it. (That's one problem of those who commute in Manila.) I wish this shampoo would have a fresher scent that lingers, because it would be perfect that way. I like the fact that it's sulfate-free (which is friendly for colored and chemically-treated hair). My hair color won't easily fade or turn brassy when I use this duo. This range is also less drying compared to conventional shampoos. Although I like this product, I still think I can find better alternatives for it.


2. Snoe Hair Heroes Intense Argan Oil
This is one of the best products I've used for my hair. It's a cleansing conditioner, somewhat like a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner, so it lets me skip my regular shampoo once in a while. (I can't totally skip shampoo forever though, since my hair would be an oily mess by then.) It has a strong, soapy, clean scent that I am very fond of. It keeps my hair soft, and my waves more defined. Snoe has a new variant of Hair Heroes (Extreme) with Emu and Acai, but it's a straightening balm, so I think I'll stick to this red one since I'd like to keep my waves.


3. The Body Shop Shea Shower Cream
I love shower gels/creams because they don't leave a layer of scum on my skin. I think the previous bar soaps and conventional hair care products I used before was the cause of my bacne (which is now gone). This one from The Body Shop smells warm and comforting, and would go very well with their Chocomania lotion or body butter.


4. Human Nature Natural Feminine Wash
This big bottle lasted approximately 2 months in our home (with 6 ladies using it). Like I said before, I won't be shifting back to chemical feminine washes, ever. Once you've tried this underrated product, there's no turning back. This is the second big bottle we've emptied at home.


5. Human Nature Spray Sanitizer in Citrus Burst
This is the second small bottle I've used up, but as of now I have not repurchased because of my little project here. But if ever I had to get another bottle of hand sanitizer, I would purchase this one, but in Juicy Burst (with a berry scent). This hand sanitizer is liquid and comes in a spray-type bottle, so there's definitely no stickiness, unlike the gel-type hand sanitizers.


6. Human Nature Body Butter in Mango
This was emptied with the help of my Mom, who loves this product even more than I do. I adore the scent of this mango body butter because it smells like real mango dessert. It's an okay moisturizer, but I find it weird that a body salve this thick can't make the dry patches around my legs disappear. There must be something lacking. A bit of sunflower oil, maybe? Maybe my skin got "immune" to its moisturizing effects after a few weeks, so my Mom traded her The Body Shop Body Butter in Mango with me (which I emptied last year). I'll share with you all one product I've recently tried that worked better than Human Nature's Body Butter, yet with a lighter texture. (Guess what, it's from Human Nature, too!)

Care to share about the product you've hit panned this month?

Love,
Helen

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Pepper Lunch Express in Trinoma

My Dad and I were walking around Trinoma one time and he spotted Pepper Lunch Express in the Food Choices area of the mall. We got very excited and immediately fell in line. I've been meaning to try Pepper Lunch for the longest time, and I'm very happy that they opened up a mini-branch in Trinoma (my neighbor mall). It was not even lunch time then; it was almost 4PM in the afternoon but we ordered Beef Pepper Rice (as snack?). See, I ought to gain some weight at this rate, but I don't.


Pepper Lunch Express never runs out of customers no matter what time it is. The prices of their dishes are significantly lower than that of their free standing stores, and the servings are a little less. I have no problems with the serving size though; it's just right.



My Dad and I ordered the same thing so I did not take a picture of his dish anymore. Upon ordering and paying at the counter, your dish will be handed to you in about 5 minutes. Express lunch at its best!


You could also see through their glass window how they prepare your dish while you wait.


And here's my favorite dish from Pepper Lunch Express: Beef Pepper Rice!


I had to hurry and mix things up (like the butter hidden under the layer of corn to the raw strips of beef). Make sure to mix them since you would not want to end up with overcooked beef. Since I don't like any form of sauce in general, I decided to not put any (like the garlic one), and just mix it as it is.


Beef Pepper Rice smelled good and tasted even better. I like the thin strips of beef and lots of corn to go with it. Seeing these pictures again makes me crave for another serving of Beef Pepper Rice!

What's your favorite dish from Pepper Lunch?

Love,
Helen

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Snoe Suntervention Bloggers Convention

Our summer weather has been so weird lately; it's scorching hot one day, then rainy, then sunny again. We're not supposed to have stormy weather during summer! Better take good care of our health at times like these. Last Saturday, beauty bloggers were invited to Snoe's Suntervention Bloggers Convention for some fun under the sun. That was the idea, but that afternoon, it was so gloomy, dark, and rainy, but even the weather could never spoil the fun that Snoe had planned for us! This event marked the launch of Snoe's newest sunblock, SunTervention with SPF 80++.


Upon reaching our destination, we were greeted with these sunny tropical cocktails, which were handed to us by equally yummy beach boys.

Photo Credit: Snoe

There was also a lash bar wherein the attendees got to try out Snoe's Flash On false lashes. I was already wearing mascara, but was more than game to try the lashes on since my real lashes were practically non-existent. My baby niece's lashes are even longer than mine! These false lashes could last you up to a year with proper care, and that's a very long time. I'm not sure if it was the Giselle variant that I tried, but I will write a separate post on that soon.




After putting on some lashes, we had the chance to take a picture from the photo booth. Of course, the boys had to be in the picture!


As the program started, one interesting thing I discovered that day was that some of Snoe's sales staff had a special talent which was fire dancing!


Another the exciting part of the event were the games. Char, Clair, Hannah, and Mich were tasked to put on Snoe SunTervention all over the guys for sun protection. Always remember, we all need SPF even though it's not sunny!


Then Bec, Martha, Kai, and Donna toweled dry the boys so they won't catch a cold after their swim. Yes, they were all lucky ladies!


There were also yummy food served, and I super liked the chicken and the ensaymada.


Snoe has a couple of new products that will soon hit their counters! Check out the ones I encircled in pink below.


There's the new Snoe SunTervention Serious Sun Protection with SPF 80++. It's actually SPF 87, but SPF 80++ looks better and hindi butal. SunTervention contains Titanium and Zinc Oxide (non-chemical sunscreen ingredients) that has minimal to no risk in causing allergic reactions and is safe for the skin.

Photo Credit: Snoe

There's also a new variant of Hair Heroes! It's Snoe Hair Heroes Extreme with Emu and Acai for distressed hair and scalp. It's a cleansing conditioner, after shampoo conditioning rinse, deep treatment mask, leave on treatment, and straightening balm with zero sulfates. This would be great for ladies who love straightening their hair with hair dryers/irons since it protects the hair from heat.

Photo Credit: Snoe

If you loved Snoe's line of fragrances, then this would be delicious news for you. Their Body Ritual Recipes range has expanded to 6 scents: NEW Tropical Cocktail (same scent as Snoe Here Comes the Sunblock), Vanilla & Butterscotch, NEW Strawberry Smoothie, Passion Fruit Parfait, NEW Nectarine Ginger Tea, and Honeydew Melon Yogurt. My favorite would still be the Honeydew Melon Yogurt scent, but I think the Strawberry Smoothie's color is totally adorable!

Photo Credit: Snoe

These scents are also available as Whipped Body Frosting, Honey Bath Syrup, and Hair and Body Glaze. The Hair and Body Glaze is a dry oil mist, a must-try because it's non-sticky yet moisturizing. Perfect for summer!

Some of the new products to be released are the foaming hand wash (like bigger versions of their foaming hand sanitizers) and Oh My Wash Intimate Wash, which is the most kikay feminine wash I have ever seen!

We were given Snoe money which we used for shopping in the mini store they've set up for us. The Snoe money were so cute that I wanted to keep it, but of course spending it would be the wisest thing to do!

Photo Credit: Snoe

And here's where we all got crazy:



I think there was no one who had an easy time shopping here, faced with this much beauty products. If only I had unlimited money then I would have bought them all!

Each blogger took home a tube of Snoe's SunTervention, and after much deliberation, I decided to get these essentials!

NEW! Snoe Emu.Cleanse Foaming Cream Wash (P199.00)
NEW! Snoe Star Night Star Bright Night Perfecting Toner (P179.00)
NEW! Snoe SunTervention Serious Sun Protection SPF 80++
Snoe Magic Apple Whitening S-rub (P179.00)
NEW! Snoe Body Ritual Recipes Hair and Body Glaze in Honeydew Melon Yogurt (P199.00)

My day won't be complete without pictures with my blogger friends. It was so nice to finally meet them in person. :)

With Mich and Genn

With Janine
(Photo Credit: Janine)

With Aya

With Tara and Bec


With Krystle

With Ms. Jen, CEO of Snoe

It was a super fun and kikay day thanks to Snoe! I am so excited to review their newest products. For the meantime, do like their Facebook page for more updates. :)

Love,
Helen

Summer Sale: Ensembles | Freeway | Solo

Sun, Sand, Sea, and SALE are some things I love about summer. Ensembles, Freeway, and Solo are having a Big Summer Sale from March 28 to April 8, 2012 in their Metro Manila stores. It's just in time for Holy Week before all of you head over to your vacation destinations.




Get up to 50% off on selected items. Happy shopping! :)

Love,
Helen

Monday, March 26, 2012

Get Your Perfect Foundation Shade With Estee Lauder

Last Saturday, Estee Lauder hosted a small public event called "Get Your Perfect Foundation Shade" in the Estee Lauder Counter at Rustans Makati. I've always wondered what my perfect shade was, but I get easily intimidated by the more high end cosmetic brand counters so I end up not trying out their products and just sticking to my trusted drugstore brands. Good thing Estee Lauder gave us the opportunity to find our perfect match!


I arrived at Rustans Makati a little over 2PM and I met up with Gie. It was our first time to meet each other and we bonded over makeup, which was fun! We both approached the counter and asked about the event.



We availed of the two-minute touch up foundation, wherein we sampled the perfect formula and shade for our skin tone. Since we were wearing makeup, Marie of the Estee Lauder counter used Estee Lauder's Take It Away Gentle Cleansing Milk to remove the makeup we had near our jawline and reapplied the foundation shade that matched our skin.



Since I had oily and not so perfect skin, the ideal foundation for me was Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup SPF 10 in Sand. This foundation is long-wearing (15 hours), gives a medium coverage, and has a natural, semi-matte finish.



I also learned that I had warm skin tone, therefore the actual shade was 2W1 Sand 36.


I liked how this foundation matched my skin and felt light while giving me the coverage I need. I like that it's long-wearing so I won't worry about looking as if my foundation has melted off my face. Foundations are definitely a splurge item in my kit because it goes all over my face, and after road-testing this one for a day, I'm glad that my skin is okay with it. I'll still have to try it out for a longer time so I'll see if it's worth the investment.


After trying out the foundation, Gie and I received a complimentary 10-day sample of our shade of foundation and 3 sachet samples of Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex. This serum was meant to prevent signs of aging so I can use it even if I'm just in my early 20s.


I and Marie

Gie and Marie

Bec arrived a little while after we were done trying out the foundations and she had her turn in trying out her shade of foundation. I just realized that we didn't have a picture together here because we dashed off to another event afterwards. Thank you, Marie for assisting us and being nice and accommodating. I'm happy with my first Estee Lauder experience and I'm looking forward to more beauty events like this in the future. :)

Love,
Helen

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Freebie Beauty Haul

I seldom do haul posts, but a freebie haul post is a must. :D

Early this week, I gave two bottles of (almost brand new and barely used) fragrances to our helper because she might find better use for it. The same day, I won this bottle of perfume from Northern Living Magazine! Northern Living caters to those who are living in the metro North. This magazine is all about fashion, beauty, retail, food and dining, health and fitness, home and entertainment, art, personal profiles, and other lifestyle offerings. Subscription is FREE, you only have to pay a minimum amount for delivery. Like them on Facebook so you'd be updated with their current issues and promos.


These items arrived a day after I won. (Hooray for lightning speed delivery!) Thank you, Northern Living!

Tous L'eau de Toilette 50ml and Tous Journal


There are three variants of this Tous fragrance range. I got the green one, which has a citrus scent. I like fresh scents so I'll see how this one works out for me. I like the journal too because it looks so posh with its mint green cover and metal ball charm. I like writing in notebooks with no lines so this one's super nice.

Yesterday, I received an unexpected package from Human Nature. I was surprised and I so wanted to see what was inside. I got two of their newest product for review. Thank you, Human Nature! I'm very excited to review these items!

Human Nature Deodorant in Aloe Fresh 50ml
Human Nature Healthy Lotion in Berry Bliss 50ml

Because I am a body butter fanatic, I rarely use lotion so I'm curious to see how this one will work for my super dry body skin. (Body skin, because my facial skin is oily.) I'm liking both the scents of these products. The deo smells super fresh, and the lotion smells so sweet and fruity.

Last night, I attended Nuffnang's special screening of The Hunger Games in Shang Cineplex. I did not read the book prior to watching the movie so I was super glued to the screen. The movies was very nice and interesting and I would not spoil any part of it for you. Go watch it! I'm a new fan of The Hunger Games. These two items were part of my goodie bag from Banana Boat and Schick. (I gave the Schick razor and shaving foam to my dad so they're not included in the picture.)

Banana Boat Ultra Protect Sunscreen Lotion SPF 80 PA+++
Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 110 PA+++

I now have no excuse to not go to the beach, thanks to Banana Boat, Schick, and Nuffnang!

I shall review these products soon so watch out for it! :)

Love,
Helen