Buy Figaro Treats With Globe Reward Points!

I've been a Globe prepaid subscriber since 2001, and up until now I'm still using the same and only SIM card I've had since I was in Grade 5. It's been 12 years since I've had the same number, and though my SIM card is already yellow with age (it used to be white), I hope I could keep it for a few more years. I should really get a loyalty award from Globe, but only postpaid subscribers have that kind of thing. 

Right now, Globe has a rewards program for all their subscribers so that's better than nothing. MyRewards MyGlobe entitles each subscriber to earn points for every reload, and you can use these points to claim rewards. Over the year, I've accumulated a little over 1000 points (with the help of my family), and time came that I needed to finally use it since it would expire by the end of the month.

It was very timely as a week or two before the points would expire, I received a text message from Globe stating that I could claim Figaro treats in Figaro SM North EDSA and Tomas Morato using my Globe Reward Points. The so-called "exchange rate" for this promo was also very nice, as 1 point=1 peso! That means, each point is just good as cash when it comes to purchasing anything from Figaro.

The procedure was very easy. You'd just order as usual, and tell the cashier that you'd be paying with points. You'd need to text a keyword (which you'd find on the poster in store) to transfer the points to the Figaro branch you're in. If your purchase exceeds the number of points you have, you can just pay for the excess with cash. You need a minimum of 50 points to redeem this reward.

Using the Globe Reward Points, I treated my family to these: 

Cafe Mocha (P105.00 each/8 oz.)

Vanilla Frost (P135.00)

Arrabbiata (P179.00)

Al Tonno (P189.00)

Marble Cream Cheese Brownie (P70.00)

Pandan Cake (P110.00)

Figaro's Summer Fusion

I got curious with Figaro's newest offerings for this season, Summer Fusion. Only Four Seasons and Lychee Cucumber Fusion were available that day, so I chose the latter since it was more unique.

Lychee Cucumber Fusion (P125.00)

I actually loved this drink. It had a distinct but light cucumber flavor, like cucumber water with lychee juice combined. It even had real cucumber bits inside the drink. This one was a very light, refreshing drink with a very fresh flavor. I liked this better than the regular Figaro Frosts that I have tried before.

My sister wanted to try Figaro's Milk Tea Craze drinks, but only Honeydew Frost with Figaro Tea was available. I was told that the other flavors were already phased out. We didn't buy this using our points, but instead, we used our SM Advantage Card (SMAC) to avail of the Buy 1 Take 1 promo on the Milk Tea Craze drinks.

Honeydew Frost with Figaro Tea (P100.00 for 2, SMAC promo)

Thank you, MyRewards MyGlobe and Figaro Coffee Company for the treat! If you still have some Globe Reward Points, you better claim it before it expires. :)

Love,

Helen

Etude House Sweet Recipe Baby Choux Base in #02 Berry Choux

Etude House Sweet Recipe Collection is the cutest any makeup can get! After weeks of trial, I can say that I have found my favorite item from this collection, and it is the Sweet Recipe Baby Choux Base! I believe that great makeup starts when you have a good canvas to work with, that is - flawless skin, and this product gives just that.

Etude House Sweet Recipe Baby Choux Base in #02 Berry Choux (P628.00)

Choux cream textured makeup base supplies moist, bright coverage for flawlessly soft skin

About the Product:

 

Shades:

• #01 Mint Choux (ideal for acne/problem skin)
• #02 Berry Choux (ideal for pallid skin)
• #03 Peach Choux (ideal for darker tones)

What I Love About It:

• This product comes in a super dainty frosted glass jar, and it holds 25g of product, which is a lot. Others might find the packaging heavy and fragile for travel, but I don't mind. I love the way it looks!

• This product smells really, really good. Almost good enough to eat. It smells like sweet peach cream and it looks like icing, but please don't lick it. I usually don't like my face products to have scents, but this one I really like. I can smell the sweet, mild scent on my face as I apply it, but it disappears within a few minutes.

• This product has a unique, light, fluffy, moist, and creamy texture due to its silicone elastomer gel content. Silicone is able to even out the skin's surface by temporarily filling in the enlarged pores and dips on our skin to create a more even texture. Sometimes, I worry that this may cause breakouts as it doesn't state that it is non-comedogenic, but so far I haven't experienced that. (At the end of the day, proper makeup removal is very important.)

• This product has SPF 25/PA++, which is high for a makeup primer. Most makeup primers I have used before don't even have SPF.
• I'm loving how light the texture of this product is, and how easy it blends on my skin. It also makes my BB cream/liquid foundation blend easier on my skin, and I am loving its weightless feel.
• It makes my skin look brighter and more even in an instant. I love using it under my BB cream or liquid foundation. Sometimes, I just top this product alone with powder and I'm done!
• On days that I use this product plus a BB cream, even if I don't top it off with powder, my oily skin won't look slick and shiny. I'd only need to blot once by midday, but my makeup stays fresh and intact for a long time.

Swatches:

Before (No Makeup)

After (Goodbye, pores!)

Witness the pores disappear from my cheeks. Etude House Sweet Recipe Baby Choux Base made my skin look so flawless and poreless! It makes my skin look lighter than it actually is, but it blends onto your skin more nicely after a few minutes. This one's a good makeup primer that you can use alone or over your favorite face makeup (be it a BB cream, liquid foundation, or powder). Most importantly, don't forget your neck when you do your makeup, so everything looks even and seamless.

Learn more about the Etude House Sweet Recipe launch and collection. Like Etude House Philippines on Facebook today for more information, promos, and updates. They'll be having a Grand Sale (20% off on ALL products in their stores, including the Sweet Recipe Collection!) once they reach 200,000 fans.

Love,

Helen 

Dakasi 大卡司 Grand Launch in Dela Rosa, Makati

I love milk tea, but it has to be a good one before I can fully enjoy it. I don't buy milk tea just for the sake of quenching my thirst, instead, it has to give me that enjoyable experience with every sip. I'd like to share with you a recent favorite of mine, which I can't believe I just tried for the first time early this month! I had the great opportunity to attend Dakasi's Grand Launch held at their newly-opened Dela Rosa branch in Makati (just between Greenbelt 5 and Paseo).

Dakasi Dela Rosa in Makati

To give you a short story about Dakasi - let's start with the name! Dakasi is actually 大卡司 in Chinese, which means "big cast". It's named as such because Dakasi has an all-star cast of drinks: from traditional bubble milk tea, fruit teas, to hot teas, and even coffee. There's definitely something for everyone here!

It was on February 14, 2012, when Dakasi opened their first store in the Philippines, located in Marquee Mall, Pampanga. Within just 1 year, they have expanded into 17 branches all over the Philippines. Whether you're in Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, or Indonesia, you can enjoy the consistent great taste and freshness in every cup of Dakasi beverage.

Dakasi's Commitment

• To "shake" only upon order
• To use TAPIOCA pearls that do not exceed 3 hours of shelf life (Anything that sits on the shelf for more than 3 hours gets tossed into the bin.)
• To use high quality tea leaves in brewing tea (Dakasi only uses imported tea leaves from Taiwan, compared to other brands that use powder mixes for their milk tea.)
• Not to use tea powder or overnight tea (Dakasi doesn't compromise the quality of their drinks just for the sake of not wanting to waste ingredients.)
• To use freshly cooked quality sugar (Dakasi doesn't use the usual industrial sugar, but instead they cook their own sugar. Same goes for their pearls, teas, and even their ice to ensure maximum freshness and cleanliness of their products.)
• To guarantee Customer Satisfaction

Aside from their wide array of drinks, Dakasi will be adding snacks on their menu in a few weeks.

I spy some bread, cheesesteak sandwiches, and other healthy and equally yummy snacks to go with their drinks.

Since it was my first time to try Dakasi, I went for their bestselling drink, Bubble Milk Tea.

 

Dakasi Bubble Milk Tea

Did it live up to the hype? I'd love to tell you, YES! I am a lover of the usual Okinawa, Hokkaido, and Wintermelon milk teas, but this one is just pure creamy, smooth, and fragrant indulgence. I can distinctly taste the milkiness of this one, and it's never too sweet. The pearls are a bit smaller than the ones I am used to, but they're soft, chewy, and definitely fresh. This has become my instant favorite, that I had 2 large servings during the event. Haha! I know I should have tried other variants, but there's always a next time.

With my favorite Dakasi Bubble Milk Tea

Speaking of next time, my friends and I went to Dakasi in Banawe just last Saturday for another milk tea fix after a long day at work.

Banawe and Trinoma are the branches closest to me, so looks like I'll be having my milk tea more often! I'll share with you what we got.

 

Dakasi Bubble Milk Tea (Regular P90.00, Large P100.00)

Since this was my favorite, I talked my Okinawa Milk Tea-loving friend to try Dakasi's Bubble Milk Tea. And true enough, he enjoyed it as much as I did!

 

Oreo Milk Tea (Regular P90.00, Large P100.00)

This one is for Oreo-lovers, and I think it's best enjoyed as is, without any sinkers. This was my friend's order, and she liked it because it had cookie bits in it and it wasn't too sweet as well.

 

Strawberry Au Lait (Regular P90.00, Large P100.00) +

Chocolate Pudding (P15.00)

For a change, I ordered Strawberry Au Lait, which is a fruity yoghurt drink. I should have gotten it without a sinker as well so I could enjoy it at its sweet and tangy state. This drink reminded me of the strawberry yoghurt snacks I usually buy from the supermarket. And, because it's yoghurt-based, don't expect it to be totally sweet. This one even has real strawberry bits in the drink, and is very smooth, refreshing, milky and fruity all at the same time.

Visit Dakasi's website and check out Dakasi Philippines on Facebook for more information, promos, and  updates. Have you tried the well-loved milk teas (and other drinks) from Dakasi? Which one is your favorite? :)

Love,

Helen

Retractable Makeup Brush from Landmark

I am very fond of the makeup brushes in Landmark. I first got hold of my Jenny powder/blush brush (P139.75) way back in 2011, and I am still using it until now. It's still soft, fluffy, and never scratchy. Then when I needed a more compact brush I can bring around for touchups, I got a vegan retractable makeup brush (P89.75) last year, similar to what Suesh sells for P550.00! This one is less dense, hence is best used just for blush. I think that even cheap (but soft) makeup brushes as these can lasts for years with proper care.

Retractable Makeup Brush from Landmark (P139.75)

My new purchase would have to be my favorite. It's a shiny black retractable makeup brush that's so soft, thick, and dense. It's perfect for powder or blush application. Since it's sturdy and retractable, I can bring it anywhere without fear of it getting ruined or dirty in my bag. I actually like it more than my previous retractable brush because this one is more fluffy but still compact.

If you liked this, make sure to buy ASAP, as stocks do run out fast, and it takes a long time before it becomes available again. This is the very reason why I bought it even if I didn't really need a new makeup brush. I just couldn't resist.

Do you also buy makeup brushes from Landmark? Which one is your favorite?

Love,

Helen

Etude House Nymph Aura Set GWP

I love shopping at Etude House, and most of the time, I get lured to buying more stuff just so I could get the cute gifts with purchase (GWP) that they have. Take this as an example!

Etude House Nymph Aura Set

For March 2013, every P1,000.00 you spend in Etude House kiosks in department stores would get you this lovely sample-sized Nymph Aura Set. There are 2 types of Nymph Aura Sets. This one I got comes with pink blush and lipgloss, and the other one I didn't get had orange blush and lipgloss.

Etude House Precious Mineral All Day Strong BB Cream SPF30/PA++ in #2 Sheer Glowing Skin

The original variant for my set was #4 Sheer Shiny Skin, but I didn't like the sound of "shiny" so I had this one (originally from the orange set) exchanged. This one in #2 Sheer Glowing Skin is just perfect as it gives me naturally brighter skin.

Etude House Nymph Aura Volumer in #1 Pure Nymph Aura

I wasn't aware that the Nymph Aura Volumer came in 3 types (#1 Pure, #2 Brilliant, and #3 Transparent), and this one I got is #1, which works best for dry skin. I should have checked if they had #3, but this one is also worth a try.

Etude House Nymph Aura Jelly Tint Blusher in #1

I wished this also came in a tube, but that might be asking too much. I'm excited to try this pink cheek tint!

 

Etude House Nymph Aura Dear Darling Roll Roll Gloss

I'm not into lipgloss put this one is so cute, I had to use it immediately. Even if it's pink in the tube, the color doesn't really show up on your lips. It's just shiny with hints of shimmer.

Check out the other GWPs:

 

March 2013 GWP for Department Stores

March 2013 GWP for Boutiques

The GWP for the department stores are way nicer this month! But there's a catch since department store kiosks don't carry the complete lineup of Etude House products.

Which one among these freebies do you like most? :D

Love,

Helen

Kiehl's Actively Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream Swatches + Swap for a FREE Sample!

I'm used to Korean BB Creams, so when a Western brand decides to create one, it gets me curious and excited. Kiehl's has recently launched their Actively Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream, and I'll be sharing you some product swatches.

Kiehl's Actively Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream SPF50/PA+++ (P1,995.00/30ml)

About the Product:

THREE TRUE COLOR SHADES, CAREFULLY FORMULATED “THE KIEHL’S WAY”

Formulated with sensitive skins in mind, yet effective for all skin types, Kiehl’s Actively Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream SPF50/PA+++ is available in 3 shades – fair, light, natural. It offers instantly even skin tone coverage, true color hues and hydration all day.

All three shades are:
• Fragrance free + Paraben free + Mineral oil free
• Dermatologist and allergy tested for sensitive skin
• Non-comedogenic – won’t clog pores

Swatches:

Fair | Light | Natural

I'm guessing my shade is Fair, as it literally disappeared on my skin and gave it a brighter look. But then, my face isn't really as white as the inner part of my arm, so maybe the next shade could work, too. (Or so I hope, since the one I have at home is the Light shade.)

Since Kiehl's wants us to try before we buy, do join "The Secret BB Swap", happening in all their stores for a limited time only.

Source: Kiehl's Manila

Just bring your old BB cream with an SRP value of P500.00 or above, and have it exchanged for a travel size Actively Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream. This 5ml sample comes in a small tube and is valued at P332.50.

My adopted sister, Dawn, and I had our BB creams swapped in Kiehl's newest store, which is located in Shangri-la Plaza Wast Wing. They had a promo wherein the first 100 people who visits the store will get a free travel pouch with surprise Kiehl's products inside. No purchase required, but I'm not sure if all 100 pouches are already taken. If you do drop by, feel free to ask. It's really worth it!

Source: Kiehl's Manila

If you're curious to see what the travel pouch holds, here it is! It contains a Kiehl's Clearly Corrective White Skin Brightening Exfoliator and a sachet of the new BB cream.

I have a new favorite Kiehl's store, and it's their newest branch in Shangri-la Plaza East Wing. Next time I'm buying something from Kiehl's, it would have to be from this branch. The place itself is nice, and the SAs who assisted us were also nice, polite, and they knew their stuff. Kiehl's also branches in Trinoma, PowerPlant, Greenbelt 5, SM Mall of Asia, and Alabang Town Center.

Like Kiehl's Manila on Facebook for more information, updates, and promotions!

Love,

Helen