Thursday, July 31, 2014

Lenovo A8-50 and S850 x Forever 21

Lenovo has launched two new additions to its PC Plus lineup - the Lenovo A8-50, a portable multimedia tablet with the latest processor, enhanced sound, and a large screen; and the Lenovo S850, a savvy and highly responsive smartphone encased in a classy, colorful all-glass exterior.

 
Lenovo A8-50: Colorful In and Out

With 30% larger screen than seven-inch tablets, the Lenovo A8-50 offers a more efficient on-the-go entertainment, gaming, and multimedia experience. Weighing 360g, the Lenovo A8-50’s svelte eight-inch frame easily fits into the user’s hand.

Its sharp, colourful 8-inch display produces bright HD images. The front-facing, Dolby® Audio speakers make it an excellent choice for playing games, watching videos, listening to music, and interacting with friends online.


Lenovo A8-50 supports Lenovo’s SHAREit and SYNCit apps for sharing photos, apps and other files across Android devices without network charges or Wi-Fi connection. The tablet  also  comes in midnight blue, pearly white, flamenco red, and canary yellow for users to express their sense of individuality.

Price: P13,999
Available through authorized dealers of Open Communications, Lenovo Philippines’ exclusive smartphone distributor

Lenovo S850: Delightfully Fun and Fashion Forward

The beautifully-crafted Lenovo S850 features a classy all-glass exterior that encases smooth and responsive quad-core processor. The S850’s brilliant 13MP rear and 5MP front cameras capture crisp and sharp photos effortlessly. The 5MP wide-angle front camera takes awesome selfies and project better images in voice chats.

Thin and light at 140g, the Lenovo S850 features a five-inch screen for users to enjoy multimedia content in HD. A dual SIM smartphone, users can use different two numbers to take advantage of two data plans simultaneously.

Lenovo S850 also supports Lenovo’s range of DOit apps, allowing users to share content with friends rapidly without network charges or Wi-Fi connection, improve speed and protect their device against viruses, spam and malware, back up and restore contacts, SMS messages and call logs, and use multiple shooting modes to when snapping photos.

Price: P10,499
Available through Lenovo’s authorized resellers

To celebrate the release of the latest stylish gadget offers, Lenovo is offering two promos that are sure to delight fashionistas:
  1. For every purchase of the Lenovo S850 or A8-50, consumers will get a P250 Forever 21 discount voucher for a minimum purchase of P2,500 worth of regular priced items. The offer is valid from July 21-August 15, 2014 at all Forever 21 Metro Manila branches.
  2. Two lucky consumers can also get the chance to win P5,000 pesos worth of gift certificates for a shopping spree at Forever 21 by simply uploading a mirror selfie of themselves with their brand new S850. The complete details of this contest can be found on Lenovo Mobile Philippines Facebook.

Lenovo A8-50 and Lenovo S850 both offer productivity in compact and extremely portable form to support our diverse mobility needs. Packed with cameras, powerful processors, high-definition displays, and connectivity features, they allow us to handle multiple tasks in style!

For the latest Lenovo smartphones and tablets news, subscribe to Lenovo RSS feeds or follow Lenovo Mobile on Twitter and Facebook.

Love,
Helen

Marks & Spencer Blissful Strawberry Hand & Body Lotion

My sister and I have this funny habit of disliking each other's lotion scent. For example, I always feel like leaving the room whenever she whips out her Victoria's Secret Fresh Vanillas Feel Flirty Body Lotion, while she can't stand the scent of my Chocomania products from The Body Shop. Haha. This time around, we agreed on a certain lotion, so I bet this one from Marks & Spencer is a universally loved scent.

Marks & Spencer Blissful Strawberry Hand & Body Lotion


This lotion is just one of the many fruity bath and body care products from Marks & Spencer's Nature Extracts collection. I've never really given it much attention until now - I spy green tea! I admit, I've always associated bath and body products with The Body Shop (a shop where I almost always get my beauty products from), but its nice to know that I can also get my bath stuff from here.

About the product:


Experience daily luxury with our Nature's Extracts collection. This light, easily absorbed hand and body lotion enriched with extract of strawberry will help leave your skin soft and delicately scented.


This lotion is cruelty-free and is good for 2 years upon opening.


Aside from the cute baby pink color of the lotion, another thing I like is the pump. It dispenses just the right amount of product.

Swatch:


Pros:
  • Fancy packaging doesn't look cheap
  • Convenient pump packaging
  • Comes in a sweet but very subtle strawberry scent
  • Easily absorbed
  • Feels light on the skin
  • Hydrating

Cons:
  • Not for heavy duty moisturizing (such as cracked heels)

Price: approximately P300.00+
Available in all Marks & Spencer stores nationwide

This lotion has a subtle yet very pleasant scent, and even though its lightweight, I feel that the moisturizing properties are enough for my dry skin.

What lotion are you currently using?

Love,
Helen

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Princess Hazel Salon & Spa, Quezon City

ALERT! New favorite nail place! :D

I've been to National Book Store in Quezon Avenue countless times, but who would've known that there's a hidden gem of a salon nearby - literally just a few steps away! One day after work, my friend decided to have some me-time and girly bonding at Princess Hazel Salon & Spa.


Princess Hazel Salon & Spa is your one stop beauty shop, offering a wide array of services such as haircut, hair coloring, rebonding, facial/diamond hill, RF (slimming and toning), waxing, massage, body scrub, and of course, the classic manicure and pedicure.


This salon has a regal purple and gold theme, which I really love. Your princess dreams will be fulfilled here! This is just the reception/waiting area, wait 'til you see the interiors.


They also sell cute and colorful hair stuff - clips, extensions, the works!


There are 4 thrones where princesses and princes could sit and be pampered. Once you arrive, they'll serve you juice. And on each throne is a sparkly crown which you can wear while having your nails done!
 

The salon has a separate area for the hair services, and for the body treatments.



Kyra and I had to wait for about 30 minutes or more since the attendants were busy. It's alright though, since we enjoyed choosing among all the pretty nail polish shades!


Here, they only use high quality, imported nail polish brands such as Essie, OPI, and Zoya. They also have so many shades in various finishes - from the classic glossy ones, to metallic, glittery, matte, and even pixie dust (the ones that feel like sand).

The service I tried was just a Manicure (P200.00). But this time around, I wanted to take a break from the usual red I love, and dark shades such as midnight blue and black. Now, it's all about clean-looking nails!


I chose OPI Nail Lacquer in the shades Don't Pretzel My Buttons (for the skintone base) and My Boyfriend Scales Walls (for the white tips). This one's a fresh take on the classic French manicure, where the base is usually clear or just a hint of pink tint.

Before & After


I LOVE IT! It's absolutely perfect, just the way I wanted it to look like. Ate Melba did a great job with my manicure. The thing is, I'm really scared to have someone go poking on my nails, but here I felt that I could trust the nail technicians since they're very skilled and the finish I got was so precise. I'll most certainly come back again for when I need to have my nails done.


My friend had a Pedicure (P250.00) using The Face Shop's Face It Nail Polish, in a shade which I forgot to take note of. For all we know, this shade reminded us of Elsa from the movie Frozen. My photo doesn't do her pedi justice; it looks way prettier, brighter, and more sparkly in person!


We had a grand time here at Princess Hazel Salon & Spa. I know I'll be back for another mani soon.


And just because I couldn't get enough of this work of art, here's a last photo for you all!

Princess Hazel Salon & Spa
Unit 203 Pacific Century Tower, 1472-1476 Quezon Ave., Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
(02)294-5819, 0916-5595222

Like Princes Hazel Salon & Spa on Facebook for more information. :)

Love,
Helen

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Send-a-Shakey's to Your Loved Ones, Stat!

Last Tuesday, my beloved cell group received a surprise from Shakey's Philippines! Well, of course I knew it all along since Shakey's and I planned it together. ;)


Last week's session was our outreach planning. We were to prepare songs, practice our skit, and pack goodies for the kids. But before we got on to work, we enjoyed these surprises first!

Manager's Choice
Our No. 1 flavor, loaded with ham, beef, Italian sausage, green bell pepper and onions.

Chicken & Mojos (Solo Pack)

 

Send-a-Shakey's is a service offered by Shakey's through their website shakeyspizza.ph where customers can order whatever they want from Shakey's and have them sent to any location where a Shakey's store operates. Now anyone from anywhere in the world can conveniently send love (and Shakey's treats) to his/her family and friends here in the Philippines!

*Send-a-Shakeys transactions can also be consumed for Dine-in in your selected Shakey's Store.

Send-a-Shakey's to your loved ones today. The surprised look on their faces? Priceless. ;)

Love,
Helen

Monday, July 28, 2014

Myra Holistic Skin Care: 5 Tips to Beautiful Skin

When it comes to skin care, you may think that pricey facial creams and lotions are enough to keep you beautiful and youthful. However, the real secret to healthy, young-looking, and glowing skin has to start from within.


To be truly beautiful, proper skin care is a must, but you have to complement it with a healthy lifestyle. I'll share with you 5 simple and easy ways to take care of your skin from within - to achieve that effortless, "lit from within" glow.

1. Sleep

Whenever I lack sleep, my skin looks extra pale, and my dark circles more pronounced. Whenever I get a good night's sleep, I wake up to radiant skin with a rosy glow on the cheeks. Tried and tested! Our entire body, including the skin, goes into repair mode while we sleep. We have to help our skin cells regenerate and our facial muscles relax by making sure we catch quality sleep.

2. Exercise


We know it's good for our heart, lungs, and mental outlook, but we still get lazy to exercise. One workout I've really enjoyed is barre3 - a revolutionary workout that delivers the benefits of Pilates, Yoga, and ballet barre in one powerful 60-minute class.

Regular exercise is also one of the keys to scoring healthy skin. By increasing blood flow, exercise helps nourish skin cells and keeps them vital. It also helps carry away waste products, including free radicals, from working cells. Think of it as a cleanse for your skin, but from the inside.

It's time to step up and shape up! There is a time frame to invest in your health; don't wait until it's too late.

3. Hydrate


A bad habit I have to break is not drinking enough water. It's funny, since whenever I get sick, it's the time my skin gets in a better condition, since I drink a glass of water almost every hour. How I wish I can maintain that drive so my complexion will glow.

This Kor Water Bottle, the hydration vessel of Oprah, Gwyneth Paltrow, Martha Stewart, and David Beckham, will motivate me to take a sip more often. The tiny keychain you see on the left has my name on it! ♥

4. Eat Well

The food you eat matters to your skin almost as much as it does to your waistline. This is because your skin uses vitamins and nutrients from food to repair and rebuild damaged skin cells. Make time to plan your meals daily with the help of this Yummy Light Meals recipe book, so you don’t end up going for unhealthy options or fast food.

5. Take Vitamin E

This is where the heart of Holistic Skin Care is.

Everyday, we get exposed to bad and harmful free radicals that damage our cells. The result: tired-looking skin that looks dull, dry, and aging. A daily dose of Vitamin E can help the skin bounce back and recoup easier, but since this vitamin isn't produced naturally by the body, taking a powerful Vitamin E supplement like Myra, can help.


Myra is rich in anti-oxidants to help boost your skin from within and also stops skin-damaging, free radicals from stealing life from your cells. It repairs damaged cells and works hard to protect the healthy ones, so you'll have beautiful, glowing, and younger-looking skin throughout the years to come. 


Both capsules have Vitamin E that nourishes your skin from within. However, Myra 400 stays longer in the body, renewing your cells overnight.


Myra E's newest endorsers are Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo and Sarah Geronimo. Like them, we can also have Holistic Skin Care - as beautiful skin starts from within.

To end this post, I'd like to share with you something inspiring I've learned from yesterday's worship service. We must strive to live a balanced life. We must always plan for a healthy body. Like Jesus, we need to honor God with our bodies since it is a gift from God. We think we have to do great things to impress God, but even with the most ordinary everyday tasks such as eating, drinking, and resting, can already be an act of praise, and by doing those, we can glorify Him.

Twitter & IG: MyraHolistic
#tuloyangganda #MyraHolistic

Love,
Helen

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Etude House Play 101 Pencil (10, 19, 20)

When I got these bright pencils from Etude House, I thought these were just their new range of colorful eyeliners. Boy, was I so wrong. It turns out, now you can do a complete face by just using pencils! But not just any makeup pencil, it has to be the new Play 101 Pencils! ♥

Etude House Play 101 Pencil
This is a gel-type pencil that comes with vivid colors and various textures for easy and fun makeup play.


The new Play 101 Pencil Collection comes in different textures such as creamy, matte, glossy, and shimmering with vivid colors that can be used as eyeliner, shadow, lip, cheek and concealer. Can't get any more multipurpose than that!


The variety textures are used for different kind of places. The smooth and fitting Creamy and Matte texture can be used as eyeshadow base, gradation, concealer, and eyebrow. The Glossy texture can be used as blusher and lip color. The shining, shimmering, and glittery variants have that soft pearly effect.

 

I have with me 3 pretty and very girly shades: 10, 19, and 20.


At the base of the pencil is a hidden sharpener! Whoever thought of this is a genius. If you're going to use these pencils as eyeliner, then you can sharpen it anytime to get a nice and sharp tip. Plus, the manufacturing date is printed here as well.

Etude House Play 101 Pencil 10


Etude House Play 101 Pencil 10 could work as a concealer (if it matches your skintone) and as a waterliner (to make your eyes look brighter instantly).

Etude House Play 101 Pencil 19


Etude House Play 101 Pencil 19 is a bright purple shade that I like to use on the lips. If you're looking for a unique purple lip color, look no further! This one's super long lasting, very vibrant, and matte. It's quite drying though so you can use it with a lip balm for it to blend easier.

This one won't budge no matter what, so I bet it will stay on nicely when worn as an eyeliner, too. I just have to have the balls to sport purple eyeliner, as I rarely wear eyeliner at all.

Etude House Play 101 Pencil 20


Etude House Play 101 Pencil 20 has a creamier, more blendable formula compared to 19, so I LOVE using this on my cheeks and lips.


This one gives me the sweetest pink flush. Retouching is super easy with this, as it comes in a super compact pencil. Plus, I love how fun it is to actually draw on my face (then blend, of course).

Finished look:

Eyes: Etude House Play 101 Pencil 10
Cheeks: Etude House Play 101 Pencil 20
Lips: Etude House Play 101 Pencil 19

The new Etude House Play 101 Pencils are super easy and fun to use! I love the fact that it's multipurpose - you can use it on your eyes, cheeks, and lips. I heard they have around 50 shades in various finishes for this range, so you're sure to find one, two, or more shades that you'll love. ♥

Price: P348.00
Available at all Etude House stores nationwide

Like Etude House Philippines on Facebook for more information. ;)

Love,
Helen