Thursday, November 26, 2020

bakewithshYUMMY's 2nd Anniversary & Christmas Collection

With the pandemic going on forever here in our country, I was honestly not feeling the Christmas spirit this year... But these goodies from bakewithshYUMMY changed that in a snap! πŸ‘ŒπŸŽ„ I was one of the winners of the #LetsCupcakesPare giveaway of the Let's Eat Pare group in Facebook, in celebration of bakewithshYUMMY's 2nd Anniversary on November 18. πŸŽ‰

 
Their Christmas edition boxes in red and green are so festive, but what's inside is even better. 😍

🍫 Choco Weave Cupcakes
🍌 Beary Banana Cupcakes
🍊 Orange Crinkles
🍫 Choco Crinkles


Their cupcakes are moist, and the frosting details are on point. Plus points for adding double-sided tape at the base of each cupcake, so these arrived in perfectly condition despite motorcycle delivery. πŸ‘


The choco crinkles are so chubby - chewy inside and crisp on the outside. The orange crinkles are so unique, bursting with flavor! They used natural orange juice for this. πŸ’―

Price list:

To order, you can message them on Facebook or Instagram:
Facebook: Bakewithshyummy by Shammy
Instagram: @bakewithshyummy
 
Congratulations for the milestone, and thank you so much for bring Christmas to our home, Shammy!
 
Love,
Helen
 
Let's keep in touch!
Facebook: Lucky Citrine

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Have you seen a rose cut diamond, set in reverse?

This is a story about my second custom-made ring from Theodore's Jewelry PH, and how the unintentional reversed setting made the ring uniquely mine (at least for now). πŸ˜‰
 
I was looking up the internet on what would be the best setting for a rose cut diamond. They were usually set in prongs, but I knew I wanted mine to have a bezel setting. A sparkly ring set in prongs might make me look engaged, and that's not the look I'm going for. πŸ˜†
 
My 14K yellow gold ring with 0.15 carat natural rose cut diamond, reverse setting
 
When Theodore's Jewelry PH sent me a photo of my finished ring, I found it very beautiful but wondered why I couldn't see the facets. When I received the ring, I found that the diamond was set in reverse. For rose cut diamonds, it's usually the curved facets facing up and flat side down.

 
They asked me if I want to have it corrected as it was the first time of the goldsmith to work with a rose cut diamond, but I already love it as it is. I call my ring "the beauty underneath". With the flat side up, it has a glowing halo on the border of the stone plus a hexagonal sparkle inside when light hits it. Underneath the bezel, look closely and there are the curved facets I've been looking for, initially.
 
This ring has a glassy look and is probably safe from snatchers because it's pwet ng baso to the untrained eye, but I know what it really is. Haha! Because the stone has its flat side up, the diamond is fully protected by the metal that surrounds it. In the event that I get tired of the design, I can have the stone reversed and make it look like a new ring.

The point of improvement for this ring are minor hairline scratches on the sides of the ring, which are visible when zoomed in via camera or under intense sunlight.

14K white gold ring with 0.15 carat natural rose cut diamond by Theodore's Jewelry PH
 
Theodore's Jewelry PH can also set the rose cut diamond with the facets facing up, which is the usual look for rose cut diamonds.
 
Theodore's Jewelry PH can make your dream engagement or wedding rings according to your budget. While I have a personal bias towards yellow gold, I think white gold looks exceptionally beautiful with diamonds and high neck wedding dresses such as this one!


There are no rules on how to set the stone "correctly", because it depends on your preference. I just think this is worth sharing, as I've been looking for a photo of a rose cut diamond set in reverse but never found one on the internet, so I'm happy to share mine! 😁
 
Instagram: @theodorejewelryph
 
Love,
Helen

Let's keep in touch!
Facebook: Lucky Citrine

Saturday, November 21, 2020

Instant Hair Makeover with UniWigs

Who wouldn’t want a good hair day, every single day? Hair is indeed one’s crowning glory, but aging brings about the inevitable thinning hair. Sometimes, people fall ill and lose their hair, which greatly affects their confidence.
 
The backstory behind the US-based wig brand UniWigs is a touching one – a close friend of UniWig’s founder was diagnosed with cancer and had lost her hair, which prompted the founder to create a beautiful wig for her as a hair loss solution. The rewarding feeling has since inspired the founder to help more people experiencing hair loss via creating wigs – which then led to the birth of UniWigs in 2012.
 
The brand has since expanded their products not just for those suffering from hair loss, but also for anyone who wants to change up their look. They have variety of fashion wigs in every color, length, and texture imaginable! Just take a look at these beauties:

Siren's Song

Dusty Rose

They also have a number of natural and synthetic wigs in store. Synthetic wigs have a more affordable price point without compromising the look and quality of the product. I’m amazed by their creative product lineup! The wig named Magical below is the thick, lush, curly hair I aspire to have.

Magical

UniWigs is currently having a Thanksgiving Sale from November 21 to 26! Get up to 40% off sitewide + FREE worldwide shipping + free gift*. (Terms and conditions apply.)


Happy shopping!

Love,
Helen
 
PS. UniWigs is a US-based wig brand with offices in Los Angeles and Asia. The brand sources their products in various Asian countries and ensures that they are sustainably made. The wigs are made in China and the facilities they work with employ working-age staff which  receives proper salary, normal working hours, weekends off, and holiday leave. These are important factors to consider when supporting a brand.

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Where to get dainty rings + IG shops review

I don't usually wear accessories, but the pandemic has brought about a series of dainty jewelry purchases by me and my sister.


We got these from different Instagram shops, so here's a review! πŸ’›
 
 
14K Yellow Gold Knot Ring from @thecanvaspersonalized
 
The Canvas Personalized's IG store is so classy. They do custom pieces in stainless steel, silver 92.5, 14K and 18K solid gold. Their knot ring arrived in a velvet box, earlier than the expected date. Good quality with no flaws. My sister bought this at a slightly higher price, but they were able to find another metalsmith hence the lowered cost.

Current price, subject to change without prior notice:
PHP 2,980 for size 4 to 6.5
PHP 3,280 for size 7 to 9
Approximate weight: 0.5g to 0.7g for all sizes


14K Yellow Gold Twisted Ring from @leahsjewelrygram

My sister discovered Leah's Jewelry randomly while browsing her IG feed, saw that @iamhearte was following the said account, so she impulsively ordered a twisted ring. However, Heart unfollowed the shop days after. The ring arrived in a velvet box, but the output was expectations versus reality. The twisted ring did not lie flat on the table so it has an uneven shape, the part where it's soldered is evident (there's a small untwisted part when you look closely), and it's bendy despite being 14K solid gold, which means it's too thin. It also has an odd tone for 14K yellow gold. My sister wants to pawn the ring to get rid of it, but decided not to because she won't get much money back as the weight is not substantial. Their shop sells dainty rings in different styles, and the price may initially seem affordable, but the quality is not so good, at least in my sister's experience.

As for my own experience with this shop, M bought me a custom silver initial necklace plated in rose gold also from Leah's FB page in 2018, which I accidentally discovered during quarantine while browsing the shop's ancient IG story highlights. The necklace has tarnished so much I have stopped wearing it. I don't know how to clean it because it's plated, so it looks like it needs cleaning and replating, which is too much work for something inexpensive. 
 
Because of that, M never bought me sterling silver jewelry again regardless of brand. He upgraded to gold.πŸ˜‰ So no, we will never buy Pandora too, because it's just overpriced branded sterling silver.

Price bought: PHP 2,500


14K Yellow Gold Bubble Ring from @theodorejewelryph
 
Theodore's Jewelry PH sells 18K Saudi gold and custom jewelry with local setting. I wanted to buy a bubble ring for so long (budol by Princess Mendoza and Heart for always wearing VCA PerlΓ©e rings). This shop's turnaround time was around 3 weeks. The output was not perfect initially, as there was a minor flaw on the inner surface of the ring (lacks gold on the soldered part so there's a small line). The seller is very accommodating and open to changes/feedback. My rings has been repaired, and it's perfect now! What I like about their bubble ring - the inner surface is not hollow but solid. (If it's hollow, then dirt can and will accumulate in it.) I'm satisfied by my ring's appearance, thickness, and weight (approximately 1 gram). It also doesn't look and feel fragile, so it's definitely okay to wear everyday. I do take care of it by still not showering with my gold jewelry, even if they don't tarnish. I just want to keep them sparkly for long.
 
Current price, subject to change without prior notice: PHP 4,500
Approximate weight: 1g


For me, the price of PHP 4,500 is justified because of my difficult ring size (3.75), so I will never find a ready-made 18K Saudi gold ring that would fit and I will forever need to resize or go custom. Custom-made rings require the labor of our local goldsmiths and support their livelihood. I chose 14K gold because this material is harder and more resistant to everyday wear and tear. I liked the final output so I bought my second custom-made ring from Theodore's Jewelry, but I'll save that for another post!
 

Hope this review helps! πŸ˜‰

Love,
Helen

Let's keep in touch!
Facebook: Lucky Citrine

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Pink Wednesday: MAC Lipstick Swoosh

Red and pink, to be exact! This post is Part 2 of my tribute to my expired lipsticks, this time featuring MAC Ruby Woo and All Fired Up.

 
They're both Retro Mattes, but Ruby Woo was a pain to crush, just as how it drags on my lips. I stuck with it for years because of it's GORGEOUS color payoff. All Fired Up had a friendlier texture.
 
Swatches of MAC Ruby Woo and All Fired Up
 
Both so lovely. I love you, goodbye!

Love,
Helen
 
Let's keep in touch!
Facebook: Lucky Citrine

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Texture Tuesday: MAC Beetroot

This entry for #TextureTuesday is a tribute to my expired lipstick. I got MAC Beetroot as a freebie for buying one full-sized MAC lipstick in the past. I liked it as I'm into dark lipstick, but I never got to finish it. Before I throw it out, let me do a makeup swoosh first as closure. Throwing away lipsticks is never easy for me! I love them all.
 
 
What a satisfying swoosh. It's my first time to destroy my lipstick like this and I enjoyed it.
 

According to Temptalia, MAC Beetroot is a moderately warm-toned, medium-dark purple with a cream finish. This shade is discontinued.
 
Love,
Helen
 
Let's keep in touch!Facebook: Lucky Citrine 

Monday, November 16, 2020

Tita Citrine approves of Tolak Angin Care!

Just another manic Monday! πŸ’₯

I love minty essential oils as they help me relax during stressful times. I just ran out of my Hello Kitty Pak Fah Yeow which I got from Taiwan, and I'm looking for a more affordable alternative.

 
Imagine my delight when I found out that Tolak Angin already has their own blend of essential oil roll-on! The first time I saw this was in @themachomom's IG story and from Tita Thea's vlog.
 
 
It's made of mineral oil, menthol, peppermint oil, ginger oil, and fragrance. To me, it smells more like minty lemon than ginger. It delivers a long-lasting cooling sensation on the skin. Nape feeling sore from working on your laptop all day? Apply Tolak Angin Care on your nape and back. Headache from stress? Apply Tolak Angin Care on your temples and behind your ears. Sore muscle from exercise? It's Tolak Angin Care for everything! The effect last for hours.

One thing to remember though, do not apply this when you'll be sweating. For example, I applied a lot on my nape one particular stressful day at work. Come 5:00 PM, I started exercising and sweating and my nape felt like there was a burning sensation. I had to wash the oil off with soap and water before continuing my workout.
 

I got mine from their Shopee store for only PHP 55! πŸ’› Delivery is quick, and they give freebies sometimes. I will definitely repurchase!

Love,
Helen

Let's keep in touch!
Facebook: Lucky Citrine

Sunday, November 15, 2020

MAC All Fired Up & Silkygirl Witty are sisters!

When I was cleaning up my lipstick stash one bored weekend, I decided to do a swatch party on my arm, only to discover a close match for my MAC All Fired Up Lipstick.

 
I have reviews the all shades of Silkygirl I'm Matte Lipcolor range before, and it's just now that I've noticed the resemblance.
 
SilkyGirl I'm Matte Lipcolor in Witty vs MAC All Fired Up Lipstick
 
Silkygirl Witty looks more yellow, while MAC All Fired Up looks more blue. MAC All Fired Up has a more solid payoff, while it takes more swipes to get the same intensity with Silkygirl Witty. The end result... Well, they look like sisters to me.

Prices:
πŸ’‹ MAC All Fired Up Lipstick (PHP 1,100)
πŸ’‹ Silkygirl I'm Matte Lipcolor in Witty (PHP 350)

Love,
Helen

Let's keep in touch!
Facebook: Lucky Citrine

Saturday, November 14, 2020

Don't throw away pretty lipstick packaging...

Because you're paying for it!

I got this tip from fellow beauty girl @projectmakeupuseup on Instagram. Apparently, you can transfer your lipstick from one tube to another easily. So that means you can plant your cheap drugstore makeup into fancy lipstick tubes. Wink wink! πŸ˜‰

Trivia: This is the opposite of my 2012 lipstick saving tip, where I used heat to transfer my broken lipstick to another container. This time, we need the freezer!


Here's a lipstick I salvaged and transferred to a beautiful tube! I love my Blythe by Careline Stellar Satin Lipstick even if it gave up on me on Day 1, as it broke when I did an arm swatch. The packaging was cutesy and made of light plastic, and I have no attachment to it so I decided to transfer the remaining bullet to my L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Limited Edition Red Carpet Cannes Lipstick 999. This L'Oreal lipstick is limited edition, and I don't think it was ever sold here in the Philippines. I don't have a lot of L'Oreal lipsticks in my kit as I've steered clear of the brand for years due to news of lead in their lipsticks.

This red lippie was sitting in my drawer for years, until I decided to pull the lipstick out of the tube and just use its container. It was brand new when I decided to pull it out without freezing and it didn't work. So I froze the lipstick for a few hours before reattempting to pull out the bullet. You just need a tissue (preferably without texture) to hold the bullet, and gently wiggle it out. It comes out mess-free! What a genius trick! πŸ’– Notice the horizontal line on the pulled out lipstick? That is the actual amount left when you think you have finished using your lipstick.

Important: Check the diameter of the lipstick bullet first to see if it will fit its new container. In case it doesn't, just return it to its original tube.

Swatches of Blythe by Careline Stellar Satin Lipstick in Juliet & L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Limited Edition Red Carpet Cannes Lipstick 999

Before throwing the red L'Oreal lipstick, I decided to do swatches of the lipstick I saved and the lipstick I sacrificed. I used to love red lipstick so much, but now I'm into nudes that don't wash me out and mauve-y pinks that look natural. The shade 999 is beautiful, but I have no regrets letting it go. According to Careline, their Blythe range is lead-free, cruelty-free, and paraben-free.

Love,
Helen
 
Let's keep in touch!
Facebook: Lucky Citrine