Wordless Wednesday #80 | Bruce Lee, baby!

Bruce Lee UFC shirt, check.

(Bruce Lee) Onitsuka Tiger Tai Chi shoes, check.

I'm a happy fangirl. :)

CC Cream Chronicles | The Saem Gem Miracle Black Pearl O2 CC Cream.

Ever since I saw this video clip on YouTube, I've always wanted to try The Saem's products. But I must admit, my curiosity for the brand was piqued mostly entirely by its male endorser, G-Dragon - who happens to be the leader of Korean super group Big Bang, and also one of Hallyu's most popular fashion icon.

Thanks to Ms. Magy of Kimchi Jib, I finally get to try something from The Saem. And one of their best-selling CC Creams, at that.

Move over, Jack Sparrow! :)

This, my friends, is the Gem Miracle Black Pearl O2 CC Cream. It's an 'all-in-one, color control, oxygen aura cream' that functions both as a makeup and skincare product.

Gem Miracle Black Pearl O2 CC Cream.

It's not just a makeup base. It also moisturizes, nourishes, and whitens the skin, conceals wrinkles and skin imperfections, corrects and evens out the skin tone, and protects the skin from harmful UV rays.

This CC Cream is made with the famous Tahitian Black Pearl - a rare gem that contains a powerful natural moisturizer, and proteins that strengthen and rebuild the skin. Also in this product are the Tiare flower (Tahiti's representative flower known for its beauty and fragrance), monoi oil (a 'sacred oil' in Tahiti that's loaded with protective antioxidants like vitamin E), and noni extract (a popular anti-wrinkle agent that increases the skin's production of collagen).

From Tahiti!

And I had to research all these things on the web, because as luck would have it, most of the literature in this product is written in Hangul.

This is the that side of the box where English text can be found.
Everything, everywhere else is in Hangul.

Hangul here, Hangul there...

Hangul everywhere! :)

Now here's a closer look at the product. I believe this comes in just one size, and that's 30 mL.
The jar is pretty quirky as it dispenses the product out of that black dot in the middle.

Quirky dispense mechanism.

Push it down, and the cream squirts out. Try not to push it down too hard or too abrupt, as it tends to dispense a lot of product that way. That's what happened to me on my first try, and boy, I sure got a lot of CC Cream.

Out goes the product!

As for the CC Cream itself, this is how it looks like. Unlike Tony Moly's and Etude House's CC Cream, this one doesn't have color capsules. It's just good ol' cream with a bit of pigment.

Gem Miracle Black Pearl O2 CC Cream swatched.

And despite its creamy texture, it's very easy to blend, and is easily absorbed by the skin.

Blend, blend, blend.

When blended, it gives a nice, semi-matte finish. Not too dewy, but not matte either. But just the same, it makes the skin look healthy and glowing.

Left without CC Cream, right with CC Cream.

This is the third CC Cream that I've tried, and so far, this one gives me the best coverage. Plus, it stays on for about 8-10 hours, with very minimal touch-ups.

My fresh-from-the-shower, no makeup face.

Wearing The Saem Gem Miracle Black Pearl O2 CC Cream,
plus the usual eyeliner, mascara, blush, and lip color.

What I love:
- The classy packaging, and quirky pump.
- Mild, floral scent.
- Lightweight formula.
- Easy to blend.
- Semi-matte finish.
- Adjusts to my skin tone nicely.
- SPF 50 / PA+++!!!
- Stays on for about 8-10 hours.
- No breakouts, no allergies, safe for sensitive skin.
- Made with natural ingredients.
- Paraben-free and mineral oil-free.
- Price is still within the affordable range (around 19000 Korean Won or $19), although this costs a teeny bit more than the other CC Creams I've tried.

What you might not like:
- Pretty reflective with flash photography, but that's expected since this product has a high SPF.
- Not available locally.

But the good news is, you can purchase this product online via the Kimchi Jib website. They're sold at a very reasonable price of Php 980 each, exclusive of shipping fee.
Make sure to like the Kimchi Jib Facebook page to get updates on ongoing sale events and promos! :)

Summer Fun at the 2014 Globe Adventure!

Heading to Boracay for the Holy Week? Then be sure to check out Globe's fun summer activities while you're there!

This week, Globe Telecom will be launching the 2014 Globe Adventure on Boracay Island. This exciting and fun-filled race-like activity happens on April 17 until April 20, and will start from 11:00 AM until  9:00 PM. In this event, participants can secure stamps from finishing tasks in each of the stations around the island, with a chance to take home Globe freebies upon completion of the activities.

The Globe Store in Boracay.

Participants who complete the stamps will automatically get exclusive VIP passes to the Globe Wave Party. on April 17 and 19 at the Wave Bar. The passes include free drinks, plus a chance to win handsets from partner brands.

On top of the wonderful summer adventure, Globe subscribers are also entitled to a free multi-cab ride from Cagban Port to Budget Mart. Non-Globe subscribers can still take advantage of the free boat ride by purchasing a Globe prepaid SIM or activating a new Globe postpaid line.

Apart from a more intensified network complete with Long Term Evolution (LTE) coverage, Globe also presents the Globe Store located at D-Mall in Station 2. Opened last March 2013, the store offers live demo units of the latest and top-of-the-line gadgets and accessories, as well as superior customer service and after-sales support.

ONE FC: Rise of Heroes | Toquero's Skills and Experience will Make the Difference.

Filipino mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Eugene Toquero will rely on his experience and skills to beat, even knock out, undefeated American-born Malaysian Gianni Subba on May 2 in the star-studded ONE Fighting Championship card at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.

“My experience and skills will make the difference. There will be a knockout and it will be him going down,” Toquero, whose MMA record is four wins and one loss, said.

He guarantees that the fans will enjoy his fight with Subba.“The fans will enjoy our fight. Subba may be good but I’m better because of my experience and skills.”

“I have more fights in my career than Subba. I’m a veteran when it comes to competition. Mas maraming baon ako,” he added.

Before venturing into MMA in 2009, Toquero, a flyweight like Subba, was a member of the Philippine muay thai national team from 2004 to 2009. In his teen, he was a member of a Cebu kickboxing gym and participated in local competitions.

Eugene Toquero at the ONE FC Press Conference.

Toquero, 33, admitted that the competition in ONE FC is tough that’s why he’s not taking his fight with Subba, 22, lightly. “Maraming magagaling sa ONE FC kaya hindi puwede pa-easy easy lang. Laro laro din ako pero nandon pa rin ang game plan (There are lots of good fighters in ONE FC that’s why it’s not advisable to take it easy. I play but I still follow my game plan),” the Cebuano fighter said in an interview.

Toquero, whose day job is gym instructor and coach to some local celebrities on mixed martial arts, said he has learned some lessons during his first MMA loss to Team Lakay fighter Geje Eustaquio in the ONE FC event last December. “Lessons learned? One should not stop from training. One should learn more techniques,” he said. Toquero said this time against Subba, he’s training hard and spending more time in the gym and has enhanced his fight techniques.

Gianni Subba vs Eugene Toquero.

He started training as early as January this year even though he has no opponent yet at that time. He admitted, though, that he has not seen any fight tape on Subba and would not watch it even as the fight nears. “I will be underestimating myself if I watch his fight tapes.”

Toquero may seem like a brash fighter because of his intemperate comments but in reality he’s silent and serious. “I just want to entertain the fans that’s why I seem like arrogant sometimes."

Tickets for ONE FC: RISE OF HEROES are on sale now at SM Tickets.
Ticket categories begin with the full Red Carpet and cageside experience for VIPs at PHP 6,360, followed by Patron PHP 3,180, Lower Box PHP 1,280, Upper Box PHP 640 and General Admission PHP 220. Prices include ticketing fee.

Hong Kong Holiday | Dinner at Plaza Inn.

Aside from the usual fun rides and attractions, Hong Kong Disneyland is also home to several restaurants and snack shops that serve Western food, traditional Chinese cuisine, and other Asian dishes. Out of all these dining places, my most favorite would have to be the Plaza Inn.

Plaza Inn Restaurant.

Located inside the theme park along Main Street USA, the restaurant looks like a traditional European home on the outside. The inside, however, is a totally different story.

Totally reminds me of Bruce Lee, and all those Hong Kong box office movies.

The interiors, the fixtures, the lighting... heck, even the background music inside the restaurant screams 'Asian'. The atmosphere totally reminds me of Bruce Lee, and all those Hong Kong box office movies. (Think Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and the like.) Not surprising, since this restaurant is actually inspired by the movie 'Mulan'.

Sakura, kawaii! :)

Of course, the utensils and cutlery have the 'Asian' feel, too. There's nothing more 'Oriental' than cherry blossoms, and almost all of the dinnerware in this restaurant were adorned with it.

Crab meat soup.

Now, let's move on to our dinner. For starters, we had Crab Meat and Buddha's Delight Soup. Buddha's delight is a kind of edible mushroom commonly used in Cantonese cuisine. This soup is very flavorful, with a consistency lighter than most Chinese soups.

Roast meat platter.

For the main course, we had this Roast Meat Platter composed of roast chicken, roast beef, and roast duck. All three were cooked to perfection. The meat was (were) juicy and tender, and seasoned just right. It's the perfect viand to that bowl of steamed rice.

Yum!

For drinks, we were served a pot of tea. I reckon this is the Chrysanthemum Honey with Lemon, a traditional Chinese beverage. For someone who hardly drinks tea (save for the usual iced tea at fast food chains and restaurants), I find this beverage quite nice and refreshing. And it sure is nice to try something different from the usual coffee and carbonated drinks.

Tea time!

All in all, dining at the Plaza Inn was quite a memorable experience. Although not the most budget-friendly restaurant inside the theme park, this restaurant gives the value for money in terms of taste, presentation, service, and ambiance.

If you're planning to dine at this restaurant when you visit Hong Kong Disneyland, I suggest you arrive around 5 or 6 pm. It gets a little crazy during dinner time at this restaurant, as most people tend to linger in this area at night. You see, the Main Street - where the Plaza Inn is located - offers the best view for the fireworks display, which happens every night at 9pm.

Plaza Inn Restaurant
Main Street USA, Disneyland Resort
Lantau Island, Hong Kong
+852 2162 5010

Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday.