Spotlight | Etude House Rosy Tint Lips.

First Monday of 2014! The year may be fresh and new but old habits die hard because as always, I'm kick-starting the week with a makeup post. It is, after all, Makeup Monday for this blog. :)

Now if you're following me on Instagram, you may recall that I received some lovely Christmas gifts from Etude House Philippines. I'm now going through the goodies one by one, and the product that I decided to try first is the Rosy Tint Lips - Etude House's new line of lip products which was released last Fall. I've been eyeing this baby long before they reached Philippine shores, and here it is finally!

Rosy Tint Lips.

The box itself is a work of art. This is one of the many things that I love about Etude House (and Korean makeup brands in general) - they have a way of making you fall in love with their product/s from the packaging alone. And this one is no exception.

You might think this is a lip gloss...

Because of the plastic squeeze tube packaging, I won't be surprised if you'd mistake this for a lip gloss at first glance. But no, they're actually lip stains - highly pigmented, creamy texture, and with a lovely matte finish. If you're familiar with NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams, the texture and the 'feel' is pretty much the same.

You'd be surprised it isn't. :)

To use, simply squeeze the tube until you get the product flowing into the sponge. It's not as simple as it sounds though, as the tube is a bit dense and hard. Almost too hard, in my opinion. The material they used for the tube is not exactly the 'squeezable' kind. But once you get the product on the sponge, the actual application is easy-breezy. This product glides on my lips like a dream.

Shade number 1, Before Blossom.

And here's the swatch.

There are eight shades in the Rosy Tint Lips collection. What I have here is shade number 1 - otherwise known as Before Blossom - a warm shade of red that's very wearable and not as 'loud' and shocking as the swatch appears to be. The color is buildable, and lasts about four to five hours without eating or drinking. 

Before Blossom on my lips.

This product has a faint rose scent which I particularly like. I don't think this will be an issue for those who prefer unscented lip products as the rose scent is hardly noticeable. This lip stain's formula is lightweight and non-drying, despite the matte finish. Oh, and the price? They sell for Php 478 (around $10) a pop at Etude House branches nationwide.

What I love:

- The oh-so-pretty box!

- Highly-pigmented.

- Buildable color.

- Lightweight formula.

- Velvet, matte finish.

- Lovely, rose scent.

- Doesn't feel dry on the lips.

- Affordable.

- Several shades to choose from.

- Perfect for gradient lips.

- Can also be used as a cheek tint.

What you might not like:

- The 'not-so-squeezable' tube.

First selca of the year! Red on red on red. :)
FACE: Tony Moly Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream,
Missha Under Eye Brightener, Etude House Any Cushion.
EYES: BYS Waterproof Eyeliner, Fairy Drops Volume Burst Mascara,
The Face Shop Lovely Me: EX Design My Eyebrow.
CHEEKS: Skin Food Sugar Cookie Blusher in Bebe Pink.
LIPS: Etude House Rosy Tint Lips in Before Blossom.

Have you tried Etude House's Rosy Tint Lips? What do you think about this product? Do you like it as much as I do? :)

Unwrap Hope | Bamboo and Tattoo Home Broadband give smiles to children of Ormoc.

Ever wondered what your favorite stars and celebrities do during Christmas and the New Year? Here's a peek at how rock icon Bamboo celebrated the holidays.

Tattoo Home Broadband together with celebrated rock icon Bamboo gave the children of Brgy. Tambulilid Elementary School in Ormoc, Leyte plenty of reasons to smile with gifts of toys in time for Christmas.

A fitting finale to a successful run of Bamboo's Christmas concert Believe: Christmas at Home with Bamboo, the concert became the prime vehicle to be able to collect over 2000 toys for the benefit of the kids in the said barangay. After the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda, Tattoo, through Globe Telecom's Bangon Pinoy program, gave its commitment to restore and rebuild 100 homes in Ormoc, in partnership with Gawad Kalinga. And with the holiday season Tattoo chose to give importance to the children of the community who were left most vulnerable after the calamity.

Bamboo’s concert Believe: Christmas at Home with Bamboo held at the Music Museum is part of Tattoo’s #UnwrapHope project with an end goal to give over 2000 kids toys as gifts for Christmas

Everyone who wanted to watch the concert purchased toys in exchange for the tickets. On the other hand, those who simply wanted to share a simple Christmas message posted their video greetings on Instagram with the hashtag #UnwrapHope. Each video post was also equivalent to a toy that Tattoo donated on their behalf. And as a special treat, a creative selection of these videos were compiled and revealed during Bamboo’s concert.

Bamboo together with Tattoo Home Broadband's Jurist Gamban holding some of the stuffed toys that will be given to the children of Brgy. Tambulilid in Ormoc, Leyte.

Following the collection of toys was the gift wrapping activity held at the Globe Tower where employees, Tattoo customers and Bamboo's fans alike helped each other to wrap and put a bow on every single toy. The gifts were sealed with Christmas cards from the kids of Taguig Elementary school.

Bamboo, together with the whole Tattoo team, Tattoo subscribers and fans alike
worked together to wrap over 2000 gifts for the kids.

As Globe Senior Vice President for Broadband Business Gilbert Simpao said, "What better way to end a blessed year right than to give back. We feel very lucky to have this opportunity to make kids happy especially after what happened with typhoon Yolanda. And this is just the beginning as we commit to return in time to rebuild of their homes".

Brand new toys were shipped to Ormoc in time for the gift-giving celebration with Tattoo and Bamboo.

And just like Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, Bamboo and the whole Tattoo team and Globe employee volunteers arrived at the elementary school bearing gifts of joy in the form of truckloads of toys.

"We will forever be thankful that these children welcomed us and allowed us to be a part of their Christmas celebration. But we don't only want to be here just for the holidays. We are here for this community for the long haul and we look forward to making more children happier in the near future," continues Globe Vice President for Tattoo Home Broadband Business Jurist Gamban.

Joining Bamboo, Simpao and Gamban in the recent gift giving was Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Yoly Crisanto, and Globe Vice President for Nomadic Broadband Business Dong Ronquillo alongside Globe employee volunteers who gave their time and effort for this meaningful cause.

The children gave the Tattoo team a warm welcome and even had a chance to dance with them. Kids received toys from huggable stuffed dolls and building blocks to action figures.

The kids of Brgy. Tambulilid gave the Tattoo team a warm welcome and eagerly waited for their turn to receive a toy.

Tattoo together with Gawad Kalinga are now in the process of preparing in time for the building of the Tattoo-GK village in Brgy. Tambulilid this January. Apart from 100 houses, the village can also count on Tattoo's support with livelihood programs designed for sustainable living. Tattoo was able to raise funding for this project with their donation of 100% of their sales from their sticks and home broadband plans for November and December.

Bamboo and Jurst Gamban handing out the gifts to the children.

Bangon Pinoy is Globe Telecom’s enterprise-wide disaster response initiative that aims to have a unified system for donations, relief efforts, and corporate social responsibility programs across products and services. It is an integrated program that allows communities devastated by calamities to benefit from various efforts geared towards rebuilding and rehabilitation. It was first introduced by Globe in 2009 after typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng wreaked havoc in the country.

For more updates visit www.globe.com.ph/BangonPinoy. 

Foodie Goodie | Chicken and Pepper Egg Rolls.

It's that time of the year again - when your fridge will be filled with leftover food from the New Year. I know, because I still have leftover ham and chicken from two days ago. Haha! Now if you're stuck in the same rut as I am, here's what you can do with the leftover chicken. 

Chicken and Pepper Egg Rolls

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
2 large bell peppers (any color) cut into thin strips
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
12 egg roll wrappers
cooking oil for frying

Procedure:
1. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil.  Saute pepper and onion for at least five minutes.
2. Add the chicken strips to the pan. Saute for another five minutes.
3. Add soy sauce, garlic and ginger and stir well. Cook until most liquid has evaporated.
4. Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. Adding hot ingredients to the egg roll wrappers will cause them to break down and leak, so make sure the filling has been cooled properly.
5. Once cooled, lay several strips of chicken, onion and peppers in the center of an egg roll wrapper that has been laid on a surface with one point toward you. Fold the right point over and under the filling. Fold the top and bottom points down and roll from right to left, securing the left point with a touch of water.
6. Repeat with all wrappers and filling. Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry egg rolls, turning over once during cooking, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

Eating healthy? Try baking them in the oven at 350° F for 10-12 minutes instead.

As seen on Spoonful. Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday.

Spotlight | Human Heart Nature Balm for All Seasons.

Hello everyone! And once again, happy new year! I know it's 'back to work' for most of you today; as for me, I still have a few more days before the little man goes back to school. Yay!

The past few days had been crazy, with all the parties and family gatherings happening left and right. It was fun for the most part, but at the same time, it was a tad stressful. Good thing I discovered Human Heart Nature's Balm for All Seasons. 

Balm for All Seasons.

It's a pocket-sized stress reliever, and much more. Aside from being a stress-buster, this balm also provides relief for headaches, colds, clogged nose, dizziness, even body aches and minor skin irritations (think insect bites).

All-natural ingredients.

It's made with all-natural ingredients and essential oils such as peppermint (whose medicinal use includes nausea, vomiting, colds, and cough), eucalyptus (popular for its anti-inflammatory and decongestant properties), and bergamot (with a calming aroma that relieves stress and anxiety). 

Behold, the Balm! :)

It comes in a small plastic jar, and is available in one size only (10g). The balm has a very pleasant, minty smell, which even my son loves. The consistency is rather soft, and it gets a bit runny once applied on the skin. But at least it's non-greasy, and can be used even on sensitive skin.

Soothing 101.

What I love:
- The minty scent!
- The handy-dandy packaging.
- Made with all-natural ingredients.
- Not tested on animals.
- Proudly Philippine-made!
- Helps relieve colds and clogged nose, headaches, skin irritations.
- Safe for sensitive skin.

What you might not like:
- Although I would love for this product to have a thicker consistency, there really is none that I can think of. :)

The Balm for All Seasons sells for Php 99.75 each, and can be bought online via the Human Heart Nature website, through registered Human Heart Nature dealers, or at your local Human Heart Nature branch.

Wordless Wednesday #65 | Happy New Year!

It's officially 2014! Happy New Year everyone!

Cheers to a #Wonderful2014! :)