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8.21.2012

Hair Story | Etude House Bubble Hair Coloring in Gold Blonde.

Three months ago, I did my first attempt with DIY hair coloring using Etude House Bubble Hair Coloring in Sweet Orange. Satisfied with the result vis-a-vis the price (Php 350 at my favorite eBay store), I went for DIY hair coloring again over the weekend, this time using a different color.

My name is Blonde. Gold Blonde.
Still Etude House, of course. Only now, it's Gold Blonde - one of the two new shades released a few months ago. The other shade, Mocha Pink, was actually my first choice. But dang, I've searched high and low, and all over the web, and I still couldn't find a seller who has it in stock. So even with a bit of hesitation, I decided to go for Gold Blonde instead.

Side panel.
Unlike the previous releases of the Bubble Hair Coloring, this box actually had instructions written in English. That's a plus for first-time users who can't read Hangul.
No Hangul? No problem!
I remember having to Google for instructions and search for YouTube demos the first time I used this product. Now you can skip the research part and read directly from the box instead.

Contents unboxed.
Or you can just read 'em here:

1. Wear the cape and latex gloves.
2. Pour the Bubble Coloring Solution inside the pump bottle. 
3. Tilt the bottle from side to side so that it mixes with the Liquid Solution inside the bottle. Do not shake the bottle, as it may become too foamy to pump out.
4. Pump out the foamy mixture and apply it on your hair.
5. Leave it on for about 30 minutes. 
6. Rinse thoroughly.
7. Apply the Silky Perfumed Treatment next. 
8. Leave it on your hair for at least five to ten minutes. 
9. Rinse.

So how did my second DIY attempt turn out?
Before.
It was a success!
After.
I wasn't expecting my almost black hair to miraculously turn into golden yellow, so I was quite surprised with this color pay-off! It's a soft shade of brown - kinda brunette, if I may say. It's pretty, and I love it!

I don't think I'll pay for a thousand bucks at the salon ever again. (Unless Mum treats me to a makeover session when she comes home next month, haha!)

Where to buy?
Etude House branches
Bhappywithme (my favorite seller of Korean cosmetics)

8.20.2012

I Take Control and Live the A!life!

There was a point in my life when I was actually slim. I had a 26" waistline, no bulges or love handles, and wore size M, sometimes even size S clothes.

I was at my slimmest in 2007. 

Despite being a chubby kid who grew up to become an even chubbier adult, I somehow managed to achieve what my husband would call a 'vavavoom' figure. Thanks to Chinese herbal medicine (aka diet pills), football, dental braces and jaw therapy that made eating difficult, and three gum surgeries that made eating next to impossible, I was able to attain this 36-26-36 figure.

See that awkward smile on the left photo? This was during our company Christmas party back in 2006. 
I just had gum surgery two days prior, and I couldn't even eat. Let alone close my mouth properly!

But alas, this svelte-ness was short-lived!
I got pregnant in 2008 and gained a lot of weight in the process. I was so huge that some people actually thought I was carrying twins! And despite shedding some of those pregnancy pounds, regaining my pre-homemaker figure had been an uphill battle.

Hubby and I, plus our nephew Cholo at Yue's Christening, 2009.
Curly hair (plus unwanted fat). Yue's First Birthday, 2009.
Although I'm not the kind of person who lives with regrets, there are days when I wish I still had that body from 2007. In fact, I still keep my size 2 jeans (they've been relegated to the bottom-most drawer of my cabinet) with hopes of wearing them again one of these days. If I was able to do it before, then I can definitely do it again! All the more now that I TAKE CONTROL.


A!life Control is a food supplement that contains Phase 2™, an all-natural extract from white kidney beans. This breakthrough ingredient has been proven in multiple clinical studies to minimize the absorption of carbohydrates, the major culprit of our miseries - weight gain, obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome to name a few.


A!life Control reduces the caloric impact of starchy foods, while lowering one’s glycemic index. The glycemic index is a ranking scale and system based on the effect of food on blood sugar. And while carbohydrate-based food have the greatest (negative) effect on blood sugar levels, it is rather ironic that some of my favorite food (think pizza, pasta, donuts, cinnamon rolls) rank very high in the glycemic index. Even rice, the staple food of Filipinos, is at the top of the ranking.

Thankfully, there's A!life Control to do the trick - one tablet taken five to ten minutes before eating a meal containing starch or carbohydrates. Combined with proper diet and regular exercise, I am well on my way to regaining my size 2 figure!

Join me as I live the A!life, as I Take Control and embrace a healthier lifestyle!

This is how I 'aegyo'. And I just had to squeeze this in. :)
Got an A!Life Control story? 
Share it on Facebook and be the next A!Life online ambassador! You get to win these amazing prizes, too!
1. Six (6) boxes of A!Life's complete supplement line
2. Cash prize worth Php 10,000
3. One (1) A! Life Umbrella
4. One (1) of the three gift certificates: 
  • SM Gift Certificate (worth Php 2000)
  • Executive Check- Up (valued at Php 2000) 
  • Gym Pass (valued at Php 2000)
5. Professional makeover and photoshoot
6. Spread and feature at Cosmo.ph together with A!life Brand Ambassadors Martha Sta. Barbara (The Beauty Junkee), Dominique Tiu (Konichiwear) and Czjai Reyes-Ocampo (yes, that's me!)

To join, all you have to do is:
1. Like A!Life on Facebook AND follow them on Twitter.
2. Go to the contest app on the A!Life Facebook page.
3. Submit your best photo, with a description of how A!Life Control has helped you live the A!Life.



And do take note of the following guidelines when you join:
  • Submission of entries is from August 20, 2012- September 14, 2012.
  • Voting begins on September 15, 2012 and will end on September 28, 2012. Votes are equivalent to Facebook 'likes' on the contestant's photo. Voters must be fans of the A!Life Facebook page and Twitter followers as well.
  • Two winners will be selected based on Facebook 'likes' and through the discretion of the event organizers.
  • Winners will be announced on October 5, 2012 via the A!Life Facebook page.
  • Winners will also be notified via email regarding the schedule of the Cosmo.ph photoshoot and claiming of prizes.
Looking forward to see your photos and read your stories! Best of all, I can't wait for the makeover and photoshoot session with you! Best of luck, everyone!

Disclaimer: This sponsored post is part of the Live the A!Life Campaign. Thoughts and opinions are entirely my own. Rest assured that I use/have used the aforementioned product/s, with no adverse reaction afterwards. 

Join | Mom's Day Off Giveaway!


Welcome to 'Mom's Day Off'
a giveaway event hosted by
Debs Sit-n-Shop | MommiesPoint of View
Live Laugh Love To Shop | Oh! My Heartsie |
This event runs from August 20 to August 27, 2012.

One lucky winner will receive the following prizes:
Avon items
Country Gourmet products
Paparazzi Jewelry 
Enchanted Candles


Please be patient and let the page load.
Enter via the Rafflecopter below.

Moms, enjoy your Day Off!
Good luck, and have fun!





8.19.2012

PopJunkLove T-shirt Necklace | Giveaway Winner + DIY Tutorial!

And we've got a winner!
Congratulations to Leonise! She just won for herself a T-shirt necklace from PopJunkLove!


The Choose to Reuse Giveaway may be over and done with, but don't fret because Roma - one-half of the PopJunkLove duo - and I still have something in store for you! As a treat for my readers and followers, especially to those who participated in the recently-concluded Choose to Reuse Giveaway, we're sharing  this tutorial on how to make your very own T-shirt necklace. And so they say, if you can't win it, make it!

This tutorial is also posted on Roma's blog, filed under the DIY Challenge category. Click on the images to enlarge. Photo credits to PopJunkLove.


The materials are pretty simple. Take an old stretchy cotton shirt (best if it's in your favorite color), a pair of scissors, a needle, some thread, and that's about it! DIY project, here we go!

Erratum on photo number 3: 'each' not 'its'

Wrap and work your way up!

Almost done!

Ta-daaa!


Although I may not be the most arts-and-craftsy person in the world, I had fun doing this project (I reckon my son enjoyed it much more than I did, haha!). It's always nice to learn new, innovative things. And it's not everyday that you get an upcycling guru to do a DIY tutorial for you. 

So I'm also taking this opportunity to thank Roma and Maan for sharing their creativity and skill with me and my readers. And for sponsoring this giveaway, too! Many thanks and more power to PopJunkLove! :)

For more DIY Challenges and upcycling ideas, check out Roma is Love!
Like PopJunkLove on Facebook or add them as a contact on Multiply!


8.18.2012

Spazz Saturday #2 | Choi Siwon + Lee Donghae.

Welcome to the second week of Spazz Saturday!
I'm thankful for the hits received by the debut post - it was more than what I expected! I'm hoping more of you can join the fun and link-up this time.

Spazz Saturday
This week, I am spazzing on no other than (drum roll, please!) Siwon (the poster boy of this meme/linky party) and Donghae of Super Junior! They were in town a few days ago for the launching of their Bench product line. Oh yes, they're the latest endorser of the world-renowned brand made famous by the man himself - Mr. Ben Chan.

Check out some of Siwon and Donghae's (collectively known as 'SiHae' among Kpop fans) photos from Bench's Spring/Summer 2012 Collection.








Photo credit: Bench
The last photo left me with my mouth hanging open. And I'm sure the 25,000 ELFs (EverLasting Friends of Super Junior) in attendance to the 'SiHae in Manila' event would agree. :)

Photo credit: @siwon407
How about you? What's making you spazz right now? Share your posts below!
Remember, this linky party is not limited to Kpop idols or Korean stars. I just happen to be very, very, fond of them.  ;)

Please don't forget to link back to this blog or grab the code above! Comments are most welcome, too.