Sample Room, finally!

Over the weekend, I received my first-ever haul from Sample Room. If you're following me on Instagram and Twitter, then chances are, you've seen this photo on your timeline or my profile page.

Sample Room haul! My first ever! :)

I'm a late-bloomer to the Sample Room craze, I know. It's been all the rage for the past few months, and I'm joining the bandwagon just now. You see, my previous attempts at getting free samples were futile. (Yes, you heard me right. Free!) Samples run out very fast, and each time I try to grab one (or two) they're already out of stock! But luck was on my side this time, and I managed to snag these for my myself. Finally!

So what's inside my Sample Room haul?
First, there's Cure Natural Aqua Gel, which is said to be Japan's number one exfoliator. Seeing how "one bottle is sold every 12 seconds in Japan", then I guess this product must be really, really good. Sample size for this product is five sachets, for five days' use.

Next up is C-Lium Fibre in capsule form. After my Brand Ambassador stint with A-Life, I've gotten to know more about other Pascual Laboratories products, and C-Lium Fibre is one of them. I decided to give this product a try because I've heard good reviews about it, plus I have bathroom (and weight, lol) issues that I need to address. Haha! Sample size, by the way, is 60 capsules good for six days.

Of course, I'll be sharing my experience with these products here in my blog. That means more product reviews in the days to come. :)

Wanna try these products for yourself? Then join the Sample Room craze, too, and get them for FREE!

Get Spring Cleaning for a Sparkling Home.

With warm weather right around the corner, it's no surprise that for many of us, thoughts have turned to spring cleaning. If you are feeling daunted by the amount of work involved - or you simply don't know where to begin - don't worry! We've compiled some top tips to get your home back to its best in time for spring.

Organization is crucial 
Have you ever heard the old saying "There is a place for everything and everything in its place"? By establishing a system for where things are supposed to go, it is often far easier to keep them tidy.

A great way to get yourself on the path to a tidier home is to get organised - ensuring you have adequate shelving, cupboards and drawers to stow away specific items will help make clutter a thing of the past.

One smart solution is to allocate a cupboard, basket or other storage space to each member of the family, where they can toss gloves, hats, keys, wallets and handbags when they come in the door. This can cut down on clutter and will also ensure you never misplace essentials - such as your keys - when you are in a rush to get out the door.

Photo credit: WeeDecor

Tidy up your garage 
It's not surprising that the garage is among the most common places in your home for clutter to develop - after all, if you don't spend a lot of time in there, it is very easy to adopt an 'out of sight, out of mind' attitude to its contents.

The garage is also often home to a number of miscellaneous items, from tools to sporting equipment. Without an effective organisational solution in place, it can easily get cluttered and messy. Metal garage storage shelves is one way to easily combat this problem and ensure these items don't collect dust or get damaged sitting on the floor.

Make time for a deep clean
Once you've cleared up the clutter and set up an organised system where things can be put away, it's time to really get down to the nitty-gritty of spring cleaning.

Some people find that they like to make a weekend project out of this task and involve the whole family, while others prefer their deep cleaning to be done room by room. Whatever your preference, it is important to set up a schedule of who will be doing what jobs. For example, you may wish to assign each child a specific duty (one hoovers while the other dusts) or give them a checklist of jobs to complete in a particular room.

Of course, there are others still who prefer to leave the tough jobs to the professionals. If you're keen to get your carpets cleaned, for example, you can easily hire a machine to do the job - or you can send in the pros and avoid the heavy lifting.

Maintenance is key
Now that your home looks ship-shape, it is time to tackle the task of maintaining that spring clean feeling all year-round. Your organisational efforts are likely to pay off in terms of cutting the clutter - especially if you can get everyone into the habit of using their storage space.

In terms of cleaning, tackling one small job a day can often be more manageable than saving everything up for a weekend. Divide your home into seven sections (or six, if you fancy a well-deserved day off) and complete one section a day. Before you know it, you'll have turned maintenance into a habit.

Cars for Mums on the Move.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. Thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Not every vehicle can handle the rigours of motherhood - modern mums are a busy lot, dividing their time between work, play, looking after the kids and taking care of household chores.

That's why they need to have a trusty vehicle they can rely on to help them cope with the demands of the day. Safety, versatility and affordability are also key factors and here is a range of compatible cars - from small and fuel efficient to larger and more robust for those with a big family to ferry around.

Whether you're after something stylish when dropping the kids of at school, for long journeys, or travelling to the local bingo hall - the choice for family cars has never been greater.

Small, safe and smart 
The mighty MINI One is bursting with get-up-and-go and dripping with charm. Safe, reliable and easy to park, you won't have to worry about not being able to get into tight spots. At the same time, it's roomy with plenty of space to fit in everything you need for an outing with your little one.

On the road you can rely on the MINI One to be your bodyguard as various sensors recognise dangers before they even have a chance to happen, allowing you to react in good time. In tricky situations, you're also supported by intelligent suspension and a smart braking system.

The MINI One is so popular that Wink Bingo have chosen it for giveaways and even have a MINI members club where bingo players in the UK sing its praises!

Photo credit: Fordlux

Practical and affordable
For new mums looking for an affordable vehicle with plenty of boot space for prams and the million other things you have to carry around when you have a little one, the all-new Ford Fiesta boasts fine handling, good looks and impressive practicality.

It's also incredibly fuel-efficient and packed with plenty of handy features such as assisted parking, rapid heating and Bluetooth voice control to make driving with your little ones easier than ever.

Whether on the school run or travelling further afield, this nippy car can handle it all. On top of this, it comes in a variety of versions with a choice in the number of doors and engine size.

On the larger side
If you have more than one child in your family, you're going to need something with a little more room.

The Nissan Qashqai+2 comes with bags of charm and the added benefit of two extra seats so you don't have to endure the little ones fighting and screaming for extra space. It's ideal for mums on the school run and as it's well-built, comfortable and roomy - it should handle the job no problem.

For supermums 
Part sport utility vehicle, part estate and part hatchback, the Peugeot 3008 has a great blend of comfort, quality and design.

Winner of What Car? Crossover of the Year in 2011, it is also spacious - something which is essential when travelling around with young ones given the amount of things you need to cart around with you.

With seven seats this car will swallow up an army of kids as well as all their gear and with its distinctive shape, it's also an attractive vehicle for those concerned with style.

Spotlight | SkinFood Sugar Cookie Blusher in Bebe Pink.

The past few days have been hot as hell and unbelievably humid. Times like these, I wear makeup to a minimum and keep my face as bare as possible. Doing my makeup routine in this kind of heat is already painstaking, what more if I wear full makeup under the scorching hot summer sun?

And so for the time being, I decided to keep my 'warm' blushers at bay (you know how fond I am of my Sleek Makeup Blush in Pomegranate and Tony Moly's Cheek Tint in Cherry Pink) and use something 'cool' instead. Case in point, the SkinFood Sugar Cookie Blusher which was sent to me by my husband about six months ago.

SkinFood Sugar Cookie Blusher + my ecoTools mini Kabuki brush. :)

I first saw this product in the SkinFood website, where it's described as a "specially oven-baked blusher with cute and lovely colors infused with pearl creates radiant, lustrous, and vibrant-looking cheeks".

Photo credit: Drolly Pop Shop

They're awfully cute alright, which is the main reason why I asked the husband to get this for me. I can't remember if it was my choice or his, but I ended up with Blusher #01 aka Bebe Pink. It's priced at 7000 Korean Won, which is about more or less Php 260 (or about US$5) when converted.

So cute and dainty.

The SkinFood Sugar Cookie Blusher comes in a little cardboard compact. Screw the cap off, and ta-da! You get a domed, baked blusher in a lovely shade of pink.

Bebe Pink!

Flip it over and you'll see the product description. In Hangul.

If you can read Hangul, good for you! :)

Now here's how the product looks like when swatched on the skin.

Sheer. Almost too sheer.

Bebe Pink has very fine shimmers in it. Not chunky or glittery, just good enough to give your cheeks a nice glow and make your face appear bright and dewy.

It's a bit difficult to work with this blusher, though. I tried using a regular blush brush at first, but the color just wouldn't come out. Switching to a mini kabuki, I somehow managed to pack the brush with color and apply it on my skin.

Cheeks with just a hint of pink. :)

Yes, the color is sheer. Maybe too sheer for some, but I'm really liking the pink glow this blusher does for my cheeks. It makes my face glisten like an innocent teenager, hahaha!

My husband is totally digging this look, too. Perhaps because he bought the blusher? Lol.

What I love:

- Cute, compact packaging.

- Has a mild, subtly sweet scent.

- Dewy effect on the cheeks.

- Gives the face a nice, healthy glow.

- Affordable price (when bought in Korea, that is).

What you might not like:

- Color might be too sheer for some.

- A bit difficult to work with, if you don't have the right brush.

Products used:
FACE: Majolica Majorca Skin Lingerie Pore Cover, Missha Under Eye Brightener,
SkinFood Good Afternoon BB Cream in Rose Lemon Tea,
The Face Shop Lovely Me:Ex Angel Skin Powder Pact
EYES: Ever Bilena Eyebrow Pencil in Brown, BYS Smudgeproof Eyeliner in Black,
Majolica Majorca Lash King Mascara
CHEEKS: SkinFood Sugar Cookie Blusher in Bebe Pink.
LIPS: Double Hit Lip in Rose Riot.

Spazz Saturday #20 | G-Dragon releases music video for MichiGO!

After much anticipation from fans all over the world, the music video for G-Dragon’s latest single has finally been released. At exactly 12 midnight today, April 20, ‘MichiGO’ made its premiere on Big Bang’s official YouTube channel.

In an earlier statement, YG Entertainment said, “G-Dragon’s ‘MichiGO’ will not be released on any music website in Korea or in other countries. It was planned to be shown only during G-Dragon’s world tour and ‘LINE’, but since many fans asked for it, we decided to show the music video.”

MichiGO was first unveiled last March, during the Seoul leg of G-Dragon’s One of a Kind World Tour. The concert tour is currently in progress and will cover 13 cities in 8 different countries.

Also posted on Korea.com.