A Birthday Treat!

It's my special day so I treated my self with these Human Heart Nature Goodies!

From Left to Right: 100% Natural Purifying Facial Scrub, Nourishing Face Toner (Tomato), A Free Pinay Proud Sticker, 100% Natural Moisturizing Night Cream, and 100% Natural Sunflower Beauty Oil.

I'm excited to try these babies for the first time, except for the Sunflower Beauty Oil. That's my second bottle already and it took me more than six months to finish one. Talk about "SULIT" on that! I hope I don't get any bad reactions on these products and I hope they will help control my oily/combination skin.

I'm so happy to have these! They are good enough for my presents already. And maybe I'll share my own findings on these also.

Ciao! ^_^

posted from Bloggeroid

Deli Oats

I bought this crackers for my BB but I can't just stop eating it. It tastes like cinnamon graham crackers!

I usually buy this kind of crackers because it is cheap, low in sodium, tastes good, and my BB likes it too. 

posted from Bloggeroid

Tony Moly's Me and My Kitty Contest!

I love cats! Cats have been our household pets ever since our dog died when I was ten years old. We tried raising puppies but we couldn't keep them for a long time because they die easily. Too bad. Then came a time when we adopt a cat or a cat adopts us and that's the start of our feline love, I guess.

I know there are a lot of cat lovers like me so that's why I want to share Tony Moly's newest contest! I don't own any Tonly Moly cat items but I've seen their very cute packaging for their cat products. Now, the contest is to showcase their cat items and give you a chance to share how much you love your cat AND win cool cat prizes! How kitty cool is that!

Tony Moly's Me and My Kitty Contest

I'm thinking to join! Do you want to join too? Hit here for more information.

Just Browsing For The Birthday!

My birthday is coming and I am planning to but beauty things. Hehehe. Lately, I've been eyeing these items. (I'll post them here with the price so I won't forget them and plan on how to spend my money. 'Cause I'm poor like that. :D )


HHN Balancing Facial Wash.... Php79.75
HHN Nourishing Face Toner.... Php99.75
HHN Sunflower Beauty Oil.... Php129.75
HHN Natural Moisturizing Night Cream with Plant Collagen.... Php149.75
HHN Natural Mineral Powder.... Php295.00
HHN Natural Tinted Lip Balm .... Php79.75
HHN Natural Mineral Blush .... Php175.00
HHN Citronella Bug Spray .... Php99.75

Updated 7292012
EH Eyebrow Drawing Pencil Refill.... >/< Php 80

Updated 7312012

Wet n Wild Megalast Retractable Eyeliner... Php 190
(found one in Zalora.ph)

Updated 8012012
HHN Natural Purifying Facial Scrub...Php104.75

I think that's all for my plan for the moment.  Maybe I'll add more.

How about you, do you have plans on buying some things? Please share. :D

My Globe Deals In Zalora!

This is the exact message that I received from My Globe today.

MyRewards MyGlobe: Shop online at zalora.ph and get 5% off on all your favorite brands! Just type SMSYQ in the discount coupon box upon checkout & enjoy free shipping nationwide! Get these rewards and great deals only with Globe Prepaid! No info? Text DEALS OFF to 2949.

Globe should always do this rather than sending those repetitive call and text promos. Hehe.

Disturbingly Enticing

In some ways, I am disturbed specifically with this ad. One, it's everywhere. In Facebook ads, in blogger ads, in ads of other pages, and basically every website! Two, it features a lot of cellphones, which makes me want to buy or want another low end phone. Three, I believe every week, their products are increasing, that makes it very enticing to check what they've got.

If you have visited their website, you can see they offer free shipping, cash on delivery, Lazada warranty, 14-day return, plus a huge selections of gadgets, appliances, and what-nots for only a fraction of a price! How cool can they make online shopping! 

If my curiosity will get the best of me, I might just try and shop for some things at Lazada. Hmmm...

Have you tried shopping there? So, how was it? Please do share. (n_n)

Photo sources: Google images

Over A Thousand Views And More In The Future!

Would you believe, I reached with over one thousand views in less than a year? I couldn't believe myself too! To think I still have a few posts and I don't have a thousand followers. This is already big for me!

1024 pageviews, thank you!

Thank you so much for visiting and reading my posts. They are might be few but they were written right from my own views and experiences with in store and online shopping, fashion, beauty, and a whole lot more that interests the girl in me.

Thank you once more and hopefully, I will increase more of my posts! m(___)m

A Newbie With Etude House It's Real Mask Sheet Broccoli And To Other Masks

Two nights ago, it's the first time for me to try on a facial mask! I tried, however, Baviphat Apple AC Therapy Sleeping Mask and I quite liked it because it was a sleeping mask, perfect for lazy persons like me. But that was months ago and maybe I'll tell you about my findings on it if I repurchase it. I filled up my curiosity to try on a mask that has to be taken off after 15 minutes. So, I tried Etude House It's Real Mask Sheet Broccoli. I chose it for its anti-oxidant properties and it belongs to the new line of masks of Etude House.

Mask Newbie
Because I am a newbie, I didn't know which side to put it on! Good thing Etude House has some simple, understandable English instructions. They have illustrations too, which is also very helpful!

For other first timers, I guess the trick is that the  inner part from the fold is the side to your face and the thin film that edges out slightly is the outer part. It's quite tricky for me because the film is too thin to be recognized, unlike with nose films that it's easy to know.

I just followed the rest of the instructions and I waited for 15 minutes before removing it off. A timer is helpful in case you're too bothered to check on the time every minute and figuring out if it's time already.

My Experience With The Mask
I found out that masks can be pretty sticky. I thought it's just like moist tissues. I don't know if all masks are sticky but the  Etude House It's Real Mask Sheet Broccoli  is sticky for me and it felt like saliva on my face. LOL

After removing the mask, you have to massage the remaining extracts on your face. I didn't care about the stickiness after because majority of it was absorbed into my face. However, it took awhile to do the massaging and the patting before the remaining extracts to be fully absorbed.

When I woke up, my face was not oily, especially on my T-Zone but it was quite sticky, dewy and quite bright! I had some budding zits the night before but the next day, it was ripe and hopefully will die easily with a help from tea tree oil. After washing my face, it was soft, tight, and bright!

Final Thoughts About Masks
I've known that a part of having good skin is to have the basic skin care regimen but it's also good to apply on a pack or put on a pack once in awhile for extra pampering. And I guess, this will be a good addition aside to the nose packs/films and scrubs that I follow once or twice a week.

After this experience with Etude House It's Real Mask Sheet Broccoli, I would like to try on other masks. It just didn't give a WOW factor on me and it's a little pricey compared to some other Etude House mask sheet types and brands. Come to think of it, I still have another mask from Etude House that has been stowed away and has been forgotten to be tried on!

Which Etude House It's Real Mask Sheet WOWed you? If no, then what sheet mask or pack always give you a WOW? Tell me about it! m(___)m (n_n)

Losing And Misplacing Things, A Ranting

I really hate it when I lose or misplace important stuffs such as my comb or scrunchies, but most especially if you misplace your beauty essentials. I particularly don't have a room of my own, until now! We have a small house and right now, my baby and I are sleeping in the living room because my Omma is concerned that she will fall off from the bed. Oh well...

Speaking of losing and misplacing things, I misplaced my tea tree oil. I usually put it in the same place but I couldn't find it! I have some budding zits again. T_T With of that, I was compelled to buy another one. It breaks me because the misplaced one wasn't even half done yet. Hmmm....

And I don't like the idea of finding it after buying a new.What do you call that? Is that some ways of karma?

Oh well. T_T

Skin79 The Oriental Gold BB Cream Plus Sold Dirt Cheap!

To commemorate the Philippine Independence Day, I bought a new BB cream! Actually, it's just a coincidence. XD

I bought Skin79 The Oriental Gold BB Cream Plus for only Php 450 from a previous co-worker.Can you believe that it's dirt cheap?

She said it's authentic. I suppose so too, so I trust her. She said it's dirt cheap because she got it directly from the supplier plus she doesn't have an online or a physical store. And though I got the BB cream without the box, it's perfectly sealed.

See the seal?

If you buy this BB cream in other online stores, it's double the price and exclusive of the shipping fee. How much more if you buy from stores? (x_x)

So when my previous co-worker tagged me in the photo in her FB, I grabbed the opportunity! I just hope that this BB cream will fit me well. (^_^)

Have you ever bought a usually-expensive-product for a dirt cheap price? Please do share! (^o^)

posted from Bloggeroid

Join Belle De Jour's Mini-giveaway!

Because it's June, I'm joining Belle De Jour's Mini-giveaway! It's called: My 50 followers Mini Giveaway.
You can win cool prizes. (^o^)

I hope I can win this time. Try your luck to. Just click here to join. (^o^)

Blogging Through The Phone For Daiso Charcoal Natural Pack Overview

I successfully posted a test post from my droid to my blogs. It's so convenient especially if you are in the mood for blogging on the eleventh hour. But it's hard to blog without hard keys to type on. Still, I want to try another post with images!

Two nights ago, I tried out Daiso Charcoal Natural Pack. I bought it from Saizen for only Php 85. It's dirt cheap! I bought it because I want to try out the promises of this pack and experience the reviews of other bloggers who tried this out. And, I don't have a go-to product yet for extracting those pesky black and white heads. So, this would be worth a try.


Daiso Charcoal Natural Pack

The Daiso Charcoal Natural Pack has a black, watery fluid that is easy to spread. It doesn't have a stinging alcohol-like smell. And a thin layer quite do the job. I noticed that when it you pull it out after it dries, it is still stretched out and doesn't really crumple to its self while you pull it.

Contrary to other reviews, it's not really that painful to pull out. Maybe because I have a high pain tolerance or it's because I just endured the pain. Either way, it's not that painful. I noticed, however, that as it dries, you can feel a tighetening sensation. When I moved my nose (I tried it on my nose first), it's quite tight but I guess it somehow helped to make the pulling easier.

I agree with one blog writer that somehow said, effectivity does not really happen overnight and one-time usage doesn't conclude effectivty. I still have to do a couple more tries to say how effective this is. You know, you can only put on a pack or mask once or twice a week. So, I will not conclude on the effectivity yet.

I also bought the other Daiso Nose Pack before so I might do some comparative review of the charcoal one versus the other. :)

This is it for now about the Daiso Charcoal Natural Pack and for blogging on the phone. It's quite hard without using any hard keys or a keyboard. But it's convenient and somehow perfect for me who wants to blog anytime when inspiration surges.

Till next time! Have you tried the Daiso Charcoal Natural Pack yet? Please do share. (^_^)

posted from Bloggeroid

Fitting Etude House Drawing Eyebrow Pencil Refill In A Non-Etude House Product

A month ago, I finished up the retractable eyebrow pencil from Saizen. It lasted for around three to four months. I bought it around November or December last year. And I'm still left with a tad of it.

Retractable Eyebrow Pencil from Saizen

A little stump of the eyebrow pencil. 

 When I ventured there (to Saizen) to purchase another type of  retractable eyebrow pencil , similar to the one that I had, it was nowhere to be found! Unfortunately, the only Saizen is in one Ayala mall here and it doesn't have the shade and the type of eyebrow pencil that I wanted. Sigh. So I resolved to purchase a sharpen-type pencil from the same store. But, I'm bad with sharpening even with just normal pencils. It couldn't even last decently for a month.

The Sharpen-type Eyebrow Pencil

I'm not really good with sharpening of this kind.

I checked ebay again for some retractable eyebrow pencils that is cheap and affordable. I found out Etude House has some and they have some refills! And with that, I checked the Etude House in our local mall and thank God, there's one with the shade that I am for.

The Etude House Drawing Eyebrow Pencil Refill is priced at Php 78. I found in an ebay store and it is sold for  Php 75, which is cheaper by Php 3 but plus shipping fee, it would still  be overpriced. I'm glad that I checked the Etude House first. (^o^)

 Etude House Drawing Eyebrow Pencil Refill

There's only one refill in that kind-of-a-matchbox-box. Nonetheless, it's just Php 78 pesos and hopefully it can last around three to four months. Still, depending on the individual use. If you flip the box on to its other side, there's no English instructions whatsoever to tell you how to refill your eyebrow pencil. But it is easy to figure it all out.

On the Saizen's retractable eyebrow pencil , you can't see English texts for its features or ingredients but there's an English translation of what it is, the caution note and where it is made from.

No English instructions except for the company name and where it is made from. I guess, you just have to figure it out on your own how to install the refill.

A parallel translation of Eyebrow Pencil in  English and in Japanese.

Can you see the caution note? That's big plus, don't you think?

It's also made in Korea despite being a Japanese product.

Because I don't have the Etude House Drawing Eyebrow Pencil per se, I was skeptical about whether or not it might fit perfectly. The Etude House Drawing Eyebrow Pencil  refill has a bigger tip. The Saizen retractable eyebrow pencil has a smaller tip. The length is almost the the same. But the Etude one has a fatter body. 

The retractable eyebrow pencil from Saizen has a smaller tip.

 The Etude House Drawing Eyebrow Pencil Refill has a bigger tip.

They have almost the same lengths. The Etude one (the one at the top) looks a little fat than the Saizen one (the one at the bottom).

 But it perfectly fits well and even with the cap!

The Etude House Drawing Eyebrow Pencil Refill inside the Saizen Retractable Eyebrow Pencil. Perfect combination!

Thank God it fitted well! I don't have to scour the shelves of Saizen for a retractable eyebrow pencil that fits my need! They have some pointy types and some brands that have some refills  of their own but either it's not to my liking or it isn't the right shade. Though it is just dirt cheap for Php 85, I rather buy the refill from Etude House. It'll save me some Php 7 pesos and it's the one that I am looking for. 

I think I am solved for my eyebrow tool worries! How about you, what kind of eyebrow tool do you use? Please do share. (^o^)

Test

So I'm trying an app to be ablevto post from my droid phone.

posted from Bloggeroid

Daiso Charcoal Cleansing Facial Foam Review

Like what I said from my last post about Pond's Facial Wash, it really did took me a month--actually more than a month-- to purchase another facial wash. And after reading dozens of reviews from the web, I finally bought Daiso Charcoal Cleansing Facial Foam from Saizen. ^o^

Actually, as I can make out with from the katakana characters with my low Japanese skills, it is Daiso Natural Cleansing Foam. But anyhow, it's more known as Daiso Charcoal Cleansing Facial Foam.

Daiso Charcoal Cleansing Facial Foam can be bought from Saizen stores and it costs only for Php 85. Here in Davao, there was a time that they ran out of this product. That's why it took me a long time also to purchase this.

It looks like this.... There's a cute picture at the top that helps you tell that it is a facial foam. And at the bottom part of the tube, if you can see, there's a cleansing foam label in English.

Since Saizen is a Japanese store, you'll expect that the instructions and features will be all in Japanese.

 Picture is a little blurry.

But take a closer look, the essential notes are also written in English.

 It says, Natural Foam Cleansing.

Features: Small tiny halls of charcoal absorb dust and pollution. It clears dirt and sebum in pores.

How To Use: Make bubbles with water, softly massage, and wash out.

Caution: Stop using when it causes skin trouble. Immediately stop using and see dermatologist when it causes swell, itching, or irritation on skin. Be careful of its contact with eyes. If it contacts, cleanly wash your eyes. Keep away from the reach of children .

Produced for DAISO JAPAN. But MADE IN KOREA.

The tube was sealed when purchased. You can be assured that it's 100% clean.

Seal not removed until this review. ^o^

This is another bang-for-your-buck-product. It's Php 85 for a 70ml tube. Unfortunately there are no trial sizes for this one but rest assured, it won't disappoint you! It gives you a squeaky clean feel with no tightening of your face. Your face is soft afterwards and oil is controlled. You can save on the wash also because with a small amount, even less than a pea size, can give you a foamy lather and still with the squeaky clean feel.

My face has become clearer though there are still a few bumps. I don't get patchy and dry in my nose area from a week's use. And I bet I can have this wash for six months too. I love this wash!

There you have it, my take on Daiso Charcoal Cleansing Facial Foam. Have you tried this one too? (^o^)

Epilin Hair Remover For Underarms Review

So another one-in-a-blue-moon post neh?

Anyways... I'm such a virgin when it comes to waxing my underarms. I have just tried shaving and hair removal creams ever since. I was quite skeptical with the whole waxing thing. The sound of it meant pain  and hassle for me because of the whole process of waxing. Of course I have heard about cold and hot wax. The cold wax appeals to me because you don't have to heat it. Hot wax doesn't because of the heating process. And from most of what I read and heard, most waxes, hot or cold, need strips which you can reuse. Sounds a good deal, isn't it? Still, it sounded pain and hassle for me, especially the hot wax. Can I be more lazy? XD

When my friend and I were browsing for good finds at the hair removal section of Watson's in a local mall, my friend suggested Epilin. I know Epilin--a kind of wax that you need to heat in order to use its waxing properties. Okay, I thought,pain and hassle! But she said that it's very easy to use and very economical. And 100 g. can take you a long way because the hair growth can be slow, she added. So last week, I bought Epilin. Fortunately, I got their smallest size which is 45 grams and is good for newbs and frugal like me.

The 45 grams looks like this:

I didn't take a picture before it was opened because I was excited like that :P

Here is the back part:

Not a good take on that.

But take a closer look:

Here are the more detailed instructions:

Perfect for newbies like me!

The aftermath.

Reusable, economical!

Just like my friend said, it was super easy and there was no hassle. The heating process is just less than a minute, depending on how much you need. You're going to need a pot holder if you're going to hold the tin container on a stove top. It cools easily , so you might reheat if after a few minutes. You don't need 

to have strips for this one too. Once the wax dries, you just have to pull the wax off. So easy and hassle free, you can finish waxing your underarms in thirty minutes! Remember, to pull the wax in rapid motion to lessen the pain. Unfortunately, I did other wise.  (>_<)

Epilin Hair Remover is an easy hot wax to use. If you are a newbie like me, you don't have to worry because there are detailed instructions included. You can heat the wax less than a minute, depending on how much you need. You don't need to have cloth or any strips anymore, just the wax and the provided spatula. You just have to pull the hardened wax off and voila! hair-free underarms! !^o^! You can reuse the wax too, just store it in room temperature and in a clean container. 

From this experience I can say, the preparation and after care for the skin make the hassles of waxing, especially in your underarms. As for the pain, it is tolerable and remember to read the instructions in detail and pull the wax in rapid motion! (^o^)

As they say: Beauty is pain...

Have you tried Epilin Hair Remover? How about other waxes? Please do share. m(___)m

Pond's Clear Balance Smooth Pores: Pore Tightening Facial Foam with Glacial Clay Review

I'm almost out of facial wash. If you have read one of my first posts, I shared about Etude House Happy Tea Time Cleansing Foam in Green Tea. That was around November last year when I tried and wrote about it. And now, it's April 2012! Sure is a bang for your buck! :D I still have a tad left of it and I am now in search of a facial wash. I'm caught in whether or not I would buy it again or try other facial washes I have in mind such as: Daiso Charcoal Cleansing Foam and Pond's Clear Balance with the clay thing--the one that has been airing on TV advertising.


The Pond's Smooth Pores

So, first up on the chopping block is Pond's Clear Balance with the clay thing. I cannot resist not trying it because it is constantly airing on TV and because of its catchy promises of pimple-fighting properties, oil-control, and suitability to each person's need. This line comes with four different kinds. Check it here to find which one is for you.  I have the oily/combination type, with the enlarged pores, I chose the Smooth Pores: Pore Tightening Facial Foam with Glacial Clay.

This is what it promises and with the instructions:

And the ingredients:

I kind of feel that this new improved line just improved the packaging (?) But it is quite different though with the color of the cream when you press it out from the packaging.

The cream is a silver grayish type that will remind you of glaciers. 

A little goes a long way! A pea size amount gives you a good lather already.

 After washing your face with it, you'll get a nice cooling effect that helps tighten your pores and a matte-effect that leaves you shine free for a long time! In my case, around 5-6 hours. That's good already for my oily/ combination face. However, it kind of leaves my face dry after a few days of using it. Even though I have oily/combination skin, I have some dry spots as well, especially in my nose area.

Me with no make-up. XD

Smooth Pores In A Nutshell

Pond's Clear Balance Smooth Pores: Pore Tightening Facial Foam with Glacial Clay is good facial foam that promises you with it's superb cleansing, leaving you with a squeaky clean feel and a matte finish. There is also a cooling effect that you will instantly feel right after washing your face and that helps to tighten and smoothen pores. Oil control is long lasting so it suits an oily/combination skin type. It's affordable too. You can buy sachets of it for just Php 5/sachet. And a pea size amount goes a long way.

The downside of it is that it dried me out after using it for a few days. It did dried out the pimples that I had and I liked the squeaky feel and the oil control. I guess I don't have to repurchase this again. 

I still have a some of my Etude House Happy Tea Time Cleansing Foam in Green Tea. I guess it could last me one more month. One more month for me to contemplate repurchasing Etude House Happy Tea Time Cleansing Foam in Green Tea or try the other facial wash I had in mind. 

Have you tried this facial foam yet or other types from Pond's? Please do share. ^_^

Sales Attendants Can Be Your Worst Nightmare

After 48 years, I get to blog here again. Hehe (#^o^#)

If I had the chance to leave my labyrinth and take on the real world, I never fail to go on window-shopping. I love to check products and mentally compare the prices and the types available online. I also love try out some samples or testers of products. Compared to shopping online, either you buy the sample, ask for a sample from the seller, or pray for a sample of the product. In a way, window-shopping in stores can be a little advantageous than online shopping.

However, window-shopping can be not so fun, especially if there are annoying sales attendants. I guess it is the SOP of most malls or shops to always entertain customers with whatever they need or with whatever questions they have. It is always expected to have that good level of customer service. Unfortunately, customer service is where some shops fail.

Just like recently, I went to a local mall just to window shop and look for good stuffs. And here came a long, a sales attendant who immediately followed me the moment I walked in and asked me what I am looking for. I said that I was just looking around but she kept following me like a shadow that I had just to leave the area.

There's one instance also that the sales attendant speaks the price first before anything else. It's like saying that, in a way, there's no way I can afford the product. Of course, I can afford :P, but that annoys me because it shows a bad case of arrogance. So on instances like that, I either buy the product or just leave. (facepalm)

These are just some of the bad encounters with sales attendants when window-shopping in stores. I don't know who's to blame for such uncanny customer service. It's maybe lack of mentoring and upgrading of the mall/shop or it just depends on the sales attendant itself. Whatever the reason is, I just keep my sanity and smile politely to annoying attendants rather having it ugly.

Do you have any bad experiences with sales attendants? XD

Waiting in Vain: Eyeliner Pencil Experiment

Because I was bored waiting for my student... I decided to put up some face of the day.

Things that I used:

For the face: Just Maybiline New York Clear Smooth Shine Free Face Powder in Natural (Notice the blemish marks! XD)

For the eyes: Saizen Eyebrow Pencil from Saizen in Dark Brown; Nichido Eyeliner Pencil in Dark Brown

For the lips: Tony Moly Cherry Tint

So what do think? Happy Sunday!

Impulsive On Books

Thank God for online shopping! But! It also acts a double-edged sword in my case.

Online shopping is a very convenient way to buy the things you want without leaving the house or without scouring the malls or shops to look for the items that you want to buy. With just a few clicks and your commitment to pay, you're all set! The later, however, becomes a threat if you are an impulsive buyer. Somewhat like me? Not so. :P

I can be an impulsive buyer, especially if I know I have the moolah to pay for it and it is within my allotted money. Even though I can be impulsive, I can still put a halt to it. I am not too reckless with my impulsiveness.

But if I am browsing or looking for hard-to-find-books, it's a different story. I cannot restrain my self, especially if I have been searching for it.

Like today, I have a lot of time to kill my time, I just browsed for good books in ebay and voila, this appeared:

The Hobbit Illustrated Edition ~ J.R.R. Tolkien and Alan Lee

I'm not especially looking for The Hobbit over the 'net because I have already read that courtesy to a friend. I am hoping that he will give me his copy. XD And, I have faith that I can find an old copy in book fairs. Just like how I found The Lord Of The Rings 1-3 for Php150 each. It was a real, lucky steal that I asked my Omma to buy it for me instantly. hehehe. But this discovery is like a gem in the dumpsters or a needle in the haystack. It will be very rare to find this in local book fairs or even in local book store sales. That book will be a defining for me I really am impulsive over books. (^o^)

I have faith that the book will be re-listed, so I'll be keeping an eye on that in my watch list. If I don't get it, it's okay. If I do get it, I'll be (^o^)(^o^)(^o^)(^o^)(^o^).

Torn In Between

I haven't bought a mobile phone yet because I am indecisive like that. XD Previously, I shared about the Samsung Galaxy Y. Originally I wanted that but it did not meet my dual-sim check list. So, I waited for a few months for a cellphone that'll meet my checklist.

Then, came Alcatel OT-918n. It checked all in my check list, even the price. But, I'm still skeptical about buying it because I don't know if it is a better brand than what it was before.

And now, here's Samsung Galaxy Y Duos! It'll be available here in my city in a few days and it also meets the qualifications in my check list. The downside is the price, which is around Php 3,000 more expensive than Alcatel OT-918n. The latter is just around Php 6,000. And I found good reviews of the former also. Now, I am torn, T_T

Here is some specs of both phones courtesy of Tekpone.

Samsung Galaxy Y DUOS

Alcatel OT-918n

General 2G Network GSM 850/900/1800/1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 3G Network HSDPA 900/2100 Body Dimensions 109.8 x 60 x 12 mm Weight 109 g Display Type TFT capacitive touchscreen, 256K colors Size 240x320 pixels,3.14 inches(~127 ppi pixel density) - Samsung TouchWiz Sound Alert types Vibration; MP3 ringtones Loudspeaker Yes 3.5mm jack Yes Memory Card slot microSD, up to 32GB Internal 512 MB ROM, 384 MB RAM Data GPRS Yes EDGE Yes Speed HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot Bluetooth Yes, v3.0 with A2DP USB Yes, microUSB v2.0 Camera Primary 3.15 MP, 2048x1536 pixels Features Geo-tagging Video Yes, QVGA@24fps Secondary No Features OS Android OS, v2.3 (Gingerbread) Sensors Accelerometer, proximity, compass Messaging SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM, RSS Browser HTML, Adobe Flash Radio Stereo FM radio with RDS GPS Yes, with A-GPS support Java Yes, via Java MIDP emulator Colors Black Phoenix - Dual SIM (dual stand-by) - SNS integration - MP4/WMV/H.264 player - MP3/WAV/eAAC+ player - Organizer - Image/video editor - Document viewer - Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa integration - Voice memo/dial - Predictive text input Battery Standard battery, Li-Ion 1300 mAh

Specifications: Dual Sim Operating System Android 2.3 Bearer GSM/UMTS/HSDPA Wi-Fi Wireless connection to the Internet through a LAN A-GPS Assisted GPS for a faster location of the phone Camera 3.2 Megapixel G-Sensor The accelerometer allows the phone to automatically orientate the display vertically or horizontally FM Radio Follow your favorite radio stations with the RDS function MMS Send and receive multimedia messages with MMS 1.2 Input SMS with predictive input CooTek Facebook for Android Twitter for Android Browser Surf the Internet with Google chrome browser Music Player MP3, AAC/AAC+ , WMA Micro SD Card Up to 32GB E-Mail Receive emails on your phone using POP3 and IMAP4 communication protocols. Instant Messaging Talk with friends using Palringo, a Java based app for instant messaging Handsfree Make and receive calls having your hands completely free Bluetooth 3.0 A2DP - Share music, photo and more with close friends thanks to Bluetooth 3.0 A2DP

I guess there are not much of a difference between them when it comes to the specs. But there are great differences when it comes to the performance of each cellphones, as I have read in different forums and blogs. I am more torn because of those. T_T

Currently, I am following these blogs/forums for more information on Alcatel OT-918n.:

http://www.istorya.net/forums/gizmos-and-gadgets/470572-alcatel-ot-blaze-glory-918n-android-2-3-dual-active-sim.html

http://cheftonio.blogspot.com/2012/01/alcatel-blaze-duo-918n-review.html

As for further information on Samsung Galaxy Y DUOS, I just have to look it up in http://www.gsmarena.com/.

I have to rethink again for this purchase because I will be using my own money and I want to get my money's worth. This is not some piece of cake. Sigh.

How 'bout you? Have you ever contemplated so bad before buying a cellphone? :O

The Body Shop and Zen Zest Tea Tree Oils: Differences

I actually deleted this blog but I revived it because the shopper in me says so. ^o^

Anyways... I have long been on hiatus.

I'm writing about two tea tree oils that are locally found in the malls. There are other tea tree oils available also online, sold by local online sellers but when you search the Internet for tea tree oils, these two pop out on the top searches.

Zen Zest and Body Shop Tea Tree Oils

This is not a review on how effective each because they produce the same effects. Both dry out pimples, from the minute ones to cystic zits quickly (but not really overnight, let's say 2-5 days ^_^). Both lighten red scars caused by acne. Both have the same smell: earthy and tobacco-y like; and consistency: like water and feels like not oily. And both are environmental friendly too.

This is just showing you the differences, especially for contemplative buyers like me, who always look for affordable with high-quality products.

First obvious difference would be the price. Body Shop's price is at a whooping Php 459 (as what I have found from other beauty bloggers.) Zen Zest's on the other hand is only Php 150. And thinking about the contents, which is the second difference, I guess you could say that you can get more from your peso with Zen Zest because one small bottle has 15 ml. Very sulit right? Body Shop has 10 ml. only. That is like a big red sign of splurge. How much more if you buy the big bottle? As far as I can remember, five years ago, the big bottle was around Php700. So maybe right now, it's around Php800. O_O

BIG differences with the contents and price. The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil that I have is an old one. Notice the cracks on its label? Nothing's changed with the packaging until now.

Third difference would be the ingredients. Body Shop has managed to fit all of the ingredients on its tiny bottle. Body Shop's tea tree oil is not 100% tea tree oil. It's only 15% and the other 85% is composed of water, alcohol denat, polysorbate, limonene, t-butyl alcohol, and denatenium alcohol. These will be a turn-off, I believe, for people who are concerned on having chemicals on beauty products. As for Zen Zest's, the label only says it is extracted from the twigs and leaves of the Australian tea tree. Not really specific on that but I believe, it's more natural compared to Body Shop's. Body Shop tea tree oil easily evaporate after application, maybe because of the alcohol content. Zen Zest tea tree oil needs a few minutes to disappear.

Body Shop Ingredients List. See the cracks on the label? ^_^

No Specific Ingredients List for Zen Zest

Fourth difference would be the cap. This is just a minor difference if you're not so OC. XD Body Shop's needed to be pressed down first before turning it counter-clockwise to open, like how some medicine bottle caps work. I guess that type of cap ensures the bottle to be air-tight, thus preventing the tea tree oil to evaporate quickly. With Zen Zest's, no problem in opening. The cap is air tight enough and durable too.

I guess those are the only differences that I can cite about these two tea tree oils. Honestly, I only knew of Body Shop's tea tree oil and it's the only tea tree oil that I know of. Because of the rising prices, everything seems to be expensive nowadays. I could not afford buying a small bottle of tea tree oil from Body Shop anymore. I also found other tea tree oils sold in ebay but they are still expensive. Good thing I found a review of Zen Zest tea tree oil. I only know Zen Zest sell scents and fragrance products. So knowing that they have tea tree oil for a very affordable price, I registered in my mind to buy a small bottle of tea tree oil if I get the chance to go out.

Not too much of differences right? Like what I mentioned, both have the same effects. So, it's up to you whether you want to splurge or save. :D

VDAY GIVEAWAY: CAMBRIDGE-INSPIRED SATCHEL BAGS

A good way to meet the Chinese New Year is to join a Giveaway!

I'm not Chinese but I got excited to join when I read about this giveaway from online seller, Jules Vogt. The prizes will not be one but two Cambridge-inspired satchel bags! But for this giveaway, there will only be one prize winner. So the winner will get to share the other bag with his/her loved one or friend. How cool is that!

If I win, I would get to share the prize with my good friend, Jade, who is also a bag lover like me. Crossing my fingers on that!

It's just easy to join! Click here to check the details. Goodluck!