End of Summer Mini Giveaway! - CLOSED

Hey girls! I tweeted the other night (I'm not sure) that I am listing a few items for a mini giveaway and I am finally done. Unfortunately, this is open only to Philippine residents. However, I am planning to do a giveaway that is open internationally on my birthday a couple of months from now. :P The prizes aren't much but I'm still hoping you guys will join. :) So here are the items that the winner will get. And I might add a few more items along the way.

Benefit Crescent Row EDP Vials. Bad news is the first one won't be included as it was almost empty when I checked it just as I was taking pictures. I have no idea why but that's how it is when I opened everything for the first time.

3 Flirt Lipglosses with case

Random stuff - Purederm, Myra, Skinfood, Clinique Mild Facial Soap, Bath & Body Works Pocketbac Island Nectar. 

EDIT:
Added items from Soap & Glory, Bath and Body Works, and Victoria's Secret. Photos soon! :P

Giveaway terms and entry point system:
1. You have to be a follower of my blog via GFC. New followers are welcome but please do not follow this blog then un-follow just for the heck of being able to join. Please be ethical. :) (1 entry) MANDATORY
2. Follow me via Twitter - greenappletini (+ 2 entries) and tweet about this giveaway (+ 2 entries). OPTIONAL For those with protected tweets, I cannot check if you have indeed tweeted about the giveaway so I had to do a follow request. Please confirm it so I can update your number of entries.
3. Make a post about this giveaway on your blog (+ 5 entries). Use just the first picture when re-posting this giveaway. OPTIONAL
4. You should be a Philippine resident.
5. Leave a comment on this post stating "Me! Me! Me!" (it has to be 3 Me!s haha! Kidding.) along with the links of what you have done to join and include your email address as well so I can contact you in case you win. :)
6. Maximum number of entries you can get is 10. Anyone who goes beyond that will be disqualified.
7. Giveaway starts now, 28 May and will run for one month which will end on 28 June. I will use Random.org to draw the winner.
8. The winner has 48 hours to respond to my email. No response within 48 hours means I will automatically draw another winner.

Good luck and I hope you guys will join! :)

Friendly Reminder: Please note that at the end of the giveaway, I will be double-checking each entry just to make sure that everyone has followed the rules before drawing the winner.

Happy Saturday, super awesome peeps! :P

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Win a $250 Gift Card Just for Dad from Apothica

Hey ladies! Here is another great giveaway from Apothica just for your dads. You all know very well my relationship with my dad so even though I would no longer get the chance to shop for him, I would like to share with you guys the opportunity to do so for your dad. Click on "Just for Dad" to join the giveaway/contest. Joining is easy. All you have to do is post a comment explaining why your dad deserves to win the $250 gift card. So what are you waiting for? Join now and give your daddykins a nice Father's Day gift. Deadline for entries is on June 13th and winner will be announced on June 14th.

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Yum Moments: Stackers Burger Cafe

Went to Eastwood last week for a very informal and casual meeting and we met up at Stackers. I've been meaning to eat at Stackers for the longest time but has been blinded by Big Better Burgers, Wham, and Charlie's. So I was really excited because it was a first for me.

While waiting for the other person to arrive, I ordered this so we can stay there. I don't like staying at a cafe or a restaurant, waiting for someone, and not ordering anything.  I love milkshakes and I loved their Strawberry Milkshake (Php 95). It's not too sweet, not too sour, not too milky. Just the right blend of flavors to tickle your taste buds.

Their menu. I like their tag line - We build Auss'm burgers! Awesome burgers? Let's see. :)

My friend's iced tea and fries (added Php 65 when we ordered the burger) with my milkshake. *Playing Milkshake on background*

We ordered the Philly Cheeseburger (Php 155) thinking it was going to be as big as Charlie's Philly Cheesesteak so we decided to share it. Turned out we were wrong about the size. Hehe. Still, I find it quite yummy. Hey, I'm easy to please when it comes to burgers. I like the peppers and the sauce. And the patty, although not thick, is tasty.

Full size of the Philly Cheeseburger, which, the other person ordered as well. We suggested he order something else but it was not available (unbelievable!) so he ended up ordering this one as well.

While we discussed a few things, I ordered their garlic fries (Php 65) so we can munch on something as I was "bitin" with the half-burger. T'was rather disappointing because it didn't have much flavor, a little bland for me, and worse, oily.

Aside from the disappointing garlic fries, I liked the burgers and of course, the strawberry milkshake and would definitely go back here and try their other burgers/meals. Oh, as someone entered the door, all the waiters and waitresses said, "Welcome to StUckers" in chorus. It became a short u instead of a long a? :P Anyway, til my next Yum Moments post! :P

Have you tried eating at StAckers? :)

Happy Wednesday, super awesome peeps! :P

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Product Review: Reviva Labs Light Skin Peel

Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells in order to reveal fresh and better looking skin. I make it a point to exfoliate at least once a week but there was a time when I was not able to do so for 2-3 weeks and my skin ended up looking dull and unhealthy. Then I read a review about this product - Reviva Labs Light Skin Peel - and further looked for reviews online and read mostly positive ones so I decided to get one.

I was excited to try it when I first received it so I immediately followed the instructions on how to use it. I didn't go beyond the 3-5 minutes because I don't want to risk letting this product stay on my face for a long time not knowing what the results would be.

It smells medicinal, somewhat herbal, and for some reason, it reminded me of pizza and all those spices. While I'm not a fan of the scent, it is something that my sense of smell can tolerate. At least it's not as sweet as most Victoria's Secret scents.

So I waited for 3-5 minutes until it was completely dry before removing it. What bothered me the most about it is that I have to use a cloth to wipe it off. And if something's sticking and clinging for its life on your skin, you would have to apply a little force to completely wipe if off, thus, tugging the skin. While I noticed that my face was getting red from all the wiping, I also noticed a much more radiant skin being revealed.

I was pleased with how smooth my skin felt and seriously considered keeping it as a staple when I noticed that the redness did not fade and noticed a few red spots popping out on my cheeks and my face started getting really itchy. Much to my surprise, my neck and ears were also getting red and itchy. I washed my face and applied SkinMD Natural Shielding Lotion. As a precaution, I took Iterax (antihistamine) as well and fell asleep but woke up relieved from the itch. My skin still looks fairly nice even after such a reaction, and I am talking about the glow and radiance.

I was baffled as to why I experienced such a reaction so I checked the ingredients and to my horror, it contains crushed almonds. And I am allergic to nuts. Bummer! I have committed a fatal mistake of not reading the ingredients. I knew beforehand that this is made of natural/organic products so I should be checking the ingredients before slathering it on my face. I cannot blame the reaction I had on this product but on myself alone.

This is a really nice product if you are not allergic to any of the ingredients listed on the photo above. It does a very light skin peeling and will work for those who are mighty scared of derma peels (like me). I seriously do not believe that you have to hurt yourself just to have better skin. Just do not forget to do a patch test before using it. If I weren't allergic to nuts, I would definitely keep using this and would repurchase so it's sad that I can't do either.

By the way, you can purchase this at Healthy Options for Php 235 for a 7g jar. You can apply it thinly so you can use it more than twice or thrice. Pretty expensive but not bad if you don't have allergies.

Have you tried this product?

Happy Saturday, super awesome peeps! :P

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Blush Love: Milani Baked Blushes - Corallina and Luminoso

I received these babies earlier this morning. And I was still sleepy yet but I decided to get up and take pictures of these pretty blushes.

I got two shades - Luminoso and Corallina. 

Luminoso is peach with golden shimmers while Corallina is coral-pink with gorgeous veining. Between the two, I am loving Corallina more. Luminoso turns peach-brown on me while Corallina is just a pretty coral pink on me.

Swatches.

Review coming soon! :) A shout out to sis Ali. Thanks for buying these stuff in the US for me and for the other girls too. :)

Happy Thursday, super awesome peeps! :P

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Cheap Find: Old Navy Small Purse

The cheapskate in me loves finding inexpensive goodies and I recently got this small Old Navy purse from eBay.ph for only 100 bucks (around $2.50)!!! I was looking for a small purse because most of my bags are medium-big and I needed something smaller.

One reason why I liked it is that it reminds me so much of a Ralph Lauren purse I had but sold and eventually, I had seller's remorse. So this one is perfect.

Side by side with my mobile phone. I like that it's small but enough to carry a few essentials.

What's your latest cheap find?

Happy Wednesday, super awesome peeps! :P

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Product Review: Korres Lip Butter in Pomegranate

I ♥ tinted lip balms for the very reason that they moisturize my lips, keeping them soft and supple, while adding a hint of color. That being said, I am going to review another tinted lip balm which has easily become a favorite of mine, in a span of a week or so, and that is Korres Lip Butter in Pomegranate.

What I like:
- A very pretty coral-pink shade that goes on sheer adding just the right amount of color. Not as pigmented as MAC TLC in Gentle Coral but nevertheless, a pretty shade. I'm on a coral-pink kick lately so this shade is so me!
- It smells good, somewhat fruity, a little artificial but not something that would really send me to a sneeze fest. In fact, I love the scent. It reminded me of the old L'Oreal lip glosses in pots (that was way back in 2003 or so) but this smells better.
- Moisturizing. May not be as moisturizing as my Mentholatum Lip Ice Lemon but for a tinted lip balm, it is pretty awesome. I apply these on my lips at night and I wake up with softer lips.
- Non-sticky and non-waxy. Melts like butter on the lips and does not sit on top of the puckers.
- I like the cute packaging. I don't really mind using lippies in pots. What are lip brushes invented for?
- Thanks to local resellers like La Petite Confiserie, we can now gain access to these lip butters. Though I got mine on sale at Girltalk.
- The curious cat in me tried this as a cheek tint and it works just as well.

What I don't like:
- May be a bit pricey at $10 in Sephora and Php 620 at La petite Confiserie for a lip balm that only has 6g of product. But then again, I don't mind paying for something that I like and works.
- The packaging is quite bulky and may lead you to think that it contains more product than it actually does.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Will I buy again? Definitely! :) Since I always end up getting bummed that I can't get hold of MAC TLC Gentle Coral anymore, this is a good substitute.

Swatch

Have you tried Korres Lip Butters?

Happy Monday, super awesome peeps! :)

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Swatches: Kanebo Coffret D'Or Lipsticks

Yesterday, I received a few goodies from a fellow Girltalker, Kat (thanks a lot!). She was super nice enough to send me some Japanese foundie samples and included two Kanebo Coffret D'Or Lipstick samplers and I would like to share swatches of some lippies.

Swatches - my faves are OR-102, BE-184, and RS-252

Lip swatch of BE-184

I love Kanebo lippies because they go on sheer, glossy, and moisturizing. I am not too keen on opaque and pigmented lipsticks that's why I love these.

Have you tried Kanebo lippies?

Happy Saturday, super awesome peeps! :P

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Blush Love: Paul & Joe Face Color 18

I have never tried anything from Paul & Joe before so imagine my excitement when I got my hands on my first ever product from that brand - Face Color 18. Here it is in all its glory.

I love the cream-colored compact with chrysanthemum floral details which is very dainty and feminine. The compact is small and very handy which makes it easy to carry around.

As with any Japanese makeup, the quality is superb. The powder is finely milled, feels silky, and the texture is smooth, creamy, and velvety. It applies like a dream and unlike other Japanese-branded blushes I have previously tried, this one is pigmented. One swipe is enough to get color to show on the cheeks. It also has a lovely sheen to it that makes the cheeks glow. It is unscented which is a huge plus for me.

It is pressed very well because it has 4.5g and it is in a small compact. It is priced at Php 1150 and I don't think the price is bad at all considering the very good quality you get from it. Staying power is also good and lasts for 4-5 hours given how humid it has been recently.

Overall, a really nice blush to own and I do not regret ever having to purchase this at a bargain, for less than the SRP from a fellow addict and friend, Zai. :) Not sure if I would repurchase because I will now do my best to finish at least one compact before purchasing another one. But if they come up with another Bambi (the balls) again, I would definitely buy it!

Blush up-close.

Swatches (I don't like using both shades though, I prefer the peach-pink side to use)

Have you tried blushes from Paul & Joe? What other products from the brand would you recommend me to try?

Happy Thursday, super awesome peeps! :P

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Thermal Clothing

It’s freezing cold outside so you once again need to wear layers after layers of clothing to keep yourself warm but then you realize that it can be quite uncomfortable, moreover, after wearing all these layers, you look “bulky” in a way too.  To overcome this uncomfortable feeling and bulkiness, we need thermal clothing to keep ourselves warm without wearing layers and layers.  These are clothes that keep you warm even in bone-chilling temperatures without having to wear turtlenecks, sweaters, or fleece items beneath an insulating coat or exterior clothing.



Thermal clothing is made of fabric that has high quality material and is breathable, provides enough warmth, feels soft and comfortable on the skin; helps retain body heat, and most importantly, can withstand extreme weather conditions. Some of these are used on extreme winter sports and even on Mt. Everest expeditions so it’s safe to assume that these clothes are tough and won’t easily budge.

Even though they are meant to provide comfort and warmth, they do not have to look awkward and homey. Companies are now coming up with stylish thermal wear for both men and women. There are now a variety of styles such as vests, trousers, nightwear, pants, tops, and even footwear and slippers, each having different grades on the intensity of warmth they can provide. There are also fab and chic accessories such as hats, gloves, scarves, socks and supports (i.e. therapy gloves, waist therapy support, neck pillows, back supports, knee supports, etc.).

Thermal wear are available on stores and online so finding the perfect winter clothing for you is just a drive or a click away.

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Win a One Year Supply of SkinMD Natural Lotion!

Hey guys. SkiNMD is giving away a year's worth of product supply which is awesome! I love the Skin MD Natual Shielding Lotion and you can read my review here. I seriously like this product because it works in so many ways. Just like last night, I was having a skin asthma attack and I just applied some on my arms and I was relieved. So I am definitely joining as I'm almost out of this product!

Just click on the picture to find out how you can join. So what are you waiting for? Click the picture and join now! :)

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A Letter for Daddy

Dear Daddy,

It has been 11 years since I've last seen you smile at me. I miss those times when I feel that no matter what happens, I'll be safe in your arms. That everything will be alright because I know that you will always be there.



I miss your laugh, your dishes that always make me say "mmmm" because they taste so good. I'll never forget when summer just officially started and I was hanging out with my cousins then you called me and handed me a 3-inch thick biology book which you wanted me to study in advance. And school just ended. T'was ridiculous but I understood why. :)

I'll never ever forget how I used to sleep on your tummy when I was still a toddler. How I miss those times when you sing to me "And I love You So" when you put me to sleep when I was a kid. God, I hated Sam Milby because I felt he ruined the song. :P And how you smiled and laughed when I asked you to marry me when I was 5.

Life has never been the same without you. It has been a little over a decade, yet, I still sometimes wish I can go back to those times when you're still with me and mom. But one thing will always remain the same, I am still your girl - a daddy's girl.

Today marked the 11th year since you passed away and please always remember that I'll give anything just to see you once again, to feel your warm hug and unconditional love again. I still sometimes cry myself to sleep holding your picture whenever I'm hurt or when I just simply miss you.

I wish someday, I can hear you say, "We did a good job raising you" and I can see you play with your grandchildren. But I can only wish.

I'll see you someday and when that day comes, I wonder if you'd recognize me or if you'll even remember that I am your daughter. And if you do, I'll forever be happy. It would be nice if I would also transform to the little girl you used to carry in your arms. :)

I love you, Daddy. And I miss you so much.

Love,
Your girl :)


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Product Review: Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush #10

When I made my Christmas Wish List last December 2010, the Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush was included. I got everything on that list (which wasn't a lot anyway) except for that blush. Well now, I finally got it! :P

I like the sleek black plastic matte minimalist packaging of this blush. It doesn't boast of its brand, being Giorgio Armani, but it will just keep you wondering if the product inside the simple packaging is good enough. I like that it doesn't scream it's expensive like Guerlain does. :P Plus it comes with a mirror and even though there is no applicator included, I don't mind that there is non because I so much prefer using my own blush brushes.

The shade I got is #10, which, I read is the best-selling shade among their blushes. 

On the pan, the blush looks blah and ugly. Nothing that made me gasp with delight, no "ooohs" and "aaahs".

Here's a closer look at the blush. As I have mentioned earlier, it looks ugly and boring in the pan but the moment you swatch it, it transform into a luminous peach-pink shade with beige undertones. It has a golden iridescent shimmer to it that gives the cheeks a very healthy and beautiful glow. It looks almost like NARS Orgasm on my cheeks, but is a tad less pink and with less shimmers. It looks almost natural on me.

The texture isn't as silky and velvety as Japanese blushes are and even though the powder isn't finely milled, it still blends well with the skin, much more like it melts on the skin, with the right amount of pigment giving the cheeks a healthy flush. I also love that the staying power is good that even though it is very hot right now, it stays on my cheeks for 4-5 hours. The sheen is gone but the color is still there. Most importantly, it does not break me out.

However, this brand isn't locally available so if you want to purchase one, you'd have to look for a friend who will go out of the country to purchase this for you. And it might be a tad expensive for $300 HK or roughly Php 1800 if converted, but still less expensive than Dior, Chanel, and Guerlain. Those who didn't like NARS Orgasm might want to give this a try but according to some, it appears differently on them. On some it looks too beige or brown. I guess it depends on one's acidity too. Those who prefer really pigmented blushes might not like this too. And this may not show up well or as peach-pink on women of color.

Overall, a very pretty blush to own and I'd give it a 4.5/5 rating. If I see the need to repurchase, I would., but I don't see that happening soon as a little goes a long way with this blush. It also contains 6g of product which will last me a long time as well.

Swatch (L - blended; R - swatched)

Have you tried any blushes from Giorgio Armani? :P

Happy Saturday, super awesome peeps! :P

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