Do you remember how our parents and grandparents used to say that fruits and veggies are good for you when we were kids and how our nannies/babysitters used to force us to eat them? Well, it took me 30 years to actually realize what they were saying was true. Tee hee. My skin broke out so bad lately due to PMS and eating dairy products and I knew I had to do something STAT. Of course, I'm glad I now know how to cover up acne effectively, but still I needed to change my diet if I wanted my radiant skin back. There was only one thing to do. GO BACK TO JUICING ASAP!


I was shopping some weeks ago online and saw that Lazada PH had juicers on sale.  So without further delay I went ahead and ordered one. It arrived the very next day! Oh wow! That was super fast.

On SALE! For only Php 2,299.00! Click HERE to buy!

This time around I'm not trying to lose much weight like I did when I successfully finished my previous program, the 7-day Jump Start Juice Diet. Now I'm juicing up to clear my skin, get rid of fluid retention at the same time do a kidney and liver cleanse, and also for digestion issues. It's only been 5 days and already my skin is so much improved and my belly isn't bloated anymore. And take note, I still am a few days away from getting my period. As far as PMS is concerned, my craving for sweets is already gone. Ever since I starting juicing 6 months ago, I realized that juicing also resets your taste buds. WORD! I really can't think of anything bad about juicing except now it burns a huge hole in my wallet because the fruits and vegetables get pretty expensive around this time of the year.  Boo hoo. 

Anyway, I'd like to share with you some of the juices I've made this past few days. And I hope you'll go ahead and try it out. I promise you that you're skin (and you're whole body!) will thank you for it!


Lunchtime! Let the juicing begin! Easing up on it 'coz I think I'm not ready for a serious juice fast so I'm gonna do a series of fruit juices first and a meal a day before I go hardcore on the program.


My dinner and his supplement! One of the easiest juices to make and very delicious, too! Look! I think @noodlelito is more serious about juicing than I am! Hehehe lucky me he loves carrot juice! Therefore, no forcing happening here.

I can't even begin to tell you the benefits of this juice! That's why it's called "CAN'T BEET IT"! Although it tasted very earthy to me, there's nothing compared to healthy juicing! Here's to feeling good and looking good! Cheers!!!

Snacking on this instead of the bag of gummy bears/worms my mom got. LOL. This is like a Breast Awareness Juice... We should drink this everyday in October. It's like pink lemonade!! Like the sour gummies that are tempting me! But this one's totally good for us ladies.

"CAPP"isce... Still my favorite juice recipe! Made a liter of this refreshing drink! I always go back to making this because it's got an awesome synergistic effect. It cleanses the liver, kidneys, and digestive system which are the organs most affected from having an unhealthy diet.

Need a natural laxative and diuretic? This awesome juice works all the time! It's my ultimate cure to poop problems, ☺ TMI! But if you haven't tried this, you should. Since I've discovered juicing 6 months ago, I no longer have a need for Dulcolax!

This juice is so delicious! You'll forget you're even on a diet! Yum yum!

This should be my breakfast everyday. It's a turbo charged refreshing juice! Super delicious and healthy and great for the skin!

Double trouble. Here's to juicing my troubles away. Cheers!

This juice sans apple because I forgot to buy some. Lol. ☺ Still very yummy! Juicing really grows on you. Once you start, you just can't stop. Look good... And feel good!

This one's called THE ROYAL FLUSH. And boy does it work like a mofo! You can't make this stuff up! It's fo'shizzle mah nizzle!

My after party poisons! Juicing fresh fruits... The best natural laxatives/diuretics!

Minty Mountain Dew! For liver and kidney cleansing as well as for weight loss, fluid retention, and digestion! What's not to love about juicing!?

The Jump Starter/Straight Flush is actually a powerful fat burner. I don't really need this but then again this juice is quickly assimilated into the body and gives the immune system a boost! Woot!!! Hurrah for health!

Did you know that kiwi has as much potassium as a banana and more Vitamin C than an orange? Super healthy and delicious! Some may find it a little sour but I like that. I'd pick sour over salty all the time. Anyway, this juice has like all the Vit C goodness with the melon and the pineapple. Subsequently, this boosts your immunity and is quite the antioxidant! And it's soooo refreshing!

My "dinner" and it's super delicious! It's so goooood! I wanna drink a liter of this! Too bad I can't afford a masticating juicer yet. Boooo! I could get more juice from the greens that way. Oh well. Wishing someone would sponsor me a slow juicer! Hehehe or maybe Santa will be generous this year. !



My juicing period is still ongoing (I'm thinking until the 2nd week of October) so I'll be updating this post every now and then (bookmark it if you will, just hit Ctrl+D) until I achieve that clear skin and flat belly that I had when I did the 7-Day Juice Fast. The difference why I'm doing this instead of that other program is because I'm actually eating one meal a day now because I am swamped with work and sad to say, I need the extra energy.

Please follow me on Instagram (@bastaigat_sikat) if you haven't already if you want to keep watch of my juicing activities daily and learn more about my delicious juice recipes.

Until then! Thanks for visiting my blog and do come back for more beauty and wellness posts! :)



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I love challenges. It's part of what makes life worth living. It's exciting and you can get creative juices flowing plenty. So when +human heart nature announced their 7-Day challenge and called out to every Filipina to be part of it, I was definitely in before one can say, "Pro-Philippines, Pro-Poor, Pro-Environment"!

I dared myself to cook all Filipino meals for the entire week. I especially highlighted lunch viands because that's my biggest meal of the day, contrary to having a king's breakfast. So I cooked... BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE! I added in creative eye makeup looks to match my meal!!! O diba? It's fab and fun to eat with matching makeup! Pinoys love to cook and they love to eat. I am not an exception and I picked foods which are low-calorie to treat myself at the same time not worrying about gaining weight. These are also foods that consist mainly of vegetables bought at the market to support of Filipino farmers. Besides, it's really cheaper buying there than at the supermarket or grocery stores. Wa-is si Misis!


So without further ado, may I present to you my #HUMANNATURE7DAYCHALLENGE!

DAY 1:  "PANCIT BIHON GUISADO" 

Serving Size: 2 1/2 cups cooked, Calories: 254.8, Fat: 1.6g, Carbs: 41.4g, Protein: 18.1g

• Ingredients: Cooking oil, minced garlic, sliced onion, fish/soy sauce, meat strips, carrots, green/baguio beans, cabbage, rice sticks (bihon), salt & pepper/Magic Sarap, lemon or calamansi 
• Directions: Sauté garlic in cooking oil. Add onions and meat strips with fish/soy sauce ad cook for 3 minutes. Add carrots, green/baguio beans, cabbage, and rice sticks. Sprinkle some salt & pepper/Magic Sarap to taste. Cook until the rice sticks are tender. Serve with lemon/calamansi.

DAY 2:  "TORTANG TALONG" (Eggplant Omelette)

Serving Size: 1 1/4 cup cooked, Calories: 147, Fat: 9.4g, Carbs: 13.2g, Protein: 5g

• Ingredients: Eggplants, eggs, flour, cooking oil, salt & pepper 
• Directions: Broil eggplants until tender. When cooled, peel off the skin of the eggplant and retain its crown and stem. Gently flatten its meat with a fork. Combine eggs, flour, and salt/pepper and whisk until frothy. Place one of the flattened eggplant into the mixture and make sure that it is covered well. Heat some oil in your non stick frying pan and once your oil is hot enough, reduce the heat into medium or medium-high. Gently transfer the eggplant with meat into the pan. Flip the eggplant after 2-3 minutes or until you have notice that the bottom side of egg mixture have that golden brown parts. Cook the other side. Serve hot. Best eaten with tomato sauce or banana ketchup and steamed rice! Optional: Like any other omelette, you can add tomatoes, meat, potatoes, and cheese to it.

DAY 3:  "ADOBONG MANOK" (Chicken Adobo)


Serving Size: 2 Drumsticks, Calories: 175, Fat: 4.3g, Carbs: 5g, Protein: 27.2g

• Ingredients: Chicken cuts, white vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, onion, bay leaves, calamansi 
• Directions: Sauté garlic and onion in cooking oil. Add chicken cuts then pour in vinegar and soy sauce. Add calamansi and bay leaves. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer until sauce is reduced and thickened, and chicken is tender, about 20 more minutes. Serve with steamed rice.

DAY 4:  "DINUGUAN" (Pork Blood Stew) 


Serving Size: 1 cup, Calories: 255, Fat: 10.3g, Carbs: 5.2g, Protein: 33.6g

• Ingredients: Pork head meat, pig's blood, vinegar/sinigang mix, fish/soy sauce, salt, sugar or black pepper.
• Directions: Store pig's blood in the fridge until needed. Sauté garlic, ginger, onion in cooking oil. Add the pork head meat and sauté for another 3-5 minutes. Pour in water just enough to cover the meat. Bring to a boil and simmer until meat is tender. Add the vinegar or sinigang mix. Add the fish/soy sauce. Add salt to taste. Then take the pig's blood out of the fridge and put in a clean bowl and mash out or squeeze with your hands the jelly-like blood you see. Pour the mashed blood into the pot then bring to a boil. Simmer in medium heat for about 5 minutes while stirring. Season with sugar, salt, black pepper to taste. 

DAY 5: "DABONG/LABONG" (Bamboo Shoots)

Serving Size: 1 cup (1/2" slices), Calories: 14.4, Fat: 0.3g, Carbs: 2.3g, Protein: 1.8g

• Ingredients: Dabong/Labong, water, oil, soy sauce and Magic Sarap to taste, minced garlic 
• Directions: Sauté garlic in cooking oil until light brown. Add dabong/labong, soy sauce and Magic Sarap. Be careful not to put too much Magic Sarap .Stir for 10 minutes and serve.

DAY 6:  "KARE KARE" 


Serving Size: 1/2 cup, Calories: 239, Fat: 21g, Carbs: 10g, Protein: 7g

• Ingredients: Pork or Beef hocks or Ox tail , sitaw or long beans, bokchoy, garlic, onion, achuete powder or Kare-Kare mix, eggplant, fish/soy sauce, bagoong or shrimp paste 
• Directions: Boil the pork hocks until soft. Then in a separate wok, saute garlic and onion. Add pork hocks and fish/soy sauce. Cook for few minutes. Add in achuete powder or kare-kare mix. Simmer for 5 mins. Add the vegetables and cook until vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally. Serve with bagoong or shrimp paste.

DAY 7:  "GINISANG AMPALAYA" (Bitter Gourd/Melon with Fermented Shrimp Paste and Egg) 

Serving Size: 1 cup, Calories: 131, Fat: 9.6g, Carbs: 13.9g, Protein: 6.5g

• Ingredients: Ampalaya, cleaned and cut into thin slices; bagoong (fermented shrimp paste), minced garlic, black pepper, salt, eggs, water, cooking oil 
• Directions: In a pan over medium flame, heat oil and saute garlic. Add the ampalaya as well as the bagoong and saute for at least 2 minutes. Pour in the beaten egg and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Don't overcook the ampalaya, preserve its fresh green color and crunchiness. Remove from heat and put in a serving plate with plain rice. Enjoy!

About my 7-day challenge posts: I love food and I love makeup. I also believe that beauty comes from within and a beautiful face and body can be achieved when you eat right and take care of your health. That is why I took part of the #HumanNature7DayChallenge. We view so many photos of meals posted every day (most of them extremely fattening!) but not so many that highlight our native cooking. Where's our Pinoy Pride? ✌❤

I am so happy to report that my challenge is a major SUCCESS!!! I did it! I even kissed my mañana habit goodbye. Indeed, it was a wonderful week. I learned and inspired people so I feel I ought to do more challenges like this maybe for a month or so because really, it was so fulfilling and at the same time very stimulating. Nevertheless, as a true blue Filipino, I know I have the perseverance and the determination ingrained in my core just like our forebears who have shown and even bled for the country to show their love for the Philippines. I sure am proud to be a Filipino and even if my looks changed and I don't even look Pinay sometimes at all, I know deep down that I am #ProudToBePinoy!

Thank you Human Heart Nature for the opportunity to take this challenge and showed me that I can be a strong, modern, and committed Pinay capable of doing anything by doing this dare. More power!


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The best part of becoming a VIP at SampleRoom PH is that I was able to grab the complete sampler set of Shiseido's latest skincare line, IBUKI, designed for women of the Millenials whose lifestyle is pretty much like mine.

So here's the story of my life right now. I am a medical transcription editor and a writer for various publications who maintains 2 blogs and a couple of websites. Between those mentally taxing occupations, I also find time to manage social media accounts for family businesses and my own (which btw is more than I can count with my fingers). There's also our own café I run and sometimes cook for and I buy groceries more or less 2 x a week. In spite of all that, I spend time with my husband watching TV shows over lunch or dinner and play with our Little Mao/Noodlelito who is quite a sponge nowadays learning and absorbing everything around him. Then of course, I haven't stopped breastfeeding him... because why not? There are also times I need to perform my duty as a Barangay Councilor who heads the Health and Sanitation Committee in our district. All these and you might wonder how I manage to get around my daily life, camwhoring and doing selfies after I experiment with makeup? Well, there's no secret except to be ready for anything.

Let me explain further. I am a bit insecure (just a little bit!) because my skin lately has been awful. Dang! Before I got pregnant, my hormones were already acting up but I had enough moolah to buy all the beauty products and supplements I need to maintain a radiant glow and glorious skin. And only tried a glutathione injection once but I didn't pursue it. It was just an experiment because you know me, I'd try anything as long as it won't get me killed or convicted. Tee hee. I do embrace my own skin tone and do not want to be super fair FYI. So anyway, fast forward to 3 years later, happily married with a bouncing baby boy, my finances cannot support my old beauty regimen as I have other priorities now (read: immunization and vaccines) and so I have to be wise as a mother and a wife.

Enter Shiseido Ibuki skincare. Makeup is only the icing on the cake. For me to regain my confidence to be able to brave the world out there without insecurities is to have great skin. If you have it, then you're sure to look good even without makeup. I used to need a ton of beauty products but when I used Shiseido's Ibuki line, it all just boiled down to 4-5 items. It's basically everything a working woman in her 20's and 30's need to get that clean, glowing skin that masks all the stress and the late nights she has to put up with in this day and age. Here, I'll show you.

First, there's a Purifying Cleanser. I love the exfoliating effect of this product. People who are sensitive to fragrances may need to adjust to Shiseido's signature scent because it can be pretty strong for some. I love the totally floral smell of it. It has these super tiny microbeads that gets rid of those dead skin layer on your face. It is recommended to use it sporadically but I have oily skin and I find it best that I use it daily. Also, you only need a wee bit pea-size amount to clean your whole face! I imagine this 30 mL tube would last me at least 2 months. For people who have normal skin, I think their Gentle Cleanser is more suited.


The next thing to do after cleaning your skin is, of course, to use a toner. Cleansers can be drying and we don't want that for our face. Imagine concrete roads, they crack under the heat of the sun. Hosing it down with water is pretty much the kindness you can do to avoid any accidents. I know it's weird to compare your face to a cement road, but why not? You get the picture. So now the toner or the Softening Concentrate, as what Shiseido's Ibuki line calls it, is by far the best-smelling toner I've used. The Purifying Cleanser leaves my face squeaky clean but when I apply the toner, it's as supple as my baby's bum! No really, it does make skin automatically feel hydrated. It's like rain on a hot summer's day. Visualize it.


Okay, next we have two types of moisturizers. The Protective Moisturizer with SPF 15 is obviously for daytime use and the Refining Moisturizer is for nighttime. They both do the same thing as they intensively correct the appearance of unevenness, i.e., pores, breakout or blemish marks, and roughness of the skin. The major thing I noticed is how it made my skin feel soooooooooo smooth. Like 100% smoother! Which means, putting on my foundation, concealers, and powder is so much easier. The daytime formula is a bit thicker compared to the runny consistency of the nighttime formula.


The last product I got to test, which I think is definitely the best thing in the Ibuki line, is the Eye Correcting Cream. I've been using different eye creams in the recent months but this Ibuki one is the only thing that helped to conceal the dark circles under my eyes. You know now that I sleep at least 4 hours a day only so you can just imagine the Panda eyes the moment I wake up. It's true! I'm scary like that when I've just woken up.
The Eye Correcting Cream does wonders at cooling my puffy eyes and because it is salmon-colored, this is probably why it helps in diminishing my dark circles. Although I would still need a concealer to effectively cover the dark circles, nevertheless, the Eye Correcting Cream is like caffeine for the eyes! For me, it instantly brightens my sleepy-looking tired peepers.


Overall, my experience with the Ibuki line is nothing but terrific! You know I need all the beauty doses I can get and even though sleep is really the best cure out there, some of us don't have the luxury of enjoying it. But now, with Shiseido's Ibuki line which is a premium skincare for the women of today, even stressed out Maria Claras who juggle work and family life like a pro circus member can experience the luxurious skincare and treatment tailor made just for us. I believe that the continued use of these products will prolong the aging process that stress can cause. Makeup enthusiasts such as myself can never underestimate the power of skincare. Plus this is a Japanese brand!!! You can never go wrong... like ever.

How does one become ready for anything? To do this, you’ll need to manage your priorities first. Stress is the biggest enemy but if you summon your “ibuki” (息吹) which is your inner strength then you can do anything. As a huge fan of everything Japanese and believing that IBUKI means inner strength, renewal and resilient enough to endure and emerge beautiful, I now know that Shiseido Ibuki is the answer to my skin troubles. Apparently, stress manifests a lot physically; it has taken a toll on my skin and I need all the help I can get being awake for 20 hours a day to get the job done as an editor, blogger, tech support, entrepreneur, public servant, breastfeeding mom, and basically, an all-around Jill of all trades.

This is what I do and I love it!

The moment you wake up each day you have choices to make. Before anything else, I give thanks for a brand-new day, take a shower, wash my face, follow my skincare routine religiously, apply makeup if I have to, and try to look my best for the day so I can conquer it. I take my list of Things To Do. Prioritize then do the tasks as required. It does help to finish the easier chores first, and then move on to the more difficult ones. (Siri also reminds me of things I need to accomplish... like A LOT of times throughout the day.) Bottomline: I can be ready for anything if I have good time management. Honestly, it's all about timing. As an editor, I usually do the shorter files first then go on and deal with the longer ones. I seem to finish faster that way and I get more time to do the other things I have to. I also multitask a lot, e.g., breastfeeding while managing social network accounts, doing inventory and buying groceries for both stores and for our own consumption, and taking care of my skin with Shiseido Ibuki products at the same time healing them from stress-related problems.

#TBT #ThrowbackThursday from 5 years ago when I used Shiseido products exclusively -- Benefique, Whisis, Purewhite, Perfect Whip, and just the medicated baby powder. MUST GET THIS BACK NO MATTER WHAT!

If my skin can be brought back to life, there’s no reason for me not to bring life to everything that I do. I think balance and harmony can easily be achieved if you surround yourself in beauty and see the beautiful things around you.

Big thanks to SampleRoom.PH for introducing me to the awesome Shiseido Ibuki skincare line. Register now and be a part of a great community where you can find and test the right products for you. Try before you buy! 

Facebook: SampleRoomPH & Shiseido Philippines
Twitter: SampleRoomPH & Shiseido Philippines
Instagram: SampleRoomPH



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The main problem with bleaching dark hair is the brassiness. See my previous post. It takes a lot of sessions to get to that ideal pale light yellow color. It's a bit of a hassle but once you know what products to use and how to maintain your hair, it's really not a big issue at all. It just suxxx that we don't have products that are affordable and available here so of course, I'll have to order online for supplies. Take a look at this chart to see where I'm at right now.

And yup, my hair didn't achieve that shade overnight! it took about 5 or 6 painful bleaching sessions just to get the right shade so I can tone it using a homemade violet shampoo/toner. I had no choice but make one as there ain't any in stores around here.


So how do you get that platinum blonde hair? Here's what I did to get my bleached blonde hair whiter and more or less looking like platinum. Though it's nothing like the kind that's done professionally, but somehow I am satisfied with the results. I didn't have to sell an arm or a leg just to achieve this goal. Another one crossed off my things to do before I turn 30 or die.

I have two methods of getting it to the color I wanted and sometimes when I have enough time to spare, I combine both for maximum effect. You'll need the following: semi-permanent dyes like MANIC PANIC Purple Haze and Virgin Snow (to be used as toner) and HBC/Hortaleza Keratin Hot Oil treatment.


First, I wash my hair with my homemade purple shampoo. It's just basically whatever shampoo you have plus a bit of food coloring, in my case I use FERNA Violet. HAHAHA! IKR. So sue me.

shampoo + violet food coloring

And now the easiest way to tone hair is by using Virgin Snow. It's as simple as just putting it on your hair like a normal dye and wearing a shower cap after to keep the heat in. That's it. Rinse it off after 30 minutes or an hour and you should get the brassiness out. There are other brands that tone the hair but this one is most recommended. I'm going to try the others like Punky Color next or if I have enough moolah, go with the Manic Panic Amplified or Special Effects.



Additionally, the combination below comes out cheaper because a big tub of keratin treatment and a jar of Purple Haze will last a long time. It is suggested to mix 20% of the semi-permanent dye and 80% keratin treatment but you can mix it to your liking. You should come up with something like this.


I don't use this every day, but about 1-2 x a week only. I leave it sometimes for only 30 minutes to an hour and sometimes up to 6 hours! Tee hee. It depends on what I'm doing that day. I now know that this is super duper essential for bleached blondes to keep the brassiness at bay because I'm not sure if it's my shampoo or the water from the shower that's making my hair fugly (can't believe I'm using that world. LOL!). The keratin treatment conditions your hair, too. My hair really doesn't look dry or dead as you can see contrary to what others may perceive. I do admit it's practically dead but well, to see is to believe, right? LOLOLOL!

So there you have it! I've achieved the hair color I've always only dreamed about. I didn't even have to spend $$$ for this. It's just about knowing what products to use, research, and of course, guts. The Internet is at your disposal. Use it.

Manic Panic Virgin Snow toner + HBC Keratin hot oil treatment mixed with a little Manic Panic Purple Haze NO FILTER.

I know it's a bit of a hassle to be blonde but hey, if I can do it, so can you! Come on, join the fun! 'Coz you know, blondes do get that a lot. *wink* Add me up on Instagram (@bastaigat_sikat) to follow my hair escapades. 'Til next time. Thanks for droppin' by!

☞ CLICK HERE to read the first part of my Blonde Ambition and how it all started.☜ 


☞ Read my Blonde Ambition Part 3 in HERE.☜


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Apparently I haven't been buying gadgets or reviewing any in the recent months. I can't even remember my last consumer electronics splurge; though if my memory serves me correctly it's been a year since I bought my Panasonic Lumix LX7. That's life, I guess. Change of priorities. Then I just started to become a beauty blogger, too.

Recently though I was tasked to make purchases for my FIL and MIL because they needed mobile computers. Of course, they're not power users so I recommended some ultrabooks because I've read so many great reviews about it. We ended up buying an ASUS Vivobook X202 and Lenovo S210. These two run on Windows 8 and both come with touch screen displays. OMGWTFBBQ. I am so behind, technologically-speaking.

Asus Vivobook X202E-CT333H 11.6" Touchscreen Laptop (Gray)

Lenovo S210T-59383240 Multi-Touch 11.6" Laptop (White)

My first impressions? Apparently, I'm very impressed! First and foremost, the startup and shutdown time. I have issues with computers booting for 48 years and a lifetime to turn it off. With these ultrabooks, it feels like turning on/off a tablet!

Both ultrabooks have the same specs except for the Lenovo a bit clocked higher at 1.60 GHz compared to Asus with just 1.50 GHz. The difference is not earth-shattering as their Windows Experience Index ratings are as follows: Lenovo at 4.5 and Asus at 4.3.


Personally, I type a lot so I prefer the Asus one... and it's all because of the brushed aluminum chassis. It makes typing feel so much better and more solid with every keyboard click. And I can't help but agree that for a budget-priced laptop, the Asus VivoBook X202 looks like a million bucks! Think Macbook Air from Apple minus the backlit keyboard. For me, the Lenovo feels more like a netbook because of the white matte plastic case and its touchpad is not as responsive as the one in Asus.


They both came with Windows 8 64-bit and installing 64-bit programs like Adobe Photoshop/Lightroom and MS Office is a breeze. I thought I was going to experience hiccups with the dual core CPUs since I've been accustomed to using an i7 for 2 years now, but it was not the case. Photoshop and Lightroom performed well and the programs opened and closed quickly! Perfect when you're in a rush. Now I'm thinking, this is the best blogger's budget laptop! With a 4gb of RAM, HDMI port (and even has VGA!), USB 2 and 3, and an SD card reader, it's got everything I need for creative writing! I think I might score one myself as I'm eyeing the red version of the 14-inch Asus Vivobook S400 ultrabook, which comes in either an i5 or a cheaper i3 processor. It's about time I get myself a mobile computer. Ahem. I've been working on a desktop for 2 years now. ;) Then again, I'll need to save up for one or maybe if Lady Luck is on my side, I might just win an ultrabook and if someone should sponsor me one (even just a loaner unit), I'm all ears and just an email away. Tee hee!

So how much are these babies? Well, I'm happy to say that the prices for both are very budget-friendly. The Lenovo was priced at PHP 19,999.00 and the Asus Vivobook X202 was PHP 20,995.00. Incredible, isn't it? I bought my mom's Asus EEE PC back in 2009 for freaking PHP 23,995!!!

Now, I have another confession to make. I have never used Windows 8 until now and I think it's really neat! Na uwat jud ko! The touchscreen on these ultrabooks/laptops make browsing so good! I mean, I so prefer using the fingers on the touchscreen over using the touchpad or a mouse. Everything is fluid like in iOS, which was pretty surprising to me, given my not so very pleasant experience with Windows that prompted me to switch to Mac!

The Lenovo or the Asus ultrabook is like an iPad but with keyboards!!! IKR. I'm so late and I need to be updated with technology now. I used to be such a gadget girl and a geek, but then life happened. LOL! So yeah, maybe now it's another time for a cool change? ^_^

So between the two, obviously the ASUS gets my thumbs up!

We bought these computers from Lazada Philippines and I have a P200 discount code if you guys are interested. You can use it in your next purchase at the online shop and it doesn't have to be a laptop. Also, did you know that you can do BDO installments when you buy from Lazada PH? CLICK HERE TO GO TO LAZADA PH!

If this code no longer works, PM me!  If you're nice, I may have a couple more to spare. ;)

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I walk barefoot. A lot. Especially when I became pregnant 2 years ago and my foot size magically increased whereby rendering all my flipflops and shoes unusable. Okay, I still wear some of them but majority are now a size smaller. Ugh. Remember my huge Havaianas sacrifice sale? So anyway, my happy feet are not so happy anymore because now it gets super dry but thanks to some super moisturizing lotions like Cetaphil's DailyAdvance Ultra Hydrating Lotion and Physiogel's Intensive Cream, I get by and life goes on.


But then a few weeks ago, something new and innovative got my attention -- FOOT APPEAL!!!

Okay, at first, to me it sounded very kinky. I know. Sue me. But then I read the packet and realized it was exactly what my poor footsies needed! I never thought it was possible but to have baby soft pink feet again? Man, it was a dream come true! So here's what happened. Check it out...

WARNING: Photos may make you cringe, but I ASSURE YOU, IT DID NOT HURT ONE BIT! 

What sorcery is this?

So this is how it works... as per instructions:

1. Simply wear the plastic foot peeling mask and wear a pair of socks over it, and foot peeling mask and leave it on for about 60-90 minutes.
2. Rinse carefully and results will begin to show via foot skin peeling in 2-7 days.
3. The skin peeling effect and duration may vary among individuals.

Et voila!!!


I actually started peeling around Day 5 and it lasted for like a week until all the dark, dead skin sloughed off and revealed naturally pinkish, sexy and soft baby-like feet! OMG! I was so skeptical at first because I was a bit impatient to see the results but now I am a believer. It's super easy to use, although the smell of the solution inside the plastic foot peeling mask is horrible. It's like very "chemical"; I don't know the exact word to describe it but think of acetone and how strong it smells then multiply that by 20 or 50. Something like that. And if you have cuts on your feet, then it's going to sting for sure.


The foot mask can fit foot sizes 5-9. I'm not sure if they have other sizes for smaller or bigger feet but this was the one I got. I thought I was forming calluses on my feet because you know I walk barefoot frequently but somehow those parts of my sole have softened. And my dry feet? Well, I'm happy to say they're not so dry anymore! Very nice! But most of all, I love this product because it involves a painless process. I plan to do this maybe once a year just to maintain the wonderful pinkish baby feet I have right now. :)


Interested? You can buy the FOOT APPEAL from Lazada Philippines. CLICK HERE! If you plan on hoarding this or go on retail therapy, then you can also use this Php300 discount code: LZDbrDgr (minimum of Php3,000 purchase). 



P.S. The Foot Appeal peeling socks I used was included in my July BDJ Box subscription which you can subscribe to on a monthly basis for Php580. 


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Today I received quite an awesome and totally unexpected grand surprise from Cetaphil Philippines. I happened to start using Cetaphil in 2011 when the NoodleLito's pedia prescribed it to treat his skin allergies because I also found it beneficial for my skin. Then I won even more products from Cetaphil's social media promo earlier this year. So basically I've been using this for a while now and NoodleLito's skin rashes haven't come back since.

Although my skincare regimen alters significantly depending on my skin condition because I get frequent breakouts (which I now attribute to hormones). You already probably know that I have sensitive/acne-prone/oily skin. Ugh. Honestly, if I get those horrible and huge pimples such as when Aunt Flo is about to come visit, I do my Celeteque regimen. I exfoliate like mad after that then I follow this up with a Neutrogena skin routine, and when my face stars to clear up, that's when I use Cetaphil products. It really is a vicious cycle and I wish I could just stick with Cetaphil especially now that I know how to effectively use it. I used to wet my face first but found out that it doesn't do much that way.

Photo taken last March 2013. This photo doesn't look anything like me right now. LOL! You'd think that's a totally different person. ^_^

NOTE: For me, the Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser works best when used without water. The dry route as I'd like to call it. How? Just apply the cleanser generously all over the face then use baby wipes to clean it off. It leaves my face very soft and clean, not dry at all, and moisturizes my face enough for my skin type.

WIN THESE!!!

Just today I was blessed enough to receive a ginormous package from Cetaphil Philippines, so now I am sharing with you some products that I think you might also love if you're not already using it. One lucky winner, who must be a Philippine resident or has a Philippines address I can ship the prize to, will receive a Cetaphil loot bag. All you need to do is join the giveaway via Rafflecopter below (wait for it to load!) and this raffle will promptly end on September 30, 2013. I shall announce the winner on October 1st. :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, everyone!


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