HOW TO: Impromptu Body Scrub+Reuse Unused Body Butters

I was about to do my long bath ritual last night, then I found out that I already ran out of body scrub. Bam! End of the world for me haha! Seriously, a body scrub is one of my weekly treats so I make sure to include it whenever I have the chance to spend some quality time with myself in the shower.

What to do, what to do? Since body scrubs are just gritty humectants in my opinion, the obvious choice was to grab a body butter and some raw, ground coffee. Most DIY body scrub tutorials would suggest oil, particularly Olive oil, in lieu of body butter/lotion but nah, that's too messy in the shower, not to mention Olive oil is a lil' pricey and I'd rather use it on food!

 If you have any unused body butter in your dresser, this tutorial will show you how to put it into good use by turning it into a body scrub.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

Ground coffee

Body butter or body lotion

Plastic spoon

Plastic container

Click READ MORE and know how to whip up this very cheap yet effective body scrub!

Review: Smashbox Love Me Eyeshadow Palette in Entice Me

Here's a review on Smashbox Love Me Eyeshadow Palette in Entice Me

Price: P1,550.00

Bought From:

Other Locations: Available in all Beauty Bar branches nationwide

THE VERDICT:

Hush, hush, dear palette, no need for you to call out and beg me to love you because the moment I saw you, I already do and the moment I tried you, I fell in love with you even more. <3 font="">

As I write this post, I recall, in one of the photo shoots I had, I asked the makeup artist about her favorite eyeshadow brand and she said Smashbox--I was quite surprised because I expected that she'd say either M.A.C, Kryolan, or other more popular PRO eyeshadow brands. Of course, I had to ask why and she replied "Smashbox's eyeshadows have very controllable pigmentation". I could attest to that!

SMASHBOX LOVE ME EYESHADOW PALETTE IN ENTICE ME IN DETAIL

Entice Me is one of the two limited edition eyeshadow palettes from the Love Me collection. It's a combination of blues and purples while the other one, Admire Me, has pinks and browns.

Ingredients

Click READ MORE if you're looking for a newbie- friendly day-to-night eyeshadow palette!

One More Time: Manang's Chicken Pabaon ni Manang Coupons

Who here loves extras? I'm sure there's not one soul in this planet who doesn't, right?

So head on over to Manang's Chicken's Facebook fan page and print out these sumptuous coupons that offer TONS of freebies from free delivery, to free upsize, and even to free food!

You can print out these coupons from either Manang's Chicken's official website or Facebook fan page.  They will also be distributed in all Manang's Chicken branches starting on June 1 to July 31, 2013.

Please visit MANANG'S CHICKEN on Facebook for more information about this promo.

Elizabeth Arden Visible Whitening Line: Protect, Smooth, Whiten

I wrote down on my WISHLIST DIARY, a simple notebook where I chronicle all my long- term and short- term dreams and goals, that I want to try out more brightening serums and products to completely banish my post- acne marks, aside from the fact that I'm kinda' obsessed with this particular skin care range too. (getting there! :D)

Thankfully, it didn't take a long time for this wish to come true. Two weeks back, I was invited to the launch of Elizabeth Arden's newest skin brightening line.

Joining Elizabeth Arden's Visible skin range is Visible Whitening, their cutting- edge solution to hyperpigmented, dull skin caused by daily UV exposure, aging, hormones, and inflammation.

Basically, it's a complete range from facial cleanser to BB Cream. (Yes, Elizabeth Arden finally has a BB Cream)

Here are the key ingredients:

SpectaBright- Botanical hops extract from France that acts on signal reaction from UV light and melanosome transportation to inhibit melanin production

Vitamin C Derivatives- enhances and minimizes skin darkness overtime; antioxidant

Pearl Powders, Mica, Silicone, and Pigment- imparts immediate brightness

A combination of Olive tree extract, Zinc, PCA, stabilized Vitamin C- fights formation of dark spots

The Study: 93% of women showcased immediate improvement in brightness, radiance, tone, and texture (based on a US clinical study of 32 women by expert grading and subject self- assessment)

The Visible Whitening range promises to brighten skin immediately, minimize pores, and protect skin from environmental damage for a brighter, healthier, and naturally glowing complexion.

Click READ MORE and know more about the products!

Review: Max Factor Colour Effect Lipsticks

Here's a review on Max Factor Colour Effect Lipsticks in Eternal Flame, Scarlet Ghost, and Pomegranate

Price: Around P500.00+ each
Bought From: Free
Other Locations: Available in all Max Factor counters in leading department stores

THE VERDICT:

Mmmm…Butter. I like butter because it makes everything feel so fluffy and taste so creamy and good. When it comes to makeup, I also like ‘em buttery because they’re easier to apply, they become pigmented, moisturizing, light, and they feel so good, but sans the caloric content!

If you have dry lips, opt for buttery lipstick to soothe ‘em all day. However, true buttery lipsticks are quite pricey, but let’s all rejoice! I’ve found a cheap alternative: Max Factor Colour Effect Lipstick. 

Max Factor’s Colour Effect lipsticks are formulated with Shea Butter, Avocado Oil, and Aloe butters for all- day moisture and comfortable wear. It also promises to smoothen out the lip surface for a fuller look and lesser lines.

Click READ MORE for the swatches and review.

My Top 6 Favorite Blogging (And Everyday) Songs

Somebody asked me how the heck can I blog three times a day everyday. The answer? MUSIC. There's nothing quite like good music to send me typing giddily on my laptop! I may have trillions of ideas that are enough for me to even whip up 10 posts per day, (Well that would be overkill lol) but I still need a stimulator to bring them to mind-Music it is!

So here are my top 6 favorite blogging songs at the moment. Before I blog, I choose any of these songs (depending on what particular song I like for each blog post) and play it on iTunes for at least once or twice, absorb the melody, and then I proceed to blogging. I don't play music just to kill the silence-it's sort of a ritual to me. I also listen to these songs even if I'm not blogging. :)

Song: Call Your Girlfriend

Artist: Robyn

Mood: Lethargic

- I'm a big fan of Electro Dance-Pop (if there's such a music genre haha!) because I find the sound of synthesizers energizing. I just found out about Robyn through this song, and I was instantly converted into a fan: I admire her craziness and confidence!

Song: It's Always A Good Time

Artist: Owl City feat. Carly Rae Jepsen

Mood: Pressured; Pissed

- I guess it's pretty obvious why I chose this as my go- to song whenever I'm feeling negative-it's a wonderful, upbeat feel- good song, and it reminds me that it will always be a good time if I choose to have a good time instead!  :D

Click READ MORE for the top 4!

Sumptuous Sundays: Kirin Chinese Dining

GUYS! I have great news! I am very pleased to announce Team Martha won in the Majolica Majorca Big Mascara Face Off-all our hard work has paid off! A big thanks to my fab sales force (Dianara, Eloisa, Jam, Mizi, and Angela), Cathy and Audrey of Majolica Majorca, all my readers who dropped by to say 'HI', and of course, to all those who tweeted for me! A big digital hug and smooch to all of you! :D

Our restaurant for today is Kirin Chinese Dining. It's a good ol' Chinese restaurant that serves family- sized portions. Interior is pretty classy-it has that grandiose and festive feel which is ever present in all Chinese restaurants, yet it is never intimidating-you can dine in even if you're just wearing a loose tee, shorts, and sandals and you won't feel uneasy and underdressed (this, however, varies-some may find this get- up too informal, but heck, it's my style. :D)

PRICE RANGE: P100.00-P1,000.00

Click READ MORE and check out my all- time favorites!