Everyday Essentials Loot, Woot Woot!

     Here it is, my much awaited prizes from another giveaway that I joined two months ago. It's from THE BEAUTY JUNKEE'S 3rd Grand Anniversary Giveaway! This is the grandest giveaway that I've joined and the prizes at stake are really awesome. I never expected to win because I know a lot of her readers are witty and sensible when it comes to their answers. I just expressed what I really feel and learned from reading TBJ's blog posts. So lo and behold, these goodies came home with me last Sunday. 

1. Covergirl Makeups- Lash Blast Fusion Mascara in Black, Nature Luxe Lip Balms in Hibiscus and Smoky Shadow Blast in Tempest Blue

2. Camaru Naturals Organic Soaps- Acerola, Rice Bran and Charcoal soap, Camellia Oil and an Eco Friendly Bag

3. China Glaze Nail Polishes- Let It Snow Holiday Collection 2011 ( Ponsettia, Tinsel Town and Velvet Bow), Icicle, Nail File and Nail Kit

4. Carmex Lip Balms- Lip balm in a Jar, Click sticks (Original, Strawberry and Cherry), Lip Balm in Tube 

5. Samples of L'Oreal Youth Code, Revita Lift and BB cream

     These are more than enough for me. Since I have 3 sisters and sisters-in-law, I decided to share it with them. I also told them to observe the effects of the Camaru natural soap so that I can chronicle their experiences to my blog. I already started using the charcoal soap and will share my reviews on one of post. 

Ze winners with Martha of The Beauty Junkee

L-R: Angel, Arriane,  Martha, Moi and Chan

*photo grab from The Beauty Junkee*

     Thank you Martha for this giveaway! More power to your blog. Continue to Inspire more readers :D I had a great time meeting her and the rest of the winners. 

Good Times!~

     

To All the Great Fathers Out There...

     Being Great for me doesn't mean you need be powerful, rich and strong. You're Great because you can do simple things that makes our life worth living for. Thank you for being there through thick and thin. I know there were times you feel like giving up but you won't. I may not be able to show you how much I appreciate everything you do, deep inside my heart I'm always thankful to have someone like you!

    To all the Greatest Fathers out there, this day is meant for you. So sit back, relax and enjoy. Let's celebrate this day full of fun and laughter... Cheers to the man of our home :D

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there!!! 

To my father- Papalitz, my grand father, my grand father-in-laws, my uncles, my uncle-in-laws, my brother, brother-in-law, cousin-in-laws, friends and My one and only husband who made everything in my life possible :D

Good Times!~

Product Review: Human Heart Nature Citronella Bug Spray: Shoo Off Those Pesky Mosquitoes the Organic Way

     The rainy season has officially begun. Get ready with your umbrellas, raincoats, rain boots and other stuff that protects and prevents you from getting wet. Aside from these, I'm adding extra protection and prevention this season not from wet but from a dangerous infectious tropical disease. This is no other than Dengue fever! It's not an ordinary disease. Once bitten by the mosquito who carries the infection, if not given immediate medication it will lead to death. Scary but true. I myself became a victim not once but twice and I'm lucky because I survived. I don't want that to happen again! I'm always praying that it will not happen to my only son. It's too dangerous for him to have this disease. He's a G6PD deficient baby and anti- malaria's antibiotic is a no-no for him.

     Anyhoo, I want to share another organic product that keeps me and my son mosquito-free. This is our third bottle now and I'm getting hooked. At first, the hubby keeps on insisting if this thing works. He's asking so many questions like can it really protect you from mosquito bites?is it safe for your son's skin? is it like Off lotion? I only replied YES!

Human Heart Nature Citronella Bug Spray
Shoo off mosquitoes and other pesky bugs with an effective, organic antidote! No dangerous chemicals mean this gentle formula is safe even for very young children.
100% No Harmful Chemicals: No DEET, parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, SLS/SLES, formaldehyde or other toxic substances.

     Being a paranoid mom, I always check him from time to time if there's a suspecting mosquito bite. By the way, he's also allergic to insect bites. I'm always worried. I want to protect him from head to toe. He's wearing pajamas every day even if there were times he feels uncomfortable with it. I tried different anti-mosquito lotion but my son refuses every time I apply it on his skin. The scent of those lotions is also bothering me. It's like spraying Baygon and Raid on your skin. Even though they introduced different variants in the market, I will still prefer organic ones. I'm not new to Human Heart Nature. I'm in love with their Feminine Wash and Sunflower Beauty Oil that's why I didn't hesitate to try the Citronella Bug Spray when I saw it online.

Human Heart Nature Citronella Bug Spray

     Shoo off disease-causing mosquitoes and other pesky bugs! Our all-natural, DEET-free formulation is infused with organic virgin coconut oil (VCO) - known for its skin-healing, moisturizing and anti-microbial benefits - organic citronella oil - a well-known insect repellent, and organic lemongrass essential oil together with rosemary and lavender essential oils give a pleasant aroma that’s good for you but bad for the mosquitoes and bugs. 100% of profits from this product go to fund the development of sustainable livelihood for Filipino farming communities.

      Did you know: DEET is a known neurotoxin found in many pesticides and bug repellents. Studies have linked DEET to neurological damage. Once it enters the bloodstream, it makes its way to the nervous system, where it has even been known to cause seizures and death in extreme overexposure cases. It can be especially harmful to children and babies.* Why risk it? taken from Human Heart Nature website 

size: 3.38 fl.oz./ 100ml

price: 159.75 php (Around $3.77+)

place bought: Human Heart Nature Store

instruction for use: Pump onto hands and rub evenly throughout the body. Avoid eyes. Reapply every 2 hours depending on the physical activity.

ingredients: Organic cocos nucifera oil, Cymbopogon winterius essential oil, Cymbopogon flexuosus essential oil, Rosmarinus officinalis essential oil, Lavandula augustifolia oil, Tocopherol (natural vitamin E)

What I like:

• It's organic.
• The scent is not overpowering, I like the smell of lemongrass very natural!
• It has VCO which is very moisturizing.
• A little goes a long way.
• The texture is thick, it's oil-based.
• Easily absorbed by the skin.
• There's a little greasy feel that will fade away after a few minutes.
• Affordable.
• Easily accessible.
• There are a batch, manufacturing and expiry date.
• It's REALLY EFFECTIVE!!! I can feel that a mosquito is about to bite me but it just slides off and repels on my skin.

What I don't like:

• None!

Will I repurchase? Yes!

Recommendation:

     I give this a 5/5 rating! I really love this! A word of caution to first-time users: use sparingly if you're not comfortable applying oil to your body. You may find this a bit oily because the formula is very thick. But if you'll ask me, never mind the texture of this insect repellent. It saves the day from mosquito bites :D

Do you use insect repellents? Which one do you find effective? Share your thoughts!

Good Times!~

On Contests and Giveaways

    Yay! Lady luck is still on my side. The winning streak continues! As you all know, I'm very lucky last February because almost all the contests and giveaways that I've joined, I won! I blogged about my the prizes that I received on my posts February's Been Very Good To Me Part I and February's Been Very Good To Me Part II for reference. I'm very thankful to the bloggers for hosting such giveaways. I'm a stay-at-home-mom and I don't have my own source of income. I just rely on my husband's salary on buying my beauty and skin care needs. So joining on contests and giveaways somehow" helped" me to have the products that I want for free. Don't get me wrong but sometimes I'm happy because I can try new stuffs without asking hubby to buy it for me. Though what I said only applies when I win. So I'm always wishing my self good luck :D

     Another lucky month is June! This is also the birth month of my son. Maybe he's the lucky one. This time, I joined the A!life's Live the Life contest on Facebook. The contest is all about giving your best answer on the A!life Health Supplement variant assigned each week. To know about A!life, you can visit their Facebook fan page HERE. I won because I got the most number of likes on my answer. Here are my prizes:

1 box of A!life Energy- this is a Malunggay supplement

Samples of A!life supplements:

A!life Control, Trim, Protect, Restore, Posture and Energy

Cute Pouch and Colorful Umbrella (not in the picture)

I want to try this variant A!life Protect- this helps protect the skin from the damaging rays of the sun and free-radicals it's also full of anti-oxidants.

     I also won from two other giveaways and I will talk about that on my next posts. Thank you so much A!life for this wonderful prizes. I will take the Malunggay supplement for a month and will update you with the result. I know I need this supplement because Malunggay contains most of the vitamins and minerals our body needs. After my operation, I lost a large amount of blood and underwent blood transfusion. I hope A!life energy together with proper diet (no exercise yet) will bring me back in good shape. 

     Have you heard of A!life?Which variant suits your lifestyle?Thanks for sharing!

Good Times!~

Product Review: Garnier Light BB Eye Roll-On

     If there's one thing I hate when I wake up in the morning and I looked in the mirror: my under eyes-ze eye bags that is dark and puffy. This is the obvious reason if you haven't completed your sleep or should I say the wake-up-sleep-wake-up pattern. I don't know how to call it sorry for the term XD. The only reason I always experience sleepless nights is due to my son's sleeping pattern. I know, I've mention this before on my blog posts and it's like the nth time that I'll brag about it. Both hubby and I wanted to change this erratic sleeping pattern of our son but again, it keeps on adjusting every week. My son is lucky even though he's wide awake at night and sleeping on a hot summer day, his eye bags are still the same. My eyes are the ones suffering from dark circles and puffiness. 

     I always hide my dark under eyes with a concealer. But the problem with some concealers that I've tried creases big time with my fine lines when not set properly. There's also a time when the concealer is very obvious and looks unnatural. It's time consuming and bank breaking for a cheapskate like me to have a separate concealer and eye setting powder. If I'll go out to do errands, I just put my makeup in five minutes. So having a decent concealer that's budget-friendly will be the prefect solution for a practical mom like me.

     Thank you Garnier for bringing bb cream into an under eye roll-on. The moment I saw this product at Watson's last December, I decided to bring it home. Of course I paid for it :D After six months of daily usage, here's another keeper!

Garnier Light BB Eye Roll-On
New Garnier Instant Fairness BB Eye Roll-on is the first BB eye roll-on that gives you an amazing fresh look with a single gesture, and offers you a total solution for a fresh look in a flash. Enriched with brightening pure lemon essence and caffeine, well-known for its stimulating properties, its non-creasing formula covers the eye contour skin with mineral pigments for a nude coverage and long lasting-wear. From the first minute, witness the eye contour area looks: fairer,more radiant, more even-toned, with less dark circles, with less dark spots, fresher, smoother, less tired, more hydrated, tighten. The easy spread formula is oil free and fragrance free, it has been tested dermatologically and ophthalmologically, is even suitable for sensitive skin.

Garnier Light BB Eye Roll-On
Roll-on type, you can see a bit of product on the top of the ball and on  the cap

size: 15ml

price: 229 php (Around $5.00+)

place bought: Watson's Health and Beauty Store, Sm Fairview

instruction for use: Gently roll the bb concealer on your under starting from inner corner of the eye outwards. Blend by gently patting or dabbing with your fingers.

ingredients: Aqua/Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, PEG-10, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Squalene, BIS-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Talc, Nylon-12, Maltitol, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Sorbitol, Caffeine, Citrus Medica Limonum Extract/Lemon Fruit Extract, [+/- May Contain, CI 77891/Titanium Dioxide, CI77491, CI 77492, CI 77499/Iron Oxides], (F.I.L. B43994/2)

Garnier Light BB Eye Roll-On
Swatch on my hand, this time with flash on. Consistency is creamy and easy to blend.

 THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS WERE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY UPON WAKING UP :D

Garnier Light BB Eye Roll-OnThe flash is soo reflective, I hope you can still see the problem area including my freckles. 

Garnier Light BB Eye Roll-On
After using the roll-on under my eyes, eyelids and a small amount near my freckles.

Garnier Light BB Eye Roll-On
Tada!!! Bright under eye and partially concealed my freckles.

What I like:

• The price- for a cheapskate like me, it's budget-friendly.
• Easy peasy application because of the roller ball technology.
• Instantly brightens my under eye.
• Can conceal minor imperfections surrounding my eyes.
• The product spreads easily and gives a natural look.
• There's a relaxing feel after each application because of the metal roller ball.
• Works for most skin tone, I tried this on my sister who has a medium skin tone.
• There's a batch and manufacturing date printed on the box
• No overpowering scent.
• Easily accessible

What I don't like:

• The packaging- it is housed in an opaque plastic, I can't see how many product is left inside.
• There were times that I cannot control how much product the roller ball dispenses.
• May crease if I forgot to moisturize the skin around my under eye.

Will I repurchase? Yes!!!

Recommendation:

     I give this a 5/5 rating. Even though there were times that it settle in my fine lines, I still love it.   It's not noticeable so I don't need to worry. If you have very dark under eyes, I suggest you to use your heavy duty concealer first. 

Have you tried using Garnier products? Share your thoughts! Take Care, Garnier :D

Good Times!~