A Quick New Year Tag For Everyone!

Hey sexy peeps! Hope you're all enjoying the holidays.The year's almost over, so I just wanna share this activity we did at work just before I left. I'm really glad I got to do it, because it really made me look at the past year in a completely different light and helped me be more enthusiastic for the coming year. Without this, I wouldn't have noticed any difference between this year and all the past years of my life. Hopefully, it'll have the same effect on all of you who wanna do it, too.

The Rules:

1. Name 3 accomplishments/achievements/things you are grateful for in 2011.
2. Name 3 goals for 2012

Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask

Hey lovelies! It's been a while but I have news! I am officially a freelancer!
Still busy as ever, though. I'm still not done with Christmas shopping, can you believe it? The holiday rush and all the preparations for the big move next year: packing, trying to unload stuff at home, and all that. But I'm ready to blog at a semi-regular basis again. Wish me luck!

Moving on, here's a product that's been making me happy recently:  Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask

 

image taken from website

Innisfree is another Korean brand I am interested in. Their products are said to be GMO, mineral oil, chemical, alcohol, triclosan, benzophenone and paraben free and most ingredients are derived from nature.The brand, as you can see is endorsed by Yoona of Girls' Generation (SNSD.)

Gelleesh's One Year Web Hosting Giveaway

Codename AYA's Giveaway: 8 Ways to a Happy and Beautiful Christmas (Week 3)

 

 

Click the pic for details

Paris and Milan: A Tale of Two Lippies

Three Things I Love:

• themed posts
• lippies
• lame puns

Nyx RLS Paris

Nyx SMLC Milan

I got Nyx Round Lipstick in Paris and Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream in MilanDigital Traincase at the booth during the Philippine Cosmetics Expo a few months ago along with Nyx Round Lipstick in Pink Lyric

Price:

• PHP 150 for RLS
• PHP 320 for SMLC (they're cheaper now @ PHP 280)

Random TV Babble: VicTORious

Staying at home and watching TV for hours on end may seem boring and un-spectacular to most people but it's a real luxury for someone who never gets to do it. I am so looking forward to catching up on old favorites and discovering new obsessions. One show I recently got into is the Nick teen show VicTORious.

It's set in a performing arts high school called Hollywood Arts and the main character is a girl named Tori Vega who is a new student there. Anyway, there's a lot of musical numbers and showcasing of talent in every episode, it's really fun to watch.

I started watching this show because I ran out of iCarly episodes to watch (another teen show on Nick- a longtime favorite because I love Miranda Cosgrove. Also, I don't think I'll ever get tired of teen shows no matter how old I get)

I will also admit that one of the main reasons I enjoy this show is a character names Beck Oliver (played by Avan Jogia.) Beck is an incredibly good-looking guy who sometimes speaks with an adorable English accent and looks uh-MAZING in a gingham shirt  like the cool ones available at Aeropostale .

Baviphat Fruits Miniature Gift Set

I've had tremendous luck with the Baviphat Fruit Magic line so when I saw this from one of my favorite online sellers, I could not resist.

 

The gift set incluces 4 miniatures (6 g each) from the "fruit miracle" line:

• Apple AC Therapy Sleeping pack  (click for review)

• Mango Magic Brightening Mask  (Will try soon. Stay tuned!)

• Peach All in One Peeling Gel (my sister gave me hers before, but it dried out before I got a chance to use it. :o_O)

• Lemon Whitening Sleeping Pack (I love this, too!)

Going Red for a Change

I mentioned in a previous post that I'm probably gonna have more time for blogging soon. That's because I recently quit my job in preparation for moving another city.

It's kind of sad: I have lived in the same house all my life (minus a couple of years in college and some time with relatives on vacations)  and I have worked in the same industry for about 5 years now. But I'm not gonna lie, I think it's a great opportunity to try new things.  I love my job and I think I'm pretty good at it, but I have always wondered what else is out there for me. 

Maybe I'll go to business school. I could sign up for a VeritasPrep gmat prep  course first and see if it's for me. This course is taught by only the finest instructors and not only guarantees a great score but gives you the knowledge and the tools which are necessary for success in getting your MBA. Hey, anything worth doing is worth doing well.

We'll see. That's just one of the possibilities, anyway..

Here's another bold move (for me at least, because if you've been reading my previous post, you'll know how much love I have for pink lippies.):  I got my first red lipstick: Ever Bilena Matte in Love That Red

 

 

Enjoy Easy Cash Out with Globe GCash Card

I just got the basic design. LOL. Lazybones.

In the Philippines, one of the most widely accepted modes of payment for online transactions would have to be Globe GCash. It's really useful for shoppers and sellers alike. Sending and receiving payment has become as easy as sending and receiving text messages.

One of the biggest inconveniences, however, used to be in cashing out. You had to go all the way to a Globe Customer Service Center,  fill up forms, and stand in line. Not anymore. With the Globe GCash Card,  you can just go to any ATM and get your money like you do from a regular ATM bank account. There is a transaction fee of PHP 20 every time you cash out.

Want one?  Here's how:
.1. Fill up an application form here. You can even customize the look
2. Authorize GCASH to take PHP 100  from your GCASH account.
3. Wait for it to be delivered.

Mine arrived just yesterday via LBC.

black part for name and address of card owner

I'm really sorry I haven't been updating all that much. Been busy. I'll have more time to blog real soon. Stay tuned.

Thanks for reading,
Jackie

Do Detox Foot Pads Work?

I bought the Kinoki Foot Pads online about 2 months ago. and I've had a chance to use it several times now so I think it's time I shared my experience.

Price: PHP 150  for 10  patches.

Product Information from the Seller (taken online:)

Detox Foot Patch contains all natural combination of wood vinegar, bamboo vinegar, chitosan, dokudami, loquat leaf, vitamin c,vegatable fiber, tourmaline, & dextrin. Simply apply the detox foot patch to the bottoms of your feet, before you go to bed, and remove foot patch when you wake up. You will feel vitalized detoxified and fresh the next morning.

Directions for use :
1. Apply Kinoki detox patch one hour before bed-time.
2. Wash and dry your feet or body part before applying kinoki Detox Patch.
3. Take one adhesive sheet and slowly peel off paper.
3. Place the foot pad on the adhesive where noted to "Put adhesive sheet on this side" and place onto the soles of your feet or the desired area of other body part.
(Socks can be worn if necessary)
4. Wear for 8-10 hours then remove pad.
5. Wipe surface with wet towel until it’s no longer sticky.
6. Used patches will appear dark greenish or grayish as they absorb toxins and waste matter from your body.
7. Continue to use each night until the discoloration of the pad subsides.
8. When used kinoki patches show signs of lightening, apply once or twice a week for maintenance.

Benefit of Kinoki  Detox Foot Patch

1.  To relieve heel and foot pain [ideal for those who always wear high heels and stand too long]
2.  Help to lose weight
3.  Help to treat acne
4.  Help to treat sinus problems
5.  Relieve back pain
6.  More fresh and energetic
7.  Reduce allergic
8.  Increase the rate of metabolism in the body
9.  Reduce joint pain
10. Enhance the immune system
11. Reduce high blood pressure
12. Improves blood circulation
13. Reduce foot odour
14. Release surplus toxins
15. Reduce tiredness
16. Reduce stress
17. Better quality of sleep
18. Speeds assimilation of nutrients to cells

My thoughts after the jump:

My Bag Family

I don't know what happened but I bought 3 bags that all look alike in a span of less than a month.

It all started with this peach Anya Satchel from Coconut Gold:

 

(smaller size)

I really wanted it but it was pre-order only. I knew myself well enough to know that I don't have the EQ for pre-ordering stuff but I wanted it badly enough so I placed the order. This is the Momma bag.

Then I saw this at Candy Bags (by The Fashion Factory)  in Tiendesitas:

 

I told myself that it's not the same thing. It's much smaller and harder. This is the baby bag.

Finally, while browsing eBay listing, I came across this big pink one from Therapie bags:

 

It was good as new, much much cheaper and offered free shipping (well, cheap shipping for addresses outside the Metro.) I couldn't help myself and got it, too. This is the Poppa bag.

Finally, the universe decided to intervene and right after paying for the Poppa bag. I got a text which said that my bag had arrived. That put an end to the madness. I made a decision not to buy any more bags for a while.


And so the Poppa bag, the Momma bag and the Baby bag lived happily ever after. THE END!

Thanks for reading,
Jackie

Fashion 21 Aqualicious Lipstick in Little Mermaid

The pink lippie obsession continues! 

The Aqualicious line of lippies from Fashion 21 is water-themed.. The box is a combination ofblue and white which makes me think of a landscape of a very cold region. The tube is also a very pretty blue. (similar to the packaging  of SanSan's regular cosmetics line)  and the shade names have aquatic elements to them like mermaid, starfish,  etc. It also promises extreme moisture.

Lipgloss Love Affair's Most Popular Products in Japan's Giveaway

 

Click to enter!

Thanks Lipgloss Love Affair!

Pastel Raindrops' Giveaway

 

Click pic to join

Kikaysimaria and BBCreamAddict Pre-Holiday Giveaway Contest

 

Click the pic to join!

Thrifted: Llama-face!

Maybe you guys have noticed that I don't really post OOTD's or fashion-related posts. It's because I don't really fancy myself a fashionista. I do, however, like unique and quirky finds and this is one of the reasons I love thrifting.

I saw this sweater dress when I went thrifting and couldn't resist getting it. The llama and stripey clouds are appliques.

The llama is adorable. I loved the movie "Emperor's New Groove" (which is where Llama-face came from.)  I love llamas and alpacas. I'd collect stuff with them on, if they were easier to find. (I have the same problem with Maltese puppy stuff, but I digress.)

It's in really good condition, too, maybe the original owner didn't have the nerve to wear it in public, lol.

Actually, I've already worn this. It didn't seem too outrageous. The neutral color and simple stripes toned it down. Fits me really well too, but the armholes are kinda big so I really need to wear something underneath.

What would you wear with this dress? Suggestions?

Thanks for reading,
Jackie

First look at Snoe Products and All Glammed Up's October Sale

I am always happy to see local brands stepping up and I try to support them as much as I can. It's been over a week since I got these Snoe Products. I have used them a bunch of times already. It's too early for an in-depth review, but that doesn't mean I can't tell you what I think about it just yet.

Maybelline Colorsensational Lipstick in Bonbon Pink

Shade P31- Pink Bonbon

The ColorSensational line of Maybelline lipsticks  promises extreme moisture and color. It is available in many supermarkets and drugstores nationwide. and costs PHP 299. I recently got one in Bonbon Pink (P31)

Weekend Grabs

I don't think this counts as a haul. I bought these at different times from different places but all last weekend. I noticed that I've been posting about weekend stuff during the middle of the week. So late, but that's how I roll!

• HBC Body Recipe Hair Remover Cream- been wanting to get it because of Thiamere's post about it.

• Snoe products: Apple Scrub and Bengkoang Lotion. 

• Cat envelope from I Love Envelopes

• Floral kiss-lock purse

• Plastic wallet organizer

• More pocketbacs- Eucalyptus Mint and Rockin' Cotton- I got "umay"  with my sweet pocketbacs so I got fresher fragrances this time. Eucalyptus Mint is my current fave. Smells like Irish Spring soap and it kinda clears up my sinuses.^^

Facebook Page and Awards

As you guys can see on my sidebar, The Narcissus Project is now on Facebook. This is huge, because I didn't even use to have Facebook. (Well, I did, but I deleted it and it was ages ago, before the new interface) I just realized that I want to really connect with blogger friends and readers, and there are so many cool things to get into on Facebook and I was really missing out.

Please like, and if you feel like it, add the sad single liker there at the moment. I want to be friends with all of you and I promise not to stalk you. Also, please bear with me, if I kinda suck at facebooking. I'm still getting the hang of the new interface, and I barely got the old interface. (ME = noob4lyf)

♥♥♥

Got these awards from Aimee (aMz Blog.)

The rules:


 -Share 7 things about yourself and link back to the person who passed you the award.

-Award 15 blogs and drop them a line about it.


7 Things about Jackie

♥ Even though I always say that I am a big Koreaboo, I know next-to-nothing about their pop culture. I just love their food, products, and of course, the beautiful country.

♥ I write with my left-hand but I do almost everything else with my right.

♥ I think UFC-style fighting is fun and would like to try it!

♥ I love old kung-fu/wuxia movies.

♥ I don't like any kind of hot beverage.

♥ I really love reading creepypasta

♥ I love singing and karaoke, but I'm way off-key when I sing. ^^

I'm passing these on to the following blogs: 

http://sweethestia.blogspot.com/
http://www.gelleesh.com/
http://ayanagrace.blogspot.com/
http://luckycitrine.blogspot.com/
http://monsterprettyinthecity.blogspot.com/
http://popblushing.blogspot.com/
http://missgennd.blogspot.com/
http://beekyoote.blogspot.com/
http://peachypinksisters.blogspot.com/
http://jesroque.blogspot.com/
http://www.crumpylicious.com/
http://candycoatedpaw.blogspot.com/
http://proud2bcurvy.blogspot.com/
http://lacesandtiaras.blogspot.com 

http://thejaggedbarn.blogspot.com

Hope you all can do this. If you already have, then it's okay. Just wanna let you know I want you to have it, too. ^^

I'll drop by all your blogs later to give the news. Right now, it's time to sleep and internet's acting up again, anyway.

Thanks for reading! 

Fashion Palooza: A Trendsetter's Bazaar

Who's going? Can I come with? ^^

Review: Baviphat AC Therapy Sleeping Pack

 

This is a miniature version (6g) which was a part of my minis and samples purchase from eBay.

Baviphat is a Korean skincare and cosmetics brand famous for their "fruit miracle" series and infamous for their suspiciously familiar packaging designs. Some famous spokesmodels for the brand are Beyonce and Korean idol group F.T. Island.

Product Info (taken from seller)
An overnight mask  extract suppresses melanin formation and prevent hyper-pigmentation. Arbutin then hastens skin whitening for a fairer complexion with beautifully even skin tone. Uniformly apply mask on cleansed skin before going to bed. Wash off in the morning. Regular use of sleeping mask diminishes the appearance of dark spots and freckles.

How to use:
After basic skin care in the evening, apply evenly over face. Go to sleep without washing out. Lightly rinse with lukewarm water in the morning.

Use it as a substitute for cream at night. Apply an appropriate amount to face and neck. Then gently massage and tab until thoroughly absorbed. Rinse off in the next morning.

Suitable For:  All Skin Types

My review after the jump.

First Christmas-y Post!

It's Halloween month! Traditionally for people in my country, it is really more of a sad/scary time than a fun/scary time. As I got older, remembering loved ones who are no longer in this world has become more meaningful to me, but when I was a kid, all the months ending in -ber were Christmas months.

This is not unusual in this country. In fact, you'll start to hear Christmas songs on the radio and see Christmas lights on the streets as early as September.

Whether foreign (spiced cider. candy canes, hot cocoa, sugar cookies) or local (puto bumbong, leche flan), I love most Christmas smells and flavors (except maybe fruitcake, but then who does LOL) Normally I have great Christmas spirit, but personally, September is always a hard month to get over. I needed something extra this year to really get into it. These scents, all from Bath and Body Works, usually did the job.

Shapeable Foaming Soap in Twisted Peppermint

Remember how much I love foam cleansers? This is a tightly packed, semi-solid mousse soap that smells like candy canes. And it leaves a minty sensation on the skin after washing. LOVE!

Pocketbacs in Vanilla Bean Noel and Winter Candy Apple

I'll admit, these overly popular anti-bacterial sanitizers didn't appeal for me before because I preferred 1) soap and water or 2) wipes when it came to keeping my hands clean and germ-free and I found the holders a little tacky, but I couldn't resist Christmass Pocketbacs, and they really are handy in a pinch.

So, what helps get your Christmas spirit on?

Mini eBay Haul

In this country, imported products cost way more than they should. Taxes, expenses and the like all figure in, so stuff like cosmetics, even drugstore brands cost 2, 3 or more times what they do where they come from.

That's not necessarily bad. We should be thankful that there are companies willing to bring great products to us. It's definitely cheaper than going overseas ourselves. It also gives our local products a fighting chance.

Anyway, while it's true that it costs a great deal for companies to bring products, to our country, it must cost a lot less for individuals to do so, because you can get a lot of the stuff available in stores for much cheaper online, particularly eBay. Let me show you what I got on my most recent transaction:

 

* Hairbrush with ceramic barrel- I had been looking for a ceramic hairbrush everywhere. I read somewhere that it's great for taming unruly hair with or without heat. This brush also claims to have natural boar hair bristles and ionic tourmaline, which fights frizziness.

* Wet n' Wild Ultimate Brow Color and Set in Chocolate- A pencil and gel duo. our sisters on GT have been raving about the WnW brow kit and I wanted the Color My Brows gel from Etude House but it's always OOS. I'm hoping this will curb my lemming for both, at least for now.

* Cover Girl Eyeslicks in Midnight Metal (top) and Cover Girl Smoothers in Pink Ice (bottom) - both are gel eye color sticks but I'm not sure about the difference yet.

 

* Cover Girl Smoothers eyeliner in Slate

* Wet n' Wild Mega Eyes single eyeshadows in Sensual Sage (top), Cream (bottom left) and Fine Wink (bottom right.)- more single eyeshadows. Can't get enough of them.

* Cover Girl Eye Enhancers single eye shadow in Aubergine Queen- purple eye shadows are particularly irresistible

* Styli-Style Flat Lipliner pencil in Madison- I thought it was cute.

Watch out for reviews. Thanks for reading!

Shop n' Chomp's Missoni x Target Giveaway!

Lisa of Shop n' Chomp is giving away this Missoni x Target train case!

Click the pic for details

Thanks Lisa!

Smells Like Teen Sprites (not a typo)

Libraries, used bookstores and curio shops are irresistible to me because of all the stories and movies about finding something magical in them. (To name a few: Fushigi Yuugi,  The Neverending Story and Gremlins, respectively.)  I always go into those places hoping to find magic. I think that day has come.

Creating Fairy Garden Scents by Linda Gannon immediately caught my eye because the title and cover reminded me of my Vera Wang Flower Princess perfume. After some browsing, I made up my mind to buy it.

Humpdate and HeartKristel's ELF Collection Giveaway

I've been meaning to post this since last weekend and the week's almost finished again. ^^

Here are some stuff I picked up during the weekend: (Sorry if you can't make them out)

Top:

*  Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Scrub- repurchased this many time. Loves it!
*  iWhite Bath Soap- I''ve used almost all the iWhite products over the years, so I couldn't pass this up. Comes with a free Whitening pack sachet.
*  Single Eye Shadows (latest obsession)- Ever Bilena Advance in Goldenrod (at 40% off) and Fashion 21 (forgot the shade numbers but one is purply and the other is off white-y. =)
*  Sponge Cola CD-a freebie for buying Coca-Cola products. (I don't even have a CD player anymore!)
* Maxipeel Facial Wash- something I go back to using from time to time.

Bottom:

* Lolane Pixel Hair Color in Dark Golden Blonde-my current hair color =)
* Used Book: Creating Fairy Garden Scents- super interesting. More on this soon.
* Striped pink and white turban from Saizen- I use this at home to keep my hair out of my face. It's super soft and comfy. I love it to bits.
* Fashion 21  Aqualicious Lisptick in Little Mermaid
* Nichido eyebrow pencil in Dark Brown
* Brown eyebrow pencil from Saizen
* Marionnaud retractable face brush

Have you used any of this stuff?  What did you think of them?

I will post swatches of the makeup stuff in the future, so please check back soon. 

 

***

Heart Kristel's ELF Collection Giveaway

click the image for details.

Thanks HeartKristel!

Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of the week. =))

PopBlush's Giveaway

Enter for a chance to win these lovely items.

 

Click the image for details.

Thank you PopBlush!

Random Beauty by Hollie 300 Followers Giveaway

Congratulations to Hollie for 300 ++ Followers!

Join the celebration by entering her giveaway.

(click image for details)

Thanks Hollie!

Minis and Samples Save the Day!

There are a zillion products out there I want to try. This wouldn't be a problem if 1) money grew on trees and 2) I used up everything I bought, because I really do hate letting stuff go to waste.

Unfortunately, I have ADD when it comes to prods. Unless it really wows, I won't have the attention span to finish a full-sized container of stuff. There are times when I obsess about products day in and day out- until I get them, then I forget about them completely.

My solution: think small. I like to get mini versions and samples of stuff I want to try just to get them out of my system. Or get the full-sized version next time.

I recommend this approach for choosing bb creams as well. I still haven't given up on these, but there are so many to choose from. They all sound so promising but like with other types of products, I know that only a handful would suit me.

Here's the latest batch of goodies I got:

 

MINIS:

 L-R:

Baviphat AC Therapy Sleeping Pack

Lioele Beyond the Solution BB Cream

TonyMoly Tony Tint

SAMPLES (by brand): 

Lioele

2 pcs. 3D Skin Fix Foundation

Secret Pore Rich Balm

Dollish Veil Vita BB

2pcs 3D Skin Fix Makeup Base

Beyond the Solution BB Cream

Triple the Solution BB Cream

Hanskin

Super Secret BB

Gold Caviar BB

Mineral Magic BB

Control Skin BB

Missha

Choboyang BB Cream

Wrinkle Filler

Signature BB Cream

Skin79

 

Hot Pink Super BB Cream 

Baviphat Mango Steam Scrub

The seller included this in my package as a freebie, which is great because it looks really interesting. So happy!

I know some people don't like the idea of having to buy samples when they should be free. I'm actually glad that some people have made these available without having to make HUGE purchases first. I'm really excited to try these one by one and give my feedback, Stay tuned!

P.S. 

King of 25,000 Megawatt Smile asked me to post a pic of NYX Pink Lyric on my lips. LOL, Sorry this was all I could come up with on short notice. (I used my netbook webcam) I'll try again when I'm fully made up.