Review: Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

My recent and ongoing battle against pimples exhausted my concealer thus necessitates for the procurement of a new one which can help me hide such hideous little devils. :D After seeing this from a friend’s stock of items for sale, I decided to get this product though I have not read any product review. It wasn’t love at first sight; it was urgency and maybe desperation. :D

I have been using this product for more than two months already so I think it is about time that I make a blog post about it.

Product Description:
FLAWLESS THAT LETS THE REAL YOU COME THROUGH
BEYOND MATCHING: FRESH, BREATHABLE, NATURAL

Help Build a Boat, Help Rebuild Lives

The world has seen how Yolanda (International name Haiyan) ravaged the Philippines. Its fury killed thousands, rendered hundreds of thousands people homeless, many are still missing and livelihood destroyed.

While foods, medicines and other basic needs have been pouring from various parts of the world, it is obvious that they cannot go on like this forever. Supplying them with relief goods for many more months to come is not feasible. Next to relief, the best thing we can do is to help them rebuild their lives. As what the Chinese proverb says, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime". Fortunately, we do not need to teach most of the victims how to fish as fishing has been their primary source of living. They just need a boat they can use to fish.

With this, the organization which my friends put up years ago plan to help the victims get back on their feet by providing them with boats they can use to earn a living to feed their family and send the kids to school. Since Southern and Central part of Iloilo were spared, our main recipients are people from the Northern part of Iloilo particularly the small islands in the town of Concepcion.

For details, you can check out iririmaw.org or you can also contact me through this blog or email at cescilay@gmail.com to facilitate your donation. You will also be updated as to where your donation goes.

With our help, the victims can get back on their feet with dignity and be able to provide their children with bright future.

Review: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

It’s been months since the last time I publish a post about lipstick… oh well, that was also the last time I bought a new one. I avoided buying makeup particularly lipstick for a few months since I want to use all that I’ve got before buying for more but I just can’t resist this one. It seems like I am on a quest for a red lipstick forever and seeing this made me purchase right there and then. I got this lipstick from my friend who sells authentic US brands cosmetics so I am confident of its authenticity.

Will this reign my humble makeup stash? We’ll find out…

[Update 10/04/14]: I added two shades to my collection, rendezvous and honey. 

Product Description:
It’s a pampering balm fused with a lightweight lipstain in an adorable chubby crayon. Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain gives softer, smoother lips with a perfect flush of color that lasts hour after hour. The gel formula comes in 12 vibrant shades that match any look or mood. 

Review:

Packaging and Appeal. Instead of the typical lipstick tube/barrel, this product comes in retractable tube with chubby crayon appearance. Sharpener is not required though. I love that the body of the packaging is designed depending on the color of the lipstick. With this, storing and using this at a later time is easier. You never have to check the bottom of the tube to find out the color.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0082D9SQY/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0082D9SQY&linkCode=as2&tag=intricacy0d-20

Review: St. Ives Skin Renewing Body Lotion

This should have been posted before we left for Palawan but I wasn’t able to finish the review so I decided to post it now instead.

While out to buy a bottle of Jergens lotion, the display of St. Ives lotions caught my attention once again. So instead of buying what I initially planned to buy, I decided to go for this product this time. If you are regular reader of my blog, you might have read my review of another variant, the

Is this variant any better than the other? Find out...


Product Description:

Review:

Packaging and Appeal. The packaging of this variant is the same as others, rectangular white plastic bottle with slim pump. The label is nothing too fancy either.

The product itself is a typical lotion with just right consistency. It is not as thin or watery as Nivea Milk or as thick as Nivea Creme hence application is a breeze. You never have to rub it to your skin vigorously to even out the application.

Puerto Princesa Restos: Noki Nocs, Kalui, Penao and Hapchan

Hurray for my last post about my recent trip to Puerto Princesa Palawan. This time, I will be talking about the restaurants we have eaten into. Unfortunately, we were able to experience eating at four restaurants only due to time constraints and at other times our meals are included in the tour package.

On our first day, we ate at Noki Nocs. It is located in a corner near the Palawan Provincial Capitol. Actually, we didn’t have plans to eat here nor have I heard about this eatery before but since it is the only restaurant conducive for us at that moment, we decided to go for it. Noki Nocs Savory House is not a fancy restaurant that is considered a must for tourists to visit but it’s good enough to satisfy a hungry tourist’s tummy after exploring the city the whole morning. Prices of set meals (with unlimited rice, one main dish and one side dish) are a little over php 100. This is also where ate the highly recommended Chao Long (beef stew with rice noodles).

On our second day, we availed the packaged Underground River tour and included in the package are van and boat transfers as well as buffet meal at Penao Restaurant. The restaurant is nothing fancy and is in fact very crowded since almost all tourists who will be going to Underground River eat there. The food is so so but then, the quantity can make up for the quality since it is buffet. :D


One restaurant in Puerto Princesa I do not want to miss is Kalui. I have read so many good reviews about it so I really want to know what the hype is about. After our hearty meal in such stylish restaurant, I just have to say that it indeed live up to its reputation. The ambiance is a combination of everything; romantic, homey, classy and artistic. Upon entrance and before you are hosted to your table, you will be asked to take off your shoes and leave them in the area designated for customer footwear. Don’t worry about walking barefoot around the restaurant; the floor is clean… squeaky clean! I think every angle is picturesque including the restroom. :D The foods are amazing! I particularly love the tuna steak as well as sinigang ni kaka (fish and shrimp sinigang with coconut water). The restaurant may be a bit on the pricey side but you will surely get what you are paying for, you will never regret it.

Where to Stay in Puerto Princesa: Audissie Pension

One of the things I like most about Puerto Princesa City is that you will never run out of places to stay for a night even if you are on a budget. There are hotels, pension houses or inns in almost all streets. There’s a place for everyone depending on their preferences and needs.

During our 4 day/3 night vacation in Palawan, we stayed at Audissie Pension along Malvar Street. There are many reasons why I went for this pension house over the others. One is the location. Audissie Pension is just walking distance away from Baywalk, Cathedral and Plaza Cuartel. We even walked from here up to Palawan Museum and Provincial Capitol. It is highly accessible too! Second reason is the price. For us who will be staying in the pension house only to sleep, take bath and to have a place where we can leave our belongings, booking with expensive hotels seems unreasonable. Besides, we are not high-maintenance people so this budget pension house is fine. Third, they offer free airport and hotel transfer.
The green curtain I am referring to. (Photo credit)
For me it is also a great factor that the staff, particularly Kiko, is quick to reply to my email queries. His detailed information and friendly-approach is amazing. He even gives his opinion to what he think is best for you. Other staffs are equally friendly. One time, I forgot the key inside the room but nobody got mad at me. :D They comply with requests without smirking or any other unfriendly body gesture.

DIY Honda Bay Tour

Are you sick of my Puerto Princesa posts? Sorry but your misery doesn’t end here as I still have a couple of Puerto Princesa posts after this. Our third day was dedicated to Honda Bay tour and I’m proud to say that the tour ended without a glitch though we did it on our own. Thanks to so many bloggers whose blogs gave important information and tips on how to DIY this tour. With this, it is just right that I return the favor and share what I experienced during our Honda Bay tour.

On our city tour during our first day, the pension house staff referred a Tourism-accredited tricycle to us. He is the same tricycle driver I asked to take us to Lourdes Wharf and back to the city in the afternoon. We wanted to leave the city as early as 7:00 am but the driver suggested that we’ll do fine even if we leave at 9:00 am since the wharf opens at 8:30 - 9:00.  But being such a worry-freak, I told him that we go at 8:30 to lessen the risk of issues concerning motor boats, permits and others.

Travel time from the city to Lourdes Wharf is around 25 - 30 minutes and when we get there, the wharf is indeed open and the lady manning the desk is entertaining Korean tourists. After finalizing the arrangement for them, she turned to us and discussed about the tour, boat rentals, islands to visit and others. We initially asked for a smaller boat since there are only four of us in the group but unfortunately, all smaller boats have been rented out to other tourists who arrived earlier than us. So the boat given to us is a bigger one and can carry 20 passengers. Rent is Php 1500 only for the whole tour which comprises four islands.

Immediately after paying the boat rental and environmental fee, we were then directed to our boat for the day and depart for island hopping. Our deal was to stop at two islands and pass by two other islands of our choice. First on the route is Cowrie Island but we decided to just pass by it since we are really aiming for Pandan Island wherein we can order food for lunch.


Puerto Princesa Underground River Tour

My Puerto Princesa post is far from over yet. In addition to this, I still have a couple or so posts about our recent Puerto Princesa trip. This time I will be talking about our tour of the famous Puerto Princesa Underground River, the longest navigable underground river in the world.

Based on my extensive research aka blog-hopping, permit from the local government is necessary for one to be allowed to enter the cave and that arrangement must be done weeks before the scheduled trip. Additionally, I also know people who weren’t able to experience the tour because of permit issues so the worry-freak me booked the tour five months before our schedule. :D This is the only tour I am too scared to DIY because I do not want to miss the opportunity of getting inside the cave so I availed the package tour offered by the pension house.
Cave entrance
The package which costs Php 1500 per head includes van transfer from the hotel to Sabang Wharf and from wharf back to hotel, boat transfers and lunch. Environmental fee of php 40 is shouldered by the guest.

The night before the tour, the front desk informed us of the time the van will pick us up and surprisingly, the van picked us a few minutes before the said time. *clap hands* We then proceeded to pick up other tourists who are staying in other hotels/pension houses. There were 14 of us in the van including 1 driver and one tour guide. As we travel the winding road towards Sabang Wharf, the tour guide is busy doing her job giving us information about the Underground River, the animals found there and many other things about Puerto Princesa and Palawan in general.

Drop off point from Sabang Wharf