My Venus Freeze Experience: Flabby Arms No More!

For the past 2 years, I have been neglectful of my diet and fitness routine that I noticed that I gained so much weight. I also noticed that my usual lean arms became larger and flabbier. Plus I noticed some dimpling on my arms which I know are cellulites. Yukk!

Only a few weeks more to go before December, and even though I went back to the gym and watched what I was eating, the improvement was so slow. I felt that I had to do something more drastic. I talked to my dermatologist, Dr. Corcoran, about my dilemma and she suggested Venus Freeze, a new generation radiofrequency treatment with magnetic pulse technology. Dr. Corcoran said that it will not only take out the fats in my arms, it will also remove the cellulites and tighten the skin. She said that I need at least 6-8 sessions, done every week, to attain the leaner arms that I want. I researched on Venus Freeze in the web and it had great reviews so I decided to give it a try.

The Venus Freeze treatment sessions were quite comfortable. It was like having a hot stone massage. I was religious in going to the clinic every week and doing their after-care instructions of taking lots of water and being careful with my diet and having more exercise. This is a photo of my left arm a week after the 6th session.

The flabbiness was gone. I lost almost 2 inches in my arm girth. I also noticed that the dimply appearance, the cellulites in my arms were gone. I'm so happy with the results! :)

My verdict: Venus Freeze is an effective treatment to lose fats and cellulites. Highly recommended!

Maybelline Expert Wear Stylish Smokes Eyeshadow in Nutmeg: A Review

My aunt came home from the US a month ago and gave me a Maybelline Expert Wear Stylish Smokes Eyeshadow in Nutmeg as pasalubong.

I instantly liked how the eyeshadow highlighted my eyes. It's very buttery and glides on smoothly on my eyelids. It is a beautiful brown, matte color, and lasts as long as I put on some powder on my eyelids first. Another good thing is that it doesn't make my eyes red since I have very sensitive eyes and skin. I use it both as an eyeshadow and a filler on my eyebrows. I use it every single day. I also use it during our night outs and party nights since the color can be built up for a more dramatic effect.

My verdict: Maybelline Expert Wear Stylish Smokes Eyeshadow in Nutmeg is a perfect brown eyeshadow for both everyday use and special occasions. Highly recommended!

Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eye Pen: A Review

I have been on the hunt for a better eyeliner since the Maybelline eyeliner that I was using was not too satisfactory for me. I saw a Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eye Pen at SM Department Store so I figured I might as well try it.

My first impression was the tip is so precise and it does make a very fine job of lining my eyes. The felt tip is rather easy to maneuver and much better than traditional liquid eyeliners. It is the right shade of black for my dark brown eyes. The only thing that I didn't like was that it kinda fades out after a few hours. Overall, I like it. 

My verdict: Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eye Pen is a good and easy to use eyeliner. I do recommend it.

Basement Salon - SM Aura: A Review

I haven't had time to go to the salon to have a haircut but last week, when I was in SM Aura, I saw that there's a Basement Salon branch there. The last time that I went to Basement Salon was 2 years ago in their Rockwell branch; I had my hair color done there and from my recollection, it was good. So I decided to go ahead and have a haircut in their SM Aura branch.

I wanted the best results since I didn't have time for a hair treatment that time, so I chose to have my haircut with their senior hair stylist, Jun. Mind you, it's a PhP 1,400 haircut so I expected really good results. But I was so disappointed. First off, I showed him the haircut that I liked to be done on me and he said that he could do it. Then, he tried to convince me to have their Permanent Blow Dry treatment so my hair will have more body. When I asked how much it will be, he said that it's PhP 9,400 for my hair! Talk about steep price! Oh well... But then even though I could afford it, it's a 3 hour treatment, so I told him that I will just return for it next time. Anyways, he was quick in doing my haircut and I just assumed that it's because he's a senior stylist and he's used to doing haircuts. But it was a haphazard job... I didn't have the hair style that I wanted and worse, I even had to cut some of the uneven ends after I took a shower the next day! :(

My verdict: Getting a haircut at Basement Salon in SM Aura will leave you disappointed. Not recommended at all!

Pandora Charm Bracelet: My Favorite Bling!

I was introduced to Pandora bracelet by my significant other for our anniversary last week. And I absolutely love it! He knows that I like girly stuff so he really hit the jackpot in this.

First, it is in color pink, which I absolutely love. Then, I learned that I can add more beads and customize it for my taste. Thus, no two Pandora bracelets will ever be the same. So I can add my own unique style in it. I also like that the beads are very high quality and not cheap-looking.

My verdict: Pandora charm bracelets are really nice and customizable accessories to fit your own unique style. Highly recommended!

Celestial Infusion: Super Fast Skin Lightening Results!

Ok, I'm not one who would fall for some hype especially on skin lightening if I haven't tried it, but I have to really blog about this. Last Friday, I went to my dermatologist, Dr. Corcoran and saw their new treatment on display - Celestial Infusion. I got curious so I asked Dr. Corcoran about it. She said that it's megadose of glutathione (5,000 mg) with collagen, vitamin C and E, placenta, vitamin B and some other whitening boosters, which will yield super fast results in as little as an hour after the session. Also, the skin lightening will be more of a pinkish healthy glow which I really need because of the sun damage that I had with the summer sun (of course I did enjoy the summer with the beach and hiking, etc). So I gave it a try. Here's a photo of my right hand before the Celestial Infusion:

Here's a photo of my right hand right after the Celestial Infusion:

Note the band aid since the needle was placed in one of the veins in my right hand. But it was truly amazing how fast the skin lightening was. And what's more, the skin lightening was pinkish and healthy-looking. Another benefit - my groin area that had some dark spots due to friction from jogging/running turned lighter as well. My friends were also surprised since they saw me the day before my Celestial infusion and then the next day after the treatment. I was able to convince 2 of them to go to my derma's clinic. LOL!

My verdict: Celestial Infusion has super fast skin lightening results even right after the treatment. Plus the skin lightening has a pinkish, healthy glow. Highly recommended!

Chloe Eau de Parfum: My New Favorite All-Time Scent

I was on the lookout for a new everyday scent for sometime now. I tried different scents, but I still wasn't satisfied. I wanted a floral scent without being too sweet and cloying. Good thing that I found my match with Chloe Eau de Parfum.

The scent is a beautiful and simple scent - rose and peony with some hint of lily of the valley and honey. I wore it at a party last week and I got a lot of compliments. The good thing about it is that it can also be worn on a night out since it has a nice, sexy charm about it. My significant other loves it on me and that's another plus. Oh, and it lasts the whole day until night time. I was about to go home one evening when a co-worker said that I smell lovely and she asked what I was wearing. I couldn't believe she could still smell it!

My verdict: Chloe Eau de Parfum is a great day and night scent. Highly recommended!

Revlon™ ColorStay Lipliner in Blush: A Review

I've been disappointed with my lipsticks when I need my lips to have some color on special occasions, so I did my research on how to make your lipstick last longer. I read somewhere that if you want your lip color to stay longer, you need a lipliner to color your lips first, then apply your lipstick. So I went to the mall and got a Revlon™ColorStay Lipliner in Blush.

I liked the color since it neutralized the intense color of my red lipstick. I also liked the fact that it did make my lipstick last longer after having dinner with my friends, but I needed to put on lipgloss after applying lip color so my lips won't look too dry. Other than that, I will keep on using it during special occasions when I need my lip color to stay longer.

My verdict: Revlon™ ColorStay Lipliner does its job of making your lip color last longer. Highly recommended!

Philosophy Hope in a Jar: A Review

I was in Korea a few weeks ago and because of the cold weather, my skin became really tight and dry. My usual Vitamin C & E serum was not enough at that time. So I went to the local mall and looked for a moisturizer. I'm familiar with Philosophy products so I bought Philosophy Hope in a Jar.

First impression was it had quite a strong smell, kind of herb-like. Since it was not really cheap, I still applied it on my face. It was ok; it did moisturize my face which relieved the tight and dry feeling. It also didn't make me break out, which is a good thing. However I was quite bothered by the smell. When I got back home, I felt that I don't need too much moisturizing anymore so I stopped using the product and went back to my usual Vitamin C & E serum.

My verdict: It is a good moisturizer but I will not use it anymore.

L’Oreal Colour Riche Balm in Heavenly Berry – My New Favorite Tinted Lip Balm

One of my cousins came all the way from the USA for the Christmas holidays and she gave me a L’Oreal Colour Riche Balm in Heavenly Berry. And I’m really glad she did. First impression was that it didn’t look like the ordinary lip balm at all. It has a classy and rich packaging, pretty much like the usual L’Oreal lipstick. When I tried it on, the texture is really soft and smooth that glides on my lips well, something like a lip butter. It hydrates my lips well. It has no shimmer but gives a glossy finish when applied. It has sunblock, SPF 15, which is also good as I go out under the sun so much. It has a very light pigmentation, but you can build the color with every application. It also has a light scent of berries which I like. Once I run out of it, I will definitely look for it in SM or any local department store. Or if nothing else, get one when I make my next trip to the US :)

My verdict: L’Oreal Colour Rich Balm is a great tinted lip moisturizer. Highly recommended!