Thursday, January 26, 2012

Asian Vogue Shop: A Fashionista's Heaven

I came across Asian Vogue Shop through some blogger friends and I found out that they have great finds, from shoes, to bags to clothes!


A shopper's heaven!


They have a wide selection of fab fashion finds that's why they have celeb clients - great proof that they offer good quality and really stylish products. ^__^


I super love their shoes, especially the high heeled ones!

Stylish pair to use to school... when I start teaching! ^__^







Another cute pair... I'd like to be a fashionista teacha! ^__~



Cute! Reminds me of pretty Marj Sia! ^__^


Me super like the frilly stuff... So kawaii! ^__^



One day, I'll splurge and buy lots and lots of clothes, shoes and bags for me and my loved ones!!! ^__^


Anyway, one of my resolutions this year is to change my wardrobe! ^__^



I'll convince the hubby to get me even just one pair from the pics above... If I get lucky, I might convince him to get me more! Haha! ^__^




Go and visit Asian Vogue now! ^__^


Enjoy shopping!!!

^__^



My New Years Projects (Resolutions) for 2012

Late posting, but these are the things that I am trying to work on. I shouldn't call them resolutions, but "projects" since they are more likely to be accomplished. People easily forget about their resolutions when the month of January ends. I learned this from my dear friend Sam. ^__^

Here they are! 

By the way, life and beauty resolutions are mixed up. I just wrote them in a notepad when they pop in my head. =D



  1. Be a better person. Be a better wife in particular. A better teacher. Never fail to improve all aspects of life as much as possible.

  1. Be more productive. Quit playing Facebook games. They don't do anything good. Blogging is better than playing games. I'll try to blog more often this year… ^__^

  1. Start writing product reviews. Trying out products and writing about them would help other people learn about my own experiences about a certain product. Nowadays, reviews contribute a lot in a consumer's decision whether to get a product or not.

  1. Learn new things. Learn to cook, sew, play the piano, make new crafts and more. Never miss a chance to learn something new. More importantly, learn new ways on how to be a better wife and teacher.  =)

  1. Revamp closet. Time to ditch the old stuff in my closet! =D

  1. Try to be more healthy. Health is important, especially if I really want to be a mom soon. =)

  1. Be more vain. There is a notion that women tend to lose themselves because of tiring housework. Add up the stressing career of teaching. I want to break that kind of mentality. I don't want other people to think that I have neglected myself ever since I got married; which explains the reason why I want to always look good when I go out - even when I'm only going to Divisoria (a local market in Manila).

  1. Make use of skills. If there's a chance, I'll use my makeup skills to earn. Why not, right? =D

  1. Buy and Read more books. I'm a teacher. I need to invest in more books. Not just books of my specialization, but books of other categories as well. =)

  1. Drink more water. Gotta stay rehydrated for that clear skin as well as clean internal system… ^__~

  1. Give blog a make-over. Yep! New Year, New look!  I'll try to give my hand a try in making my own blog designs. Photoshop noob here! Hahaha! *^__^*



So there. I hope I'll be able to accomplish them this year or so. ^___^


FOTD  and HOTD 012612

Go, go, go! Fighting! ^__^

How about you, what are your resolutions/projects this year?
Share them down in the comments section! =)






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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

IU-Inspired Hairstyle (Inkigayo Performance 010112)

I'm back! Annyonghaseyo!

새해 복 많이 받으세요!!!

(Sae hae bok mahn ee bahd euh sae yo!!! - Translation: Happy New Year! Literally: May you be blessed in the New Year)

This was posted in my Youtube account last week. I was busy previously and during my four-day holiday (Korean Lunar New Year), I decided to spend time with my hubby and away from the laptop. =D

I like IU a lot. She's so adorable and maybe that's the reason why she's called one of the "Nation's Little Sister(s)" in Korea.

Just look at these reference photos and see how cute she is!

Awww... Such a doll! ^__^


Looks so innocent...

She's wearing a modern hanbok... =)

These screen caps were from her performance in Inkigayo, last January 1st, 2012.

Her "You and I" live performance

Want to copy the hairstyle? Here's my quick and easy tutorial on how to get this look.



I hope you love it! If ever you tried it, snap a photo and tweet me a link! ^__^

Twitter: @Angelamhiere

Have a great day ahead!



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Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream Review

Last week, I made a five-day diary documenting my use of a new moisturizer and it is the Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream.  In five days, I started loving the product and as part of my New Year's Resolution (which I will also post soon), which is posting reviews of products that I use, I promised that I shall be writing a full review on this awesome moisturizer. Awesome, did I say? Read on to find out why I am raving on the Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream. ^___^




Just like what I said in my post here, I decided to give the Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream a try since  I thought that it's high time for me to really start caring for myself more. Ironic, because before getting married, I cared less in using moisturizers and only relied on BB Creams. My co-workers would often compliment me for having good skin (well, at that time) and a young-looking face (yeee… *^__^*)


A week ago, I decided to make an oath (Uber! Hahaha!) to try my best to be consistent when it comes to beauty and skincare. That's when I took a glance at the royal blue paper bag that has been sitting on my table for about seven months already. 


Q10? What is it???
  
Okay. I won't puzzle you with scientific formulas and stuff. Let's make it simple. Q10 is an oil-soluble and vitamin-like substance  present in cells.


Trivia time! Do you know that...? 

  • Another term for Q10 is CoQ10 which is short for "coenzyme Q10".

  • It generates energy and is an anti-oxidant - which is good for the skin! ^__^

  • The heart, liver and kidney have the highest concentration of CoQ10.

  • It is primarily present in foods like salmon, mackerel and sardines. Another good news about these foods is that they don't just supply us with our dose of Q10, but they also have Omega-3 fatty acids, which is essential in decreasing the risk of heart disease! ^__^

  • Smaller amounts of CoQ10 is found in the following foods: beef, chicken, peanuts, roasted sesame seeds and pistachio nuts, broccoli, spinach, strawberries, oranges, and eggs.

The production of Q10 in our cells decreases as we age, since our metabolism slows down due to the free radicals. 





Now, here's the part that you've been waiting for… Sorry, I bombarded you with facts that you might not be interested with. But who knows? Some of these facts might be the answer to a question in "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" Hihi… =D


What I love about it...

  • It has a light and smooth texture. I love using BB creams and the current one that I use has a texture that is a little difficult to blend.

  • It absorbs quickly. Meaning if you are in a rush in the morning, you don't have to wait for a full five minutes to let your skin absorb it.  =D

  • My pores have started to shrink in just nine days of use! Super amazing!

  • I can see and feel that the moisture is sealed in. My skin is really moisturized even after washing my face in the morning and several washes after.  ^__^

  • Doesn't break me out. Hooray!!! ^__^

  • It's an anti-wrinkle product! Good for people who are starting to have fine lines as well as those who want to prevent it - like me!

  • Helps shield your skin with SPF 15. Sun damage is one of the things that damages the skin and causes premature aging and in the long run, wrinkles.

  • Comes in an elegant glass tub. I love cute packaging, but  its plain white tub with only a few prints make it look so elegant. Plus, the glass tub gives it a high-end product feel.

  • The tub is full of product and lasts for 12 months! You'll get your money's worth. ^__^


What I don't love about it...

  • The scent is good; however, it lingers too long enough for me to smell my face. I can get used to it though.


Price:

I don't have an idea. This was an item from the loot that I got from Mrs. Martinez. I'll update this post once I learn about the price.


Where to buy?

I think this is available in Watson's and leading department stores nationwide. =)


Whom would I recommend this to?

I'd recommend this to girls who are trying to fight the signs of aging and those gals that are starting to have wrinkles. This product is intended for women aged -30-49. This is also good for all skin types.


Rating:


5 out of 5
I super love it!!!
^__^

Tips:

  • Use circular motions in applying Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream. Want to be sure it is absorbed well? Gently pat your face with the product. Give yourself a quick face massage, too. But don't forget to be gentle to your face! ^__^

  • In a rush and want to quickly put on make-up? Mix your favorite foundation or BB cream and Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream and apply. This will give you a sheer and dewy look. =)

  • You can wear it as it is or top with your favorite foundation or BB Cream.


No wonder the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton trusted the Nivea Visage line to care for her skin! ^___^





Pics and Swatches:


The miraculous white tub

Amazing product...

Swatch

Swatch


Blended

Pardon the messy hair, bushy brows and bare face...
Bare face: With only Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream... =)




I hope my review helps! ^ ᴥ ^




So, here's my two cents on the Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream. Have you tried it? Share your experiences and thoughts! ^__^






Disclaimer: Product received as gift. The author is not paid to write this post. All information written are based solely on author's personal experiences. 





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Friday, January 13, 2012

The Nivea Experience: A Five Day Challenge

Day 1 - January 09, 2012



I know that I am not getting any younger. I love checking my face for stuff that are there and aren't even there. When I saw my forehead, I noticed that it's high time that I start using a cream that will help fight the fine lines that are starting to show up.

I suddenly remember the Nivea gift pack I got from Mrs. Martinez. I decided to take this challenge of using the Nivea Visage Q10 Plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream and DNAge Cell Renewal Firming Eye Cream and see if these products are worth the Holy Grail status.

After my 30 minute bath, I grabbed the boxes from the royal blue paper bag that Mrs. Martinez handed me several months ago as a prize in one of her contests. I massaged the Nivea Visage Q10 Plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream on my face and waited for it to be absorbed. Surprisingly, it didn't take me a long time to wait for the product to sink into my skin. It was only a matter of seconds! However, I saw some red patches on my cheeks and got a bit scared. I decided not to panic and observe it, since it didn't give me any kind of tingling or itchy sensation. The red patches subsided and the cream was so light that I almost forgot that I have it on.

On the other hand,  Nivea Visage DNAge Cell Renewal Firming Eye Cream was also light. It was also absorbed quickly by the skin around my eye area. However, it gave me a little stinging sensation afterwards.

 

At the end of the day, I can still feel my skin is moisturized but not greasy. =)




Day 2 - January 10, 2012

When I woke up this morning, I felt that my face seems to be hydrated, without the usual heavy and greasy feeling in the morning.  I washed my face and since I got early morning classes, I decided to skip the cream and reserve it after bath time. 

Pre-shower, I stared at my face in the mirror and my face looks and feels moisturized. Wow. Looks like my HG Moisturizing cream will be beaten!  =D

I like the texture of Nivea Visage's creams. On the contrary, what I don't like much about it is the fragrant smell that the Day Cream has. Let's see if my nose would get the hang of it in the long run… =)

Update on eyes (08:35pm):

Still stinging… =(

I guess I better be careful in applying it around my eye area. o__O





Day 3 - January 11, 2012

I noticed that the very fine lines that I see on my forehead are becoming less noticeable. Okay, they're only noticeable when you take a very close look. Yeah, I'm OC like that. =D

The pores on the sides of my nose are becoming less noticeable, too. It's only my 3rd day of using it and I'm loving it. I think my skin just needs more moisture that's why the lines showed up. My face routine would just be, well, washing it… there's really no routine. Last year, I tried to have a simple routine of wash-tone-moisturize but then, I had break-outs. So, I stopped. But I guess those break-outs were caused by the stress I had while preparing for the wedding.

As for the eye cream, I carefully applied it into the outer part of the eye area to avoid the stinging sensation. Guess what? Less stinging sensation! ^__^


Day 4 - January 12, 2012

I applied this early in the morning because I have to go to church by 5:30am. I don't want to look so tired, so I did the following:

  1. Washed my face with my House of Obagi Gentle Cleanser.
  2. Toned my face with House of Obagi Toner. Instead of using a cotton ball in applying it, I poured an ample amount and patted it on my face.
  3. After letting it sink in, I applied Nivea  Visage Q10 Plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream and DNAge Cell Renewal Firming Eye Cream, massaging it and patting it on my face and neck.
  4. I waited for a little less than five minutes and applied my Purederm Magic BB Cream, blending it carefully. I used small portions of it because I want a natural look. I skipped concealer because I got less blemishes now. All I did was pack on a little BB Cream on some of my spots.
  5. I applied a little Nichido Final Powder on my face and a little of my e.l.f studio Blush on my cheeks.
  1. I took my Fanny Serrano Soft Eye Pencil in Brown and lightly filled in my brows then brushed it with a spoolie for natural looking brows.
  2. On my lips, I used Fanny Serrano's Moisturific Lipstick in Frost Rose and topped it with Tears Sweet Vita Gloss in OR202 (Orange). And I'm done! ^__^

It took me only about 10 minutes to do my make-up. It's good that this moisturizer quickly sinks into the skin. Usually, you have to wait for five minutes to let the product be absorbed before you can apply make-up. But with Nivea  Visage Q10 Plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream and DNAge Cell Renewal Firming Eye Cream, less waiting time = more time saved for other things! ^__^


Day 5 - January 13, 2012

Last night, I washed my face with Etude House Happy Tea Time Cleansing Foam to wash out the make-up I wore throughout the day.

When I woke up this morning, I only washed my face with water and went ahead with my class. While waiting for my student, I decided to check on my skin because it felt so moisturized.  The pores on the sides of my nose have shrunk! Okay, not that much but my cheeks is so dewy but not looking and feeling greasy.

The fine lines that start to show up near my eyes are lesser now. My skin is so hydrated now and it feels  very supple.

I guess I have deprived my face of the moisture it needed.

I'm glad to have tried the Nivea  Visage Q10 Plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream and DNAge Cell Renewal Firming Eye Cream. It's so rare that I've used facial creams and moisturizers. So far, I'm loving these creams! ^__^


I'll make a full review of this soon! ^__^



Disclaimer: Products given as gifts. The author is not paid to write this post. All information written are based solely on author's personal experiences.


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FOTDs from the Previous Years


I just made a collage of my FOTDs from the previous years...

I noticed my face changed from time to time...

Maybe due to make-up...

Maybe because I got fatter...

Maybe because I got thinner...

Maybe because of my hairstyles...

Click to enlarge image

Which is your favorite? Take a pick and tell me in the comments! ^__^


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Wednesday, January 11, 2012

♥♥♥ First Day of the Year Date with the Hubby: Inasal at Iba Pa Review ♥♥♥

Disclaimer: This review is based only in our opinions and experiences. Feel free to try out the resto and tell us your own experience. =)




Yay! It's the first day of 2012 and hubby asked me out! Weee!!!

It was actually unplanned. We just got bored and since it's the last day of our "vacation" (we didn't have a holiday, since Christmas and New Year landed on weekends. TT__TT), hubby asked me to go out, for us to be able to have a little hubby-wifey day out… hehehe… it turned to a night out because my sister, brother-in-law and baby niece showed up at home and we had to accommodate them. Talk about wrong timing! Haha! Anyway, not that I'm pushing her away, I told her that her barely five-month old baby can't stay out for long. We took a cab and dropped them off at Sta. Mesa. Since SM Centerpoint is near, my hubby directed the driver to drop us off there. It was only a few minutes away from where my sister got off - more or less than five minutes(? - it wasn't that traffic) and it took me that same amount of time to put on BB Cream, powder, a little blush on and a swipe of red lipstick-lipgloss combo. I was able to finish dolling up myself soon as the driver stopped in front of the mall. Haha!
  
 Very Quick FOTD! ^__^v

 Sweet image... =D

 Pa-cute lang... =D

A very happy wifey... ^__^

 Spongehubby? (Look at his hair... he doesn't want to get his hair trimmed yet... His head looks like a sponge! Hahaha!)

It's been years since I have last stepped foot on that mall. I can remember, when we were  younger mom often took us there even after school. We'd watch movies, do groceries and go shopping. I remember the Sanrio Store there. I loved that place! Now, it's gone. =(


Anyway, my hubby and I went around the mall, looking for restaurants and deciding which one to go in to. He wanted to have some soup, as much as I do. We had a lot of fun the night before and had tequila and vodka and it probably was the reason why we feel kinda bloated… =D


We came across this restaurant-fastfood  place and since hubby wanted to have bulalo (Beef Bone Marrow Soup), we decided to give it a try.


We ordered a bowl of Kansi Bulalo good for two, two orders of rice, and I got a side dish of Ensaladang Talong (Filipino Eggplant Salad). For drinks, as usual, I got bottomless iced tea and hubby got a can of soda.


FOOD ♥ 

Kansi Bulalo

Ensaladang Talong

Sati Rice


My Say:

I found out that this dish is just a variant of the Nilagang Baka (Beef Shank Stew). It's called Kansi in Iloilo and Bulalo, which is famous in Batangas. Since it's an Ilonggo restaurant, they followed the recipe coming from Iloilo. Therefore, it's called Kansi Bulalo.

When we were digging in the soup, we only found small chunks of meat and a chop of jackfruit. We were like "No veggies?!? o__O" I told hubby to just give it a taste first, maybe we won't get disappointed.

I like the soup although it tasted more of a Sinigang (A dish of either beef, pork, fish or shrimp with a sour soup). My hubby explained it's because of the jackfruit in the soup. Actually, it's because this dish has an ingredient that naturally makes the soup sour, and it's called batwan fruit (which, I am not really familiar with… =D). I am not that certain whether they had that fruit in or they only substituted it with Sinigang or Tamarind Mix.

The Sati Rice is just okay. It's just like a cross between Java Rice and Yangchow Rice. I thought I couldn't finish my rice but I was surprised to  do so. =D

As for the Eggplant Salad, it was disappointing because the eggplant was hard to chew. They have served it with a lot of onions and less tomatoes. The onions were spicy! Good thing is, the bagoong (shrimp paste) they served it with was good, hubby and I think it's a "Barrio Fiesta" brand. I had more of the shrimp paste than the side dish itself.

Hubby Said:

"That place is not for me."


SERVICE

The service was rather off, it made us regret it a bit because the crew were slow. I had bottomless iced tea and I usually get a lot of refills from other restaurants but in this one, I think I only had… hmmm… about three refills. We even had to call the waiter to refill my glass. In most of the restaurants that we   visit, crew or waiters walk around with the pitcher and check if customers had a full glass; if none  or a little is in their glass, they'll quickly offer to refill it.  For a P30 bottomless drink, it's just okay; however, I was so thirsty that night, I didn't know why…

Aside from the slow service, their cash register is broken and the receipt looked like an order receipt from a street food stall or in Filipino term, "Carinderia".


AMBIENCE

The place has the Filipino feel. The chairs were made from iron but the bamboo reed gave a native touch. Large photos of the famous Masskara Festival are displayed on the wall.


CLEANLINESS

Hubby and I sat just in front of the cashier and just beside it was the plates and utensils - plates, bowls, spoons forks, etc… all exposed. Hubby told me, "I'm wondering why those stuff are there. They're not supposed to be there. They're supposed to be in the kitchen." My response? "We're thinking of the same thing."

As soon as the plates and spoons were placed in front of us, first thing I did was, wipe them with the tissue. I just wanna be sure that we won't get any extra stuff with our food.


RATING:

FOOD:
2 out of 5

SERVICE:
2 out of 5

AMBIENCE
3.5 out of 5

CLEANLINESS:
2.5 out of 5



OVERALL:
2.5 out of 5 



Hubby and I are not really picky eaters, that's why we decided to try this restaurant. But we'll probably not return there. Aside from the fact that SM Centerpoint is out of our way, the food in Inasal at Iba Pa is something so ordinary that even my hubby could cook... or even much better. We would rather travel to RJ's Bulalo in Mandaluyong or just take a trike ride to Bulaluhan sa Espanya.


Have you tried this resto?
Share your experiences! Comment below!

^__^

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