V-day beauty haul: Beauty Credit and Elianto

I’m not a big fan of Valentine’s day, I’m very vocal about it throughout the years. I have that icky feeling at the thought of me carrying a bouquet of flowers on a date. Besides, Valentine’s day celebration in the Philippines has become trivial and commercialized already, peace!


We still went to the mall last Saturday just like any ordinary weekends. As expected, a lot of couples and families flocked to Mall of Asia and restaurants were crowded especially lunch time and dinner time. I’m on the look-out for a motorcycle jacket, found one at People are People but decided to let it pass. I’m still thinking whether to get the motorcycle jacket I saw from Solo or the one from People are People, we’ll see…

What I was able to score are nail polishes from Elianto and beauty products from a new Korean brand, Beauty Credit. Summer is around the corner and I’m getting tired of my clear nail polish so I bought 3D nail stickers and nail polishes in yummy colors. Nail polishes are Php 99 each.

Nail stickers and nail polishes from Elianto (Php 99 each)


colors from left: coral, turquoise, brown, bisque, navy, colorless


I passed by Watsons just to buy a nail clipper but I saw the variety of Korean Beauty Products available in the store. I remembered my friend Jehan Kim who is a fan of Korean beauty products and everything Korean, she swears that Korean beauty products really works albeit expensive. I snagged some facial mask packs, Green Tea and Coenzyme Q10, from C&F brand.

C&F facial mask packs at Php 49.75 each

I was making my way to the VMV counter when the sales assistant from Beauty Credit asked me to try their products. I ended up buying these…

Beauty Credit loot

Charcoal Nose Pore Cleaning Patch, Mousse Pack, Powder Foundation, CoQ10 from Beauty Credit

I bought the Lovely Powder Pact Matt 23 (Natural Beige), Php 765, Royal Jelly Yellow Soil Mousse Pack, Php 713, Charcoal Nose Pore Cleaning Patch, Php 35, they also gave samples of CoQ10 moisturizer. I am amazed with their nose patch because it really lifts off your blackheads/whiteheads. I also love the Powder Foundation because it made my skin glow. The Mousse Pack really leaves my skin smooth and firm after the application. I was completely clueless on the brand before buying it so I googled them when I got home. Beauty Credit is a Korean brand and you can only find them in Watsons Mall of Asia (beside National Bookstore). They have make-up and skin care products, most of them have CoQ10. I will try to post a detailed review on their products in the coming weeks.

Beauty Credit is only available at Watsons, Mall of Asia.
Website:
http://www.beautycredit.co.uk/
http://www.beautycredit.co.kr/

Elianto website:
http://elianto.biz/

My Shopaholic Confession

Hi my name is Badet and I’m a shopaholic!


My love affair with shopping started 10 years ago when I was in high school, it became full-blown when I was in college and after earning my first paycheck. At present, I’m still recuperating, getting better as I get older. Haha! Seriously, there’s a shopaholic in each and every one of us. Although, women are the most evident ones, men too are guilty of being a shopaholic. For some women including me, shopping is a sport, we find challenge on scouting the best bargains and rummaging through the pile of clothes on sale. Some women find solace at the sound of the cash registers and bringing home a bag full of new clothes, shoes and bags. The truth is, we are all shopaholics and we all have our reasons.

My shopping buddy is my mother and my husband Jeff. I can’t shop alone, I can’t decide what to buy when I’m alone so I always have someone to ask for their nod when I’m buying or I”ll end up buying two things. My mother supports me in this hobby, she encourages me to look in other stores first before making a decision. She won’t mind being tired and being dragged to different stores until we can find the best bargain. Shopping with Nanay became a regular girl bonding for us, be it in SM, Greenhills, Tiendesitas, bazaars and 168 Mall in Divisoria.

Throughout the years, I had my share of booboos and triumphs in the field called retail therapy. There are those shoes that hurts like hell when worn but looks so perfect in the store, those colored jeans that fits well but can’t seem to match with any of your wardrobe, the jacket that was the envy of other girls, etc… Anyway, let me spill the beans and tell you my confessions and realizations I made.

Shopaholic confession #1: Travelling is more fun when paired with shopping.


I just can’t imagine
myself coming from a different place without bringing home a remembrance or a souvenir, so that whenever I use something bought from a specific place, it can bring back memories. Whether it be native products and delicacies from different products within the Philippines or imported goodies from Hongkong, Bangkok or Singapore, it’s a must for me to buy even just a tiny keychain. I also take the opportunity to buy things that are cheaper in other places. I bought my Ipod in Singapore because it’s cheaper compared to mall prices here while clothes and other fashionable items are cheaper in Bangkok.

Shopaholic confession #2: I became an online seller because of my love for shopping.

It all started when I was shopping for accessories, I can’t decide what to buy so I bought lots of different designs and colors. I just realized when I got home that I can’t wear all of them and might end up in a pile collecting dust. I just love the joy of buying beautiful things, after bringing home the things I buy, I tend to forget about them with their tags left hanging on them. An idea came to mind, since online shopping is booming, I started to sell some in Multiply. Good thing others liked the accessories too and continued selling as of this writing. In this way, I get to satisfy my addiction for shopping and earn too! I guess it also tamed my spending habits because it made me realize the value of money and how hard it is to convince people to buy from you so that you can earn.

Shopaholic confession #3: Having a collection eats up most of my salary.

Havaianas addict


Aside from a shopping addict, I once became a flip-flops addict, a.ka. Havaianas addict. Yup, those buttery soft rubber soles and cute designs are so tempting. I started out with two flip-flops but seeing the collections of other people especially Pia Magalona’s, I’m set to start my own. For a pair of rubber slippers, they don’t come cheap but in the name of collecting, I still buy them despite the occasional frowns I get from Jeff whenever we’re in an All Flip Flops branch or whenever I’m carrying an Air21 pouch from an online seller. I got loco for limited edition pairs that I even paid for Php 2,000 for a particular pair. I lost count of my Havaianas after I had my 12th pair. I lost count because some of the newer pairs are left unused, some pairs I immediately kept in a box so that Jeff won’t know I purchased new ones, ssshhh!

Shopaholic confession #4: I love going to tiangges/bazaars!

Imagine a kid jumping for joy because he/she is in Disneyland, that’s how I feel whenever I visit World Trade Center bazaars or Greenhills tiangges. The clothes may not be branded/designer, but who cares? Getting a good bargain gives me a natural high. I am always excited during Christmas Season because bazaars are sprouting everywhere during that time of the year. I am always looking forward to the World Bazaar Festival and Noel Bazaar held in the World Trade Center, remember my good finds at the World Bazaar last year?

Shopaholic confession #5: MEN LOVE SHOPPING TOO!

Maybe it’s not my
own confession, but it’s my discovery! I read about this once and I’ve proven that it’s true. Men won’t admit it but just observe your boyfriends and husbands when you’re in the mall. I know that Jeff and most men in our lives gets bored whenever we drop by at the make-up counter or whenever we visit boutiques like Kamiseta, Bayo, etc. Jeff always sits at the sofas in Kamiseta while he waits for me but I can tell that he’s bored. Try letting them lead the way when you’re inside the mall, you’ll soon realize that he spends more time checking out new computer gadgets, cellphones, and cameras.

Whew! Those are the confessions I can think of, but I learned my lesson, especially in this trying times, when global recession is at its peak, it is best to spend our money wisely. I now have a “save or splurge” mindset when I buy something. I also keep these shopping tips in mind:

Shopping tips from a tiangge shopaholic:

1. Haggle, haggle, haggle. This is a shopaholic mantra. We all love to haggle right? One most abused line when shopping in tiangges is “Ate, wala na bang bawas to?” or “Ate, last price?”, with matching puppy eyes. Even if it’s only a 10-peso discount, we would gladly accept it from “Ate”. One good practice on haggling is to give your best price a little above half of the original price given to you. For example, for an item that costs Php 300, you can haggle starting at Php 200. Expect that they won’t give in to your offer but at least you can haggle your way up until you both agree. Haggling is perfectly fine as long as you don’t insult the seller by haggling really low. Keep in mind that sometimes, they are only “tinderas”and not the store owners.

2. Buy in bulk. Get more so that you can save more. This applies especially when you’re shopping in 168 Mall, Divisoria Mall, Tutuban Mall or Meisic Mall in Divisoria. You can avail the items at half the original price when you do wholesale. They give you wholesale prices when you purchase 6 pieces and above of their merchandise. So it’s better to be with friends sometimes when you go shopping so that you can buy lots from the store and avail of big discounts.

3. Keep a list of the things you need to buy. Malls and tiangges are very sinful places for a shopaholic, when we see beautiful things, we tend to buy them on impulse. Having a list will help us focus on what we really need to buy.

4. Do not bring your credit card especially during a 3-DAY SALE/MIDNIGHT SALE. This happened to us most of the time, we are so gravitated with the 70% off the tag price even if we don’t plan to buy the item, heck, we don’t even need it at all. So to minimize temptation, just leave your credit card and just bring enough moolah in shopping.

5. Think before you buy. Again, do not buy on impulse. Remember that it’s still hard-earned money that you’re using so don’t waste it on a gorgeous-yet-too-big-for-you maxi dress. What you can do when you’re having second thoughts on buying the item from the store, take a breather, leave the store and take some time to consider if you really really want the item. If you still want it, you can always go back to the store and purchase it. A friend of mine does this trick, if she decides to buy the item, she’ll go back to the store a week later. There were instances that when she went back, the item was already sold out, instead of dismay, she will just just shrug off her shoulders and say “Well, it’s really not for me.”

6. BYOB, bring your own bag. Huh? Well, being a shopaholic doesn’t exempt you from being responsible to the environment. When shopping in tiangges, they don’t pack the goods in paper bags, all they have are those colored plastic sando bags. One thing I’m proud of doing is I bring my own canvass bag or katsa bag when shopping so that I can just dump my loots. Besides, you’re gonna throw all those plastic bags when you get home anyway. Don’t forget to educate the salesladies along the way, ask them not to use plastic bags as much as they can.

Meanwhile, it’s time for shopaholics to unite to watch Becky Bloomwood’s experiences . Catch “Confessions of a Shopaholic” in cinemas on February 18, 2009.

SlogBite: see the best before the rest

Want to increase your site’s exposure and drive more traffic to your site? Then, SlogBite is for you. It will be officialy launched on March 1, 2009 and it will be fun to be part of the first members of SlogBite. Why the name Slogbite? Here’s why:

I have a real problem with sites that try to dictate what is a blog and what isn’t a blog. The lines between site and blogs have gotten more and more blurry as of late. As a blogger myself I like to expand the horizons of what is possible and I don’t want to be constrained. I feel that most bloggers are the same way. Getting back to the name; you take the first letter of “Blog” and the first letter of “Site” transpose them and then combine the two words and you come up with “SlogBite.” To me a SlogBite is a web presence.

Joining is easy, just fill out an entry form, choose if you want to belong in the “A”list or “B” list. I’m an A-lister so I have to install a SlogBite widget on my sidebar, for the B-listers, a SlogBite badge just like I used above should be installed. See my SlogBite widget just below my chatbox on the sidebar, isn’t it pretty? Well, widgets and badges are colorful and users can choose one that’s appropriate for their sites. What’s even nice with SlogBite is that you can list your blog or sites in two or more categories as long as the category is fit to your blog. Just follow the instructions on how to add your sites into specific categories. The site has a number of categories and a regional blog listing too, you can also request for a specific category if the list is not enough.

Technical support is fast, Mel Kaye answered my email just few seconds after sending it. I hope they can improve the site’s interface though, especially the Tag Cloud because it takes so much space in the page. Overall, the site looks promising on helping sites/blogs to socialize, drive traffic and maximize exposure.

See yah at SlogBite! And oh, please don’t forget to put me on your Referring Site URL: http://badudets.blogspot.com/.


Another frozen yogurt place: Red Mango, Trinoma

Remember the very first time I tried frozen yogurt at White Hat? After that, I became a frozen yogurt lover. As much as I wanted to try Lulubelle’s, it’s too far from where I live and work so I just settled with White Hat. But as frozen yogurt becomes more popular, Red Mango enters the scene. Red Mango is popular in the United States and I’m sure it will also be a hit in the Philippines.

Red Mango signage
Red Mango opened its branch at the 3rd Level of Trinoma, in front of Toys R Us and Fitness First. Of course, this frozen yogurt lover can’t wait to try it and so we went. I was surprised to see that they have Green Tea flavored yogurt, but they also have the original one. They also have Yogurt Smoothies, organic coffee and tea and waffles.
treat yourself well… yogurt is good for you!


I had a 6 oz. Green Tea yogurt, for the toppings, the lady in the counter suggested that grapes and crushed Grahams goes well with Green Tea yogurt. Jeff ordered Kiwi Yogurt Smoothie. A 6 oz. green tea yogurt is Php 120, the original flavor is Php 115. Just add Php 20 for 1 toppings, Php 30 for 2 toppings and Php 40 for 3 toppings. Yogurt smoothies are Php 125.
6 oz. Green Tea frozen yogurt with grapes and crushed Grahams

Kiwi Yogurt Smoothie

Red Mango’s yogurt is creamy, I can’t taste the tartness that I expected for a yogurt. The combination of crushed Grahams and grapes was a hit for me. The Yogurt Smoothie is more delicious when you mix the dollop of yogurt on top. In comparison, White Hat offers more variety for toppings while Red Mango is limited to fruits and cereals. For the taste, I think both of them are a winner! Try them for yourselves.

Not just your ordinary spa… it’s a Spa Movie Theater!

I was invited by Mr. Francis Simisim of Blue Water Day Spa to join the contest for a chance to win and experience the first Spa Movie Theater in the world! Yes, it’s the first in the world and you can be one of the few people to experience it by clicking the link to know more about the details.

Blue Water Day Spa is one of the famous spa haven in Metro Manila which offers excellent customer service and backed by their well-trained masseuse, I know because I had my massage at their Mother Ignacia Branch in Quezon City (oh and their ad with Piolo Pascual and Marian Rivera is so enticing!)

Piolo Pascual for Blue Water Day Spa

Marian Rivera for Blue Water Day Spa

I always go for a Swedish Massage to ease my shoulder pains, though I’d love to try other services. And to have my foot spa in the Spa Movie Theater at their Ortigas Branch makes me excited already!

Spa Movie Theater – first in world!

Come to think of it, having a foot spa can be such a bore especially when you’re all by yourself. You can bury yourself in magazines or better yet, bring along a friend to save you from a relaxing slumber while waiting for your foot spa session to finish. With the Spa Movie Theatre, it’s taking relaxation at the next level! You get to watch your favorite Blu-Ray movies, play PS3, sing your hearts out in videoke while making your feet happy.

One perfect plan is to take your family with the kids in the Spa Movie Theatre and have a Spa Party, you can invite maximum of 28 people from your family/clan, it’s like having a family get-together on a Sunday! Moms and Dads will have their Foot Spa treatment and enjoying chit-chats while the kids will watch their favorite cartoon/kiddie movie. It’s also a great bonding moment with your girlfriends, high school reunions and bridal showers can also be held here.

With the hustle and bustle around the city and the demands from our everyday chores, it’s perfectly okay to do something good to our body, take a long hot shower, have a massage, sip a warm cup of tea and watch a movie.

Blue Water Day Spa Ortigas Branch
2nd Floor BPI Greentop Condominium,
Ortigas Avenue, San Juan, Metro Manila

They also have branches at Greenhills, Alabang, Makati and Mother Ignacia and Capitol Hills, Quezon City.

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