May 2013 Hit Listers

Hello! Just a quick post here. ^^ I'm taking a break from my take home work. ^^ May has been a little, let's just say food-filled. I took a little break from purchasing makeup but ended up eating a lot instead. Here are just some of the memorable stuff for the month of May.

1. Epicurean Cakes
-I will tell you now that you need to order from Epicurean Cakes. My family is seriously hooked with their cupcakes! We have tried their Kitkat and Red Velvet cuppies and we ordered another box for this week. Read why we love these sweets.

2. Etude House Sweet Recipe Baby Choux Base in Peach
-I love, love, love this base! Although balms work better for my oily skin, I like how light this feels on my skin. Plus, it has some coverage that allows me to rock it on its own. (Read review here.)

3. Maybelline Clear Smooth Shine Free Pressed Powder
-I understand now why my mom is so loyal to this pressed powder. Not the best for me, but definitely one of the good ones. Review here.

4. Etude House Baking Powder Pore Cleansing Foam
-I sampled the BB cleaning kind of this line last year and loved it. This is the regular one and so far, I'm loving it. Review to follow.

 5. Jocarste Nail Polish in A61
-As of this moment, I've finished half of this bottle. This is one of the prettiest colors of nail polish I've ever seen. Review here.

6. Maybelline Pure Liquid Mineral Foundation in #2
-I gave my sister my Maybelline Aqua Gel foundation because she likes taking pictures and BB Creams are not always the best bet since most of her BB creams have SPF. I chanced upon this liquid foundation, which was on sale, and it's actually pretty good. Review to follow.

7. Avon Mousse Eyeshadow in Rose?
- This one is my mom's and probably one of the oldest and most loved eyeshadows I own. When it started raining around May, I took this out for a ride again because the soft rose color just reminds me of spring. Well, rainy season is more like it.

8. Glen Necklace from Envy
-I've always been a fan of layered necklaces but it is hard to find individual necklaces that would look good together so when I finally found a pre-made layered necklace, I bought it without flinching. One of my favorite May purchases. Envy is available at the G/F of Trinoma. ^^ and in Zalora.



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 9. Gu Family Book
-Most of the dramas airing now in Korea are sageuk or those that I know of anyway. Although I love watching dramas with historical settings, not all are, well, enjoyable to watch. That's what makes Gu Family Book so great. Lee Seung Gi (the lead of My Girlfriend is a Gumiho and King 2 Hearts) plays a half-human half-gumiho in search of the Gu Family Book so that he can become human and Suzy (of Miss A), well, she's just a badass sword-wielding leading lady and definitely not your ordinary damsel in distress. What I love about this series is that it has quite a heavy plot but there's still humor injected. And I love how Suzy and Seung Gi's characters in the story are starting to have well a stronger friendship. I'm hooked and I can't wait to see how it ends.

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10. Get It Beauty
-When we lost our TvN channel *sobs* and eventually our cable connection *sobs again* about a year ago, I was really saddened because there was this show about makeup and beauty in Korea that I loved to watch every Thursday nights but then I found out about Get It Beauty, which has basically the same concept. Here's a screenshot of f(x)'s Krystal, one of Etude House's new endorsers, in an episode. Watch episodes of Get It Beauty on YouTube here and here.

Cheerio!

November 2012 Hit Listers

Hi. It’s December now, and before you know it, the year’s officially over. I don’t know what it is about December, but I’m always too busy around this time of year. It’s probably the all those sales and shopping.

Anyways, before I bore you of my wandering thoughts, here are the ten things that have made me happy in the month of November in no particular order. =)

1. Nature Republic Baby Tok Lip and Cheek Tint in Plum

-I’ve had this for about a year. I just suddenly remembered to use it again, and it still is my favorite blush. Although I’m a loyal peach-shade user of anything from lippies to blush, I love this purple blush to bits. Plus, it’s so easy to blend.

2. Neutrogena Deep Clean Cleanser

-I’m all for Neutrogena now and this Salicylic armed baby. =) This cleanser rocks, despite not being as foam-y as I would like it to be. I’ve now emptied this bottle and am off to buy another. Review will soon follow. Promise.

 3. Pure Beauty Treatment Hair Care Oil

- I ran out of the Etude Hair Serum I nabbed from my sister, and had to find a more affordable yet still works as well. I think I’ve found my bad curly hair days’ savior. Review, coming soon. All I can say is I love that it works and doesn’t stay sticky on my hands.

4. Maybelline Clear Smooth Aqua Gel Foundation

-My first legit foundation, and so far I’m loving it. It’s so light on the skin that it doesn’t feel like I have anything on. Plus, it’s oil free.

5. Snoe S Stem Cell Sunblock Cream SPF 30

- Suddenly, I’m thankful that I ran out of sun cream samples. Too thick for my liking, but does its work without the hefty price tag.

And now for the non-beauty related stuff but still cool for me... =)

6. Monk

FROM GOOGLE IMAGES/blog.seattlepi.com

-Tagged as the “Obsessive Compulsive Detective,” you just gotta love Adrian Monk.

I can’t remember how many times we’ve watched each season. Or how we willingly allowed ourselves to be hungry because the series finale was on TV. It’s that good. If you’re a police procedural shows addict like me, you’d appreciate the humor, exemplary story arc, great characters, and totally cool-some plot that this series has. Monk is about a former detective Adrian Monk, who suffers from an extreme case of obsessive behavior. He can’t live without his wipes, all the umbrella handles should be facing one direction, and..the tomatoes in his sandwiches should be cut into squares. But hey, he’s the best and brightest consultant in the police department. And he’s so cool. =)

7. Nice Guy/Innocent Man

FROM GOOGLE IMAGES/http://www.squidoo.com/nice-guy-korean-drama-2012

- I’m starting to become a sucker for Korean melodramas. Watching I Miss You now sends me clutching my heart, but this one’s a little toned down. Nice Guy stars Song Joong Ki (the quirky funny one from Sungkyunkwan Scandal/Secret Love) as Kang Maru, a guy who gets left by his love that sends him living for revenge, and maybe, possibly all while finding love along his twisted journey to payback.

8. Christina Grimmie

- I’ve been know to stalk YouTube singers. Not in a creepy obsessive way, just in a “he/she’s so good, so why isn’t she/he that famous yet?” way. Although Christina’s voice has that rasp reminiscent of Christina Aguilera’s, her cover renditions are so awesome, she made me a fan. Check her out on YouTube here.

9. Get It Beauty Self

-Most Korean women I’ve seen on TV have that “barely-there” makeup that I’m addicted to. I love studying how they do it and all. With our cable subscription before, I watched a show similar to this all the time. But now that we don’t have that channel, well hello YouTube. My favorite one is the one of Korean model Jang Yoon-ju here.

10. Cupcakes

-Okay, this may totally be just a little off but I don’t think I’ve eaten more cupcakes than I have this November. It was a crazy cupcake month. Just look at this and try not to drool. I haven't had one like this, but it's just too cute.

GOOGLEIMAGES/mychocolate.co.uk

What are your favorites for November? Lemme know! Cheerio!

October 2012 Hit Listers

Hi guys. Since another month has ended, I would like to share with you the stuff I got hooked on last month.

During the end of September this year, I did a fan-girling round up and some sort of beauty products favorites. As much as I love the idea, I realized that I didn't have enough stuff or budget to share with you 10 beauty items that I love every month. Maybe in the near future I could do that. But for now, I decided to bring my fan-girling moments and love for other things into one monthly entry. So here goes! =)

Here are my 10 favorites for the month of October in no particular order. =)

1. Etude House Happy Teatime Lemon Tea Cleansing Cream
-Although I almost always hurt my eyes when I use this, I love using this as my makeup remover. This was my sister's until I asked for it because she rarely used it.

2. Kabuki Brush from Landmark
-I've had this for a while but it wasn't until a couple of weeks ago did I start using it again. It's one of the most versatile brushes I have. I use this to apply powder or a hint of powder blush.

 3. Etude House Shine Up Stick in Rose Pink

- I've reviewed it here and I just love using it as a white-ish eyeliner for my lower lashline. Totally opens up the eyes and it's creamy too.

4. E.L.F. Professional Eyeshadow Brush

-I've had this for almost 2 years and I still love it. It's my go-to eyeshadow brush and it has never shed nor bled.

5. Saizen 12-pc Sponge Wedges

- I use this for nail arts and liquid/cream products application. Despite its price, it's actually of good quality that allows me to use each piece for a long time.

And now for the non-beauty related stuff but still cool for me... =)

6. Tru Calling

-For the quite scary month of October, I started watching Tru Calling over and over again. Although it only has 1 and about a half seasons, I completely hooked.

Tru Calling is about Tru Davies (played by Eliza Dushku), an almost medical student who winds up with a job at the morgue...on the graveyard shift. Throughout her stay as a morgue attendant, Tru discovers her uncanny gift. When a dead person, who isn't supposed to die, calls for her help (the body literally tweaks and says "Help me" ever so creepily), Tru relieves the day and tries to save the person. Most of the time, the episodes are creepy but good nonetheless. Personally, I think it has one heck of a good arc and plot. I don't know why it was cancelled. =(

PHOTO FROM GOOGLE IMAGES

7. Faith

- One name: Lee Min Ho. Should I end this now? Kidding. Although I’ve only watched snippets of the episodes, I’ve read the recaps in Dramabeans. Every single recap. It’s good, at least for me. The whole time travelling never gets old for me. Plus, Lee Min Ho looks good in a soldier kind of costume, and curly hair that’s much better than his Jun Pyo curly hair.

PHOTO FROM GOOGLE IMAGES

8. Demi Lovato’s Intimate Performances

- I am and forever will be a Demi Lovato fan, and if you are too or if you just wanna check her out, go and watch her intimate performances. I don’t know how she does it but she just makes me cry when she sings. Watch and you’ll see why.

9. Ailee’s I’ll Show You

-When I caught a part of her music video “Heaven” when she debuted, I immediately thought, “Wow, she sounds so good.” There was a Western twang to her singing voice that made me love her. Her new song is about showing her former lover that she’ll be this better and prettier girl that he would want to get back to.

PHOTO FROM GOOGLE IMAGES

10. Jen of frmheadtotoe

- I make it a point to watch YouTube makeup tutorials on a regular basis. And while I can’t always watch new ones, I make sure to check out those I love. I first discovered Jen of frmheadtotoe when I was looking for a tutorial on IU’s makeup, and I then started watching all her videos. (Check her blog here and her YouTube site here) She’s really good and I loved her more on the short webseries “Away We Happened.” (Wanna watch it? Click here)

So that's it! Hope you guys had a great October. Cheerio!

Fan-girling Episode 1: September

Hi. Probably not the best title I've whipped up, but nothing just came to mind. And this entry does feel like I'm having a "fan girl" episode. I just wanted to share with you guys the top TV series and songs for me for the month of September before I put up the entry of my hit-makers in beauty for the same month. =)

1. Best American Series of the Month:

 FRINGE
- I've never been a huge fan of series that are, how'd you say, about the great unknown. But, my sister is such a huge fan of X-Files, the 90s series with the famed tandem of agents Mulder and Scully who investigated a series of "out-there" and "hard-to-take-in" phenomena for 9 seasons running. When Fringe was said to be taking the steps behind X-Files, my sister jumped on it, enjoyed it, and took me in as well. Fringe is recently airing its fifth and last season, and with its hard-core characters and twisted plot, I think it deserves to be dubbed as one of the best sci-fi series. All hail, Olivia Dunham.

2. Best Korean Series of the Month

To the Beautiful You / For You in Full Blossom
-Carrying the "Hana Kimi fame" onto their shoulders, this drama was under such careful watch. I like it but when it airs locally (rumored to be shown in ABS-CBN), you'd probably think otherwise. But, with its humor and gender-bender plot, I was sold just with the first episode. For me, the series lacked the "pow" factor, the plot needed a few tweaks, and a few of the actors needed to be more believable in terms of their character portrayal. Nonetheless, with its light feel, great characters, and humor, I think it's one of the best Korean rom-com dramas I've watched.

September Playlist:
I'm a big music lover, and my playlist changes its contents very often. I'm a sad song lover (I don't know why), but my songs vary from pop, ballad, indie rock to rock-rock. =) Most of my songs are also from soundtracks. Here are some of the songs that made it to my September list.

1. Beautiful Disaster - Jon McLaughlin took my breath when he sang So Close in the Disney movie Enchanted (the part where they were dancing in the ball). This song is about a girl who've made some bad choices but is vulnerable and ready to change inside.
2. Because to Me, It's You - SISTAR's Hyorin has vocals that's definitely playlist worthy. This song is from the soundtrack of the series Glory Jane/Man of Honor. It's first line, which translates to "how much do I have to hurt for you to see my heart" gets me every time.
3. Key to My Heart - Jessica Jarell had me with her duet with Bieber's Overboard, but this I-love-you-so-can-I-tell-you? song made me love her even more.
4. A Sad Love Song - This song by the girl-duo Davichi is pretty much self-explanatory. Their vocals just make me extra emotional.
5. How to Love - Nope, not the Lil Wayne one. I like YouTube sensation Christina Grimmie and Tyler Ward's version better. Check out theirs here
6. Heaven - Ailee may be dubbed as the Korean Beyonce but she made her own mark with this Korean debut single
7. Cinderella - I've been listening to Steven Curtis Chapman since I was a kid and this song just makes me cry every time. It's about a dad who's realizing that his little girl (Cinderella) is growing up, soon to fall in love and get married. And this dad says that he'd dance with his Cinderella in every song because unlike the prince, he knows that soon enough, Cinderella would have to go.
8. In Your Eyes - This song showed just how good SHINee's Onew's vocals are. The unique sound of this song had me listening to it almost every day. This is from To the Beautiful You's OST.
9. When I Pretend - Jordan Pruitt will always be one of my favorite singers. This Disney alum may have been taking a different path by joining The Voice, but this song will always remind me that she was a Disney kid first.
10. I Can't - I can't...believe that this song only lasted for a couple of seconds in the drama, Oh! My Lady. This 4men song is so sad that I just cry whenever I listen to it. Just listen to it and try not to cry even with the line that translates to "I can't even bear dying because you might come back"

Wait for my Top Ten Beauty Hit List tomorrow! Happy weekend. Cheerio!