Going Natural with Human Nature

Back in 2002, a little something called Japanese Ionic Rebonding became the next big hair trend in the USA. I distinctly remember seeing it in an imported magazine and falling in love with the concept (as demonstrated by Reese Witherspoon). I went into all the salons I would pass by to inquire if they had the service, but it was too early that nobody heard of it. One year later, it had finally reached Philippine shores and was one of the most expensive services that could be requested. If done in  a reputable brand name salon, it wasn't uncommon to spend PHP 5,000 - PHP 6,000 for long hair—plus PHP 1,000 to retouch roots every couple of months. No can do for me because it was—and still —downright obscene to spend so much on hair. Just my humble opinion.

In present day 2014, rebonding is still widely availed but not as hot as before. Wavy hair is a big deal right now, so people are obsessed with blowdrying their hair to look unkempt. Um... okay. This also means salons are promoting the PHP 1,000 at any length deal for chemically straightened hair. Sounds reasonable to me, so I've finally gotten it done after over a decade. Ha! Yes, I'm the last person in the Philippines to have joined the rebond army.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="384"] In the hot (flatiron) seat[/caption]

In a nutshell, my salon session took the whole day because of my long hair. The package included a cellophane treatment for cheap, so why not go the extra mile? This was followed by the requisite 3 days of no wet hair, so I was an oily, disgusting mess filled with self-loathing. Finally, I got the go-signal to drown my scalp in shampoo, so this is where Human Nature Natural Strengthening Shampoo and Conditioner in Soothing Aloe comes in:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Human Nature Shampoo and Conditioner (center and right, respectively) AND Sunflower Beauty Oil because I was there already[/caption]

The hairstylist was adamant about restoring life to my damaged hair. I was advised to book appointments for regular treatments and to gorge on a good shampoo and conditioner set—emphasis on the conditioner. To see these readily available in Shopwise for PHP 129.75/200mL (shampoo) and PHP 144.75/200mL (conditioner), I could actually afford to give them a try and feel guilt-free about chemicals because over 95% of the ingredients are natural. Promising.

I've been using the shampoo/conditioner set for all of 3 days, so I only have initial impressions so far. The scent is a sweet leafy/aloe that's more evident with the shampoo and slightly less so with the conditioner, though the scent that stays on the strands after the bath is mild and neutral enough that scented styling products can be used without everything becoming overwhelming. It's perfect for me because my Dove Hair Oil already has such a strong smell. The shampoo has something called CREAMFoam that allows for a modicum of lather, but don't fool yourself if you're used to SLS/SLES shampoo. It's simply no match. I've had to use twice or thrice the amount I would normally use with SLS to achieve something even remotely close. On the other hand, the conditioner takes on a slightly waxy texture versus the creaminess in traditional conditioners. Think sap from your sliced chayote/sayote, only with a moisturizing effect.

Sounds bad, but is it really? No. If you really want to distance yourself from chemicals, you'll just have to learn to love it. My hair doesn't feel dirty afterwards, and that's good enough for me. I still intend to use a SLS-containing shampoo once a week as a clarifying shampoo followed by my Creamsilk treatment, so nothing goes to waste. Hopefully, no more hairy mess for me.

Rating is 4/5 because I have to use a lot, so I expect to run out of shampoo faster. If the scent could be improved while maintaining all that natural glory, then that would be great.

Project Pie, Our Mealtime Project

In M-related news, we dragged our butts to Mandaluyong to try out the much-raved Project Pie. I haven't thought of going there myself if not for M's invitation, since I'm perfectly happy with my go-to pizza place: pocket-friendly S&R. But hey, I'm not one to snub a delicious pizza, so off we went.

Project Pie wouldn't be out of place in BGC. It's a lot like most of the dining establishments there: simple but obviously expensively built. It's very clean and the ambiance is—what I'd like to call—posh Manila hipster. But seriously, the place is done up well.



Interior design aside, who knew that customizing your own pizza could be so much fun? For PHP 285 a pop, I can't complain because it had exactly everything I wanted in the amount I wanted. I got myself a #5 = White  Pizza with Mozzarella, Ricotta, Feta (supposed to be Gorgonzola, but they ran out), Parmesan, Cracked Black Pepper, Olive Oil, Garlic (plus extra garlic for me!), and Fresh Chopped Basil, then requested for them to add prosciutto and mushrooms because I appreciate a salty-earthy combo. *Note: The mushrooms they used were fresh, not the canned variety. Delicious.* M, on the other hand, got the #2 = Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, Crumbled Meatballs, Mozzarella, Signature Red Sauce, and Garlic, wanted to add prosciutto, but completely forgot to tell the staff. He did, however, remember to ask for all kinds of cheese to be added to his pizza.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] The finished pizza, pre-bake[/caption]

Okay, so we didn't quite build our pizza from the ground up, but what they had on the menu sounded great already. It just needed a little tweaking. Here are our baked pizzas:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Mine![/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] M's![/caption]

We didn't order anything else, except for water. And by gosh, were these pizzas enough! If you don't plan on sharing, this is sufficiently one square meal. And that's saying something, since I didn't eat breakfast or lunch before going there.  It's thin crust, but you get everything from the toppings. My only dislike was the burnt parts of crust underneath, though that may tend to happen because of their type of pizza oven. It isn't enough of a deterrent for me not to come back soon. :)

Project Pie = 515 Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong

Paint Box Wonder Woman Hydrating Lip Color in Tough

Seeing as this is my first post for 2014, I'd like to greet everyone a Happy New Year! As always, my vague goal is for improvement. Hopefully, save more money, try new things, and be a little gutsier. On the beauty front, why not check off the 'gutsier' part of my list by opting for a bolder choice of lip color? Yeah, I've tried fuchsia and deep red, but I'm thinking more along the lines of coral. :)

I am a firm believer in doing things gradually. Not wanting to choose something too outright coral that I doubt would match my skin tone because of its warmth, I settled for a bright pinkish coral instead, finding it in Paint Box's Wonder Woman Hydrating Lip Color in Tough. This is probably a limited edition line with colors that are on the bolder side for that adventurous feel. The line also features face powder and lip gloss as part of this special comic-based collection.


[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Fun packaging[/caption]

At PHP 198, 3.6 g of product sounds fair. While the box is wonderful, the actual tube is simple and cost-effective with just a red-and-blue plastic tube with the Wonder Woman logo on it. It's a far cry from MAC's Wonder Woman collection, but so is the price. That the lipstick is made in Italy gives it a bit of an edge for those who like imported beauty goods.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] lngredients[/caption]

Before I proceed, I just have to ask: Does scent on a lipstick matter? Is it a deciding factor in the purchase of a tube of lipstick if the scent is great? Well, to me it is. What's the point of nice color, if it smells too artificial? This particular one has a tutti-frutti bubblegum scent that I neither adore nor despise, though my absolute favorite lipstick scent is MAC's addictive vanilla aroma.



The formula isn't very creamy, so it doesn't feel heavy on the lips. To me Bench lipsticks and glosses tend to be on the drying side, so a layer of lip balm would help. There's a slight glossy sheen to it that usually means the color shifts and collects at the edges of the lips rather than staying firmly in the center—a characteristic common with other glossy lipsticks. Lasting power is okay, but the color still only stays on the outer edges. Two layers are sufficient to effectively brighten the pout.

My Rating: 4/5. An average formula, but one that is up to standard with lipsticks in the same price range. Get this for the  interesting color and the affordable price.