Review: L'Oreal Renewal Lash Serum

Lash beautification is a serious task for women. If it wasn't, would there be such an influx of products and services dedicated to making those short strands look thick and pretty? Going the natural route, the simplest way to maintain lash health would be to use a topical serum. It works similarly to conditioner for your hair but is, of course, safe on the eye area.

Hollywood beauties love Talika Lipocils, but the best local alternative I've heard of is L'Oreal's Renewal Lash Serum (PHP800+). I've been using it for months now, and a review is long overdue.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="553"] Use it just like mascara[/caption]

Like the usual lash serum, the packaging promises nutrients for your eyelashes that are meant to make them stronger, thicker, and fuller. The smooth blue lid of the product is a sleek touch, while the see-through body allows the user to keep track of how much serum there is left. The wand applicator isn't hard to figure out. It looks like a small, fluffy scythe that transfers the product on to the lashes like mascara.

For months, I've been using this as part of my nightly beauty rituals. I swipe a thick layer on before going to bed. Though the instructions indicate that it's okay to have this on under mascara, I've just never tried it myself. I don't like the idea of the serum and mascara mixing together, because I'm afraid it'll alter the mascara formulation and, subsequently, the way the black pigments cling to my lashes.

Most noticeably, the "hair fall" in my lash area has decreased. Usually, when I'm using makeup remover and cotton balls to eliminate eyeshadow and mascara, there are a few strands of lashes that get stuck to the cotton. This occurence has become less frequent over time. I find that waterproof mascara is drying, so the serum works as a moisturizer. In terms of length, I noticed slightly longer-looking lashes--nothing too extreme. To me, L'Oreal has delivered what it promised. 'Nuff said.

Caveat: The biggest enemy here is consistency of usage. Daily mascara users, especially those like me who go with waterproof mascara, should be conscious with the regularity of their application. That's when results start to appear.

 

 

Review: Etude House Nymph AURA Dear Darling Roll Roll Gloss

Phew! That was a mouthful. Korean brands tend to have such long names for their cosmetics!

Etude House has been in Philippine shores for some time now. I love the products and adore the cutesy-patootsy store interiors. One thing's for sure: If I had been in high school at the time this brand was launched, my friends and I would've had a field day over all that pink. That said, Etude is definitely geared towards teens and high schoolers with all their shimmer and glitter makeup. (I spoke with a Korean friend who confirmed that mostly students are the target market of this brand back in her native Korea.) But adults are more than welcome to bedazzle themselves with some shimmer here or there. *wink*

Today, I'm doing a review of the Nyph AURA Dear Darling Roll Roll Gloss (shade #18) that I received from Etude House. It's a sample size, but still totally worth talking about in this post!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Small 3-inch (7.5 cm) tube[/caption]

As you can see, the tube is in a travel-friendly size. I like the simple design and the pearlized lavender lid. Truthful to its young demographic, the clear tube highlights the shimmery, light coral liquid gloss inside. Frankly, I'd prefer to buy this in this EXACT size as opposed to the original size (PHP278) they have in-store. The logic? Gloss is mostly used sparingly as a topper to add shine to bare or lipstick-enhanced mouth. I've never finished an entire tube of gloss, even when I apply with a heavy hand, so I don't see the point in big containers. Cheaper, pocket-sized varieties sound waaay better to me. Also, I prefer a squeeze tube over a bottle with an applicator, since the little brush inside tends to gather color from my lipstick. (Read: Messy and gross.)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="553"] The slightest hint of pink on the lips[/caption]

On the pucker, the gloss looks translucent. There's barely a hint of the color and the shimmer is kept to a minimum. The formulation is neither too sticky nor too runny, perfect for a makeup newbie; a natural/low-maintenance look lover; or anyone who wants to top their lipstick with light gloss. (Another reason to stick with a tube container rather than a bottle-with-brush: A non-sticky formulation will also make a mess on the mouth of the bottle.) And I'm raving about the strawberry candy scent! It's addictive and reminds me of strawberry Fruitella.

To sum it up, a small tube trumps a big bottle, and this gloss is PERFECT for everyday use.

Bon Appetea FAIL!

My milk tea addiction probably won't be going away anytime soon. A couple of months ago, I stumbled upon a promo for large-sized milk tea on sale at P35 (formerly P70). I couldn't pass it up, since milk tea places usually offer pretty decent versions of their "original flavor", despite the sometimes absurd fruit teas they come up with (worst case scenario). Yet again, this deal was brokered by a coupon site.

The excitement of the moment had me buying 6 coupons (using my account and M's) in total. Never mind that, in order to pay for the coupons in cash, we had to ride around in taxis which brought an additional P100+ to the overall expense. --So much for saving a buck.

I read from the terms and conditions for my coupons that the Bon Appetea stand has 2 branches: Ortigas and Parañaque. Ortigas it is, then. Strata 2000 Building to be exact. Thank goodness for another friend, S, who lives very close by. The three of us trekked to said building yesterday afternoon where, on the ground floor to one side of the area, is the food court filled with various stalls.

The Bon Appetea Facebook page boasted of a wide range of flavors that looked very promising. Their bestsellers include Nirvana (Assam black tea and wintermelon) and _____________. Hell, it looked like it could kick Serenitea's butt to the curb. But when we proceeded to give our orders, that's when the trouble started.

S wanted to order the Peach milk tea, but they were out. He settled on the Morrocan Nights (jasmine tea and mint) instead. M wanted the Creme Brulee, but they were all out of caramel anything, which is an ingredient for about half of their milk tea items on the menu. He went for Taro. No dice. Then he settled on________. My turn came and I wanted Creme Brulee or Melange, which were also out.  This prompted me to say to the vendor, "Kuya naman eh. Lahat na lang wala." ("Mister, everything's out!") The man looked blank, so I just ordered a Morrocan Nights as well.

Taste-wise, it's okay. Some people don't like mint, as it reminds them of toothpaste. But the combination of  jasmine and mint seem to work. It's unique.

 

 

"Don't let other people define your worth. "

-Diane Gollon

Hello, Baked Cheesecake!

Throughout the years, my cousins, Marianne and Elaine, have been my foremost guides to what food with quality should be like. Sure, it feels like it could get over-the-top sometimes, but they have a very straightforward vision of what quality without compromise is.

They used to diss the instant, no-bake cheesecake my parents would buy from the grocery, but with good reason. Since I've tasted real cheesecake, I'm not going back to the gelatin-based kind. In fact, I want to go as far as to experiment with different kinds of cheese. That stemmed from a trip to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and a friend's impulse to try the Camembert Cheese Tart with Dark Cherry Filling. From the first bite, my friend Z and I went crazy over it. (Don't think they still serve it. I haven't seen it in a while.)

A couple of months ago, Dad got discount coupons for blueberry cheesecake (his favorite) at a certain dessert shop. The original price of said cheesecake was so expensive! And when we took it home, I was dismayed to find out that it was so obviously the gelatin kind because it melted all over the place. I immediately pointed out that the gelatin cheesecake was highly overpriced, and challenged myself to make a baked cheesecake that would, at least, come closer to being worthy of the insane price.

My recipe source was quite close to home. I basically used what I learned in school to create...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="Good 'ol baked cheesecake."][/caption]

The sides are a mess, as I have yet to figure out how to line the pan properly. I would say that it was successful enough on the first try. However, there is room for improvement when it comes to finding the creamier cream cheese. The same goes for the butter I use, for I made the mistake of grabbing the only thing that was there --margarine. Yuck!

What I liked about the recipe, though, was that the outcome was firm enough to hold up on its own. For that alone, I wouldn't mind slow cooking it in a bain marie for over an hour.

I am already plotting my 2nd shot at making this cheesecake. Also, next up for me is the traditional Black Forest Cake... I wonder where I can score some decently priced black cherries.

So here's to 2012 and, soon, more attempts on the dessert front.

This is Canton! part 2

*See the 1st part of the series here.

**Entries in this series are going to be photo-heavy...

Continuation of Day 1: Out and About

In any foreign country I've been, it's always fun to walk off in some random direction and see what the street vendors are selling. My parents found a man on the sidewalk with kamote (sweet potato) on a previous trip and started buying like crazy. They would bring it home for pasalubong to our equally appreciative relatives back in Manila.

I understand what they're going on about. The kamote is prepared in a very straightforward manner: roasted in a big, covered container. They don't season it or anything. But the outcome is very tender and sweet, a lot like rustic mashed potatoes.

A word of warning though: Be wary of the way goods like these are priced. Some vendors use a different set of scales (like the one the man is tinkering with on the photo below) and they move about quickly. That and the language barrier can create some confusion on the total bill.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="Sweet Potato Man"][/caption]

One of my favorite street foods in Canton are the lamb skewers (estimated price at RMB3-4/Php20+). They come in long or short bamboo skewers and very slightly resemble the appearance of our own isaw. (Note: The tastes of isaw and lamb bbq are two entirely separate things.) I first tried it in Tianjin and fell in love with the very tasty, slightly crispy morsels. The meat is seasoned with a spice powder that I've wondered about for such a long time. Upon my close inspection, I successfully identified cumin as a crucial component to the fantastic taste.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="Lamb Barbecue Stand"][/caption]

Next stop was Shangxia Jiu. It's similar to Korea's Myeong Dong in that it is a stretch of street devoted to all manners of shops. You can easily spend the entire afternoon exploring all the retailers, and it is a delight for foodies because every couple of steps will lead you to a food vendor.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Shangxia Jiu"][/caption]

On the bangketa (sidewalk) shopping front, we found lots of salesmen (like the one in the photo below) peddling dried fruits and nuts from a kariton (cart). There's apricots, red/white raisins, walnuts, almonds, etc. The vendors give free taste of the product and I have to say that they are nice and fresh, and the prices are good. I don't use legumes so much in baking because it's much more expensive to get them in Manila. Needless to say, we started hoarding almonds, raisins, and dried kiwis.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Bangketa Vendors"][/caption]

Have I mentioned that Guangzhou is a haven for exotic foods? Some of the best-tasting Chinese food in the world come from the Cantonese. I've seen my fair share of scorpions impaled on barbecue sticks, but have been too afraid to try. And even though one might not be an extremist foodie, there is always something to eat for even the not-so-adventurous.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="One of the Many Food Shops: A store that sells various parts of chicken."][/caption]

For example, dinner comprised of  "the old favorites". These are dishes that can be found at any tea house or Chinese restaurant back home. We ate here... (Sorry, I don't have the English translation for the name of this resto.)

We had:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Roasted Pork (Asado)"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="Shrimp that came with..."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="...a baby Shrimp with claws!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Fried Rice"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Beef Ho Fan"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="and Fish on a Bed of Broccoli"][/caption]

Everything was good and high quality. I cannot stress enough that all the food I ate on this trip was fresh and executed very well by the cooks. It doesn't even matter if it's from a restaurant or street food.

But I have to mention that restaurants in China have a tendency of serving rice later on into the meal. As in, all the viands have already been laid out and you are still waiting on the rice. So you either request that the rice come out first, or you have to wait for it before you start eating.

After our meal, we rushed to the pier for the Pearl River Cruise. This is a must-do for first-timers in Canton. You get to go on a scenic tour of the city at night and see a series of bridges lit with different colored lights. The experience is so serene.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="View from the Ship's Deck"][/caption]

The cruise also offers a buffet, but we got on the last trip for the evening. By then, they only served tea.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="City Lights"][/caption]

Halfway through the ride, we got up on the roof deck to take pictures with the view as the backdrop.

Then it was time to go back to sign out for the night.

To be continued and...

Happy New Year!

This is Canton! part 1

*Entries in this series are going to be photo-heavy...

Upon Arrival:

My recent trip to Guangzhou wasn't the first time I've wandered to this part of China, but I'd come back in a heartbeat because it's a good place to be. Though not as metropolitan as Beijing or Shanghai, Guangzhou has its own level of hustle and bustle that is comparable to Cebu: Lively, but not so hectic.

The first few times I went to China, the weather was chilly. We had 17-20°C, which was already too cold for my sensitive-skinned mother and grandmother. This time, though, it was pretty much only 1-2°C lower than Manila. It was hot! And the only redeeming value was that it wasn't humid, so I didn't have to suffer through sticky sweat. I had to wonder why a lot of the folks there wore jackets and long sleeves.

We arrived late at night and rode a bus from the airport to a sort of town square that was a 5-minute taxi ride to our hotel. After getting settled in, we were ready for a decent meal. (For "dinner", I simply had a cheese roll and some mineral water on the plane. There was no time to get food at the airport, since we were running late already.) There was a choice between 24-hour McDonald's and a modern-design Chinese restaurant that closed late.

Of course, the Chinese restaurant won. They had so many items on the menu, it made my head spin. We ended up ordering congee (granny), noodles (parents), and black pepper steak with rice (my favorite!). However, photos aren't available because, believe it or not, the restaurant does not allow it.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Town Square at night. Also the drop-off point of the airport shuttle."][/caption]

After the meal, it was a walk back to the hotel and some well-deserved sleep.

~!~

Day 1:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="View from our window at Grand Continental Service Apartment"][/caption]

Can I just say that I love the modern interiors at the Grand Continental. The windows are huge, and we had a view of the Pearl River off to the side. It was also very nice that they had a microwave oven and induction cooker. But they didn't have any cookware stored in the room. Maybe you have to rent it?

We pretty much slept in and had to rush downstairs to make it to breakfast before the buffet closed. Did I mention how fabulous the interior design is?

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="Dining Room for the Breakfast Buffet"][/caption]

I must admit that we have this embarrassing travel habit of making the most of the breakfast buffet. It gets us through all the way to lunch, and the energy-boost is much needed when there's a lot of walking involved.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="My Breakfast. Round 1. "][/caption]

As you can see, I literally have a full plate. Pancakes, chicken nuggets, lamb barbecue (more on that later), a slice of ham, a roll of fried toast with yam filling and sesame seed coating, chocolate cereals, some tea, and a glass of milk. The milk and the tea were later mixed to form a poorly-made milk tea.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Round 2"][/caption]

Then there came the 2nd plate, with its sausage and "banana fritters". The latter is a cute and banana-shaped snack. It's breaded outside, but the inside is a gooey, yellow, banana-flavored tikoy (glutinous rice cake). I can imagine this being sold warm and in skewers. Yummy.

One hearty breakfast and a window shopping session later, I found my favorite snack turo-turo stand. It's a simple booth where different forms of noodles and rice bowls are sold until noon, and then replaced with stockpots of desserts and snacks priced at RMB3+ (Php21.00)  by early afternoon. The nice lady (the one on the left of the photo below) was amused by my snapping photos of the soups and her scooping. Touristy me...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="558" caption="Chinese Snack Stand"][/caption]

My old discovery was the warm black sesame soup. I can only describe the roasted, crushed seeds as sweet and addictive. I always have to have that. And this stall makes such a delicious bowl. I have bought the powdered instant versions of this soup from groceries so that I could hoard it back home, but it's just not the same.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Black Sesame Soup"][/caption]

Grandma preferred to have what we call lay-yah bok-nee in Fukien. It's snow fungus stewed with pears. The flavor was mild and reminded me of a tonic, rather than syrupy like what the restaurants here in Manila serve. Also, the usual bok-nee I get to try contain red dates and goji berries, so this was a departure.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Snow Fungus. Slices of pear are floating on top."][/caption]

Mother had the Guilinggao (turtle jelly). This dessert dates dates waaaay back to the time when those who prepared this had to get some powdered shell of turtle. These days though, most vendors have backed off of using actual turtle product. At first glance, it is easy to mistake this for grass jelly in syrup. But the flavor is a little on the bitter side, offset by the sweetness of the syrup. That particular bowl wasn't too bitter for me, as I've eaten more potent mixtures when I was younger. And to think I was steeling myself for the ocean of bitter...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Turtle Jelly"][/caption]

I get nostalgic for these things. It's a shame that we don't really get to prepare any of it at home, save for the bok-nee, which has to be special-requested from our old cook who, luckily, indulges my little whims. It is my goal to learn how to make these, if only to fuel my nostalgic trips down memory lane.

To Be Continued...

Apologies are in Order

The goal of this blog was for me to write foodie stuff on a weekly basis as a personal writing exercise. Though the glory of being a professional blogger is tempting for a beginner such as myself, it is a must to remember that, more than anything, this has to remain my own little personal exercise. I do this for myself (my satisfaction, my joy), first and foremost.

However, when the motivation is quite self-centered, there is a tendency for things to get lax when one is not "in the mood". I've neglected it for one month because of my silly sem break. The last few weeks were a flurry of activity that had me whisked off from one place to the next. And now I am back to home base, the dust settling and I find myself overwhelmed with all the things I want to write, but don't even know how to begin.

For those who have been reading this blog: I am truly sorry for being inconsistent. I chide myself, knowing that my readers (I, myself, being the original audience in mind) deserve a certain level of discipline, come rain or shine.

My next entry is being written right now. It's an adventure. Join me.

                                                                                                                                      XO,

                                                                                                                                               Marielle