I have nothing to write... maybe.

I've kept migrating, changing backgrounds, url's, titles, and whatever change a blog can have, thinking it would give me new perspectives and so make me write as I did back when I started to have this blogging craze. But none of them worked.

I keep thinking what caused me to stop loving blogging, for when I remember myself back in the days when I just discovered about this, I would just write about anything, and not have any care as to what is the outcome. I just write for myself and that just because I want to. And I think it works best that way.

I guess, now that I've been conscious that other people are actually--no matter how few--reading what I write, I've developed some pressure inside me to write according to what whoever reads this blog wants. I have probably forgotten to write from the heart, or from the mind.

My blog used to be my some kind of outlet. I think I still need to be aware or concerned of whatever I write in here because this is publicly available, but then I should not forget to still write based on what I think or feel. I probably just have to choose my words carefully.

I do hope I can start again this flame that has 'almost' died since a few years from now. I can't help but miss it every time.

Wonder why I suddenly am writing something like this? It's because of this quote I stumbled upon online:

Even if you have nothing to write, write and say so.

~Cicero

RH Bill

People should know everything first before passing judgement. I've kept myself quiet about this, but this is worth reading. Please do.

Ten facts about the RH Bill

HBS Gluta Reformulated Soap

I've been using this soap for about 4 to 5 months now (which now that I think of it, it's already become a regular part of my bath routine), so I guess it's about time to share my verdict about this product.

I have fair complexion. Not that fair but fair enough compared to the usual Filipina skin tone. I'd say it falls in the line that crosses between a light tan and fair. My color would be the darkest in the fair category. And you know how Pinay's can get obsessed about anything that offers lightening. I was not really planning into getting something that's whitening because I'm already quite satisfied with my color and I was thinking I wouldn't get any lighter than this because I've also already used several commercialized whitening soaps and even lotion but it didn't whiten me more, though it helped me maintain my what I thought was already fair complexion.

However when I was browsing HBS products and the feedbacks album, the Gluta Reformulated Soap is one of the HBS soaps that first got my attention. This is one of the most popular whitening soaps ever mentioned. All feedback I've heard were great and that really made me curious so I decided to try it. Even Jamie herself vouches for the effectiveness of this product that she even qouted this as this soap's description in her Facebook album:

NEW GLUTA DS, REFORMULATED..NOW WITH 3X MORE GLUTA CONTENTS THAN GLUTA MILK W/ OATMEAL!!! SOBRANG GANDA!! PUPUSTA KO PNAGALN NG HBS JAN..WHITENING ANTI AGING MICRO PEELING SUPER SOFT ON SKINWLANG HARSH CHEMICALS,,HAAYY NAKOOO... AS IN IM SO HAPPY W/ THIS SOAP!--TAMA BA? AKO NA NAG FEEDBACK HEHEHE

The Soap
Packaging: All of HBS soaps come in a full packed, big (bigger than the usual soaps available) size of 150gms for less than a hundred peso price. It feels very solid when held, and though it's bar shaped, it doesn't have very sharp edges. It comes in ahm, I think you call it cerulean blue? (just check the pic), which has initially weirded me out, probably because I'm not used to seeing soaps with a quite vivid color. I first thought, won't my skin turn blue with this? Hehehe. Luckily it didn't. :p. You would've expected that a soap with Glutathione as base would come in white, I know. But Jamie has reasons why it's oddly colored. You won't see a trace of this color during bath though so nothing to worry.

Scent: I am not that good yet at describing scent specifics but I would probably put it as somewhere between vanilla and milk. It's really sweet smelling :). One downside of this sweet smell though is I found my soap one time with mice bites :(. The rats here were nibbling on it. They've probably thought it's food, hehehe. But on the good side, I've really enjoyed every bath using this soap. Not the type that lingers though. I'm not sure if it's just with me, but it's not the scent that stays on the skin. I found this an advantage if you're a lover of strongly scented lotions or perfumes. The scents won't clash.

Consistency: It's not slippery when dry. I've encountered some soaps that already feel slippery even when they're not wet yet. But I think it's because of the moisture content. I think this soap doesn't mainly promise any moisturizing effect, just whitening and micro-peeling. When wet, the soap is still fairly easy to hold and it doesn't melt easily so it lasts quite well.

The Experience
My first use doesn't really have different feel. Well it was mentioned that the soap is quite drying because it is said to have a micro-peeling effect so I was kind of already expecting that it will feel dry. First thing I noticed though is that my whole day lasted without me feeling icky even when it's super hot (I've tried to soap during the extreme heat of the summer). I felt fresh all day!

I noticed on the 3rd day of use though that my skin feels kinda dry and itchy. Not the allergy-like itchiness. I never experienced that with this soap. It's the itch that one would easily ignore if you're not really paying attention. Of course with any kind of itch, our natural reaction is to scratch. With this feeling though, I haven't found myself yet wanting to scratch but my body's usual response is to rub the itchy part. it's dangerous to scratch a wet skin because skin is a lot softer when wet. When I was rubbing my back, I got so amazed at the dead skins that are coming off! Andami! This is the micro-peeling. The feeling after every dead skin cells were removed a lot fresher and cleaner. I felt like every libag I had came off. Hehehe. It's like scrubbing using a panghilod without the extra stress on your skin. And oh, another thing to note: I used to have pimples in my back but now, my back's clear! Yay!

What might be seen as a side effect:
As mentioned earlier, this soap is quite drying because of the micro-peeling effect, so it's best to use a moisturizing lotion after every shower. I've noticed my skin is flaking within the first 5 days of use, but it's gone within a week. I guess it does after it removes all the dead skins in the surface. But this drying stage has to come to pass in order to achieve a lighter and softer skin. This soap works by helping dead skins come off easier then remove all of them through micro-peeling to expose a cleaner, fresher, and softer skin. It removes the rough deads. So naturally, the result is lighter too.

Is it effective? Oh yes, very effective. Jamie was not kidding and her confidence in this soap is very well grounded.

Would I repurchase? I've actually been repurchasing this product since March, and I plan to keep on repurchasing it.

Recommended? Highly recommended, especially to those who'd want to be whiter faster.

And to show you proof that this is not all talk, here are my before (left) and after (right) pictures.

 

If you're interested with the soap, feel free to visit House of Beauty Secret's Facebook page and send Jamie a message for inquiries.

An Unsolicited & Honest Review for HBS

Note: This is going to be a review of my general experience with ordering from HBS. I was initially planning to include reviews of the products I've used as well but I think I will already be able to write a book (chos!) if I do that so I decided I will just make a separate entry for the products I've tried, and so for easy categorized searching as well. Enjoy reading :).

http://houseofbeautysecrets.multiply.com

As I was starting to write this entry, I was trying to remember how I got to using HBS products. As you may know, I can already say myself that I've already become a suki of Ms. Jamie Prado's products because well, one only becomes a suki for the following reasons: The products are affordable and most importantly, the products are EFFECTIVE.So just to provide a fact based writing, I went to my Facebook to see when was my initial contact with the lovely and very accommodating seller, Mrs. Jamie Prado.

My initial contact with her was just this year of 2012, on March 26. I found out about HBS when I was desperately looking for a solution to whiten my groins or inner thighs (singit). Normally, when I get to try some products from other not so commercialized sellers (meaning they don't pay for advertisement and they are mostly online sellers and the marketing solely depends on feedbacks, reviews, and referrals), I would not be much of a repeat customer. I've already tried a few but so far, of all non-commercialized products I've tried, HBS has already been a staple in my personal grooming/beauty products. I had only realized that I've already been ordering from HBS for almost 5 months already when I decided to write this entry.

I got to HBS through a post I saw from a thread in GirlTalk about whitening solutions for singit and underarms. One poster posted the link to HBS' site and I checked it out immediately. Upon browsing HBS' product line, I found them really very interesting and enticing. It offers mostly whitening solutions that are easy to use and fairly low maintenance for their kits/sets. I said that because some kits tend to include a lot of products which you'd need to apply all at once, one after the other, for every use. I find that very tedious and nakakatamad. That's why sometimes, I can't maximize the effectiveness of a set because: 1) They only work effectively if used all together. Cannot be combined with other products; 2) Hello? I don't (always) have all the time in the world to spend for just grooming because in my opinion, that will already be called vanity. Time is precious and so I would like to be able to use every minute of my time productively and of course I won't be able to do that if I've been applying a certain set of products for almost 30 min, aside from the time to spend in the bathroom or sink for sets that also include a soap (which mostly does). And that's mostly before I sleep, eh most of the time I'm already too tired to perform all these rituals. I mean, I understand the concept of “tiis ganda” but why spend money, time, and effort, for something that takes up a lot of our precious time then ends up with very little effect or sometimes, no effect at all when you can find something that works better in half the time?

I understand the concept of “tiis ganda” but why spend money, time, and effort, for something that takes up a lot of our precious time then ends up with very little effect or sometimes, no effect at all when you can find something that works better in half the time?

With HBS products, I had more time flexibility. Why? Because each HBS products can work on its own in an effective and fairly fast way. Put them all in a set and it speeds up the effectiveness even more. Saves a lot of precious time really. And because of that, I consider it not only affordable, but a real bang for the buck. As in whatever amount of money you spend with it, it’s super sulit because of its effectiveness. Not that you will have to spend a lot for HBS products. As I’ve always mentioned, they are affordable and really worth every peso spent for something so effective, you won't even regret whatever amount you will spend even for trials in case it doesn't work for you. But generally, almost all of them works for most types of skin, even for men! No wonder I became a suki :).

I did say that this review is honest and factual so, I won't be saying that all of what I'm writing here would be favorable for HBS. There are still some HBS products that I've tried yet did not work much for me. I said that because they still had an effect somehow, but not as fast as what I've tried from other sellers, or at least compared to other HBS products I've tried. However, one cannot always expect a certain product to work for him/her just because it worked really great from another. Hiyangan pa din yan. The best would still be to try the product and see for yourself.

However, one cannot always expect a certain product to work for him/her just because it worked really great from another. Hiyangan pa din yan. The best would still be to try the product and see for yourself.

As for Jamie herself, as a seller, she's very accommodating and to top that, she's caring and considerate to her customers. She goes out of her way to check and see what she can do as soon as she becomes aware that there's an issue, regardless if a customer notifies her. Sometimes when she senses there's an impending issue, she would contact all parties involved (customer & courier) right away if she notices it before the customer does. I would call that initiative. Aasenso talaga 'tong si Jamie. She used to do everything alone so there were really times that she doesn't respond right away but I never took that as lack of concern because it's understandable. She's still like anybody that lives a life other than selling. She's still a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend. Even so, she still responds even if it's late and that already matters. She would even give advice which product to use best for whatever purpose you want to achieve. She's not the type of seller that would just shove anything to your face just so she can earn money. She values customer service. In my observation, she doesn't have this business to solely earn money, but to help people become more beautiful easier and faster. Money is just a reward, but her true fulfillment lies in having a very satisfied customer. Her genuine purpose is to help others.

I did this review as a token of appreciation for all Jamie's hard work. She really helped a lot of people and you can find proof of that in her feedbacks album. It just keeps growing. I hope she continues this and if she'd be able to reach out every Filipino, I would say, wala nang Pilipinong pangit. Hehehe. Kung pangit ka, kasalanan mo na yun :p. Andaming pampagandang available dyan e so kung hindi pa din maayos itsura mo, katamaran na ang tawag dyan. :D

I hope you liked my review and I hope it helped. As for the products I've used, I shall be making a separate entry for them na lang. I will just put a hyperlink here. God bless everyone and more power to HBS.

Sophia Miracle Eyelash Serum on Sale

I have been curious with this product eversince I read My Lucid Intervals' review about it. She mentioned that it's only available in authorized distributors, which means that it would not be easily available. I was kind of hoping this would become available in the shelves of known beauty stores like Watsons or HBC. I don't have problems waiting for it even if it takes forever but promised that I'll give it a try as soon as it becomes available for me. Then today, I was just doing a random internet browsing and quick check of current deals and promos at Cash Cash Pinoy and saw this:

(Click image to go to the deal)

Of course I got so excited! And knowing that it's not easily available for me, I ordered 1 immediately and on top of that, it comes with a free delivery! What a great deal! I won't have to go out of our house and all I need to do is just wait for it to arrive ^_^. The downside is, I have to wait until April 13 before I start to expect for it to get delivered. But that's okay. As I said, no problems waiting :).

So looking forward to using this. I hope it's effective because I have very sparse lashes.

Side note: I was already getting alarmed because I think I've already spent too much within just this month. Will have to suppress myself in the next days as we're saving up for something really big.

Keratosis Pilaris

I haven't really given much thought about the white bumps on my chest because all along I thought it's normal. I have these tiny white spots on my chest and a few in the upper part of my arms where it meets with my shoulder blade. I wasn't really bothered about it because it's not painful nor itchy and probably because of that, I don't notice it at all. Besides, I'm not the kind who always had those parts exposed. However, they do feel rough and bumpy so my skin on those parts aren't really smooth, though they don't really feel dry. It was only when my husband took notice of it that I have given it attention. Actually I would have ignored it if he just pointed it out once, but it already happened on several occasions so I decided to do a search in Google about it and possibly do something to clear this out. I searched tiny white spots on the chest, chicken skin on the chest, and tiny white bumps in the chest. These are the keywords I used to find what I'm looking for because it's the closest description to what I have.

And here's what I found:

Keratosis pilaris

Keratosis pilaris (KP, also follicular keratosis) is a common, autosomal dominant, genetic follicular condition that is manifested by the appearance of rough bumps on the skin. It most often appears on the back and outer sides of the upper arms (though the lower arms can also be affected), and can also occur on the thighs, hands, and tops of legs, flanks, buttocks, or any body part except glabrous skin (like the palms or soles of feet). Less commonly, lesions appear on the face, which may be mistaken for acne.

While KP resembles goose bumps, it is characterized by the appearance of small rough bumps on the skin. As a result, many people with keratosis pilaris do not know they have it, and it is often confused with acne.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I checked the Google images with Keratosis pilaris and was surprised to find images that looks really close to what I have. Below are just some of the photos I got that looks closest to how mine looks right now:







And here's my own photo:

Could this be Keratosis Pilaris? I want to get rid of this! If it's not, I don't care whatever it is as long as i can find a solution. I've read that there are skin care products out there that can at least minimize its appearance, if not totally get rid of it and i have to get those! Now I'd be on the search for some kind of product for this, probably a soap, or lotion, or topical cream.

Who else got this? Maybe you can recommend something I can use to vanish this out. Help :(.

Bare Naturals Order #2 Arrival. Yay!

My purchase is finally here! I got excited, like I'm receiving a gift. I always do when I have a package even if it's something I bought. I think it's because packages are sealed and you don't get to see the item in person until you open the parcel.

So as I said in my previous post, this time I decided to get my first make-up brush from them, and this is also my first time to try on a mineral powder concealer. Here are the photos.

BN Flat Top Brush with free jute pouch, BN Ultimate Concealer,
and free sample of Micropeel Blue Beauty Bar

The brush came with a free pouch, but it's not something that comes with it automatically. When you purchase in their multiply site, you have to indicate "with free jute pouch" so that the pouch will be sent with it. As for the free soap, I actually appreciate it but there are other soaps that I would like to try and I did indicate in my order form that it's the sample I want to get but that's not what I got. They probably overlooked it. Still disappointing though.

The Softest Focus Flat Top Brush on the palm of my hand

I got this item because of the raves and since this is my first time, of course I would like my first experience to be good. Afterall, I have helpful info I can get from the internet (thanks to all the beauty bloggers out there) so I used that to scout for something worth trying, and I did not regret it. What these beauty bloggers are raving about this brush are true! The product lives up to its name--SOFTEST.

It's so soft!

I immediately felt the product in my fingers and it's indeed soft. I poked it in my face, in my arms, brushed the bristles through with my fingers, even poked my lips with it. It's so soft! Like a really soft fluffy stuffed animal.

I was already able to touch/feel cheaper brushes and this really gave me a different experience. It's not itchy nor scratchy, it's not hard. It doesn't prick my skin unlike the cheap ones that I tried, though I was only able to try very few. That's why I didn't bother to buy. I know if I just tested more, I might've found something soft and yet is cheap, but I don't have the time to do all that. So again, thank God for reviews :). Not a fan of the yellow handle though. It's flat and close to the color of mustard. Not a big deal anyway. What's more important is the part that will touch my face, and that's the brush.

As for the Ultimate Concealer, I have no comments about it yet until I use it. It looks normal when it arrived I guess. Hehehe.

Bare Naturals Ultimate Concealer in Linen.
The 1gm pot is so small, but I think it's just right for trying/testing

The package also came with a flyer to a Supersale Bazaar that's going to be held at the World Trade Center on March 2 to 4. Presenting it at the entrance will give one 20% discount in the entrance fee.

Supersale Bazaar flyer with 20% discount on entrance fee

I got excited and was thinking of crashing there with my girl friends so I immediately checked the calendar if it doesn't go in the way of my work days, check! Unfortunately, we have a re-encounter that we're going to attend and that is much more important to me than this bazaar. So I'll probably just go some other time.

I'm excited to use my new beauty loots and quench the thirst of my budding kikay side, but I think I have to give my brush its first bath first before I let it touch my problematic face (because I'm acne prone). As with the concealer, I probably would use my fingers for the mean time. I am currently on the search for a good buy brush set (talaga naman kaartehan). For now, I'm happy I'd finally be able to try my Illumiglow Setting Powder.

I am hoping I could share my experience with these products to help other shoppers out there. Until then. :)

Blog Ads Fail!

Pambihira 'tong AdSense... mag-display daw ba ng pagkalaki laking ad ng beer sa blog ko? Katabi pa mandin ng Daily Bible Verse widget. Super fail!

Who Am I, Being A Gemini

This is actually a republished post, but i'm tweaking it so it's actually kinda new :).

I am not really a believer of horoscopes but curiosity got me and I don't think it would hurt to know, so I checked out that personality traits that describes my sign, the Gemini and here's what I got:

from Google images

People born between May 21 and June 20 fall under the astrological sun sign of Gemini. Symbolized by twins, this third sign of the zodiac is ruled by Mercury. Gemini is a masculine, mutable, Air sign. The Gemini-born are highly intellectual, love change, and love to talk.

Wow.. highly intellectual. I feel intelligent, LoL! I am not sure about this "highly" intelligent thing but I did get above average results in exams I've taken before and I don't really know how much my IQ is but personally and with all modesty, it would be an overstatement for myself. I know I am not dumb, but I don't think I am highly intelligent either. The love change, maybe. Love to talk, I do if it's sensible. I don't really want to talk of it's nonsense.

People born under the sign of Gemini love to converse. They spend a lot of time on the phone, sending emails, and chatting with people they may or may not know personally. They love to ask questions because they have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. They are likely to gain information from a wide variety of sources. An encyclopedia is just as good as a co-worker who is recounting gossip from a recent tabloid.

So true! Me na me! Except for the gossip part. I avoid that because it's bad (duh). But honestly, I'm still all ears even if it's just gossip. I just stop it there though. If it's gossip, I don't share.

Gemini is an intellectual sign. They tend not to live in the emotional realm, though friends still trust their advice in emotional matters. A Gem loves to discuss emotions because they love to talk. However, a Gem doesn’t see any real need for the emotions in general. In love, a Gem will seem very romantic, but has no problem talking themselves out of love quickly. After all, the idea of love and romance is so much more appealing than the real thing.

True again! I am not really the emotional type, but I'm ready to share my ears, shoulders. And in my observation, friends do ask my advice in emotional matters. I think it's because it's particularly helpful in seeing things in the non-emotional way. Gives a different perspective.

The Gemini's love of communication and their vast knowledge makes them great with people. Quite often, a Gem will use his or her people skills to persuade others. Yes, the Twins have the gift of influence. Think of the one thing you absolutely don’t need. Spend some time with a Gem and you’ll probably walk away thinking you absolutely need to have it and now! If ever there was a sign that could sell the Brooklyn Bridge, it is Gemini.

True on occasion, but I'm not really a salesperson type. I am typically timid but I do can influence people once a conversation is started. I did notice I can have convincing powers even if it's not intentional. Like I can just tell a friend about some item that I really love, then find out later on that they would eventually own one too. I think people with these characteristics would make good product reviewers, though I don't think this is exclusive to Geminis. But maybe, this is especially common or standing out to them.

Gemini loves change and variety. A Gem will become bored and restless if stuck in the same place or situation for too long. Gems love freedom and traveling to different countries. They find true joy in the journey. They also love working on multiple tasks, usually leaving them all unfinished. They lack the focus to complete one assignment. Instead, they spread their energy out over as much as they can. People born under the Twins actually love to have more than one of everything in their lives, not just jobs. This includes careers and lovers. After all, "twin" means "two".

Text in bold letters emphasized on purpose, because I do have them. That trait is really annoying but just because it's something that is common for a Gemini, I will just tolerate them? No. I am determined to wipe it out, with God's help of course because only in Him I can do all things because He gives me strength (Philippians 4:13). Besides, I said I don't believe in horoscopes. You define what you are. Not any kind of horoscope or whatevers. I do love to travel, but not something I am crazy about, and I don't love having more than one of the same thing that much unless there's a need, and of course, definitely not loving having two lovers.

The Twins are adaptable and versatile, which comes in handy since they have that love of change. They love to be around many different kinds of people. Often the Gemini-born are drawn to the arts, such as theatre or creative writing. Many famous writers and performers were born under Gemini, such as William Butler Yeats, Marilyn Monroe, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Johnny Depp.

Hah! I do love to be around different kinds of people because it fascinates me, but not to be the center of attention. I tend to be more like a wallflower. I can say I'm versatile, but I am actually having a hard time adapting to change, especially at work.

Gems are lively and energetic, with a witty sense of humor. They are usually trendy, loving to take part in the latest fad. Trends offer them endless change, and a Gem is usually bored with one fad by the time the next rolls along.

Definitely not a fashionista, if this is what this description implies. I personally think it's a luxury I can't afford but I might be if I can. I do believe I have a witty sense of humor. Does sarcasm count as witty? :D

Though highly intellectual, Gems aren’t known for their deep understanding of anything. Instead, a Gem usually gets to know a little about something and then becomes bored. They grasp the initial information about a subject quickly, and then move on. They become frustrated if those around them do not absorb information as fast as they do because that means they must spend longer on one subject than they would prefer.

I beg to disagree! This is not me :D I actually have the tendency to linger on a subject that interests me and not as fickle as what this description says. And I love sharing information in detail so the impatience on some people not being able to grasp the idea right away is also not true.

Though Gems are usually seen as upbeat, they do have an "evil-twin". Though only revealed to those closest to them, Gems can be moody and discouraged. They often become sarcastic when upset.

Ahehehehehehe... no comment.


Well, I was surprised to find out that almost everything it said was true, at least in my own opinion, and I do believe that no one can know more about you than yourself, aside from God of course. This may serve as a guide for the things that one already know, and I find it amusing to see how they were able to point some traits that I don't notice before, but again, horoscopes don't define an individual. You are what you think you are :).

How about you? Does your sign exactly points and describes what your traits are?

Bare Naturals Order #2

Just did my second time purchase with Bare Naturals. Yay! BTW, I have already received my initial orders and have actually already started using some of them but I haven't had the chance to blog about it yet because I've got piled up to dos--because I'm a big time procrastinor! Gotta change that attitude or it will drag me down. Hays.

This time, I decided to get their much raved Softest Focus Flat Top Brush which is currently selling at Php419.

Image from http://barenaturals.multiply.com

I've been reading it's a dupe of a kabuki brush from some well known brand. I don't have much idea about that though because this is going to be my first make up brush ever. I've bought a cheaper set from Watsons, I think it's Ever Bilena brand but I didn't get the chance to use them because they've gone missing when I finally found a need for them. I also decided to get this brush because I don't have anything to use for my Illumiglow Setting Powder from my previous order. In fact I still haven't used it until now since when I got it last February 10.

Then to save for shipping and since I was not able to get my order Face Perfector pimple concealer last time, I decided to include a sample size of their recommended alternative, the Ultimate Concealer. Their description on their website made me get this:

Our ultimate Concealer has aded pure PEARL, known to improve the skin and help prevent pimples.

Due to the strengh of pure pigments you only need a very small amount for coverage.

Their Ultimate Concealer is more expensive than the Face Perfector and is in powder form. Face Perfector sells at php138 for a 2.5g balm pot from their Multiply site or php158 in a 4gms stick. But unfortunately the lighter shade is no longer available. The darker shade is still available though. The Ultimate Concealer on the other hand costs php135 for a 1g sample size. The next size is 2.5g pot for Php215. I want to try it out first so I got the 1g pot for a start, to see if this is would go well with my skin.

As for the products I initially got, I am going to make separate reviews for each (hopefully). I got so inspired with other product reviewer bloggers and I get a lot of help from them so i might as well join them and help others too. Until then :).

Now who already got all these stuffs that I'm getting from Bare Naturals? Would appreciate if you can share your experiences too. ^_^. God bless!

I Have A Time Machine & It's Called BED

"I have a time machine and it's called bed. When I sleep there, I wake up in the future. So... any girl wanna travel with me?"

I got this SMS from a kid--who will not be named for the protection of his identity because he's a regular of our kids' Sunday school/cell group at church--that I found funny and disturbing at the same time that that kind of message came from him, even if it's intended to be a joke. What more disturbs me is the fact that he's a church kid! I can just wonder if he actually knows what the message means.

Attitude Towards Work: It's A Sin To Be Lazy

This has been one of my devotions way back December 29, 2010. I decided to republish it to remind me of what should be my attitude towards anything I should do.

Passage: Proverbs 6:6-19

The passage starts by encouraging us to look at one of God's most wonderful creation, the ant. We almost always forget it's existence, until we get bitten by it. :) The ant, despite it's being a little creature, is the most responsible of all. The ant needs no boss to give it orders, motivational speeches, or a cracking whip to keep it working. No inspector to inspect their work, no need for anyone to hold them accountable. Ants are self motivated, self initiators. They work hard and diligently without anyone looking over their shoulders, applying pressure, or giving bonus or incentives. The ants also have a vision of what needs to be done (v.8 "yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest"), and they make preparations to meet that need. They know that everything they do contributes to their own well being, as well as everyone else in the community. They are able to maintain their focus and concentrate on the job at hand, not allowing distractions to lead them astray. They also work as a team. Each ant does his part, carrying his part of the load and doing his assigned role with dependability.

Well, ants indeed are responsible beings. Having read the passage made me think why I still get lazy. Well, compared to the ant, we have bigger brains, right? Yet they seem to think more responsibly than humans. I think it's because they don't get easily distracted by other things. Unlike humans, we have several things that gets us hooked up, like vices and some overdone recreations. We so much enjoy spending our time on things like watching TV, going to the mall, spending too much time in front of the computer, talking on the phone, texting, etc... things that don't really contribute much on our living. I mean, yeah we sometimes need a break, but it doesn't mean we have to be on break all the time. We have work to do!

I used to think being lazy is not such a big deal.. not a sin. Not until I read this topic. We might think we're not doing anything wrong with doing nothing at all, but actually, doing nothing is also equal to doing wrong! And this statement is supported by some Bible passages to.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 (New Living Translation)
Our orders--backed up by the Master, Jesus--are to refuse to have anything to do with those among you who are lazy and refuse to work the way we taught you. Don't permit them to freeload on the rest. We showed you how to pull your weight when we were with you, so get on with it. We didn't sit around on our hands expecting others to take care of us. In fact, we worked our fingers to the bone, up half the night moonlighting so you wouldn't be burdened with taking care of us. And it wasn't because we didn't have a right to your support; we did. We simply wanted to provide an example of diligence, hoping it would prove contagious. Don't you remember the rule we had when we lived with you? "If you don't work, you don't eat." And now we're getting reports that a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings are taking advantage of you. This must not be tolerated. We command them to get to work immediately--no excuses, no arguments--and earn their own keep.

See how the issue on being idle was addressed during that time! Everyone should earn their own keep. It's commanded. Ordered. Being lazy is not tolerated in the Bible either.

Though the passage in 2 Thessalonians talks about making a living, it also applies in our day to day lives. We sometimes plainly idle our times away. We might have accomplished so many things if we have spent our time accordingly. God wants us to be productive, to bear fruit.

I remember reading one chapter in J. Harris's book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" that talks about the same thing. He said there his mom uses the phrase "hustle while you wait" to express the same idea. If she sees any of them picking at food while she cooks dinner, she'll snap, like a football coach to his players "Don't just stand up there! Hustle while you wait!" That means set the table, put away the groceries, or load the dishwasher; be productive during a lull in the action.

Why is God being empathetic on spending our time wisely? Because He knows what's good for us, and He always want the best for us. Just like our parents, God doesn't want us doing away our time on things that doesn't contribute to our growth and maturity. He doesn't want us to become spoiled brats, but rather a capable individual. Being able to spend our time wisely contributes greatly to our maturity because it develops our being as a responsible individual, making the most of our time.

Also, God knows that being lazy will lead us only to destruction. Not only being idle, but also the bad habits that we have. If we continue on idling away, poverty will come with certainty and seeming suddenness because we're not alert or prepared.

How are we to spend our time then? God tells us in Colossians 3:17 and Colossians 3:23-24 how we could spend our time wisely, and pleasing for our Lord.

Colossians 3:17 (NIV)

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Always remember, in everything we do, it is the Lord we are serving. So do away with our bad habits and get ourselves to work! Work for the good.. for the best. Afterall, everything is also for our own good. And if we have done our tasks, we will all receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. :) Remember, everything will pay off. God bless you all.

Ignorant Much?

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Bare Naturals Order #1 Arrival

So I now got my first order with Bare Naturals! Yey!

This how it arrived

my orders: the Emu Oil Plus, Skin Perfecting Primer, & Illumiglow Setting Powder with the freebies

free samples of the Obuasi soap, Kabuki Fairness, and Dollface Cheenee blush

Of course I got very excited when I received them, I wanted to try the Emu Oil Plus right away because I currently have a cystic pimple which is the reason why I ordered this product. It had a lot of raves on how effective it is at drying pimples so I told myself I should give it a try and today's the perfect time to try it. But since I haven't taken a bath yet and my face is not yet clean and I will be taking a bath in a few minutes, I decided to use it later.

So there. Overall, my first time ordering with Bare Naturals is good. I can't say it's a great experience because of the delays, but given it a good because I didn't mind and it was compensated by how nice they dealt with me. I am actually planning to order from them again.

To check out how everything went during the my first time order experience, click here.

First Time Order Experience with Bare Naturals

I just placed an order with Bare Naturals since I've been hearing raves about some of their products. They offer a line of skin care and make up that caters to most Filipina's needs. It's gawang Pinoy!

I spent about Php903 for my loot and I'm excited to get all of them!

Here's my purchase history...

February 6: I texted them to inquire about the Emu Oil Plus which is their anti-pimple emu oil 'cause I'm prone to breakouts and I've read this is effective to most. This is Php428 for a 30ml bottle. Quite expensive but that's how much emu oils are. And I've heard some raves about it and since I'm a sucker for anything anti-pimple, I was sold. They responded within the day (not immediately because they're probably busy). I inquired of the availability and verified how much would it cost me with shipping fees. They told me it's in stock and that I would add Php50 for shipping anything less than 500gms. I also inquired if Face Perfector Concealer in Bisque Camouflage is available and they told me that everything is available. Also asked if they're accepting BPI deposits because that's the most convenient for me (transfer to anyone through BPI Mobile) and they said yes and provided their account number. Having answered my questions, I decided to place an order but was not able to do it this day because I was still checking all of their products for anything that I might want so I'll pay only one shipping.

February 7: I got ready to place my order. I did it through their Multiply site's order form and had the option to state what kind of samples I'd like to get with my purchase, but this is still subject to assessment. I still found it generous of them to offer samples. After I placed my order, I texted them right away and waited for their response. Irine texted me and asked for my name and told me that they will check it later. We had this text exchange before lunch. It was already afternoon but I haven't heard anything from them so I texted them again. twice I think. The day finished without getting any text from them after that.

February 8: I made a follow up of my order after lunch. They texted back asking for my name again and told me to always include the complete name when texting. Makes sense because they're probably getting a lot of inquiries and they just can't save all of those numbers. I asked what's the status of my order so I can already settle the payment. Turns out they responded to my order by email but the message landed in the Spam folder. They responded yesterday. So I immediately made the payment and sent them the confirmation by email. They told me the cutoff for payment for items to be shipped next day is until 6pm. I paid like about 4pm so I'm still within the cutoff. They said if my items get picked up by the courier tomorrow, I will get it Friday or Saturday. Well I just live in Sucat, Parañaque which is not far away from their office at Muntinlupa so it shouldn't take that long.

February 9: They told me that the Face Perfector Concealer in Bisque Camouflage is already out of stock. They said that it's going to be discontinued (got sad upon hearing this) and will be relaunched in 3 colors in 1? I got kind of confused about it but I guess I will just wait for that to come out. I wanted to get this because the product description says it's a pimple blemish stick that heals and covers dark under eyes, acne, and acne scars, and it comes in a handy twist tube, and is quite affordable for only Php158, 4gms. I was really looking forward to getting this so just imagine my disappointment. Besides, I was initially told it's available. The other color available is too dark for me.

So they offered me to get their powder concealer, the Ultimate Concealer in Linen for Php215 but thinking about it, I was actually more after the fact that the earlier was a blemish stick, and I consider the concealing feature a plus. I don't really need a concealer, and I find it tedious to apply one. So I said I will just find a similar product. I then looked for a different product with the same price but I only found the TNT Lip Tint and the Natural Pink Lip & Nipple Solid Gel and I don't need these too. I still have another product that I wanted to buy, which is the Illumiglow Setting Powder in Invisiglow which is Php200 for a 10g pot, so I just decided to get that and pay the balance since it is more expensive than the Perfector Concealer.

I didn't know if it was Ms. Lami the owner, or her staff Irine who I'm texting with but to my surprise, they told me to just pay the Php42 difference on my next purchase. Sweet! I know that's just quite a small amount but I didn't really expect they would have that much confidence that I'd be buying with them again, and that they trusted me for it. It was really such a nice gesture. Well they have probably sensed that there's still something that I wanted to get but I thought it's already too late for me to add it, but then...

At the last minute, I decided to get their Skin Perfecting Primer. I remember I had long been looking for a primer to try because I read it's good to use a primer for your makeup to last long and I don't really like frequent touch ups, in short I want my makeup as low maintenance as possible. Since I've hearing a lot of good feedback about this primer, I decided to add this in my order. I told them by text but thinking they may have already shipped my order, I decided to make a call for a quicker check. They told me it's already packed and ready for pickup but I still asked if I can still add it to save shipping and that I can pay immediately. They accommodated my request so I paid the difference together with my balance for the Illumiglow powder. That's Php225 for a 10ml pump bottle of primer plus Php42 balance. That's Php267 additional.

So that's how my order transaction with them went. Now I'm in wait mode for my orders to arrive. I have ready some negative feedback about them having some of the items wrong, so I'm hoping my order would be okay until it's arrival here.

Until next post. God bless!