April Glamour box - first impressions

I was looking forward the end of the month. Not only was it payday, I was also expecting my April glamour box. This time, it did not disappoint.

My first impression upon seeing and holding the box - it was definitely heavier than the previous two boxes. Does this mean that there are full sized products inside? Crossing my fingers, i opened the box and was pleasantly surprised.

It contained 2 full sized products (hollywood style lotion and pixie lip balm), a good sized sample product from Mir & Ryvi (banana soap and soap flakes), a good sized sample lip butter from Mox botanicals and 2 sample sized perfume from regatta.

What i liked about this month's box, is that I think i can really use all the products. :) So far, i have tried the Pixi lip tint/balm and liked it. It does give a natural color to my lip. Ang cute pa ng design and look. :) Wag lang sana pagkamalan ng anak ko na color it. haha. Kidding aside, i could see myself using it daily.

The banana soap, pwede kong gamin when i go out of town next week. Pwede ko rin gamitin sa "weekend home" ko. Sabi dito sa leaflet, "the soap lightens acne scars and age spots to promote natural skin elasticity and renewal." At my age, i really need skin renewal. haha.

I will be bringing the soap flakes and the lotion when i go out of town next week. Buti na lang may dumating na samples. I do not need to buy lotion and soap. :) tipid. Plus that's my chance to sample the product.

Over all, this month's box is way better than March or February (sa opinion ko lang). I would like to think that Glamourbox listened to their customers and made the box better. (Their November and December boxes were great). I just hope that the May box will even be better. Wish ko rin lang, makaorder pa ako. :)

So anyways here are the breakdown for this month's box:

1) Pixi Tinted Brillance Balm Magic Tink Tint - Happy thought's Pink. Full sized @ P735.00. Glamour box gave us a full sized product to try out. I tried this today and so far, i liked it. The color is just right for me. Cute pa ng packaging.

2) Mox Botanicals Lip Butter in Coconut Almondie. Full size (2.0 oz) @P740.00. The sample size was at 1.0 oz, so cost would be around 370. Haven't tried this yet, pero it looks promising.

3) Mir and Ryvi Banana Soap. My box had the banana soap sample. Full size (140g) @ P250.00. My sample size is around half of that so roughly around P125.00.Other boxes might have the tomato or Papaya soap. I guess they customized the box in such a way that someone who is over 35 and / or with acne problem might be getting the banana soap. I am not complaining ha. Ok na rin sa akin yung product.

4) Mir and Ryvi Soap flakes. Full sized (250g) @ P450.00 Sample size is 150g, so around P225.00. I will try out this product next week.

5) Hollywood Style Light Summer Lotion. Full size (275ml) @195.00. The box contained full sized product. I will most likely use this product next week, along with the avon sample they sent out in last month's box.

6) Regatta cologne for Men and Women (2 samples). Full size (50ml) @P395.

Overall, total cost of the products would be around P1700.00. Box subscription is around 595. So ROI would be around 2.44, Not bad na rin. I might subscribe to the May box if i get the chance na maka on line pag nag open sila ng subscription.

working mom

i know that being a working mom is no big deal. After 10 months of being just a heartbeat away from N and A, i am now assigned to my QC office. It's only been a day, and i wish that i could stay in bench for a little more time.

I wanted to be chargeable and I know there are trade offs. Sayang at late na ing dream project ko, na assign na ako sa QC. Inshallah, i will get that opportunity in three months. I keep praying that He gives me one that would be best for me and my kids. Maybe there is a reason why i need to be far from my kids. If only i have the means to be a stay at home mom, i will. I miss my kids terribly.

Eto pala ang sinasabi nilang, nag iiba na focus once you have kids. When i was single, ok lang sa akin kahit san i-assign. Now, gusto ko maaga pumasok para maaga makauwi.

Today was my first day at my new assignment and all i could think about were my kids. I miss my lunch sessions with N and the 12 and 4pm nursing sessions with A. I miss giving N his bath, and having nap time with A. I miss giving them never ending kisses.

Being a working mom is hard. You leave your kids with someone and hope that that person will love and take care of the kids as much as you would. You leave things to fate and pray that everything will be ok.

N and A, this is all for you. I love you so much.

37 degrees

That's how hot it was today. :( I think you can even cook an egg on the pavement. Hay.

The only way to escape the heat was to stay in the office the whole day (and even that wasn't enough). Buti na lang di sumakit ang ulo ko today. I guess, having enough fluid intake and eating on time worked.

Rediscovering make up and myself

Confession: the last time i used make-up was in 2010 during my wedding. :) Or siguro a month after my wedding, basta ang alam ko, 2010 ang last time gumamit ako ng make up.

Fast forward to 2013. My hubby and I were invited to a wedding of a former colleague. Syempre dapat medyo formal at pretty, so dapat mag make up. Dun ko lang na realize na wala pala akong matinong make up. Haha. The only thing i have were face power and lip gloss. So no choice ako but to buy some mascara and blush.

After that incident, sabi ko sa hubby ko, i will slowly build up my make up collection. Kaya ayun, i started to subscribe to BDJ and glamour box. I also started to buy make up.

Na realize ko na being a mom should not stop me from being kikay. Hello, i medyo stressed na nga ako dahil sa work, so dapat may stress outlet ako. Di na nga ako nakakapag shoe shopping, so dito na lang sa make up muna.

Now 2 kids later, i am rediscovering how fun it was to put on make up.

Fun because, it gives me at least 5-10 minutes of me time. Being a mom to a toddler and an 8 month old baby can be tiring. But who said that being a mom stops you from becoming yourself.

Na realize ko na being a mom should not equate to being "losyang". Hello, ang tanda ko na nga, so dapat i take care of myself more di ba? Dapat pretty pa rin for the hubby.

April BDJ box - first impressions

I was really looking forward to receiving the BDJ box for April. After 2 themed boxes for February and March, there was really a high expectation for this month's box.

Although April's box was not a themed box, it was still full of products (5 out of 9 products are full sized) that one can use to look "fresh" this summer. It contains mostly skincare products although i wish that they included a lip gloss or liptint (might be asking for much here).

I would definetly be using / trying out most of the products (face mist, lotion, moisturizer) but will be giving the nail polish and nail polish remover to my sister-in-law. The goody hair pins / products will be a gift to my sister.

Full review soon, as i am having a hard time posting via the mac app (cannot post via blogger in my mac - boooo).

Overall, the BDJ box is worth the investment (if you want to call it as such). It introduces you to products and brands that you really don't think you would like. It also is like getting a present every month. A little treat for all the hard work and stress. :)

Trying to be positive

Life happened when i was busy making plans. I had my career planned out na. Everything was according to plan… until i found myself out of a project.

I guess, things happen for a reason. Di ko pa nga alam kung ano ang reason so far. Being out of a project for so long (was only chargeable for a couple of months), medyo nakakasakit ng ego. Hello, ganun ba ako kahirap hanapan ng project? Merit based ang increase and promotion, so what will i show for this performance year? hayz…

The only silver lining that i have is that i get to spend more time with the kids plus I am nursing A for 8 months na! yahoo for me.

As my new outlet for stress (worrying about NOT having a project), i am now rediscovering make up. The last time i have put on make up was in 2010 pa ata, when i was pregnant with N. After 2 pregancies, i believe it is now time to have a little reward.

I am now in the process of restocking my make ups/ beauty loot and would really want a crash course on the how-tos of make up application. Buti na lang i have subscribed to 2 beauty sample boxes (bdj and glamour) as it has helped a lot in finding and trying out products (skin care and make up).

Next step would be to update my wardrobe. After 2 consecutive pregnancies, nothing fits anymore. I don't want to continue wearing maternity clothes, so i really want to shop for new tops (preferably cute nursing ones).

I guess, what i am really trying to do, is look the part of a Manager. Who knows, maybe i will be one sooner than i expected.

On being a mom

I was not one of those little girls who enjoyed playing "house" nor was i one of those girls who always dreamed about their wedding and prince charming. I was already 35 when i got married. Too set in my ways and having kids was the furthest in my mind. I wanted to focus on my career and also enjoy at least a few months or even a year of honeymoon with hubby before getting pregnant. But life had other plans.

I got married in September 2010. Became a mom in to N in 2011 and to A last year. In two short years, my life has been turned upside down by two adorable angels.

I now enjoy mornings. I used to wake up late on weekends, but now i get to enjoy getting up at 6am. It is now become my Me and A time. Since i exclusively nurse A, I find that early mornings are the perfect time to cuddle and spend quality time with the bunso (before kuya wakes up and gets all possessive).

Early mornings also has become my alone time - my "me time". It gave me time to collect my thoughts, go through my emails, and my daily reads.

Late afternoons and early evenings are also reserved for my kids. Since I am at work 8 hours a day, the only time i get to spend with the kids are at night. Night time baths/showers are my bonding time with N and he knows it. He doesn't want anyone to give him a bath if I am around.

My life now revolves around them. The most i could go out and spend time with friends is around 4-5 hours but I check up on my kids every so often. I did not even want to go out for the first 6 months after i gave birth to A. Dinner dates have to be over in 3 hours. Longer "gimiks" would mean that i would need to pack my pump and ice chest. When shopping for clothes, i always have to look for nursing friendly tops which means limited choices.

I now want to have a project that would keep me near them. I recently made a hard choice of not accepting work since it would mean that i would be away for 8 months.

Having kids means having to make sacrifices and make some hard choices, but hearing their laughter, seeing their faces means that it is all worth it.

UP and STFAP

Much has been said about the recent incident involving the suicide of the UP Manila Student. There is no easy answer on why a person takes his life...it might be a combination of events leading to one single event that triggers the decision. The answer is not easy as one, two, three or a + b = c. Let us leave that to the experts.

Much has been said about the STFAP. It might be flawed and tedious to accomplish but many have benefited from this socialized tuition fee. In my time, there were 9 brackets instead of 5. If memory serves me right brackets 1-4 are entitled to free tuition, fees and allowance, bracket 5 scholars pays only for school fees, while 6 to 8 have discount on their tuition fees and only bracket 9s pay the full tuition fee.

Being a beneficiary of the STFAP, i know about the long process and numerous documents that one has to accomplish and submit in order to avail of the program. Looking back, it must have been a nightmare not only to the students and parents but also the UP system to track and validate the applications. I am sure, even with today's technology, validation and tracking of all applicants and correctly assigning brackets are just as hard.

While reform of the program is needed, we must also need to asses the state U's ability to implement. Are there enough resources (personnel, budget, technology, etc)? Are there check and balances in place? How fast can it be reformed and implemented? How will it benefit the most number of qualified individuals? Have we, as alumni, done our part to give back to the University that helped shaped us to what we are now?

March BDJ box vs March Glamour box

As someone who is into metrics, I cannot help but compare the two boxes.

1) Value for Money - BDJ box with and ROI of 4.4

BDJ Box (Exclusive Loreal Products) @480/month

1. Full size shampoo - 180ml/110 php
2. Full sized conditioner - 180ml/119 php
3. Full sized UV perfect sunscreen - 30ml/545 php
4. Full sized lip tint - 6ml/595 php
5. Nail art stickers - 395 php
6. Sample size (5ml) BB cream - full size 30ml/595. Sample size should be around 99 php
7. Sample size (5ml) youth code cream - full size 30ml/1495 php. Sample size should cost around 249

Total sample box product cost: around 2112 php
ROI - 4.4

Glamourbox @595/month

1. Full size Eye of Horus eye pencil - 1.2g / 960 php
2. Sample size (5ml) Pevonia Gentle exfoliating cleanser - full size 150ml / 2,950 php. Sample size should cost around 98php
3. 2 sample size (50ml) Avon Skin So Soft Glutathione Hand and Body Lotion - full size 250ml / 350 php. 2 samples would probably cost around 140 php
4. 4 sample sachets of Heynature BB creams - full size 40g / 1,300 php. 4 samples would cost around 130 php
5. 1 sample sachet of Heynature aqua brigthening gel - full size 80g / 1,750 php. Sample size would cost around 22 php.
6. Sample size (1.5ml) YSL saharianne perfume - full size 75ml / 4,300 php. Sample size would cost around 86 php
7. Sample size (1.5ml) Ralph Lauren Pony 3 perfume - full size 100ml / 4, 300 php. Sample size would cost around 65 php

Total sample box cost: 1501 php
ROI - 2.5


2) Box Usage - BDJ box (used 4 out of 7 products on the first few days)

I recieved the BDJ box on the 4th and immediately got to sample 4 out of the 7 products (shampoo, conditioner, sun screen and liptint). I was on a lookout for a new liptint and I was pleasantly surprised to get one in this month's box. I am very happy with the liptint since i was afraid that the light pink shade will not go well with my complexion. The tint lightly covered and blended with my natural lipcolor and i ended up with a no makeup look.

The glamourbox was delivered today, and based on my initial impression, i will only use 2 to 3 of the products in the succeeding weeks. Most excited about the eye pencil as i want to try using makeup more often.

Will review the products in the succeeding post (if i have the time)

3) Service - BDJ box

Although both boxes announce their boxes are being shipped. BDJ goes the extra mile by sending out emails to each of their subscribers. Last month's box also came with a bonus and had a hand written note. Now that is what i call attention to details.

4) Beauty Events

So far, BDJ box has created events for their subscribers. The Shishedo event last February and the beauty social this month at SM MOA. I have yet to hear one from Glamourbox

The BDJ april box is sold out. Glamourbox is still set to open subscription for April.

BDJ box: http://bdjbox.com/
Glamourbox: https://glamourbox.ph/index.php

Unboxing the March Glamour box

My glamourbox subscription arrived today. Compared to the March BDJ box, this one seemed lighter and not fulled to the brim. Bracing myself for a disappointment, i gingerly opened the box...Here's what inside:

1) Full sized Eye of Horus Natural Smokey Eye Pencil (full size 1.2g/Php 960)


Image c/o Glamourbox

 2) Sample size (5ml) Pevonia Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser (full size 150ml/Php 2,950)

Image c/o pevonia.com

3) 2 sample size (50ml each) Avon Skin So Soft Glutathione Whitening Renewal hand and body lotion (Full size 250ml/Php 350)

4) 4 sample sachets HeyNature BB Creams (full size 40g/Php 1,300) and 1 sample sachet Heynature Aqua Brightening gel (full size 80g/1,750)



Images c/o Heynature.com





5) 1 sample size (1.5 ml) Yves Saint Laurent Saharienne (full size 75ml/Php 4,300) and 1 sample size (1.5ml) Ralph Lauren Big Pony 3 Perfumes (full size 100ml/Php 4,300)



Images c/o fragrantica.com





Of all the samples, i am most excited about the eye pencil. I might use it or might even give it out as a present to my sister.  I like the scent of the YSL perfume (citrusy) but might not purchase on in the near future. I will use the avon lotion when i go out of town in May, but this will not make me change the one I am currently using (st. ives).

I might or might not subscribe to next month's box (depends if i get a slot) but i do hope they will improve the contents of the next box. The November box was great but so the last three boxes were kinda disappointing.

Camay Bodywash

“A good fragrance is really a powerful cocktail of memories and emotion.”
― Jeffrey Stepakoff, The Orchard: A Novel

I love using body washes as its scent last longer than that of bar soap. My hubby loves the smell of cinnamon / vanilla and other fresh scent so i am always on a look out for these types of fragrances.

Camay is an old brand. I remember the ads in the 80s and 90s which feature models / celebrities with beautiful skin (was Kris Aquino once a camay girl?) What i remember most about the brand is its iconic pink bar and the sweet fragrance.

I really don't know when camay disappeared from the stores but the last time I used it was when my sister gave me a bottle of the body wash when she came home from the UAE. I liked the body wash since the scent lasted the whole day (i need not use a perfume). Sadly, it was not available here.

Early this year, the brand was re-launched and marketed catch the attention of the new generation who are very particular about skin care and always on the look out for a product that is value for money. It launched three scents (in bar and body wash) aimed to cater to the different set of today's women. There's Romantique Rose (Floral and Feminine), Dynamic Grapefruit (Fresh and citrusy) and Creme Vanilla (vanilla with creamy coconut)

I have tried the Creme Vanilla scent and loving it. To maximize the scent, i tend to layer fragrances (body wash, lotion) and on occasion perfume or cologne. My hubby loves the smell. I am now alternating camay with Dove and Bath and body works bodywash depending on my mood for the day. For less than 100php of a full sized bodywash, it is worth it.


official camay ad

destiny vs sky

My family and I are destiny cable subscribers for the past 8 months and so far we are quite happy with the program offering. At first I really wanted to subscribe to Sky cable (i want ANC, Cinema one and Lifestyle channel) but destiny was the only cable (provider) being offered by my building admin, so we have no choice but to subscribe to destiny. For 500/month with free installation, it was a good deal.

About a few months ago, the cable company was merged with Sky cable and i was happy thinking that it would mean destiny carrying the three shows that i want from Sky. But it was not meant to be. Only DZMM and AXN were added to the channel line up of destiny.

I checked with the admin today and it seems that as part of the merge, they are now offering /carrying Sky cable and Destiny. So the homeowners now have a choice. I asked for the program line up and package for Sky to compare it with my current cable provider. Here is my verdict:

For now, the better deal is Destiny. At 500/month, I get my son's fave channel (disney jr), TLC, discovery, bio, history, BE TV and a whole other programs. I cannot get disney jr., bio and history on sky's 400/month plan (I do get to have cinema one though). Disney jr. is part of their higher plan which i belive is 1k/month. And so, for now, i will stay with Destiny (with Disney Jr. being top priority).