Gym Chronicles

Okay, so I've been going to the gym for exactly 1 month now. Mostly weight-training with cardio (treadmill or elliptical for warm-up and warm-down) since they say you lose more weight or tone the body with free weights.

So far I think I've lost 2 lbs.? I'm not sure coz I wasn't paying attention to the scale, LOL! But what I'm really sure of is that my jeans fit looser now at the thigh area. Yeah, I have very chunky thighs, hips and legs, unfortunately all hereditary :-(

I'm not so much after the weight loss now that I think of it. Once I turn my fat into muscle I'll probably stay the same weight or a bit heavier since muscle is heavier than fat.

I go to the gym 2-3 x a week but I do Pilates in between gym days at home with my DVD. I think that's what made my thighs more leaner. I also feel so much stronger now. I added a local product called Fit & Right which is a juice drink (in Pineapple, Apple or Four Seasons flavors) that has L-Carnitine (a fat burner) which I drink 3x a day. It makes me full enough after or before a meal that I don't crave for junk food during the day. I love my junk food (potato chips or other carbo-loaded stuff) but I am not craving for it now. I still eat the same meals but in a lesser amount bec. I do feel full.

Well, I hope this goes on. I've been splurging lately on gym stuff. I bought a couple of Dri-fit tops and Nike Dri-fit lightweight training gloves today and a few other stuff. Better put them into good use.

The White Hat Italian Frozen Yogurt

I've been reading entries from different blogs about The White Hat with good reviews and this made me real curious about it. I do like yogurt since I know how good it is for our health (and keeping the weight down while eating your dessert!).




On a trip to Mall of Asia last weekend I persuaded my DH to check it out with me. We got the regular sized cups with 2 toppings each. One had Green Tea jelly and Ube jelly (both chosen by my daughter) and the other had Sesame Mochi and Cereals with Almonds.


Green Tea jelly & Ube jelly

Sesame Mochi & Cereals with Almonds


The taste of the yogurt is similar to the flavored (or unflavored) yogurt bought in groceries-- a bit sour but not off-putting. My daughter and hubby both liked it especially the toppings chosen. I loved the Sesame Mochi the best. They all blended well with the yogurt taste.



What's good is that they have 21 choices of toppings from fresh fruit to cheesecake to chocolate. Your choice to mix and match. Plus the different sizes of cups to order. The regular sized one is enough for light eaters like us. It fills us up yet it feels light. Yeah, maybe I could do with a large one next time (or 2 regular ones to try different toppings).


My DD loving her yogurt.


I hope they branch out to nearer locations though. The Mall of Asia is a bit far from where I am located. Do give it a try next time you go to MOA.

ARTDECO eyeshadow base

After almost a year of trying to get my hands on this, I finally got one today!
Everytime I ask at the m/u counters if they have the base it's always out of stock. This thing sells out so fast that as soon as they have deliveries they fly right off the shelves.
By sheer luck I asked at the right time when they just had a delivery so here it is:


artdeco




e/s base




swatched on my finger

ARTDECO is a German cosmetics company. This e/s base is in a tiny pot, flesh-toned and has a slight citrusy scent (or is it just me?). Unfortunately they've increased their prices. I got it for Php 490 or around $10 US.
It's creamy and dries fast so you have to spread it right away. I haven't tested it on my eyes yet but I will soon. I hope this is as good or better than UDPP which works the best for me.

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FOTD for today. Took this photo when we got home, 7 hours after application:


fotd

Sweetscents Hide-A-Pore in Medium-Dark as primer
Buff'd in Buff (original formula)
Aromaleigh Pure Concealer #5 on marks on cheeks
DW Butterscotch Creme Topping
Aromaleigh Coquille Powder in Nectarine beneath eyes and on cheeks
DW Blushing Werewolf blush
Dayna's Minerals Violet Vesper Glow on top of blush
Aromaleigh lipstick in Perfect

Eyes:
SN Unblush all over lids
Lumiere Silkies in Blush on lid
MAD Cocoa on crease

Looking For My Pure Anada Match

I've been trying out my Pure Anada samples today trying to find my match. Unfortunately I couldn't get a perfect one. Also, I forgot to order Golden Harvest (Vely's shade) coz my online friends at our local forum say this is what must be mixed to Mountain Sunset to get our medium, yellow-toned shade.

Swatches of Pure Anada Foundations (please click again to see labels):



PA foundations

A series of FOTD's with different foundation shades on, all with flash:


Too brown but with the right depth.

Mountain Sunset


Too light.

Soft Wheat


A bit too olive and dark in person.

Niagara Fawn


Right depth but still a bit off-- too olive.

FF + NF


Right depth but lacks yellow. This is the closest I got to a match.

SW + MS

I forgot to take a photo of Pacific Tan on me but I only did a half face and it was too orange!

I like the feel of the foundation on the skin. They aren't cakey and I didn't itch. I applied 2 layers for all the samples with the 1st layer wet and the 2nd layer dry. I had to do the wet application bec. I didn't tone nor moisturise after washing my face for each of the samples I tried and the minerals streaked.

It's medium to heavy coverage and after melding with my skin it looks so much better. No concealer needed (and I am breaking out at the moment - hormonal problem).

The blush I tried in Apricot is very pigmented. I used only a tiny amount which was enough for both cheeks.

My face is oily now after 5 hours from application but that's bec. I didn't put anything on my face, no oil control toner, no primer. Maybe the Oil control MV isn't as effective as other FP's I love. Or maybe not since it really is very hot & humid right now that's it's just impossible to control my oilies. I'll still test this another day so we'll see.


Pure Anada FOTD:

50-50 mix of Soft Wheat and Mountain Sunset, topped w/ Lavender corrector
Translucent Oil-Control MV
Apricot Blush
Carmex lipblam


PA

My Pure Anada Samples

I just got my Pure Anada samples today. I hope I get a match coz my "skin twin" friends had a difficult time getting theirs. Mountain Sunset is too brown.

I got the 12 samples for $9 with free shipping. They even included a catalog of their products.

foundations
samples: Flaxen Field, Soft Wheat, Mountain Sunset, Pacific Tan, Niagara Fawn


blushes
samples: Apricot, Emma Rose, Blushed Bronzer, Morden's Blush


FP/correctors
Sunflower, Lavender, Oil Absorbing Translucent Primer & MV

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On a non-mmu note, I ordered a few MAC products from a friend of mine. They're from current collections and upcoming collections. I only own a handful of MAC stuff like a lipglass, a lip conditioner, brush cleaner and a paintpot (which I sold a few months ago). I just borrow the other stuff from my mom. It was purely a spur of the moment thing and something I hope I won't regret coz it's not in my budget LOL!

Anyway, I ordered:

- New View MSF Duo in Medium-Dark
- Lustre Twins in Ripe & Ready/ Soft & Lush shade
- MSF in Petticoat (coming in October?)

Aromaleigh News!!!

Aromaleigh now has international shipping!!!

This is one of my favorite brands that I need my US friends to CP for me but now I can order it myself. Woo-hoo!!!

Got my FitFlops!

I ordered this from a friend of mine in the US but it will arrive in November. While browsing our local forums, I came across a site saying we have the FitFlops available locally at selected stores here (actually only in 2 shops).

Today we went to watch Wall-E and while killing time before the movie started, we were going around the shops and I was so surprised to see FitFlops in a shoe shop not indicated in the distributors website. I hurriedly went in and tried on my size to make sure that what I ordered from my friend was the right size. There were so many colors to choose from, more than what is shown in the VS or BBW websites.

So off we went to see Wall-E (which was good) but my mind was on the shoes part of the time LOL!

Before the movie ended I decided to get a pair so right after we went to the store.



FitFlops

I got my own pair in Navy Patent. I even wore them right away. They really are comfortable. The pair that's coming for me in November I'd give to my mom coz it's a smaller size (she'll have to pay me back though bec. that's my MMU fund). Instead of going a size down I just got my own size coz the smaller size had straps that were a bit tight for my wide feet.
I'm doing the happy dance and I hope I get leaner legs and a smaller bum, ha!

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Here's a photo of a pasta dish my 3 y/o DD helped me make the other night:



Spicy Tuna Pasta

Yum-O!

Jesse's Girl

...Cosmetics, not the song LOL!

After reading lots of good reviews and seeing YouTube vids on these (esp. Christiana's enabling in her blog) I caved in. Oh, I slept on it for a few days before pressing the "buy" button.

In the US it's available in select Rite Aid stores for $4.99 a piece but it's cheaper online because of their promo of buying the set of 4 for only $17. It's ships free in the US (orders over $20) but international shipping is only $7.95.

Here's the link:

Jesse's Girl Cosmetics

I got the following:

Color My World Collection


Aqua

Volcanic

Evergreen

Earthtone

These look so much like MAC's Electroflash collection (baked mineralized shadows) and the reviews said they are really good dupes of MAC for a very cheap price and for a bigger size. All 4 of these at $17 is equal to just 1 MAC electroflash shadow. Good buy huh? The Volcanic shade can also be used as a blush and maybe Earthtone can be used to contour. We'll see when I get mine.

Bejewelled Palettes


#2

#4

There are 2 other quads in the Bejewelled set: #1 (grays, blacks) and #3 (greens, blues) but I only got these 2 bec. these are more me and I'd use these more than the other 2.

This is what the cover of the palette quads look like. Pretty isn't it?


Bejeweled-Display

I really prefer having palettes now rather than loose pigments because I'm always in a hurry when it comes to dressing up and putting on mmu. The loose pigments in jars or baggies are a real hindrance for me so I rarely put on e/s nowadays.

Since I decided to get these e/s, I passed on getting my lemming of Dreamworld's Atlantis collection samples when I ordered my FS finishing powders today. I also passed on getting the NYX trio e/s since these are cheaper. And I think I'm going to sell at least half of my mmu e/s collection (I have 200+ pigments in baggies that I rarely use). Yeah, I just might do that.

I can't wait for these to ship out. I hope I get them soon.

My 1st IPL Experience

Last Saturday I went to my derma friend for my 1st scheduled IPL. I got her package for the UA for smooth hair-free underarms forever, LOL!

Well, I thought it was the first session. Turns out it was the test session where she had to find out which frequncy would work for me. An ice pack was placed on the area (works much better than EMLA, a topical anesthetic) then the machine was positioned. Since the machine also had a cooling tip, I didn't feel a thing. She got the frequencies needed for both my underarms and I'll be returning after 2 weeks.

What surprised me was this: my friend did the IPL on my WHOLE FACE for free!!! A cold gel (it was placed in the fridge) was placed on my face first. I had to wear the protective glasses bec. of the intense light the machine emits. Even with the glasses on (I couldn't see a thing coz it was opaque) I had to close my eyes bec. I could still "see" the light. This time I felt the uncomfortable sensation on my face-- like snapping a rubberband on your skin-- but it was tolerable. All in the name of beauty.

Next time she'll use a different machine tip for my face to take care of my acne scars. I am so grateful for this and to my friend coz I know how expensive this procedure is in other legitimate derma clinics and I get it done for free. I only have to pay for my UA package but still at a very discounted price. Oh, but I get all these bec. I refer other people to her like my mom who also availed of an IPL package.

I don't really have any wrinkles on my face (thank God for good genes) and I look young for my age (I'm 35) but photorejuvenation could still make my complexion much better and prevent premature aging which is what I'm aiming for.

Any of you want an IPL done? Just pm me and I'll refer my derma to you.

Sweets (from Sweetscents)

Another package came early this week. It's from Sweetscents this time with my fullsize orders.
I got Hide-A-Pore in my custom made shade of Medium-Dark and Champagne Glo Veil. Both are in 1 oz. bags.



Champagne Glo, H-A-P

Hide-A-Pore is now my HG primer. I use a tiny amount brushed all over my face after moisturiser + SPF and before foundation. I've been using the sample I got previously for a month now and I really love it for my oily skin. At times I just use it alone without foundation.

I've tried Champagne Glow Veil yesterday. It has a kind of light pinkish-golden color but it's sheer and can add just a tiny bit of glow on the face. I was debating before on which one to order between this and the Translucent MV. The latter had good oil control on me from a previous sample and I was thinking maybe the Champagne Glo would too coz I thought they had the same ingredients and Iwanted a slight tint. I guess I was sleepy when I made this order coz when I double checked today, the 2 had entirely different ingredients! I'll order the Translucent MV next time. Now I have a huge amount of another Glo powder, LOL!

Again, as with my previous order, there were a lot of samples included (14 baggies):



samples

Included were:
Top row L-R: Medium Cool Glo, H-A-P in Medium, Honey Bisque Glo, Sunkissed Glo
Middle row, L-R: Green Tea Powder, Beach Bum, Copper Pearl, Perfection, Silver & Diamonds
Bottom row, L-R:Smoky Quartz & Diamonds, Tangerine, Innocense, Island Orchid, Teal

(I'll make swatches soon).

I also found 3 other items in the pkg: 2 fridge magnets in calling card size with the Sweetscents logo (I forgot to take a picture) and a profile card to put in your favorites:



card

Pretty cool huh?

An FOTD using H-A-P and Champgagne Glo. Sorry but my FOTDs look really boring coz I rarely use eyeshadow and to think I now have more than 200+ samples and full sizes of e/s. The weather is hot and humid (even when it's raining) and I'm always in a hurry coz I'm always the last to dress up (DD comes first). By the time I finish dressing up, hubby and DD would be waiting for me in the car that I barely have time to put on any mmu :-(

Anyway:



FOTD

Sweetscents Hide-A-Pore in Medium Dark as primer
Lauress Minimalist foundation in Pure Yellow
Sweetscents Champagne Glo Veil
Terra Firma Brite Eyes on inner corners and under eyes
MMBB Adobe blush
Lips: SN Berry Crush lipgloss



This all I usually have time for to apply. If I really need to put on e/s I have to decide the night before or very early in the morning and lay them all out to be used easily or I'd rather not use anything at all.

My Copy's Here!! (And my 1st day at the gym).

Woo-hoo!!! When I got back from the gym a large bag of books was waiting for me with my very own copy of Breaking Dawn! I am sooo excited to start reading this and would probably sleep late for a night or 2. Also attached to the bag was this cute note:



note

A couple of other books I got:



books

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Today was my first day ever in a gym. Went there right after I dropped off DD at school this morning. The trainer made a program for me which I followed. It was a complete body workout with warm-up and warm-down at the treadmill and the rest are with the machines. Yeah, I pretty much lasted the 2 hours and got home in 1 piece.

For sure my muscles are going to be sore when I get up tomorrow. I sure hope I lose my excess weight of around 10-12 lbs. so I can fit into the rest of my clothes. I needed bigger sizes for everything since I gained weight this year :-(

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I thought I could use my dri-fit shirts I bought previously for the gym but nooooo I can't. All the shirts were sleeveless and since I'll be having the laser procedure on Saturday on my underarms, I can't shave for a week. So back to regular t-shirts for me for now.

Terra Firma haul and review

My Terra Firma order arrived a week ago and here's what I got:



TF

Radiance blushes in Tender and Antoinette, Brite Eyes and Longevity Lipstain in Bloom.
Love all of these. Thanks to my friend Moosie's recommendation of the blushes and I am glad I got these 2 shades. These are so pretty on. They are not like regular blushes but more of a pigmented glow/radiance. They are like Dayna's Glows but more on the "blush" shades. They apply sheer with a tiny bit of sheen and look so natural on. Antoinette looks a bit lighter than it was in the website pics though.

The Brite Eyes isn't really a concealer but a brightener as the name says. Just apply a little bit on the inner corners of the eyes and underneath the eyes (on the eyebag area) and blend. They really brighten and make tired eyes look more awake. I apply mine after foundation.

The Longevity lipstain I got is in Bloom. This is my first time to try out a stain. This particular one applies cool on the lips and a little bit tingly for the plumping effect -- well I don't really need this effect, :-)

It applies liquidy, and since this isn't a gloss nor a lipstick, don't expect it to be creamy. It does leave a stain of color on the lips, no gloss. I need to apply a lipbalm on top or a nude gloss to give more shine. This does last a few hours on me. It's the cooling effect I love about it and I am not allergic to it (like I am with other cooling or menthol lipbalms- Burt's Bees and CO Bigelow Mentha l/b).



TF

Photo above shows me wearing No foundation, just Brite Eyes on inner corners of eye and underneath eyes, Antoinette blush and Longevity lipstain in Bloom. Hopefully, Terra Firma has another sale soon so can get more of these. I didn't try out the foundation coz I didn't want to sample and miss the sale. My friends and I pooled orders coz international shipping was $15.