Singapore '13 Food Photo Diary

I just got back from Singapore yesterday and I thought I'd share with you guys another Food Photo Diary from my trip! Check out my previous Food Photo Diary post when I went to Hong Kong here. 

Have you been to SIngapore? What's your favorite's Singaporean food? Mine would definitely have to be Chicken Rice, Laksa and Kaya Toast!

Benefit Rockateur Box o' Powder

Benefit Rockateur Box o' Powder HKD 290

I love this blush, I really do... So let's start off with the one thing I don't like about it - the packaging. I just think that the lace, crocodile skin and chains came all together kind of (seriously) tacky. Come on Benefit, you could've done way better than that! Packaging aside, it's been receiving lots of love for the treasure, that is the actual blush, that can be found inside the not so pretty box.

It's described as a 'provocative rose gold cheek powder' that I think suits most skin tones, particularly lighter ones. It looks quite peachy to me with a slight rose gold shimmer, giving a really pretty and healthy satin sheen to the cheeks. It's the blush I've been using for the majority of the time since I purchased it almost two months ago in Hong Kong, which I'm sure you can already tell because of the 'rock' written on the blush starting to wear off. Another thing I love about the product aside from its color is how soft and finely milled the powder is. It's definitely a lot more fine and smooth than the other Benefit Box o' Powders, to the point that if I pressed my finger on it hard enough it would sink in. 

Just like any other Box o' Powder, it contains a small mirror in the packaging and a brush. I prefer using my Real Techniques Blush Brush over the one that comes along with it, but I have found a good use for it. It's wide, thin in length and angled which I find is the perfect brush to use for highlighting the top of my cheeks.

What do you think of Rockateur?

Benefit

Website: http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/benefitcosmeticsphilippines

Forever 21 Pink French Bulldog Tweezers

Forever 21 Pink French Bulldog Tweezers PHP 105

I was in Forever 21 yesterday for the first day of the 3 Day Sale in SM Megamall to shop for some workout clothes when I spotted this. I was in a hurry with a had a handful of sports bras and a pair of leggings and I just had to sneak this one in when I saw it laying on the counter. (Those items by the counter get me every time.) It was a toss up between this Pink French Bulldog one and the Black Persian Cat one, it was a close call but I'm happy with my pick.

I've been needing a decent pair of tweezers (I always borrow my mom's) for awhile now anyway. I've always wanted ones by Tweezerman because it's supposed to be great quality but I'd always hold back because spending roughly around $20 on tweezers seem loopy to me. Yet the cheap ones just don't make the cut, I have one that came in a set and it would always slip off a strand of hair instead of plucking it.

It's obviously the pink, french bulldogs and price that got me sold, but it's actually really good quality too. I tried using them this morning on my eyebrows, which recently got threaded, and it was able to grip on to the tiny fine strands that just started growing and plucked them away with ease. It also has a slanted tip, which I prefer with tweezers. The rubberized design stuck to the tweezers aren't just there to be cute, but provides a good grip to the one tweezing.

What brand is your tweezer from?

Wildflour Cafe + Bakery (BGC) • Take II

Agua Fresca PHP 110
"Cucumber, lime, mint"

Good Morning Sunshine Smoothie PHP 240
"Strawberry, pineapple, mango, banana, yogurt, agave"

Mushroom Salad PHP 360
"Arugula, shaved apples, pistachio, parmesan"
The rest of the ingredients aside from the arugula are all pretty muted in flavor, which emphasizes the strong taste of arugula even more. It's really all about preference in taste in this case - I personally don't like arugula alone as a salad so I didn't enjoy this one as much as my mom did.

Eggs on Toast PHP 450
"Smoked salmon, poached egg, scrambled eggs, bearnaise"
This dish was surprisingly heavy because of the two way cooked eggs, despite the fluffiness of the scrambled eggs and the airy bread. The edges of the toast were dense and the slightest bit crunchy, while the middle was soft and light. It's a simple dish I'll always enjoy.

Wilfdlour Cafe + Bakery (Bonifacio Global City)

Address: Net Lima Building, 4th ave. cor. 26th street, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City

Telephone No.: 856-7600

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildflourcafebakeryFortBonifacio
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wildflourBGC

Lunchbox

Guava Iced Tea PHP 85
I'm obsessed with Hyatt's Guava Iced Tea so I figured I'd give theirs a try and see if it's any similar. It actually tastes completely different but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It's more on the sour side and its sourness is tamed by the tea infusion.

Pineapple & Mint PHP 85
Once I spot the word 'mint' on the drink list I'm sold, especially if the drink contains something sour. The combination of a citrus / sour fruit with mint is just so refreshing and delicious. Acts as a palate cleanser too!

Spinach Salad PHP 250
"With brie cheese, candied cashews & raspberry dressing"
Not to mention bacon! Not the frozen strips that we all know and love, but the liempo kind.

Mom's Meatloaf PHP 250
"With mashed potatoes / rice & garden veggies"
I know the star of this dish is the meatloaf but dang the mashed potatoes were good. Now I haven't tried meat loaf ever in my life before so I'm not one to judge, but I thought it was pretty good. According to my mom though, my grandma's is better!

Roast Chicken PHP 310
"With mashed potatoes / rice & garden veggies"
My dad ordered this but I personally wouldn't order roast chicken in any restaurant, just because I think it's boring. It was alright, the chicken was slightly dry and the garlic rice wasn't anything special.

Flourless Double Chocolate Cookie PHP 55
I'm a soft and chewy cookie lover and a brittle cookie hater, but this was an exception. It was really chocolate-y and ridiculously light, the cashews made it extra yummy too! We left no crumbs. If only I had a glass of fresh milk with me...sigh.

Calamansi Tart PHP 85
Tangy, smooth, with a kick of tartness from the calamansi - perfect to share. 

Lunchbox
Address: 424 Ortigas Ave. Ronac Art Center Building, North Greenhills, San Juan, Philippines
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/givemeyourlunchbox
Email: givemeyourlunchbox@gmail.com
Telephone No.: 477-4079

Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm

Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm HKD 165

Nothing irritates me more than chapped or peeling lips - it can get painful, it ain't cute and looks horrible underneath lipstick. I try my best to keep my lips healthy and plump by using a lip balm during the day, at night and even overnight. My pick for an overnight lip balm is the Reve de Miel Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm by Nuxe, another product I purchased in Sasa in Hong Kong.

The texture is as thick and smooth as a balm gets and a tiny amount goes a long way. It's heavy, as if it was made for cold weather conditions or for overnight use - how I prefer to use it. Concentrated with ingredients like honey, shea butter and grapefruit essence; it's a gem that nourishes, repairs, soothes and protects the lips. The morning after I apply this, I wake up with soft and supple puckers. For the day time here in rain-or-shine Manila, I go for a lip balm with a lighter consistency preferably with a tint, my favorite's Apivita's Lip Care with Black Currant. 

It comes in a compact little frosted glass pot that contains 15 g of the balm. It also smells of lemons and kind of reminds of key lime pie. The original price in Sasa retails for HKD 165 but I got lucky since it was on sale for HKD 132, which is about 733 pesos. It comes in stick form, too!

Have you tried this by Nuxe? What's your lip balm of choice for overnight?

September '13 Favorites

I just came to the realization that all the products that made the cut to my September Favorites were all bought from Hong Kong, except for my Dr. Jart BB Cream and Arajera Ear Pins. A lot of the items I bought are hyped and raved by other beauty bloggers so I had high expectations on their performance and quality - and they did not disappoint!

Let's kick things off with the items I purchased here in Manila. I've been crazy about my Arajera Ear Pins and you'll know that if you saw my post on it. I love both of them equally as much but I usually gravitate towards gold accessories on an everyday basis, so I've been getting a lot of wear from my Gold Wing Ear Pins. Next up is my Dr. Jart Water Fuse BB Cream, which was actually a repurchase and is my second tube of the glorious stuff. I used it a couple of times on my mom too and she liked it so she decided to pick one up for herself. I think I can claim that it's my favorite BB cream - guess that pretty much sums up my thoughts on it!

When it comes to cleansers, I look for something that doesn't strip off all the oils in my face but still manages to remove all the makeup and dirt. Apivita's 3 in 1 Cleansing Milk does just that plus it smells really good, too. The Origins GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturizer is a lightweight and oil free moisturizer that my oily/combination skin loves. When my skin's feeling dehydrated and dull, I slather on my Origins Drink-Up Intensive Overnight Mask, and I wake up with soft and healthy looking (and feeling) skin. I hate the way chapped lips look and feel, so I always make sure to take care of them. During the day I like to use Apivita's Lip Care with Black Currant because it has the slightest tint that sorts out my pale lips and looks natural. Nuxe's Reve de Miel is an extremely rich lip balm that I like to use overnight for super soft lips.

During the days when I'm not using my Dr. Jart BB Cream because I want more coverage, I go for my Bourjois New Healthy Mix Foundation. It gives a medium coverage but surprisingly feels really light at the same time. The only thing I've been using on my cheeks lately is Benefit's Rockateur Blush, a peach rose gold color with subtle shimmer.

And lastly, another favorite of mine has been midi rings! I know I know, I'm kinda late because I haven't seen stores in the Philippines selling them anywhere yet so I stocked up from H&M and Topshop.

What were your favorites last month?