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?