#Wonderful2014 | Looking Back and Moving Forward.

So, I have been challenged to do a blog post about the 'what ifs' and 'could have beens' from 2013. I could devote an entire day just writing about all sorts of trials and tribulations, but I'll spare you all from the drama. I don't want to spoil the festive mood of New Year's Eve. Haha!

Instead, let me share with you some nuggets of wisdom from my hero and icon - Bruce Lee. This pretty much sums up the story of my life this 2013.

I hope the past year had been good to all of you. Let's all welcome the New Year with a bang (not literally though), and look forward to an even more #Wonderful2014! Cheers! :)

Spotlight | Sutla Flawless Papaya Soap.

Several weeks ago, I received a Flawless Starter Kit from one of my favorite online shops, Pink Fortune. Included in the kit were three items - a tube of Sutla Lightening Lotion, a tub of Sutla Face & Body Bleaching Cream, and one Sutla Flawless Papaya Soap. This post will concentrate only on the latter, but rest assured that the other two items will also be featured in this blog. :)

This year saw a surge in the popularity of the Sutla Flawless Papaya Soap. They're all over Facebook and Instagram, and they're quite a hot topic on most women's/beauty forums - which made me all the more intrigued and excited to try this product. (Thank you, Pink Fortune for the opportunity! ^^)

Sutla Flawless Papaya Soap.

I did a bit of research before I actually used the soap. You see, I have really sensitive skin which makes me a bit wary when it comes to skincare products with whitening claims. Plus the fact that there's nothing much to read at the back of the box. Just a brief description of the product, some simple instructions on how to use it, and that's it. No ingredients ingredients whatsoever. (And you know how I love checking labels and reading through a product's ingredients list.)

Brief descriptions and instructions at the back of the box.

Anyhow here's what the Sutla Flawless website has to say about their 'Super Skin Whitener' soap.
Be white and flawless in just 2 weeks without any derma treatments. This natural soap does it all for you. Its combination of ingredients including papaya, moringga, bengkoang, kojic, glutathione, collagen, vitamin E, and placenta gives you a power soap that works effectively to cleanse, moisturize, whiten, soften, and tighten the skin. This soap can be used as often as you wish for faster results.

Made only with natural ingredients, this cold-processed soap contains no mercury, no hydroquinone, no animal fat, and no harmful chemicals. From what I know, Sutla Flawless Papaya Soaps are available in one size only (80 grams) and come in orange pouches that bear an odd resemblance with Jollibee's Peach Mango Pie. This soap, along with other Sutla skincare products, are manufactured by Glowcal Manufacturing Corporation - a BFAD-approved, local company that pioneered cold-processed soaps here in the Philippines.

Fits in the palm of your hand. :)

Now with regards to my experience with the soap, I've been using it for a little over two weeks and my skin feels softer and smoother than before. The soap's texture is a bit rough, so rubbing it directly on the skin is not advised. What I do is I wrap it with a small towel before rubbing it on my skin. There are no drastic changes in my complexion yet, but I've experienced a bit of micropeeling on my arms and legs. My skin didn't feel dry, and there were no allergic reactions either, which is the part that I like the most. One soap can last for about three weeks, and since my skin seems to be liking this product, I guess I'll be purchasing a few pieces of this from Pink Fortune. They sell for only Php 25 a pop, by the way. :)

What I love:

- Mild, fruity scent.

- Cute packaging.

- Made with natural ingredients.

- Softens and smoothens the skin without making it dry.

- Very affordable at Php 25only. 

What you might not like:

- Ingredients and other product details are not listed in the packaging.

Sutla Flawless Papaya Soaps are available at Pink Fortune for Php 25 each. Want the complete skin whitening regimen? Get the Sutla Starter Pack for only Php 380! :)

Foodie Goodie | Confetti Cake.

Christmas may be over and done with, but the festivities aren't because we still have the New Year (and New Year's Eve parties) to look forward to! And if you're that kind of party host who likes preparing everything from scratch - from appetizers to entrees to dessert, here's a cake recipe that's sure to ring in the New Year with a bang!

Confetti Cake

Ingredients:

Cake 

1 1-pound box angel food cake mix 

1/4 cup colored candy sprinkles 

Frosting 

2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin 

8 teaspoons cold water 

2 cups whipping cream (unwhipped) 

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Colored sprinkles 

Decorations 

2 decorative cake sprays (available at party stores) 

Wire star garland (available at party stores) 

1 sheet of shiny or metallic colored paper (for year star) 

Marker Tape

Procedure:
1. Follow the directions on the cake mix box, but just before pouring the batter into the tube pan, add the sprinkles.
2. Mix them quickly and gently with as few strokes as possible and pour the batter into the pan immediately. If you mix and pour too slowly, the colors may bleed and color the surrounding batter.
3. Make the frosting right before you plan to apply it so that it doesn't set. For best results, apply the frosting, sprinkles, and decoration no more than an hour before serving.
4. Combine the gelatin and water in a small saucepan. Let it stand until thick.
5. Set the pan over low heat, stirring constantly until the gelatin dissolves. Don't let it boil, as that would reduce the gelling power of the gelatin.
6. Remove the gelatin from the heat. While it cools a bit, combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl and whip them with an electric mixer until the mixture thickens slightly.
7. Gradually pour the liquid gelatin (don't let it set) into the whipped cream mixture and continue to beat at slow speed until blended. Then whip it at high speed until it's stiff and peaks form when you lift the beaters. 8. Frost the completely cooled cake with a generous, fluffy layer, making swirls and peaks as you go.
9. Add confetti (colored sprinkles) and the sparkly year decoration. (Tip: Apply the sprinkles to the sides of the cake by lightly tossing them against the frosting. After sticking the store-bought metallic sprays entwined with a star garland into the cake, cut a 2-inch star out of paper, write the year numerals on it, and tape it to the sprays.) 
10. Store the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

As seen on Spoonful. Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday.

Happy baking folks, and Happy New Year! :)

Wordless Wednesday #64 | Merry Christmas!

Hair Story | Tony Moly Berry Trendy Hair Color Cream in Cherry Wine.

Happy Monday, everyone! I bet you're all busy making some last-minute preparations for Christmas, which is but two days away! And before things get a little crazy here at home, let me share with you my latest hair coloring adventure.

You know I'm a big fan of Bubble Hair Coloring, right? This time around, I tried something different, from another Korean cosmetics brand. I'm talking about the Berry Trendy Hair Color Cream from Tony Moly. 

Berry Trendy Hair Color Cream.

Inside the box are the following: a tube of color cream (number 1), a bottle of liquid solution (number 2), a sachet of hair treatment, a pair of plastic gloves, and a plastic cape. Usage instructions and the list of ingredients can be found on the side panels. They're written in English on one side, and Hangul in the other.

English text, yay!

And for those who can understand Hangul, this side is for you! :)

The box also has a color chart, which can help you in choosing the perfect shade for your hair. From what I know, the Berry Trendy Hair Color Cream line has five variants and the shade I chose was 4R Cherry Wine.

Before and after.

To use, simply squeeze out the contents of the tube (number 1) into the bottle (number 2). 

Solutions 1 and 2. :)

Close the cap, and shake vigorously until the mixture becomes even.

Shake, shake, shake!

The mixture should look like this after a few minutes of shaking.

Purple-ish cream. :)

Once done, divide your hair into sections and start applying the color cream. Leave it on for 20-30 minutes. Wash it off with lukewarm water, then rinse thoroughly with shampoo. Apply the hair treatment afterwards, leave it on for at least five to ten minutes before washing it off.

Hair treatment.

Now here are the before and after shots of my hair.

From black...

To reddish brown!

What I love:

- Very affordable at Php 328 per box.

- Convenient and easy to use.

- It does a good job of lightening the color of your hair. 

- The scent! It smells like strawberries!

What you might not like:
- The hair treatment. It does moisturize and soften the hair, but my hair seems to like Etude House's Silk Scarf Hair Treatment a lot more.

Thinking of changing your hair color without having to go to the salon (because I bet most salons are jampacked by now until tomorrow evening, haha)? Why not give the Berry Trendy Hair Color Cream a try? It's easily available at Tony Moly boutiques and outlets nationwide, and they won't even cost you a fortune. Gotta be economical. Times are hard, you know. Haha. :D

The Holiday’s Best Value Offers only from Tattoo!

Gadgets are a hot commodity these days, most especially now that Christmas is upon us. Who wouldn't want to receive a new gizmo for a Christmas present? I know I do. And so whether it is a well-deserved reward for a hardworking year that was or as a special gift for a loved one, Tattoo, the country’s most reliable mobile broadband, gives you the best prepaid value tablet bundle offers of the season!

You may just be able to check a wish off your list with Tattoo’s unbeaten prepaid tablet bundles! Save as much as P2845 with these new offers that carry a great selection of affordable tablets starting at P4995 for a CloudPad 705W or a SkyWorth S73 and P6995 for a SkyWorth S82. All these new bundles now come with a FREE Tattoo Mobile WiFi that allows you to connect up to 10 devices with speeds of up to 7.2mbps!

Cloudpad 705W.

“As Tattoo’s offers evolve with the needs of our customers, we continue to create different bundles that would satisfy the desire to always be on trend. And with the surge of quality and reasonably priced tablets, we saw the opportunity to provide these latest gadgets to our subscribers through some of the best value offers available in the market today,” said Globe Vice President for Tattoo Nomadic Broadband Business Dong Ronquillo.

Tattoo also gives you more reasons to enjoy the holidays with a wonderful freebie to kick start your mobile broadband connection by texting FREE1 to 8888 for 1 free surfing hour good for a day.

Try something new this season. Step up and join the Tattoo Tablet Revolution. Know more about Tattoo’s latest deals and visit Tattoo.globe.com.ph, call 730-1010 or visit a Globe store near you.

Vinyl Wall Stickers | Wall Art Made Easy.

So you wanna prettify your living space but don't have a big budget to spare? Then wall decals are your best bet. They're easy to apply, work on almost any type of surface, and are very affordable, too.

Colorful Tree and Animals.
Photo credit: Walldecalspop

If this is going to be your first time to work with vinyl wall stickers, here are some tips to help you get the job done.

1. Keep it clean. Prior to application, make sure the wall where the decals will be placed are clean and dust-free.

2. Mark the spot. Spacing mistakes can be avoided by marking out the spot as exact as possible before sticking the decals on the wall. 

3. Pressure is the key. To make sure that the adhesive attaches to the surface properly, the decals have to be pressed firmly against the wall. Working with intricate designs can be a bit tricky, but remember - patience is a virtue! :)

4. Watch out for the bubbles! They usually occur when you're working with large wall decals so keep your eyes peeled for bubbles that may crop up.

5. Let it dry. Avoid touching or repositioning the decal once it has been attached to the wall.

Plum Blossom Tree Branch.
Photo credit: Wallstickerscool

So whether it's a nursery, the master's bedroom, or even the living room that you're thinking of redecorating, there's an array of vinyl wall art designs out there that's sure to tickle your fancy.

Foodie Goodie | Holiday Sprinkle Cake Pops.

Oh blog, I missed you! 
After my five-year-old laptop finally conked out on me, I was forced to go (back) in hiatus until I get a replacement. After several weeks of waiting and being excommunicated from the blogging world, my brand-spanking new Ideapad has found its way home and arrived at my doorstep today (thanks to my dear husband for this lovely present, and to my brother-in-law who was kind enough to bring it over, hehe)!

And now I can finally say that I am so back, and I am back with a vengeance. Well, not exactly. Just tons of blog backlog that have piled up in my two-month absence.

Anyhow, let me bring a bit of holiday cheer to my dear readers by sharing this uber cute and yummy recipe. After all, Christmas is but four days away! :)

Holiday Sprinkle Cake Pops

Ingredients:
Baked cake (your favorite box mix)
1 Can of frosting
Red and green candy sprinkles
White candy coating (2-3 bags)
Lollipop sticks
Brick of Styrofoam
Parchment lined baking sheet

Procedure:

1. Bake your cake according to the box instructions and set aside to cool completely. Prep your sprinkles by putting them into a small bowl or plate.

2. Crumble the cake finely into a bowl. Discard any hard edging of the cake that does not crumble neatly. Spoon in ½ - ¾ the can of frosting and use your hands to mix the frosting thoroughly into the cake.

3.  Using your hands, scoop out a small portion of cake and roll it into a ball and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Once all the cake is shaped, place the cookie sheet into the freezer for 15 minutes. After that time, transfer to the refrigerator.

4. Once the 15 minutes is up, pour the white candy coating into a microwave safe bowl and microwave at 50% for 40-second intervals. Stir after each 40-second interval, being careful to not over heat the candy coating. When there are only a few lumps left, stir the coating until it is melted and smooth.

5. Remove 3 or 4 cakes from the refrigerator at a time to dip. Dip the end of a lollipop stick into the coating, then insert into the bottom of the cake. Now, dip the pop into the coating, submerging the cake completely. Do not swirl the cake pop or the cake will come apart into the bowl. Let any extra coating drip back into the bowl.

6.  Before the candy coating dries, sprinkle red and green candy sprinkles all over the cake pop. Set the stick end into the Styrofoam to dry. Repeat until all the cake pops are dipped and decorated.

Happy Christmas cooking, everyone! :)
As seen on Spoonful. Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday. 

Globe cements leadership with highest industry growth in broadband business.

Sick of all the bad news that you see on TV, in the papers, and in social media? Here's a bit of good news for a change. :)

Globe Telecom, through its broadband brand Tattoo, maintained its leadership in the Philippine broadband industry with its flagship on-the-go and home broadband services after posting double-digit increases in both revenues and subscriber base as of end-September 2013.

Broadband revenues leapt 22% from P6.3 billion to P7.8 billion year-on-year, the highest in the industry, on the back of the market’s positive response to Tattoo’s wide portfolio of wireless and wired broadband products that were made more affordable and relevant to subscribers. Tattoo closed the first nine months of the year with 1.9 million broadband subscribers, up by 15% from last year’s 1.6 million, with both wired and wireless subscriber bases registering growths of 17% and 14% respectively.

“We are happy to sustain momentum of our broadband business with game-changing offers that provide fast internet connectivity, may it be mobile or at home broadband services,” said Gilbert Simpao, Head of Broadband Business at Globe. “As we’re starting to reap the benefits of our new modern network, we will remain focused on finding new ways to delight our customers and provide them with new broadband innovations.”

Robust growth in the broadband business resulted from aggressive acquisitions campaigns, attractive pricing offers and product bundles. This positive response and sustained growth was a product of the company’s continued push to expand its product portfolio and its awareness of the customers’ evolving and increasing demands for nomadic and home broadband services such as the more affordable Tattoo Prepaid 4G SuperStick at P1995 alongside Tattoo Postpaid’s more personalized and consumable plans with increased surfing speeds now up to 42 Mbps delivered by the telco’s growing and expanding Long Term Evolution (LTE) network.

The Tattoo Prepaid LTE devices were also launched with the mobile Wi-Fi variant at the forefront as it doubles as a powerbank with 3000mAh capacity. LTE Postpaid plans are also offered starting at Plan 1299 which comes with a FREE LTE dongle or, for a one-time fee of P 2000, upgrade to a mobile Wi-Fi device. 

True to its customer-focused strategy, Tattoo introduced its first rewards program called Tattoo+ Rewards, where qualified subscribers earn rewards points and freebies by subscribing, loading and using Tattoo services. Tattoo also launched the revolutionary Tablet Revolution bannering the most affordable tablet bundles where subscribers get three free devices -- Skyworth S73 tablet or a Cloudpad 705W, a Blackberry Curve 9220 and the country’s fastest broadband Wi-Fi stick which can power up to 10 devices, all starting only at Plan 1298. Other Tattoo tablet bundles are also made available with varying numbers of free browsing hours starting at Plan 598.

Tattoo Home Broadband also offered its enhanced product bundles with high-speed internet, free landline, and free unlimited landline to mobile (Globe and TM) call services. Broadband bundles were unveiled such as Plan 1099 at 1 Mbps, Plan 1299 at 2 Mbps, Plan 1599 at 3 Mbps, Plan 2299 at 5 Mbps, Plan 3999 at 10 Mbps and Plan 4999 at 15 Mbps. Meanwhile, internet-only plans that connect at 3 and 5 Mbps were made available at Plan 999 and 1999 respectively, both with unlimited internet access.

To date, over 80% of the network is already on 4G HSPA+ providing faster mobile browsing experience for customers, complementing the pilot LTE deployments in key business districts. Nearly 900 Long Term Evolution (LTE) sites in key cities and holiday destinations are now operational. At the same time, Globe continues to enhance its Service Quality with the continuing optimization and capacity upgrade of its modern network.

To know more about Tattoo’s latest products and services, visit www.tattoo.globe.com.ph.

A Very Merry Christmas with Bamboo!

Heads up, music enthusiasts! Rock icon Bamboo will take the center stage at the Music Museum on December 20th for a special benefit concert.

Dubbed as BELIEVE: Christmas @ Home with Bamboo, this concert aims to raise more than a thousand toys, which will in turn be given to the children survivors of Typhoon Yolanda. Together with Tattoo Home Broadband, this event aims to provide assistance to our 'kababayans' who have been devastated by the super typhoon, and give our young survivors something to smile about this holiday season.

Bamboo!

You can make this event a smashing success through your simple donations. There are two ways to donate:

1. Purchase a pair of toys via TICKETWORLD and get tickets to Bamboo's benefit concert.

Ticket prices* are as follows:

Balcony - Php 400/pair of toys

Orchestra Side - Php 600/pair of toys

Orchestra Center - Php 700/pair of toys

*Service charges may apply.

2. Post an Instagram video message to donate a toy.

From December 17 onwards, you can post your video messages or Christmas song covers on Instagram and dedicate them to the kids affected by #YolandaPH. Remember to tag @ChooseTattoo and use the hashtag #UnwrapHope to make your entries valid. Globe will reply to your entries once validated, and for every valid entry, a toy donation will be made by Tattoo Home on your behalf.

Mark your calendars, friends, get ready to post some creative video messages, and see you at the concert! :)

Wordless Wednesday #63 | Happy Second Anniversary!

Yay! The Rebel Sweetheart officially turned two yesterday!

Thanks for the continued support, everyone! I really, really appreciate it. :)

I'll do a celebration giveaway as soon as I get a new laptop. Or at least before this month ends. My five-year-old Christoph has been conking out incessantly the past few weeks; seems like it's time for him to retire. Haha!

Foodie Goodie | Olaf Ice Cream Dessert.

"Do you wanna build a snowman? Come on, let's go and play!" 
So goes the first two lines of the song 'Do You Wanna Build a Snowman' in the movie 'Frozen'. I took the little man to the movies yesterday, as a reward for acing all his quizzes for the past two weeks. We watched Frozen, of course, and it was really, really good. I say you go out and take your kids to see this movie over the weekend, too.

But before you head out the door, let me share with you this Frozen-inspired dessert which I found on Spoonful. It's a treat that's just too cute not to share with my readers. :)

Olaf Ice Cream Dessert

Ingredients:
White Chocolate Melts, about half a bag
Chocolate Candy Melts, at least 8 pieces
Pretzel sticks (for arms)
Orange Starbursts (1 per snowman)
Small candy eyes
Hershey's Kisses (or chocolate chips)
Edible food pens (blue and black)
Plastic squeeze bottle
Small craft/food brush (washed)
Parchment paper
Vanilla ice cream

Procedure:

1. Arrange all of your ingredients in bowls and plates for easy access.  On a flat working surface, such as a cutting board or flat plate, tape a large piece of parchment paper to the surface so it is flat and smooth and will not move while your work. If you are using chocolate kisses for the buttons, use a knife to shave down the sides.

2. Unwrap an orange Starburst and set it on the wrapper. Heat it in the microwave for 7 seconds. Take it out and allow it to cool- 15 seconds or more until it is cool enough to handle. Mold it into the shape of Olaf’s nose using your fingers. Set it aside.

3. Using a knife, splinter a few pretzel sticks to create Olaf’s hair.

4. Heat the white candy melts in a microwave safe bowl on 40% power for 25 seconds at a time until the candy is melted. Stir it and pour or spoon it into the cleaned and dried squeeze bottle.  Put the top on the bottle.

5. Squeeze out the white candy onto the parchment paper in the shape of Olaf’s head. You can use the food brush to smooth out the candy.

6. Use the edible blue and black pens to outline Olaf's eyes.

7. Squeeze out a second layer of candy over Olaf’s head, building up the candy near the top. Use the brush to smooth the candy then place 2-3 pretzel slivers for the hair and two candy eyes.

8. Squeeze out more melted candy under the eyes. Place a nose just under and between the eyes. Squeeze out more melted candy around the nose, using the brush to smooth. Allow the candy to fully dry.

9. Melt the chocolate candy melts in a small microwave safe bowl on 40% power for 45 seconds. Stir the candy until smooth. Clean and dry your food brush then use it to paint on Olaf’s mouth using the melted chocolate candy. Allow time to dry.

10. Clean and dry the food brush. Open the squeeze bottle and dip your brush into the white candy. Paint Olaf’s tooth in the top center of the mouth. Allow time to dry.

11. Scoop out two scoops of vanilla ice cream into a small bowl (stacked). Give Olaf three chocolate kiss or chocolate chip buttons and two pretzel stick arms. Peal Olaf’s head from the parchment paper and stick it on top of the ice cream. Serve immediately.

Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday. :)

Wordless Wednesday #62 | Hong Kong Holiday!

Some photos from our trip to Disneyland Hong Kong earlier this month. :)