Human Heart Nature Mammome Event.

Last Saturday, I had the chance to swing by the Human Heart Nature Laguna branch and witness the unveiling of the June-July magalogue (it's a magazine and catalogue all in one) plus the launching of new and exciting products from the brand.

All-new, all-organic products from Human Heart Nature.

Headlining the event was the Mammome Natural Body Wash - a paraben-free and phtalate-free body wash that cares not only for your skin, but also for your health. Illustrated in the bottle is a step-by-step procedure on how to to do a breast self-exam (hence the name 'Mammome') - a gentle reminder that can help in detecting the early signs of breast cancer. In addition, a portion of this product's proceeds will go to the Philippine Foundation for Breast Care, Inc. (Kasuso Foundation) which helps provide treatment for indigent women with breast cancer.

Mammome Natural Body Wash.

Another bath and body product introduced to us was the Vanilla Exfoliating Bar. It contains loofah exfoliants, so it's like a body scrub in soap form. The scent reminds me of their Bamboo Body Scrub, one of my all-time favorite products from Human Heart Nature.

Vanilla Exfoliating Bar.

Now I bet you didn't know Human Heart Nature has its own line of men's care products. Well, they do. :) Their men's care line is called 'Pure Strength' - with new products to boot.

There's the Black Diamond Natural Shampoo,  made with nature’s powerful deep cleansing ingredients, Bamboo Charcoal. Known in East Asia as the 'Black Diamond', it acts like a magnet to help rid the scalp of dirt and impurities that may cause dry scalp and itchiness. Then there's the Black Diamond Cleansing Bar that's charged with all-natural ingredients - including the powerful cleansing agent, Bamboo Charcoal.

Pure Strength for men.

Also launched that day was the Mineral ColorShine Lip Gloss, with three different shades to choose from. The latest addition to the Mineral Makeup Line, this lip gloss features enhanced color and spreadability, a creamier finish, and a sleek and classy leak-resistant tube.

Lip gloss love! :)

If you're following me on Instagram, then you may recall seeing these swatches. That's Summer Sunrise on the left, Candy Treat in the middle, and Sweet Heart on the right. I'll be doing a review of these lip glosses soon. :)

Swatches!

Now aside from the opportunity to get first dibs on the latest Human Heart Nature products, we were also served some tasty treats during the event. We had Pancit Wrap, which as the name implies, are spring rolls filled with pancit bihon (sauteed noodle dish). This quirky yet filling snack is a signature dish of Le Manays, a fairly new restaurant that's gaining popularity here in San Pablo City.

Pancit wrap from Le Manays.

There's the pancit inside. :)

And for dessert, we had chocolate and red velvet cupcakes with whipped cream frosting. I tried both flavors, and while both of them were yummy, I find the red velvet ones more to my liking. Oh, the calories. Haha!

Pink cupcakes! :)

Yummy cupcake + the all-new magalogue.

I'd like to thank the lovely ladies of Human Heart Nature Laguna for inviting me to the event. Until the next magalogue turnover! :)

Wordless Wednesday #84 | Cupcake!

Keep calm and have a cupcake. :)

Jewelry Processing into Raw Form.

Jewelry dealers rely heavily on companies that can refine anything that is made of precious metals and gemstones. In fact, it's not always necessary to look for beautiful jewelry when it comes to refining. Any piece of unattractive precious metal or stone can have value when it's refined and processed properly. Jewelry shops have direct partnerships with refineries that can melt gold, silver, platinum, palladium and other metals that are used for jewelry pieces.

Maleficent-inspired jewelry by HSN.

Industrial style processes are used to melt the pure composition of the pieces and then remove any impurities that do not have much value on the jewelry market. Refineries are interested in obtaining the raw form of precious metals that could be easily melted away with powerful furnaces. When the metals are liquid, they are poured into moldings and then allowed to solidify slowly in a controlled cooling process. A gold refinery plant specializes in turning bullion and jewelry into raw form of gold. Karat ratings become irrelevant when talking about pure blocks of this precious metal that has been traded for ages.

Maleficent-inspired jewelry by HSN.

Extracting gemstones from jewelry is a little bit more challenging. The crystal structures of most stones tend to change with temperature and pressure. Therefore, very careful processes are used to slowly separate precious gemstones from non precious stones and other impurities. Sometimes, the internal crystal structure of a gem might have some impurities trapped inside. It's acceptable to have some inclusions because gemstones are rated based on the type of clarity they possess.

Spotlight | Avon Over Nature Lipstick.

One of the perks of being a registered Avon dealer (yes folks, I am an Avon lady) is the privilege of purchasing up and coming Avon products before they are made available to the public. Case in point, the Over Nature Lipstick collection which will officially appear on Avon catalogs starting June 1.

Avon Over Nature lipsticks (plus the limited edition Over Nature makeup palette).

I was at the Avon office several days ago, where I had the opportunity to try the lippies and swatch the shades. Of course I didn't pass up the chance of buying a new lipstick (make that two new lipsticks) for myself.

New additions to my ever-growing lipstick collection. Haha! :)

Here's what Avon has to say about this new lipstick line:
Rich colors, luxurious moisture, and a fresh floral scent in one gorgeous package. Infused with wild orchid extract and wild rose oil for lips as soft as petal.

Extatique Hibiscus (left) and Pink Lily (right).

There are eight different shades in the Over Nature Lipstick collection, and I must say all of them were gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. Limiting my choice to just two was quite a feat, actually. I had to stop myself from putting all eight shades in my shopping basket as I'm being frugal these days. Or at least I'm trying to be, haha.

Shades N07 and N13. 

Pink Lily is a lovely shade of pink with coral undertones. Great for everyday wear, this lipstick bears a resemblance to MUA Lip Boom in OMG - one of my favorite coral lipsticks.

Pink Lily.

Extatique Hibiscus, on the other hand, is a brighter, show-stopping shade of pink reminiscent of MAC's Candy Yum Yum. One swipe and I'm sold!

Extatique Hibiscus

Now here are the swatches. This was the exact same photo I posted on my Instagram, which included the swatch of two other shades - Tender Tulip (purple with light pink undertones) and Tropical Coral (red orange).

From L-R: Extatique Hibiscus, Pink Lily, Tender Tulip, Tropical Coral.

What I love:

- Pretty packaging.

- Highly pigmented.

- Great color pay-off.

- Satin finish.

- Easy to apply.

- Moisturizes the lips.

- Has a mild, floral scent.

- Stays on for five to six hours, with a bit of eating and drinking.

- Affordable price.

What you might not like:

- None that I can think of. Seriously. :)

Pink Lily when worn.

Extatique Hibiscus when worn.

The Over Nature Lipstick will be be sold at an introductory price of Php 259 (about $6) each. That's Php 140 off from its regular price (Php 399)! You may avail them at all Avon branches nationwide, or through your friendly neighborhood Avon lady. :)

Foodie Goodie | Meiji Lucky Stick Cappuccino.

While grocery shopping earlier, I chanced upon an interesting snack item in the 'International Food' section of SM Supermarket.

Meiji Lucky Stick Cappuccino.

It's called Lucky Stick, from the Japanese brand Meiji. And I find it interesting because of - you guessed it right - the cappuccino flavor.

Cappuccino for the coffeeholic! 

Made in Indonesia under license from Meiji Japan.
Oh, and each pack is worth 220 calories. OMG, haha!

Open the foil pouch and the first thing you'll notice is the delicious waft of creamy coffee.

Single pack.

The coating has just the right sweetness - not bland, not saccharine - and tastes a lot like cappuccino, too. The flavor actually reminded me of Maxim Cafe Latte, my favorite Korean instant coffee mix.

The sticks are of the same size as the illustration on the side panel.

As for the biscuit itself, they were pretty crunchy but didn't have much flavor. But we (my son and I) like it, anyway. Haha!

Love the cappuccino coating! :)

Compared with other biscuit stick brands, Lucky Stick has about the same length as Lotte's Pepero, but pudgier and fatter than Glico's Pocky. Lucky Stick is also the cheapest among the three, as it sells for only Php 29 per box at SM Supermarket. (If I remember correctly, Pocky is around Php 35, while Pepero is around Php 45 per box.)

Battle of the biscuit sticks.

Lucky Stick comes in two other flavors - milk chocolate and strawberry. I have yet to try these flavors, haha! How about you, have you tried this snack before? :)

Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday.

iShine Talent Camp | Vote for your favorite iShiner!

i-Shine Talent Camp, a reality TV program in search of exceptionally talented preschoolers in singing, dancing, and acting, is giving viewers the unique opportunity to vote for their favorite i-Shiner. Promil Pre-School recently held workshops and auditions in Abreeza Mall in Davao, SM City in Cebu, and TriNoMa in Metro Manila. The mall events were attended by over 700 children ages 4-7 years old, along with their parents, to showcase their talents. Hosts Dimples Romana, Xian Lim, and Matteo Guidicelli were also present during the events, with the latter two performing in TriNoMa for fans and mall goers.

Hosts Matteo Guidicelli, Dimples Romana, and Xian Lim.

This year, a shortlist of 30 finalists will be revealed on the Promil Pre-school i-Shine Talent Camp’s microsite on May 24, 2014. The audience will choose 3 finalists – 1 for singing, 1 for dancing, and 1 for acting – through online voting. The 3 finalists per category with the most votes will join the 9 finalists selected by Wyeth Philippines and ABS-CBN, and complete the top 12 i-shiners.

Huge crowd at the iShine Talent Camp auditions.

Under the tutelage of high-caliber mentors, these twelve finalists will undergo a series of comprehensive workshops to nurture their talents and reach their full potential.

Watch out for the Top 30 iShiners!

To vote, viewers must log on to http://ishine.abs-cbn.com, visit the Top 30 finalists’ profile pages and click on the vote button for their favorite I-Shiner. Voting will run from May 24 to June 3, 2014. Only one vote per day is allowed.

Watch out for this exciting twist! You may be part of this year’s Grand I-shiner’s journey! Keep visiting the iShine micro-site and watch interviews and behind the scene footages throughout the season!


About Wyeth Nutrition
Wyeth Nutrition, formerly Pfizer Nutrition, is part of Nestlé S.A. Wyeth Nutrition develops premium-quality nutritional products scientifically designed to meet the needs of infants and young children, as well as pregnant and lactating mothers. As pioneers in infant nutritional science, our mission is to provide the best nutritional support for future healthy outcomes. For nearly a century, Wyeth Nutrition has leveraged clinical rigor, scientific research, world-class manufacturing and product safety standards to drive scientifically-sound solutions that offer parents confidence, help nourish children and support their healthy futures.

About Promil Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp
The pre-school years are a good time for parents to start nurturing the gifts of their children. This is the age where they start to develop and apply what they have learned in their earlier years - they are becoming more and more curious and their character and interests will begin to emerge at this age. Parents play a key role in nurturing their child’s potential, especially when it comes to giving them the encouragement they need and proper nutrition so they can pursue their interests. Per DOH-FDA-CFRR Permit No. 0166 s. 2014.

History and Advantages of Alcohol-Free Perfume.

Perfume that is all natural and alcohol and chemical-free was a prized possession in the entire Eastern world for thousands of years. Considered the most treasured material possession, nobility would offer it to their guests when they departed. This tradition continues to this day in many areas of the Eastern world. It is also used by Sufi worshipers in their meditations and dances.

These 100 percent alcohol-free perfumes are very concentrated, last a long time, and are still presented in tiny ornately decorated crystal cut bottles or small brightly jeweled decanters.

Photo credit: Fashion Magpie

Ittar is a perfume oil that is derived from natural sources and then distilled naturally. The aging period could last from one to ten years depending on results desired. The word 'ittar' or 'attar' is an Arabic word meaning 'scent' and is believed to be derived from the Persian word Atr, meaning 'fragrance'.

There is no more enticing and intoxicating scent than that of flowers such as roses, lavender, carnations, lily of the valley and others. Add to that the benefit of feeling good on the skin because perfumes without alcohol are not irritating and drying. They also last much longer because they do not evaporate.

You are sure to appreciate the difference between these hand blended perfumes and those alcohol perfumes that are mass marketed.

The NCeries Space Science Roadshow.

There's a space show happening right now at SM San Pablo, and the little man and I were there the other day to check it out.

Yue at the Space Show!

The event is actually called 'NCeries Space Science Roadshow', a mobile interactive educational event that features exhibits, interactive shows, and state-of-the-art equipment to bring space science to life.

Little man learning about meteorites.

A complete resource provider for space technology and astronomy, the NCeries is founded by former Senator Nikki Coseteng, who is now an educator and president of the Diliman Preparatory School.

Rocks from space!

He just can't get enough of the meteorite/rock display.

Astronomical binoculars.

A fragment of the Allende meteorite.

The space show features three major activities - the Space Science Exhibit, which showcases a rare collection of authentic meteorites, state-of-the-art equipment, and photographs that highlight the solar system and space explorations; a Film Showing, featuring documentaries on space science and astronomical breakthroughs; and the Space Dome, a digital mobile planetarium that stimulates a 360-degree display of celestial objects in a unique digital environment.

The Space Dome.

The Space Dome can accommodate up to 120 people inside for its 30-minute interactive show. We paid Php100 each for the tickets to the Space Dome - that's Php50 off from the original price. All the other activities in the Space Show are free of charge.

Planetarium, here we come!

In certain occasions, the Space Show also offers solar viewing and stargazing sessions using high-powered telescopes. I reckon they do this during school visits, provided that the weather is good (i.e. no rain, clear skies).

My little space explorer!

My little man, who is an aspiring aerospace engineer (that's what he wrote as his ambition in his yearbook), enjoyed the Space Show a lot - from the rocks and instruments on display, to the planetarium and the interactive show. Seeing all these made him all the more interested in rocket ships and astronauts. I won't be surprised if he asks me to take buy him a telescope one of these days. Haha!

If you're in San Pablo or living nearby, do visit the Space Show with your kids! They'll be at the SM City San Pablo Atrium until this Sunday (May 25) only!

NCeries Space Science Roadshow
Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City
(02) 215 7477