Spotlight | Althea Petal Velvet Powder.

When my second Althea Angels box arrived at my doorstep a few weeks back, I was thrilled to discover not one, not two, but all three Petal Velvet Powders included in my parcel. I've read/heard tons of positive feedback about them and the curious cat in me have been wanting to give these powders a try. Thanks to our friends from Althea, I finally got to feed my curiosity. Yay!

Althea Petal Velvet Powders.

As its name suggests, the Petal Velvet Powder is a loose powder that helps minimize the appearance of pores and fine lines for a flawless, 'petal-like' complexion. It's made with micro particles that blur skin imperfections and keep shine at bay, and contains Althea seed extracts that moisturize the skin and protect it against damaging free radicals. It also contains polyphenols to protect the skin from harmful UV rays, and saponarin that repairs damaged cells and restores skin elasticity.

Althea Petal Velvet Powders in all three variants.

I love its simple, minimalist packaging. The product comes in a tiny frosted jar with a pastel-colored cap. There's a sifter inside the jar, and a tiny white puff for you to apply the powder with. Of course, you can also use a brush for application, but I prefer patting the powder on my face using the marshmallow-soft puff that comes with it.

Soft and fluffy!

As for the powder itself, it's finely-milled and silky smooth to touch. It's lightweight and easy to apply, and melts naturally on the skin, making your face a soft, smooth, and flawless canvas. Plus points for its mild and delicate floral scent, which lingers on the skin for a wee bit after application.

That's the sifter right there.

The Althea Petal Velvet Powder comes in three variants - Translucent, which makes a great setting powder and is suitable for all skin tones; Warm Beige, which gives the skin a bit more coverage; and Pink Lavender which livens up dull complexions. I love all three shades as they all work nicely on my skin, but I tend to reach for the latter more often because of its brightening effect.

Warm Beige on top, Pink Lavender on the left,
and Translucent on the right.

Now as far as wear time is concerned, these powders can keep the oil at bay for four to five hours. On colder days (like today), this powder can stay put for eight hours straight without caking or patching.

From L-R (under indoor lighting): Translucent, Warm Beige, Pink Lavender.

From L-R (under natural light): Translucent, Warm Beige, Pink Lavender.

The Althea Petal Velvet Powder retails for Php 210 (around $4) each - very affordable, yes - and is exclusively available at the Althea website. If you're new to Althea, you can enjoy a 20% discount on your first order using my referral code. You're welcome. :)

Used the Althea Petal Velvet Powder in Pink Lavender to set my makeup.

How to Control the Collection of Pests in Your Home.

Children love to collect things as a hobby and it's a fun thing to do. It might be just rocks, seashells, or stickers, but it gives them so much satisfaction. The good part is that they learn certain skills through their collection such as personal responsibility, organization, social skills, and reading skills among others.

The downside to engaging in this activity is that they are susceptible to collecting pests that can be quite hazardous. When they do this, collecting ceases to be fun and becomes a dangerous affair, and you naturally begin to worry. However, you do not need to worry as Moxie Pest Control companies can sort it out.

Pests can destroy the peace of the family by causing diseases and allergens. They can contribute to frequent visits to the hospital and spending of millions of dollars in healthcare and pest management. So as a parent what can you do to get rid of bugs in your home?

Here are a few tips:

Prime Minister and I, 2013.

1. Secure the perimeter
Get to know what pests get attracted to and prevent them from entering the home. A garbage can left open can easily attract rodents, flies, and ants. Ensure that the garbage can is closed or is emptied regularly.

Decaying leaves have the potential to attract ants and millipedes. Stagnant water around the home can be a breeding area for mosquitoes and termites. You can ensure that you dispose of any sitting water to avoid the stress that comes with having mosquitoes in the home. In addition to this, you can also cut long grass within the vicinity of your house.

Always ensure that you seal off any cracks in the walls or floors. You can do this by using steel wool or caulk. You can also do a regular checkup in your attic to keep away pests that are likely to hide there, such as rats.

Legend of the Blue Sea, 2016.

2. Watch where you go
It is essential to be careful who you visit or the places that you go. Pests can always invade your home, even if you take precautions to keep them out. They can easily get into your home in different ways.

For example, you visit a store that has a problem with cockroaches. You could carry an insect in your bag back home. You might carry bedbugs from a hotel stay or even buy furniture that has termites and pests from a yard sale. Chances of getting pests in your home are very high. You could ask the children to check their clothing or collections to ensure that they do not carry these insects into the house.

Take precautions when you come back from a visit away from home. You could shower and do an examination to get rid of ticks. Simple procedures can help you to get rid of pests, such as laying traps for them and vacuuming the house. However, you must know what these procedures entail. Speak to a professional, such as Moxie Pest Control, who will be better placed to answer a question and advice accordingly.

The Greatest Love, 2011.

3. Keep your kitchen clean
Store food in tight containers to prevent pests from contaminating it. Avoid spills that can attract pests, such as flies.

Before embarking on using pesticides, you could try keeping pests away using chemical-free ways. Here are a few suggestions to help you out:

•To get rid of ants, sprinkle an unbroken trail of black pepper or Cayenne across their path.

•Keep cockroaches away by keeping the ends of cucumber in the cupboards. You could also use repellants, such as dried pyrethrum and vanilla beads. One other quick way to kill them is to use a heat gun that burns their wings and flushes them from their hiding areas.

•Steel wool can work for a mouse. What you do with it is to seal any crack on the wall or floor using steel wool, as a mouse cannot chew through it.

•Bedbugs can be bothersome as they tend to be tough to get rid of. Always inspect your home for a black stain that they tend to leave behind. They are attracted to body odors and can easily hide in piles of clothes waiting to be washed. You can air your beddings and change them regularly to prevent them from breeding.

You can enlist the help of a professional, as an end result, to help you control pests in your home. They tend to be more knowledgeable on how to return sanity in your home through pest control management.

Spotlight | Peripera Pure Blushed Velvet Cheek.

Although it was not my intent to buy a new blush during the Lazada 11.11 Sale, my current obsession with cheek color was just way too strong that I found myself adding the Peripera Pure Blushed Velvet Cheek to my shopping cart before the stroke of midnight.

Peripera Pure Blushed Velvet Cheek in Emotional Dry Lilac (top),
 Cozy Creamy Rose (middle), and Appealing Dry Coral (bottom).

Inspired by beautiful autumn petals, this new set of blushers was launched a few weeks back as part of the Peripera 2018 Fall Collection, which the brand fondly calls as their 'Pink Moment' line. The colors were gorgeous in photos, and even more so in actual.

My very own Peripera Pure Blushed Velvet Cheek, delivered four days after the Lazada 11.11 Sale.

I got shade number 8 aka Appealing Dry Coral, a muted burnt orange that's suitable for all skin tones and befitting of the current makeup trend. Apparently, orange blush is the 'in' thing this season, and the shade that I got blends right in. (Pun intended, lol.)

Shade name, batch number, and expiration date printed at the bottom of the pan.

I fell in love with this blush the moment I saw it on the Peripera website, and I loved it even more when I finally got to try the product. This blush has a soft, creamy texture that glides onto skin like velvet. Its texture is quite similar to the Airy Ink Velvet lip stains which is creamy to touch but feels light as air when applied on the skin.

A closer look at the Peripera Pure Blushed Cheek Velvet in Appealing Dry Coral. 

I like how this blush doesn't streak nor look patchy even when worn on top of powder, and it doesn't enhance fine lines and pores the way other cream blushers do. Peripera recommends that you tap the blush on the skin to get that translucent, dewy flush, but if you want a matte finish, you can just rub it on your cheeks or apply it with a sponge.

Swatches under indoor lighting.

Swatches under natural light.

I also love how the blush melts into the skin to give your cheeks a natural, healthy-looking flush, with the color staying put for six to eight hours at the most. This shade is highly pigmented, as you can see, so you only need a swipe or two from the pan to give your cheeks a lovely pop of colour.

Morgan, me, and my orange cheeks. :)

And for ethereal, sun-kissed vibes, you can top it off with shimmery highlight!

Products Used:
FACE: Clio Kill Protection Matte Sun Base,
Nature Republic Botanical Stick Concealer,
Holika Holika x Peko Hard Cover Glow Cushion,
Althea Petal Velvet Powder in #23 Warm Beige.
EYES: Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown,
Clio Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner,
Holika Holika Wonder Drawing Skinny Eyeliner in 03 Walnut Brown,
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara.
CHEEKS: Peripera Pure Blushed Velvet Cheek in #8 Appealing Dry Coral.
Sleek Makeup Highlighter (Solstice Palette) in Equinox.
LIPS: Beyond Alice in Glow Oil Tint in 04 Burgundy.

The Peripera Pure Blushed Velvet Cheek retails for Php 450, but I was able to purchase mine at Php 100 off. My only regret is that I did not buy the other two shades while they were on sale, huhu. Had I known these blushers would be so amazing, I would have bought all three in one go. Thankfully, there's a 12.12 Sale coming up - you know what I'm adding to my cart this time! :)

Pucker Up! | Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick.

When Lazada broke the news of their massive 11.11 Sale and the huge discounts that they'll be offering site-wide, the first brand that crossed my mind was Maybelline. You see, I fell in love with the Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick after my friend gave me one, and I've been meaning to buy another shade or two because this is one of those beauty products that you just have to have more than one of.

I ended up buying three new Super Stay Matte Inks from the Lazada 11.11 Sale (among other things) - they're the three tubes from the bottom, while the topmost tube is the one given to me by my friend.

Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink.

Now if you're keeping tabs with beauty trends, then you've probably heard of the hype surrounding the Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick. Maybelline launched this lipstick line around this time last year, and they became an instant hit with lipstick lovers and makeup junkies.

From top to bottom: #65 Seductress, #115 Founder, #130 Self-Starter, #15 Lover.

And why not? These babies claim to be long-wearing for up to 16 hours, and yes, they do just that. This line also has a wide selection of super saturated shades, each with a flawless matte finish. The price point makes it a steal, too. They're priced at Php 299 each, but during the Lazada 11.11 Sale, they were sold for just Php 199 a pop. How awesome is that?!

The Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick line has 34 shades in total - 10 from the original collection, 10 from the Un-Nudes Collection, and 14 from the recently-launched City Edition. Here are the shades that I have, up close. 

#65 Seductress.

#115 Founder.

Take note that these lipsticks come with a unique, arrow-shaped applicator. The pointed tip allows you to create precise lines and reach for the corners of your lips with ease.

#130 Self-starter.

#15 Lover.

Here's how they look like when swatched. Consistency is a bit thick, yes, and they do take awhile to dry. But once it does, you get intense color with a true matte finish. The color doesn't budge either - it stays on for almost an entire day (like from 8 am until my usual 10pm bedtime) and will get you through lunch and coffee breaks with very little to no touch-ups.

Indoor lighting, from L-R: Lover, Self-Starter, Founder, Seductress.

As for me, I really don't mind the occasional touch-up, because I absolutely love the scent of this product. You'll get a whiff of that yummy vanilla scent as soon as you twist the cap open, and you know that I'm crazy for anything that has a hint of vanilla to it.

Natural light (from L-R): Lover, Self-Starter, Founder, Seductress.

Finally, here's how they look like when worn. Please excuse the visible lines on my lips as I was not able to exfoliate prior to application.

Lover.

Lover is a dusty rose that suits almost all skin tones. No wonder it's a crowd-favorite - and my personal favorite, too!

Self-starter.

Self-starter is a terracotta shade with orange undertones. I'm not a huge fan of orange-y lips, but this shade is making me see orange in a different light!

Seductress.

Seductress is a dusty beige with peachy undertones. It's a versatile MLBB shade that looks quite similar to Maine Mendoza's @mainedcm MAC lipstick.

Founder.

And then there's Founder, a gorgeous shade of raspberry and the color that I'd probably be wearing more often these days. I almost always gear towards plummy and mauve-y shades whenever the colder months kick in, and this shade is just perfect for the season.

With my nephew Morgan,
and with Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick
in #65 Seductress on my lips.

Now you're probably wondering how do I remove this long-wearing, transfer-proof lipstick from my lips. I use the Bare Necessity Cleansing Balm from Human Heart Nature, which is tough on waterproof makeup yet gentle on the skin. And like any other matte lipstick, the Super Stay Matte Inks have a tendency to zap the moisture out of your lips when you wear them on a daily basis. I suggest you invest in a good lip scrub and exfoliate once a week (twice at the most) to keep your lips soft, smooth, and matte lipstick-ready.

Products used:
FACE: Clio Kill Protection Matte Sun Base,
Nature Republic Botanical Stick Concealer,
Holika Holika x Peko Hard Cover Glow Cushion,
Althea Petal Velvet Powder in #23 Warm Beige.
EYES: Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown,
Clio Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner,
Holika Holika Wonder Drawing Skinny Eyeliner in 03 Walnut Brown,
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara.
CHEEKS: Peripera Pure Blushed Velvet Cheek in #8 Appealing Dry Coral.
Sleek Makeup Highlighter (Solstice Palette) in Equinox.
LIPS: Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in #15 Lover.

Have you tried the Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick before? Which shades are your favorites?

Sneak Peek | Tony Moly x Moschino Collection.

Beauty meets fashion in this exciting collaboration between Korean beauty brand Tony Moly and Italian fashion house Moschino!

And I say exciting because Tony Moly is a brand known (or should I say infamous) for its simple, no-fuss, at times 'ho-hum' packaging, and this team-up with Moschino and Jeremy Scott's fun, whimsical, at times eccentric fashion designs might just be the 'facelift' that Tony Moly needs. It's also worth mentioning that Jeremy Scott, the creative director of Moschino, was an early proponent of collaboration culture who loves mixing high fashion with street wear, and pop culture motifs with clothing.

Tony Moly x Moschino Collection.

I'll let the pictures do the talking. 

View the entire collection after the jump!

Spotlight | Sekaya Botanic Infusion.

I was once a heavy coffee drinker who would consume no less than two (tall) cups of coffee a day. It wasn't until last year, when I was diagnosed with pre-hypertension, that I had to minimize my coffee intake as per my doctor's orders.

Well, my doctor actually wanted me to stop drinking coffee altogether if possible, but that would be shooting for the moon (especially now that it's sticker season at Starbucks, lol). And so I made a compromise with my doctor that instead of having coffee for my night cap, I'll just drink tea instead. This trade-off introduced me to a variety of tea brands in the market and a plethora of tea flavors.

My latest tea discovery is this new tea brand which goes by the name of Sekaya. It's actually an acronym for 'Sentro ng Katutubong Yaman', an affiliate of the country's leading medical and pharmaceutical company, Unilab. Sekaya's goal is to develop natural medicinal products based on science by utilizing the country's rich diversity. And with that, an assortment of botanic infusions was born.

Blogger mail from Sekaya! :)

I had the opportunity to try one of these botanic infusions thanks our friends from Unilab. They sent me this Sekaya Christmas Gift Pack, housed in a huge, drawer-like box. Inside is a carafe with infuser and a bottle of the Sekaya Botanic Infusion Aftermeal Treat.

Unboxing the Sekaya Christmas Gift Pack!
This set sells for Php 1800.

Unlike ordinary tea bags which I have been accustomed to, Botanic Infusions come in loose form. And as you steep this mixture of leaves, flowers, roots, and barks, they absorb water and expand as they infuse. This allows the water to flow through the mixture and extract a wide range of vitamins, minerals, flavors and aromas from them. No bitter after-taste, too!

The tea bottle, infuser, metal stopper, and the carafe.

Having been used to merely dipping tea bags in hot water for so long, it was such a joy to actually infuse tea, and breath in a refreshing scent as you see the tea leaves dance in water.

The leaflet which contains usage instructions.

The Aftermeal Treat is a combination of peppermint, chamomile flowers, licorice root, and cinnamon bark. It’s fragrant, minty, and sweet, and does a handful of nice things to the digestive system like calming stomach muscles, breaking down fats, improving bile flow, and reducing acid secretions. And as its name suggests, this Botanic Infusion is truly a great way to end a meal.

Aftermeal Treat, retails at Php 400.

There are 21 other variants in the Botanic Infusion line, which offer a variety of health benefits to the body. I'm even more curious with the taste of the other variants, because this Aftermeal Treat tastes really, really good. Even my brother loved it, saying that this is the best peppermint-flavored tea that he's tried so far.

Loose leaf is love.

Ditto on that. Loose leaf is truly the best way to enjoy tea, and Sekaya Botanic Infusion takes tea time to a whole new level. 

To know more about Sekaya Botanic Infusion, visit their official website.
To purchase their products, visit the Sekaya official store on Lazada.

Sneak Peek | Missha x Line Friends On Air Collection.

Back in 2016, Korean beauty brand Missha teamed up with Line Friends (from the popular messaging app Line) and launched the Missha x Line Friends collection, which was made available to the Korean and overseas market for a limited time. This collaboration was one of my favorites for that year, and perhaps the cutest collection that Missha has ever released.

This year, the two brands joined forces once again for another wave of cuteness. Behold, the Missha x Line Friends On Air collection!

Missha x Line Friends On Air collection.

View the complete collection after the jump!

No More Rumbly in the Tumbly with Erceflora ProbiBears!

My son turns ten in a little over a week, and he's at that stage in life where he'd eat just about anything save for ampalaya (bitter gourd), okra, and liver. (I don't eat this stuff either, just so you guys know, lol.) He is quite a voracious eater despite his lanky frame, and it's his insatiable appetite that almost got us into trouble while we were vacationing in Korea last spring.

Yue had stomach flu on our final week in Seoul, which he probably got from all that eating that he (we) did during Father's Day. The next 36 hours had been very stressful for all of us, especially for Yue, who made frequent trips to the bathroom, had very little appetite, and threw up after a few spoonfuls of food. We were on the verge of bringing him to the hospital (it's like deja vu all over again), but thankfully, he got better after several doses of Loperamide and rehydrating him with water, sports drinks, and yogurt drinks.

Had I known early on about Erceflora ProbiBears, I would have packed them in my medical travel kit and brought them all the way to Korea. That way, I could have prevented Yue's nasty bout with stomach flu.

Erceflora Probi Bears.

Erceflora ProbiBears is a trans-free, gluten-free, kid-friendly food supplement that helps improve digestion. It comes in a vanilla-flavored, bear-shaped, chewable tablet, making it easy for even young kids to ingest.

Comes in a foil pack...

These cute, edible bears contain two strains of 'good bacteria' - Bifidobacterium lactis which helps boost your child's immune system and prevent gut problems, and Lactobacillus acidophilus which effectively improves your child's digestive health.

With four bears each.

Although the yogurt drinks that we know and love also contain good bacteria to aid in digestion, the amount of probiotics in them may not be not high enough to treat or prevent stomach problems such as diarrhea. And this is why the use of probiotics supplements such as the Erceflora ProbiBears is essential when the intestinal flora is out of balance. It can help regain that flora balance by fighting bad bacteria and other harmful microorganisms.

Nutritional value of Erceflora Probi Bears.

These chewable tablets are suitable for kids 3 years old and above. The recommended dose is one tablet a day, but the bears taste so good that your kids might ask for more, lol. Yue says they taste like Oreo cookies, but to me they taste more like the classic Nestle White Chocolate. (I had to try it for myself, of course!)

I deformed my bear, sorry! Apparently, they have to be stored in the freezer prior to consumption.

Erceflora ProbiBears are available at Mercury Drug and South Star Drug branches nationwide, and retail for Php 540 (around $10) per box of 20s - that's like Php 27 ($0.50) per bear. A bit pricey compared to a bottle of yogurt drink, but at least you're getting a chock-full of probiotics with just one dose.

Thank you, Erceflora and First Tier Brands!

Many thanks to our friends at Erceflora and First Tier Brands for sending these over! Yue's tummy has been responding positively since he started taking them. He has been pooping regularly, with no complaints of flatulence and constipation. He says he doesn't feel bloated either, even after a heavy meal - and believe me, this kid always eats a lot!

No more rumbly in the tumbly!

Popping one bear after breakfast is now part of his morning routine, and we'll make sure to bring these along whenever we travel. :)