Saturday Shopping: (Semi) Faux Leather Jacket

So yesterday I went to SM Megamall. My main objective was to look for a dental clinic who performs TMJ xray. But after checking the clinics in the fifth floor and after finding my search to be unsuccessful, I just went to the other floors to check the shops. I actually miss window shopping. It's been almost two months of me being stuck in my apartment every weekend so I thought I would make the most of my time in SM Mega.

Come lunch time, I met up with Shayne. We ate at a Thai restuarant called Soi. It's got to be one of my favorite restos out there. And whenever I went to Soi (they also have branches in other malls), Tom yum goong (hot and sour Thai soup with shrimp) is my go-to! I love the distinct and rich flavor and how healthy that dish is.

So after having a full and satisfied stomach, we strolled and looked inside several shops. I said to myself I would only buy a cheap shirt or blouse. Then we came in front of Guess. Shayne saw that they were on sale. I've never been to Guess. I used to pass by their shops in other malls, primarily because I felt that their clothing doesn't fit with my style or fashion preference. Their style is more on the basic with an edge of sexiness. I, however, love simple, clean, sophisticated, ladylike pieces. Another reason is the price tag. Seriously, I would not buy something beyond P3,000 especially if they are just a pair of jeans or a jacket or some basic pieces. So guess what, I got a (semi) faux leather jacket! "Semi" because it's not entirely made of faux leather. The sleeves and the back part are made of fabric.

Even if I lived in South Korea for two years, I never bought a leather jacket. Ever. So it's kind of ironic that now that I'm here in the Philippines I would be buying something like that. Well, I actually like it! I like the fit and the fact that it is not made up of leather entirely. And here's the catch - it was on sale!!! From P5,598 ($119), I got it for only P1,699 ($36).

I'd probably not use it in the time being. But I'm hoping to use it if ever I go to a country with four seasons. I could use it in autumn or spring, partner it with a scarf, shirt, pants, and boots. Or with a dress. I actually have a lot of ideas in my mind already. Haha!

Saturday Shopping

Last Saturday (Sept. 26) I went to the city to meet with my friend, Shayne (aka my travel buddy) to discuss some important matters. We headed first to the DFA office for me to confirm if my passport has been released already. And yay! The officer told me it's already in LBC (the delivery service). Whew, felt like one stress gone. Then, we strolled and check out different shops because...GIRLS! Haha!

It's really nice that SM Megamall has the Fashion Hall catering different global brands, such as Uniqlo, Topshop, H&M, Bershka, Pull & Bear, Zara, etc. Since autumn season has officially started in other parts of the world, even though it's hot and humid here as alway, I'm glad I can feel the autumn vibe just by looking at the shops' displays.

Uniqlo

Bershka

Mango

Gap

Promod

I actually want to buy everything in Promod. I love their blouses, especially the boxy types (my signature blouse). They not only look good but when you run your fingers on the fabric, you can feel that the material is of good quality. But then again, as of now, I can't afford to spend thousands of pesos just for blouses. Maybe sometime in the future or when they're on sale.

Speaking of sale, H&M got lots of discounts that time so that's where I bought some stuff. And here they are:

dress, P599 P300

blouse, P899 P500

sandals, P1190 P700

I've already worn the sandals and they are so comfortable to walk with. And I also didn't get some painful sores in my feet. Wise buy indeed! Can't wait to wear the dress and the blouse soon.

Saturday Shopping: Mango and Avalon Organics

Been stuck in my apartment for several weekends already so I decided to spend my Saturday in MOA (my favorite shopping haven in the metro). A week ago, I discovered that Mango was on sale while browsing their site. So I was really keen on checking their shop in MOA. Fortunately, the sale was still up yesterday. Hello 50% off! I probably spent a whole lot of time checking almost everything. Haha! And then, I got this - a flowy, floral printed dress. From P2,950, I got it for only P1,450. And it's in XS! Yeah, I really feel like a lucky girl because usually, on sales, the sizes are bigger than mine (but I still end up buying one, haha). The faux leather detail in the neckline adds a bit of an edge in an otherwise girly dress. I can already imagine pairing it with a black, leather jacket to give it a rocker chic vibe or a blazer and heels for the office look or just a pair of sandals for some comfy, effortless outfit.

Mango

I also went to Watsons - a shop that sells a variety of face, body, and hair care products. A stall caught my attention with the name of Avalon Organics (you can check their site here). You see, I'm not really particular of buying expensive bath products. As long as I have my Head and Shoulders shampoo and a soap, I'm good with that. But then going organic is something that I've been seeing in so many products, local and international. And this Avalon Organics, after reading the info, made me want to give it a try.

I hate to admit this but dandruff has been my problem when it comes to hair care for several years now. It's disgusting. I tried different shampoos but I find that Head and Shoulders is something that I should stick into. It doesn't really remove my dandruff one hundred percent but at least it doesn't worsen my dandruff like other shampoo does. But then again, it's also nice to try something that is natural and organic, meaning free of synthetic chemicals and solvents.

Avalon Organics' Scalp Normalizing Shampoo: Tea Tree Mint Therapy fits the bill! Please refer to the picture above for its uses. Well, look at all those ingredients (see image below), all those plant extracts and essential oils, all those natural goodness! And I've also been wanting to use something minty in my bath so this really is a must try. Super love the smell, too!

P.S. I'll be using it later and hopefully, after a month or so, I'll be able to make a review. By the way, I got the shampoo for P449 (414mL).

Saturday Shopping: Perfume, Eye Cream, & Clothes

After such a long time, I was able to go shopping again at Mall of Asia (MOA) yesterday. My plan was to buy only a perfume (because my favorite, Incanto Charms, which I bought last October was already in its last drop) and an eye cream (which I've planning to have for such a long time due to my crow's feet).  Got them both and I even scored a discount on the perfume!

Incanto Charms by Salvatore Ferragamo

Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus

But then again, I couldn't help but stroll around clothing stores. A girl's gotta do what she gotta do then. Haha! Went to Forever 21 and got these two, a dress and a blouse in the loveliest shade of red and blue. ♥

Forever 21

I never had a red dress so this is going to be my first official little red dress. Though it's really not that little because it's a bit bigger on me. It's already in the size S and the staff told me they don't have an XS. I thought this dress is perfect for ladies with curves but being the petite and "uncurvy" girl that I am, I realized, Oh, scrap that! I love it and I'm gonna buy it! The bandwagon NO TO STEREOTYPING is on!

Forever 21

I also got a long sleeve top from Mango. You know how I was craving to have a dress from Mango (from my previous post)? Well, I think this airy top would do for the moment. The blue and yellow stripes remind me of summer.

Mango

I also got a pair of sunglasses from the Department Store and a laced brassiere for the deep neckline of the red dress. Now, the usual thing I ask to myself, "Where do I wear the dress?" Geez, the first thing that really comes to mind is "On the first date". But when will that happen? Haha! Oh well, hopefully, soon. Or probably on a wedding or on a conference... Whatever! =)

Saturday Shopping: Paperdolls, Max Factor, & Veet

Since I'll be attending a seminar next week, I decided to look for an outfit yesterday at SM City Calamba. I was thinking of wearing either a shift dress or slacks+blouse but I find it difficult and time consuming looking for and fitting slacks and blouses so I opted for the shift dress instead. It's much easier to fit dresses and it's pocket-friendly also compared to buying slacks and blouse since the two are different items with two different price tags. Hehe. Anyway, here's what I've got:

Paperdolls Checkered Dress
It's my first buy from the local brand Paperdolls. I love that it's a simple black and white dress and its checkered pattern brings out the mod style of the 1960's.

I also love that it has a small collar! And the back of the dress is all black (not pictured) which in a way balances the checkered front. And guess what? The dress is on sale (P1499.75 P799)! If you don't know my shopping capabilities, I have a somewhat good radar when it comes to on-sale items that fit my shopping standards.

Max Factor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Stick
I'm not a lipstick kind of girl (since I have dry and chappy lips, lipsticks always tend to have uneven smudges on my lips) but ,of course, I still want to have a touch of color in my lips. Thankfully, lip stains+lip balm combos are out in the market nowadays. I am particularly in favor of the lip crayons/giant pens. They are easy to apply. They add color as well as moisture to your lips, thus preventing the chapped look. I've been using the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain (001 Honey Douce) for several months now and I love it. It has a rosy pink color. To add some variation, I wanted to try other shades (more natural looking on the slightly red or coral tones), which led me to try the Max Factor Colour Elixir stick in the shade of  Subtle Coral 20. I tested it and it looked and felt so natural. This is definitely going to be added in my day-to-day girly arsenal. By the way, I got it also on sale, P525 P425. Am I lucky or what? =)

Note: If you're going to use these products, after applying, you'll see that your lips are going to be somewhat shiny because of the lip balm. Just use a piece of tissue and slightly dab it on your lips to remove the shine.

Veet Hair Removal Cream
And lastly, I bought a hair removal cream (P265). I've never done shaving or waxing my legs because as what people say, once you started doing them, you have to maintain them. But the hair on my lower legs are quite obvious now, so for the first time in forever, I am going to try this hair removal cream. I bought Veet's cream for sensitive skin just to avoid some adverse effects. Hopefully, it will work out fine.

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Oh, the things that you buy as a girl! Haha!

Saturday shopping: Folio dress

Hello October! Whoa, time passes by so fast!

So yesterday, I had my me-time walking and shopping in SM City Calamba. SM Calamba is part of the chain of SM shopping malls here in the Philippines. Malls are popular places to shop because it's like a One-Stop-Shop, everything you need, it's all in one building. It's very convenient and it's fully air-conditioned (imagine shopping outside with the humid and hot weather? No, please.). SM Mall of Asia (see previous post here) is my favorite but I cannot always go to the city so the solution is: the nearest mall in my area.

image source here

Unlike SM Mall of Asia, SM Calamba is much, much smaller. But it's okay. There are still quite a lot of shops to look to.=)

I did my usual sightseeing first before buying anything. I always look first at all the stuff. Then, I saw a pretty white blouse in the mannequin. I checked the rack but the blouses are in sizes bigger than mine. It happens that there are also dresses in the same fabric. So, I tried them on. By the way, if there's one piece of advice I can give regarding buying clothes, it's that you should always fit/try on the clothes first because what looks good on a mannequin or what looks good on display doesn't mean it will also look good on you. On the other hand, what looks plain or boring on display doesn't mean it will not look good on you. The key is the right fit.

Being a girl that I am, I can either be an impulsive buyer or someone that takes her time(this can  be a long time actually) to decide whether she will buy a piece of clothing or not. I was even thinking of maybe just buying it next time but when I learned that the dress of my size is already the last stock, I decided to buy it right at that moment. Hehe! One of the biggest regrets a shopper can have is not buying the thing that she likes then going back to the shop to buy it only to find out that it's already gone.

So here's the white dress from Folio. I always go for the simple and clean-cut dresses. What I love most about this dress is the textured fabric with small floral patterns. I always wanted to have a white dress, so this one fits the bill.

Now here I am again, the dilemma - Where to wear the dress? Haha! I love buying dresses but I'm just not sure when and wear I'll be wearing them. A wedding perhaps? Geez somebody please invite me to attend a wedding. Haha! =)

Saturday Shopping Haul

Finally it's a weekend! Spent the whole Saturday strolling in a mall. It's my first time to go back to the city since I arrived here in the Philippines. A little bit worried because I'm all alone but thank God everything went well (had a safe bus ride going to the mall and back to my place, didn't encounter creepy passengers, and enjoyed checking all the stuff in different shops).

Hello MOA! We meet again! (image source here)

Top view of the 42-hectare SM property (image source here)

SM Mall of Asia or simply MOA, I have to say is my most favorite shopping haven of all the malls/department stores in the metro because of the following:

• It's area is so vast but I love the fact that it's only two floors and the orientation of the shops are not confusing. 
• The ceiling is really way up (I hate places with low ceilings, sorry SM department store in Mega).
• The hallways are very wide. This helps me choose which way I want to go to avoid the many groups of mall-goers.
• There are a lot of international and local brands to choose from. Yey!
• Every door from the main mall has a shop locator and a person with whom you can ask your inquiries.
• And lastly, it's proximity. It's the nearest mall from the bus terminal.

So now, I'll be sharing the things that I got. =)

1.Laneige Lip Treatment, SPF 17

Presenting the Tint Pink Lip Treatment. I also made a swatch.

Laneige is a South Korean skin care and cosmetics line. See previous post here. The first product that I used was the Water Bank Gel Cream back when I was still in Korea. I love it because it moisturizes my combination skin well during the winter season. Since then, I've been wanting to try other Laneige products. I was initially eyeing a lipstick but since my lips are chapped, the sales lady had me tried on the Lip Treatment. It's like a lip balm + lip tint with SPF 17. Again, I love how it moisturizes my dry lips and gives a touch of color (I chose the Tint Pink) and, of course, how it protects my lips from the sun. I also tried the red one (included in my must-buy next time) which gave a more natural color.

2. Laneige Snow BB Cream, SPF 30+ PA++

I've been using BB cream for almost two years now. I've tried lots but the one that works well on my skin is Holika Holika's Face to Change BB cream (maybe I can make a review sometime). Unfortunately, Holika Holika hasn't opened a shop yet here in the Philippines.

Nowadays, there are so many brands of BB creams in the market but I still prefer the ones from Asia (particularly South Korea). Since I was already in Laneige, I also bought their Snow BB Cream in No. 2 shade (Natural BB). The lighter shade is No. 1 (Brightening BB). It's product details include: 1) Moisture protective seal, Liquid Crystal Essence and 2) Smart and Advance BB Cream with whitening, anti-wrinkle, and UV protection. I love the latter (anti-wrinkle, etc.) but the former (moisturizing) I'm just not sure because of my combination skin (oily T-zone and normal surrounding areas) and it behaves badly especially in this hot, humid weather. Well, I have yet to see the results. Hoping it will work out fine.

Aside from the products, there's more to love when you buy in Laneige (or any other Korean brand), they give you lots of gift items (in sachet packs) to try on! Can't wait! I even requested the Water Bank Eye Gel because I am in desperate need of a weapon for my crow's feet.

3. Petit Monde Dress
Petit Monde is a Filipino clothing brand of good quality and reputation. Petit Monde started in 1988. Wow, I'm just a year older! The description in their site says,

Started in 1988, Petit Monde aimed for one thing: to provide the regular Filipino teen trendy options to dress up the way they want to - no frills, no pretenses, no pomposities. Just comfortable and stylish numbers that speak about their generation...Petit Monde also brings it up on themselves to grow up with the teen market with whom it all started by coming up with labels that cater to young adults, and chic yuppies. 

The first time I got a Petit Monde clothing was when I was 10 years old. It was a hand-me-down playsuit from my older cousin. What I remember was the beautiful old rose color, the feel of the fabric, and the pearl buttons. Sadly, I only wore it once or twice maybe because I was still in that phase where I choose baggy pants and loose shirts over girly clothes. The old days! Now, after 16 years, I got my second Petit Monde item.

It was a beautifully crafted dress. Here's the story: Actually, I have no intention of buying a dress. For some reason I found myself in their shop, looking intently at every item. It's nice that their clothes are grouped according to color. I was in the cream stand when I found a dress. It may sound exaggerated but it's like love at first sight. I really like the dress - the simple cut, the artistic design, the luxurious feel of the fabric...

The sales lady said it's also available in another color. She showed me the blue green version and it was definitely lovely. I was talking to myself, convincing myself not to buy. Hehe. I was pleased just staring but the sales lady suggested for me to try both dresses. The blue green in small size and the cream in medium (since it's out of stock for small). Surprise, surprise! The blue green fits perfectly in all the right places! The line, "It covers my flaws and emphasizes my assets." really applies. Haha! From the shoulders, to covering my stomach, up to the hem line - it's just perfect! Even the sales lady agreed and said lots of good things. So in the end, with a paper bag in hand, I walked out of the shop as happy as I can be. Teehee!

Here's a better picture =)

Being in my mid twenties, I am now starting to invest in pieces of clothing that are of good quality. Pieces that are classic and timeless. And this one goes right into my collection. Although this may be the priciest among all the dresses that I have so far, I can say that every penny is worth it. =)

More pictures of my new favorite clothing shop.

And of course, I had a pic together with the friendly and beautiful sales ladies. Well, well, well, I will definitely go back to Petit Monde and get that privilege card!

Now, the question is, when will I wear this dress? To my friends, please get married now! Haha!

Wonderplace

My weekend just happened like that.  Sometimes it feels like instead of having two days of break, it's just one day all in all. Tomorrow is Monday once again. So before I continue with my mundane life of working in the laboratory, I just want to share what I've been up to this weekend. Yesterday, I was just stuck in my room the whole day. Bummer-mode watching romcoms...until I realized I'm supposed to go to the Daegu International Body Painting Festival in Duryu Park. I left at 5 in the afternoon and decided to drop by first in downtown to have a decent lunch (I've been eating ramen in my room, yeah only ramen). While walking, I was lured to go inside the clothing shops. The displays were beautiful and oh so tempting. First was MIXXO. Yes, my new favorite. Then, ZARA (coz they're just located beside each other). I let my eyes feast in the fashionable dresses, coats, etc. or in other words, I did window shopping. And then I went to the shop opposite of ZARA, the Wonderplace. It's a Korean shop but unlike MIXXO, its clothes come from different manufacturers. It's more of a boutique.

Ooops! Guess what? CLEARANCE SALE!

They've got so many items on sale they needed to do some color coding for the different prices.

Clothes, clothes, clothes! Lots of 'em!

And then, I decided to get something with a green sticker (59,000 won 10,000 won).

I was planning to fit it first but the staff told me that On Sale items cannot be fitted. And since I couldn't decide which color to choose from, I ended up getting two dresses of the same style but with different colors. If you look closely in the picture above I was actually holding two dresses (the other one having blue & brown stripes). And then, when I was in the counter, I handed my debit card but the saleslady told me that On Sale items need to be paid in cash. Why are there so many restrictions when it comes to On Sale items? Why? Grrrr! Okay, so good thing I had some cash. I was kind of perspiring already because I really didn't know exactly how much I had in my wallet. Whew!

Only after that did I have my decent lunch slash dinner.

For the Body Painting Festival? No, I didn't witness it. My whole afternoon and evening, I spent it all in downtown.



P.S. I tried fitting again all my newly bought clothes (the ones from Mixxo and those from Wonderplace) but it seems like they don't fit me well. Is it the size or the structure of the clothes? I really don't know. Or probably my body? Coz a Korean body is sexier compared to mine. Geez! Whatever!