Just when I thought Apple products NEVER go on sale, I got an email 2 weeks ago announcing Apple's one-day shopping event on November 23. Since it actually fell on Black Friday, I thought it was just for US residents so I didn't get too excited.

When Black Friday came, I checked out Apple's website to see how much discount they were giving away. I was shocked to see that the prices were in Philippine currency. I refreshed my connection to make sure, went back to Apple's official website and chose my country but the same site with prices in Philippine peso appeared. It was then that I got convinced Apple was in fact on worldwide sale.

Though the prices still hurt, the 30% discount on their Ipad Smart Case was too tempting to ignore. I really can't remember how much the other items were discounted but most apple products were included in the sale. I was still hesitant buying online since I'm pretty much sure Customs will still charge an additional fee which will defeat the purpose of saving. Good thing my curiosity prevailed and I purchased the Ipad smart case with 30% off its original value.

Though I LOVE everything pink, I got the polyurethane Ipad smart case in dark grey. I figured I already have the pink smart cover so getting the grey smart case is okay. The item was securely packaged in a brown carton. Inside is the original box with a transparent front cover and on the back was an illustration of how the smart cover looks when used with the Ipad.

The front is pretty much the same as the smart cover with its foldable top that can assume several functions such as the wake on open and sleep on close feature, landscape full stand and keyboard stand.

What sets the Ipad smart case apart from the smart cover is that it protects both the screen and aluminum back so the Ipad is fully covered on all sides.

Another thing I love about the smart case is you're able to have anything engraved on the back for a more personal touch.

My fiance engraved his favorite excerpt from Steve Job's speech during Stanford University's Commencement Exercises in 2005.

I'm impressed at how the smart case fits my Ipad like a glove. The docks for charger and ear phones, small openings for the mic, camera and side switch and the covered slots for the on/off and volume switches were accurately customized to fit the Ipad perfectly. The best part for me is the perforated portion on the bottom intended for the speakers preventing the sounds from being muffled. You still get a clear and crisp audio as if the Ipad had no case. 

True to its words, Apple did deliver my order within 3 days of shipment. It took approximately 5 days for my Ipad case to arrive from the time I made my purchase. It would've been faster if my order was made on a week day. Just the same, I'm pretty much impressed with how fast Apple processed, shipped and delivered the item. Hands down to their reliable and very efficient customer service. I wasn't charged with any additional fees and DHL delivered it directly to my doorstep.


This by far is the fastest and most efficient international transaction I've ever made. Makes me want to order all my Apple accessories online from now on. I do recommend the Apple online store to everyone who wants lightning fast and reliable delivery of apple products. How about you? Have you ever tried purchasing from Apple's online store? Do share your thoughts below on the comments section. Thanks for reading and have a great day!

L'OREAL: Lucent Magique Skin Illuminating BB Cream

In the past months, I've accumulated quite a number of skin and hair care products from different sources such as Saladbox, BDJ box and most especially from generous giveaways. Don't get me wrong, I'm far from complaining, I'm just so ecstatic to have a line up of products to try and review. Though I want to try all of them, I also like to share certain stuff with my girl friends to find out what they think of them. So I asked my friends who share my passion for beauty to pick out products from my stash that they want to try. 

Rochelle chose L'oreal lucent magique skin illuminating BB cream from my October BDJ box. After a week of use, here's what she had to say: 

Actually, it only took a single application of the L'oreal lucent magique skin illuminating BB cream for Rochelle to decide that she loves it! Before I tell you what she thinks, I want to emphasize that Rochelle has fair skin, combination oily type and she's pimple free most of the time.

PROS:

• So far, this is the only BB cream she tried that's the easiest to apply. Ease of application might be because of its runny consistency. 
• It leaves your skin looking a shade or two fairer than your natural complexion but it gradually blends well with your skin tone after a few minutes without leaving a white or gray cast. 
• It offers decent coverage over minor skin imperfections like pimple scars. 
• This BB cream leaves your skin moisturized without looking greasy. 
• You may use this alone or top it with powder. 
• It offers protection against both UVA and UVB rays hence preventing sun burn and skin aging.

CONS:

• It only comes in one shade but it promises to even out any skin tone. If this doesn't match your skin color, you may top it with a powder foundation that matches your skin tone. 
• This BB cream offers sheer coverage over minor blemishes. Darker spots or imperfections might still be visible but you can use this with concealer or powder foundation to achieve fuller coverage. 
• It only offers SPF 20 which is a little short of the minimum recommended SPF of 30 so you might need to use a primer or finishing powder with higher SPF.

VERDICT:

Needless to say that Rochelle is impressed with the L'oreal lucent magique skin illuminating BB cream and will buy the full size soon after consuming her current BB cream. She highly recommends it to anyone in need of light coverage especially those who are still new to BB creams and are not yet used to applying one. The L'oreal lucent magique skin illuminating BB cream is now available nationwide and retails for PhP 695.00 but is currently sold at 25% off until December at all L'oreal counters. 

Now that's a great value for your money!

THE BODY SHOP: All-in-one Face Base

Hello there dear readers! Have you ever put off buying something and finally after getting it, you shake your head in disbelief and ask yourself what were you thinking the whole time? That's what happened to me the moment I tried The Body Shop all-in-one face base. I've been wanting to buy one for the longest time but the price kept me thinking and postponing. Honestly, I don't totally regret postponing because I finally got one and the best part is I got it for FREE from Shen's 4th Anniversary giveaway!

The Body Shop all-in-one face base looks modern and chic with its polished silver compact. 

The compact reveals two layers, the top being the sponge applicator's compartment while the bottom houses approximately 9 grams of compact powder. 

I love that the sponge applicator is of good quality that you can wash it often. 

It also has a nice mirror big enough to see your entire face.  

This product is unscented and has a very fine texture that it doesn't flake when picked up by the sponge or face brush. It also feels light and comfortable on your skin. A few gentle strokes using the sponge applicator can give light to medium coverage. This product is also buildable so you may use this to achieve full coverage. It has a matte finish that looks natural without caking. It doesn't dry your face or cause any type of skin irritation and break outs. 

Overall, I love this product so much that I recommend it to those who want a finishing powder that can give you varied coverage depending on what you need. I will definitely repurchase this product once it's consumed.

FINO Leatherware

I've always wanted a Louis Vuitton but their bags are insanely out of my price range. Though I've been eyeing several designs like the classic Speedy, Neverfull and Alma, my conscience and budget always get in the way. Good thing there are other bags that are not as expensive but are as stylish and durable. Like bags from FINO Leatherware.

My first purchase from FINO was way back 2008 when I was still in my first year residency training. I wanted a slim wallet that can fit my blazer's breast pocket. Luckily I saw one in their Trinoma branch and it still looks good as of today.

I've been trying to search for their website or fan page so I could share some more info about the manufacturer but to no avail. What I actually found is far better than any source, a video interview of none other than the owner and Vice President for Marketing of FINO Leatherware, Rose Anne Bautista. She recalls how her husband, a doctor by profession, wanted a briefcase and had someone make it for him. The finished product turned out great that they decided to do business out of it.

Rose Anne with her husband started the business in 1992 with just a few handmade pieces. A friend helped them introduce their goods to big companies and they eventually bagged several corporate accounts. From then on FINO Leatherware grew to what it is today with their own manufacturing facility, nine store branches in Metro Manila and a steadily expanding clientele from all over the world.

This is a FINO bag which I purchased from their branch in Trinoma. I was meters away from the store when it caught my undivided attention. When I finally held the bag I couldn't get it off my hands. I'm loving that this shade of pink is not too bright that it sometimes mimic a red color. I got trigger happy with my Ipad one lazy afternoon hence the array of images.

It has a top handle and a shoulder strap so you can carry it which way you like. 

I prefer using it as a satchel so I could carry more things with my free hands. Also, it's more comfy that way. 

The back is plain and has no opening with just a tiny logo on the bottom.

The shoulder strap can be easily removed if you prefer to use this bag as hand carry though it really looks nice with the sling hanging from the bottom when carrying it by the handle.

The top handle is actually detachable, just unscrew the round metal thingy and pull the handle out but I do prefer leaving it the way it is.

The bag opening is seen in front by lifting the flap which is securely locked with buttons on both ends. I wish they just used  magnetic type buttons for this bag since it's a bit awkward and time consuming to align the buttons to close.

Inside is the FINO logo and a zipped back pocket for valuable items. This pocket provides a safer place for your wallets and phones if you failed to lock the front flap which I often do. It has an orange cotton lining with four more square pockets that can fit smaller items like your keys. Speaking of keys, I wish they threw in a key holder inside the bag for easy access.

Overall I adore this bag so much and I do recommend FINO bags to those who, just like me, are not yet into buying expensive bags. Though FINO bags don't come cheap, their prices are not at all exorbitant. They use imported genuine cowhide leather that they guarantee to last for years. 

FINO Leatherware ensures you high quality and durability with a lifetime warranty. Also, if you purchase a minimum amount of Php 10,000 worth of FINO products in a single transaction, you will be entitled to a lifetime 10% discount on all regular priced items from any FINO branch. Now how's that for a loyalty reward? 

Bio-essence BIO Spring Water and a lot more.. :)

About a couple of months ago, my cousin from Singapore surprised us with an unexpected visit. We got together as usual and celebrated over the one thing that never fails to make us happy.. FOOD.

Good thing we were all craving for pizza and pasta that day. Seeing the yellow and black stripes of Yellow Cab immediately perked our appetite.

I didn't know Yellow Cab already offers group meals called Fleet Packages" so it took us a little while to decide what to order. We eventually opted to get the package with an 18 inch pizza (New York's finest), two pasta dishes (Charlie Chan chicken pasta and Spaghetti with Meatballs), two small tubs of ice cream, half a pint each (Pistachio and Serendipity) and a pitcher of Coke.

With my beautiful cousins

Playing around with our spoons.. :)

But good food and AWESOME company weren't the only ones that made me smile that day, my cousin's pasalubong also played an important role. She gave me Bio-essence' BIO spring water spray.

I honestly wouldn't have bought this for myself two months ago because I really don't use water sprays even in the gym after work out. Also, I am an avid reader of product labels and this one doesn't look any different from a regular mineral water. Good thing my cousin gave me this and swears she got clearer skin on regular use. I started using this just a month ago and here are my thoughts:

This comes in a tall canister that can fit in your gym bag. I love that the spray works well each time, dispensing the contents in small particles that feel like cool mist sprayed on your skin. It instantly refreshes and hydrates, leaving your skin feeling clean and moisturized. I don't really feel my face tighten after each use, instead it makes my skin feel supple. This product didn't irritate my face or made me break out. As for the pore refining effect of this product, I feel like I have yet to observe if it does have that effect on me.

Bio-essence suggests daily use in almost any occasion but I use this in the morning before washing my face and at night before applying my skin care routine. It seems like an added step to my regimen but I really don't mind because it's easy to use and I feel it works well for my skin.

Overall, I do recommend the Bio-essence bio spring water to anyone who's willing to try something new for maintenance of healthy skin. Athletes or people on the go may find this very useful especially after work out or in the middle of the day when you want to freshen up. I will be purchasing one for myself when this runs out though I predict it won't be that soon since the canister is big enough to last me for months.

TID BITS:

• Thanks to my beautiful cousins Raquel, Treysie and Cyndy for the company.. I think we should do this more often.. Agree?
• I am on the verge of buying a new ipad case from speck.. :)
• My friends and I just watched Breaking Dawn 2 and it was BREATH TAKING.. Great twist in the end, for those who already read the book, you'll find it a bit different but in a good way.

CLINIQUE: Age Defense BB Cream

Hello there dear readers. I've been wanting to make a review on one of my favorite BB creams in the market today but I haven't been able to because of a tight schedule. I'm talking about the Clinique age defense BB cream with spf 30/PA +++.

This BB cream comes in a 50 ml squeeze type tube. I love its creamy texture that glides smoothly and effortlessly on your skin. It's one of the few BB creams that I find very easy to apply and blend with my complexion. It has light coverage that can conceal minor skin blemishes but you might still need a concealer for darker spots. It has no scent (which doesn't bother me at all), no grey or white cast and it leaves your face with a naturally moisturized look. 

You can use this alone for a dewy look or top it with powder to get a matte finish. I love that it has spf 30 and PA+++ for protection against both UVB and UVA rays respectively. As for the prevention of premature signs of skin aging, I find this quite tricky and hard to prove but knowing that dryness and sun damage significantly contributes to skin aging then this product is indeed true to its claims because it's both moisturizing and protective against UV rays. This product lasts for a decent amount of time and it doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy towards the end of the day. 

As usual with all Clinique products, the manufacturing date is indicated on the label as well as the lifespan after opening the container. The only thing that I'm not quite happy with this BB cream is the steep price of Php 1,850 but since I got this during Clinique bonus time a few months ago, the splurge was actually worth it.

Overall, I adore the Clinique age defense BB cream and I do recommend it those of you who need light to medium coverage and want to achieve a natural look with benefits of anti-aging and sun protection. Achieving full coverage may be possible if you use it with a concealer. Will I repurchase? Yes but I think it will take months before I consume the entire tube because a little surely goes a long way.

My Most Repurchased Products

We all have products that we LOVE so much they never fail to make it in our shopping list. These are items we keep on buying or stuff we always come back to even if we tried other brands. Just last night, I was mentally listing down products I'm running out of while doing my nightly skin care routine. I realized I have more than a few products I'm pretty much loyal to in the past years.

YSA's erythromycin and acne lotion are the two toners I can't live without. I use them hand in hand to prevent and treat pimple break outs I never fail to have every month. I've been a loyal user, believer and advocate of these medicated toners since I was 18, the time I started seeking professional skin care consult. 

I've been using Kojic acid soap since it became a fad during my post graduate years. Though I use other bar soaps, bath gels and body wash from different brands, I always go back to using this for my face and entire body. 

Olay total effects serum is the very first anti-aging product I tried and has become a mainstay in my skin care routine. I've repurchased this more than a few times because it delivers visible results and I really haven't found any substitute that can match this serum's performance.

I got to try The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil a little over a year ago and it did wonders on my pimple prone skin. So much so that I bought the entire tea tree line from The Body Shop including facial wash/foam, toner, moisturizer and even concealer. Though I haven't been reaching for this lately, it's still included in my most repurchased items.

Burt's bees lip shimmer is one of the greatest lip products to hit the beauty industry. I love the shades fig and rhubarb because they match my skin tone perfectly. They give just the right hint of color to your lips leaving them with a naturally moisturized finish. 

The Face Shop's Flower shimmer finish pact is my most repurchased compact a few years ago. I remember replenishing this even if I still have more left to use. Sad thing is they don't make them anymore. This powder is not at all too shimmery, it gives your face just the right glow for a naturally radiant finish. I still haven't found anything like this from other brands but I do hope The Face Shop will come to their senses and get this amazing product back on their shelves.

Moschino funny  is my mostly repurchased perfume because it smells so clean and fresh. It doesn't give off a strong scent and it can be used in any occasion. I love that it stays on for a decent amount of time.

Belo essentials lotion with spf15 has been my daily moisturizer and sunblock  for the past 2 years. I actually mentioned this instead of the newer version that has spf 30 because this is the particular product I've repurchased for several times before the new version was released.

Aveeno daily moisturizing lotion is another body lotion I've repurchased for so many times. I love that S&R usually have this on sale because my friends and I get to stock up. I usually apply this at night before bedtime to keep my skin moisturized overnight.

Tony Moly's luminous sheer base is one of my TM favorites that I've repurchased several times and luckily almost always during a promo. I recently got this for 50% off a few weeks ago and I got it in the same discounted tag during my previous purchase. 

Aveeno leave-on treatment is the only hair care product I've repurchased over and over. I don't usually put on hair treatment products but I do love maintaining my hair with Aveeno. This stuff smells quite like vanilla which I don't really like, but the scent goes off after application.

I was planning on making this list really short but I can't help sharing all my most repurchased and replenished products. How about you, what stuff have you been repurchasing? I would love to hear about them so we can compare notes. Just key them in the comments section below.

hp 32GB Flash Drive

Memory storage these days is relevant especially for a very sentimental person like me. I feel that it's a must to make memories last by preserving them in any way possible. Actually, one doesn't have to be sentimental to save things. Important documents, files, movies, games, pictures are just a few random things that need back up just in case you unexpectedly lose your original copy. 

Sad to say that I learned backing up files the hard way because all my documents literally sank down the drain when I lost my laptop during a disastrous flood in 2009. From then on, I vowed to having a rescue copy of all my important documents. Thanks to technology, big things now come in small packages like the hp USB flash drive I purchased from Deal Dozen over a month ago.

As the label says, this USB flash drive is true to its description of being sleek, compact and durable.

I love that it has a loop which can be easily attached to a key ring or bag zipper. This way, you have a lesser chance of misplacing it and you can always bring it with you anywhere you go.

This USB swings either way to expose and access the connector. Though this may look a little less sturdy for a USB, I think that the design is quite durable and stylish at the same time.

It's nearly as small as a Php 10 coin but has the capacity of storing 32 GB worth of data. How's that for such a small gadget that costs less than PhP 1,000?

I do recommend this to those who need extra storage space without the hassle of having to use a bulky external drive. I'll consider buying another for myself if I'll be needing it in the future but for now, this hp 32GB USB flash drive is enough to back up my important data.