Image courtesy of Diet Diva

Hey everyone! This is my 4th day with Diet Diva and I'm quite sad about a few things. First is, tomorrow will be my last day of being pampered with excellent food delivery from none other than Diet Diva. Time really goes so fast when you're having fun.  Second is, to make matters worse, I wasn't able to register early for next week which means I'll be Divaless for 9 days starting this weekend!!! Boo!!! Third is, I have to admit that day 4 is my least favorite Diet Diva day. Read on to find out why.

Breakfast actually has HEAVEN written all over it. The Pork Tapa Rice was really delicious! I love that it wasn't greasy and that the meat was tender and flavorful. The tomato was also fresh and went well with the Pork Tapa. This dish deserves ★★★★★.

Lunch consisted of Chicken Mushroom Stroganoff with Red Mountain Rice. The dish tasted okay but it reminded me so much of the Chicken and Potato served yesterday for breakfast. I mentioned before how I like well cooked potatoes and the ones in this dish didn't quite fit my taste, hence I give it ★★★.

I had Monggo and Malunggay Mix with Minced Pork for dinner and I wasn't too happy about it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a picky eater and I love Monggo with Malunggay but this dish was quite dry. The Monggo were cooked just fine but I could hardly detect the Minced Pork in this dish. This is why I give it ★★.

Day 4 would've been a disaster if it weren't for the yummy breakfast but at the end of the day, I still love this program and it will serve as my guide in terms of how much to consume when I'm on my own. I wish the week would never end but at least I still have tomorrow to look forward to.

Thanks for reading and have an awesome day!

 ♥ ♥ ♥

BEN NYE: Banana Luxury Powder

Hey guys! This is just a flash review on a product I've been wanting to have, the Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder. I've been thinking a lot if this product will meet my expectations after reading and watching so many great reviews about it for the past couple of months. I wasn't really worried about the quality since there isn't a single bad review about it that I know of. I was actually more worried if it will match the color of my skin.

I've seen several different shades of Ben Nye swatches on line apart from Banana like Buff, Cameo and Beige Suede which is why I became quite confused on which shade to get. Although Banana is mostly recommended for Asians, their swatches tend to look too yellow for my liking. Good thing I went ahead with choosing it anyway because it really goes on almost unnoticed on my face!

I got the the medium tub (85 gm) and I have to agree with the others about the crappy packaging. Well it's not at all that bad looking but you'll see the problem once you try to dispense the powder. I tried sprinkling a little on the cap but it poured all over so you really need to be extra careful not to squeeze or tap the bottle too hard.

You may want to transfer it in a bigger powder container like the one I got from beabi a few years ago. It might still look like a mess but at least you have a wider area to dip your brush in and you can save most of it from spilling. 

Enough about the small stuff, you won't be too bothered by the container once you start using the Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder. This powder is so fine and is virtually scent free. I love that it applied smoothly on my skin and how it looked natural and almost unnoticed. I feel like it instantly hid my pores and kept my face from looking greasy. It did cake a little towards the afternoon but it was hardly noticeable. I also love that It didn't cause me any skin reactions. I guess the only major downside to this is the expensive tag when you buy it from local online stores. This only retails for $16 or 656 Php when you buy them abroad but online sellers in Manila go as high as 1,050 Php which is roughly $26!


Overall, this product is to die for and I can confidently say that I will stick to it until a better one comes along. I do recommend it to all of you who still haven't tried it. Don't be too afraid of the shades you see on pictures because it doesn't come off that way if you use it sparingly and blend it evenly on your face. Although the price is a bit steep, the quality truly compensates for it.

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DIET DIVA: Day 3

Hello guys! Today is my 3rd Diet Diva day and it's been looking really good so far. I have to admit I keep forgetting to take pictures this is why I don't have much to show you. Good thing Diet Diva posts accurate pictures of what they deliver everyday. 

Image courtesy of Diet Diva

Today's breakfast consisted of Chicken and Potato with Boiled Egg and Red Rice Mix. The flavor is actually good, I love that the egg was cooked perfectly but the potatoes weren't such a hit. I don't know about the others but I prefer soft ones rather than half cooked. I give this meal ★★★.

I had Beef Steak with Red Mountain Rice for lunch and it was really delicious! This is by far my most favorite dish and I would welcome a repetition of this anytime. Although there wasn't enough sauce, still the beef chunks were filled with flavor. This dish deserves ★★★★★.

I finally remembered to take a picture! This Sun dried Tomatoes and Spicy Sardines Whole Wheat Pasta was my dinner and though I'm a bit partial to pasta when on a diet, I trust Diet Diva for including this in the program. I'm a pasta lover but I enjoy sweet and cheesy pasta dishes better than classic Italian. This wasn't so bad and I'm pretty sure others may find this delicious but it's not my kind of pasta so I'm giving it ★★.

Good thing I brought the crackers with me because I got a little hungry before my Zumba class started. My 3rd day with Diet Diva was really great! Everything I ate got me through the day with less cravings hence preventing me to stray away from the program. I know I said it before but I'll say it again, I'm loving Diet Diva to bits! I can't wait to see what Day 4 will be like so do check back in for updates. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

♥ ♥ ♥

DIET DIVA: Day 2

Hey everyone! Today is my 2nd day with Diet Diva and I must tell you this early that I'm loving their service. I actually got to eat breakfast before my morning Zumba class so that's a good thing. I usually do Zumba in the morning without eating breakfast since I don't want to be late for class. Because Diet Diva delivers super early, I was able to bring breakfast with me to the gym and ate it before the class started. The difference? Really big! I didn't feel weak after the workout unlike before when I feel dead tired in the morning after a class and end up over eating on the next meal.

  

Forgive me for I wasn't able to take actual pictures of all the meals Diet Diva delivered this morning as well as my breakfast because my day started really early. So above image is courtesy of Diet Diva's Facebook page.

Breakfast was soooo delicious! The Tuna filling in their Wheat Pandesal tasted like heaven! I have to say it's the most delicious Tuna sandwich I've ever tasted. I love the generous amount of tuna filling with no extenders like onions or excess mayo. I didn't take the chocolate drink with me so I missed it.

Anyway, this meal deserves ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ .

I almost missed taking a picture of today's lunch which consisted of Pork Humba with Red Mountain Rice and they tasted so good! The pork chunks were tender and the sweet sauce gave this dish an amazing flavor. Hence I give this meal ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ .

For dinner, I got Ampalaya Con Carne with Red Rice. I'm not a veggie eater so I fished out the Ampalaya strips and ate the meat which to my surprise didn't have a tinge of bitterness. It actually tasted a bit sweet and was really good. 

This dish, deserves ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ .

I didn't get to eat snacks and instead drank a bottle of unsweetened coconut water which roughly has 90 calories. So far so good! Diet Diva is really proving to be a great fitness partner. We'll see what happens!

Thanks for bearing with me and have a cheerful day!

♥ ♥ ♥

DIET DIVA: Day 1

Hey guys! If you've been reading my posts you'd know I'm officially a diva.. Let me rephrase that, I'm  officially subscribed to Diet Diva for this week. I also promised to keep you posted so here's what I think.

I was quite worried not getting the delivery on time because I sometimes leave home early for my morning clinic but surprise, surprise! They delivered my meals as early as 6:30 AM! I value punctuality so I'm really happy they do too. 

The meals were placed in microwaveable transparent containers and were individually labelled so you'd know which one's for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. You get to keep the containers and reuse them personally or give them back to the delivery guy the next day. I appreciate their SMS welcoming me to the program including a few reminders like what to do if you feel hungry in between meals. They also have recommendations on what to eat just in case you need an extra boost before a workout. 

Breakfast consisted of Longganisa in High-Fiber Pepper Rice Mix. The Longganisa tasted really good while the Rice Mix actually tasted like fried rice. The tomato was a great add-on to compliment the Longganisa. This meal deserves ★ ★ ★.


For lunch, I had Tuna Steak in Creamy Curry Sauce which was good and didn't give a fishy after taste. Although there were a few fish scales, they didn't bother me too much but the dish would've gotten a higher score without them. The Red Mountain Rice tasted like steamed unpolished rice but more grainy in texture. I missed taking a picture because I was too hungry I ate right away and realized it halfway through eating. Anyway, I give this meal  ★ ★ ★.

Dinner was by far the best meal of the day because the Chicken Jambalaya tasted great! The chicken meat was cooked perfectly with the corn kernel, green peas and red mountain rice. The ingredients complimented each other quite well. This is why it deserves ★ ★ ★ ★.

As for the snacks, I actually didn't get to eat the banana but I did drink one serving of CarbTrim. Good thing I registered to Diet Diva because now I know that CarbTrim tastes so good and that it only has 8 calories per serving! CarbTrim deserves a whopping ★ ★ ★ ★ ★.

Overall, Diet Diva went way beyond my expectations. They delivered on time, their dishes taste really good and the portion sizes are just right to get you through the day. I also love the way they care for their clients by sending SMS reminders. I can't wait to tell you about day 2 so stay tuned!

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

♥ ♥ ♥

DIET DIVA: Week 1

Hello everyone! I just want to share with you how excited I am for this coming week because I finally reserved a slot with Diet Diva. If you're not familiar with Diet Diva, it is a food delivery service that offers 3 main meals and a snack each day from Monday to Friday. What's really great about their service is that meals per day are set at 1,200 calories hence saving you the hassle of having to watch what you eat. 

I first heard of Diet Diva from a friend so I got a little curious and checked out their Facebook page and Instagram account. As I browsed through these sites and learned about them more, I couldn't help but think of how amazing this system is. You get not only a diet plan but freshly cooked meals as well delivered right to your doorstep! I find that this service is priced reasonably, not at all expensive but not cheap either. My meals for an entire day cost 380 Php including delivery charge within Q.C. It's most suitable for those who live alone or in dorms and can't prepare their own meals all the time. I also think it fits well with those who work away from home and are always bound to eat out or bring their lunch and snacks in the workplace. 

Image courtesy of Diet Diva

Since I recently went back to Zumba, this is the best time for me to subscribe to Diet Diva. Above image shows you their week long menu and I can't wait to start! I'm hopeful for good results and I'll be keeping you posted with what happens next. Wish me luck!

♥ ♥ ♥

Hair Doctor

Hey everyone! Yesterday I went to Trinoma and got myself a few stuff which I will be reviewing in the next few weeks. I really need time to use certain products especially those for skin care before I can write my reviews. Anyway, I also dropped by Power Books just to browse through their sale items and I ended up buying something you don't expect to buy from a book store, a comb but not just any comb, it's Hair Doctor's rotating tooth comb.

Does this look familiar? If you're around my age, you'd know how the Hair Doctor became one of every teenager's must haves. I had several generic ones that you can buy for a fraction of the cost but they never came close to the original Hair Doctor when it comes to durability. I eventually saved enough to buy this in pink (not at all a surprise) and it served me well throughout college until I lost it. This is why I bought one without thinking twice! Good thing they're still in the market and that the excellent quality hasn't changed. 

It has a hard plastic base and handle with rotating steel bristles. Back then, we used to call it untangler  because it does a great job of removing tangles easily. It's much more gentle than conventional combs because the rotating bristles glide through your hair and keep you from pulling the strands thus minimizing hair fall. It also massages your scalp with its blunt and smooth tips. I love that you can use it for damp hair especially after taking a bath. It's also great for travel because it's slim and lightweight making it easy to carry around. 

Overall, I love this comb to bits that I recommend it to everyone. They actually have one for kids with rotating bristles made of soft plastic so you may opt to get that for your tots. As for me, this little baby will go places, I just hope I won't lose it again but if I do, I will definitely buy another. 

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

♥ ♥ ♥

Amazing Facial/Body Wash For Acne Prone Skin

Hey everyone! Have you ever had products lying around unnoticed and untouched because you feel like they're no use, only to find out in the end how amazing they turn out? Well that's what I think of Johnson's baby bath and baby top-to-toe wash by Johnson & Johnson. My friends and I have been receiving countless samples of these bath products since we were in our first year of Pediatric training. I've given most of them to my relatives, friends and patients who have babies and some have gone missing in my stash of samples. So imagine my surprise when one of our speakers during this year's Philippine Pediatric Society Convention told us that they can be used
for pimple prone skin. 

Good thing we attended the luncheon symposium sponsored by J&J so we got several samples of their baby products. I was too excited to try them so I used the baby top-to-toe wash that evening.

Johnson's baby top-to-toe wash is translucent yellow in color and has a mild, fresh scent. The consistency is thinner than a regular shampoo so it spreads easily on your face and body. It doesn't build up too much lather but your skin feels really clean with a little tightness that doesn't look dry. After just a few days of use, I was able to see a difference on my blemish prone skin. I didn't break out during my period and one pimple didn't go full blown. My post acne marks seem to have lightened faster than the usual weeks to months of being noticeably dark.

Johnson's baby bath on the other hand is translucent blue and has a mild, powdery scent. The consistency and effects on the skin are similar with top-to-toe wash. Although the latter did a great job in cleansing my face and keeping it moisturized, Johnson's baby bath seemed better in keeping the skin's moisture, judging by the way my skin feels smooth and supple after every use. It didn't irritate my skin and it also prevented me from breaking out even during my period. My skin also had a more noticeable improvement when I started using this.

Value for your money:

Both Johnson's baby bath and top-to-toe wash retail for 44.25 Php per 100 ml bottle and you can save more if you buy the 200 ml bottle for 84.50 Php or the 500 ml bottle for 195.50 Php.

The verdict:
Overall, I am hooked to these baby products from J&J because they are effective in maintaining a healthy, moisturized and pimple free skin. I will definitely repurchase them because aside from being effective they are also way more affordable than the usual facial wash in the market. I definitely recommend them to those of you who are still on the look out for a good and affordable facial wash that works well even for sensitive and blemish prone skin.


"Thanks for reading and have a blessed day!"

♥ ♥ ♥