Mineral Makeup Craze

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics

Two Saturdays ago, I watched Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho and it was the first time I heard about the so-called Mineral Makeup. Honestly, I'm really not a makeup junkie but the said topic intrigued me very much so I decided to watch and listen. I found out that mineral makeup only uses natural ingredients so it is highly recommended for women who have sensitive skin and who are proned to skin breakouts when using makeup. Morever, mineral makeup has no expiration date. Most mineral makeups come in loose-powder form which are better than the compact one because they contain wax which can clog our pores. The only downside is that mineral makeups are very expensive and only a few makeup brand offer it such as The Body Shop, Bare Escentuals Minerals and Youngblood Cosmetics. But with all the wonders mineral makeup can do to my super sensitive and pale skin, I might give it a try. I need to save money first though because mineral makeups are really not budget-friendly :)

Pic Credit:
Youngblood Cosmetics

My First Massage Experience @ Massage King

I noticed for the past few days that I was experiencing frequent backache due to long hours of sitting in front of a computer using a very not-so-ergonomic-friendly-chair. So when my very loving boyfriend asked me what I wanted as a Valentine's gift, I simply said that I wanted to have a body massage due to my backache. That's why last Saturday, my boyfriend and I went to SM San Lazaro for his promised Vday treat. He asked me where I wanted to have my massage and I pointed him to Massage King. They have various affordable packages. I'd chosen their 30-minute half-body massage using aromatherapy oil for only 220. Since it was my first time to have a massage, I was a bit shy when the masseuse told me to remove my shirt and bra. But as soon as I lied down on the massage bed and the masseuse began massaging my back, I already forgot that I was half-naked with two other female clients in the same room. My designated masseuse was really good, with every stroke of her hands I can feel that my muscles were relaxing. The hand pressure she used on me was not too hard which I really preferred because I didn't want to end up having broken bones after the massage session. The entire 30-minute session was so relaxing that I almost fell asleep. My backache was also instantly gone, thanks to the magic touches of my masseuse! My overall massage experience at Massage King was really great for such an affordable price. I will definitely go back there in the future with my boyfriend and try their other massage packages :-)

SSS ID Issues

I can still remember the exact date when I applied for my SSS ID - it was on May 22, 2008. It all began when I went to Binondo and Makati branches of SSS to apply for an SSS ID only to find out that their photo-capturing device was out-of-order. After I inquired on several branches, I finally found an SSS branch with functioning photo-capturing device and that was the Lawton branch. So on my next vacation leave, I went there as early as 6:30 AM with my mom and to my horror the queue was already long! My line number was already 60+ and Lawton branch only allows 120 ID applicants in a day. It took me 5 hours for the entire process to finish and I was thankful that my mom was with me that time to have a proxy when I wanted to pee. After that the personnel who recorded my personal info said that I'll get my ID in 3 months. Unfortunately, 8 months have already passed and my SSS ID has not yet arrived. I keep on calling the Lawton branch and the SSS hotline (917-7777) but their answer is always "Sorry ma'am, the device for printing the ID is defective as of this moment. Just keep on waiting." One of the customer service who answered me even told me that I should wait for a year before my ID can be processed. I hope it will not take them forever to process my precious SSS ID. I wish early this year I can already receive it.

Do you also have the same experience as mine?

DFA Passport Renewal

I just received my new machine-readable passport today. It was delivered in our office by the messenger of the travel agency that processed my passport renewal.

Actually, there are 3 ways in which you could apply for passport renewal.
1. Apply directly to DFA. (cheapest but has the most hassle)
2. Apply through DFA online. (www.passport.com.ph)
3. Apply through your favorite travel agency. (most expensive but has the least hassle)

I'd chosen the third option because I don't want my precious time to be wasted on falling in long lines. As suggested by one of my officemates, I went to Asia International Travel Agency in Makati City with the required documents for passport renewal (old passport and its photocopies, 4 pcs. passport-size pictures). Make sure that your passport pictures are taken with a royal blue background. I paid a total of 1350 to my travel agent and they scheduled my DFA appearance last January 29 at 9 AM. On the day of my appearance, I went to DFA with my mom and went straight to Gate 3 as instructed by a representative from my travel agency who is a very courteous person. It took me only 45 minutes to finish the process because we arrived there earlier and I salute DFA for having an organized system. After 1 and a half week, I already received my passport :)

Here are the contact details of the travel agency that assisted me.

Asia International Travel Agency
2nd flr. Sagittarius Bldg. III, 312 H.V. dela Costa St.
Salcedo Village, Makati City, Philippines
8182032 / 8129504 / 8124464 / 8170227

Miss Venezuela Dayana Mendoza was crowned Miss Universe 2008

In the recent Miss Universe 2008 that was held in Nha Trang, Vietnam, Dayana Mendoza (Miss Venezuela) emerged as the winner among the 80 contestants who competed in the event. Dayana Mendoza is already a crowd favorite during the early part of the competition and many already assumed that she will bring home the prestigious crown. Her winning answer to the question "What is the difference between men and women?" is this:

"Men think that the fastest way to go to a point is to go straight. Women know that the faster way to go to a point is to go to the curves."

Actually, I find her answer a bit absurd but maybe it was the way that she answered the question that gained the approval of the judges.

Miss Universe Crowning Moment

The event was hosted by Jerry Springer, host of NBC's America's Got Talent, and Melanie Brown, member of the UK pop group Spice Girls. Of course the event will not be complete without a performer, for this year it was Lady Gaga who spiced up the stage with her single "Just Dance".

Miss Universe 2008 Opening - Delegates in National Costume

Another noticeable part of Miss Universe 2008 was when Crystle Stewart (Miss USA) slipped and fell down during the evening gown competition. If you'll recall, Miss USA Rachel Smith also fell butt-first during the Miss Universe 2007's evening gown competition. It was evidently a deja vu! But compared to Crystle Stewart, Rachel Smith was able to gain back her poise and just smile as if nothing happened.

Miss USA Crystle Stewart's stage slip (Miss Universe 2008)



Miss USA Rachel Smith's infamous stage slip (Miss Universe 2007)

Here is the final result of the competition.

Miss Universe 2008 - Dayana Mendoza (Miss Venezuela)
1st Runner-up - Taliana Vargas (Miss Colombia)
2nd Runner-up - Marianne Cruz (Miss Dominical Republic)
3rd Runner-up - Vera Krasova (Miss Russia)
4th Runner-up - Elisa Najera (Miss Mexico)

Miss Congeniality - Rebeca Moreno (Miss El Salvador)
Best in National Costume - Gavintra Photijak (Miss Thailand)

Unfortunately, none of my favorites had made it to the top 5 but I'm glad that at least Miss Japan Hiroko Mima managed to made it to the top 15 :-) Congratulations Miss Japan!