ETUDE HOUSE: Dear Darling Tint for those Kissable Lips :)

The first time I used this product in public, someone remarked...."Wow kissable lips!".

Dear Darling Tint is another irresistible product from Etude House. With uber cute packaging, it comes in three colors - No.1 Berry Red, No. 2 Real Red and No. 3 Orange Red (I got Real Red :)). This is a nice, nice, nice alternative to lipstick. Neither oily nor creamy, it gives the lips that natural hint of color which I personally  love, love, love. It also has this cherry scent that I could almost taste :)

Mind you, it does not wear off easily, it takes hours for it to completely vanish, even if I subject it to eating, drinking and brushing of teeth. The color fades away slowly making it look more and more natural as hours pass by :)

I just wish though that more colors would be available in the future. I don't want to be limited to just three options haha.

This is me wearing the tint for the first time :)   I just took advantage of the sample and after being satisfied, I did not hesitate to purchase one.

Now before I end, I will show you some photos of Etude House in SM Megamall. As I have mentioned in my previous blog entry, being inside the store makes me feel like I'm in a dreamland, like I am transformed into a princess with all the magical products created just for me.:) Enjoy!

  

Lee Min Ho as come on....if you use Etude House products, you get to be his GIRL :))

Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans of Harry Potter :)

I was rummaging through my memento stuff when I came across a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans --- yes, that wacky treat that Harry Potter and friends usually buy on the train on the way to Hogwarts and it is actually available to real life Muggles! (read: YOU and ME)

I was able to try the "treat" way back 2007 and I would like to take you with me back in time to remember how the experience went haha :)

My Bertie Bott's was given to me by a friend from her US trip. Initially, the selfish-me didn't want to share, the Harry-Potter-fanatic-me simply wanted to keep it as a memento, but the persistent-and-excited-me opened the candy box and gave me no option but to eat the contents. Wise move though because I realized that had I not shared it to my siblings and finished everything instead, I would be vomiting for days and lose my appetite indefinitely.

You'd understand why, sure some flavors were acceptable (and even delicious), such as blueberry, buttered popcorn, cherry, cinnamon, grape, lemon drop, sausage, toasted marshmallow and my personal favorite- tutti fruitti, but then the rest are truly horrible, aaarghhh, black pepper, booger, dirt, earthworm, earwax, grass, pickle, rotten egg, sardine, soap, and vomit!

My siblings and I were laughing so hard trying the horrible flavors and imagining that we were actually eating the real thing, (yucky, I feel like throwing up just thinking of the gruesome flavors!)

My brother literally vomitted when he tasted the vomit and rotten egg flavors. He shuddered with the idea of eating sardine-flavored candy, well according to him, sardine's ok, but as candy?!!ewness!:)) As for me, swallowing the yucky flavors was definitely impossible to do, hence, the garbage plastic became the unwilling recipient of my (and my siblings') candy spits.:))

When my parents arrived, we decided to "make fun" of them hehe, by letting them taste the yucky flavors. My mom wasn't able to withstand it, she gave up after the vomit flavor, but my dad continued the fight. We turned it into a guessing game, asking my dad to have a taste first and then guess what's the flavor. Oh boy! It was truly a laugh trip for all of us especially with dad's reaction to the flavors.:))

Needless to say, it was truly an unforgettable experience for all of us!:)

Until now, I still wonder if such candy can be purchased here in the Philippines?:)) If you ever get hold of one, go on, do not be afraid, TRY!:)

A'st1: Yearning of my Heart

I came to know this group too late...they have already disbanded but their music lives on, at least in my heart. They have this song which keeps on running in my mind. I actually think that I am crazy now because I can listen to the song the entire day, it keeps on repeating and repeating in my music player and I am not bothered at all :)

I am referring to A'st1 (pronounced as A style), a Korean boy group composed of 6 jalsaeng-gin guys in their early 20's who can all sing (they harmonize well, see- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFR9DMcCJOY&NR=1), dance and unconsciously make girls swoon over them haha. Though the group's generally Korean, only 4 are pure Koreans namely Park Jung Jin (leader), Sung In Kyuone, Byun Jang Moon (MY UBER FAVORITE!), Lim Han Byul and then one is Japanese, Azuma Tomoki (Tomo) and Ding Hai Ming is Chinese :)

 

                 (from L-R) Haiming, Hanbyul, Jangmoon, Tomo, Jungjin, Inkyu

In  a nut shell, they debuted in 2008 with the song "1.2.3.4 Back." Since, two members are non-Koreans, the label of which the group is under, DSP Entertainment, had plans for them to be known throughout Asia. They have trained for years before actually coming out in public.  Unfortunately, oh and i mean unfortunately, for some reasons not quite clear to me...a year and few months after, the group has disbanded.... (and I faint...)

                              (from L-R)   Jungjin, Jangmoon, Hanbyul, Tomo,  Inkyu, Haiming

They have already disbanded the moment I became an A'st1 uhm...fan.:) Thanks to my viewing of Boys Over Flowers series (Korean version of Meteor Garden/ F4), I heard this one song used as soundtrack, and from then on I did not stop until I finally found it. I had a hard time, mind you, looking for the song because I cannot understand the lyrics in Korean but the melody has stuck in me so much that I used it as a guide which lead me to the song :)) And after which, I came to know the voices behind the haunting song :))

And as for that song which I uber loooooove now, it's Yearning of the Heart. What's most interesting about all this is that I don't speak their language and I just rely on the translations available online (I am not even sure if the translations are correct) but I still love the song. I don't know what's in it but every time I hear it I'm soothed, I'm calmed and I'm transported to a serene world far away haha...try to listen to it...maybe I will see you in that world too :))

A'st1 memories are preserved, thanks to youtube.com, I' m able to watch over and over videos and listen to their other songs which I came to appreciate eventually after learning more about them. They have their own version of English songs like "More Than Words", "World of Our Own" by Westlife and "This I Promise You" by Nsync. And of course they have other Korean songs aside from "Yearning of the Heart" which I, who is non-Korean, really love such as the sad sad "Naega Babboyeoso", the groovy "Show", fun "Funky N Roll Tonight" and many more.


Oh well, I'm a bit sorrowful that I came to know A'st1 too late, but I'm still happy because at least I came to know them :)) And no matter how late this might be, I'm urging everyone to take time to hear 'em out.

For Sparkly You and Me!:) (ETUDE HOUSE)

I think this is the start of a wonderful love affair with a beauty brand --- ETUDE HOUSE!

I honestly was not aware of it  until I passed by a brightly lit girly pink store sometime last month in SM Megamall Building A. Where in the world have I been all this time...I did some research and found out that this Korean brand has been making waves as early as 1995! Anyway, It was a new store in the said mall and I was curious about it. Peeking from outside, I instantly knew it was an enticing beauty store. Peeking from outside, I had a feeling that I would be hooked on it. When I got inside, I verified the feeling as it was indeed paradise looking into all the shiny, shimmery (and I mean shimmery which I really really love) and colorful stuff Etude House carries. It was like being in a dreamland, it was like I have been transformed into a princess with all the magical (have I mentioned shimmery?:)) products created just for me.

What I love about this brand is that the products are designed, as I quote from Etude House's official description and as I have personally seen, "for the trendy, romantic, sweet, lovely, and sparkling youth". But I think even for the older generation, the products would bring out the youthfulness in 'em :)

And so I begin the first of the Etude House review series :)

  


SECRET BEAM HIGHLIGHTER - comes in two variants - Pink mix and Orange mix (I got the orange mix to complement better with my skin tone)

Description says that it is a "9-Color Mix Mosaic Style Facial Highlighter to beautifully coordinate makeup finish. Pearl highlighter brightens and shades facial tone & adds luster" 

I have actually been in search for a perfect product that would make my face sparkle, not too scandalous though but enough to make people look at me intently. And with Etude House's SECRET BEAM HIGHLIGHTER, I think I can now scream Eureka!

After applying make-up, I brush over my face the sparkly powder. It does not ruin the color, instead makes my face glow all the more, but NOT to the point of making it look oily. The sparkle stays on for hours but since I heart it so much, I sometimes find myself applying it again and again. It's ok though because it's so light, I do not end up looking like a kabuki or a glittering cake.:) 

To date, this is one of my most treasured make-up pieces. :)

For Lush Lips

Say goodbye to chapped and dry lips with RICH PLUM SHIMMER LIP BALM from BODY SHOP.

I personally love this product because the balm looks so regal with its shimmery deep violet color. It has rich plum scent that i could almost taste and most of all, it makes my lips naturally moist, soft but not overly shiny. Can be used alone or before applying lipstick.

Aside from personal use, I really think this makes a perfect gift for all our female loved ones.:)