Let me wear my fucking makeup.

"You wear too much makeup."

Maybe you've said it or you might have been on the receiving end. But unbeknownst  to many it can be embarrassing or even detrimental to the psyche or confidence of the one you're saying it to. Let's dissect this a bit, what exactly is makeup shaming?

Makeup shaming is when you judge people by how much or how little makeup they wear and/or whether they're male or female.

I've been guilty of this years ago when I was younger. I used to think makeup was only for super special occasions. So whenever I saw anyone outside that "socially acceptable" norm I would judge fiercely and say something like "Mag-dedebut is ate" or "San yung party?" (She's going to a debutante's ball. / Where's the party? Effect is heightened with the added sneer or eye-roll.)

It's so so embarrassing for me to admit it but I was that person. I take back and I deeply apologize to all the people I've said that to even if the comments were just to myself.


"You don't have to wear makeup. You're pretty enough."


There's this misconception that if you wear makeup, you're compensating for something which is [more often than not] your natural "unpretty" face (total BS).

Now, everyone has their reason/s for wearing makeup. Some people think it's fun and should be an enjoyable hobby for anyone. Others use it to channel their creativity and artistry. Others use it to just feel a little more put-together and be ready for what's ahead of them by concealing or perfecting a few features. Or even a combination of all mentioned. 

Remember, you're beautiful with or without makeup. 


"Boys can't wear makeup. Only girls can."


I feel like we're still leagues behind on unbiased acceptance regarding boys liking or wearing makeup. And when men do wear makeup, they're labeled as "gay", "transgender", "metrosexual" (stupid term TBH) or "lacking moral/ fatherly support". As if it can only be tolerable when a guy is gay, vain, effeminate and/or didn't have someone traditionally paternal to look up to.

Let's get this straight (pun not intended).

Makeup shouldn't only be a woman-thing. It's makeup. Why are we putting genders on it? In the early times, makeup was a symbol of wealth and power. It was socially acceptable and actually even necessary for men to have a little something on their face so they can be separated from the lower-class [who couldn't afford such luxuries].

I believe it only changed because of marketing. Makeup shifted its target and focused solely on women, which made it weird for men to be seen wearing or even going near cosmetics, including skincare.

Bottom line makeup can and should be used by anyone for their own personal purpose. In that regard let's cease the terrible judging and just mind each other's faces. No one's getting hurt. So wear that purple lipstick. It's just makeup anyway.



xx,
CJ


I haven't touched all there is regarding the issue but these are the main thoughts that sprung onto mind. I might make a part 2 of this but what do you think? What are your thoughts on the issue?


uncle_cheffy_review_199_unlimited_crackling

Now I've never tried Uncle Cheffy's before and to be completely honest I never cared to look much into it as I've never heard anyone else talk about it. So when I was invited to try Uncle Cheffy's latest offering — Unlimited Chicken and Pork Cracklings for Php199 on August 8th at McKinley Hill,  I thought why the f not.

uncle_cheffy_review_199_unlimited_crackling

uncle_cheffy_review_199_unlimited_crackling
 When someone says cracklings, you think chicharon right? Not just me? 'Coz that's what I initially thought. I was proven wrong though when the plate came and I didn't mind one bit.

We were served the main star of the evening — The unlimited cracklings with a glass of Iced tea. The viands on the plate weren't just cracklings though, there was this chicken covered in a sweet sauce then the "cracklings" being the tender fried chicken (with the crispy skin) and the pork piece (also with the crispy skin. mmmm.).

uncle_cheffy_review_199_unlimited_crackling
 It's been ages (and by ages I mean months and months) since I've eaten pork. In our household our menu consists of seafood, vegetables, chicken and the occasional beef. Bottom-line I was a little happy to be able to taste pork again albeit only eating that one and only particular piece you see on the photo.

The chicken covered in sauce I didn't care for very much. It was tender but the flavor didn't leave much of an impression. The fried chicken though was also tender and the skin was thin and crispy. It reminded me of Max's chicken but softer and more moist. The pork crackling's skin was really good. The meat was a little firm for me (I like to have the fat almost melt in my mouth, you know what I mean?) but I still enjoyed it. Both fried chicken and pork were lightly seasoned as it should in my opinion so you can have the option of using the ubiquitous crowd-favorite fried food sauce a.k.a Mang Tomas or Ketchup.

uncle_cheffy_review_199_unlimited_crackling
There were also servers who came in occasionally to replenish the meats on people's plates. So don't hesitate to ask for more pieces! 

We were also served a pretty tasty Margarita pizza with alfalfa sprouts.

uncle_cheffy_review_199_unlimited_crackling

Not to brag but my mom makes really really good cheesecake (lots of cream cheese and butter) and I've been thoroughly spoiled by it so it's not the restaurant's fault this wasn't exactly my favorite. It's still pretty good though!

uncle_cheffy_review_199_unlimited_crackling

uncle_cheffy_review_199_unlimited_crackling

Again, thoroughly spoiled by my family who cooks, the texture of this is slightly lighter (and more porous) than my usual fare so not an absolute must in my book.

All-in-all it was a cute little tasting of the Php 199 promo. I must say it's an awesome deal for the price considering it's unlimited and the food isn't bad. It's a pretty good affordable meal for everyone and anyone who loves fried chicken and pork.

Uncle Cheffy Php 199 unlimited cracklings deal review food tasting




There goes my trying-so-hard-but-semi-failing at a food review. I'm a frustrated food blogger if I can call myself that. Expect more food posts as I try to flex my food descriptive muscles and my stomach. If all else fails I can just say "I like this." & "I don't like this one.".


xx,
CJ

PS. Have you tried eating here?
PPS. Has anyone here ever ventured into food blogging? Or is an actual food blogger? Let's chat!
PPPS. I label/title my photos, so hover over them to see the secret messages! :)


Promo available only at the following branches : Bluewave Stripmall, Marikina, Robinsons Metro East, Pasig City, Venice Piazza McKinley Hills, Taguig City and Solenad Nuvali, Sta. Rosa City Laguna

Promo runs from July 29 to October 31, 2015 only.

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Uncle-Cheffy/195383127315
Moroccan Argan Oil - Wellspring

It was about three years ago, give or take, when we were introduced to the "wonder" oil after the Maracuja phenomena —the Argan oil. Seemingly out of nowhere this oil became the highly "lemmed" beauty elixir that promised a myriad of things from the understandable moisturization to a remedy for skin allergies etc etc etc.

WHAT IS ARGAN OIL?

Argan Oil is one of the rarest oils in the world. It's a plant oil produced from nut kernels of argan trees which only grow in Morocco. The oil can be ingested and applied topically (which is how it's popularly used today).

After my moment with a falsely marketed "100% pure" argan oil (review here) I started using a 100% legitimate argan oil and my facial routine to be honest has never been the same again. Whilst I was using that particular argan oil, I still searched for other options available in the Philippines.

There are a number of brands all claiming authenticity, most of them found in online shops but I haven't found any that personally rung my feminist heart as much as Wellspring of Morocco has.

Moroccan Argan Oil - Wellspring




KNOWN BENEFITS

  • Heals and repairs acne marks, dark spots, cracked heels, dry skin and elbows.
  • Heals skin allergies such as psoriasis, eczema, and skin asthma.
  • Maintains skin elasticity which prevents stretch marks during pregnancy.
  • Prevents scalp problems such as dandruff, dry hair and hair loss.
  • Reduces fine lines and wrinkles (anti-aging).

ABOUT WELLSPRING OF MOROCCO ARGAN OIL

Wellspring of Morocco Argan Oil comes from the argan oil cooperatives in Essaouira region in southwestern Morocco. Their argan oil is extracted from argan nuts through traditional means by tribes of Berber women.

Every purchase made contributes to a worthy cause and consumers indirectly take part in the fair-trade movement by supporting and empowering the women cooperatives and tribes that produce the argan oil.

Apparently extracting the oils is extremely labor intensive. It can take up to eight hours for one woman to crush enough nuts for one liter of oil. Being as labor intensive as it is, these women do it proudly and confidently as this provides them the social and economic freedom they wouldn't have otherwise.

Essaouira Medina
Medina, Essaouira - Image via travelchannel.com

Not only that, Wellspring of Morocco Argan Oil is also sourced directly from traditional, government - authorized, Ecocert and USDA organic certified Argan oil cooperatives in Essaouira Morocco.


EXPERIENCE | SCENT | TEXTURE

Argan oil according to discerning beauty articles, is supposed to smell "nutty" or "popcorn-ey" which rings true for this particular brand. It's thin, watery and clear. It doesn't have that yellow-tinge some oils have.

I use it as my night moisturizer and sometimes as my day moisturizer. It feels light on the skin and hasn't given me any problems when used under makeup or mixed with makeup. I'll gladly continue using argan oil or facial oils for that matter as a healthier more natural and organic alternative to chemical-based moisturizers.

This 10 ml starter bottle retails for Php 280 and I've had this bottle for a little over three weeks. I'm currently down to half. My usual amount is three to four drops so I'm sure after a month I'll be out of it. If you limit yourself to two drops nightly (skip during the day) I'm sure this will last a lot longer.

If want to get into facial oils or want to try out argan oil, this 10 ml noncommittal bottle is a good start. Oily or acne-prone skin need not be alarmed with putting oil on the face as these are supposed to help soothe the skin. For the record I have sensitive skin with dry patches and mild rosacea and I've had no problems with it.

Have you tried argan oil? What other facial oils have you tried?


xx,
CJ


PS. My friend who owns/sells this contacted me if I wanted to give it a try. Naturally I said yes! They also have 30 ml bottles for Php 800.
PPS. Make sure the Argan oil you buy comes in a tinted bottle. Argan oil shouldn't be exposed to light as it changes its composition. Comparing to my other argan, that one didn't come in a tinted bottle so I have to make sure it's always in a dimly-lit area in my room. As for other comparisons, they both smell and perform the same to me.

EDIT: Argan oil CAN come in un-tinted bottles, so people can see the golden colour of the oil. Argan oil that come in untinted bottles are supposedly of higher quality so it's deemed ok for light to pass through them but just to be safe, choose the tinted ones. They're usually in amber or blue bottles. 

Bottom line it can come in clear or colored bottles but it should be glass (more eco-friendly and plastic also disturbs/changes the property of the oil). Wellspring of Morocco comes in a blue glass bottle just for branding consistency. :) 

PPPS. For GOT fans, the series filmed some (or most) of their scenes in Morocco. Cool eh?


Further reading


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wellspringofmorocco
Instagram: @wellspringofmorocco
Hmm sounds like a pretty blog name.
Fashion21 blush stick cream blush review

I've tried one to two creme blushes a long ass time ago and couldn't quite remember how I felt about them. I currently have two in my collection a Korean one that feels like Maybelline's bouncy blush and this one.

Fashion21 blush stick cream blush review

Fashion21 blush stick cream blush review

Fashion21 blush stick cream blush review

TEXTURE | PIGMENTATION | WEAR

I quite like this brand's matte lipsticks and a lot of people in general like their lipsticks as well. This one though doesn't get the same enthusiasm as the former.

It's pigmented and you really only need a little so it won't end up looking cakey on the skin. Blending it out is easy as well if using a brush or your fingers. The finish is natural, isn't glowy and sits well on my skin. It also lasts quite well I find. A little over four hours would be a fair estimate then it starts to significantly fade. Maybe because it was such a light color to begin with and I only put a very small amount.

Fashion21 blush stick cream blush review

That being said, it doesn't feel nice on the skin or to rephrase it's not comfortable to wear. I also think the color doesn't suit me all that well. It's a blue-based light pastel pink which I thought would be a nice break from all the corals and peaches I tended to wear.

In the spectrum of light and dark I'm in the middle. I find this will work well for people with light skin and dark skin but not medium (with warm/olive undertone). If your undertone leans a little more pink or you're neutral I think you can try it out but for the most part the two extremes of skin tone range will pull this one off better than I.

And the scent! Sometimes I like the nostalgia of "old-school" smelling makeup on certain products but I can't stand this one. It does linger on the face for a while and you can smell it on you (until such time that your nose gets used to it).

It's not bad per se. I wouldn't say it's a must-have though. It's cheap so if you want to explore some cream blush options try to swatch this at one of their kiosks as they also have four or five more colours to choose from.


xx,
CJ


PS. Will give this one to a friend.
PPS. I paid no more than Php 200 for this. Don't remember the exact price. I also don't remember the exact shade name or number. Hehe.


"Ugh it's morning". When that's your typical reaction to a work day apart from the fact that you don't look forward to work/school it might be also because you don't want to get READY for that day.

Lord knows how long I get ready in the morning. Or get ready period.



This month's BDJ box is aimed for breezing through getting ready when all you want to do is laze around all day on your bed wearing pajamas (or nothing at all!).

I'll list these products in order of excited-ness on my part and tell you about my thoughts about it at the very end.



  • Benefit They're Real Mascara 8.5g / 0.3 oz - Php 1300 (30g sample size) 
  • Carmex Tube (10g) & Carmex Click Stick Lip Balms (4.25g) - Php 110/ea 

Carmex has never dropped from people's lists in terms of effective lip care and after always hearing about it on YouTube I finally have the chance to try it out. (Gave the click stick to my sister.)

Ah the ever coveted They're Real mascara. I think 30g of this deluxe sample isn't bad at all. I excitedly tried this out the day after I got my box and it gave me a false lash effect. A bit spidery (not that I mind) but I think that was just because I was in front of my fan when I was applying this. I didn't like that it stayed tacky throughout the day though. Will continue my investigation...



Oh yeah. I'm currently growing out my brows just so I can try out Benefit's brow shaping game. I mean, that's what brow consultation means here right? A brow shaping session and not just actual talk-y talk-y consultation? :\



  • Celeteque Advanced Anti-Aging Cleansing Oil 50ml - Php 199
  • V10 Plus Serum 30ml - Php 4750 (Sample size)

Cleansing oils has always had a special place in my cleansing routine ever since I first tried one. I recently tried this Celeteque one night and while I do think it's does the job okay, 50 ml isn't enough for a month especially if you're like me who needs around 5 ml every time. It also doesn't completely remove semi-waterproof mascaras well. Which I find odd seeing that it is oil.

Wow this serum's pricey as f. I'm not one to scrimp on skincare but dang. V10 Plus is an award-winning serum in Japan. It comes in 10 variants to suit your skin needs from oily, acne-prone to dry and mature skin. Ok. Fine. The fact that it's coming from Japan and has won awards IN Japan lessens the blow a bit.



  • Dove Oxygen & Nourishment Shampoo and Conditioner 180ml - Php 115
Has Oxyfusion Technology that gives soft, nourished hair with 95% more volume. Note: Shampoo is super runny so be careful when dispensing. Accidentally squeezed out a ton and my hair has never been shampoo-ed this long except in a salon.



  • Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar 127g - Php 441 (Sample 28g)
  • Canmake Nail Polish 3.8g - Php 330

Cetaphil has been my go-to for un-harsh cleansing.

Canmake polishes are said to dry fast and go on evenly with its formula and fine brush. A little tempting but I'm gonna give this away. I'm not pretty keen on the color plus I'm not that into polishes anyway.

NOT PHOTOGRAPHED : FS Luscious Lipstick in Primrose 4g - Php 299

Oh my god. I have no idea where my picture went or if I even took a picture of it. I'm sorry!!! I'll probably end up giving this away since I don't need it.


Thoughts

In my opinion this box is a little more thoughtful as it featured what products a person (who wears makeup) needs when they need to bolt out the door especially since they featured multi-tasking products (soap bars, lipstick).

From cleansing products to makeup and nail polish to makeup removal. This box certainly fits that bill. It certainly is a giant step up from last month's box and obviously a lot more varied in terms of content.

In terms of actual utility, I'm definitely enjoying the cleansing oil so far and the hair stuff so I'd say it's a good box. Not bad. But not great. What do you think?

Subscription : Php 580
Value of box : Php 1278 (samples excluded)



Website : http://bjdbox.com
Instagram : @bdjbox


Disclaimer : BDJ kindly sent this box to me as a gift. I was not asked nor compensated (monetary or otherwise) to post this in any of my social media or to make a blog post about it. All my opinions about the box - its contents and companies mentioned are my own unless someone steals my account, pretends to be me and continues the blog in my stead. Or someone pays me a lot of money. #shade #jk #orAmI?