All posts tagged: manila

New on my Radar: Beauty MNL

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NOTE: I was going to post this later during the week, but they have a 20% off your first purchase promo (if you register) until November 8, so I thought to let you guys know sooner. OK, so this isn’t technically new, but Beauty MNL is an off-shoot site of Taste Central, a retail website here in the Philippines that’s partnered with Deal Grocer. Beauty MNL is where they basically re-stationed all of their beauty and style items. I’ve shopped quite a bit before at Taste Central, getting everything from Truffle Oil to my first Aesop purchase, and I thought I’d give a poke around the site to see what they had. They have such a great range of products, but understandably, I didn’t really need anything in particular, so I settled for something I’d actually been meaning to get (a konjac sponge) and cheap things I’d been wanting to try (Red Cherry Lashes; I like #747S on me, and #43 IS SO FREAKING HILARIOUS). Shipping within Metro Manila is about Php 50 or a …

Online Shopping from Manila: Tips & Tricks

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I am an impulsive online shopper. I was never really one for shopping trips growing up, because it just seemed like such a hassle to haul myself over to the nearest sale. I do have an eye for bargains, though, and I have tried out several types of shipping methods, which I will share with you today. I consider myself pretty “learned” when it comes to these things, just because I’ve been lemming for things like hard-to-find books and music, even before I got into makeup. So, if you live in Manila and are currently jonesin’ for some items abroad, here are some tips I have for you. Philippine Postal Service You can always do it the old fashioned way and have your items sent through registered mail. The only thing that’s risky about this is that customs is inescapable. I’m happy to pay taxes if they weren’t derived arbitrarily, which they sometimes are. Since I live in the Quezon City area, that’s where my packages typically end up. The QC PO is usually good …

BDJ Box (January 2013)

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So, the kind folks at BDJ Box sent over January 2013’s box and here’s a post on what’s inside. First, I must say that they are very speedy. I got this yesterday after providing my information the day before that. The box is smaller than what I thought it would be, from the pictures I’ve seen online. But, that doesn’t mean that it’s not super packed. Because it totally is. The January BDJ box also came with a steno dot grid (!!!) notebook. ❤ Here's an overview of what's inside: PROS: For Php 480 (!) a month, you get a lot of bang for your buck. There’s a a lot in here, both samples and full-sized products and coupons/vouchers. You get to try new things you would never think of picking up. You get introduced to new brands. Instead of spending G’s on new products, you spend Php 480 (!) for a chance to try out several kinds from a wide range of brands. Every month, you get something in the mail, which I like! …

Counter Swatch: NARS x Andy Warhol

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I dropped by the NARS counter yesterday and took a few quick swatches of their holiday collection, which is a collaboration with Andy Warhol. Sarie asked Robbie, the SA, to hold an Edie Set for me, but I wanted to look at some of the other products, too. The sets are rather pretty. The two collections that are not exclusive to Sephora seem to be available here, except for the polishes. TV Party, an orange shade, is the only individual polish that seems to be available in Manila. The Larger Than Life Lipglosses (Php 1450) are the first ones I swatched. In order, from the top: Viva, Penny Arcade, International Velvet, Candy Says, and Holly Woodlawn. The formulation is rather nice, though sticky. I was turned off by gloss a few years ago, and this is the first one I’ve tried—and liked—since “going off” of glosses. The Soft Touch Shadow Pencils are a tricky subject, something I’m willing to try, but perhaps not right now. Top to bottom, Calabria (not part of this collection, but …