Cheap Stuff: Pure Beauty Perfect Cleansing Liquid and Pomenegrate Eye Cream

I promised myself I'd review my latest make-up love that I bought at a really cheap price at Watsons. Working girls have to put make-up (aka gunk) on their face every day, and have to remove it every night (unless you want break outs). So we always need a good, cheap make-up remover. I stick to washing my face and using a toner until I found Watson's Pure Beauty Perfect Cleansing Liquid.

The best part about this baby is that it's on sale at 99. I read other reviews out there and this thing was apparently released last year July, and it sold then for up to 400. NOW it's only 99! What sorcery is this?


Now to put it to the test!

Me with some eye and brow make-up.

Just some eyeshadow eyeliner, and brow pencil.

With the cleansing oil all over my face. Just rub it in like it's facial wash.

After rinsing with water.

Did it take out my...

• Light powder make-up (eyeshadow, face powder, powder blush-on)? Yup. Pretty easily.
• Waterproof make-up (waterproof liquid eyeliner, mascara)? Yeah, surprisingly. I'm sure it depends on your brand, but for the usual durgstore brands and for Covergirl, it works. I just rub gently a little at my eyelashes to take the mascara out.
• Lead/pencil make-up (eyebrow liner, pencil eyeliner)? Yes, and pretty easily, as you can see in the pics above. The only difficulty was getting the black liner out of my lower lash line/waterline, but no one simply gets that out easily.

It's pretty effective and is a steal at 99. I only put on light make-up so I'm not one to judge for those gals who put on super-waterproof and stay-proof make-up, but after cleaning my face with this, I used some toner just to be sure and found out that my toner didn't pick up any more make-up after I used this! Already amazing for me. AND there's no sting in my eyes when I used it to remove my eye-make-up! They also have Perfect Cleansing Oil for more stubborn waterproof make-up, and Perfect Cleansing Water for more sensitive skin (which you can use with cotton balls if you're a cotton ball kinda gal).

PROS:
I got it ultra cheap.
Doesn't sting the eyes.
Removes mascara and liquid eyeliner.
Comes with a pump stopper so you don't accidentally spill the product.
You can use it without needing cotton balls. (I hate having to buy cotton balls.)
A lot of product at 190ml.
Skin doesn't feel dry and tight after use. Rather, it feels soft and moisturized.


CONS:
You have to rinse it off with water after using it.

Another baby I got was the Pure Beauty Pomenegrate Eye Cream. It was on sale at buy 1 take 1 for 99. I swear not buying things just when they are released pays off.


It's actually pretty effective! I've used eye products like Garnier eye roll-on to reduce the fugliness of my eyes, and this baby actually does its work. I see the effects every day. And again... ultra cheap.


You don't just have to be a sale junkie. You have to be lucky to get actual good stuff.

Baking 101: Whole Wheat Cream Puffs

When I had a short internship in the commissary of a local restaurant/bakeshop, my job there was mostly about finishing, which included piping pastry cream into thousand of choux pastries for cream puffs. Since then, cream puffs had a special place in my heart. Just about as special as croissants or macarons or cheesecakes are to me. I was telling myself to try baking them at home for a long while now, but never really really tried because they seemed difficult to make.

What part of it seemed difficult? Well, firstly cream puffs seem so complex. Your choux pastry has to be crunchy and browned outside and hollow and soft inside. And secondly, I'm horrible with fillings and icings. I wouldn't hesitate to bake a cake but if you told me to make some buttercream icing I would faint and fail.

But I tried the other day, with some help from my brother. He actually gave me P100 to buy some butter and cream. Yay! <3 Jenro you rawk. It isn't as difficult as I thought it was. I picked up a recipe from joyofbaking.com which you can find here. I'll also post it in this blog post for your convenience.

The only adjustments I did was that I used whole wheat flour instead of normal flour since that's what I have on hand and my sis is into the 'healthy food' thing. What's also great about this recipe is that it barely has any sugar in it.

Whole Wheat Cream Puff with Whipped Cream.
Sorry for poor photo, my bro wasn't there to work his photo magic.

Choux Pastry:

1/2 cup (65 grams) all purpose flour  (I used whole wheat flour in the same amount)

1/2 teaspoon granulated white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt (if using salted butter, take this out)

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) (57 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup (120 ml) water

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Glaze:

1 large egg

Whipped Cream:
1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream(double cream) (35-40% butterfat)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (NOTE: This says "PURE VANILLA EXTRACT". So please use that. Do not use the vanilla flavoring that we can buy for 5-10 PHP in le palengke. It will seriously ruin the taste of the whipped cream, trust me. Take this out if you don't have a good vanilla extract, or squeeze in some fresh lemon juice instead.)

1 1/2 tablespoons granulated white sugar, or to taste

Garnish:

Powdered (Confectioners or icing)sugar

PROCEDURES!

Choux Pastry: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly butter or spray the pan with a non stick vegetable spray.

In a bowl sift or whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.

Place the butter and water in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil. (Make sure that the butter melts before the water boils to reduce the amount of evaporation.) Remove from heat and, with a wooden spoon, add the flour mixture, all at once, and stir until combined. Return saucepan to the heat and stir constantly until the dough comes away from the sides of the pan and forms a thick smooth ball (about 1-2 minutes). Transfer the dough to your electric mixer, or use a hand mixer, and beat on low speed to release the steam from the dough (about a minute). Once the dough is lukewarm start adding the lightly beaten eggs (dough will separate and then come together) and continue to mix until you have a smooth thick paste (dough will fall from a spoon in a thick ribbon). Spoon or pipe 12 small mounds of dough onto the baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. With a pastry brush, gently brush the tops of the dough with a lightly beaten egg.

Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Continue to bake for a further 30 to 35minutesor until the shells are a nice amber color and when split, are almost dry inside. Turn the oven off, poke a couple of holes in each puff and, with the oven door slightly ajar, let the shells completely cool (and dry out). 

They'll keep on expanding and expanding in the oven. I used muffin pans to bake them so they have a uniform shape and aren't messy on a tray.

After they're baked, they look nice with all those little cracks on top that are distinct of choux pastries.

Choux Pastry is sorta hollow inside--that's why it has space inside for all that filling!

 

Whipped Cream: In a large mixing bowl place the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar and stir to combine. Cover and chill the bowl and whisk in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. When chilled, whip the cream just until stiff peaks form.

To Assemble: Split the pastry shells in half and fill (or pipe) with whipped cream. Place the top half of the pastry shell on the whipped cream and dust with powdered (confectioners or icing) sugar. Leftover Cream Puffs can be stored in the refrigerator.

Makes 12 cream puffs.
Read more:http://joyofbaking.com/CreamPuffs.html#ixzz1r9MuYy2r

Fill them in with the filling of your choice and enjoy.

As I said, I used whole wheat flour and chose to bake these babies in muffin pans so they have a more uniform shape. The butter I used was the Ambassador brand (from President) and it works well with the flour. When I want a good but cheap butter/butter compound I buy that or Queensland. The butter you buy really has an effect on your baked goodies. Ambassador is good because it's unsalted and tastes neutral. Queensland or Magnolia Gold has a salty, savory, butter-spread that you put on your sliced bread taste. The Butterfresh brand has a distinct smell to it. 

The cream you're going to use for the whipped cream matters, too. I only ever use Nestle all-purpose cream, but their premium heavy cream is the best thing I ever used for ganache. But, as with the butter, the taste of your whipped cream will depend on the taste of the cream you use. Buy what you like.

As for the finished product, since I used wheat flour, my bro and I got the impression that this choux pastry will be better fit for a savory filling--like chicken or basil pesto pasta, or something similar. It's texture is great, though, just amazing. The whipped cream was not sweet and it didn't go so well with the whole wheat choux pastry. I'm contemplating cooking some pasta tomorrow to go with the whole wheat whoux pastries. I still prefer putting pastry cream into my cream puffs--like what they do in Dulcinea Restaurant--even if those are absurdly sweet.

Also, I played around with the temperature of my oven for this. I use a small, electrical oven so I always lessen the temperature and cooking time when I bake because if I follow exactly what's on the recipe, I almost always end up with something being burnt. Well, miraculously, nothing burned here. I thought I was burning it, but I found that I wasn't, so maybe I should have stuck to the real temperature, because if I did, I'd get those pretty cracks that choux pastries have on top and a crunchier outside. Will post again if I re-do this.

Have a great day! Feel free to ask or comment here about anything!

Baking 101: Oreo Stuffed Choco Chip Cookies w/ recipe

A few months ago was the 100th anniversary of Oreo, so an Oreo recipe made it to the headlines of Yahoo! News and I just had to try it out. The recipe can be found at Becky Bakes but I'll post it here too for your convenience.

Photo by my amazing brother.

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookiesrecipe from the fantabulous Jenny of Picky Palate

2 sticks (1 cup) softened butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
10 oz bag chocolate chips
1 pkg. Oreo cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars together with a mixer until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined. Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of an Oreo Cookie. Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo cookie. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo cookie is enclosed with dough. Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Makes about 2 dozen VERY LARGE cookies.

(Above text is copied from here.)
Sad to say, I'm not in-love with these cookies yet. I love Oreos (especially with milk) but I find this recipe a little too sweet for my tastes. I find that replacing Oreos with Cream-Os work wonderfully, Cream-O isn't too sweet and is a lot less cheaper. Don't bake them too long or they'll be hard; you want a softer cookie here because there's still a cookie inside.

Starbucks Barista Application

Everyone's really here for my misadventures with job-hunting and job interviews. Here's a recent opening that I was called for: A Barista post for Starbucks. How to start with your application? You can start by grabbing one of their application forms in any of their branches (and grabbing a decaf cup of white chocolate mocha too, if you were me).

Here is a sample application form that you can grab in any of their stores. I got mine from SM Calamba. Click on the image to enlarge it. DO NOT download it an fill it up and pass it to them. I just posted this so you have an idea of what it looks like and what information it's asking for.


You can fill this up and submit it to the manager on duty. But if you're tech-savvy and prefer the internet to do things for you, just send a resume to the e-mail address provided in the brochure: 


people@rustancoffee.ph


You can also click on the link provided in their Facebook profile. For your convenience, you can also just click the link here.


If you get called for an initial interview, you'll be asked to go to their office at the first floor of Urban Building, located beside SM Cyber Two (which is beside the MRT Buendia Station.) Just hop on the MRT and you won't get lost. It's a group interview, so don't be shy and bring your game. If you make it through the first stage, they'll give you a "hooray you made it! Congratulations!" letter. Good luck!

Dirt Cheap Outfit Breakdown #1

You're a babe on budget like I am. Yeah, you probably are. I find clothes to be something I don't splurge on. I actually more likely see my money vanishing into thin air via buying pastries rather than via seeing the perfect fit shoe or skirt. If I see an article of clothing I LOVE but is otherwise expensive, I can always go Adele on it and say "never mind; I'll find someone like you" to the thing. So something wonderful but cheap will always be a treasure for me, or any college babe on budget.


This week I'm sharing the outfit that I wore to a recent event.

It's all retro-vintage-ish babe for me. Never mind that the event was a business/corporate event where people were in formal wear. The top part is made up of a sleeveless shirt underneath the red polka-dot shirt. They're from our family's new business line of clothing which will be out soon! I can tell you they're dirt cheap at P99 and of good quality. The skirt is garterized with yellow floral prints, something you can get in le tiangge for around 120 PHP. I also put on my trusty black stockings and black school shoes flats. The item around my neck is actually a timepiece on a bronze/copper guitar pendant. You can find a lot of cool timepieces like it in Quiapo starting at around 50 PHP.


My sis just pulled my hair up into a high pony. I call it "Marisa" hair, since it reminds me of a character from a video game who also has a high-pony.

As for make-up, I swear by my favorite Dream Girl BB Cream (Now P194 but only P124 when I bought it a year ago!). Then I put on some San-San Age Defying blush (P60) and San-San Eyebrow Pencil (P35). And then I use some black Ever Bilena Stargazer Eyeliner (P45). Of course I also use some CoverGirl Lashblast and some Marks & Spencer Lip Butter, but I didn't buy them myself, I don't think I ever will, they are bloody expensive and they are just the benefits of getting your heart broken your mom ends up buying you awesome stuff.


Ciao!

Broke Girl Cheap Stuff: NYX Round Lipstick in Tea Rose

If you want a cheap but quality imported brand, then you should know NYX from the US. While they don't have a shop here in the Philippines YET, many online sellers carry their stuff and you can also find them in make-up bazaars, like my sis did when she went to the last SuperSale Bazaar (and didn't bring me along!). I told her to try out NYX, so she came back home with NYX lippies in Indian Pink and Tea Rose.

On Left: Indian Pink

On Right: Tea Rose

Background c/o my awesome new Iced cookbook.

Plain lips with nothing on them.

With Tea Rose Lipstick.

Tea Rose is a very subtle shade, slightly pinkish in pictures but warmer looking IRL. The lipstick glides on so smoothly it reminds me of lip butter, but it's staying power isn't commendable--you have to reapply it after two hours or so. But these lippies are cheap, cheap, cheap, and they're good quality enough for their price. What you really want from NYX is that they have hundreds of colors to choose from--you can't not find your own personal lipstick shade fave!

Tea Rose is a good everyday lipstick, natural-looking enough for everyday life. I can't wait to try other shades! The Indian Pink shade is for my sister to review.

My sister bought there lippies for P120 from the online seller here when they were at the bazaar. I realize they're being sold at P140 each if you order online, so if you want a cheaper option, try here, where you can get if for as low as P100 each. If you're from the US, I hear these lipsticks go for 1USD each! Must ask for some from my dad!

Our Favorite Resort: Doña Jovita Resort

Recent pictures from our Doña Jovita trip go here.


If you want a to go on a summer vacation where you can swim in either cool water or hot spring-waters, be one with nature and go on a hike, and have a lot of wonderful photos, you have to go to Doña Jovita in Laguna. It's our favorite getaway, easy to reach if you live in Calamba (like I do), and fairly inexpensive--you get the quality for your money. Recently they have also improved their site to be able to accommodate weddings and such. My family and relatives have been going to Doña Jovita for almost seven (?!) years now. We make it a habit to drop by once a year.


TIP: If you want a peaceful, quiet atmosphere, don't go there at April or May. Be a boss like me and my aunt and go there on February, or early March. We were, literally, save for the staff, the only people in the resort.


How to get there:
From Calamba, ride a jeep that will go to UP Los Banos. Say Dona Jovita and you're set. Tell the driver to drop you off.

Doña Jovita has 6 or 7 pools--some are cold water, and some are 'hot spring' water. (And there are various 'mini pools' and jacuzzi-like pools, too!) It's good because when the weather is cold you can choose to jump into a pool of hot water instead. (I prefer hot water myself)

This one is a 'mini-pool' against a stone wall. They have water running down the wall too, to make it look like a waterfall.

More scenes and pictures from Jovita:

If you're looking for pretty rocks and greenery, this resort has it.

Beside one of the pools. This one is has hot water, and is my favorite among all their pools.

You can hike up these steps on a hill quite a distance from the resort to reach a "grotto".

Many years ago, we slept over at this resort, renting one of their awesome cottages that will remind you so much of nature. Of course, we brought our own food, too!

Me and le aunt got hungry after all the swimming and waddling around and the sunbathing, so we ordered some food from the resort restaurant and asked it to be served to our table (which was conveniently one step away from the pool. We moved it there because no one else was around anyway. -_-)

The order was for some Pancit Bihon. It tasted home-made and good, not like those ridiculous instant things. With that being said, you'll also have to wait quite a while for the order to arrive. Later my aunt also ordered some cappuccino, which she remarked was good, but half the cup was just foam. Haha. XD

I highly encourage everyone to visit Dona Jovita. And I'm not even getting paid to do this. It's a beautiful place where you can swim in whatever water you prefer, hot or cold, and be one with nature as well, and take a lot of amazing photos!

And here is a picture of me sunbathing in a bikini:

No, I'm just kidding. XD

Click Here to See Dona Jovita's Facebook page and More Pics