Why Say No When You Can Just Say Cheese?

It is bright and sunny as I am typing this - the storm has settled down and finally found its way out of the country. "Glenda" certainly gave Manila a beating huh? It sure spooked the hell out of me too, during its height two days ago, what with its mighty blow running for three hours - an ample amount of time to leave the entire metro in absolute havoc. Even though I was in the comforts of my own room, I still couldn't help but be worried about the safety of my loved ones. But good thing that's all over with now. Only thing left for us to do is to clean up the trail of mess that is occupying the major streets of the Metro, move on, and just charge everything that happened to experience. 

(Photo from my instagram: jemyeahreyes) 

 Meanwhile, while I was confined to the four walls of my room yesterday, since pretty much the entire city was experiencing a total blackout, I decided to catch up on my reading. I ended up reading Who Moved My Cheese by Dr. Spencer Johnson. It's such an easy and light read that I finished the whole thing in less than an hour. What fascinated me the most with this self help book is how simple and blatantly written it was, and if you didn't know anything about it, you might even associate it with a children's book because of the large fonts and the fact that it is a less-than-a-hundred paged writing. Shortly after reading it, I found myself thinking real hard about life again. 

Do you ever get of one those moments? Moments wherein you begin to question life, you begin to question your philosophies in life & whether the path you're treading on is of the right path? Very rarely do I get those, but when I do fall into that abyss, I always pick up something from it. 

See, what I realized is, that life is simple. Yes, I know, everyone's heard of this story before, it's what graduation ceremonies, cell groups, and whatever self-help group out there is made of, but I'll go on with it anyway because who knows, someone out there might actually need it. (I needed it) 

Yes, life is simple. The questions that we have in our heads all this time? They come with an even more simple answer. In Who Moved My Cheese, there are four characters in the story namely, Sniff, Scurry, Hem, & Haw. Now, these four guys, they all live inside a maze in which they struggle, everyday of their lives, to find cheese. Yup, THE CHEESE. And the cheese is a representation of what our goals in life are - whether it's got something to do with our career, relationships, family, or some other thing, that's the Cheese. 

Sniff is a little mice who, as his name suggests, "sniffs" his way into life. He trusts his instincts and therefore, know when it's time to move on and change. Scurry is, again, as his name suggests, is one who scurries. He doesn't over analyze things, he scurries instinctively, and when he senses that something isn't working out already, he walks away. They're pretty similar as you can see, but instead of being like these guys, most of us (including yours truly), end up being more like Hem & Haw. 

Now good guy Hem is a little human being who has gotten way too comfortable living with his Old Cheese, that he stays "hemmed" in that station forever. He doesn't prepare for the worst and therefore, when life brings it hard to him (like when his Cheese went missing), he becomes emotional, he blames people, and he denies the change that is happening right before him. To cope, he assures himself that everything's just temporary, that eventually it'll come back to normal. 

And then there's Haw, who, just like Hem, denies the change that is happening right before his eyes. But what sets Haw apart from Hem is that, he is not afraid of change, is not afraid to see it and in the end, learns to accept it, and then does something about it. When he noticed that the Cheese isn't coming back, he gave it much thought, and after realizing his own folly, laughed at how simple the answer could have been, and decided to go back into the Maze in search for New Cheese. 

To sum this long entry up, change is what makes up life and not everything is meant to work out in this life time - whether that's your career talking or your bad relationship talking, it's the same story. We have to learn how to be flexible and we have to learn how to adapt to new situations. We can't be stuck in this rut, incessantly questioning where we went wrong, what we could have done - no. Because over analyzing things, only leads us to more questions rather than answers. And the answer, my friends, couldn't have been more simple. If something isn't working out in your life anymore, move on. 

And moving on isn't going to be easy, not now not ever, not when you feel like you're okay with this, that you could live with this, but get this. The only thing standing between you & your chance of finding your Cheese, is your fear. Your irrational man made fears, all thanks to your over active brain. Yup, all you my friend. However, when you're able to laugh at your own follies & realize how absurd your fears are, things are going to look up for you. All of what you're going through (as what Haw figured in the book) is all a blessing in disguise. Because it's going to lead you to finding New Cheese. A better one at that.

My Thoughts: Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner

There is always a certain thrill in trying out new things, whether it be hopping on a crazy, near death-like ride in an amusement park, skydiving, having your belly button pierced, or getting inked - whatever it may be, there's a certain high that we get from trying out something for the first time. And no matter how insane or out of this world that is, if it's a new sensation, then count me in sister! 

 However, I can't share the same drive when it comes to trying out a new skin care routine. In fact, there are only a handful of brands that I trust enough to use on myself simply because I have the most ultra sensitive skin in the entire world. Don't get me wrong though, I'm open to the idea of trying out new things, even if that means being my own guinea pig, but unfortunately, my skin doesn't share the same sentiments. 

I remember a time when a favorite blogger of mine wouldn't stop jabbering about the Pond's cold cream, always mentioning it on her blog/vlog telling the whole world that it's all the goodness in the world in one jar (or something akin to that at least). So, like the forever curious person that I was (& still am), I took the plunge & bought the said cream. It was dirt cheap anyway so I figured, what have I got to lose? Needless to say, a couple of days after, I broke out in places I never thought I would in this lifetime! I. Was. Outraged. As it turns out, I have a sensitivity towards "mineral oil", one of the main components of that infamous cream so since then I said, never again.  But that's history and I think it's safe to assume that I know better now. 

So today, I want to share to you a product from Etude House that my skin seems to agree with lately, what else but the Wonder Pore Freshner. Was it a hit or miss for my skin? Read on to find out! 

First of all, I love that this can be used in multiple ways: a toner, a mist, & even a mask if I'm not mistaken! Talk about value for money, eh? And not only that, you take home with you a massive bottle. As in, give-me-a-lifetime-to-finish-this-whole-thing-up kind of bottle. So at first, the retail price which is around 600php (more or less) may seem like a rip off, but with the amount that you get, really, it's just fairly priced. 

However, this product has its own limitations. As a toner, I feel like it doesn't do much for my skin. It's pretty similar with the Skin Malgem actually, & the only thing that sets them apart is the smell. The Wonder Pore, as its name already suggests, is supposed to not only cleanse our pores, but to minimize its appearance as well. And I do have big ass pores by the way, so that gives me the chance to review this product extensively. This toner isn't at all that bad though, because it cleanses my face thoroughly,  thereby preventing future breakouts & it's also free of any alcohol content. It doesn't give me that dry feeling afterwards & it doesn't strip my skin of its natural oils, so in a way it does the job, but that's that. After about two months of using this, I am yet to notice a difference on the size of my pores. And on top of that, I am still as oily as ever. So honestly, when I run out of this thing, I wouldn't repurchase & instead, I'd go back to my good old Dickinson's Witch Hazel because it yields better results than Etude House's.  

The Wonder Pore Freshner, however, is amazing and practically heaven sent as a mist. You would agree, too, if you live in Manila and therefore, know how harsh (if not agonizing) the weather can be sometimes. Anyway, I transferred some of it to a smaller, spritz-type bottle just so it's easier to lug around. When I'm in need of an instant boost, I just whip my bottle out & spritz some on my face. What I love about it the most is that when I put this right after doing my make up, it eliminates the powdery & matte look, so what I get is this ever so slightly dewy & healthy looking skin which I'm absolutely digging at the moment.

So literally, I have a love/hate relationship with this product. Love as a mist, hate as a toner. 

I'm not disappointed with it though, but I'm not blown away by it either. I'll use it up for now, and enjoy it (mainly as a mist) while it lasts. 

But like I said, I wouldn't repurchase. 

So, tell me, have you tried this toner before? 

Comments are mooore than welcome as usual 

JEM 

My Thoughts: MAC Please Me

Yes, this blog is still alive. The only thing that's dying on me right now is my laptop, hence, the 2 month hiatus. (sigh) So while it's still hanging around, I might as well do something productive with it before it bites the dust. So today I want to introduce to you to the one lipstick that changed my life, that is if you haven't met her yet because I did include here in my February favorites.

And so, you might ask, what the hell does that vinyl up there got to do with anything in here? Well, I happen to be a huge Beatles fan (actually, my dad is the ultimate fan, I'm just the benefactor haha), and if you haven't heard of their song "Please Please Me", know that it's never too late to hop in the bandwagon and be exposed to the band that started it all, and not just the hairstyle, footwear and even the coordinated suits alright.. By ALL I mean revolutionized rock music. It is no debate - no other band has influenced pop culture the way these guys have. They are hands down the best thing to happen in the 20th century. And yes, still happening. 

And if it isn't obvious yet, that is the reason why I'm extra fond of this lipstick. Why? Because anything that makes me sing  "Please Please Me" (or any Beatle song for that matter) is for keeps, that's why. And for some people, that may come off as trivial, but for me, it counts as something simply because it brings me joy.  

And I'm sorry, I know I talk a lot (and add to that my propensity to say irrelevant things!) so I'll digress in 5...4...3..2..

MAC is absolutely one brand that needs no more further introduction. Why? Because it's MAC, period. Make up enthusiast or not, we all have a bit of love going on for this brand because it salvaged us at some point in our lives.  Now how many girls have gone running to their store in search for that perfect red lipstick to wear on a first date? Or a make up artist in search for a full coverage foundation to use on clients? I could go on and on about this but you probably get the picture by now. Any living, breathing, and functioning human out there owns at least a piece of MAC (whether its through samples or whatnot). 

(My apologies for its current state. I've had this for almost 6 months now, hence, the scratched label & all. Well that only goes to show how much love I have for it I guess)

(After 21 years, I still don't know how to "focus")

Please Me for me is the perfect pink to wear (and not to mention the most versatile) if you're undecided on what kind of pink would look good on you, simply because it looks good on everyone (and it goes well with a bunch of looks too). It has the perfect amount of warmth & coolness so it's sure not to clash with your skin tone and dare i say lift it up in the most faint way possible.  It is the most subtle pink I've worn that looks even more gorgeous up close, provided that your lips are well prepped of course (lip balm & all that shebang) because let's face it, cracked & bleeding lips are a no go 50 years ago, and it still isn't now so do your job woman! Exfoliate that sonuva betch lol. 

So if you read my blog often (yes, all 10 of them... just kidding!), you'd know that matte lipsticks are absolutely my go-to formula simply because they sit longer on my lips, hence, no need to retouch every -2.5 seconds. I get a good wear of about 3-4 hours on this, unless I eat or drink the number could be lower, but when my mouth isn't doing anything (that doesn't right) it behaves & stays put. 

Now, we've all heard about how MAC products are ridiculously overpriced here in Manila, making $23 a pop for a tube of lipstick even more ludicrous. But obviously, I'm willing to see through that because it is amazing and I am yet to find a dupe for it, and I guess even if I did I'd still have this beauty around (I'm clingy that way, sorry).  And when you think about the higher brands out there (think Tom Ford, Guerlain, Sisley etc), you wouldn't worry so much about how jacked up it is over here because it still is (ever so slightly) affordable, other brands considered. 

Please Me remains to be my HG lipstick after two years. It's exactly what I would put on when I don't know what to do with my face. It just adds an extra oompth to my otherwise dull & lackluster complexion & I have nothing but pure love for it. You just have to buy it to get my drift (or at least, test it if you're near a MAC counter) Overall, I'm in love & I would repurchase this for the rest of my life... for sure. 

So, enough blabbering! I guess from here I can just let the pictures do the talking! xx 

That's just me putting my big face forward. #sorrynotsorry 

Annnd concluding this post with a huge smile on my face. 

Comments are mooore than welcome, as yoosh :)

Hope you liked today's post guys. I'll see you on the next one? 

JEM xx