Product Review: Myra Vitaglow BB Cream

Hello my lovely readers! Today I will make a review about Myra Vitaglow BB Cream. I purchased it at Ever Gotesco Department Store because I got curious. I used Myra products such as Myra E 400 and Myra E Lotions before and I must say that I am very satisfied with those so I have high expectations for this one. 

Myra Vitaglow BB Cream only comes in a 20ml tube and is available in two shades which are Beige and Ivory. The one I bought was in beige. It promises to give you the following benefits:

• Gives a hint of color as it evens out skin tone with a natural coverage
• Contains minerals and vitamin E to help keep skin soft, healthy, and young-looking
• With SPF 15 to protect the skin against the sun’s harmful rays

Here's how the product looks like

Can you see the shimmery particles?

THUMBS UP

*** Packaging – It is so simple but sleek. With its size, you can carry it inside your purse and bring it anywhere. The design of the tube also allows you to control how much product you need.

*** Affordability – It is only Php 99.00 and is available in supermarkets and drugstores nationwide.

*** Effectiveness - It did even out my skin tone and is very hydrating as well. I also like that it already has SPF because you don’t have to wear a separate sunscreen.

THUMBS DOWN

*** Consistency – I find the texture of this product a little bit runny as compared to some Korean BB creams that I’ve tried before. There’s also a sticky feel to it even if you’ve already set it with powder.

*** Coverage – It is very sheer and doesn’t really cover my skin imperfections. To be honest, it’s more like a tinted moisturizer than a BB cream.

*** Scent – It smells like a lotion but in a weird kind of way that is hard to describe.

*** I don’t like that it has shimmery particles to it because I feels like it’s very unnatural.

I don’t think I will repurchase this product because there are better options for a little over its retail price. However, I think that this is best for those people who have lesser skin troubles and doesn’t need too much coverage. I wouldn’t recommend this to people with oily skin though because it will only make you look oilier. How about you? Have you already tried Myra Vitaglow BB Cream? Share your experience at the comments section below.

See you soon. 

My Birth Certificate Woes

Warning: This is a lengthy post.

Photo courtesy of www.psa.gov.ph

It all started because I wanted to travel the world and to do so, I need to have a passport. While on the process of collecting my documents so that I could apply for one, I unfortunately found out that there are many issues involving my birth certificate after receiving a copy from then National Statistics Office or NSO (now Philippine Statistics Authority or PSA).

Firstly, my certificate of live birth does not indicate my “First and Last Names”. The only items that were filled out were my “Middle Name” and other details such as the date when I was born as well as my place of birth, the names of my parents, and the name of the OB-Gynecologist who attended to my mother at the time of my birth.

Second, since my parents were not married, I am considered as an illegitimate child. I can use my father’s last name as long as he acknowledged that I am indeed his child. There is a section at the back of my birth certificate regarding the acknowledgement however, my father wasn’t able to sign it due to the circumstances of my birth (as per my mother’s explanation).

Finally, my father died a long time ago without any written proof that he acknowledged me as his child thus as a rule, I am not allowed by the law to use his Last Name. However, I’ve been using it in all of my school and government records ever since. 

I went to the Local Civil Registry office in Manila (as I was born in Manila) to seek for an advise on what to do regarding my case. They told me to get a local copy of my birth certificate first because there are times that NSO copies are not updated especially if there has been changes made on someone's birth records in their end and a transmittal hasn't been done yet. So I did as I was told and was surprised to see that indeed, there was a supplemental report filed by my father to supply my first name on the birth certificate but my last name remains blank. I guess this is because at that time, he was still not married with my mother (they didn’t really get married anyway).

Since the changes made already reflects the local copy of my birth certificate, I was then instructed to file for a transmittal report so that my NSO records will be updated. I paid less than Php 500 for the whole process (getting the local copy + filing the transmittal) and was informed that I can already get an updated copy of my birth certificate from NSO after a month. I also asked one of the staff if there is anything that we could do about my last name since my father already passed away. She explained that if there is no written document proving that I was acknowledged by my father, they can’t do anything about it and that I may need to consult a lawyer about this matter.

Uh oh! Consulting a lawyer means appearing in the courts and going through a very tedious process that were both time and money consuming. Well, I’m not rich so together with my mother, we decided to seek the assistance of the Public Attorney's Office (PAO). Luckily, they are kind enough to answer all of my concerns and queries. I was told that since my father wouldn’t be able to testify and sign necessary documents, I will not be able to use his last name and that I should just use my middle name (my mother’s maiden name) as my last name so it will appear that I don’t have a middle name.

I was given several copies of originally signed and notarized affidavit stating that I am one and the same person and that all my school, employment, and government records should be updated bearing my name as it appears on my birth certificate. Now, I have to go back to my school since elementary and update everything from there then I have to go to different government offices to do the same. Oh well, what can I do? Anyway, this was a much better option than going to the courts right? I hope I can finish everything before October though. With that, Good luck to me!  X___X

If you need any legal assistance, here are the contact details from our Public Attorney's Office (PAO):

Public Attorney's Office Central Office

Office Address: 4th & 5th Floors DOJ Agencies Building
                       NIA Rd. corner East Ave., Diliman, Quezon City
 Hotline: (02) 929-9436; (02) 4262075; (02) 4262801; (02) 4262450; (02) 4262987; (02) 4262683

Local 106/107 (Office Hours)

Local 159 (Outside Office Hours)

Email:  pao_executive@yahoo.com

See you soon! :)

Product Review: Olay Skin Whitening Bar with Rose & Milk

Hello everyone! Today I'm going to make a review on Olay's new product, the Olay Skin Whitening Bar with Rose and Milk extracts. I got it from my second Sample Room Haul as you can read on this post. 

I know that we should embrace our skin color but then again it's just a matter of preference. In my case, I am not "morena" but my skin is not as  "milky white" either so I am in constant search for products that would make my skin fairer and even toned. This soap is launched with a hashtag #OneWashWonder because it is said to whiten your skin from the first use. 

As for me, I tried Olay Skin Whitening Bar because it has a dermatologically and clinically tested formula with natural rose and milk extracts that would help you achieve fairer skin without the sting. It also claims to be specifically designed with a Triple Whitening System that will help to do the following:

1. Reveal your natural white skin all over

2. Gently exfoliate your skin and wash away dead skin cells

3. Even your skin tone to make it look clean and clear

THUMBS UP: 

*** Packaging - The package is very feminine, simple but refreshing. If you're in a supermarket, it will be impossible to miss it on the bath soap isle. Another good point is that the details written at the back is very informative. 

*** Consistency - I love that it lathers easily giving you a rich and creamy texture.

*** Scent - It has a sweet floral scent and I love it! It really does linger on your skin for quite some time.

*** Affordability - It is very affordable at only Php 34.00 for a 60g bar and Php 46.00 for the 90g one.

*** Effectiveness - It did somehow make my skin look fairer and gave me a much even skin tone after using it for a week. I also love that it is not harsh on my skin although it is a whitening soap. It also leaves my skin feeling clean, fresh, and moisturized after every wash.

THUMBS DOWN: 

*** I really can't think of anything that would merit a thumbs down for this product. Over all I think that it is a very good soap for every day use.

I will definitely repurchase this soap because again... I LOVE IT! Need I say more? It also comes in Papaya and Vitamin C infused variants and is available in major drugstores and supermarkets nationwide. Have you tried any variant in the new Olay Skin Whitening Bar line? How's your experience? Please share it at the comments section below.

See you soon! :)

June 2016 : Photo A Day Challenge

Photo courtesy of www.fatmumslim.com.au

Hello Everyone! Happy 1st of June. :) We're halfway through the year and yes, finally! it's already rainy season here in the Philippines. I love the rainy days except for the thunder storms and floods. 

Anyway, today I would like to share with you something that I attempted to accomplish last year but wasn't able to finish because of my ever so busy work schedule. It's the Photo A Day Challenge from www.fatmumslim.com.au. She has been doing this challenge for a couple of years now and it is really entertaining. The idea is to take a photo of a particular subject every day through out the month and share it on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other social networking sites using the hashtag #FMSPhotoADay. You can also join their Facebook Group to share your photos.

There's a different set of challenge each month so be sure to check out her website if you want to play and have fun. For June 2016, the list is already out (see photo above) and this will be your every day prompt which will guide you and will serve as your inspiration for the subject of your photo. At the end of the day, she will feature four of her favorite photos shared for each prompts.

This photography challenge doesn't require you to be the best photographer in the world to participate. All you have to do is to unleash your passion and creativity, then snap away! Please remember though that this is not a contest, the challenge was made so that interested people can have fun. 

So what are you waiting for? Grab your camera and be inspired. Take and post that wonderful shot of yours and share it to everyone. Enjoy!

See you soon! :)