I dream to be at the beach with SNOE!

VACATION - one word that instantly relaxes and gives excitement to a person. Just imagine if you have a chance to visit your dream vacation destination... Hmm... That would be the most memorable experience for sure!

My dream vacation this summer? Mine would always be Boracay! Boracay is the number one vacation destination of our country because of its amazing white sand beaches and fun atmosphere. Support our own ika nga.

Photo borrowed from here

Best Boracay buddy would be - My Big Sister! She loves beach hopping and Snoe products too. We're really close like that! Not all are blessed with a loving and caring sister. Three days at Caticlan would be filled with so much laughs-at the-sand with her!

Hitting the beach wouldn't be complete without the beauty kit. What would I probably bring? Here are some of the must-have products that I'll carry with me on our trip:

loaded with Snoe love <3

Of course, the number one product to pack is Snoe Suntervention Serious Sun Protection with SPF 80! It protects me from sunburn from playing all day under the sun. ;) This would be my number one partner from strolling at the beach, swimming, snorkeling, and island hopping! This product prevents skin aging and protects against the harmful UVA and UVB rays.

One of the most hyped activity at the beach is the Hair Flip. Now, I don't want to fail on that! I'll make sure that I'll bring Snoe Hair Heroes Extreme with me for that soft, shiny and beautiful hair! Plus, this product has UV protection too! I'm confident my hair won't be damaged at the beach.

That's me practicing the hair flip XD

Everytime I use this product, Big Sister would always give a great comment about the smell. Hihihi now she knows my hair secret and was happily convinced to buy her own bottle. ;)

Bringing these sample sizes of Snoe White soap bars would also save major space in the suitcase. I have here Brightening Citronella, Lightening Licorice, Organic Papaya, and Organic Green Papaya. I could share these with my room mate, Big Sister, too!

Now even staying inside the hotel at Boracay would be fun too with these little beauty soaps to try on! Yeah, we'd love to have radiant glowing skin like those girls on bikinis. XD That would be another budget-saving vacation experience too!

I'm super vain when it comes to exfoliating. When I go on for a vacation for more than two days, I make sure to bring this lovely product recommended by my friend Kim - Magic Apple Whitening S-rub! I dont wanna go out swimming with dark skin areas! XD I use it particularly on my knees, elbows and knees. Try it! It works like magic!

Read my Magic Apple review here

Now, we dont need to visit the spa for some pampering. We have SNOE with us. Imagine how much we could save at Caticlan with these products??

How about some natural beauty glow? This Snoe Beauty Glam Jam Lip & Cheek Stain in Scarlet makes me bloom in seconds! Shoot that in my bag! Lakas makaganda! DIVINE! Perfect for girls like me who doesn't wear foundation or any other makeup while at the beach.

And of course, Snoe's Fizzy Clean hand sanitizer in Green Tea would always be a SUKI on my kit. This is my best buddy when travelling. I'm the type of person who loves to touch things everywhere - like food, shells, sand, bamboos, starfish, coconut, leaves, name it! This product has a Green Tea scent that eliminates bacteria and keeps my skin soft and smooth at the same time.

Now I am ready for a vacation and have some fun at the beach with friends!  - with my favorite SNOE BEAUTY products with me! How about you? Where's your dream vacation? What Snoe products would you carry with you?

I would like to invite you all to join their Suntervention Bloggers Competition and write about your own dream vacation too!

Check out their branches here:

  Shopwise – San Pedro

  SM Muntinlupa - 2nd Floor Fashion Ave.

  SM Las Pinas – 2nd Floor

  SM Valenzuela - Ground Floor

  Festival Mall Alabang, Muntinlupa - Ground Floor

  Glorietta 4, Makati  Cinderella – Ground Floor

  Market Market - By the entrance from the fountain

  Landmark Trinoma - Cosmetics Section

  Robinsons Galleria - Ortigas

  Robinsons Dasmarinas - Ground floor – near the entrance

  One Pavillion Mall - #7 Duterte St., Banawa, Cebu City (2nd flr Dept Store)

Also available in Tony & Jackey Salons:

  Magallanes branch - 2F Rustans Shopwise Magallanes Gateway

  Tomas Morato branch - C.T.T.M. Square Tomas Morato

  Makati branch - West of Ayala Bldg.

  Malate branch - Unit H Belagio Square

Visit Snoe Beauty website for more info. Dont forget to LIKE them on Facebook and FOLLOW on Twitter for updates and different promos.

What's on my table? Colour Collection Cosmetic

New cosmetic finds this month - Colour Collection! I was lucky to score this BB cream and lipstick during an event.

Colour Collection Gluta-WHitening BB Cream (P379) is a very good makeup base or a substitute to foundation with SPF27. It gives a natural coverage and very affordable too. The shade is good for the Filipina skin, unlike other Asian BB Creams that ends up super light on the face.

It gives a sheer finish, very light and non greasy. It controls oil and it does not contain shimmers. Yay I love this product~

Colour Collection Moisture Intense Lipstick in Paradise Pink (Around P350.00) is such a lovely hot pink shade. It dries to a satiny finish without compromising color. It also keeps your lips from over drying due to the hot and humid weather. Plus, it has SPF15 too! 

It could last up to 5 hours and it contains up to 5x more moisturizers than regular lipsticks that keeps lips hydrated, conditioned, and supple. One application is already good but for more intense color, glide it twice on your lips!

Here's the result:

I only applied light BB Cream on my face and small dabs of lipstick since it was really hot that afternoon and I wanted to achieve a sweet look.

I wanna get more products from Colour Collection soon. Good thing, my mom's friend is a Tupperware dealer :D Have you tried their cosmetics? What do you think of their collection?

Tony Moly Spa Escape

After the usual stressful work, I headed to Tony Moly Spa Escape for a luxurious spa indulgence last April 25 at Suriya Spa, Frontera Verde Pasig City. I really love the cozy atmosphere here and appreciated the warm welcome we've received from the Tony Moly team.

with Tony Moly Marketing Officer Angel on the last photo

They have introduced their new revolutionary skin care line - Timeless EGF and Oriental Gyeol. This is the first time I've heard about EGF and Gyeol. So what's with EGF and Gyeol?

Timeless EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor) is a pecfectionism, anti-aging skin care line that promotes cell regeneration, skin resilience, wrinkle improvement, skin hydration, protection and skin whitening.

From left to right: Timeless EGF Mask Sheet (Php 278), Timeless EGF Power Cream (Php 2998), Timeless EGF Power Essence (Php 3098), and Timeless EGF Eye Cream (Php 3148)

The Oriental Gyeol skin care line has powder of 5 different kinds of traditional Korean ingredients that provides beautiful skin texture. Hohoho this is totally what a woman needs!

From left to right: Oriental Gyeol Toner (Php 1398), Oriental Gyeol Cream (Php 1448),

Oriental Gyeol Emulsion (Php 1398), Oriental Gyeol Eye Cream (Php 1578),

Oriental Gyeol Serum (Php 1578)

Press people and bloggers present at the event. Hello Tracy Ayson and Marj Sia!

First, we were led to a cozy room where we had our manicure and pedicure done. They've used Tony Moly Galaxy Nails. They're all glittery~ just perfect for a stardust fun party from nebulae to Milky Way! I chose the silverish shade GT01 Mercury. 

Galaxy GT01 Mercury, GT02 Earth, and GT03 Mars (Php328)

Attendants also offered some fruits and refreshments from time to time.

 I am really happy with the cosmic results. It looks so cool yet elegant enough for an event or work.

Also, Tony Moly prepared some food for us~

For my facial, the attendant led me to a private room. She let me choose which products I wanted to use for my facial. The choices are Timeless EGF, Oriental Gyeol, and Live Snail. Since I have an acne prone/sensitive skin, I chose the Live Snail. I've been hearing a lot of good feedbacks about it so I think this is the perfect time to try them all. 

First, the lady used Delicious Grapefruit Cleansing Oil Gel to remove makeup residue and dirt on my skin followed by Floria All-in-One Cleansing Oil Tissue. Then she placed Intense Repair Live Snail  Hydro-gel mask on my face and left it for about 20 minutes. Snail mucus on my face! There was a soothing music on the background that made me fall to sleep. Haha. After that, she applied Intense Care Snail  Eye Serum and Intense Care Snail Essence on me.

After the facial, my skin felt firm and hydrated. I am so relaxed and really happy with the pampering. I've also learned how to recreate the spa experience at home with the new Tony Moly skin care products! Thank you so much Tony Moly!

For my Dear...

No one's gonna harm you not while I'm around.

Last year, a dear friend from Arizona gave me a porcelain doll as a gift when she visited the Philippines. I'm a big girl now but I am still fascinated with them and I became a collector. Her name is Natasha S. Miller. A collector's doll by Bradley. She bought it from a thrift shop in Arizona, complete with certificate and tea set.

The certificate was dated December 25, 1983 (Christmas) and at the back there was a dedication - "From Grandpa (Gerald) & Granny (Kathryn) Garrison." This letter gave me goosies but I find it sweet and sincere at the same time.

Maybe, the owner grew up, on her late twenty's or thirty's now, had her own family or decided to move to another place, so she had to donate it to the thrift shop. I got a bit sad, Natasha had to be left behind for some reasons. It reminds me of the Toy Story movie.

Don't worry Natasha. I won't have a heart to throw you away. I'm your new momma now. I'll take care of you.

Photos by Carizza Chua and Eton de Guzman

Schwarzkopf BonaCure Hair Theraphy

Here's what I got from Schwarzkopf. Bonacure Hair Theraphy (Repair Rescue) Shampoo and Conditioner. Hair products made for damaged, bleached and porous hair. Big thanks to Schwarzkopf for this. My hair badly needs it!

It contains Amino Acids and CuraTec proteins to restructure the hair from within. With one week of use, I get soft and easy to manage hair, no flakes and tangles too. It feels like I'm shampooing my hair at the salon. 

I am hoping for healthy, shiny, and strong hair after continuous use. :)

Schwarzkopf Bonacure Hair Theraphy (Repair Rescue) Shampoo $12.59

Candy Gum Yum

Top from Sparkle Shop, shorts from Landmark, connector ring from Forever21, pink belt from Small Sister, and white boots from Big Sister

I'm loving the soft pastel orange and green matched with bubblegum pink belt! It looks so yummy and sweet I wanna taste it. XD

These ankle-high wedge booties are my new pals.  LOL Free stuff from my sisters. I love being the youngest child! Hohoho~

My eyes look a bit different today. I used Etude House Look at My Eyes VanillaCream YL01 on the sides and blue eyeshadow on the corners too.

Not as happy as it looks like. I need a remote in my life. This day reminds me of the Paperbag Day. I hate it when someone just nag almost everything about me in public. Let's quickly flip the page, please!

The White Hat "Waffle" Challenge

Me and boyfriend went to SM North EDSA Annex for The White Hat Waffle Challenge! Lol yeah, they have a CUP Challenge contest running right now but since I am not prepared to accept it yet, we chose make our own challenge - finishing the whole White Hat waffle!

We ordered The Strawberry Dream and The Peach-Berry Picnic. 

It was really good even without pouring honey on top of it!

Berry yummy! Those are my most favorite among the seven waffles that they have. You could also try The Peanut Butter Ball, The Fruit Basket, The Hazelnut Parade, The Banana Island, and The Apple Tree waffle.

And of course, I'm the challenge winner! I was able to finish the whole waffle all by my self! Hohoho >:o

Going back to the real CUP Challenge, visit The White Hat store near you and join the contest. All you have to do is stack up as many cups as you can within 60 seconds. Dont forget to start the video with this line: “Hi Andi and Jessica, I’m [YOUR NAME], and I ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE!”. Watch the video below to see Ms. Nikki's practice video:

Shout the total number of cups at the end of the video then send your entry to andiandjessicaTWHchallenge@gmail.com

I was wearing a girly girly outfit that time so I wasn't able to try it. I should go back there in my most comfortable shirt and jeans!

The winner will receive an awesome EAT ALL YOU CAN YOGURT PARTY with 5 of your friends plus Andi and Jessica! So head out to any of The White Hat Italian Frozen Yogurt stores nationwide and accept the challenge now!

Bo’s Coffee: Homegrown, Just-Roasted Coffee Goodness

1996. It was an era when Wi-Fi was just a funny sounding word, mobile phones were the size of bricks, and the idea of heading out for coffee with your friends was about as familiar as the concept of social networking at the time—that is, to say, completely alien.

It was also during this time that Steve Benitez did something that very few entrepreneurs would dream of doing: he decided to start a business that involved selling coffee to a market that shuddered at the idea of paying for a drink they could brew at home. The idea, however seemingly radical at the time, was borne out of his passion to share his coffee experiences in the US and Europe to Filipinos, many of whom are coffee lovers.

Thus, on June 28, 1996, Bo’s Coffee opened its first branch in Ayala Center Cebu. However, they still had to deal with a very challenging question:

How do you convince people to buy specialty coffee when they’d rather make it themselves?

Branch #1 is a kiosk in Ayala Center Cebu. Now it's only one of four in that mall.

Breaking Barriers

"Coffee was not a lifestyle yet, it was just a product. There were not a lot of coffee shops, and there were no foreign brands in the market," said Steve Benitez, Founder and CEO of Bo's Coffee. Filipinos, at that time, couldn't understand why they'd have to pay so much for a cup of coffee, and that was the mold Bo’s Coffee had to break.

Given the market situation of the industry in 1996, the public perception of Bo’s Coffee hadn’t been very encouraging.

“The first Bo’s Coffee in Cebu was just a kiosk with six tables—a very, very small operation.” Benitez recalls. "Back then, people saw coffee as just a product that they can get for free in their homes, and they get it so cheaply at restaurants. So when we priced our coffee at specialty coffee prices, it [met] some resistance.”

He continues, “For the first three months it was really discouraging. If it was purely treated by me as a business, I think I would have folded that up. But it was really more of a passion, because the coffee experience at Bo’s Coffee isn’t just about the just-roasted freshness of our various brews, it was also about the experience of enjoying quality coffee with the people you love.”

After facing initial setbacks, Benitez’s commitment to providing world-class coffee experience for the Filipino community enabled the company to grow and flourish, and eventually, the community grew to love the brand.

The Bo’s Difference

Upon seeing the brand name, many ask: who in the world is Bo?

“I studied the coffee business for two years before starting the company,” Benitez narrates. “In one of the exhibitions I attended in New Orleans, there was a booth by an expert coffee roaster: an American-Italian named Bo. I visited a lot of roasters, but he made an impact on me because he was very, very serious about his coffee. I remember him telling me that he didn’t want to become so big because he wanted to ensure quality. When it was time to put a name into the coffee shop, I felt that he was one of those who influenced me greatly. He stood for quality and passion—that’s why I named it Bo’s Coffee.”

The coffee shop’s tag line, “Just Roasted,” is a testament to Bo’s legacy. Benitez explains, “A big factor in maintaining the quality of coffee is really the freshness of your beans. To guarantee the peak level of freshness in the cup that you sip, we make sure that the beans are served soon after roasting. You can have a really good coffee bean, but if it’s been sitting on your counter for over three months, it’s far inferior than freshly-roasted coffee even if it’s not yet expired.” While it’s true that coffee beans expire around six months after roasting, Bo’s Coffee serves coffee within a month after the roasting date.

Founder and CEO, Steve Benitez, receives the MVP Bossing award

Bo’s Coffee accomplishes just-roasted freshness by primarily sourcing its coffee from Batangas, Cavite and the Cordilleras, thus eliminating the time it takes to import beans from abroad. Bo’s Coffee also makes sure that it orders beans only as needed so that stocks are kept fresh. To make this possible, its logistics and sourcing team carefully forecast monitor stock levels in its warehouse and in the stores.

The same goes with the food served at Bo’s. “Aside from coffee, our passion has extended to our food line. We have established our commissary both in Manila and in Cebu,” says Benitez. Having its own commissary has allowed the company greater control over quality and product innovation.

But the coffee shop experience doesn’t end with food and beverage—the store’s ambiance is part of the enjoyment as well. The homey interiors of Bo’s Coffee stores combine homegrown and world-class in Western influences mingled with Filipino art, including lamps designed by the internationally-acclaimed Filipino designer, Kenneth Cobonpue. The result is a great coffee shop experience for you and your loved ones to enjoy.

Bo’s Coffee Today

On its 16th year, the six-table kiosk that had been Bo’s Coffee in 1996 now has 58 stores nationwide. It is also considered as one of the premier local specialty coffee brands in the country. This homegrown company looks forward to expanding in the local and foreign markets, maintaining quality and passion as it grows.

“We’re definitely excited about our plans for expansion, and I’m proud of what we have achieved in the past years,” Benitez says. “I’d also like to thank the Bo’s Coffee community for being a part of the company’s growth.”

Blueberry Cheescake from Bo's Coffee

Today, one can only marvel at how much Bo’s Coffee has evolved over the years. Not only does it allow Filipinos to enjoy the rich, flavorful coffee hailing from local plantations, it also offers a soothing environment for customers to enjoy their drinks in the company of the people they hold dear.

Bo’s Coffee is a proudly homegrown specialty coffee brand. Since 1996, it has grown to include 58 outlets strategically located in Metro Manila, Tagaytay, Laguna, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Bohol, Dumaguete, Calbayog, Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Cotabato and Zamboanga.

See you soon!

Looks like a goodbye photo for me. Lol I'm not even going anywhere. Taken by Keigh Jalbuena when we went together at an event last week. Thanks dear for this photo :)

Wearing a black maxi dress from my sister in law, green blazer from my small sister's closet, chain belt from my closet and Parisian sandals.

This pair from Parisian is one of my best friends. I could stand long hours when I wore them.

Just one more week before May. Whew~ Time flies so fast. I still need to work and beat the dealine this week at Siamese. Hope everything would work out well. Please pray for me. :)

SIAMESE Design Studio has recently launched Happy Andrada's website and blog. Please visit at www.happyandrada.com

Thanks!