First Impression: Regent Spa (Kapitolyo)

I *heart online deals, being in Manila allows me to enjoy online shopping sites, I'm registered to several sites, but I find myself super interested to another offering from Deal Grocer. It's for a Regent Spa indulgence, a newly-opened spa in Kapitolyo, Pasig City. First, it's very near our place, it's along Pioneer Centre. And then, there is the fact that I'm a spa/massage-aficionado. ;-D Before I dived to getting the deals, we decided to check it out for ourselves, sort of. This is just my second deal from Deal Grocer, first was my MUD-Manila makeup class, which I love. Hmmm...actually it was very late and I can't confidently refer a reliable therapist to my sister who's visiting, so a quick drive to it was called for. I have more or less an idea how much is the going rate for a massage with the rate given at Deal Grocer, so we're ready to splurge.

Regent Spa in Kapitolyo

Spa Lobby/Reception...nice! ;-D

The hallway to the massage rooms. So grand! 

LCD TV's are everywhere. Even in the room. 

Wow! The Suite Room has an adjacent sauna and a tub. #Iwillbeheresoon! ;-D

For their opening promotion, all massage services are on 30% off.

For a walk-in rate, the 1.15 hrs costed Php 490 vs. Deal Grocer's Php 450. But we can't wait since the redemption only starts off June 9. ;-D

This is my room. 

Chic & Sassy Tip!!! We realized that if we're with a friend, in my case with my sister, we prefer to get a single room vs. a couple's room. We feel that here's a bit of impersonalized servicing when two massage therapists are together at the same time. Instead of catering to one's needs, like more time on back massage, more pressure etc., they tend to adhere to the routine mechanically per se, doing things at the same time and pace.

Comfy Me. I don't really wear spa's clothes per se, except on high end-ish spa establishments.  Regent Spa's outfit  is a pair of robe-type blouse and shorts.

Minty Herbal-ish Neck/Back Pillow Warmer is love, love, love. I want to take it home. :-D The minty scent is so invigorating, and the herbal-ish scent is soothing and relaxing. 

Here's a run through of the routine... sorry, no pictures, was too sleepy relaxed to document. ;-D

• boiling Hot Tea Foot Soak. So it's a bit dark. 
• While seated, foot reflex. This is love. 
• Sofa converted to a Massage Bed for the Back Massage
• Front Massage
• Major Stretching 
• Seated, finishing moves, back massage and more stretching.
• Hot towel wraps and scrubbing. They used a lot of towels, seriously. While it's customary that a hot towel be used to remove oily/greasy feel, theirs included a quick wrap and massage. This is 2x the love now. ;-D 

While, I was so happy, and seriously keeping myself to go online right then and there to get my Deal Grocer coupons pronto, my sister's experience was unsatisfactory. #Sad

Here's the details on the unsatisfactory part. We give in that no two therapists are alike, but at least the routine should be more or less standard. Yes, given that we came in before 11 pm, maybe the therapist assigned to her was tired, but the routine given to her was totally different, there were minor foot reflex, and barely any stretching. She was also unsatisfied to the intensity of pressure the therapist used, to the point that she was saying ouch! Oh well...we recognized that going for a new spa with unfamiliar therapist is a risk that we have to pay. I had mishaps too, in fact several, such that I haven't really found my go-to therapist in Manila with the home service spa providers that I've tried recently. But maybe, the therapist assigned to me is a keeper. ;-D I wish though that a quick head massage would be included on the routine. Now that I know, maybe I can persuade the therapist to sneak in some few strokes on my head.

Converted Massage Bed

Overall, on spa preference and consideration,  therapist foremost, routine secondly...plus maybe the time, regardless how great a therapist is, she tires, so it's best to be among her first clients for the day. And then there's my OC Germ-Patrol self, I demand fresh linens, towels, sanitized massage beds after each use, etc. all the time. ;-D With the Regent Spa relatively the newest spa in my vicinity, I'm bound to be a regular client. LoL* Hmmm, I'll let you know if my sister changes her mind on her take on Regent Spa though, once I let her try the therapist assigned to me. The promo rate with the ongoing 30% is a reasonable price to pay for the high end-ish amenities that Regent Spa offers, so yes, I bought two coupons, so I'll be back for more. ;-D

Regent Spa is located at 2/F Ace Water Spa Bldg. United St. corner Brixton St. Brgy. Kapitolyo, Pasig, Philippines.

NOTD: I'm Not Really a Waitress by O.P.I. :-)

Hello everyone. Half of the week was spent again to my beloved hometown, Angeles City, so it's the best time to get my nails done by our neighborhood-friendly nail technician (manicurista). Nice, she got O.P.I.! I *heart!

I'm Not Really a Waitress is a glossy dark red shade. Fierce! ;-D 

 It's love at first try with O.P.I. 

Swatch. Taken on Auto/No-Flash.

Swatch. Taken with flash. I'm a fan of red shades, and this one is definitely a must-try. You can never have enough red shades,  methinks, and the I'm Not Really a Waitress by OPI has a flair of its own. It exudes such bold, and classic glamour. #FeelingSexy ;-D 

Definitely L.O.V.E. I can't wait to show you my toe nails, with my four new pairs of shoes. Oh. So Nice. Cheers! ;-D

S&R Shopping Everyday

Everyday is a bit over, maybe every other day, or every other two days. *LoL It's fairly recent that we found ourselves addicted to S&R... moving to Manila makes Clark Duty Free Shopping something to be thoroughly missed, so we found ourselves applying for membership at S&R BGC. And then we find ourselves loving the food from the food service plus the bakery, so much so that hubby had to get a extension card with added fees of course, so he can visit there as much as he please during work days and get our refills of baked goodies. So is the membership fee of Php 700 (+ Php 400 for the extension) worth it? I guess so. ^_*

S&R at Bonifacio Global City. The Food Service/Restaurant was jampacked during the Mother's Day weekend. 

S&R Bonifacio Global City Shopping Area

S&R San Fernando Pampanga Dining and Shopping Area. The dining area here is bigger and more organized. I find that there are more lines and brands available in the toiletry section in S&R Pampanga than the S&R BGC's. Pricing here is relatively almost competitive with Clark's duty free shops. 

SALE finds. We bought a couple of pack of these Keebler Soft Batch Choco Chip  (Sale Price Php 99/ Expiring July 2012) in S&R BGC, as expected days after when we went back, it's OOS (out of stock). So when I visited last time in Pampanga, I bought 6 packs. We finished the first pack before I took the photo, haha. ;-D I wasn't a fan of this Keebler Soft Batch at first, we're more the Chocolate Lovers kind, but after trying them warm (in the microwave), the Soft Batch Cookies are love, love, love. Chase, my 6-yr old son, adores these much. 

The fresh section offers a variety of fruit choices as well. Take the Driscoll's strawberries which Chase picked. 

Strawberry Love...it's huge! ;-D Oh my, a pack of Driscoll's sells for Php 400+, it was a treat for Chase. 

Lemon Berry Ring Cake is our favorite from all others, we tried the Apple Berry, the Rum Cake, but we like this the most. 

The Chicken Ceasar Salad Php 160+ available at the Food Service. I adore this much. ;-D

And my other favorite part, shopping for home care and hair care products...Downy, Dove Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner with Argan Oil, Ajax Liquid Bleach Detergent.  

S&R is perhaps our version of Costco Warehouse Shopping. There are a lot of product samplings and demos in store, so it gets pretty fun. Although, most are sold in big/wholesale sizes, so if you're in the mood to stack up, this is a good way. Local products are priced about the same in the local supermarkets, except you have to buy in packs of two's, three's etc. And the lines are not complete. But the basic and the fast-moving SKU's are available. Surprisingly, some items (e.g. Dentiste Toothpaste) is sold cheaper here for Php 220+ vs. supermarket's Php 250+. The best part is the SALE Promotions, and they're such great finds too, take the cookies for example, the expiration date is still a couple of months away, vs. the usual days or week/s. So most are still good finds. Sometimes, they put a product on discounts, such that it's almost the same as US selling price. Although Costco Shopping remains the undisputed haven for retail therapy because of coupons, and hefty discounts on some selected promoted items and on wholesale packs, but since Costco or duty free shopping is a couple of miles away plus a hundred/thousand pesos flight away, I'm happy with S&R. LoL* But mind you,  the food selections, although limited, are actually compelling enough to visit S&R. ;-D...super looking forward and saving for next big S&R sale. Cheers! ;-D 

Review: Kanebo Kate Pencil Eyeliner + FOTD

Hello. Hello. I'm back. I'll kick it off with a beauty post. Yay!  Not to preempt but, my, my, I have to say that the Kanebo Kate is most definitely my go-to pencil eyeliner. ;-D

Kanebo Kate Pencil Eyeliner BK-1 sells for Php 720 at SM Megamall Watsons Counter

Product Feature: An Eyeliner Pencil that works like a liquid eyeliner. Source: Official Kate Website

It is an automatic eyeliner pencil. Unlike a retractable eyeliner, once you twist it up (click, click), that's it. You can't pull it back down, so you have to be careful on turning, so as not too twist it too far. 2 or 3 clicks can do the trick, depending on how thin or thick you want the line to be. Since you have to work on it sideways, I reckon to just go for 2-3 clicks, then extend it some more as I go along. 

Swatch. The pigment, the velvety finish, and the lasting power are superb.  

Staying Power...for the win! (That's a big drop of water!) After several painstaking rubbing, which in fact left my arm red with that much effort exerted to test it out,  it can stay smudge-free and can survive usual eye rubbing and scratching. I consciously make an effort to avoid doing so, or else Hello Wrinkles! Similarly, it takes some effort to remove it too. My regular facial wash won't do, to hasten the process, a make-up remover  (or wipes) would do the trick, although it need not be the strongest kind. 

The "thick"-because-I'm-in-a-hurry line. *LoL with some shimmers from the Skin Food Byulsatang Lip and Eye Tint.

The 'thinner' line. Base: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. Eye Shadow: Urban Decay Vegan Palette URB/ Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette VANILLA/ Mascara: Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus Eyeliner: Kanebo Kate Pencil Eyeliner. I have more FOTD's with it after my MUD-Manila makeup class, I'd made sure to practice, practice, practice ;-D P.S. Photo taken after a very long day. So I don't look as fresh. But the eye makeup still looks great, methinks. ;-D

#Instagram FOTD: Face: Hera HD Foundation Moist No 21/ Lips: Majolica Majorca Rouge Majex over NYX Edge Pink Lip Liner. 

What's to love?

• The pigment and the lasting power exude a liquid-type overall effect.
• The thin, pointy pencil type allows for a firm and precise grip for that easier application. It's thinner than your average pencil eye liners.
• With minimal 'erasures' per se, means less rubbing = 0/Less Irritations

Overall, applying eyeliner every so often can still be an ordeal for me, although, it's my must have for that everyday, and my much coveted a la Korean Drama Star-esque effect. I've some great liquid eyeliners finds, but still, a pencil-type is still the quickest way for me to achieve the look. I'm on a look out for a superb pigment, lasting power, and versatility to draw thin and thick lines. After trying out Kanebo Kate's eyeliner lines, this type suited me best. It allows for precise eye lining application, so yes, it's an innovative eye pencil liner, indeed. At first, I was hesitant, because it's not retractable per se, but fret not, the clicking sounds from twisting and turning tell on that it requires conscious effort just how far back to extend it. More often than not, I like to work with a sizable 'pencil', so I usually turn it a few more after my initial lining. And then I do it again for the next eye. Will I repurchase? Definitely. I have a friend who's going to Japan for a visit this June, I plan to try a lot more. ;-D Although it seemed the SRP (Suggested Retail Price) is just about Php 50+ lesser in Japan (I wonder), so if there's a sale at the Watsons, it's more compelling to buy locally instead. So could this be my Holy Grail of Pencil Eyeliners? Oh yes, most definitely!

Retail Therapy: SkinFood and Innisfree Shopping

Annyeonghaseyo! Here's a quick shopping spree post. You ought to know any Seoul-ful related activity (shopping, dining, and KDrama) is an easy-peasy source of momentary euphoria for yours truly. #SuperficialMuch Oh well...

Got my SkinFood Ph Privilege Card. Great timing,  when I went to back to Pampanga (I'm still here by the way for a family emergency!) Marquee Mall was on a 3-Day Sale, and so was SkinFood. Got these (Byulsatang Lip & Eye Tint No 2 Gold Star and Milk Coral, SkinFood Orange and Mint Body Wash) at 50% off. The Gold Star (Eye Tint) is more of a highlighter. While I have initial concerns on the pigments of most SkinFood lip tints, a full application of a matching lip liner shade can do the the trick. Let's see about this. I like the initial scent of the body wash, it reminds me of my fave Bath & Body Works Nectarine Mint line. 

My recent eBay wins...SkinFood Choco Smoky Nail Kit in Chic Brown. Please watch out for the coming N.O.T.D. post. ;-D

Trial Packs of Innisfree Eco Science Wrinkle Spot Essence. I buy these by tens. :-D Seriously addicting. Hmmm, besides having Lee Min Ho on Team Innisfree #FanGirlMode,  in time, I'm about to ready to jump ship to everything-Innisfree for my skincare must have's...will see about that. ;-D

I have more eBay wins and buys. I'll share them asap. Something's up, so I'm not yet on a giddy, smiley-laden posting mode... still trying to get a good hinge.

Cheers! :-D Any great Korean shopping finds? I would love to hear about them, so please do share. ;-D