Why I Love F21 Korea's Online Shop

Exhibit 1: CrissCross Woven Tunic in Coral REGULAR PRICE: 24000.00

BOUGHT FOR: 9000.00 KRW

Exhibit 2: Fab Flare Leg Denim Pants in Black REGULAR PRICE: 18500.00
BOUGHT FOR: 6000 KRW

Exhibit 3: Linen-Blend Jacket in Yellow REGULAR PRICE: 34800.00
BOUGHT FOR: 14000 KRW

TOTAL PRICE AT REGULAR TAG PRICES: 77300 KRW ~ PHP 3556.00

TOTAL MONEY SPENT: 29000 KRW ~ PHP 1334.00


SAVINGS: PHP 2222.00!!



CAVEAT: There are a few things you should know about Forever21 Online Shopping
in Korea:

1. There are limited Sale Items at the Forever21 actual Stores. Why? Because Korea
has a strong online shopping culture. (We order groceries, detergents, and water online!) So it is understandable that Forever21 nurtures a big chunk of clients by offering Online Only Sale Items. :-) Which is the reason why I would rather shop
online at Forever21 than traipse to their Myeongdong Store :-)


2. Sale Items move crazy fast at Forever21. Case in point: I placed some items on
my shopping cart, then an hour later, when I was about to pay, I saw that two of the items on my cart's no longer available, they've sold out. In F21, speed ordering and a bit of patience is a virtue :-)

3. Only those who live in Korea can register with F21 Korea. It also accepts only Korean-issued Credit Cards.



Some people complain that F21 items are "cheaply made", perhaps because a lot of the items are made in China (though I bought a few shirts from F21 with the Made in USA tag, yay!), I say, it depends on what poorly made is to you. I get most of my office blazers here (and yep! I wait for the blazers to go into the SALE Section of the online site before I buy) and they are, at least for me, classy and good enough for officewear.

Make no mistake, Forever21, just like H&M, does not pretend to be a chi-chi brand. It
basks on its affordability and the ease by which it adapts fashion trends into not so
pricey fashion items that people like me can afford :-) This is a high street brand, not a designer label. And that for me (and my wallet) is a good thing ☺

On Empanadas

I am obsessed with all kinds of savoury hand pies --- empanadas, Jamaican patties, cornish pasties, pot pies, boreks, turnovers, Aussie pies. I love them all! There is nothing as comforting as biting into a flaky, browned crust and sinking one’s teeth into a hunk of savoury filling.

I grew up on Red Ribbon’s Empanadas ---- those small, sort of crusty pies with the traditional pinoy filling of chicken, potatoes and raisins. While I have tasted better versions of empanadas, there is something about Red Ribbon’s tiny empanadas that remind me so much of home, of Pinas and of family. So almost always, when I go back to K, I bring a boxful of its empanadas to comfort me and remind me of home.

Because I love empanadas so much, it is but proper to learn how to make them right? Yes, but as the famous blogger MM said in his own forays into empanada making, the road to empanada nirvana is paved with disaster. I personally do not like fried empanadas unless it’s the Ilocos Empanada kind, so all my empanada forays where of the baked kind.

My first attempt at empanada making was more than four years ago while I was living in London . It sucked bigtime, the crust was hard, brittle with the mouthfeel of crackers. But a friend, who I suppose was both being solicitous and happy for the free food, said that the filling was delicious. I remember it was a chicken a la king filling---breast cubes, carrots, peas and celery in a cream based gravy. Mind you, I had no ambition of becoming the empanada queen. All I wanted was to be able to make empanadas that I would love to eat. I wished for a buttery and reasonably flaky crust. One that could stand as a delicious background to my crazy fillings.

After nearly a dozen attempts at baking empanadas I think I’ve nailed my own personal empanada baking technique. My empanadas are still rustic (i.e. homemade looking and do not look all too uniform) but that’s okay. I bake empanadas for personal happiness not for profit haha. And the process of making them has become a ritual which I go through at least twice a year. Though in itself, empanada making isn’t hard. You need time on your hands to allow the dough to rest. And so I only embark on baking my favorite food/snack/pie in the world when I have a lot of free time.

And today being a holiday, with the shop’s preorders closed, it was a perfect time to embark on a baking adventure ☺

All you need is flour
I mix the flour with nothing but butter, ice water and when I feel like it, throw in a mishmash of seasoning powders and herbs to add a zing to the crust. I let the batter rest in the refrigerator for at least two hours though if I have time, like today, I personally like to leave my crust in the ref for at least 6 hours. The crust becomes easier to handle if you leave it in the refrigerator longer.


The Filling: As you like it

I made beef picadillo the other night ~ beef, spices, potatoes, onions, bell peppers and stewed tomatoes and lots of chili powder, and this became my empanada filling.

Now is the fun part, roll out your crust, make it into any shape you want and fill them with fillings. I like mine in the traditional halfmoon shape.

Fifteen minutes in the oven, and I get my reward--- a delicious empanada dinner ☺

***********

What about you, do you love hand pies and empanadas too? :D

GWM's BIRTHDAY BLOG SALE WINNERS!!

Here are the winners for my birthday blog sale:

PLEASE EMAIL ME WITH YOUR COMPLETE DETAILS ~ Name, Shipping Address, Contact Number at joeannethelittlecoolshop.com

SET 1 WINNER: 0910beh@gmail.com
SET 1: PHP 300.00 (Inclusive of Shipping via XEND)
HAPPY BATH WHITENING BODY ESSENCE (Korea)
SKINCEUTICALS ULTRA SHEER MOISTURIZER SAMPLER (US)
DEREON LONG LASH WATERPROOF MASCARA IN BLACK (Korea)
TOKYO MILK LIP CRÈME (US)
MISSHA GLITTER NAIL POLISH IN YELLOW (Korea)



SET 2 WINNER: aimae_molina@yahoo.com
SET 2: PHP 300.00 (Inclusive of Shipping via XEND)
LUCAS PAPAW OINTMENT ( Australia)
SKINFOOD RED ORANGE SUN POWDER IN SHADE 2 (Korea)
LIOELE CHEEK BEAM BLUSHER IN PINK (Korea)

SET 3 WINNER : bienbonita@gmail.com
SET 3: PHP 300.00 (Inclusive of Shipping via XEND)
KINERASE PHOTOFACIALS SUN DAMAGE REVERSAL NIGHT MOISTURIZER (US)
ELIZABETH ARDEN HIGH SHINE LIP GLOSS (US)
NATURE REPUBLIC PURE ICE AQUA SUN BLOCK CREAM ( Korea)
DR. JART RELAX AND COOL LEGS LIFT GEL (Korea)

SET4 WINNER : kraziekitkath@yahoo.com
SET 4: PHP 300.00 (Inclusive of Shipping via XEND)
BENEFIT CHA CHA TINT (US)
SKINFOOD CHEEK CHALK (Korea)
NATURE REPUBLIC WATERY SUN CREAM (Korea)
(A bonus for this set is the Epionce Renewal Lotion (US) which is just 30% full na lang)

SET 5 WINNER: breena_e@yahoo.com
SET 5: PHP 300.00 (Inclusive of Shipping via XEND)
THE FACE SHOP OIL-FREE BB CREAM (Korea)
PETER THOMAS ROTH INSTANT FIRMX (US)
VOV CHERRY LIPCARE BALM (Korea)
ETUDE DR. OIL ANTI SHINE BB LOTION Travel Tube (KOREA)

Thank you!

Free Pizza, Baby! My Foray into Mystery Shopping

A couple of months ago, a friend let me in on a little sideline. It’s called mystery shopping. The term itself is self-explanatory. One shops at a designated store, and reports his experience to the company. Simple as that. It turns out that there was a need for a mystery shopper for a pizza chain in my area, and without even thinking, I said yes!

I mean, who doesn’t want to get paid for ordering and eating free pizza?!!

While I cannot delve into the details of the pizza task~ it basically consisted of ordering a pizza for delivery and preparing a report about the experience in terms of customer service -- was the service prompt and polite? Did I receive the pizza in good condition? i.e. still hot and not smooshed in its box?

Fortunately, my first mystery shopping experience went well. The order takers spoke and understood English, so no lost in translation scenario here. Plus, the pizza was really yummy! I haven't tried this pizza before because it's more than twice the normal price of other pizza places in my area. But the pizza was pretty delicious, so good that I’ve ordered two pizzas from them since.

The pay in mystery shopping isn’t spectacular but I’m not really after the pay, haha! It’s the free nosh that excites me. Since one can choose which assignments to accept, it’s a pretty stress-free sideline. I, being a glutton, lover of food, WILL. WORK. FOR. YUMMY. FOOD.

Do you want to try mystery shopping too? :-)

IT’S MY BIRTHDAY! And here's my gift to you!

I’m having a blogsale on my birthday! Okay, actually this isn’t a blogsale.

These are goodies I bought last year but haven’t used much. So I figure, why not give them to those who can use them better. Some of the goodies, I bought during my travels.So technically, It’s more of a thank you sale for blog readers, friends and clients of TLC Shop.

The prices are ridiculously low, considering the brands of these goodies,I’m practically giving them away. All items are 50% full, half of them are actually barely used items. You don’t believe me?

Check them out! ☺

I have 5 sets for “Sale”.

SET 1: PHP 300.00 (Inclusive of Shipping via XEND)

HAPPY BATH WHITENING BODY ESSENCE (Korea)
SKINCEUTICALS ULTRA SHEER MOISTURIZER SAMPLER (US)
DEREON LONG LASH WATERPROOF MASCARA IN BLACK (Korea)
TOKYO MILK LIP CRÈME (US)
MISSHA GLITTER NAIL POLISH IN YELLOW (Korea)

SET 2: PHP 300.00 (Inclusive of Shipping via XEND)
LUCAS PAPAW OINTMENT ( Australia)
SKINFOOD RED ORANGE SUN POWDER IN SHADE 2 (Korea)
LIOELE CHEEK BEAM BLUSHER IN PINK (Korea)

SET 3: PHP 300.00 (Inclusive of Shipping via XEND)
KINERASE PHOTOFACIALS SUN DAMAGE REVERSAL NIGHT MOISTURIZER (US)
ELIZABETH ARDEN HIGH SHINE LIP GLOSS (US)
NATURE REPUBLIC PURE ICE AQUA SUN BLOCK CREAM ( Korea)
DR. JART RELAX AND COOL LEGS LIFT GEL (Korea)

SET 4: PHP 300.00 (Inclusive of Shipping via XEND)
BENEFIT CHA CHA TINT (US)
SKINFOOD CHEEK CHALK (Korea)
NATURE REPUBLIC WATERY SUN CREAM (Korea)
(A bonus for this set is the Epionce Renewal Lotion (US) which is just 30% full na lang)

SET 5: PHP 300.00 (Inclusive of Shipping via XEND)
THE FACE SHOP OIL-FREE BB CREAM (Korea)
PETER THOMAS ROTH INSTANT FIRMX (US)
VOV CHERRY LIPCARE BALM (Korea)
ETUDE DR. OIL ANTI SHINE BB LOTION Travel Tube (KOREA)


Here’s how you can get one of them:

1. Choose 1 from the sets above.

2. Leave a comment below why you want that particular set. Is there a product in the set that you are bent on having? Tell us the reason why you just have to get the set! Don’t forget to include your email address so I can email you if you win!

3. I’ll choose the winner of the blogsale on the 29th of January. I'll pick the lucky buyers based on the answers :-) I want honest answers lang :-) I’ll email the buyers and also post the list here on the 29th of January. Please reply when you receive my email notification so I know that you’re bent on getting the items.

4. I’ll bring the items with me when I go home to Pinas on Feb. 2.

5. We’ll start shipping your goodies on the afternoon of Feb. 2.


Enjoy!

BENEFIT TINTS: Swatches and Comparisons

From what I’ve heard, Benefit now has a shop in the Philippines, somewhere in Greenbelt 5. That’s great news for Benefit addicts like me! Yes, Benefit products are pricey (Blushes start at PHP 1500.00) but they are well worth their prices. Of course I am biased, as all Benefit addicts are haha, but this is the only pricey US brand that I am loyal to, and that’s saying a lot, considering that I live in a country teeming with cosmetics at price points that are 1/3 cheaper. ( Yes, Etude, Skinfood, Laneige, Missha, VOV, TFS are only a handful of the hundreds of makeup brands in Korea!)


Benefit was the first to introduce the dual use tints that's now a common item in most cosmetic brands---liquid tints in nail polish-like applicator bottles that can be used for the lips and cheeks. All Benefit tints are supposed to be kiss-proof and waterproof. And I guarantee, that all their tints are long-wearing.

Anyhoo, because I have all three of the Benefit tints, I figure, why not make a post with swatches and my own notes about these tints.


Their original tint, Benetint, is a deep red tint, (“rose shade” as described by Benefit ). Of the three tints, this has the most watery consistency. It literally feels like water on your lips. The shade is a standard, natural red. Of the three tints, I think this will flatter the widest range of skintones because of the neutral red color. It also has the most sheer coverage. Very light pigmentation. This would work if you only want a super light color to your lips. My one complain about Benetint is that it dries very very quickly on one’s lips. The color stays but I’d feel my lips drying out an hour after application. I use a colorless lipbalm (I use Tokyo Milk lip creme) to counteract the dryness.

A few years after, Benefit released their second tint. Posietint is a youthful pink tint. This is my favorite tint among the three. It is a very pretty pink. Though I understand from some reviews that Posietint does not show up on darker skintones, so I guess that’s the downside. But for NC30 (Beige colorings) and up, I think this is a super perfect tint. There is nothing about it that I hate~ the consistency is a bit more thick than Benefit. It lasts long and looks good on the lips and the cheeks. Because it’s a very light pink, it gives the cheek a very natural, blooming glow. (It's ironic that although this is my favorite among the three tints, haha, I only have 4 pieces of mini-Posie tints all from tBenefit kits I bought. Haha! My personal promise to Benefit: Once I finish my two tiny bottles, I'll buy a full size of Posietint)

Their latest tint, the one that’s supposed to be a more perfect fit for Asian skin is ChaCha Tint. It’s an orange colored tint which dries into a peachy hue upon application. This gives the most natural, nude, shade on us Filipinas. And for sometime, I used this almost everyday. It’s a very wearable tint. Perfect for the summer look. Of the three this has the thickest consistency. In my experience, this also has the most pigmented finish of the three. Others like it that way, but when I used it in winter, little clumps of bright colored pigments formed on my lips~ aaargh. So I do not use it much these days. To be honest about it, of the three Benefit tints, this is the one I can do without.


Now, on to the swatches!!

UPON APPLICATION:

TOP: ChaCha Tint
MIDDLE: Benetint
BOTTOM: PosieTint

Notice how sheer Benetint is compared to the two shades?

AFTER AN HOUR:

Last Beauty Buy for 2011: Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence

If you do not know yet, Missha released its most expensive product to date in mid-2011:

It's the Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence. It is Missha's version of SK-II's banner product, The Facial Treatment Essence.

While The First Treatment Essence is expensive (TLCShop Regular Price: PHP 2300.00), it is still at least 1/4th the price of SK-II's treatment Essence( PHP 9000.00).

What are these pricey essences for? The yeast based extract in these essences are supposed to moisturize the skin while improving its texture and clarity. Thus the promise of supple, brighter skin.

Hope in A Blog compares the two in detail here. From a cursory look at the product specs and price points, Missha looks like a mighty contende because:

1. It is cheaper~ by more about US $150.

2. While both product's star ingredients is the fermented yeast extract ( pitera in SK-II is sake-based, while Missha's yeast extract is cerevisae-based, the yeast used for beer making), Missha added a lot of other good for the skin ingredients such as: Niacinamide, licorice extract and lactic acid.

3. Unlike SK-II which lists down Methylparaben in its ingredients, Missha's First Treatment Essence is paraben fee, mineral oil free and alcohol free. In theory then, this would be "purer" than its more expensive counterpart.

The Missha Winter Sale in Korea (which runs until Dec. 31) and my need for a really light moisturizer/essence egged me to get one. It's currently 30% off the normal price ( TLCShop Sale Price: PHP 1670.00).That's a sizeable discount! So more than a week ago, I bought myself a bottle.

How to use, according to the directions on the Product Box:

1. After cleansing, use cotton pads to apply enough quantity of the First Treatment Essence to face. Pat face mildly to ensure total absorption of essence.

2. Follow with moisturizer if required.


The Product itself:

It's basically just like water: liquidy and without any discernible scent.
It does not sting or redden the face despite it containing lactic acid.

Effect: Because I use M2 Skin Refinish every other night. I only use the FTE in the morning and every other night. Since I have been using it only for more than a week. No effect yet except for the fact that my skin is not as dry as before. I do wish it will turn supple soon haha!

Unlike SK-II, Missha's First Treatment Essence did not break me out. So I do hope it works well in the long run! Will make an updated entry after a full month of using it :-)