So what are these "anime and hobby conventions," and why do people go to such events?

Well, people have their own, various reasons, but one thing's for sure: we go there to dress up and just plain have fun. :P

And what do we mean by "dress up?"

YES, it's called "cosplay." The term "cosplay" has definitions which people debate on and have evolved overtime, but simply put, it's short for "costume play:" wherein a person dresses up as a fictional character from television, films, books, and comic books and ACTS OUT the character. YOU ARE THE CHARACTER. It sounds pretty freaky to the layman, but as we keep on saying amongst ourselves: one may never know the joys of cosplay until he or she tries it... because it's worth trying at least once in your life. ~.^

BUT this entry isn't solely about cosplay. It's about an event called "The Philippine Cosplay Convention," running in its fifth year and was held on March 3, 2012 in Robinson's Place Manila Midtown Atrium. Yes, I know this is a super late post. xD

So we've been teased with this poster weeks before the event:

The event teaser poster taken from Cosplay.ph.

What's cool about PCC is that their IS NO ENTRANCE FEE. This was actually the first time I've attended PCC, but my chaps here seem to have attended for a while now:

Yes, that's 2 girls dressing up as 2 guys... with a hawt schoolgirl teehee

A couple of friends decided to dress up as characters from Kuroshitsuji, also known as "Black Butler" in its English dub. Ayn was Ciel Phantomhive, while Stacy was Grell Sutcliff. Caroline was simply dressed up as a hot schoolgirl (she will deny the "hot" part, but don't believe her xD). I... well, you will see. :P

Since entrance was free, the place was simply packed. However, since the mall was basically open to costumed people especially when they needed refreshment and had to go on food and bathroom breaks, the crowd remained manageable and there was still enough space to breathe. Another plus for this event and the venue. :D

Taken from the 4th floor ^^

Now... let's take a look at some of the cool cosplays we've encountered at the convention:

A ZOIDS MECHA! One complicated costume

Marky, one adorable, talented cosplayer, dressed up as Bon Clay from One Piece

This is also the place where your childhood comes to life.

SHAIDER! Galaxy police

Also, we meet more cosplay friends and acquaintances, like these guys from the famous Tuxedo Team:

The girls were joining the festivities at the venue

I also think that one of the fun parts of being in costume is when you go out and eat and do some of the stuff you do normally... but as the character you're cosplaying. xD Here, Grell is picking on Ciel in the absence of Ciel's butler, Sebastian :P :

Grell!!! BEhAVE! :P

And as for me, well... the usual. :P I'm still on my way of reaching my ideal weight since I gained a LOT, so in the meantime, I've been dressing up as a pirate lass. ^^; For this event, I specifically went as a gypsy pirate princess. Because every little girl wants to be a princess

Who goes there??? >:3

The venue also had booths that sold toys and other cosplay-related goodies. :D It is, after all, a cosplay compendium event. ^^ Of course, I HAD TO take a photo of THIS:

ThunderCats, HOOOOO!!!

At the end of the day, we had tired feet, but were all smiles. :) 10,000,000 photos later (well not really, but all of us were trigger happy as much as we can with our cameras while distracted by so many stuff), we remembered to take a group shot photo of ourselves. xD

With Celeste who came as an ordinary h00man hehe

People who are keen to judge may be inclined to think that we'ere too old for such things, and should just stick to what one calls "reality." We try not to let those kinds of people bust our bubble, since we still try our best to live our lives and all other responsibilities that come with it. :) Cosplay events add more rays of sunshine into our lives, and we relish every minute of it, in spite of what other people may think. ^^;;;

As I said, being in costume and attending such events is worth a try... even at least once in your lifetime.

LURVE,

Well, April is almost done and I haven't really been actively attending to my blog since my first April post on April first (geddit? Ahahaha... b'awww nevermind. ^^;)

I had this plan of reviewing products that are against animal cruelty for this month... and of course, the philosophy is better to start late than never placing the idea at the backburner to simmer till next summer altogether (so many "-er's" thar). So I'll be doing this instead for the entire summer, from here on until June. :)

Why for the summer when I can do reviews on cruelty-free stuff for the entire year? Of course I can do that, and I do plan to remain doing so among a variety of topics after June, but I'd just want my post to be timely. xD April has been dubbed Prevention of Cruelty To Animals Month by OrangeRibbonForAnimals.org; a cause has been circulating around Facebook to spread such awareness all throughout the month of April. I signed up, of course. :) And so sign up if you're all for the cause so they reach their targeted numbers. ^_^

Now, on to the product review!

Photo from their web site

The sun's more potent in this here tropical country in the summer (and while the bit that says that it's because the sun is closest to the earth during the summertime is false, let's leave the science to the scientists haha), so the sunblock and sunscreen craze in local supermarkets, drugstores and department stores has erupted. There are a whole lot of choices out there with different levels of SPF, so pick your poison, put on your hat, and walk down that sunny road.

Whilst I--well, I picked mine own poison through DeVita's Solar Protective Moisturizer with SPF 30+. It's mainly for the face, and it can be use for both day time AND nighttime. While there's already a photo provided above, I'll pitch in some photos of mine (just click on them to enlarge):

The box and the tube

The ingredients list

The cruelty-free label, and all the other good stuff

And this is what it looks like on the back of me hand:

Forgive teh spottled hobbit hand. ERK.

...And all blended out. It leaves a bit of a sheen which disappears after about a minute:

It's quite an understatement if I simply say, "hey, this is a pretty good moisturizer." It's more of: "I can't believe it's sunblock!!!" Because IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE SUNBLOCK. That's a big plus for this product. Whilst I will list the pros and cons of the product later, I can say right now that it's non-greasy (for real), it absorbs quickly, and it doesn't leave a ghastly white cast on your FACE as most sunblock face creams and lotions do. It's exactly what it says and more: it's a light moisturizer with sunblock properties that really do wonders to your skin.

SO YEA. This stuff helped with the tone and texture of mah skin.

Anya, my kitty's and my mugshot ahehehe

There I am, no makeup, nearly just woken up, but I don't look as horrible as I thought I would without makeup. Of course I still have a bit of marks from acne scars, but THEY ARE FADING as I use this product regularly. At least, they fade faster than they usually do if I just go with my usual skincare routine.

YOSH!!! I think it's Holy Grail-worthy for me!

Now, on with:

LIKES: 

• Non-greasy and easily absorbed
• No discernible scent
• Has relatively high SPF for a moisturizer
• Has natural ingredients. No parabens and all that icky stuff
• Cruelty-free
• Visible improvement on skin tone and texture (I used this day and night for 2 weeks now)
• Can be used as your normal moisturizer (for both day and night)

DISLIKES:

• Like sunscreen, it must be applied liberally, so this isn't a "little goes a long way" product
• Not available locally (as far as I know)
• Can be quite expensive. It retails for $25.95; that's about Php1,000 more or less for a 2.5oz tube
• If you're allergic to zinc, this product is a no-no for you; it's active ingredient is ZINC OXIDE

I got mine from Vitacost, where it's being sold for a percent cheaper than its retail price, via my mom who visited from the States some time ago. BUT!! Vitacost and DeVita SkinCare ships internationally, so if you'd like to give this a try, I say, go for it. :D

Rating: 5/5 (despite the dislikes)

Will I repurchase: YEP! I actually have a spare tube of this goodness. haha.

Do I recommend: INDEED. :3

This summer, the wisest words are: HYDRATE REGULARLY AND DON'T FORGET TO PUT ON SUNSCREEN. Yes, even when you're bloody INDOORS. At least something with Spf15 for indoors. 

Have a grrreeaaat summer, ya'll! :D And don't forget to sign up for the orange ribbon cause. 

LURVE,

Why hello there, luvs. ^_^

I do think we've reached this day and age when most people are starting to turn to organic stuff for health and humanitarian reasons. Of course, the matter of animal testing for products we h00mans would normally use is definitely more than just being "on trend." Conscientious consumption is making its way to the forefront, to the relief and delight of animal welfare-ists, and to the immense joy of beauty junkies who would rather not have innocent bunnies suffer on their behalf. In fact, most cosmetics web sites have FAQ or mission/vision sections that specifically address the "animal testing" concern.

Also, labels on the products themselves are now being more prominent enough (albeit in fonts or pictures as tiny as the ingredients and instructions print :P) that sooner or later, they'd be hard to miss. This brings me to show you some examples of brands and their products that I own and have been using that bear the "cruelty-free" emblem. Note that I'll first show the product, and beside it would be how their respective "cruelty-free" labels look like. :) (Click on the photos to enlarge them.)

**FTC: I don't get paid or sponsored to feature these products. I'm just supporting these brands for the awareness they bring to their consumers. ^^**

E.L.F. (Blush and Bronzer Duo)

The Body Shop (Macadamia Straightening Balm)

Mario Badescu (Drying Cream)

Mineral Flowers (Rose & Geranium Facial Wash)

Some proudly Pinoy-made/local products:

Cyleina (Black Pearl soap)

Beach Hut (Hair and Scalp sunblock spf 20)

And here are some brands available from one of my favorite go-to stores for various cruelty-free skincare and haircare stuff: Healthy Options. :)

Alba Botanica (leave-in conditioner for color-treated hair)

Alba Botanica Acnedote (oil control lotion)

Tints of Nature (Seal & Shine leave-in conditioner)

Stuff I got online/abroad:

One With Nature Dead Sea Salt Soap

Manic Panic (in Vampire Red) and Special Effects (in Candy Apple Red) semi-permanent hair dyes

Best With Blueberries (Body Spray)

The "cruelty-free" or "against animal testing" label comes in different forms and shapes, but in basically the same size, so look for it as best as you can around the packaging. :P You can't miss it! :)

However, not all products that are against animal testing are free from animal-derived products. Some known ingredients such as beeswax still pervade in some products as emolients. On the other hand, there are products that are considered "vegan" and contain all vegetable-derived ingredients. The "vegan" label isn't as permeable yet as the "cruelty-free" one, so it's best to check the ingredients list first. ^_^ To give you more than a peak, here's a page from PETA.org that lists down animal derivatives in all their names and definitions .

I love animals, and I love makeup, and I know that I'm not the only one. ^^ We gotta settle for something no less as much as possible, right? :)

These kitties very much approve:

Look how they uh... sleep like babes (Chunyi, ya can't peek, yer supposed t' be asleep xD).

Stay tuned for another entry on cruelty-free beauty in time for Prevention of Cruelty To Animals Month. 

Lurve,

HBC: How Brilliantly Cool.

Hahaha, I kid, I kid. Needless to say, though, HBC is one of those affordable local brands that garner attention in beauty networks and forums. While their products are apparently not high end, they cater to a whole lot of hair care, body care, skin care, and make up needs of little ladies to the older ones, from your average high school girl to an experienced parlorista. 


Which brings me to my point:

This stuff is one of their more recent releases in their hair care/color line (now in case some of you are wondering, HP means "Hortaleza Professional," one of their home brands that supposedly caters to salons and those who's like at-home salon treatments... but know what they're doing. :P). The product's got a lot of "subtitles" as you can see from the photo, such as:

HAIR + PERFECTION

HENNA + KERATIN

COLOR & REPAIR

And all for a nice price of 249Php.

So, is it a sweet deal? Let's take a look! 

Now, a recent trip to the beach has stripped my once brightly-hued reddish brown hair of its color and shine. IT TURNED A GHASTLY golden-orange. What's worse, the color got stripped in different places, so I've got uneven patches of different slightly red, orange, and brown shades on me noggin. NOT A PRETTY SIGHT. Therefore, no photos of the tragedy. (Considering the wonderful beach trip, however, I do acknowledge that my hair made a worthy sacrifice. :P)

I chose the COPPER color variant in hopes to liven up my dead once-red hair. 

This is its packaging, without the sleeve thingie

Behold, ze ingredients:

It appears to have a number of good and okay stuff, save for dimethicone, which can dry hair out if  used too frequently and excessively. Another ingredient to look out for is methylparaben, but as long as it's pushed back far in the list, small amounts have been used. Well, I was not exactly expecting a  bunch of organic stuff since it isn't marketed as such, but I was pleased to see a couple of natural ingredients in it, such as henna.

Henna is a natural dye from the Henna tree, and yes, it's the same henna used in temporary tattoos that wash off in a week or so. 

Aye, this be the henna tattoo I got at ze beach. ^^

Another noteworthy ingredient this product has is keratin, a naturally occurring protein in the body that makes up hair, nails, and skin. Sad to say, keratin can be derived from animals such as SHEEP, so this is NOT a vegan product. However, the type of keratin in the Color HairSpa is Hydrolized Keratin, which isn't a potent form of keratin compared to the purest of the pure kind. 

 Okay kids, enough with the backgrounder. :P

HENNA dye doesn't look like your typical dye. It says "copper" in the label, but don't expect to peel out the foil seal and find a glob of red in the pot. Instead, expect something like....... this.........

YES I KNOW. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU-KNOW-WHAT. 

Surprisingly, it smells SO NICE. It smells of sandalwood. The mild, powdery scent of sandalwood is a good smell to me, but if you're not partial to incense-smelling stuff, then... you might not like the scent very much. 

The pot came with instructions printed on it (gah no photo...), but since I don't have the pot right now, I shall paraphrase: (1) shampoo your hair and towel dry; (2) apply evenly on hair but not too close to the scalp, (3) leave for 15-20 minutes under a shower cap or hair steamer (those helmet-looking things at the salon), and lastly (4) shampoo hair and condition.

It appears that you have to apply the stuff on damp hair. I recall that henna works that way.

SO, DID IT WORK???

Well, yes.... and no. 

Photos:

Without flash

With flash

No color has been deposited in my hair!!!!!!!! That was one disappointment for me. 

I was trying to justify that my damaged hair could no longer take in color, or "natural" dyes like henna. But oh well, look at the bright side, because THE SHINE OF MY HAIR was restored.

So one of the claims did prove to be true, at least for me. :) The photos may not justify the nice shine my hair got, after leaving my hair in a bun overnight with a bit of hair salve on. Take note it's not the doing of the hair salve altogether; my hair looked definitely shinier than before. :D

We then proceed to the:

PROS

• Smells nice
• Isn't harsh on hair  and scalp (but I do recommend a skin patch test all the same... which I didn't do D'OHHH)
• works on giving hair a nice shine (though not sure how long it'll last)
• contains natural ingredients such as henna powder
• AFFORDABLE!
• leaves hair soft as well

CONS

• No color deposit whatsoever :((((
• left an orange stain on my clothes and hands *but goes away afterwards... like the tattoo, IS NOT PERMANENT :P)
• Instructions did not specify how much henna should be dumped on the hair. In some videos I've seen, when applying henna on hair, it should look like a CLUMP OF CAKE FROSTING... and I mean a HUGE clump on your head. 
• If that's the case in all henna-based products, then one pot would not be enough for my hair

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Will I repurchase: Sadly, I'll stick to their tube dyes instead. :(

So, have any of you guys tried henna-based hair products before or lately? How did those work for you? :) 

Lurve,