Archive for 2018

Hi everyone! I've been nominated for the Real Neat Blog Award by Layna of Beauty Beyond Twenty. Layna, in case you didn't know, writes beauty and skincare reviews and blogs about her travels. I've also been following her on Instagram and her photos are real neat too. Definitely worth checking out guys.

Thanks Layna for the nomination.

Here are the rules.

Rules

Thank and link the blogger who tagged you
Answer the 7 questions they asked you
Nominate 7 bloggers for this award
Ask 7 questions for your nominees

Layna's questions

What is your blood type and Myers–Briggs Type Indicator?

My blood type is O+ and my Myers-Briggs type is INTP. I tested several times, sometimes I get INTJ but the difference between the J/P is about 46/54 percent. LOL I am so close to becoming INTJ but I relate more with INTP. They say it's typical for INTPs to take the test several times to make sure, LOL it's just part of our personality - being knowledge oriented and wanting to learn everything that piques our interest, and learning more about our personality can become an obsession because we really want to understand why we don't fit in (as with some of the other rare types).

Okay, I'm rambling. :D But MBTI is something I was obsessed with for a while. I even asked everyone in the family to take the test. They're not as gungho about it as I was.

Do you have a pet? If so, how many? If not, do you want one?

I had a dog. Her name is Kumo. I had to give her away because this new apartment where we moved in doesn't allow pets.

Do I want one? Hmm, I've always been a dog lover. But after my other dog passed away and Kumo being sent off to my in-laws, I don't think I have the strength in me to raise and bond with another one. Truth be told, I still feel guilty about my dog's death two years ago.

What’s the meaning of your name?

My given name is Donna Dawn. Very boring, isn't it? Donna means lady, Dawn means sunrise. So Donna Dawn must mean lady of the sunrise. I love sunrise, I do, if I catch it. I, however, am a night owl and most mornings are spent in zombie state.

What is the most difficult part of being a blogger?

Getting people to read your blog. I almost said promoting, but posting out links is easy, it's getting people to come and check out what you've written is what's difficult for me.

A food you don’t mind eating everyday for the rest of your life?

Rice. #asian

I used to answer pizza, but now that I think about it, it's really rice. I've been doing it almost everyday for the past 30 odd years.

What do you miss the most?

My husband. #realtalk We are LDR right now because of work and I really hate that our son is growing up without him. But we're just biding our time. We'll all be reunited before we even realize it. Plus, Christmas holidays are coming up!

How do you cope with stress?

I always have a hard time coping with stress. What usually work is getting a bit of a time out - to lie down, read, or head out to walk or buy something to eat. I also find myself pacing during times when I can't escape to get a time out.

A no-fail method? My happy pill J-pop group Arashi. :D

My questions to the nominees

What is one blogging task that you enjoy most doing?
What is one blogging task that you struggle most?
What is your current obsession?
What is your favorite social media platform and share how you're using it for your blog?
Share with us a picture of your dream bedroom and describe the elements in it that you love.
How will you be spending the holidays?
How do you usual treat or pamper yourself?

I tag (twitter handles)

@priyanka_mane
@maryknots
@Bronzebrunettex
@DreamingAria_
@artsydraft
@Rumsthereader
@Holidaystory17

:) I hope you enjoyed reading a little bit more about me. :) Do leave your links to the award in the comments so I can read more about you too. Have a good day!

I was on the hunt for a new cleanser a couple of months ago and was contemplating on getting something fruit-based when I chanced upon this. After reading the description I began to wonder why I kept choosing the same kind of stuff as if I'm still a young teenager. Haha. This foam cleanser from 3W Clinic promises to

deep clean the pores
removes sebum
be anti-aging
be anti-oxidant

This is perfect for me because

I don't double cleanse (although I wear minimal makeup)
I have oily skin
I'm 30+ :)
We all need anti-oxidants

How Did It Fare?

Deep & Soft Cleansing

Yes, it fares well. It deep cleanses but doesn't leave my skin too dry and tight. When I use makeup, washing it once with this is enough to remove them. I put very light makeup though so maybe that's why it works. I haven't tried it on heavier and waterproof makeup.

Sebum Control

It removes oil after washing and keeps my face oil-free for several hours. My face feels fresher for longer compared to some oil-control products.

Anti-aging

I haven't noticed anything different. But then, was I expecting to look younger? Not really. I don't look older, which is a good thing. Reviewing the anti-aging factor of a product would take longer than a few months I think. Unless of course if I decide to use those advanced anti-aging products for more mature women, then I would expect for some instant results.

Anti-oxidant

Same as anti-aging.

Other Factors

Consistency

There should be an instruction on the label (in English) to shake the bottle before use. When I first started using this, the consistency was too watery. It was only after using 1/4 of the tube when the product would come out thicker. I don't think it made a difference on the face though but it was difficult working on a semi-liquid product as it would run down my palm and drip to the floor before I even finished closing the tube.

Lather

It needs a good amount of product to create a good lather. Such a waste in my opinion. That's for both the watery and the thicker consistencies.

Scent

I don't like the scent. It smells like chemicals. It's a light scent though.

Price

On the cheap side.

Overall, it was okay. It delivered on its promise. But I'll have to give it 3/5 stars because of the other factors, but that's purely preference.

So, how about you? Do you tend to choose the same type of products out of habit? Or have you tried something different for the sake of trying something new?

Good morning everyone! I was nominated by Natasha Durant for the Sunshine Blogger Award and that is what we'll be doing today. I'll be answering questions from Natasha and then I'll be passing the award on to other bloggers with a new set of questions.

But first,

let's show some love for Natasha. Natasha blogs at Simply Durant writing about motherhood and lifestyle. She's been blogging since 2011 and has a huge archive of good content, so I highly recommend that you check her blog out.

What is the Sunshine Blogger Award?

The Sunshine Blogger Award is given to bloggers by other bloggers who are creative, inspiring, and radiate positivity. ~~(thank you, I try my best but positivity is a hit and miss)~~

The Rules are:

Thank the blogger who nominated you and link their blog so others can find them.
Answer the 11 questions which the blogger who nominated you asked.
Nominate 11 bloggers and ask them 11 different questions.
List the rules and display the Sunshine blogger award logo in your post and/or on your blog site.

Questions from Natasha

What is the meaning behind your blog name? How did you choose it? Why did you pick it?

My blog name used to be Keep Calm & Beautify. It was during the time when "keep calm" was still trendy. I thought it was apt for me because I was already going through some mental issues then - anxiety is one of them. Back then, discovering and playing with makeup served as a good distraction for me. It was fun.

Just recently I've changed my blog name to xoxo Dawn because I feel as if the old title is limiting to what I wanted to write. I want to write more lifestyle and graphic design tutorial posts. 😁

What is your favorite post that you have shared on your blog and why?

I enjoyed working on my favicon post. It's a tutorial of how to add one to the blog. It's not really my favorite but it's the first tutorial blog post I made after I decided to do more graphics tutorials. I felt free having made that.

How long have you been blogging, and what made you start blogging?

This blog was created in 2013 but I have been blogging longer than that, I think circa 2005. I said goodbye to my blog in Multiply when the site closed and have opened blogs in Blogger (I'm still here). I have 2 other blogs in Blogger that are still up, and a few that I've already deleted. I don't know why I like making new blogs.

What made me start? Hmm, I think it's because I kept a diary as a kid, then as a teen. I just really love to write in journals.

If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would you go?

Japan or Scotland. Japan because I love anime, j-dorama, and j-pop. Scotland because I love the history and culture.

Who are your top three favorite bloggers and what do you like about them? What keeps you going back to their blogs?

Shane | Queen of All You See - I think we started out just about the same time but she has never stopped blogging and now her blog is so amazing! She's become someone I would categorized as a successful blogger. Her aesthetics appeal to me and she does crafts too.
Myra | Myra's Beauty Diary - Same with Shane, Myra is a blogger friend I've known since I started blogging. She has grown so much since, she's bought a domain for her blog, take stunning photos, and recently she's been featured on Althea (it's a popular Korean makeup store/brand here in Asia). I enjoy reading her blog, like catching up with an old friend.
Helen | Love Cats Inc - Helen is someone I used to compare myself to. haha. I could never be a fashion blogger, but the way she writes posts and promotes them, I try to learn from them. Her blog is one that I study to try to improve mine.

Do you take your own blog photos or do you hire someone to do them for you?

I used to take them when I was still beauty blogging. But now that I don't wear makeup as much, as well as time constraints, I use free stock photos for my blog images.

What is your favorite social media platform for your blog and why do you use it?

Pinterest. Because it's so much easier than Twitter and Instagram. You just pin an image with a link to your blog and that is practically evergreen. Compared to Twitter where you have to keep promoting your links. Instagram is worse because you don't get to link at all. That's why I started Instagram late.

Even if we're not talking about blogs, I'd still choose Pinterest to while my time away. It's like my black hole. And it's so easy to find what you're searching for.

Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

If you could work with any brand, which companies would you work with?

I haven't really thought about that. I haven't put a focus on reaching out to brands as I'm steering towards wanting to work with bloggers more. That being said, I'd love to work with Happy Skin because they have such an amazing array of products and they're a homegrown brand, but it's a slim chance. Maybe BeautyMNL again.

What is your favorite musical artist? And what song do you play on repeat the most?

J-pop group Arashi. They're my happy pill. The light in the darkness. They never fail to make me smile even on the worst days.

It's difficult to choose one song yo! But I'll just go for We Can Make It because I sometimes just sing that out of the blue. And dance to it too, of course.

We all have a go-to lip color. What shade of lipstick is your favorite?

Mauve, because it's closest to my natural lip color. I won't have to worry if it matches my skintone or washed me out. And I also don't have to worry if I applied it perfectly because it blends well with my lip.

What is your goal for the year to accomplish on your blog?

Well, I want to gain a decent amount of followers and traffic (this was something I didn't work on before). I also want to start earning from my blog again (because I took a long hiatus), enough for me to be able to buy a domain and/or get self-hosted. I also am planning on setting up a shop on my blog selling graphics for blogs (headers, icons, etc) and hopefully I start earning from it by the end of the year. It's scary that time is flying by so fast.

The Nominees | Twitter Handles

Myra | @myrabeautydiary
Glaiza | @glaizabinayas
Briana | @BlogBriana
Nicay | @imanerdyqueen
Paper Pages | @paperpagesph
Becca | @BeccaBlogsItOut
ImMissMountain | @immissmountain1
Maggie | @maggiethemuser
TopseyLife | @LifeTopsey
Natonya | @JustNatonya
The Ordinary Blogger | @BloggerOrdinary

My 11 Questions for the Nominees

The Sunshine Blogger Award is awarded to bloggers who are creative, inspiring, and radiate positivity. Of the three, which one do you most resonate with?
If you could have any animal as pet, what would you choose and why?
What's your number one tip for taking pictures for the blog?
Where do you often read blogs? Phone, tablet, or computer?
What is your day job? And how do you find time to blog?
Do you play games on your phone? What's your fave?
If you could work with any brand, which companies would you work with?
On your birthday, what's for breakfast?
What is your goal for the year to accomplish on your blog?
A book that you love but you're embarrassed to tell?
Favorite drink to order?

That's all we have for today. Thank you for taking time to read my answers to Natasha's questions. To the nominees, leave your links in the comments section with the answers so we can all get to know you better too. Have a nice day!

When I was still starting out with blogging, I always thought that bloggers who hold giveaways are the "it" girls and it signifies that they are established bloggers since they could afford to spend to give back to their readers or have a brand sponsor the giveaway for them. For a newbie blogger, that was the dream.

And so, when I hit a blogging milestone, I thought what better way to celebrate than to host a blog giveaway to give back to the blogging community particularly to my readers.

What I've experienced though left me feeling like I was held up.

You see, I still wasn't an established blogger then (and even now). I used my own money in order to create the prize for the giveaway. And because I hated the popular giveaway rule that you have to follow and share to every social media platform in order to be counted, I didn't ask that of my readers, making social media just an option to earn additional points.

Even so, what ended up happening was someone who I've never seen before won the giveaway. She also didn't notice the blog post where I announced her as winner as well as the social media posts even though she's "following" my blog and all my social profiles.

On the last day before I was going to choose another winner, she finally showed up and was able to receive the prize.

I think that was in 2015, a few years after I started blogging.

And I've never heard from her since.

Not on my blog. Not on social media.

Do you know how that feels?

That's why thinking about holding another giveaway just leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. It's not something I'm willing to do, even with a sponsor (although I'm practically a nobody, so what sponsor? 😂 )

I am not giving a complete stranger my money. I'm not some sort of lottery that someone can just cash in then disappear. Don't I deserve to be listened to? To try to get to know?

I know that I'm not the most sociable person around, I'm very introverted. But that is why blogging is perfect for me. I get to voice my own opinions without being interrupted mid-sentence on the first sentence. 😀

That is why if I do give back to my readers, it'll be for engagement. Exclusively for readers and followers.

I don't care about gaining more followers if they'll just end up like the one who'll disappear after the giveaway. We are all familiar with the follow-unfollow game, right? This is very much like that and it's lame too.

Because engagement trump numbers, any day. That is why it is engagement that should be rewarded.

Do you or do you not agree? Am I on to something here or am I just too sensitive? Let me know in the comments. ♡

The EON Starter is such a curious thing. There was much marketing about it but not enough information online about it. I've hounded the EON CSR team on Twitter 💙 and thankfully they were patient enough to answer all my questions (I didn't ask them all in one day, but rather in a span of several months).

So now that I'm perfectly content with my EON Starter Account (I've upgraded to Lite account by the way), I think I should share with you what I've learned just in case you're also searching for answers.

Q: Where is the EON Starter Kit available?

A. It comes free when you open an EON Cyber account. It's supposedly available in 7-11 and Ministop stores but none of the stores I went to (in Manila) had them. They're also supposedly being sold on Lazada but it's not listed now. When I asked CSR about this, he/she gave me a link which I think they put up specifically just to have it available on Lazada again. Best just ask them again for a link.

Q: How much is one card?

A: It's P150.

Q: Can you withdraw thru an ATM?

A: No. The EON Starter is not applicable for an ATM withdrawal.

Q: What use can you get out of the EON Starter?

A: The EON Starter can be used to pay your utility bills, purchases at retail or online stores, and buy airtime load, prepaid credits and other stuff online or in-app.

Q: Is there a monthly cap to how much money you transact with?

A: There is a cap of P5,000 but it doesn't renew every month. Once you've reached P5,000, you have to upgrade your account to EON Lite in order to keep using your card. Once you've upgraded, you'll have a monthly limit of P50,000.

Q: How do you upgrade to Lite?

A: Download the EON app and register your account there. The pamphlet the card came in also has instructions. When you are registered, you'll see a small icon beside your account number which will allow you to request for an upgrade.

Q: Are there any requirements to upgrade to Lite?

A: None.

Q: If I received a free Starter card when I opened a Cyber account, what can I use it for?

A: You can give it to your younger sibling or child to use for purchasing online or when going out with friends so you'll be rest assured he/she'll have some extra money on hand.

Q: Can you use this to link to Paypal?

A: Yes. Linking to Paypal is one way for you to cash-in money into your Starter account.

Q: What other ways can you cash-in money into your account?

A: You can cash-in through 7-11, they say. I haven't tried personally. You can't deposit through bank. If you have a Cyber account, you can deposit to it then just transfer the amount to the Starter card. If you don't have a Cyber account, best to just upgrade to Lite because you'll be able to transact through bank and ATM once approved.

Bonus info:

Your EON Starter comes with a pre-loaded P50. So it'll be like you only spent P100 for the card. And if you got it with your Cyber, then that's a free fifty pesos.

So, I hope I answered all your questions regarding the EON Starter kit. These are all the questions I had when I first got hold of my card but if you have more, you can always contact EON on Twitter. And while you're there, maybe a follow on my Twitter account as well? Thanks. 😊

Pages

Rules

Layna's questions

My questions to the nominees

I tag (twitter handles)

:) I hope you enjoyed reading a little bit more about me. :) Do leave your links to the award in the comments so I can read more about you too. Have a good day!

How Did It Fare?

Deep & Soft Cleansing

Sebum Control

Anti-aging

Anti-oxidant

Other Factors

Consistency

Lather

Scent

Price

So, how about you? Do you tend to choose the same type of products out of habit? Or have you tried something different for the sake of trying something new?

Reasons for testing out a natural shampoo

What happened then?

Instead,

The biggest thing I've noticed?

So, what now?

I hope you enjoyed my post. I would love to hear your experience on using natural shampoos and which ones are your favorites. See you in the comments.

But first,

What is the Sunshine Blogger Award?

The Rules are:

Questions from Natasha

What is the meaning behind your blog name? How did you choose it? Why did you pick it?

What is your favorite post that you have shared on your blog and why?

How long have you been blogging, and what made you start blogging?

If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would you go?

Who are your top three favorite bloggers and what do you like about them? What keeps you going back to their blogs?

Do you take your own blog photos or do you hire someone to do them for you?

What is your favorite social media platform for your blog and why do you use it?

If you could work with any brand, which companies would you work with?

What is your favorite musical artist? And what song do you play on repeat the most?

We all have a go-to lip color. What shade of lipstick is your favorite?

What is your goal for the year to accomplish on your blog?

The Nominees | Twitter Handles

My 11 Questions for the Nominees

That's all we have for today. Thank you for taking time to read my answers to Natasha's questions. To the nominees, leave your links in the comments section with the answers so we can all get to know you better too. Have a nice day!

My 4 Favorite Asian Beauty Youtubers

Jenn Chae | From Head To Toe

Jenn Im | Clothes Encounters

Morgan Stewart | Beauty Breakdown

Pony | Pony Syndrome

So there you have it. The 4 Asian Beauty Youtubers I can't stop watching. They are all different from one another but each one as irreplaceable as the next. What about you? Who are your favorites on Youtube? Share them in the comments.

What I've experienced though left me feeling like I was held up.

And I've never heard from her since.

Do you or do you not agree? Am I on to something here or am I just too sensitive? Let me know in the comments. ♡

So, I hope I answered all your questions regarding the EON Starter kit. These are all the questions I had when I first got hold of my card but if you have more, you can always contact EON on Twitter. And while you're there, maybe a follow on my Twitter account as well? Thanks. 😊

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