Your Sub? Standard Year End Post

They say blogging is dead. Ang whose fault is that blogger? 

Whatevs. I think I considered this more of an exercise. This was writing easy, ephemeral, safe topics.  Certainly not as a means to earn money.  If anything, this blog has enabled me to see how my writing has changed, how I have changed over the years. I am more cynical than ever, that's for sure.

There's a reason why I haven't published much this year: my recent posts have not been appearing on google search. It matters to me, after all I don't do pwede na and I'm sure some socmed people out there notice. My writing may be average but you know what, my works have been copy pasted/lifted without consent, without credit and passed off as someone else's own. That should say something. This is why I want my work in the search engines: so that if I get copied, there's searchable proof that I was copied.  I mean, aside from being curious as to how Blogger differs from Wordpress, I switched to the former because you can disable text select and copy in it. 

But of course, that has not stopped content creators copiers from pilfering. There's even one youtuber who was able to amass thousands of views (and followers) after copying my post. You will notice that it is very different from her other vids. Biglang naging scientific approach nya dun. If you look at her other vids, not a shred of science in them. All but a handful of her post do not even get above 50 hits.

I also know when a brand is doing an online campaign. Old posts of mine about their product/s get lots of hits. Didn't notice it at first. Until I would suddenly see several blogs, Youtube, Facebook or Instagram accounts talking about said product/s days after the spike. Also when someone's holding an online contest. There's sudden interest in my posts on life during the pandemic every time that Southeast Asia Blogging Project is on. Sheesh.

So am I ending 2021 this bitter? Don't know. It's really a sucky year. 

Almost Done: San San Creamy Matte Lip Stain, Hydrating Color Dew, Cheek Blusher Review

During the early months of this pandemic, salons, theaters, dining establishments, and physical stores that sell non-essential goods were closed. Make-up and beauty products were being sold at really low prices online. I bet a lot didn't see any reason to wear make up/put on perfume considering only essential travel was allowed. Plus the uncertain economic climate made people want to curb spending.

Even when restrictions began slowly easing, masks were still in place. The only times that felt reasonable to wear lip products (aside from a lip balm) were during gmeets/zoom/vid calls when we are required to turn on the screens.  

So it's only now that I'm almost through with these products. 

Hand Cream Battle: Marks and Spencer Peach and Almond Hand Cream vs The Face Shop Olive Moisture Shine Hand Butter

Especially now that we're in a pandemic and everyone needs to keep washing their hands, hand creams, because of their scent and hydrating ability, have become common office gifts during Christmas. Along with hand sanitizers. Although really, if it's just moisturization/hydration we want to impart, then we'd do away with the fancy and just gift Nivea blue tins.  But we like the fancy right? Packaging, scent, consistency and all that.

Palmolive Body Washes (Philippine Market)

Palmolive Body Washes smell like and offer benefits similar to their soap counterparts, if they have one.

Three Gloriously Fragrant Rubbing Alcohols - Cleene, Alcoplus, Wise Choice

Before the pandemic, I associated the smell of rubbing alcohol with hospitals and caring for the sick. But now, with a lot of companies in the Philippines getting into the rubbing alcohol business (and no more shortages, at least for now), we are spoiled for choice. We don't need to smell antiseptic anymore. 

These three are among the best smelling scented rubbing alcohol I have gotten my hands on. 

Sampling Bench Daily Scent Colognes

An article from the Philippine Star listed the notes for the pack of 6 Bench Daily Scent minis, and each has a lot! (Couldn't find any note listings for Eye Candy, Beach Bum and Bubble Pop which are not in the trial pack )

• Lazy Afternoon (orange bottle) mandarin and bergamot top notes; rose and white floral middle notes; warm musk and woods base notes. 

• Sunday Morning (blue bottle'):  tangelo and spices top notes; exotic spices and soft cotton musk middle notes; vanilla and woods base notes.

• Indian Summer (yellow bottle): apricot, dewberry and cassis top notes; rose, freesia,  lily and jasmine middle notes; amber, musk and woods base notes. 

• Spring Break (yellow green bottle) lemon, magnolia and pear top notes; freesia, white lily, strawberry and lily of the valley middle notes; tonka bean, vanilla and musk base notes. 

• Nine to Mine (violet bottle): tamarind, pineapple and melon top notes; rose,  freesia and carnation middle notes; musk and sandalwood base notes.

• Happy Hour (the pink bottle included in the package of six as there are other Bench Daily Scent pink bottles; not in the pic): melon and pineapple top notes; jasmine and muguet flowers middle notes; vetiver and sandalwood base notes. 

A Cool Product For Summer: Sea Breeze Natural + Aid Body Shampoo Review

The craziest thing I have ever done to relieve myself of that hot, sticky, muggy feeling brought on by humid weather was to douse my body with mouthwash. I was thinking of the minty fresh sensation it imparts when your gargle. Did not work. I just felt stickier. In my defense, the heat was messing with my head.

Just as I was thinking of doing something less crazy, the tube of Caronia Renewing Scrub in my bathroom beginning to look like my salvation since it does provide a slight cooling effect after use, my aunt who resides in Japan sent us a bottle of Sea Breeze Natural + Aid Body Shampoo in Super Cool.

Nivea Sun: Protection for Face and Body

We have been Nivea Sun users for years already.  Anyone who has been using sunscreen / sunblock for that long would know that there were only a handful of them available in the early 2000. Often they were super pricey, sticky, or the smell was not school / office-friendly. 

Hana Shampoo Review and Scent Variants Comparison

Hana Shampoos were known as Shokubutsu Hana Shampoos when they first appeared in the Philippine market. The different variants of the shampoos then dealt with specific hair problems. A few years later, Shokubutsu was dropped fromt the brand name. Lion is no longer listed as co-manufacturer in the label.

My sis-in-law says she does not like Hana. Thinks it's not a suitable shampoo for humid weather. For me it's passable, better than Pert Plus Shampoo with Henna Extracts and Revlon Flex Keratina Anticaspa Shampoo but below other commercial brands. Currently all the variants' labels offer a general promise, soft and smooth hair and they do just that. Emphasis on just. I feel they do not help tame my frizz. I haven't noticed any difference on the effect on my hair from using four shampoo variants. They only differ by scent.

Lewis and Pearl Scentshop Colognes and Ice Water Review

Lewis and Pearl has changed its name and bottle and label design over the years. First going by Green Cross Cologne then just Lewis and Pearl, before adding Scentshop to its name. Several variants have been discontinued (Summer, Twist, Happy, Chill, Dew Drops - D&G Light Blue dupe, Angel, Rock N Rio) while new ones have been added. My first Lewis and Pearl cologne was in a translucent almost oval bottle. Right now the plastic bottles resemble lapad which are bottles usually used for local honey or a local liquor brand's rhum. In fairness, Lewis and Pearl scents can be sweet and/or intoxicating.

Scentshop by Lewis and Pearl colognes has several variants in blue and pink liquid color. This may be a problem when you're having someone buy one for you and you don't remember the variant name, just the color. Especially now when outside movement is limited.  Happened to my mom. She wanted powdery Rain (the baby cologne of the lot), brother got her Rush. (Would have bought online, except someone's already at the grocery so might as well.) Otherwise, this allows one to identify which variants are for boys and for girls, although there are variants in blue liquid that some girls prefer like Ice Water (and Rain).

Also imagine recommending these to friends or on the internet and you're just gonna go by color. "The pink one smells like a fruity candy."