I posted a while back how I loved using The Bodyshop's professional sponge to achieve a better look with my mineral foundies. I would've gladly backed it up sooner if it didn't go out of stock in almost all branches... for weeks!

Imagine my relief when I scored one over their branch at SM Fairview. Great, I thought. It was just a lil weird that the one I bought previously costed me P200 flat, while this new one was P250.

Price increase, I thought.

But to my horror, I discovered that I might've paid a lot for this new one. The sponge is inside a resealable type of packing (so is the old one I got from Galleria), so it's a little easy for me to think I might've been cheated.

Let me show you Exhibits A to D, and you be the judge:

New one (left) vs Old (right) one: New- P250 Old- 200. Bodyshop: "We've increased the price and shrank the sponge! It's recession after all!"

New sponge (left photo) out of the resealable plastic

Length and width difference

Thickness difference

Height difference

If anyone has been an avid fan of the bodyshop's professional sponge from way back, have you noticed this difference if in any case you've repurchased recently? I'd love to know as I hate to imagine that I was cheated on this.

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Allow me to sidetrack a bit...

I've been procrastinating my review that I was enrolled into 3 years ago for my busy life as a physiotherapist. Today, I quit work to make way for what I've been putting off for the past years. I will miss hospital work, but I still get a tinge of it via my home care patients.

Honestly, I'm scared of review school. I'm scared that I forgot a whole lot of my profession's theory. It's a great deal of difference between the academe and hospital set-up... a lil prcentage of the classroom stuff is significant to the job. Sad, noh? But that's reality. At least for us, PT's.

I enrolled last 2006. Good thing that it was a 'lifetime' review. Ayos noh? Where on earth can you find something like that?

I hope to take the US Licensure for PT mid-quarter of next year. Wish me luck as I jump into a whole new facet of my career.

Whew! There are loads of contests going on in the blogger community and I'm so ecstatic!

Femalenetwork's promo

Thiamere's Contest

Rebecca's Giveaway

IMBB's Giveaway

Moving on with my Primer Review Series, let me do Barenaturals' Skin Perfecting Primer.

Skin Perfecting Primer sample, 5mL, 145php($4), from Barenaturals' site

I was a little reluctant to try this primer since its consistency was the most 'fluid' among the usual primers I've tried. However, it's a good thing that I chose not to pass up on this because it has a good number of pro's.

What I liked about it:

• no scent at all
• skin feels smooth and velvety ala smashbox photofinish primer
• little amount is enough to create a good base for smoothing your foundie
• locally available and relatively cheap
• has sample bottles; good value for your money
• Barenaturals owner practices good great customer service!

Uh-ohs:

• sample bottle has no pump for the flowy product to be dispensed properly
• product is too runny for my liking
• my oilies busted its oil-control abilities in 2 hours (t think that tonight was rather a cool evening... wondering how soon it will take for my makeup to budge if it were extremely hot and humid...)

Here's a pic I took after hearing mass (this was an hour after putting makeup on). We walked our way to and from the church as it wasn't too far from home. Notice that my face is staring to look dewy (which is a bad sign):

Face: Clinique DDMG

Barenaturals Skin Perfecting Primer

Clinique Superfit foundie in Neutral

Barenaturals Premium Glow mineral makeup in Olive Neutral Light-Med

Aromaleigh URFP

Cheeks&Lips: Bodyshop's lip and cheek tint

Hmmm, so I used a premium glow mineral foundie. I wonder if it is the cause of tonight's freaking oil. I'll give the primer another try using something else (like my dependable Joppa/Pure Anada mmu's that can control oilies) and update you.

Generally, I think that the not-so-oily gals will love this. It's cheap, locally available and it can give you that smashbox primer feel! Sadly, it didn't do well on me (for this night) so I don't think I'll be getting a full-sized bottle anytime soon.

Today wasn't a good day for me. But then,

I drove to the Post Office and got my wonderful beauty loot from Kathi of Lotus Palace.

This is my much anticipated package ever since Miss Wiggle posted about the Jill Stuart palette she scored from dear Kathi. Who wouldn't be excited knowing that your stuff will be packed so cutely! I'm such a sucker for kawaii packages.

Kathi did not fail me... Look!

Shiseido, Kanebo and Ettusais eye palettes; BRTC BB pact, Cathy Cat oil-free foundie and 2 Arbutin face masks beneath the loot!

I told you about the cute packaging, didn't I? Right in my fingertips!

Strawberries, plaids, cherries and pink! That's my package's theme ata, ahluvit!

I bought 3 items from her. And here's what she sent me:

BB Balm? Bemish Balm Balm???! Forgive me, guess I got too giddy!

Now, for the emo part of this post...

I actually thought that I'd be gloomy all day because of the many personal problems I have. It's just amazing to realize how a lovingly wrapped package like this can brighten me up.

More than the package, I believe what truly made my day was realizing that someone from afar, who doesn't even know me personally, can actually touch my life. Kathi's note looked cutesy and plain with that kitty envelope, but it carried the right words to make me feel that someone actually cares.

She might not know it, but she was able to touch someone faaaar away from her.

I hope your day is as blessed as mine. My day might have set off on the wrong foot, but life's wonderful mysteries never cease to amaze me.