Reviews and Other Stuff

Dry Shampoo Favorites

February 20, 2019 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Dry shampoos are for me those things I try to avoid using as much as I can, but it’s always a good idea to have them for convenience because you’ll never know when life happens and you won’t have the time to wash your hair. For me, they’re not only a time-saver, but they’re also a life-saver. They help to make me look human in times of busy days, sick days, or whatever it is that has kept me busy which therefore prevented me from cleaning my hair.

I honestly don’t like the feeling of using dry shampoos on my hair, not to mention any hairsprays or any additional hair products that could weigh down my strands because my hair is quite flat and straight. So, most of the time I prefer to wash my hair every day. But you know, things don’t always go as planned, and also, there are times when you just don’t feel like moving or doing anything and you opted not to shower. Yeah, we’ve all been there, after all, we’re just humans in this world, right?

I’m very picky with dry shampoos. I don’t like anything with a strong lingering and overpowering scent, and they may require a messy application and leaves messy powdery white residues that could stick to my clothes. I mostly wear dark solid colors and I don’t want to spend some time dusting these residues off my clothes when I’ve got somewhere else I need to be asap. Because of these reasons, there’s literally only four brands of dry shampoos that I like so far. I tried two dry shampoos from some other brands before but I got disappointed. So, I’ve been sticking with these four.

Here now are my four favorite dry shampoos as of the moment.

Dove Beauty Refresh + Care Detox & Purify Dry Shampoo (5oz: $4.89) – My first favorite dry shampoo and one of my fave drugstore finds. This dry shampoo is affordable, easy to find, and it works. It may not work as well as the high-end dry shampoos, but it gets the job done. It’s perfect for a hair that is unwashed for a day, but after two days, this may not be that good at absorbing oil anymore. Well, it depends, if you have normal hair, this might work for up to two days, but on me, this doesn’t help much if I go on two days without cleaning my hair. The scent of this is nice, kind of like perfumey fresh and it doesn’t leave any residue. FYI, I will be reviewing more types of this Dove dry shampoo soon, so stay tuned for that.

Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk (1 oz: $10, 3.2 oz: $20) – This is the dry shampoo that impressed me immediately after spraying it on my hair. I love this a lot because this has a mild scent and it works well at absorbing oil from my hair. It also doesn’t weigh my hair down, and it can make my hair look clean and normal up to the second day without washing it. It also makes my hair look a bit volumized. This also doesn’t leave any residue but I don’t like that the regular/large size of this is a bit small for its price. Also, this dry shampoo used to be so easy to locate at my local Sephora, but now I have to order this in Sephora online or at Amazon. There are also other types of Klorane Dry Shampoo available, so I will be reviewing them as well here in the blog pretty soon.

Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo (1.3 oz: $22, 6 oz: $44) – This is a luxurious dry shampoo with a very luxurious scent. It doesn’t leave any residue on the hair and its packaging is large. For me, this restores the look and volume of my hair and it makes it look really clean, crisp and airy. On the second day, with my hair being oily and all, this was almost impossible to work with and that’s after putting a lot of it on my strands. I can totally understand why some people gave this dry shampoo some lukewarm reviews. I think because this is a bit mild for those with oily-prone hair like mine. I believe this would work best if you have a normal hair type. Nevertheless, this dry shampoo is one of the best out there.

IGK First Class Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo (2 oz: $14, 6.3 oz: $27) – This is a superb dry shampoo that doesn’t have a very strong scent. Instead, it smells fresh and it leaves no residue. I love its large packaging and for its price, I feel like this is probably the best dry shampoo out there, especially in terms of its performance. This makes my hair look totally clean and fresh-looking, not just for one day without washing it, but even up to the second. This can definitely handle a greasy hair, although I think you may need to put a lot of it somehow. Overall, this gives me that normal-looking hair with some volumizing effects.

Do you have any personal favorites when it comes to dry shampoos? Do you use any dry shampoo at all?

Quick Winter Getaway, Part II (Houston)

February 14, 2019 / TRAVELS & PLACES / 0 comments

Hey guys, as promised, this is part two of my recent Winter getaway. The first part of this travel diary recap is HERE.

HOUSTON

So, after having a great time in St. Louis Missouri, I hopped on a plane for a quick trip to Houston. The weather was amazing when I arrived there. It wasn’t sunny, but it was definitely warm. As usual, Houston is vibrant and everyone’s on their T-shirt and walking their dogs. Like with most big cities, there’s a lot of stuff to see in Houston, but I didn’t have the time to explore, so I just spent my few days there strolling around.

Hotel Zaza French Macarons — free French Macarons near Hotel Zaza’s lobby

Hotel Zaza – Known to be a boutique hotel, I had high hopes for the place when I checked in. However, I was utterly surprised by the darkness of the interior and it’s not just slightly dark, it’s REALLY dark to the point that you’d have a hard time finding the elevator button. My room was dingy, musty, and scary. The hallways were eerily silent, dark, and the type that will give you goosebumps. The hotel is full of bizarre paintings and photos that don’t seem to make any sense with regards to the hotel’s overall design. The staff is distant and don’t seem to care much for their clients. I remember sitting at their Monarch Restaurant located just adjacent to the hotel and no one came to ask for my order, so I just left. I did change room because I was so grossed out with its carpet and its musty smell, not to mention the not-so-safe-looking door and windows. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the free French Macarons at the lobby which I managed to spot amidst all that darkness and the hotel’s proximity to Rice Village, I would not have stayed here at all. In fact, I don’t think I will ever stay in this hotel again because it’s just hazardous.

rice university loop — Rice University Loop

Rice Boulevard & Rice Village – As what I’ve said above, the other nice thing of staying at my scary hotel is the fact that it’s walking distance to Rice University, Rice University Trail/Loop, and Rice Village. Yes, there’s a lot of rice there, I know, LOL. But yeah, I took a nice long stroll along Rice Boulevard and its running trail/loop which gave me a beautiful view of the Rice University campus. The university itself has a very classic design but the stars of the show are the impressive old oak trees that surrounded the entire school. They reminded me of the Oak Alley Plantation in New Orleans (read about that trip HERE). Also, they are everywhere and they seem to take a life of their own. I truly recommend that you take a stroll along the Rice Boulevard trail because it’s kind of a reflecting experience. Since it wasn’t cold at all, I saw some squirrels having fun climbing the trees and enjoying the weather. Towards the end of Rice Boulevard is the famous Rice Village and I had a great time browsing some shops there. I picked up some beauty stuff at Bluemercury, had a coffee and spicy Chorizo at Starbucks, then swatched some makeup at Sephora. I totally love Rice Village for casual shopping and dining. Oh, and you gotta try the Rice Krispies from The Chocolate Bar if you happen to be there.

bluemercury rice village tx — Rice Village

On my way to Rice Village, I passed by several museums, like the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Cockrell Butterfly Center, and I also stopped at Hermann Park to see the roses near the Sam Houston monument. Check out the photos below.

Sam Houston Monument Hermann Park — Sam Houston Monument at Hermann Park

Cockrell Butterfly Center Museum Houston — Cockrell Butterfly Center

hermann park houston tx — Reflection Pool at Hermann Park

I find these short trips to be very beneficial on my part. I got a chance to unwind and disconnect for a while, and even though I got disappointed with my stay at Hotel Zaza in Houston, still, I could see myself living in all of the three cities I recently visited. I absolutely miss the sun in California, I love the newness and the energy of St. Louis, and there are so many things in Houston I want to explore. Anyway, that my friends is the conclusion of my short Winter getaway. Stay tuned for more trips coming very very soon.

Have you been to these spots before? What do you like about them?

To book a flight to Houston TX, click HERE

Quick Winter Getaway, Part I (Orange County & St. Louis)

February 13, 2019 / TRAVELS & PLACES / 0 comments

Last month and towards the end of last year, I did a quick getaway to somewhere warm and sunny. I needed to disconnect for a little bit and to prepare myself for the upcoming long cold Winter of my natural habitat, LOL. Anyway, I actually went from one city to another but didn’t stay long, only for a few days each. So here now is the first part of these recent trips.

ORANGE COUNTY

I miss the California sun and was excited to visit Orange County, only to realize that it was actually raining when I arrived and it didn’t stop until the next day. So I mostly stayed in my hotel chillin’ and on the third day, I had a great time shopping and dining at the nearby outlet which is very close to my hotel.

Ayres Hotel Orange – I had a fabulous stay in this beautiful and relaxing hotel. Its grounds are very well-kept, beautiful, and simply serene. The staff here are very kind and respectful to your privacy. Food-wise, this hotel has a nice breakfast buffet selection, and plenty of chairs to lounge around, especially nearby the pool area. I also had a chance to dine at a nearby Mexican restaurant called Anepalco and their food and service was really excellent. To book a stay in this hotel, click HERE.

The Outlets at Orange– With just minutes away and walking distance from Ayres Hotel Orange, this large outlet has lots of shops and restaurants. I had a great time strolling around and browsing at different stores which I find to be very well-stocked compared to my local outlets at home. Their Saks Off Fifth has several discounted Tom Ford beauty products which got me drooling. Also, they have a nice AMC theatre where I watched Green Book.

ST. LOUIS MISSOURI

I have never been to St. Louis before and I was curious as to what Missouri looks like. True to my expectation, St. Louis especially downtown Clayton is very beautiful and it’s booming. I love the architecture here which is very classic and I noticed that even the new buildings/constructions seem to follow the same classic design. Clayton is full of shops and restaurants, plus the people are so friendly and so kind. The cabs and Uber drivers here are so polite and friendly, and they even act and talk like your tour guide. I like the flat topography of St. Louis even though it looks a little too spread out. There are lots of things to see here. Almost all the houses I’ve seen around Clayton are grand and well-kept. Washington University (Wash U) is nearby and it’s a beautiful classic-style campus as well. During my visit here, the weather was wavering between sunny and gloomy and it wasn’t so cold during the day. I did get so cold at night though. All in all, St. Louis Missouri is not your average midwest town. This place is a total must-see.

Ritz Carlton – Located at the heart of Downtown Clayton, the room that I got here is a bit small compared to some other Ritz Carltons I’ve stayed before, but it’s still luxurious nevertheless. It’s also super clean and the toiletries are from Asprey London which smells divine and luxe. I adored the all-marble wall to floor bathroom, and the staff here are courteous and helpful. I enjoyed a simple hearty breakfast here and the service was great. They’ll even give you a free snack and drinks if you’re waiting for someone at the lobby. They were also very nice to me when I asked to change to another room after I complained that I could hear the sound of the elevator from my bed. I don’t think that I got a nice view of Clayton from my room, but for me, it was good enough as long as I could not hear any noise outside my window. Location-wise, this hotel is a perfect walking distance to a lot of shops and restaurants in Clayton. To book a stay in this hotel click HERE.

The Gateway Arch – I was so excited to see this famous Gateway to the West, simply known as “The Arch”. It is the world’s tallest arch and it’s one of America’s most famous monuments. I took an Uber to visit the Arch and the driver politely told me that the Arch was closed because of the government shutdown, but I insisted to see it anyway just so I could see the arch from the outside at least. True to everyone’s rave, the Arch is SO impressive. It’s made of stainless steel and it’s about 630 ft tall. You can potentially go up there and take in all the view from above, although I can only imagine how it must be like. Across the arch is a view of the Mississippi River from St. Louis Missouri’s side, and strolling along it is so relaxing, you can totally enjoy the sun and the sand.

St. Louis Zoo – I took another Uber and decided to visit the St. Louis Zoo. I haven’t been to any zoo for a long time and I needed to see my friends (I love animals, you know). This zoo is probably the most laid-back zoo I’ve ever been and it’s also very vast. The animals here are cute and you can see lots of them. From Tigers to Buffalos, down to some rare snakes, this zoo not only looks like a zoo, but it also looks like a park. Kids and families love this place and I too enjoyed this zoo a lot.

St. Louis Art Museum – This museum has a very classic European-style architecture and it looks grand. Just right outside of it is the statue of the impressive King Louis IX of France riding a mighty horse, known as the Apotheosis of St. Louis. In front of the statue is the Grand Basin of the vast Forest Park. The St. Louis Art Museum has unique and interesting exhibits, but I didn’t spend a lot of time here because I was getting hungry and they were about to close anyway, so I started looking for food. LOL.

FOODIES:

BARcelona Tapas Restaurant – Just 30 minutes walk from Ritz Carlton hotel and still in downtown Clayton, I had a nice dinner at this restaurant the same day that I arrived in St. Louis. I was impressed by the variety of the menu as well as the restaurant’s decor and ambiance. The food here transported me back to Barcelona and it’s really good, also, the prices are not that expensive. The service is quick and the food was served on time, but you do need to call ahead for a reservation. I highly recommend that you try their Tres Leches (dessert) which is so divine. To reserve a table to this restaurant, click HERE.

Guerrilla Street Food – I came here right after visiting the St. Louis Art Museum. Again, my Uber driver was a kind welcoming Vietnam Vet who further oriented me to St. Louis. I was not really sure why the restaurant is called Guerrilla, but I was determined to taste this famous Filipino franchise in STL. I’m no stranger to Filipino foods at all, so if you ask me what I think about the food here, I think, to be honest, they’re just ok. I ordered Chicken Adobo which I think definitely needs some soy sauce, and the Sinigang (Tamarind soup) definitely needs more Tamarind because it wasn’t sour at all. The Empanadas are ok, but I don’t know what the “Flying Pig” was all about. While it tasted so good, there is no such thing as Flying Pig in Philippine cuisine. Just a tip, the sodas here are not your average American sodas. I wasn’t really sure what they were, I wanna say that they’re the Philippine version of most American drinks and that their tastes are not that different from what we’re used to here in the US. I honestly could not recognize most of them except for the Calamansi juice, which is so great by the way.

St. Louis Galleria – I ended my stay in Missouri with a visit to one of their malls. I wanted to go to Plaza Frontenac but they were closing early on that day, so I decided to drop by at the famous St. Louis Galleria in Richmond Heights near St. Louis. This mall is huge and they have shops and brands that I haven’t seen or heard before. There are several floors in this mall and the decors are impressive.

I was definitely fascinated by the beauty of St. Louis and I highly recommend that you visit this place whenever you have time and I bet you that you won’t be disappointed. Stay tuned for part two of this trip.