Orange-Red Lipsticks

For the past years, I've been hunting for orange-red lipsticks.  My starters were all drugstore lipsticks, cos there are dupes, right.  Most of my past collections were Revlon and Maybelline, I don't have with me anymore.  I do not keep makeup that long especially the ones that I don't like and no plans of using.   I just keep it with me for months, and when there's opportunity I send it to my mother, sister and cousin.  I cannot name them here cos I never took a pics of those lippies.  

Anyway, last year I finally bought the famous and best seller Mac Lady Danger.  I was avoiding the Mac cos it is expensive cos there are dupes but then I kept on buying dupes that I end up not liking it worst I spent more.  All the while I thought, red orange lippy are not for me.  So one day, I went to Mac section from Sephora and splurge, cos I did not buy only a lippy but I added two more items.  The Mac photos were taken a year ago, the phone shots are a bit blur, sorry.  Just so you know, majority of my photos in the blog were all phone shots. 

Right there and then, I knew why it was so famous and best seller!!  I should have bought it from the very beginning.  I love it!!  It looks good on me.  I wear it when I was working and my colleagues told me that it suits me hihi.  

There's another lipstick that I am really curious of, the Revlon Strawberry Suede, another famous lippy.  Everybody knows who are lipstick addict that Revlon Strawberry Suede has been discontinued but you can still purchase it from Ebay and Amazon.  

So few months after I bought the Mac, I decided to buy the Revlon.  I bought it from eBay.  Likewise, it suits me!! My colleagues told the same.  But I wear the Strawberry Suede more often cos it is not intense as the Lady Danger.  I find the Strawberry Suede is really true to its name and it has also a touch of pink on it.  The Strawberry Suede I find that it is more on everyday wear than Lady Danger.  But if I have to choose from the two...I still prefer Lady Danger. 

I should have stop there, I am satisfied with the two lippy.  Over a week ago, there's an email from Sephora that I can get a complimentary Benefit Roller Lash Deluxe sample.  Well, I need to try the product cos I am always on a hunt of mascaras that really works for me.  But I thought, I just cannot queue there and flash the membership card without buying anything.  I have no idea of what to buy for the money I have on hand, which by the way I asked my hubby if he could give me a twenty.  Furthermore, I only had a few minutes to spend that time as I have other mum errands to attend to. 

  

 In short, I spent my money on Laneige K-Secret Cushion Tint and I chose Red-Orange at random.  It cost $22.00.  And I got the complimentary Benefit Mascara ;-P  I don't feel ashamed queuing there cos at least I bought something :-D      

Oops, sorry for the zit :-P

So this is me after I bought the new lipstick... 

...my happy face after trying my new lippy hihi 

So here's the three orange-red lippy I have on hand... 

without flash: Mac Lady Danger, Laneige K-Secret Cushion Tint
and Revlon Strawberry Suede

Without flash: Mac Lady Danger, Laneige K-Secret Cushion Tint in Red Orange
and Revlon Strawberry Suede

Artificial ligh from left to right:
 Mac Lady Danger, Laneige Red Orange & Revlon Strawberry Suede

Normal light from left to right:
Mac Lady Danger, Laneige Red Orange & Revlon Strawberry Suede

I find the shades from the swatches above are almost alike but then again the strawberry suede leans to pink.  

To end this post, my top one is the Mac Lady Danger, I will definitely repurchase if ever I run out.  Then second place is Revlon Strawbery Suede, I might not repurchase.  Then my third is my latest purchase, Laneige Red Orange.  

What is your favorite orange-red lipstick?  

Til then, thank you!! Laters!! 

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Stewed Pork and Pumpkin

This recipe was inspired from My Recipes, Stewed Pork and Squash.  I altered and modified the ingredients.  The main ingredients like the part of the pork and the veggie, were not available at the time I bought them.  Moreover, I did not include the chili powder cos I have a child who don't like strong spices yet.  What's more, I replaced the ground red pepper to just ordinary crushed black pepper.  On top of that, I used chicken cube instead of a broth.  

Here's my version - 

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon canola oil 

1 medium red onion, chopped 

1 teaspoon of garlic, minced 

at least 1/2 kg pork, twee bak, sliced at least 1/2 inch

1 teaspoon of ground cumin 

1/4 teaspoon of crushed black pepper

1 (15-ounce) can Hunts stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 1/2 cups of water

1 Knorr chicken cube

less than a pound pumpkin, cut into cubes 

fish sauce or salt to taste 

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic, saute until onions are soft, stirring frequently.  Add crushed black pepper, stir.  Add pork.  Stir and cook for few minutes until pork change color, not raw.  Stir in stewed tomatoes, add water and chicken cube.  Bring to a simmer.  Cover in low heat and simmer until the pork is tender, stirring occasionally.  Add the pumpkin then simmer until the vegetable are soft.  Add fish sauce to taste.  Good for 4 pax. 

The dish was great.  It was flavorful even without the other spices.  I believed if I did not modify the ingredients, the dish will be more savory.  By the way, I find the recipe in the budget meal category.  

Household Monthly Meal Budget Challenge

As far as I remember, this is the first time that my hubby gave a budget which should last for a month.  Every day, he left me a $50.00 then the next day he will top-up the money that should always sum up to original pocket money per day.  I do my grocery every day, cos I am not the type of mom who knows how to plan a meal for a month. When I was working, I can only go far to a week meal plan.  Please note that my every day grocery items includes foods, toiletries and consumables, so at times I spent the full pocket money my hubby gives me when I buy toiletries and other household stuffs. 

photo credit Parents.com

On to the test...

I only started spending the "suppose monthly budget" yesterday.  So this a home meal budget alone, excluding toiletries and the like :-P  I hope my hubby will cooperate with me, I will let him know about the challenge ;-)  My target challenge should range to $300 to $400.  But I would opt to $300.00, will try my very best...fighting!! hihi 

I will keep you posted!! Til then! Aja!! 

*******

Update 10Apr15:  I failed the challenge, meh!!  I was beyond the target.  It was so difficult for me, waah!! But I will not stop, I will strive to reach my goal.  This really helps cos I will not tempt to buy a lot, and to buy what's only needed.   Because most of the times, I am like others who splurge on grocery items especially the perishable goods.  

Korean Sweet Pancakes

Flashback... 

About a year ago, I tried the recipe of Casaveneracion's Hoddeok (hotteok) or Korean Sweet Pancakes.  This was the time that my oven was broken.  Anyways, her recipe was easy to follow cos she took effort of taking photos per instruction and the ingredients were not hard to find.   When I want to try new recipe I often visit her blog.  To know more about the pancake and the recipe, just visit her site ;-P

"Sometimes a Hug is all You Need"

Sometimes, a hug is all I need...

...to make me feel better...

Sometimes, things that I do to make me feel better are not enough, 

instead, a hug and to show that you have each other... 

...is all I need.

hugs!!