Stoked that I had a super awesome birthday, I am sharing the elation with three (yes, 3) lucky readers. How’s elation spelled? How about giving away some of my HG products and more? :) :) :)

STASH #1

Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Body Scrub 20g sample tub
Avon Advance Techniques Straight & Sleek Conditioner
Avon Advance Techniques Straight & Sleek Shampoo
Avon Advance Techniques Straight & Sleek Smoothing Creme
Binaca AEROblast in Peppermint
DKNY Be Delicious EDT 15ml
Dream Girl Faith BB Cream
Eyliplex-2, Filextra, Smooth-365 2ml sample packs
Listerine Total Care 80ml
Majolica Majorca Blush in OR211
Majolica Majorca Jeweling Eyes in BL711
Majolica Majorca Jeweling Pencil in BR633
Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing Neo in BK999
Majolica Majorca Rouge Majex in 21
Neutrogena Fine Fairness Deep Whitening Mask
Nivea Express Hydration Body Lotion
Nivea Pure & Natural Action Deodorant
Pure Beauty Perfect Cleansing Liquid
Tri-Aktiline Face 50ml
Watsons H Bella Protect & Nourish Body Lotion in Pomegranate & Ginger
Watsons H Bella Protect & Renew Body Polish in Pomegranate & Ginger
Watsons H Bella Protect & Repair Body Butter in Pomegranate & Ginger

STASH #2

Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Body Scrub 20g sample tub
Avon Advance Techniques Damage Repair Conditioner
Avon Advance Techniques Damage Repair Shampoo
Avon Advance Techniques Damage Repair Reconstructive Treatment Mask
Binaca AEROblast in Spearmint
DKNY Be Delicious EDT 15ml
Eyliplex-2, Filextra, Smooth-365 2ml sample packs
Gluta & Placenta BB Cream by Glorious Skin
Listerine Total Care 80ml
Majolica Majorca Blush in OR211
Majolica Majorca Jeweling Eyes in BL711
Majolica Majorca Jeweling Pencil in BR633
Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing Neo in BK999
Majolica Majorca Rouge Majex in 21
Neutrogena Fine Fairness Deep Whitening Mask
Nivea Express Hydration Body Lotion
Nivea Pure & Natural Action Deodorant
Pure Beauty Perfect Cleansing Water
Tri-Aktiline Face 50ml
Watsons H Bella Protect & Nourish Body Lotion in Rose & Mixed Berries
Watsons H Bella Protect & Renew Body Polish in Rose & Mixed Berries
Watsons H Bella Protect & Repair Body Butter in Rose & Mixed Berries

make up from stashes #1 & #2

Majolica Majorca Blush in OR211
Majolica Majorca Jeweling Eyes in BL711
Majolica Majorca Jeweling Pencil in BR633
Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing Neo in BK999
Majolica Majorca Rouge Majex in 21

Team E Choice Award Stash

Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Body Scrub 20g sample tub
Avon Advance Techniques Daily Shine Conditioner
Avon Advance Techniques Daily Shine Shampoo
Avon Advance Techniques Frizz Control Lotus Shield
Binaca Breath Spray in Peppermint
Bobbi Brown Blush in 9 Pale Pink
Bobbi Brown Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara in Black
DKNY Delicious EDT 15ml (this is from my personal backup stash)
Estee Lauder Cyber White EX Advanced Brightening GelCreme Makeup in Warm Creme
Estee Lauder Signature Eyeshadow Quad in M08 Blue Smoke
Estee Lauder Signature Lipstick in Venetian Rose
Eyliplex-2, Filextra, Smooth-365 2ml sample packs
Listerine Total Care 80ml
Majolica Majorca Blush in 88
Majolica Majorca Jeweling Eyes in BL711
Majolica Majorca Jeweling Pencil in BR633
Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing Neo in BK999
Majolica Majorca Rouge Majex in 21
Nanny Rose’s Sticks & Pulls All Natural Hair Remover 200g
Neutrogena Fine Fairness Deep Whitening Mask
Nivea Express Hydration Body Lotion
Nivea Pure & Natural Action Deodorant
Purederm 3 in 1 Magic BB Cream
Pure Beauty Perfect Cleansing Oil
Tri-Aktiline Face 50ml
Watsons H Bella Protect & Nourish Body Lotion in Strawberry & Cinnamon
Watsons H Bella Protect & Renew Body Polish in Strawberry & Cinnamon
Watsons H Bella Protect & Repair Body Butter in Strawberry & Cinnamon

make up from the Team E Choice Award Stash

Bobbi Brown Blush in 9 Pale Pink
Bobbi Brown Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara in Black
DKNY Delicious EDT 15ml
Estee Lauder Cyber White EX Advanced Brightening GelCreme Makeup in Warm Creme
Estee Lauder Signature Eyeshadow Quad in M08 Blue Smoke
Estee Lauder Signature Lipstick in Venetian Rose
Majolica Majorca Blush in 88
Majolica Majorca Jeweling Eyes in BL711
Majolica Majorca Jeweling Pencil in BR633
Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing Neo in BK999
Majolica Majorca Rouge Majex in 21

I slightly panicked in Twitter some 48 hours ago because I just realized that 1) I’ll be working the rest of the week and 2) I’ve yet to pack my bags for my upcoming beach trip this weekend. While I can live in just two tanks, a pair of shorts, bikinis and a coupl’a undies, I can’t quite afford to leave the same beauty junk I brought to La Union at home. Is there anything I’m missing? Or do you see anything I should ditch? HALPZ!

Can’t live without that ginger rub at the moment! :)

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BIG truth: I was filled with hope when I accepted the Listerine Total Care Challenge. Hopeful but not too optimistic. I thought that my oral health’s already okay so what can a new mouthwash do to turn things around, right? Boy I was in for a surprise!

We culminated the six week challenge last 09 July (backlog busted!) by getting our post-challenge dental visit at our chosen Villareal Dental Clinic. I must have broken several bones on my hands, crossing my fingers for good results since we’re supposed to publish our charts. I don’t want to be the guinea pig who failed the challenge! LOL

facing the moment of truth

Ready to see the results?

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Apart from looking presentable, my jobs requires me to have fresh breath 24/7. Having bad breath’s always a deal breaker so I make sure that I watch what I eat, never puff a cig, BFR, and gargle after a huge mug of java. :) Without awesome fresh breath, I bet I wouldn’t have the guts to come up to these three masters I absolutely look up to!

Chef Ming Tsai

Bobby Chin

Yuko Yamashita

I’m curious — are you super conscious of your breath being minty fresh too? Spill the beans and let me know how far your fresh breath took you. Share your most memorable experience where fresh breath played a big role in the comment section below and win one out of 2 Listerine Total Care Gift Packs. The winning stories will be selected on Friday, 15 July 2011 and announced the day after. The prizes are available for nationwide shipping via MC Express. Good luck and share those stories ASAP! :)

Listerine challenged me two weeks ago to show you a video of how many Jawbreakers I can break in a minute. I was ready with my props and all but I encountered a very bad sore throat that I was asked to stay off sweets ’til I get my voice back. Now that I’m back on track and ready to shoot, my camera’s low batt naman! Excuses aside, I’d like to share with you the results of this challenge through some snaps. :)

Uhm no. These aren’t marbles. These are candies I need to crush with my teeth.

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Let me share a little secret. Once upon a time, I had big bunny teeth. By big bunny teeth I mean my mother despised it every time I pose for the camera like this:

It’s cute and nutty for a while but naturally, as soon as I hit junior high, it became unwanted. It’s not screaming huge and protruding but it’s just wee big for my face. When I turned 15, I wore (for 3 months) this blue schwartz orthodontic appliance to expand my smile line, got my two front teeth finely and precisely cut, and got 6 brackets on my front teeth to seal the deal. Two more months wearing Invisalign and here’s the result.

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Rowena Sapiaco

Ruru

Betchai Cruzat

See your entry above? :) Please email me (phoebeann[at]live.com) your full name, local shipping address, and contact number so that I can send over your goodies. ‘gratz again!

Once upon a time, I was living the life I always dreamed of. I grew up spending my summers lazying around with my family in our beach resort in Bataan. Weekly trips to that resort lit up my spirits because we’d also go to the Vietnamese refugee camp where I’d see my “friends” (some of the kids in that quaint little town would know me by name because I’d bring them toys and school supplies). We’d also take the speed boat off the coast and reach a tiny island bordering Zambales where I’d pick and devour on java plums (duhat). Once my parents trusted me to go out of town, I was beach’n it with my friends a little too often that I never got off being a MAC NC42.

At 22, I was ripping waves on a weekly basis and passing the passion forward (I was an assistant instructor):

One of this job’s perks: my hair and makeup’s extremely low maint and my laundry’s never gone up more than 5 pieces of clothing at a time.

And and and…my waistline’s never gone past the 24.5″ mark.

In between never ending commitments and my full time job, I can’t quite believe that I put this perfect life aside. :( Since I stopped surfing (I had to because I got into an accident that had me undergo PT to regain my balance), I got sickly. Way more sickly. I’d always feel lethargic and my temper’s usually off the roof. After my surfing weekend at La Union I thought — I want to put myself back to the photos above. I want my perfect little life back because it’s when I’m at the beach I am the happiest. :)

Since it’s absolutely impossible for me to quit my job at this point, in my endeavor to take total care of my well being (apart from sticking with the BFR routine to keep my oral health in check), I pledge to de-stress more often. To kick things off, I’m signing up for more muay thai and yoga classes to keep me sane in between trips to paradise:

Out of Miss Poo’s suggestion demand, I’m also considering doing volunteer work for CARA Welfare Philippines.

Checkout her snazzy whiskers: black on black fur and white on white!

Choosing CARA Welfare Philippines to nick 20 hours of volunteer work per quarter from my calendar’s not a hard decision to make. My heartstrings are heavily tugged by our four legged friends (Junkie Poo is a stray cat herself I adopted when she got lost in our home at 2 weeks old) and I thought that since I can’t bring home any more cats or dogs, this is the perfect avenue for me to meet new animal friends while taking my mind off work.

CARA Welfare Philippines was established in 2000 by a group of animal lovers determined to improve the lives of street animals here in the Philippines by the Spay/Neuter method to control the fast growing population. As we near our 12-year anniversary as a non-profit organization, CARA aims to help even more animals through our low cost Clinic in Malate as well as our Adoption, Education and Trap Neuter Return Programs.

It’s already my last streak of being (unnecessarily) stressed and I can’t wait to start anew! How about you? Do you have a total care pledge yourself? Spill the beans please! The 2 best pledges (via this post and Twitter) will snag a Listerine Total Care gift pack from me and Junkie Poo! Joining this giveaway is very simple:

1. Complete this statement by filling out the blank: “My Total Care Pledge is to ________ .” Submit your answer through the comment section in this post.
2. Update your Twitter timeline by posting: “My #totalcare pledge is to destress with @phoebeann. http://goo.gl/fb/2fmQv”

The winning pledges will be announced on Sunday, 12 June 2011. The prizes are available for nationwide shipping via MC Express. Good luck and share those total care pledges stat! :)

As promised, I will take you to a 6 week journey on how Listerine will help me positively overhaul my oral health. The first challenge is very simple: see the dentist to find out if I have hidden plaque (yikes!).

I went to the Villareal Dental Clinic at the St. Luke’s Medical Center, Global City. Going to their clinic brought butterflies to my stomach because it took me back to second grade when I first saw one of their dentists at their Medical Towers Makati branch. I was then my mom’s dental plan dependent and I always looked forward to Saturdays when she’d bring me to the clinic for a checkup. It would’ve been awesome if their clinic back then had this to keep me entertained (instead of peeking under the swing doors to snoop over the other patients hehe):

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When Listerine invited me to take on this 6-week challenge, I immediately said yes. Apart from my (Listerine) Vanilla Mint addiction, I’m also a big oral care nut. Remember back when we’re kids and we’re scared night after night that our teeth would rot if we don’t brush up after sweets? Oh yes, the sheer thought made me run to the bathroom counter to brush my heart out not just once, twice, but thrice a day!

My task as a challenger is to share with you my 2 cents on Listerine Total Care’s proven benefits:

Apart from celebrity challenger Drew Arellano, eight (including myself) Manila lifestyle bloggers also dared to take this 6-week assignment (not in the photo: Glenn Ong):

Karen Co, Senior Brand Manager for Listerine, Vince Golangco, Hannah Villasis, Edelweiza Mabalay, Earth Rullan, Drew Arellano, me, Calvin Lo, Azrael Coladilla and Ria Gatmaitan, Management Trainee for Listerine

To kick things off, here’s a gentle reminder: brushing is not and is never enough. You have to brush, floss, and rinse (aka. BFR) to ensure that you kill 99% of the oral bacteria thriving inside your mouth!

Checkout and follow Listerine’s Facebook page to follow our 6-week journey to achieve total oral health! :)