{Vanity on a Budget} Review: Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadow

Hello, my dear readers!

I am back again with another (Uh-oh, here it comes!) review!  Haha! I hope you haven't got tired of these yet, but, oh well! I've been enjoying making reviews lately of stuff I rave (and loathe!), so why not, right?

Today's review will feature the Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadow (whew! That was a handful!).

I forgot to take a photo of it with the price on. But, if my memory serves me correctly, this is 259.00php, or let's just round that off to 260php.

Anyway, before we proceed with the actual review, Essence is a UK drugstore brand. You can find Essence cosmetics in some SM Department Stores (well, now known as SM Store).

For a drugstore brand, Essence works really well for me! I've been wanting to have this eyeshadow for quite some time now, and finally got myself one along with my other Birthday Goodies which I blogged about about a month ago. Also, unlike some "so-called" drugstore brands which are priced really expensively, these have really affordable prices, and for me, I do get more than my money's worth. ;) Don't get me wrong, I do love other drugstore brands even if they are quite expensive, as long as they work for me. LoL!

Anyhoo...

I got this in the shade 09 For Fairies. I would describe it as a Rose Gold color with a gold undertone (or specks/shimmer to be more precise). But, even if it does have shimmer, it is very subtle! In fact, you can wear it alone without anything else in the daytime if you are really not into applying makeup. I got compliments from my cousin when she saw it, and she is not fond of shimmer. But, when she saw me wearing this, she said she likes it a lot. :D

Following are some more photos, followed by my Pros and Cons for the product.

A closer look. It has a dome shaped lid (sorry, i forgot to take a side view of it)

09 For Fairies. Contains 5.5g of product. Ingredients of the product are not listed, but it did indicate that this product contains Carmine for some people who may have a reaction to it.

 

Ugh! A really crappy photo, the true color did not show. But, here's to show you what the product looks like.

Applied with both a base and without. The lower, more shimmery one is without the base, and right on top (which is barely visible) has a base. 

My thoughts....

This works as a base on itself. In fact, I prefer to use it without a base as it patches up more when I have something underneath it. The gold specks/shimmer clumps up when I use it with an eyeshadow primer/base. So, I like to apply on by itself. Plus, based on the photo, I think the real "pretty" color showed up better without the base.

Pros:

• Stays on for most of the day! No base needed! It's a base in itself. LoL
• Worth the price. I only need a tiny amount to put on my lids. 
• I like the smell. It's a "nutty" smell, like hazelnuts or something. I really can't tell, all I know it smells like a yummy, smelling nut. :D

Cons:

• I got a dried up product (see photos below). :( Boo-hoo! And you can't even check it in-store because it's sealed. But, I remember quite well that the sample I tried out back then is of a squishy, creamy consistency, but this one I got is really solid. 
• And because it's dried up, I find it quite hard to apply. It takes a long time for me to "even" it out. Again, I blame it on a dried up product.

I attempted to take a lot of shots so you could see how dried up the product was. It literally has shrunk and a space can be seen at the side of the container, which is common in cream products.

Now, isn't that a bummer? 

Well, aside from the fact that it has dried up, I still really like it and I use it EVERY time I go out. You can put on any color on it anyway, so why not? Haha. And I plan to get some other colors since they are really good on-to-go eyeshadows!

Plus, I found a way to "melt it down" and make it workable at least every time I use it, which I will post next. This method of mine also works for dried up cream eyeshadows! :D Interested? Let me know in the comments below if you want to know how. 

Cheers!
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{Precious Moments} My BabyLove's Current Vocab

I've seen a couple of posts already of mommies' lil' one's vocabulary and way of saying things. And, I always find it cute when I find out how kids say certain words. So, here is a short list of the current words my BabyLove knows and how she says them! Enjoy and hope this makes your day!

Stu Du - Scooby Doo
Te Bear - Teddy Bear
Ice Didi - Ice Candy
Mansie - Momsie (That's what my mom wants to be called. LoL)
Wowo - Lolo. I think this is quite common.
Na'nie - Lola Knee. If you did not get what that meant the first time, it means Lola sa tuhod. Haha! My oh-so-cool Lola!
Berday - Birthday
Co-ror - Color (when she wants to color something)
Li-rax - The Lorax
Pan-zel - Rapunzel. She says this when she wants to watch Tangled.
i-zine(short i sound) - Medicine
told water - Cold water
Pipit - Sipit, or her hair clips. LoL
Pippers - Slippers

Those are just a couple of 'em. I'm sure I missed a lot, so if I come across them again, I sure will make another post of it. :)

Cheers!
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Post Ideas?

Oookay. So, my brains quite blank right now on what to post next. Haha. I've been having a battle with myself on what to post next. A few I have in mind:

• My Divi buys/goodies (a lot have been expecting a post on it after my WIMB post.) Haha
• My weekly buys - My and my BabyLove usually go to the mall every Friday for me to get my salary. And, usually, we get a few stuff, both for personal needs and some self-rewards. Do you guys think this is a good post or just something that would bore you? I plan to include mini reviews if necessary. ;)
• I still have a few makeup product reviews
• My product empties

Do you guys have any suggestion, aside from those mentioned above. I'd love to hear from you! :)

Cheers!
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What's In My Bag [Divisoria Shopping]?

For those who regularly read my blog, you know well how much I love thrift finds. And, going to Divisoria always excites me because I know I will be able to get some things that is more than my money's worth. :)

We went to Divisoria 2 weeks ago (well, not really Divisoria because to my surprise, the building burned down. Yeah, I am late with news because my TV isn't hooked up yet. Haha. So embarassing. You can just imagine my reaction when we got there!), and I was meaning to get this post up the night before. However, I had to get work done that night so that I did not have too much work load by the time we get back. But, I still thought it would be a good post, nevertheless, for those who don't know what to bring if they want to go Divisoria shopping (Well, technically, 168 Mall).

Pictured below is a few of the stuff that's in my bag. I will go through them one by one, beginning with those in the photo. Sorry I wasn't able to number them for easy reference, but, the items below are pretty easy to identify, so I don't think it would be much of a problem. :D

As you guys can see, I am bringing a big tote. If I did not have a little girl with me, it would have been a smaller bag, however, I had to bring along a few other baby stuff, hence, the big tote bag.

1. Hand Sanitizer (on strap of bag) - 168 Mall is a really big place, and the only rest room I know of is located at the food court.There may be others, but that's the only rest room I am familiar with. So, there is really no access to water to wash hands and sanitize, so the next best thing to bring along is a hand sanitizer, especially I am with my little BabyLove who may touch unsanitary things once in a while. :)
2. Bag Watch (on strap, beside my hand sanitizer) - Because we were a group, we tend to go separate ways once we get there. So, sometimes, we would just decide on a time we meet up again when we have to get lunch or go home. And because I don't like taking my phone out often when in a crowded place, I find the bag watch very useful to check the time. Plus, I don't have to rummage thru my big bag for my phone just to check the time. 
3. Tissues - again, for sanitary purposes, especially for wiping off sweat. 
4. Face Blotting Paper - Aside from sweat, I do like to blot off my slick, oily face. Haha! Though, due to my excitement, I never pulled this out my bag to use. Haha! But, it's still a good thing to take along.
5. Lipstick/Lipgloss - For touch ups after eating. LoL! 
6. Face Mist/Spray - It's the little spray bottle right at the bottom of my face blotting papers and lipglosses. It's the Celeteque Face Spray which I transferred to this bottle because the spray of this is better than the product's own. :D
7. Wallet - need I say more? Haha
8. Baby/Wet Wipes - Again, for sanitary purposes since access to the rest room is limited.

The following are additional items I brought that are not pictured.

1. Eco Tote Bags - I mostly accumulated these from SM, and thought this was a wonderful time to re-use them. :D Well, for the first time, we did not need to buy an extra bag at 168 Mall to carry all our items in one place. We usually tend to buy extra BIG bags there to have all the items we bought in one big bag.
2. Water Bottles - Just like the rest rooms, food stations are also not that many. Unlike the regular mall we know, food kiosks won't be found after every few stalls in 168 Mall, so if you get thirsty, it may take some time before you could buy a drink. It's a good thing to bring a water bottle for that. ;)
3. Baby stuff like diapers, extra clothes, powder. You never know when the little one needs a change. :D
4. Small face towel - Sanitary purposes as well. 

Well, that's just about it. I hope this helps and was somehow an interesting read. :D Let me know what you take with you to places like Divi or 168 Mall if you do go there. :) I'd love to know. If not, well, I just hope this was a good read for you or helps you in case you do plan to go.

Cheers!
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RANT: To Google+ Comments or To Not?

Isn't Google+ Comments driving anyone else cray-cray? Coz', right now, it really is driving me nuts.

I switched to Google+ Comments because I like the look and feel of it. However, just recently, since I got back to blogging, I found it hard to locate the newly-left comments, and it's honestly frustrating. I don't know if it's just me or I just haven't figured it out. It would've been great if I was actually notified that someone commented on my post, and how many comments each post has. But, Google+ Comments, apparently, does not have that feature.

It's really hard to keep track of the comments I receive from the BC Bloggers CommEx. Although I really have no issue whether or not EVERYBODY on the spreadsheet left me a comment, because I firmly believe in the honesty of those bloggers. And yet, we all want to know if someone left a comment right? Plus, I think if you are not a Google+ account holder, I think you can't leave a comment. =/

In this case, I think I will be forced to switch back. I want everyone to have the opportunity to leave their thoughts on my posts, so I think this is the best.

Well, so much for my rant. Share your experiences with Google+ Comments. Do you love it? Do you loathe it like I do? Let me know in the comments below.

EDIT: For those who left their comments via Google+, no worries. I've already seen them and acknowledge. If ever I do miss some, the err is on me. :) I just couldn't take not being notified of new comments. Rest assured, I won't be changing back anytime soon. :)

Cheers!
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{Vanity on a Budget} Review: Italia Deluxe 3D Stay On Eyeshadow

Hiya all! 

This has been sitting in my drafts for a while because I always forget to transfer my photos of the swatches. 

I have another review for you guys. Yes, I have been doing so many "beauty product" reviews lately because I have a lot of new things in my hands right now that I want to photograph while I haven't used them a lot yet. :) And besides, why not share my thoughts, right? :)

For this review, I will be sharing my thoughts on the Italia Deluxe 3D Stay On Eyeshadow palette. This palette can be found at Watsons in SM Department Stores on the Beauty Treats counter.

Want a peek at the beautiful colors???

Ain't the colors pretty?

The palette is composed of 8 eyeshadows, 6 matte and 2 shimmery colors.

Left part of the palette are all matte colors - White, Royal Blue-ish, Magenta, Orange

The right side of the palette consists of two shimmers (top row) and two matte (bottom row) - Pink, Olive, Yellow, Maroon

 Aren't the colors simply gorgeous?

It has a little mirror inside, very convenient for travel. :) It also comes with two sponge tip applicators, which I never use. 

This is the front of the package. The top is slightly domed, which I am not much of a fan of because it takes up so much space in my vanity kits.

Back of the palette, containing the ingredients as well as the price tag. This palette only costs 149.00php. 

A more close-up shot of the ingredients.

Packaging:
♥ I found the packaging hard to open. I am afraid that it would just slip out of my hands which may lead to shattering the shadows as I open it.
♥ Also reminds me of those cheap, China-made makeup. Though, I do use some China-made makeup (and, mind you, some of the drugstore cosmetics you buy are manufactured in China) because I really have no bad reaction to it. As for lead content. Yeah, yeah, whatever. There are so many other "harmful elements" around that could endanger our health. :) I will cover my views on China-made makeup in a separate post, maybe. Anyway, thought I'd point this out to those who are concerned about cheap, looking makeup. :)
♥ Domed lid, which I hate because it takes up space that it shouldn't really be taking.

Eyeshadows:
♥ Really good color payoff, with and without a base! Swatches can be seen below.
♥ No pungent smells. I know some eyeshadows do have unnecessary scents. >.<
♥ Does not crease (with primer underneath).
♥ Lasts very long!
♥ Feels so buttery soft on the fingers. Well, I don't know if the "ridges" found on the eyeshadows themselves contribute to that buttery feeling on the fingers. But, I think they apply and blend like a charm!

Okay, now time for some fun swatches!

Left-side shadows - without base.

Still left-side, bottom shadows - pink and orange, without base. Both Matte

Left-side, top shadows - white and blue, without base. Both Matte

Right-side, bottom shadows - yellow and red, without base. Both matte. Yellow is quite chalky, but could be smoothened with a little more blending.

Right-side, top shadows - pink and green, without base. The only shimmer shadows. SA said otherwise. Said that the yellow and red were shimmers, but I did not find any shimmer in those two.

Left-side shadows, with base.

Right-side shadows, with base.

I like them all. Only problem I found was the yellow which came out a bit chalky, but could be worked with. :) Otherwise, I am obsessed with these. I find myself grabbing this palette a lot. Haha!

Well, 'til my next review/post!

Cheers!
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{Vanity on a Budget} Vani-tip of the Day: Waterproof Mascara over Non-Waterproof Mascara?

I love my waterproof mascaras, especially my Maybelline HyperCurl Volum' Express (fat tube). They're the only type of mascaras that hold my curl. I have stick-straight eyelashes and the curl will just drop down once I apply any type of non-waterproof mascara. Plus, non-waterproof mascara NEVER fails to smudge or smear under my eyes, making me look like a raccoon. GUARANTEED!

But, let's face it. Taking off waterproof mascara is really, really, REALLY a challenge. Sometimes, even the best makeup removers won't work with these stubborn lil' babies. Which lead me to Google-ing so many different ways you could actually do to remove them. Some work real well, and some require high-end products just to get them off. Well, I did come across one tip somewhere, but it seems this tip isn't that much shared, so why not spread the word right? This is, by far, the best way I found to take off my waterproof mascara, whatever brand it is.

It all starts with prepping the lashes. Have you ever thought of layering waterproof mascara over non-waterproof? Well, if you haven't, I dare you to try it!

Yes, I know it's an extra step, but, ever since I've tried this technique, I just found removal of waterproof mascara easier by the end of the day! Well, I figured because waterproof mascara is oil-based and clings to the lashes really good, making it hard to get off. And, this may lead to shedding of eyelashes as we try our hardest to get it off.

Non-waterproof mascaras, on the other hand, wash away or melt easily with makeup remover and does not "cling" as much to our lashes as waterproof mascaras do. Well, that's just my own logic, but I did think it made a lot of sense!

Since then, I went out to buy a non-waterproof mascara. You can get the cheapest that you can find, anything at all. I used the Essence Maximum Definition Volume Mascara (orange tube). I decided to get a defining mascara so that my lashes were separated. This mascara did not really add a heavy amount of volume, but it did not matter since my waterproof mascara does that job. So, let's cut to the chase and let me tell you how I do it.

♥ Just like prepping the face with moisturizer and primer before makeup and let it sit while I do my hair, I prep my lashes the same way. I apply the non-waterproof mascara after I apply my moisturizer/primer.
♥ Most important step: Make sure you only apply a thin coat, enough to coat the lashes. What I do is wipe off the excess on the wand on the back of my hand, both the tip and the brush itself. Waste of product you say? Trust me, wiping it on the back off your hand doesn't really affect how fast the product runs out. (More detail on this tip on a future post. Let me know what you think) The reason why we need only a thin coat is so we don't damage our lashes once we get to curling them later on. They won't get all crunchy because we are just simply creating a "base" for waterproof mascara.
♥ Unlike applying your fave mascara, I do not wiggle the wand back and forth. I simply just glide it from root to tip, again, to ensure we don't get much product on our lashes.
♥ Let sit until dry, and continue with the rest of the makeup. It should be dry by the time you curl your lashes (be gentle, still, when curling to avoid shedding).

And that's it. I did not mean for this "tip" to be so length-y. But, I thought it was best to explain the concept of it instead of just providing the steps. This may not work for everyone, and some may not even approve of the curling with mascara on, so no big deal if it's not your thing. :) As they say, there really is no right or wrong with makeup. Go with whatever works for you and work 'em lashes!

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Cheers!


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{Vanity on a Budget} Review: ELF Brightening Eye Color

Hiya ladies!

I am back with another Vanity on a Budget post, and today on the spotlight is the ELF Brightening Eye Color eyeshadow palette. These are just two of the things I got for my birthday goodies which I talked about in this post.

ELF Brightening Eye Color in Luxe (left) and Ocean Dreams (right); 129.75php

Without further ado, let's get on with the review, shall we? :)

**Warning: I am no professional beauty blogger nor photographer. I will try my best to give as much detail as I can, but if I lack the skills of doing reviews, please bear with me.**

**Disclaimer: Colors of the products in the photos may vary from the actual item. I suggest that you check them out personally at the counters and test them out if they have samples available. :) **

I got two of them, Luxe and Ocean Dreams. Luxe is more of a reddish golden palette, while Ocean Dreams (from the name itself) is of blue tones.

Product Description and Directions for Use

Price and Ingredients

Unopened

Ocean Dreams Palette

Back has palette name

Luxe

Back of Luxe palette

Okay, enough of the packaging photos. I'm pretty sure you are excited by now for the most important part of the review - SWATCHES!

Ocean Dreams Palette. Top-No base; Bottom-With base. Swatched with one swipe.

 The reason I got the Ocean Dreams Palette is because I do not have a navy eyeshadow color yet in my stash. So, I decided to pick this up. I went through a couple of brands before I landed with this (glad I saw this!). The other navy colors I swatched had too much glitter in them, and since I will be using the navy for the crease and outer edge, I wanted the least amount of shimmer I could find. I was going for a single eyeshadow (was eyeing for Essence), but when I found this, why not pick up a palette which has 4 colors total? Definitely a great steal!

Anyhooo. Let's get on with the swatches. I LOVE all the colors. Reminds me of the ocean, indeed, and I think would be a great palette to take along during the summer. But, it can be adapted to other seasons depending on how you pair each shadow.

I am no good with color descriptions, I will try my best to describe each color. First is very pale aquamarine color. Second color is somewhat Turquoise-ish. Third and fourth are two different shades of navy, the 4th color having a more purple undertone to it. First and second colors are quite shimmery, while the 3rd and 4th have very little amount of shimmer. I would say semi-matte.

As you can see, they go on better with a base. I know the bottom is a little blurry, but judging from the last two dark, navy colors, the color payoff wasn't great without the base. They faded out towards the end of each swatch. So, I definitely recommend you use a base such as primer or concealer prior to application for the best color payoff and to ensure your shadows last all day long!

Luxe Palette: Top-No Base; Bottom-With Base

Color Descriptions: Pale Gold, Burgundy-ish or Maroon, Antique Gold, Copper-y Bronze. All colors are shimmery, and more shimmery than the Ocean Dreams palette.

I got the Luxe palette mainly for the burgundy-ish color. It may be quite light, but it can be darkened a little more with black or dark brown. ;)

What I love:
♥ Very pigmented (except for the two navy colors)
♥ In my experience, ELF eyeshadows never creased on me (I always wear primer though)
♥ Very affordable! Just 129.75php for a pop!
♥ Easy to carry and lightweight
♥ Colors are very blendable and buildable
♥ 4 colors in one palette! You can use them individually and mix and match with your other eyeshadows.
♥ I love that the name of the palette can be found at the bottom/back of the palette. Although I don't do FOTD's and tutorials, sometimes people ask what palette it is and it's a bummer when you can't find the name anywhere on the product's packaging. ELF does have products that don't have the name on the packaging.

What I loathe:
♥ None, really, except for the two navy colors. I am just hoping I got a bad one. But, I can work with it anyway. :)

Will I repurchase? Absolutely! Although it may take a while before I get to use them all up, but I would definitely when I run out! :D

Please don't mind the automatic watermark Blogger/Google placed on my photos. It  would've been fine if it wasn't the other blog link it put on them (Thrifty Crafty Things is my craft blog). I still have this to figure out, so if anyone has any idea how I could change or remove them, it would be highly appreciated.

I hope I covered everything there is to say for a review. Please let me know in the comments below your thoughts about this! :) I would definitely love to hear from you guys for me to improve. I will be explaining on a separate post why I decided to make reviews and all that jazz. But for now, I bid you adieu.

Cheers!


DISCLAIMER: I wasn't paid to make this review. All products mentioned are purchased with my own money. ;) Add it to your boards!

{Vanity on a Budget} My Birthday Goodies - Drugstore Products!

Hiya all!

I'm back with a birthday post! Yay! I am so excited to share what I got myself for my birthday. :) I usually don't go out and shop "one-time-big-time" for makeup products, but I promised myself to go, for at least one (and very first!) time for some makeup shopping! I saved up for it until my birthday and shopped my heart out (well, still on a budget. Hihi).

I did not call it a haul because, it ain't really a haul. Besides, the real meaning of haul is some stuff obtained illegally or things you dragged. O.o Although I know it's a term in the "beauty world" and I am not against those who use the term as well, but I just couldn't find myself to call it a haul. So, I called it goodies instead. :)

So, here is a photo of all the things I got. A couple, though, I wasn't able to get a photo of. But, we'll get to that later. :)

Excuse the poor quality of the photo. This was taken with just my tablet camera and it's not the best. I was just too excited and grabbed the nearest camera that I have. LoL. Anyway, I will go more into detailed photos of some since I will be making a review on a couple.

From left to right: Sakura Bella Travel/Gift Pack from Watsons (Shower Gel, Body Scrub, Hand & Body Lotion/99.00php); Italia Deluxe 3D Stay-On Eyeshadow (149.00php); Fashion21 Aqualicious Lipstick in Deep Sea (~150.00php);  Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadow in 09 For Fairies (209.00php); Pinkies Collection Single Eyeshadow in Skin(? I think/~70php); Shawill Makeup Brushes (Flat Eyeshadow Brush, Thin Eyeliner Brush, Lip/Small Eyeshadow Brush/99.00php); ELF Brightening Eye Color in Luxe and Ocean Dreams; FS Cosmetics Eyelash Curler (125.00php)

A couple of other things I got was some bandeaus from Genevieve, 4 for 100php, a tablet sleeve (180php) and universal gadget stand (60php), both from CD-R King.

All in all, I only spent 1,500php for everything. Not bad, right? I was pretty darn happy to actually go out at least for once to shop makeup! :)

A few notes:
♥ The travel pack, I bought because I wanted to try them out first if they were nice before buying the full sized product. This is a great tip for those who want to actually try something before getting the full-sized product. ;) Though, not all variants have this travel pack, at least here at SM Clark.
♥ My Essence Stay All Day Eyeshadow, I was quite disappointed with because it kinda dried up. You can't even check it in store because the price was in between the cover and jar itself. But, I still manage to make it work. I guess I just have to use it more often.
♥ I couldn't make a review of the Aqualicious lipstick because I gave it to my cousin as a gift. :D

As mentioned, I will be making a review for a couple of the items, so let me know what you think about it and if you do want to see the reviews. :)

Cheers!


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Thrift Finds At Marquee Mall

Who doesn't love sales? Well, I most certainly do, and I feel so happy and accomplished when I could get stuff I want for discount prices.

For those of you who do not know, Marquee mall is located here in Pampanga which is owned by Ayala, and can be found at the NLEX Angeles Exit. And, they always have sales (sometimes I feel they have sales every month) and, when they do go on sale, items are really marked down, even to as much as 75% or more! Unlike other malls who mark down just about 10%. Really?!

Well, anyway, I just want to sure a couple of my thrift finds, both sale items and non-sale. Either way, they still have really low prices compared to other shopping malls/department stores.


My little 'haul', as they say.

A cool digital bag watch. Regular price (RP): ~150php; Sale price (SP): 79php

Zipper purses/pencil cases (given by my Aunt). RP: 59php; SP: 10php

Oh My Golly (OMG) Crystal Sand Nail Polish in Emerald and Indian Red - 18php each, Not on Sale

2 sets of Sassy elastic headbands. 49php per bundle/set, Not on Sale

Bath headband. ~30php, Not on Sale

Fanny Serrano Eyelash Curler. ~130php, Not on Sale

Fanny Serrano Eyelash Curler Refills. ~45php, Not on Sale

Shoelaces which I will use for a DIY project that is long overdue. ~30php/pair
There ya go. Just a couple of items that I don't usually see at SM Clark. Marquee mall is quite far, so I only get to go there very rarely.

How about you? Do you love thrift finds. Share them in the comments below. Add it to your boards!