Sheng Joins a Swimsuit Contest

Haha. The title is misleading. No, I'm not joining a competition where I need to parade in a skimpy swimsuit but I'm entering a blog contest where the prices at stake are swimsuits from Cocomo. And that's what this post is about.

If you remember, I blogged about my two Cocomo swimwear pieces here. I adore them, and I feel it was such a great deal that I got them for half the regular price. But winning another one (read: getting one for free) would be the best deal yet! This is the reason why I'm joining Here, Tishie Tishie's Anniversary Giveaway, hoping I can win my third swimsuit from Cocomo. One can't have too many swimsuits, right?

What I want to win: Cocomo's Vienna Swinsuit

Fancy joining? You can check out the details here.

Product: Merrell Allegro Shoes

I bought Merrell Allegro Flat Shoes in brown suede last year.

So 6 months after, how did the shoes fare?

Hands-down, this is one of the most comfortable pairs I've owned. After the break-in period, it's been nothing but easy-stride experience for my feet. This is the ultimate shopping/casual strolling/anything goes footwear because no matter how far and long I have walked, my feet don't hurt at all.

I also like that the shoes are surprisingly easy to clean. A damp cloth and old toothbrush are all you need to clean the outer suede material. This is not exactly the most stylish nor the most cute-looking shoes you'll ever find, but for the comfort that it has given my feet, I don't regret buying it for P3,200 anymore.

Product: Ilog Maria Products

The first time I learned about Ilog Maria products was when it was featured in a TV show (which I forgot). I got interested in their natural bee-derivative products because at that time, I was getting frustrated with my pimple breakout. But I thought that Ilog Maria HoneyBee Farm was too far away from where I live and there's no way I can purchase their products without going there. Fast forward to a few years later, I learned that they have a website where I can order online and the products will be shipped to my house. The beauty of online shopping.

So after scoring forums and blogs for feedback and recommendations, I proceeded to their website and made my first order. Below is my short review for each product:

1. Ilog Maria Soaps. I ordered their mini soaps first to try and test. They come in flat round shape that is about half-inch thick, more than 2 inches in diameter and weigh 45 grams. They smell very natural and are softer than most commercial soaps so you have to keep them in a dry place to make them last longer. My first orders were Bamboo Charcoal Bergamot and Lime, Milk and Honey, and Kalamansi Ginger.

Product: Downy Passion

This isn't really a review but just a post saying how much I love the smell of Downy Passion on my clothes. Love, love, love the long-lasting floral scent.

I think we switched to Downy Passion (from the Antibac variant) after we first heard La Greta's pronouncement on her latest Downy TV commercial that she can now include Downy Passion in her expensive perfume collection. Of course, we knew that it was only part of the spiel, but the fabric conditioner did live up to its claim. It really made clothes smell so good (although I'm not sure if it's as good as an expensive perfume because I don't have one).

So why am I writing this again? Let's just say that you'll really appreciate how wonderfully-scented your clothes are when you weren't able to take a bath for a day. Hehe :P

Product: Godiva Inhibition

When I was looking for a new deo to try (after using Avon's Quelch for soooo many years), Godiva Inhibition Deodorant was among the most recommended. It's conveniently sold at most Watson's branches and was said to live up to its claims, so my choice was made easily.

Godiva Inhibition is a roll-on deo. And being a roll-on, I noted and experienced the usual complaints such as longer drying time, hence the sticky, wet feeling when not dried thoroughly and the yellow stain on clothes. I think there are no other options--no spray, no stick, no cream variants--to choose from so if you are averse to anything with balls on top, I'd say cross this out from your list.

But if you don't care about the manner of application, you might be interested in its product claims. According to the label, Godiva Inhibition can help lessen hair growth, which means less waxing, less shaving, less laser treatment is needed. Add that to the whitening and antiperspirant properties, this would seem to be the best deodorant that will ever touch your armpit.

But is there any truth to the claims?

As an antiperspirant, it wasn't impressive because there were times when I felt wet. Honestly, I doubt if it can keep me dry and comfortable during hot humid summer months.If I apply too much, I'd get icky yellow stains on my clothes. If I apply less, I'd get soaked underarms.

As a whitening product, I did see some changes, but nothing significant. Perhaps the most significant is that it didn't darken my underarms.

As for impeding hair growth, I really can't tell because I pluck my underarm hair often (which is a bad practice, I know) and if they were growing slower, the difference was very minimal for me to notice. Although I did observe that my chicken-skin (that I got from plucking) got softer and smoother since I started using Godiva Inhibition.

I forgot how much it costs (it didn't go beyond P200, I'm sure of that) because it's been a while since I used up my first bottle and have decided to switch to a different deodorant. Overall, it's an okay product. But I chose to try another brand because of its inability to keep me dry at all-times, the hassle of waiting for it to dry, and the yellow stains that it leaves on my clothes.