The latest Sun Cellular promos

I had been wondering already for some time why Sun Cellular, which began with a bang and appeared to be eating up subscriber market share when it started out, was very quiet lately on social media although very much present on print and traditional media. So when some bloggers were invited to dinner, I decided to attend and see what was up with Sun.

I used to be a Sun prepaid subscriber when I went back to a part-time job. At that time, I loved it. I would buy the P150 card that gave me unlimited Sun-to-Sun texts plus 4 hours of call time within the Sun network. That worked well for me then as 4 hours were usually more than enough for me. After my work ended and I spent most days at home, my usage of Sun dropped significantly so eventually, my sim expired.

For those of you wondering what are the latest Sun promos out now, here’s a rundown.

BROADBAND

Be confident with Swish Breath Spray

A few weeks back, I got samples of a new breath freshener in town. Made by Unilab, it's called Swish Breath Spray and comes in two variants - Arctic Chill and Peppermint Fresh.

The 2 variants came in a box when I got it

Up close: Peppermint Fresh on top, Arctic Chill at the bottom

Swish Breath Spray beside my Apple mouse

I've been testing it out over the past weeks. In the past, I used to carry around this brand of breath fresheners in the form of tiny mint candies. While those kinds did have the peppermint-y taste, it still felt like candy to me. In fact, I'd hate to pop one into my mouth after I brushed my teeth because it left a candy aftertaste on my tongue.

Because the Swish Breath Spray is, yes, a spray, that candy aftertaste issue is moot. All I have to do nowadays is aim the nozzle into the back of my mouth, spray, and I'm done.

This is what I like about Swish Breath Spray.

* It's alcohol-free and sugar-free.

* It's handy and tiny (something we ladies always like for small purses) but good for about 100 sprays

* It effectively kills germs and bacteria that cause bad breath

The variant in my everyday bag right now is the Arctic Chill. It's packs a wallop so even if the instructions say I can pump 1-2 sprays, just 1 is enough for me. Can't wait to try the Peppermint one. I saved it for last because Peppermint is my favorite flavor. Haha...

Swish Breath Spray is available in supermarkets, drug stores and convenience stores nationwide. It retails at PhP 105.

Skin Care Talk with Celeteque Dermoscience's Brand Ambassador, Dr. Eric Schweiger

Celeteque is a household name in my home. I use it. My girls use it. I've been with the brand since they were first introduced in the market years ago. Back then, I attended a blogger event for this still unknown brand that was supposed to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. I tried the product sample and since then was hooked.

Recently, I was invited to meet Celeteque's brand ambassador. The surprise we all got was finding out that their brand ambassador was not a local showbiz celebrity at all. In fact, the ambassador was not a she but a HE! And a US-based dermatologist at that!

Meet Dr. Eric Schweiger, a Certified Board Dermatologist and owner of Schweiger Dermatology NYC (as in New York City)! Dr. Eric has a private practice in Manhattan and take note, he has celebrity clients (which he could not name, of course). Dr. Eric said that he was very careful about product endorsements and has actually turned away many offers. According to him, there are things he looks for in a product. The ingredients should be dermo-grade (medically active derma ingredients) and the label should specifically say that the product was tested and proven through a clinical study because for him, it is the gold standard.

When Celeteque contacted him, he had them send over to him the entire product line to test. It took a while for him to try the products but in the end, he was satisfied with the dermoscience claims of the product and agreed to be its brand ambassador. That says a lot about Celeteque and actually makes the product lines very credible because it's a real-life dermatologist talking, not just some pretty face.

Dr. Eric differentiated cosmetic skincare products from Dermo-Cosmetics, which started as a specialized skin care category in Europe. Dermo-Cosmetic products combine the efficacy of derma-grade ingredients with dermatologists' expertise in skin care. Many cosmetic products simply conceal cosmetically while products incorporating dermoscience actually work on rejuvenating, repairing and restoring skin.

Celeteque had set up an area where skin analysis could be done. Bloggers could peer into a device with very bright lights so that the skin and pores were magnified and could be properly analyzed by skin consultants. I did not bother to have my skin analyzed as I knew already that I badly needed restorative and anti-aging treatment so instead, I decided to take a look-see where the product lines were all displayed.Wow, I did not know that Celeteque already had 6 different product lines: Hydration, Sun Care, Acne Solutions, Brightening, Advanced Anti-aging and Restorative. 

A nice take-off from Dr. Eric's interview with Angel Jacob was a demonstration of how dermoscience instantly works on skin. The skin consultants came over to our tables and asked volunteers for a before-and-after skin analysis.

I volunteered to have my skin analyzed. They had this device which they pressed on my skin to determine its moisture level.

Here's my hand being analyzed by the device

My face was tested too!

Before applying Celeteque moisturizer, my moisture level was 43.7

After applying Celeteque moisturizer, it read 57.2

Ipanema's Urban Jungle Collection

The launch of Ipanema's new line of flipflops was like no other they had ever presented before. Not that their other launches were blah. In fact, Ipanema is known for its creative presentations of its new collections. I've been to several but I must say that this one was quite the original and creative one.

The theme of the new Ipanema collection is the Urban Jungle. Aptly, the stage at Bonifacio High Street was transformed into a jungle, with screens showing the Brazilian forests and various animals roaming them.

The whole runway show was done through a mystical storytelling - a play of dance, drama and music that kept the dancers moving constantly. I actually had a difficult time trying to get still shots of the performers or the flipflops they wore because they were constantly moving around the stage. So I decided to take videos instead.

Each of the new flipflops bore an imprint of an animal. The collection features a mix of bright colors and bold prints as well as unique patterns that remind you of the animals they were named after.

In this collection, my favorite is the Lioness series because I prefer wearing sandals with straps all the way around the back of my feet. Watch this short video showing the Ipanema dancers in the segment that shows off the Lioness flipflops.

I have several pairs of Ipanema flipflops already. They're so light and flexible that walking in them even for hours is no problem. The texture of Ipanema flipflops is something I truly love because they don't feel rubbery at all, unlike some other brands I've tried. Want to know how soft and pliable they are? Try pointing your toes like a ballet dancer does and the soles just fold up. That's how I tested them.

You can find Ipanema in shoe boutiques all over the Metro as well as in Bambu.

Check out Ipanema's official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/IpanemaPhilippines

Starbucks: New Food and Beverage Items for 2012

Starbucks is known for constantly innovating on old favorites and coming up with new food and beverage items and here they are again with their 2012 lineup:

Cookie Crumble Cheesecake with Chips Ahoy (PhP 130)

This Cookie Crumble Cheesecake with Chips Ahoy comes loaded with chunky, moist and chewy Chips Ahoy cookies and chocolate chips baked on Chips Ahoy cookie crumbs.

Sausage Pizza Roll (PhP 95)

How the Sausage Pizza Roll looks on the inside

The Sausage Pizza Roll is a nice twist to the hotdog sandwich. The smoked frankfurter is enclosed in a golden brown, flaky and buttery pastry crust instead of the hotdog bun. That alone was a winner for me. Biting into it, you also taste the creamy cheese pizza sauce drizzled over the frankfurter. This one is best when served warm.

Yummy Eats 2012

Guys, it's that yummy time of the year again when you can sample all sorts of yummy food items in just one place!

Last year, I attended Yummy Eats 2011 with my sons and we thoroughly enjoyed the gastronomic experience of walking from stall to stall sampling everything from beverages to pica pica to main dishes to desserts. I was especially amazed that there were so many more food stalls that were moving into healthy and organic dishes then. Maybe there will be more now as I hear there will be around 50 food concessionaires.

Throughout the day, there will be cooking demos too so that would be fun to watch for.

My post on that Yummy Eats experience in 2011 is HERE.

Brought to us by Yummy Magazine, Yummy Eats 2012 will be at The Rockwell Tent on May 26, 2012 from 10AM to 9PM. That is a LOT of hours walking around and taste testing.

Watch this TVC.