Dealing with SEO

Marketing has been one of the challenges for me especially for my own blogs and for work. Some clients ask me if I know SEO and all I can say is, that I know the basics. In the past, I’ve had tasks that I know were SEO related but I haven’t really delved into this subject. I tried to start reading SEO books to help me understand, but when I encounter technical words, I tend to just shut my brain. Its one of the things that my brain just refuses to absorb. You know the feeling when you think you’re over-informed on other things and you’d just want to take a brain break? Well, that’s exactly how I feel. 

So one of the things I’m considering is getting an SEO person or SEO company to help me build my blog and my business. I wonder how this would go but I’m definitely hopeful of the results. Wish me luck!

search engine optimization company

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Finding the right bed

Due to my lack of sleep nowadays, I’m on the search for a good bed that may change the way I see sleep. I was surfing the net (as usual) and saw this website http://www.homeandliving.com/ and saw their wide array of bed fixtures and furnitures. One of the things that caught my attention was their bed frames. Check out this bed frame with glides. I am loving this design and I think that it would fit our queen size bed. Here are some of the really cool features :

• Extra long 76″ side rails
• 9 Legs with glides
• 10″ Height with high profile glides
• No nuts, no bolts, no tools needed for assembly.
• Wedge lock design.

Now, who can resist that? But they have more to offer! Yup! They offer FREE SHIPPING and NO SALES TAX! Woot! Hurray for shops like these!!!

bed frames

Massage anyone?

Just last Saturday, somebody left a flyer for home service massages. I am sooo tempted to have one since my back has been aching BUT since I wasn’t sure they do pregnant massages, I decided to pass. So what I did was, I went to a local beauty store and tried to find some massage oils that I have been wanting to buy for some time now. I’d rather have the hubby do my back masages. At least he knows how gentle he should be. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to buy  peach flavored massage oil. It smelled so yummy and since I’m on my first tri, my nose is kinda sensitive these days. 

I’ll let you know the verdict soon! ;P

peach flavored massage oil

The Body Shop LYB Promo

Be a member now! Love Your Body by TheBodyShop.

*TheBodyShop has neither paid me to promote this promo nor sent me any products to review. I am a member and would love to have others benefit from being one too. 

Happy week!

It has been a few days since I last blogged. Main reason is because we moved to another house and I don’t have an internet connection. I have a few minutes each day to check on important emails and update Plurk and Facebook, but that’s all. I can’t even do serious work because I lack the bandwidth. Tomorrow, I’m hoping to have everything changed. I will seek solution to this ailing issue and will soon (promise to myself) have it solved. Whew!

So what have I been doing beauty-wise? I still continue my old routine of trying out my Human Heart Nature goodies J and the new Avon loot I got from Phoebe Ann. But what’s keeping me really busy lately is taking care of the aesthetics of our new house. We got it in a sort of rough stage so I had to do some changes for it to be homey and cozy. At least cozy enough for my family.

We cleaned a lot the first few days, then I added some plants. There were existing plants too, and a beautiful tree that shades our front door from the sun. The house is generally raw but I love it here. This is by far, one of the best investments we’ve ever had. I can’t help feeling ecstatic waking up early in the morning. Another good thing is that it’s not so hot here as compared to our previous house which is only a few miles away. Our house stands on a hill-like part of the village and the neighbors are really awesomely kind and helpful. I couldn’t ask for anything more. They extend their helping hand on almost everything. We’re also very near a village park, where my youngest (my eldest is with my mom since he’s had chicken pox last week) spends his afternoons playing with other kids and on the playground.

I can’t wait to make more money so I can have small renovations done and invite people (family) over.

P.S. I’ll subscribe to Sun or Wi-Tribe later so my no-internet days are soon over. See you more soon!

Beautynomics Turns Four Giveaway

On recent posts, I’ve told you all that I’m into contests and giveaways. Mainly because I would want to feature beauty products, beauty sites and whatnots without having to shell out a single cent. Yes, I’m frugal like that. 

Just now, I was browsing through one of my fave beauty sites Beautynomics and I saw that she’s having a giveaway to celebrate her 4th year! And why again did I just know this now? Today’s the last day for entries! Well, because of recent personal circumstances, I haven’t had the chance to look through all the blogs that I follow. 

For all of you who are reading this entry TODAY, read through all the prizes and what you have to do to join! GOODLUCK AND MORE POWER BEAUTYNOMICS!!!!

http://www.beautynomics.com/blog/2010/02/10/beautynomics-turns-four/

Haircare
One winner gets 1 gift pack
4 Schwarzkopf Essensity Gift Packs ( includes a shampoo, conditioner, and texturizing mud ) - oh, I promise you’d love this ! They smell heavenly, the texturizing mud is the best I’ve tried so far - instantly makes your hair looks soft. Like naturally soft.

Fragrance
1 bottle of CK Euphoria perfume - as a CK loyalist, this is definitely an amazing addition to the CK fragrance line - the king of fragrances!
1 bottle of Kenneth Cole Black perfume - too yummy to resist. I’m so tempted to keep this to myself to give to my beau!

Skin Care Loot
( 1 winner for each item )
1 pc PCASkin C-Quench Antioxidant Serum
1 pc. Sunforgettable Perfecly Clear Retractable Brush
1 pc. Obagi Sunblock
1 pc. Colorescience Tote Bag
1 pc. Glytone Facial Wash
3 pcs. of House of Obagi Gift Certificates worth P 1,000 each

Cosmetics
Three sets of Avon Cosmetics gift pack - 1 Eyeshadow Quad, 1 Avon Glazewear Lipstick, 1 Supershock Mascara or Curlacious Mascara
Three sets of Charm Makeup Brush Set that consists of Dual Fibre brush, 2 eyeshadow brushes, and 1 concealer brush

Wow, that’s right, a total of twenty ( 20 ) prizes! There’s definitely alot for everyone! Now, what to do to win? Quite easy, I promise,

We are having this contest open for Philippine readers of Beautynomics. To qualify for the giveaway, I need your love. Link love, that is!

Do the following,
1.Add me on Twitter ( http://www.twitter.com/sophiedoodles )
2.Add me on Facebook ( though I am still fixing this )
3. Link me up your blogroll
4. Blog about this contest
5. Retweet this contest ( “Beautynomics Turns Four Giveaway! )
6. Leave a comment here on what features you’d like me to write about. I’ll respond with an entry, if I can do it. I promise!

 

Makeover Project #1

A few hours ago, I played Barbie with my househelp. Not what you’re thinking though. We weren’t playing with the dolls, but rather, I was doing their makeup. I have always been commended for a job well done on my own face but I haven’t tried to put makeup on others. Not professionally. Today, I had the chance to practice.

Despite my asthma and colds, I went with my yaya to pick her shade and what suits her. When we got home, they (my yaya and my mom’s) asked me to put the makeup on their faces so they can pose and have their picture taken. Look at their before and after pictures. 

BEFORE:

AFTER :

THE EYES :

So, how do you find it? ;P Please be gentle. They’re my first

I won! I won!

Two weeks ago, I received an email from Phoebe Ramos about an Avon loot I won from her website www.phoebeann.com. You see, I’m currently addicted to online freebies and contests. I join, join, join and join. And her contest was one of the first few I joined. So this is just WOW! 

Last Friday, she emailed me saying that Xend was trying to deliver my package but could not find my location. I found that quite absurd since I’ve been a Xend customer since they opened. I think that was 2007. I’m just not active anymore since I’m not into the retail business recently. So I called Xend and gave them instructions to my house. The following day, Saturday, early morning, my package arrived!

Yup, I got 3 Avon products from Phoebe!!! Thanks much!

Beauty Giveaway 2

Yes, another contest!!!!

http://www.shanghainesedumpling.com/?p=4464

This is what you’ll get :

1.) Vitacreme B12 Regenerative Cream and the newly developed luxurious Vitacreme B12 Anti-Aging Serum. You can’t buy this anywhere just yet. 

2. ) Mickey Mouse Iriver MP3 player 2GB, you have 4 colours to choose from.

Beauty Giveaway 1

One of the things that keep me busy lately have been reading on other beauty blogs. Not because I want to see if I’m keeping up with their followers or if I’m doing the right thing. Its more of keeping up with what’s new and what’s in.. if at all I am. 

In one of the posts I read, I found this contest! Yay, another contest! 

Giveaway! Win nail polish & more! http://tiny.cc/concreteandnailpolish844

Here’s what you’ll get :

 Try it out!!!

These contests are legit.. I won in one last week. Will post about it whenI get my prize =)

Product Review : The Body Shop Olive Body Butter and Body Scrub

I love love love The Body Shop and I super super super love their Olive products! Not only do they smell nice but olive is really good for your skin. Its a natural antioxidant and 

Olive oil is supposed to be a natural skin care remedy. It can be used all over the body on your skin and can prove to be a healthy, natural and soothing solution to skin care needs. 

 I first learned of the olive variant of The Body Shop from my mom. Years ago, she bought (and started using) Olive Dry Oil Mist and I really liked how it smelled. A few weeks ago, I went shop crazy and bought a couple of products from The Body Shop.

As soon as I used the scrub, I noticed that my skin went a little lighter, maybe because of all the dirt that used to be on my skin, is now all gone. Then I went ahead and washed it and used the body butter. I’ve always thought that body butters are greasy and sticky. But it was not the case with The Body Shop body butter. The feel was kinda like the usual lotion at first but became velvety after. 

I’ve been using both for about 2 months now, and so far, I like them both. I would recommend that you try it too. 

What I’m up to… hibernation period.

I have not been writing recently due to some personal changes and adjustments in my life. Rest assure though that I am still here and will constantly bring you personal reviews on beauty stuff. 

Despite the stressful life I lead today, I’m quite on the hibernation period. I just don’t feel like doing anything. Lazy? Yes! I try to  reverse the feeling by going to the mall and unwinding, starting to cross stitch, (general) cleaning the house, and all sorts of things. I think I have been productive so far, just not on the financial side. To tell you the truth, I am quite torn on my next step. I’ve always wanted to work outside my home to change my environment, but since we’re “floaters” here at my mom’s house, I can’t quite decide where to apply yet. Also, I’m thinking of how I can revive my internet connection considering that I’ve kinda forgot about paying it for months now. (Sheesh! yeah, yeah, I know!)

If you guys have any suggestions, feel free to buzz me, email me, or whatever! thanks peeps! will post reviews soon, i promise!

Product Review : Encarnacion Hair Moisturizer

A few weeks ago, I had my hair rebonded at CUT salon by the Encarnacion Group of Salons. It was not a pretty sight after. But that’s for another post.  

I bought their Hair Moisturizer (don’t worry, it wasn’t hardsell. I really asked for it) since I had a feeling that the outcome of the rebonding session was far from great. They gave me free ProV capsules so I can mix it in the moisturizer. Sad to say, it was, same as their rebonding, unsatisfactory. It didn’t do much for my hair. I did not notice any change. Price was okay though at 125php for 250ml. I compared it to the conditioner I bought at Subic Duty Free for $1, and that conditioner works better. Smells better too. This moisturizer has an apple scent but is not too strong. 

Here are pictures of the moisturizer, what it looks like (it’s cream based btw) and the ProV capsules they gave me :

Human Heart Nature Facial Scrub - Super Fruits and Black Rice

  I finally tried one of the products I’m selling. And this one’s the Facial Scrub Super Fruits and Black Rice. I’m not such a fan of facial cleansers, toners or scrubs. Just a few have worked but I preferred to have my own way - which is to just wash my face with water, nothing else. Yep, just water. 

I have super sensitive skin that even the mildest of soaps could put blotches on it right after washing. Don’t know why. I never really tried to find out since it saves me a lot of money. Hihi. 

And now that I have my beauty biz, I wanted to try out the stuff so I can better sell them, based on my experiences first-hand. 

So what did this Facial Scrub do for my face?

I felt that I needed to cleanse my face since its super humid and my next-door neighbor’s house is being renovated, thus the dirt. With humid air! 

I put a small amount on my hands and the consistency is more fluid than normal scrubs. Also, the grains are bigger and uneven. I think this is because its sooo natural that the feel was like you were holding (a more) lotion with bits and pieces of  black rice.

The after-feel is refreshing. Feels like menthol but doesn’t smell like one. The smell? Mmm.. i think it smells like rice! Haha. No funky smell, don’t worry

Here’s a pic of my cheeks with the scrub :

Please visit my Healthy Organix site http://www.healthyorganix.multiply.com

Human Heart Nature Haul

I recently ventured into another business. (Yes, I like to sell) Healthy Organix. I sell Human Heart Nature products. The all organic, all natural beauty products that are 100% made in the Philippines. 

In line with selling, I must also try each and every one so I can better sell and market them. I’m all for natural and no harsh chemicals anyway. 

Face Shop Nail Polish

Ever since my mom-in-law introduced me to Face Shop, I got addicted to their nail polishes. To tell you frankly, I can’t polish my nails well. It’s either bubbles form, has rough surface or uneven coating. I still prefer going to nail salons, but most of their colors are either cheap-looking or looks dried out. I’ve recently learned thatI can bring my own polishes. Yay!

Barbie Doll Eyes

This morning my package from Eye Candy came in. Its 1 day late because of JRS Express’ fault. They sent it to the wrong branch. 

What’s in the bag? Its my Barbie Hypersize Black Contact Lens. You know, those Korean contact lenses that makes the black of your eyes big. Because of my recent obsession with Boys over Flowers, I had to  give in. I saw Eye Candy’s multiply site and decided to order from them since they have a good price and probably a good following too. 

When the package was in my hands, I was like a child opening presents on Christmas. I got too excited thinking about the picture-perfect possibilities. I was ecstatic to say the least. 

Here are some pics that I came up with :

I posted them on FB and received so many compliments.

It could’ve been better though. Not that I’m complaining, but since its my first time to use contacts, it took quite a while to put them in. Plus my eyes feel like they’re dried out. Maybe I should go look for eye drops for contact lenses. Also, I sometimes scare myself when I look in the mirror. Haha! If I’m not smiling or laughing and I have that poker face, I think I look like a cat when I have these on.

I might try out other colors next time.  

Bits and Pieces

I was surfing the internet for some beauty stuff that I would like to try myself. Instead of finding what I was looking for, I stumbled upon a site that says 250 things about the blogger. Not much but the idea got me interested. So I’ll start with my own

1. I am a mom

2. I am a wife

3. I’m only 29 and I have 2 kids

4. Both boys. 

5. Secretly wished that one was a girl (but I’m not complaining.. I love my boys)

6. I love cheese.. all kinds

7. I used to prepare South Beach Diet meals… and sell them ^_^

8. I don’t have a credit card (shocking! but yes, swiper no swiping!)

9. But I didn’t say I didn’t have debt!

10. I used to sing really well (READ: used to)

11.  My wishlist includes : an automatic car, a DSLR, and lots of makeup

12. I am online on most of my waking hours.. even when I’m at the mall (free wifi!)

That’s my first dozen

(TO BE CONTINUED…)

Mulberry Juice

I bought this Mulberry Juice at Pioneer Centre about a month ago (more I think) and if I remember right, the seller said that its supposed to help me for digestion. This morning, I decided to give it a try.

Tastes good. 

Here’s part of an article I found on the internet:

Health & Nutrition Benefits of Eating Mulberry 

• Mulberry can balance internal secretions and enhance immunity. It promotes proper body fluid production. People suffering from body fluid deficiency could take ten grams of mulberry daily with water.
• Mulberry is useful for the persons who use their eyes a lot during work. Regular consumption of mulberry strengthens eyesight.
• Presence of nutritious elements like minerals and vitamins in mulberry helps in curing chronic diseases.
• Mulberry is helpful for proper gastric juice secretion.
• Regular use of Mulberry enhances appetite, and also improves the ability for digesting and assimilating.
• Mulberry could be used to fight problems like chronic gastritis and chronic hepatitis.
• Regular consumption of mulberry juice would be helpful in curing health problems like anemia, pallor, dizziness, heart-palpitations and insomnia.
• Persons with graying hair can also get benefited by regular intake of Mulberry. Mulberry juice applied directly on head also promotes healthy growth of hair and blackening.
• Nutritious value of Mulberry enriches the blood and in the process, soothes the nerves.
• Mulberry could be helpful in promoting the metabolism of alcohol.
• Mulberry helps in containing hypertension.
• Regular intake of Mulberry strengthens body parts like liver and kidney.
• Mulberry is helpful in treating constipation.
• Mulberry is instrumental in eliminating abdominal distention.
• Intake of mulberry juice after any surgery is restorative.
• Mulberry is helpful in recuperating after long-time sickness.
• Consumption of Mulberry after childbirth is good for women’s health.
• Use of Mulberry keeps low cholesterol level in the body.
• Mulberry can suppress mutagenesis of carcinogens.
• Regular use of Mulberry prevents cancer of liver.
• Mulberry is helpful in reducing level of blood sugar.

Dermcare SM Fairview : Facial with Collagen Mask and Eyelash Extension Natural Short

For the past few weeks, I’ve been itching to have my eyelashes extended. I’ve done this in the past, with I-lash Salon in Megamall, but since we moved to North Caloocan, it was hopeless. Or so I thought…

I searched the internet for eyelash extension salons near my place. Namely, SM Fairview and.. well, SM Fairview (Robinson’s are useless these days). What I found was that the next nearest salon for I-lash would be in Congressional. Still pretty far. And not accessible by regular commute. (No, I don’t want the hubby driving me and then telling me every 5 minutes that I’m taking too long)

So, I again searched. This time, no specific salon. I was desperate, so just about any salon would do. Then I came across a beauty site that gives a list of beauty services located in guess where…. SM Fairview! I was excited.. no, ecstatic! I only had 2 choices though. Dermcare and Ystilo. Normally, I would’ve gone for the hair salon since we’re talking hair (eyelashes) but since I wanted a facial too, why not hit 2 birds with one stone eh? 

I asked for their prices. They had an “extended” Christmas package. Pay 1,000php for an eyelash extension then you get a free facial. Then I asked for the regular price of extensions. They said it was 700php for Natural and 1,000php for Mascara Effect. I would assume that with the package, I’d get the Mascara Effect plus their regular facial. But no! The receptionist informed me that I’d only get Natural plus a facial. So I asked, what’s the point, right?  No answer, just a smile. I didn’t budge. I’m not the usual whiny type. I just asked for their facial services and picked the one with Collagen Mask.

When I got inside, I washed my face (the usual routine) and used their liquid soap, which was soooo cool on the face. I asked if they had one that I can buy but the attendant said it was only for salon purposes. Fine then. She started by putting cream on my face.  Then later told me that she’d start the steam. The machine started getting wonky and sputtered really warm water that somehow reached me. Still, I did not budge. The attendant was apologetic anyway. When the machine finally worked, their steam on my face was actually nice. Not like my previous facials experience in Let’s Face It where I almost could not breathe because of the excessive steam. The rest came smoothly. 

Now, with the eyelash extension. I was again given a choice between medium and short. I normally choose medium but this time, since I’m not sure of what their lashes look like, I chose short, to be on the safe side. The glue stings by the way. Same as with I-lash, but not as pungent. I have yet to see if the glue stings when I wash my face. 

When I was done, I asked for a mirror and saw that the lashes weren’t as natural as with I-lash (who only charges 550php for the same type/length). But its pretty good. When I got home, an aunt thought I only had mascara.

Some pictures ….

Verdict : 4 stars (out of 5)