More To Mica - Life & Fashion Theme Update

I’ve been in the Philippines for like 20+ years of my life but I haven’t been to Boracay once, not until this year! Yehey!! Thankfully, my relatives decided to visit Boracay day after my best cousin’s wedding.

Good thing, i found out that a high school friend (Armin) of mine runs a travel and tours agency - DMNJ Travel & Tours so I turned to her for help. She sent me a quote for 6 persons package. We were given the freedom to choose the time of our flight and hotel accomodation. La Carmela de Boracay, Blue Veranda Suites, 8 Colors Beach House, Boracay Coco Huts, Lazy Dog Bed and Breakfast, Erus Suites & Boracay Holiday Resort were the hotel options given by DMNJ Travel and Tours. Since our relatives booked at La Carmela, we decided to stay there as well. It’s also one of the cheapest from the package. I wished we had picked Erus Suites though (but more expensive), hahaha. Being with family members is still the best choice, right?..




My shirt says ... YES!, finally I’ve been in Boracay. Crossed of the list! I wish I’ve gotten sooner, to those days when it had less shops, vendors and tourists. Better late than never!



Matching bucket hats! Taken in the airport before departure to Kalibo. I dragged boyfie along and thankful he came with me, coz’ he’s been there a couple of times. He was my sort of ‘tour guide’. And you know, when someone you love is around you’re just really happy (most of the time).


This is how I photobomb. With my ‘not-so-little’ brother’s ‘ootd’ like a pro. Lol. 😛
We had arrived at Kalibo Airport and took the 2 hour ride to Caticlan. It was at around 4pm (I think?) when we arrived at our hotel. We hadn’t eaten lunch so our first meal is for lunch and dinner. We had our first meal at Gasthof Cafe' Lei.




My favorite! Shrimps but bigger! Yum!!



Strolling on the beach in our matchy-matchy bucket hats !!



OOTD! Of-course.



The top I’m wearing is from my scavenged haul at Clothes Buffet Manila. H&M shorts I bought during my Singapore trip. Fast Food Bucket Hat (mine and Patrick’s) ordered from Aliexpress.



The trip going to Boracay was easy peasy. We didn’t experience any problem. Thumbs up to DMNJ Travel and Tours. They handled our flight, bus and boat ride transfers from airport to hotel and accommodation.



He wasn’t looking in the camera... because he thought I was pointing somewhere. Lol
Will be posting more about my Boracay trip here in the blog. I hope you’ll be back to check it out.

Hat Aliexpress | YES Top Clothes Buffet Manila | Shorts H&M | Sunglasses Borrowed from Patrick

Photos by: Me, Patrick and my brother Justin.

It’s Philippine Fashion Week all over again last June 12-14. I got to watch the first day with Lystra again, plus new sweet ladies of Team Clozette Philippines Jara & Christina. And with friends on the second day.


Sadly, we weren’t able to watch the show anymore since all the seats were occupied, even the media seats were full and people have already crowded the place that we can’t even stand up to watch coz’ we couldn’t see what’s going on anymore. This is also because of PHFW’s booking mishap. :(

So the four of us just bonded and ate some food at SM Aura, while Lystra, Jara & Christina wait for the after-party at Raven. I couldn’t go because I had class the next day.



Since my sprain didn’t allow me to wear heels (Huhu, it’s still hadn’t healed during that time but I think it’s okay now).. I decided to wear the white platform sneakers I bought from G.U. Japan. I wanted to be able to wear the panda hat my beau gave me, so I chose a gray top & a gray bodycon skirt as my outfit and added a touch of Iconic Socks’ The Harley with a panda print.








I just got my IPhone 6 so I tried taking my ootd photos.

Thank you so much to my photographer friends: Jara Lucero, Lystra Aranal, Christina Advincula & Patrick Divinigracia.

It’s been a whirlwind month for me. There’s too much things going on but here I am trying to keep up with my very own dreams. I was finally able to squeeze in a blogpost.

Decided to try another shade from Etude House’s range of Enamelting Gel Nails polishes - #19 Gotham City. To be real honest, there’s a reason why I changed my polish.. you’ll find out if you read my other enamelting gel nails review.



Added a touch of white to my nail polish. Just a simple french mani using the same Enamelting Gel Nail - #1 Marshmallow.




Lovin these rings that I ordered from Taobao. Thank you Bungeee (my best cousin in the world!) again for bringing it here to me all the way from Singapore. I love youuu! Mwuah!



Hope I could keep the polishes on my fingernails for two weeks. I’ve already had it for 5 days and it still looks lovely, there is a subtle part of my thumb that chipped (somewhere at the edge of the nail where the french manicure is) but it’s not very noticeable at all. So hopefully it’ll last for more days. I made a blog post update of the first time I used this Enamelting Gel Nails, check it out by clicking this link. I also shared my uhmmm.. ‘discovery’ I guess on how we can easily remove the gel nail polish.

Hope you liked my current nail polish.
*Btw, I also painted my painted my toe nails with the same colour.

UPDATE: June 10, 2015



Here’s my nail polish after two weeks! Still intact! :D It has grown a few cm which means I’m about to change my nail polish soon and try a new colour from Etude House’s Enamelting Gel Nails.

I’ve been in a toast for three months. Finally, it’s almost time for the cool/rainy season. The month of June marks the beginning the cool/rainy days.. Even though I dislike rain because I don’t like the idea of getting my stuff or myself wet, I desperately want the weather to cool up! That means rain (and more trees please actually).. I’ll just have to tolerate the coming wet-weather.

Though us, filipinos may have to wait until the second or third week of June for rain (few more days to go).. I’ll have to keep enduring the heat.




Comfortable dressing is a must! I choose to wear this romper I bought from Zalora (also seen in my previous blog entry). I’ve been planning to wear this romper and my Fila sneakers. Good thing I was able to do so just before summer ends.
I know... There is no summer here in the Philippines, it’s just wet/dry season. But we’re all used to calling the months of March to April Summer. So Summmmeeer it is.



Saw this shoes at Fuego’s outlet store in Paseo de Santa Rosa. I didn’t buy it instantly but I just came back for it. Luckily, they haven’t stashed it away.



This is actually my first time to sport a romper... Most rompers don’t look flattering on my vertically challenged height. But this one made me want to buy a few more rompers. Since Philippines is a tropical country it is actually appropriate and okay to wear summer outfits. Rompers here I come...



I make weird poses. Hahaha.

I may now have beautifully manicured nails without having to visit a nail parlour. But the truth is.. I don’t often go to salons to have my nails manicured. I like doing my own manicure instead.

Thankfully, ETUDE HOUSE presented a revolutionary new concept in DIY manicures, Enamelting Gel Nails. Perfect for me, right?



In case you’ve already read my Etude House haul .. you know that I’ve already got some Etude’s Enamelting Gel Nails goodies. Honestly, I was supposed to do this review a month ago but I had an accident - sprained my ankle and I started going to fashion school while still working... in short, i’ve become busy.. also, my nails keep on chipping.. bohoo! But I’ve got to share this amazing product with you. Hahaha. So here goes.

I’m using the full set of the Enamelting Gel Nails from Etude House which comprises of the following:

1. Enamelting Gel Nail Cleanser
2. Enamelting Gel Base Gel
3. Enamelting Gel Top Gel
4. LED lamp
5. Enamelting Gel Nail Remover

How it works

After cleaning the nails you may use a sanding block to smoothen out the surface of your nails. (I skipped the sanding block though).. Apply Enamelting Gel Cleanser onto cotton pad and use to remove any oil or moisture on fingernails.




Apply one coat of Base gel and cure under the LED gel lamp for 45 seconds.



My right fingernails under the LED Gel lamp.



After 45 seconds, wipe fingernails with Enamelting Gel Cleanser to wipe off any stickiness.



Not sure if you can see the difference but from the photo above, my nails on the right is glossier than the one on the left. That’s how the Enamelting Base Gel dried up after curing under the gel lamp.
Next, apply one coat of gel colour of your choice, I used Enamelting Gel Nails #25 Carbonated Water.



And again, cure under the led gel lamp for 45 seconds.



You may apply an additional coat if you want a clearer colour.

Once you’re satisfied with the results, apply the Enamelting Top Gel and heat your nails under the lamp for 45 seconds



Again, wipe fingernails with Enamelting Gel Cleanser to remove any sticky residue.



That’s it – you’re done! I tried to play/add some art to my nail a bit by using the Enamelting Gel Nails #1 Marshmallow, making a chevron design.



Summary of how to apply the Enamelting Gel Nails
(based on Etude House website)

1. Apply Gel Cleanser onto cotton pad and use to remove any oil or moisture on fingernails.
2. Apply Base Gel and cure under lamp for 45 seconds.
3. Wipe fingernails with Gel Cleanser to remove any stickiness.
4. Apply color gel once and cure under lamp for 45 seconds again.
5. Repeat this step for clearer color.
6. Apply Top Gel onto fingernails done with curing and cure for 45 seconds.
7. Wipe fingernails with Gel Cleanser to remove any stickiness.

To remove Enamelting Gel Nails

Removing the gel nail colour is also simple.

1. Grind the surface of your nails with a nail file so that the Enamel ting Gel Remover can be more easily absorbed.
2. Soak a cotton pad with the Enamelting Gel Remover.
3. Place it on top of your nail then wrap with an aluminum foil.
4. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Use the pusher to gently push the gel from the outer line of the skin
6. Use the sanding block to remove the remaining gel.

I used the Enamelting Gel Remover to fix my pinky nail. I was trying to peel off the excess base gel that was cured up already but 1/8 part of the coat got peeled off as well. So I had to re-do my pinky. What I did was pour some gel remover to a cotton pad and then rubbed my pinky nail like how I would usually do with regular nail polish. I didn’t wrap it in foil so maybe that’s why it was a bit difficult to remove. I used a nail pusher to remove the gel polish.



What I have say about Etude House’s Enamelting Gel Nails?

I absolutely love love love it! Note that I’m not paid in any way to make this post. (I wish I was though, lol... Jokke)

Enamelting Gel Nails is so easy to use, and the gel lamp by the way turns off on its own for I guess 45 seconds since that’s how long Etude told us to place our fingernails under the lamp. It’s cool too, atleast I won’t be worried of placing my fingernails under the led light for too long or too short.
There’s also a huge selection of colours.. They also have Enamelting Gel Nails that have glitter, stars, confetti looking thingy.. I don’t know what they’re called, sorry T_T. I wanna try those!

Btw, I’ve already had the Enamelting Gel Nails on for two days and so far they look like as is the first day. PLUS! They’re still glossy. Let’s see how it goes after 1-2 weeks. Will be posting. :D
See you soon!

UPDATE (6/7/2015):



Sadly... My nail polish didn’t survive the 1 week test. I saw two of my fingernails chip while I was doing my makeup. So I probably hurt it while opening makeup stuff. I was expecting for it to last atleast two weeks but it was just on it’s third/fourth day when it died. Lol.

Surprisingly, after I did my laundry (okay, i handwash my own clothes..) the nail polishes didn’t bulge. No chipping.

I think I made a discovery though... My nail polish didn’t chip from the washing but....



Look! I was able to peel off the gel polish easily. It’s probably due to contact with the laundry detergent or the fabric conditioner. I have the strong feeling that it’s due to the fabric con.
Obviously I peeled off all the polish from my fingernails.

Despite what happened... I’m still in love with the Etude House’s Enamelting Gel Nails (it’s really glossy). I’ve already painted my nails again (see it here) and will give it another try. Hope it stays for 1-2 weeks or more. I will also try to see if my ‘discovery’ will work when I remove my enamelting gel painted fingernails.