The Body Shop Pre-Black Friday Haul

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. I myself is still trying to recover from food coma and the madness of Black Friday sale not because I was shopping, but I worked. I work part time at retail and if you've work at retail before then you know how crazy it gets. I was on my feet for hours helping clients, troubleshooting and greeting clients like a thousand times, "hi, welcome to the..." haha. It was still fun though, thanks to my awesome co workers. I'll do it again next year in a heartbeat! 

I did a pre Black Friday shopping at The Body Shop. A few days before Thanksgiving, they were having a spin the wheel deal. You spin the wheel to get the deal of the day. You could get up to 50% off in the entire store. I was lucky to get the 50% off so I took advantage of it. 

Here's everything I got. These are going to be gifts for friends and family. I saved even money by using my LYB or Love Your Body card and got 10% off on top of the 50%,  plus I used my 4 pt gift which means got an additional $15 off. Oh and I also earned 4 points because they were having double points. I'm already at my 8th pt which means my card has been renewed for free for the entire year and I get a $25 gift. Score!!!! Gotta love my LYB!!!

Love Your Body card is a rewards program. You must get it. It saves you money and gives you rewards on your purchases. It's worth it.
Learn more about it HERE.

Aloe and Soft Linen Scented Candle. It's my favorite home fragrance scent from The Bosy Shop. It smells clean and fresh like I just did the laundry. It has essential oil and it's paraffin and bleach free.

Vitamin E Body Butter. The best stuff to slather on your body if you have dry and itchy skin. Pregnant women loves this stuff!

Body Butter Duo in Macadamia and Floral Acai. It comes in 2 types of Body Butters. One regular and one with a thicker consistency. Both are very moisturizing and hydrating!

I bought these for my mother in law. Wild Rose hand cream is best for mature skin. It has spf and evens out the skin on your hands. Vineyard Peach Body Butter. This new delicious scents smells like a freshly cut peach. It's light and refreshing. Strawberry Shower Gel. It has strawberry oil, honey and smells so sweet and delicious!

Seaweed Pore Cleansing Facial Exfoliator. Amazing scrub!!! If you have oily-combination skin like I do, then you should really try it. It's a once a week treatment that help balance the oil on the skin. 

Maca Root Shave Cream. Probably one of the best shaving creams I've tried...on my legs ^_^. Smooth shave while softens the skin and no razor burns!!!

Maca Root Shave Cream in a tub.

Olive Body Scrub. One of my favorite scrubs in the store. A once a week treatment that exfoliates body to get rid of the dead skin cells. It has crushed olive seeds, olive oil from Italy for a natural exfoliation. 

That's my haul.
Hope you guys find it helpful. Let me know if you have any questions.


Love,
Becky!

November Ipsy Bag 2012...Party Perfect!

It looks like Ipsy has figured out what makes their subscribers happy...More makeup samples!!! I'm so happy with this month's Ipsy glam bag. It's just as good as last month. It consist of 4 makeup samples and 1 full size nail polish in a classy satin brown bag. Don't really care much for the nail polish, but I'm excited for everything else.

The theme for the month of November is "Party Perfect".

The Balm Meet Matt(e) eyeshadow in Matt Batali. The name is witty and clever. Meet Matte...his name is Matt and it's a matte eye shadow.. Get it? My husband doesn't LOL. I can't to try it on my eyes and brows ^_^.

Chella Eyebrow Defining Gel. Never heard of this brand before so I don't know how well this works. Have you?

Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie lip gloss in Dare Devil. This is my very first lip gloss from Bare Minerals and I love it. The color is a gorgeous plum with slight shimmers that goes well with my medium/tan skin tone. It gives a cooling sensation as soon as you apply it. I didn't know what to think of it at first, but now I really like it. It also smells like rootbeer...Yum!

Martini Nail Lacquer in Millionaire. A clear top coat with fine multicolored confetti. Definitely a party nail polish, sparkly and pretty. 

Starlet Cosmetics eye liner pencil in Black. I was pleased to see this. I can never have enough black eye liner pencils. Never tried anything from this brand before so I'm excited to try it out. So far it applies pretty smooth. I still need to test it on my eyes to see if it last.

That's it for my Ipsy glam bag. Overall, I'm pleased with all the samples. It's definitely worth more than the $10 I paid for it. 

Have you gotten yours?

What are your thoughts?

Ipsy.com

My Wedding Day!!!

It's done. It's finally over and I'm glad we did it!!! I'm officially Mrs. Rebekkah Nunez and Kiko aka Baby Cakes is now El Hubby Cakes ^_^. Kiko and I met in high school in 2002. We were in the same Spanish class but didn't say a word to each other for a whole semester. Seriously. We didn't speak until a few months after I wrote him a little Valentine message in the school newspaper. The message said, "To Fransisco, you're so quite it makes me wonder who you are. From: R.C." He quickly learned who R.C. was because I was the only girl with the initial R.C. in all his classes. Instead of talking, we wrote letters. We wrote letters every single day and that's how we got to know one another. Weird right? Why not just talk like "normal" people? I guess you can say that we were both extremely shy, especially me and letters were the easiest way to communicate. We switched letters on the 2nd floor of the school main building (buncha dorks!). Of course, we eventually talked and became friends and from there, blossomed a romantic relationship that lasted for 10 years. On November 3, 2012, I married my high school sweetheart, soul mate, my baby cakes, Kiko.

We got married at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Los Angeles. We had an intimate and simple wedding with our families and closest friends. Gosh, I had no idea that a "simple" wedding could be a bit stressful. I guess there's no such thing as a simple wedding, right? Now I understand why people hire wedding planners lol. It was a lot of work, and it didn't help that I had a terrible cold ugh! I did all the preparations with the help of my awesome family and good friends. The Mormon missionaries and the members of the Relief Society also volunteered to help set up and clean. They were such a big help and words are not enough to express our gratitude. It was truly a memorable moment for us.

Our wedding theme was all the shades of peach (peach, light peach, pink peach and orangey peach) a bit of light pink, bright green and an abundance of peach fruit. Why peach? Because the first time I saw Kiko in highschool he had the nicest and cutest peach fuzz. I love the color peach, especially peach lipsticks and I love the fruit peach. You may not believe it, but we had a humble budget of a little over 3k (that includes my dress, veil, my bridesmaids dresses and shoes, flowers, and a last minute photographer, food and etc). We were able to make it work!!!

I made pop-up wedding invitations. I got the inspiration from WeddingBee.com. I got the peach photo from Google and used it for the cover as well as the stickers for the wedding favors. It was a photo of a painting by Melody Allen ( I didn't ask permission to use her picture. I hope she doesn't mind). It took awhile to make each one, but it was worth it. Everyone thought it was the cutest thing ever!

For the wedding favors, Kiko and I made peach candy pouches. I ordered peach taffy, peach rings and peach sour patches from Candywarehouse.com. I will never forget the terrible customer service we received at the store. The lady at the front desk gave us an attitude when I asked questions on how to order. I had no idea that I was supposed to order online and then pick it at their store or have it shipped. She could have told me nicely. Instead, she sighed and pointed at the nearby desk top and told me to order. I'll never forget you, mean lady!

The night before the wedding, I stayed at the Beverly Hilton hotel with my mom, best friends Monica and Grace. We got to relax and they helped me finish a few little details on the wedding. Monica and Grace were such great company. I couldn't have asked for better best friends.

On the day of the wedding, I woke up so tired. Look at my eyes! They were swollen haha. I was so anxious that I didn't get enough sleep. I was tossing and turning in bed and I wasn't able to sleep til 3am...ugh!

We had breakfast at Circa 55. It was a buffet so we got to eat as much as we want. I had lots of fresh fruits, hash browns and scrambled eggs that were so fluffy and creamy! I wonder how they make them? They were the best eggs I've ever had!

 I did my own makeup. Some suggested I should hire someone else to do it and just relax. But how can I? I didn't want to pay someone else to do it when I'm a makeup artist and I know my face very well. Instead, I invested on new high end HD foundations and concealers and used my favorite makeup products. I will do a separate post on how I did my makeup, but I pretty much kept it very simple and natural. I used a lot of neutral colors for my eyes, peach cheeks, natural nude lips and really defined eye brows.

My friend Kristine with the help of her friend Lora did my hair. It was inspired by Kristine Hermosa's wedding hairstyle (a Filipino celebrity). She had voluminous, curly side pony tail. See photo HERE. Kristine and I have been friends since high school in the Philippines and she flew all the way from New York just to attend my wedding. That's a real friend. Thank you for everything, Tin. I know I maybe too blunt and harsh with you at times, but that's because I truly care and wants nothing but the best for you. You know what I'm talking about!

 I also did Monica and Grace's makeup. You know it!!!

And I really love this photo of me doing my mom's makeup while Kristine does my hair. That's how you double task haha.

My for wedding dress, I wanted something simple and clean. I already knew what I wanted from the very beginning. NOOOO white, puffy Cinderella like ballgowns or satin...Oh NO! All of those things look tacky on me. I chose an ivory, A-line chiffon dress with beading and crystals on the waist. It's simple yet elegant and very comfortable to wear. I bought the dress at Downtown L.A. Fashion District (Are you surprised? haha) and can you believe that I got it for only $120!!! I know, sooo cheap right? Everyone thought I spent thousands on it. My frugal butt won't let that happen even if I have the money. I'm only going to wear it once. I'd rather spend that money on food haha...

For the veil, I chose a finger length veil with beads and crystals on the edge. I initially didn't want a veil because I think they are a bit cheesy (yeah, I'm weird like that), but I'm glad I changed my mind. The veil is a must. It  completed the dress. I chose a simple veil that matched the dress perfectly. I got it at Downtown L.A. too for only $35!!! I got lucky on the price because everywhere else, veils were selling for $100 and up! I had no idea a piece of mesh or baby kulambo cost that much ugh!

For my jewelry, I wore a beautiful pair of chandelier earrings that my cousin Marie lend me. It's just the right size. It's not too big or too small and it really stood out.

My bouquet. I chose a faux flower wedding bouquet. It's just as beautiful as real flowers in my opinion and I can keep it forever. I got it custom made in Downtown L.A. Flower District for $40.

My bridesmaid bouquets were real flowers though...light peach Roses with pop of bright green Hydrenias, $15 each at Downtown L.A. Flower District. Soooo pretty!

My bridesmaids were my nieces (from left to right) Elizabeth aka Meme, Alexandra aka AmAm and Ysabella aka Mymy. We're so Filipino aren't we? We like to say our names twice haha. I love this photo so much. It seems like it was just yesterday when I used to pick up Meme from preschool, feed Amam all the time to keep her from crying and carry Mymy in my arms. Now they are so tall and such lovely young women.

My matron of honor is my best friend Monica. We've been best friends since college and I love her so much. She's actually 5 months pregnant. You just can't tell because she's so slim...Lucky! I'm so happy for her and Jeff.

 My nieces' lacey dress - Forever 21 (San Pedro Wholesale Mart) $10.
Nude flats- Downtown L.A. Fashion District- $6
Monica's peach dress- Forever21 store- $22

My mom. Doesn't she looks pretty? I did her makeup. I called her Dona Arceli haha. She was in tears as she walked me down the aisle. She was so happy for me. She said it was her dream to see me get married and settle down. I love you, Mommy Cakes.

Peach and Ivory petals added a romantic feel.


My little nephew, Oliver aka Momo held the "Here Comes The Bride" sign ( I made it!). He is soooo adorable. I love him to bits and pieces!!!


The ceremony was held at the church court yard. We had about 110 guest of family and friends. This photo is funny. Everyone was looking up because there was a flock of crows flying over them. Too bad no one took a photo of the dang birds.

The ceremony was quick and straight to the point. It was no more than 20 minutes. Bishop Scoll welcomed the guest, said his speech/inspiration wedding advice, we exchanged personal vows, rings, was pronounced husband and wife and we kissed!

 People saw the difference in our personalities through our vows, which I thought was pretty awesome. Mine was very casual and humorous, while Kiko's was formal and serious. Our guest laughed and teared up at the same time. 

The Nunez, Celeste and Del Rosario Family

Reception quickly followed after the ceremony at the church's cultural hall (same location). My Tita Abeng and Uncle Edgar with the help of 2 of my friends, Kevin and Lian and the Mormon Missionaries helped set and decorate. My aunt and uncle did so much work. They did such a great job! It was simple yet pretty just the way I like it. They used light peach sashes for the chairs and real peach fruit for the decor. Each person at the tables had their own peach. It's so cute!

My aunt's friend, Tita Faith lend us the seat covers, table cloths, over lays, chaffing dishes, vases and platters for free, which saved us so much money. Thank you, Tita Faith. Thank you for your generosity.

More peaches!!! Can you tell how much I love peach? LOL

These are my friends. It was so nice to see everyone. Kevin (the white boy) and his wife Lian helped out so much with the wedding. Thanks guys!

Food!!! Filipino food. We had all of my favorite Filipino dishes for the food. My mom made the Mechado, my Tita Abeng made the Embutido and I made the Chicken Lumpia. We ordered the other food like Chicken Pastel, Garlic Shrimp and a 50 lb Lechon from our favorite Filipino restaurant in L.A. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food very much. 

My Uncle Edgar was in charge of chopping the Lechon or Roast Pig. If you never had Lechon then you are missing out. The meat is so juicy and succulent and skin is crispy! Can you see the cherries on the eyes? Sooo funny! By the way, my Uncle Edgar and his family drove all the way from San Francisco to attend the wedding. They were such big help and I thank them with all my heart.

For dessert, we had the best homemade Chocoflan (chocolate cake on the bottom and flan on top!) by my friend Lupe and Chocolate Fudge Brownies by Aunt's friend. They were all free and made with love. Thank you so much!

My peach ombre ruffled wedding cake. Isn't it the prettiest thing or what? I literally gasped when I saw it. My Tita Abeng's friend, Rachel is a self taught baker and she made the cake for free! I just had to pay for the ingredients. She was so kind and generous. Thank you, Rachel. Your cake was too pretty eat, but we still ate it. It was delicious and everyone loved it!

We had a slideshow of our pictures. I've always enjoyed slideshows at weddings, so I was looking forward to show ours. Everyone had a good laugh as they saw our baby photos and photos of us as the years went by. We definitely look much better now. We were scrawny little high school kids back then.

My friend Lupe and Grace. They helped me so much with the wedding. Honestly, half of the wedding would've been a disaster without them. Lupe made all homemade 7 Chocoflan and helped organize.  Grace picked up the Garlic Shrimp from the restaurant, picked up veil and bouquet, bought my after party dress and acted as my wedding coordinator. I love these ladies!!!

Thank you also to my friend Natalie and her boyfriend Greg who volunteered to help take photos at the wedding. Thank you to Walter Gonzales for agreeing to take my photos last minute. He was very nice and professional. Check out his official Facebook page HERE.

The reception/dinner lasted about 2 and a half hours. We quickly cleaned afterwards. Everyone helped out so we were able to finish quickly. I love this photo of my nieces with the chair sashes on. They were so silly!!!

That's our wedding!!!

This day wouldn't be possible without the help of my family especially my Mom, Tita Abeng (who did most of the work at the Recepetion) Tito Edgar, Tita Agnes, Ate Chit, my friends Monica, Lupe, Grace, Lian, Kevin, Bishop Scoll, the volunteers from the Relief Society and the Mormon missionaries. Thank you for making our wedding a memorable one.


And thank you for taking the time to read this super long post. Thank you for allowing me to share our special day with all of you.