BE CMK'S COMMENTER OF THE MONTH! (AUGUST + SEPTEMBER 2013)

Hello Guys! August came by so quickly! 

Some few weeks and we'll be approaching the -BER months. 

Hola December! :) How is that?!

What's in store for CMK's Commenter of the Month?

Not 1, not 2, not 9 but 10 beauty stuff!

1.  Avon Skin So Soft Lotion 50 ml. (Review HERE)

2. Majolica Majorca The Little Humming Book 1 (Story HERE)

3. Skin Food Mushroom Care BB Cream (Review HERE)

4. Purederm Pearl Essence Mask

5. Vivid Essentials Gold Mask 50 grams

6. Beauty and Bright Lightening Moringa Soap (Review HERE)

7. Nivea Angel Star SPF 10

8. Lioele BB Cream Tester (2 packs)

9. Missha Signature BB Cream (2 packs)

10. Etude House Greentea Nose Pack 

SPECIAL THANKS TO: 

SaladBox Team and Majolica Majorca Team 
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Some few changes, let's go over the mechanics:

CMK'S COMMENTER OF THE MONTH WINNER! (JULY 2013)

As promised, I'll be announcing the winner of Php 1,500 YABU Gift Certificates Today!

Allow me to say thank you for participating. I really enjoyed chatting with all of you.

And the winner is...

MAJOLICA MAJORCA HONEY PUMP LIP GLOSS REVIEW

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I recall it was during my high school years when I purchased my first ever make-up item. Lip Gloss! That was the time when the "lechon lip style" was super in. Millenials, I know you're smiling! :D Matte lippies those days were for the mature ones. While shiny happy lips were celebrated by teenagers and young professionals. Time flies even in beauty styles!

It was during Majolica Majorca's event when I got hold of this tiny, lip gloss tube. More on that HERE. To be honest, there's nothing ultra-special about it, but it's nice to have a shiny swipe every once so often. Let's have a quick recap. Shall we?

DETAILS:

MAJOLICA MAJORCA HONEY PUMP LIP GLOSS 

Available at: Majolica Majorca Booths nationwide

Price: Php 295

CMK HAPPY THOUGHTS:

☺Moisturizing factor. Lip glosses are well-know for that. 
In contrast to matte lipsticks which are drying, lip glosses 
provide a smooth texture on our pouts. 
It's a welcome break specially if you're always 
wearing your matte lipsticks.

☺Color Pigment. Some lip gloss are virtually invisible, 
you can only feel them. Not with our product for today!
 You can see a pink pigment. This means you can wear them
 with a lipstick base or ala carte.

☺ Packaging. Classic Majolica Majorca style. 
The little crown and pinks and golds 
cast the 'buy-me' spell oh so easily!

MONEY MATTERS : 2013 GHOST MONTH AND THE PHILIPPINE STOCK MARKET

In Chinese tradition, the 7th month of the lunar year meant the ghost month. You'll recall that February marks the Chinese New Year, count the 7th month from there and you get August. An article from Inquirer explained it best: "In this seventh month in the Chinese calendar, the spirits of the dead are believed to be wandering the earth, so it is not considered a good time to sign contracts, enter into new business ventures or even get married. 

While Filipino companies do not necessarily believe that hungry ghosts wander the earth in August and spread bad luck, a number of them do feel a slowdown in sales in the entire third quarter, not just during the Ghost Month."

RANDOM BITS:
♣ Third quarter is a season when people (in PH) has just paid (or will pay) their tuition fees.
♣ Asian Stock Market experiences a noticeable slow down during August.
♣ Chinese Ghost Month will fall on August 7 to September 4 this 2013.

Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) and the Ghost Month:

FASHION ALERT : PINK BLOUSE ON A SKY RANCH CARNIVAL

That was a very welcoming Saturday for me. There I was, along with the family, in a CARNIVAL. Or whatever it should be called. It's every kid's happy place. And as long as there is an Anchor's Away type of rides, it's my giggly place too. Shot was taken at the newly opened SKY RANCH, TAGAYTAY. I'll post about it if time warrants. Anyhoo, my outfit is a typical one. Good to note however that the top has been with me for such a long time!

DETAILS:

Pink Button Down Blouse from The Landmark

Blue Shorts from The Landmark  

Bag from Charles & Keith

Watch from Veloci

Flip Flops from Havaianas

Care to see what's my current dainty blouse and shorts combo?!

BEAUTY BUZZ : THE THING ABOUT FIRST IMPRESSION

"The thing about first impression is you only have about 2 seconds to make it. Right when you walk through the door, judgment is already formed." This is not exclusively applicable in job interviews but in our day to day interactions too. Accept it or not, the world is our runway.

Being presentable sends a signal to the people around you that you know how to take good care of yourself. You cannot give what you don't have, remember? And so, if you're doing a good job in being excellent physically, chances are, you can also take care of other matters at hand. 

A big chunk of being presentable is dressing up. Some are my tips in choosing the right wardrobe:

♣ KNOW your body type. I'd say this is the first thing to consider. Sure, your friend looks uh-uh-amazing in that haltered top but girl, if you're top heavy (think brooooad shoulders), donning the same ensemble is a disastrous not an altogether good idea.

You might say, "well it's how you feel  about it. Ditch the norm." That's possible too. Nothing wrong with that. However, it would be nice to maximize your assets and cover your liabilities nicely.

If you're top heavy like yours truly (broad shoulders, larger than usual arms):

♥ Stay away from bare-shouldered tops. In the event that you really want the top, make sure the collar cut is V-neck. This will create a longer neck illusion and draw the attention away from your arms.

♥ Avoid tucking in if you have quite a big tummy.

♥ Make printed tops your best friend. Balance it out by wearing a plain bottom.

♥ To respect proportion, you can wear dresses or skirt if you're comfortable.

♥ Opt for 3/4 or sleeved dresses and tops. More tips! tips! tips!

CMK TRAVELS : GONE TRAVELING!

Happy Friday! Consider this as on OOON (out of office notice) of some sort. Will set my foot to other lands (with S) in the next coming days! You know how much I love traveling! It's like.... a drug! Yes! I am an inborn travel addict >:) It gives me such a happy hormone just by merely talking about it! God's willing, I'll be back with lots of stories to tell. One last quote, if you like:a

CMK TRAVELS : PARQUE ESPANA HOTEL (ALABANG) REVIEW

Human bodies are not designed to run on a full speed every time. That's why when overworked, you'll fall asleep even when you're in a bus or worse, in the middle of a meeting. Rest has so many forms and for me, checking in a hotel once is a well-deserved break specially if you've been working hard the past weeks.

Our family has checked in at Parque Espana after attending my cousin's wedding. Wedding was at New Life Christian Center Alabang and the hotel is 15 minutes away from the church. Place (well, Alabang in general) is less crowded compared to other cosmopolitan districts and I appreciate that! You can take a hiatus from everyday elbow-to-elbow scenes at last!

The minute I opened the door, I jumped (a bit) in amazement because it's like a house within a hotel. It resembles the one I've stayed in Prague, Czech Republic. They say this type of arrangement has a name - Condotel.

What's in a Room?

There's a mini-sala with flat screen tv. Floor length ecru curtains add more drama specially on sunrise or sunset. Dine-in table is good for 4. There's even a luggage corner. Overall: arrangement is minimalist with neutral colors capped with wood parquet flooring.

Elegance is in the details.

This, by far, is the most quality-slash-budget friendly hotel I've ever stayed. There's an iPod dock, coffee maker, microwave oven, neat sink, complete toiletries, pen (with quality ink) and pad etc. I also loved their complimentary banana chips! Yum. Place is spacious too.

What's the view from the top?

CMK EATS : SEAFOOD SUPREME CAESAR SALAD (FROM BURGOO) REVIEW

I do have a sticky feature - if I like something (food, clothes, lipstick shade) - I tend to be loyal on the brand to infinity and beyond. Of course the infinity part is an exaggeration ☺Kidding aside, when me and my friends watched Superman not so recently, we spotted a Burgoo at Rockwell. We tried their Seafood Supreme Caesar Salad (among many others) and that was it! I fell in love at first crunch.

And so - when I spotted (again) another Burgoo at SM Mall of Asia this time, I self-talked. It's so costly. But yummy. It's costly. But healthy. It's costly. But plenty. And due to the buts - I gave in! :)) See? Madali akong kausap when  it comes to food!  

I felt a wee bit shy as I came in as a second customer on a Sunday lunch. 

  

However, my katakawan won. And so, I ordered this and eat them all by myself. A very, very important note: That was the only dish I had for lunch. Plus water. Bow :D

Salad was filled with seafood stuff (obviously). It has a hefty amount of squid, shirmps and fish. The caesar salad dressing was not too much but very tasty. It also has shredded crab sticks and croutons on the side. Romaine lettuces are fresh too! They have a regular and to share plate. I ordered the to-share one (please don't be judgmental) and that kept me going for another 4 hours. Healthy eats no less. Though mind that the sea food were fried.

There goes my name! Only thing is, it was spelled another way. It's should be Kristine with a K. Okay? :) Look at the brown doodle above our next picture.

NOW PLAYING: PURO LARO BY KZ TANDINGAN

There I was riding a jeepney from SM, then I heard this sound. Honestly, I thought it was Up Dharma Down, I googled and discovered an amazing singer! KZ Tandingan. She is the 1st X Factor Philippines Grand Winner. She took the stage by storm. Her voice is really one of a kind. Hear for yourself.
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What do you say? This is repeatedly playing on my list! -CMK

SCRIBBLED NOTES #13: IT'S HALF PAST 2013 AND I'VE GOT 3 THANK YOU'S TO SAY!

The 26 weeks of 2013 came by so quickly. Maybe faster than a blink. I'd like to think of the adage that says: When you enjoy life, time goes by so swiftly.

I was scrolling my social media feed when I got struck by this poster. As with all other 20-something gals, I am worried, upset, anxious, thoughtful about so many things. So much that I forgot to say THANK YOU for all the good things that happened this half-year.

You see, an attitude of gratitude is not innate on mortals. Case in point: White Paper. Red Dot. What do you see first? Normals will admit it's the red dot rather than the fine white paper. We can get away by saying we humans are wired to be like that, but I'd say whatever makes us happier is worth trying. 

 

I bet that counting the bad times won't make us any happier, don't you think? With that, I call to mind the 3 things that matter to me. And say a heartfelt thank you for that. And mean it!

THANK YOU #1: JESUS. My personal relationship with Him is to infinity and beyond. I don't know, but HE LOVES ME. DESPITE THE FACT THAT I FAIL HIM EVERYDAY. 

Maluluma ang millions and trillions if I am to count how many times I've failed the One who loved me most. Mysteriously, He still does. I can facepalm for life whenever I recall how many times I threw a heartless, cold conversation at Him.

I've realized that this is my top 1 thing to be thankful for. That I have a hand to hold each time anxiety creeps in. Because He who promises is faithful.

His promise? 
That HE KNOWS THE PLANS HE HAS FOR ME. PLANS TO PROSPER ME AND NOT TO HARM ME. PLANS TO GIVE ME A HOPE AND A GOOD FUTURE. --How in the world could I forget to say SALAMAT for this overwhelmingly good promise? (paraphrased from Jeremiah 29:11)

THANK YOU #2: RELATIONSHIPS.

We recently had a family reunion in Tagaytay and I've been reminded how grateful I am to have a family on whom I can say: "I belong here!". Trivial things in life makes us forget things that are important. Family is one of them. Friends also. If I were to put a collage showing all my friends, I might be in trouble. Why? Because they are so many and one fatal mistake of not including a pic might spur a friendly tampo. So I'd dare not! ☺ Watching a movie, going to theme parks, even attending an investment seminar is much happier with someone you love. 

I do not see anything special in me that made me deserve all the good people in my life. Be it laughing till my stomach aches or crying till my eyes bulge - it's always a therapy with these lovely people around. And for this, I give thanks.

THANK YOU #3: MY LIFE IN GENERAL.

My life is far from perfect. I've had challenges here and there but this I'm sure of: Positives far outweigh the negatives. That when I look behind, it's a good life after all. It's rare that you have a job you truly love, in-and-out of country travels, a ministry you can cultivate, a bunch of students to impart your knowledge to, a blog where you can unleash your thoughts, mentors that you can run for advice, mornings when you can drink a cup of brewed coffee... practically, a pretty quirky, ordinary life. 

MONEY MATTERS : A NEWBIE'S PERSONAL TAKE AWAYS ON PSEI BEING DOWN

Photo Credit: Google Images

FACT: Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) has been down the past months. From 7,400, last  June we went as low as 5,800. By definition, since the market has dropped by 20% from its peak, we're perceived to be stepping in the bear territory. If you're a newbie investor like yours truly, pep talks here and there won't appease you. It may even irritate you at some point. That's not all, I logged into my online platform and they're perfect all right, perfect BLOODY RED that is! 

So many speculations about the reason: Serendra Blast, Japan Sell-off, US Federal Reserve QE or Quantitative Easing. Trust me, I don't know all of these by heart. What I know is that I have my own hard-earned money invested and now the paper loss is seemingly rising.

What's the point of writing this post again? Straight answer: I'd like you to know that someone somewhere is pondering too and trying to digest all these. Be with me as we try to think things over without all these magnanimous words that add to our dismay. ☺

1. LOVE YOUR WORK MORE.

By love, I don't mean revolve your existence around work. By love, I mean appreciate more. You see, stock market is for investing not for earning purposes. This holds true specially for us common people who are not staring at Bloomberg screens 8 hours a day. That said, we need to make sure that the money we're putting into the market can be set aside for 1, 2 maybe 5 years. Otherwise, we may have problems in stock dips like these.

2. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOW PRICES.

If you have extra cash to invest, now is the time! Buy your favorite blue chip stocks for a huge discount. This is not a pep talk, this is real. Case in point: Meralco's price before peaked at Php 397, now it's Php 310. Hah! Who knows how low can it go? Jollibee also has recorded a Php 151 high, it's price today, an amazing aloha-ish price worth Php 126.

Tip: We don't know if the prices will drop some more or this is the ultimate low, so BUY IN BATCHES. Sure there's a corresponding cost for each transaction, but better yet compute the cost and benefit of each option.

3. TO PRESERVE YOUR SANITY, BUY AND FORGET.

Oh man. This is a whopping NOTE TO SELF tip. What's funny is that I know that losses are still paper losses until I sell my shares. I don't intend to sell my shares anytime soon. That's clear, however I can still feel a tinge of panic each time I see these red -xx% on each company. So, I will TRY to forget that I have investment until the green signals are up. So help me, God.

Tip: If you don't need the money now, try NOT TO SELL. When you sell, you realize these losses. Stay as is (more fancy term is 'stay in your position') but whatevs, just don't sell. Understand that the market has cycle. And this is just a part of the cycle. 

4. REPEAT: NOBODY CAN SHOW REAL CONCERN FOR YOUR MONEY EXCEPT YOU.

While it's a virtue to appreciate experts showing love for our money, please recognize that somehow, they also have an agenda. Do you think they'll be giving away all they know for free? Of course not! And that's understandable, nothing wrong with that.

What's wrong is IF we place all our confidence in them. It's important to at least be aware that their pep talks have this bottom line: Subscribe to my seminar/subscription and oh, here's the FEE. Php 3,000 nga pala. <Ho-humm... So much for concern.> Truth's sometimes tough. Yes.

Tip: Appreciate someone who says I don't know. Sometimes that's the most sensible answer to stock market or even life's most pressing questions ☺

MAJOLICA MAJORCA CREAM DE CHEEK REVIEW (IN PK 312)

What's your first impression on our product spotlight for today? Majority thought it was a nail polish rather than a liquid blusher. Gotcha moment, there you go! I've been using this babe recently and I love its just-pinched outlook. Some details:

Majolica Majorca's Cream de Cheek

Color: PK 312 (Shell Pink)

Price: Php 495

CMK HAPPY THOUGHTS:

☺Pigmented. Blushes are supposed to make you look more vibrant. 

Just look at our barbie dolls. One or two swipes are what you need 

to fake that blush plush. I guess this fact makes it cost friendly too.

☺One-of-a-Kind Packaging. Sorry for being redundant, but 

I really find the little bottle ultra-cute and eye-catching.

☺Staying Power. I'm a fan of a no-retouch-makeup regimen 

and this fits the bill. Applying another round of blush-ons will overdo it.

When you open the lid, you'll actually think it's a nail polish!

ETUDE HOUSE STYLING EYELINER REVIEW

You've heard it said that make-up is not supposed to cover the real you. Instead, it's meant to highlight your assets, features that are already there. Some unfortunately perceive make-up as vanity when in fact, at some point it's a bare necessity. 

Case in point: Job interviewers are keen to see how you present yourself as a professionally made-up candidate, and that includes the way you apply makeup tastefully. Product for today is something that even students or first time job-hunters can buy. It's from a brand who was a pioneer in Korean make-up sensation. 

DETAILS:
Etude House Styling Eyeliner in Black
Available at: Etude House Booths and Botiques
Bought mine at: SM Makati
Type: Pencil, Cream Type
Price: Php 130 (approx)

CMK HAPPY THOUGHTS:
☺Price. For stating the obvious. It has a fair shelf life too. 
For a little more than a hundred, you'll get your eyelid covered ;)
☺Compact. It's a retractable type of eyeliner, 
making it easier to twist and turn.
☺Safe to Use. Now that there's a buzz on Japan's Kanebo 
doing recalls on its cosmetics over skin stain fears, 
it's best to be cautious on what products to use, ladies.

Here's a swatch, if you may:

CMK EATS : MARY GRACE CAESAR SALAD

When you have to attend a wedding and will play a sort-of crucial part {cough* Maid of Honor cough*}, there's an unwritten pressure to lose weight. Or at least to maintain a status quo measurement, otherwise, you'll burst with your gown and no one likes to experience that ordeal!

That plus the fact that I need to be healthy prompted me to explore the narrow territory of healthy eating. It so happened that my friends are health-conscious too, and they are ranting how gewd Mary Grace Caesar Salad is. So here's a mini-review, just in case you want to give it a green light.

DETAILS:

What: Mary Grace Caesar Salad

Branch: Robinsons Manila, Greenbelt

Budget: Php 230 (approx.) per bowl

Best Paired with: Brewed Coffee with Almond

For some more reviews about 

Mary Grace Cafe, click HERE.

CMK HAPPY THOUGHTS:

☺Romaine Lettuce and the other greens are of superior quality. 

It is crispy and fresh with no bitter after taste.

☺ Bountiful serving. If you think eating greens won't fill your stomach's 

hungry pangs, you're more likely wrong. It's a plate-full of goodness.

☺The Dressing. I am a sucker for dressing. I'm the type of eater 

who always requests for a second help of dressings and sauce.

☺Chicken and Bacon Bits, Present! How's that for a healthy eat? 

Of course, it's in moderation. But the chicken chunks 

are noticeable. Very good!

BEAUTY BUZZ : FRIENDLY DIGI-PERMED HAIR PRODUCTS

Salon-treated hair may sometimes equate to damaged tresses if not taken care of. While it's true that digi-permed and colored hair are nice to have, making sure they get enough nutrients are mandatory... and it takes an effort to maintain. I once saw on CMK's comments section a question on what products to apply. Reader has just got a digiperm treatment, that's why. Let me give you a three-part answer to that question. It depends on where are you heading. 

Scenario 1: Important Meetings, Hang out with friends, 
Ra-rampa (in gay lingo)
Main goal is to maintain the perm while keeping your hair hydrated. 
♣ Squirt a generous amount of Dove serum and lather them in your hair.
♣ Part your hair in half. Apply a one-peso coin sized Gatsby wax.
♣ Twirl your hair on an inward motion. As Mr. Shin shares, 
you TWIST and TWIRL. See more of my hair saga, HERE.
♣ Staying power is about 8 hours. Downside is your hair has a 
tendency to be stiff, a by-product of using hard wax. However, wax is 
what parlors suggest since it offers the most 
prolonged staying power for digipermed hair.

Scenario 2: Weekend in Tagaytay, Hitting the gym or planaforma
This one's easy peasy. You just need to spray a hefty amount of mousse on your hair and that's it! Make sure your hair is semi-dry before you apply. This comes in handy if time is of the essence. Waves will last for at least 2 hours and then it will hang loose. For detailed review, visit my Finesse feature post HERE.

FASHION ALERT : FUCHSIA AND TANGERINE COMBINATION

Don't you just love out of the box color combinations? Since color pop has emerged from last year, this specific combination caught my eye. I adore how vibrant a hot pink and glaring orange pair can do. Add a hint of royal blue, and you're set. These whole getup is not a new comer. If you're into my Fashion Alerts series, you'll see that the tangerine shorts has graced my Halloween fashion post (HERE).

DETAILS:

Fuchsia Top from Details, The Landmark

Thrifted Tangerine Shorts from The Landmark Bazaar

Flip flops from Havainas

Bag from Charles and Keith

Heart Shaped Necklace from Bangkok

I've stumbled upon some nice color combination to try. Help yourselves, ladies. 

Lastly, here's an interesting quote to cap your fashion fix for the day. 

In my book, FASHION should be acceptably comfortable.

GLAD TO BE GLOBE STORY : LET US COUNT THE WAYS!

I've been meaning to write a happy post about the things I love about having an iPhone with a reliable connection the past months. This stemmed from one instance when there was a power outage but I managed to work online (thanks to Globe hotspot). More on that later.

WHY AM I GLAD TO BE GLOBE AGAIN? Let's count the ways...
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WORK. In my quest to achieve work life balance, being mobile is inevitable! Checking mails and accessing our software is a breeze even when outdoors. Spending time with friends is possible while accessing your inbox for a while (emphasis: for a while). Doing facetime and Skype with your lovelies is possible though you're miles away. Mom was super OC when we braved the underground river in Palawan. Her imagination has a tendency to run really wild.
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BLOG. These days, I publish my draft posts on the way. Whether on my way to business, events or random errands, I find it mighty convenient to publish posts early in the morning with my phone. Admittedly, connections vary on each area but good to know that Mega Manila has a healthy supply of cell sites making it easier to publish comments and do blog stuff without your laptop. Picture was during a product launch from Belo Medical Group.

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INVEST. If you're a regular on my blog, Money Matters series is an on going thingy every week or two. Now that I'm invested in PSEi commonly known as the Philippine Stock Market, I (honestly) check my portfolio each day. I also tried to buy and sell shares of stock using my phone and I did it all without any hassle. You know how timing is relevant specially if you're bargain hunting those elusive blue chip companies.

FASHION ALERT : FUCHSIA SHAWL SKIRT

So there I was, walking in the ghastly heat at Bangkok, Thailand. While watching the brave folks dipping their head inside the crocodiles wide mouth. Without tricks! 0.0 Wah. Even when my 2 hands were clasped onto my mouth, I still can sense my shrieks echoing along with the crowd. It took me about 10 minutes to stay, and I raised my hands... I can't take it anymore. I'll have ice cream instead. Haha!

As I was crossing the bridge, I asked mom to please snap a shot for me. That was an awesome shot. My blue shorts was ripped open. Comown! But hey, thankfully I recalled I have my trusty shawl with me. This doesn't warrant a tutorial since folding a shawl is a no-brainer. But let's just go through the motion, shall we?

CMK EATS : BIG CHILL (THE FRESH BAR) EXPERIENCE

In my quest to find a healthy and fresh alternative to chemical-packed food and drinks, I found a haven that is virtually everywhere! I'm sure that you've seen this pink and blue fruit kiosk somewhere. Specially when you're within Makati and Manila.

Way before, I thought prices were sky high, but not really. Bear in mind that fresh food is costlier to maintain because if they are not sold within the day, it can't be recycled anymore. All the more why I appreciate fresh bars like this and Juju Eats (click HERE).

This specific branch is within Mall of Asia. They have one in Greenbelt, Glorietta and The Enterprise Center. They offer sandwiches, pasta and super delicious drinks. Feast your eyes on these healthy numbers. I've also included a snap shot of their menu with prices.

My favorite is their drink called Supercharger. It has a mixture of strawberry, grapes, mango and other cool stuff. When combined, brace yourself for a yummy boost. ♣ Tip: If you don't dig too-sweet shakes, you may ask the lovely Big Chill Lady for a 20% sugar only. Note that mangoes are sweet by default, hence you can be easy on the sugar.

I have friends who love Wheatgrass shots (personally, I find it too bitter). They offer this too but thing is they have a tendency to be out-of-stock recently. Here are their power and splendid blends complete menu: