Tuesday, April 01, 2014

My new fabulous clutch: the Ni-QUA Paper Bag!

Many moms (well, many women for that matter) can't fathom how I absolutely love clutches. "How do you fit anything in that small bag?!" Well, I actually just need four things: my asthma medicine, my wallet, my phone and my house keys. That makes me almost like a man, I guess! I do have a long wallet so I can't stuff it in the back pocket of my jeans so I still need a purse, and in my case, a clutch is my favorite.

I have a new addition to my growing clutch collection: the Red Paper Bag clutch from Ni-QUA. It's so fabulous!

Here are the reasons I love my Red Paper Bag clutch:
Ni-QUA is a homegrown brand so I'm loving that my new clutch is Proudly Pinoy.

It's pure leather. It's soft and buttery. The heady aroma makes me happy.

The simple design is based on the brown paper bag so it's so roomy! I can fit a TON of stuff in it—my camera, the kids' toys, diapers, my small vanity kit. One time, I even brought a manuscript! Of course, I couldn't seal the bag anymore but that's ok. I just carried the bag like a paper bag!

I'll be sporting a few more Ni-QUA things soon but for now, I'm super loving my Paper Bag clutch!

Show this Pinoy brand some love!
Like their Facebook page.
Follow them on Twitter (@niquashop) and Instagram (@NIQUAshop).
Shop at their website!

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Sunday, March 30, 2014

Topaz Beauty: GLAMGLOW facial mask review

It's Sunday! Lemme tell you about my new Sunday beauty ritual. I super duper love it! It's my GLAMGLOW face mask!!! I was so excited when I found out that GLAMGLOW, Hollywood's ultimate favorite facial mask, is finally here in the Philippines!
There are two variants—Supermud Clearing Treatment and Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment. I got the Youthmud because I like the word tingle!

I got a small jar to try out because you never know if a product's going to agree with you. GLAMGLOW is an all-natural product, paraben-free, and vegan. Still, dermatologists warn that sometimes it's the products with natural ingredients that cause allergies most so always test a small area of your skin before using it on your face.

Thankfully, my face didn't react adversely. In fact, my face loved GLAMGLOW!

That star! It means it's Hollywood! GLAMGLOW is the favorite face mask of stars like Jennifer Lopez, Miley Cyrus, Nina Dobrev, Ceelo Green, Beyoncé, Keannu Reeves. There's a lot of them but I'm lazy to Google haha. It's also gotten positive reviews and features from celebrity and fashion magazines like Vogue, InStyle, Glamour, ELLE, CosmopolitanGrazia, Hello!, Marie Claire... just about every major title! And you know me—as long as Hollywood loves it, I love it, too!

The mud mask was invented specifically for actors. While the advent of high-def technology is great for us viewers, that's not so good news for actors who now have to deal with the fact that every pore, every line and every spot on their pretty faces can now be seen. So some unnamed actors asked their friends Glenn and Shannon Dellimore, the inventors of this miracle mud, to make them a skincare solution that will instantly make their skin look camera-ready. Yes, "instantly" is the magic word. Glenn and Shannon accepted the challenge and exceeded all expectations! 

Here's what it looks like. It's a greenish gray slush that's grainy and speckled with leafy bits. That's a concoction of green tea, crushed pumice and other minerals, and French sea clay. You have to stir it to mix all the ingredients. Remember to use a spatula or a coffee stirrer (like the ones you get at cafés) to avoid contamination. Don't use your finger!

All you need is a thin layer! So this tiny jar should last me about three to four uses. That means this jar is a month's worth of masks.

The mask smells fresh and minty and like astringent. The smell is strong but it doesn't assault the nose. The sensation is cold and it also stings a bit. But that's expected of a product that's called Tinglexfoliate, right?

After 10 minutes, the mask dries up. You really can't move your face! Anyway, time to rinse! Don't go beyond the prescribed time. What I do is I wet my hands with a bit of water then I rub the re-moistened mask into my skin in small circular motions to exfoliate. Then I rinse off everything thoroughly.

Okay, I won't show you the after because I had a big pimple on my left cheek when I took these photos haha but please believe me when I say that my skin looked absolutely fine. And by fine, I mean my skin looked polished and super clean! Like all my pores shrunk!

Sorry, no photos! I get queasy when I see macro pics of noses and wrinkles. It grosses me out haha so I'm not going to show you my nose! But trust me when I say my skin looked amazing after using this mask. That's just from two uses (last Sunday and today). If I actually use GLAMGLOW twice a week, I think I'm going to start looking like a Hollywood star haha! Oh, and that big pimple on my left cheek? It calmed down and dried up the very next day!

Summary

I LIKE... 
  • My skin is softer, smoother, finer, better. It's so touchable! The first time I used this mask, I kept touching my face that whole day because it was so nice!
  • I can use it with my regular skincare products. 
  • My skin really did glow! It's crazy! The glow lasted for about three days. You can use GLAMGLOW twice a week, but I'm being very frugal with it because...
I DON'T LIKE...
  • It's not cheap! A regular jar costs Php 3,750! 

MY TAKEAWAY: While I think it's pricey, it's also effective. Extremely so. I'm buying myself a big jar! Facials at the derma or at a beauty spa usually costs about Php 1,500 to Php 3,500. This is Php 3,750 for a lot of uses and you can do it at home, too. So it comes out as totally worth it.

WHO'S IT FOR: Just about everybody! This mask is for both men and women. The scent isn't feminine or masculine. The mask targets all sorts of blemishes—enlarged pores, pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, and ingrown hair for the guys (or girls!) who shave/wax/thread their mustaches and beards.

You can buy GLAMGLOW at the Beauty Section in SM Makati, SM Mega Mall, SM Aura Premier; at Fresh Fragrance Bar in Eastwood, Alabang Town Center, Century Mall and Glorietta 5; and Art of Scent in Shangri-La Plaza Mall and Resorts World Manila. More info at GLAMGLOWMud.com.

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Friday, March 28, 2014

Love in the age of consciously uncoupling

So Gwynnie and Chris are consciously uncoupled. While people think Gwyneth invented that term, there are many formerly married people who are still wonderful to each other.

Miranda and Orlando? They are the most consciously uncoupled exes ever.

Oh wait. There's also Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, who are so involved in each other's lives, I think it's weird for whoever they're currently in a relationship with. Hilary Duff remains the Disney good girl so much so that even when she and Mike Comrie divorced, it was so nice and friendly, they're still dating, er, going out together as friends.

Let's see. Who else?

Oh, there's Amy Poehler and Will Arnett, who divorced because they said they were more best friends than hubby-and-wife, which supports my belief that you should never describe your spouse as your best friend—even if he is—as that immediately desexualizes your relationship. After all, everyone in Hollywood described Brad and Jen as best friends, hence Angelina's dismissal of that marriage: "It was clear he was with his best friend, someone he loves and respects."

On that note, Brad and Jen are still friends. Brad told W magazine that, "We still check in with each other. She was a big part of my life, and me hers. I don't see how there cannot be [that friendship]. That's life, man. That's life."

That's consciously uncoupled, man. That's consciously uncoupled.

While I don't subscribe to the GOOP bullshit that since we live longer lives now, marriage is no longer the relationship ideal, I do think it's admirable when two people who shared their lives can go on their separate ways and remain friends. That says a whole lot of good about them.

Sigh. Miranda and Orlando, please get back together!

UPDATE: Gwyneth and Chris are on a "break-up-moon" or a honeymoon after people split up. Again, they didn't invent it. Brad and Jen were famously (or infamously) making out in Anguilla the week they announced their split!


*photo from News.com.au

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