TOPAZ HORIZON

I was at a lunch hosted by P&G Beauty at Manila Polo Club. They were celebrating Women's Month (yes, March is Women's Month!). It was a small party for magazine editors, newspaper journalists, editors of lifestyle websites, and then there was little old blogger me.

I haven't been attending events the whole of 2013 (save for a few blog advertiser events because, well, I had to attend those!). It was my first year to be a stay-at-home mom and a full-time blogger. I tried working as a freelance writer and newspaper columnist, too, but, boy, I realized I can't juggle too many things after all. Something's bound to suffer, and I've since accepted that I am happier and more effective if I just slooooow down and just relish my awesome life! It won't be this slow forever (I doubt I'll be a housewife all my life) so I will enjoy this phase while it lasts.

(But it was still kinda nice to see old friends again!)
Big perk of being pregnant? Everyone wants to give up their chair for you, so that's how I ended up sitting between P&G's Country Communications Leader Clint Navales and super host Issa Litton.

The lunch was P&G's way of picking the brains of the media, especially the women of media who create media for women. P&G said they did a nationwide survey of Filipinas from all socio-economic backgrounds and found these surprising beliefs:

• Women believe that men should still get the higher paying job. In fact, between a man and a woman with the same intelligence and credentials, women think the job should still go to the man. WHY? Because men are the breadwinners so they should get more opportunities and more money.
• Women also think that, for the same job, it's okay for men to earn more than women, and to get promoted faster. WHY? Same reason as above.
• Women use beauty products not to attract and keep men, but to hide their age. WHY? Because young girls want to appear older while mature women want to stay looking, I dunno, 25 maybe! Just reinforces the issue that women are ashamed of their age!
• Men are hired and promoted for their potential, women for their experience. WHY? Women need to prove they can do the job. Men just need to show up.

There were actually more but I'm reeling. I am in total shock. It's the 21st century and the Philippines is a modern country but apparently our beliefs are still medieval.

I am living in a bubble.

Dear readers, I don't think we women should subjugate men. Neither do I think women are the superior sex. I just believe that we should be given the same opportunities, the same rights, the same accolades, the same encouragement and support, the same appreciation. I'm lucky to be married to a feminist who encouraged me to pursue my ambitions and then respected my choice to be a full-time mom when I decided on that. He never put me down or put me in my place or told me I can't do things because I'm a woman. I hope all men can be like my Vince and all women can have a dad or husband or mentor or friend like Vince!

Don't let anything hold you back, ladies!


Let's celebrate Women's Month by destroying the boundaries and beliefs that hold us back!

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Apparently, I've been using my Shiseido Ibuki all wrong. Remember my Ibuki review and I said, "Just a little product goes a long way. I've been using my Ibuki for 4 months and I'm just halfway through my bottles." Well, they're not supposed to last that long! The bottles have a pump and each pump dispenses the correct amount of product to massage into skin. If I use too little, it's not as effective. And I've only been using half a pump all this time!

All this I learned when Shiseido invited me to their beauty blogger event at Picasso Boutique Serviced Residences. It was my very first beauty blogger event, by the way! And I think I only got invited because I did the Ibuki review haha. I'm not a beauty blogger, you see, and I think you can see that from my picture above. I mean, I didn't even put on makeup or brush my hair haha.

I've been to beauty events, of course, but in my former life as a print editor. Beauty blogging events are more nerdy and take a much longer time. Why? Beauty bloggers ask so many questions! I understand this because when I read product reviews on beauty blogs, they're very detailed and comprehensive. Plus, since every blogger has to have great photos for their blog, they really go up close and shoot away, and even ask the presenter/model to do things slowly or again and again so they can get the perfect shots. Interesting!

Here are some of the bloggers at the Shiseido event:

My dear friend, Nicole Romero of Beauty & Sparkle.

From left: me, Rowena Wendy Lei of Animetric's World, Liz Lanuzo of Project Vanity, Nicole, Tara Cabullo of Chronicles of Vanity, Kikay Trekkie, and Shiseido's Momoko Isibashi.

Shiseido's Momoko Isibashi is here in Manila for a few months to help launch Shiseido's store in SM Fashion Hall. She also gave us a few beauty tips (with the help of Donnarence Masilungan of My Lucid Intervals):
There's a proper way to remove makeup. There's even a proper way to fold the tissue so that it's efficient and clean. Anyway, always use makeup remover before cleansing. Start with pressing the tissue moistened with makeup remover on eyes and then gently wiping off. Gently wipe off the makeup on the rest of your face.

Always use a spatula when taking out product from a jar. This is to prevent bacteria from getting into your creams. I never use a spatula!

For firm and healthy skin, massage your face. This is a model's secret. They love having their faces massaged. It not only keeps their skin firm, it also helps drain the face of fluid so puffiness goes away. I wanted to show you the massage via a video but I'm not so gorgeous today so I'll just do the video when I'm pretty again haha.

Donnarence said she loved how her face felt warm after the massage. I tried it, too, and my face also felt firmer. Momoko says you can massage your face every day!

And here's Donnarence fully made up again after the facial! It's just a very light makeup that anyone can do.

If you want to know more about Shiseido skincare and makeup, get a skin consultation and free makeover, get certified beauty training and more, check out Shiseido's beauty fair this weekend at SM Megamall Atrium. Have fun!
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I was at LeBunny Bleu's launch party yesterday and, boy, was it packed! I didn't realize that the shoe brand was that much of a fashionista favorite! Here's a few snaps from yesterday:

Patty Laurel hosted the event. She also babysat my baby stroller so I could shop. Thanks, Patty!

Patty with Michelle Chan and my friend, Zerline Chan Ortiz-Luiz, the stylish women who brought in LeBunny Bleu (and Quirks, too!)

Sorry, I forgot to bring my camera so I had to use my Blackberry. Sad. It's a good thing Le Bunny Bleu gave us photos of their super cute shoes! Here are just a few styles. There are a lot more. There's Oxfords, brogues, espadrilles, boat shoes and loafers, too.

The numbers on the photos aren't the prices, okay? I put the price in the captions. I'm sooo happy the shoes are reasonably priced!

Linda Heel, P2795

Angela Ballet Flat, P2795

Cotton Slip-On, P1995

Spring Tassel Slip-On, P2095

Vina Hadden Heel, P2795

And here's some style ideas:





The shoes are a bit too young for 36-year-old me but I did find a pair I liked. A two-tone black-and-white flat. It's quite nice! I'll debut it next week haha.

Shop at LeBunny Bleu this weekend! The flagship store is at 5/F Bridgeway of the East Wing of Shangri-la Plaza Mall. Next week, the Glorietta 5 branch opens!

Now that I'm a stay-at-home wife and mom, I get invited to events that promote stuff like cooking, crafts-making, safety while driving, and basically stuff that are worlds away from the fashion and beauty events I used to attend.

I like this new phase. At the start, I found it very weird but now I find it fascinating! There's a whole wide world of fab events for wives and moms! And I don't need to put full-on makeup and blow dry my hair and wear excruciatingly high heels!

One such event I recently checked out was Anchor Home Chef Final Night. Yes, it was like a reality show that picked out the best recipes that reinvented ordinary food and used the Anchor product line. I didn't even know there was a contest like this! Had I known, I'd have totally joined! I'm kinda good in the kitchen so I think I have a fighting chance. Actually, I am very good in the kitchen. That's one of the reasons Vince married me!
But... after I tasted the winning recipe, I must admit the winner deserved the top Anchor Home Chef prize. But wait wait wait. I'm getting way ahead of my story! Here's the whole Anchor product showcase. I thought they only had milk, butter and cheese slices! There's cream cheese, culinary cream, and whipping cream, too!

I've known, used and loved Anchor butter for years and years. I remember my Mama singing the jingle when she'd serve sugar-sprinkled creamy butter on hot pan de sal for breakfast long, long ago. "Fresh Anchor butter!" I can hear her now and all I can think of is bright, happy mornings. Mama loved butter!

Anyway, the Anchor Home Chef campaign is all about promoting creativity in the kitchen. By using Anchor's premium products, men and women can create dishes using ordinary ingredients and make them ultra fabulous! I believe that, too!

There was wine...

... and cheese. But no one was really wining and cheesing because Anchor started the evening with a contest for all the guests. We were all asked to make a cake in a jar!

This bibingka cake was seriously amazing. At first, I thought it was going to be so-so but the sweetness of the butter cake and the saltiness of the salted egg cream cheese topped with the delicate nuttiness of the roasted coconut buttercream was divine. Divine!

Yes, Iñigo and I ate the cake. So we didn't get to participate in the contest! That bibingka cake was too good. I wanted to ask for more actually. I just got shy.

Here I am with hot mommy Jackie Go of Go! Jackie Go! and her baby Juro. He's busy munching on carrots. I don't know what my Iñigo was looking at. But this table was right beside the chefs' table so maybe Iñigo was looking at the chefs.

Design store Heima (say it like you're saying hello to your mommy) just opened its third branch in what is touted to be the next coolest neighborhood—Pioneer-Kapitolyo. At its launch last week, Vince and I dropped by for a look even though we don't really need furniture anymore. So I'll just tell you what we saw and what we loved.

I loved the huge door. I actually loved the store front. Sorry, no photo! You'll have to drop by to know what I mean. Anyway, totally loved the front door and the grassy threshold. Or welcoming mat. Or rug. I really have no idea what that is!

I love that this is how they define their business. Heima just doesn't sell furniture, they customize, too. So if you live in a tiny condo and want cute and stylish furniture that will fit, give them a call! Here's a sample of what they make:

Heima also makes these pretty frames of inspiration. I like them. Maybe when I have my own office one day! There's also note cards, at about P500 a set. The posters and stationery are all designed and printed by local artists.

Heima also sells stuff they didn't actually make but are still cute nevertheless, like this phone:

We loved these typewriters. Unlike you kids, Tito Vince and Tita Frances actually worked with typewriters in our youth. Pampalakas siya ng fingers. I think I was still using a typewriter when I was a freshman at U.P. Diliman. I obviously want the pink one. It's 12K. Ang mahal na pala ng typewriter ngayon!

We didn't type the "vito" by the way.

This was what Vince wanted. We still have some old records on a high shelf in our little study. Yep, we actually came from that generation which still played records. We had the records of Milli Vanilli! Pinag-ipunan yung mga plaka nila tapos fake pala yung dalawang yun!!! So for you kiddies, these may be cool and hipster but for your Tito Vince and Tita Frances, these things are real. My goodness, I am doing a great job making us old.

Heima also sells books. I was very interested in Fifi Lapin. This started out as a blog, then she was asked to do design collaborations. And now she has a book! That is totally my game plan with my blogging!!!

I started by buying these. These are expensive books, by the way. P1,100 each. My friend, WAHM extraordinaire Martine de Luna said these are just P795 at Fully Booked. I bought the ones from Heima anyway since Fully Booked is out of stock.

And here's your Tito V and Tita F. In fairness, we do not look old. The secret is what the pillow says. And tons of moisturizer!

Heima Brixton is at Unit 103, Three Brixton Bldg. #3 Brixton Street, Kapitolyo, Pasig. It's open Mondays to Saturdays from 10am to 7pm. Check their website too: http://heimastore.com/