Thursday, January 18, 2018

I put the Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick to the 16-hour test


I have found the lipstick of our dreams, working mamas! Last week, I was able to get all 10 shades of the Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipsticks. I love all the shades since they're all wearable. And by wearable, I don't just mean the colors look great on everyone and for daily use; I also mean the wear super stays put all day long.

It's my best beauty find of the year and I know it's only January but I'm really in love with these lipsticks!


Okay, so the Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipsticks were launched in the US last year and now it’s finally here in the Philippines!

The Matte Ink Liquid lipstick comes in a tube with the best kind of applicator—a diamond-shaped sponge with a hole in the middle so that it grabs a lot of product and then makes it so easy to apply. That said, you don't really need a lot because it's so pigmented.


The texture is creamy and takes a while to dry, but when it does, you never need to worry about reapplying because what you put in the morning is enough to last you the whole day. No transfer, no fading, no nothing anymore!

When they slapped Super Stay on the label, they meant it. My lipstick survived a lunch of greasy burgers and fries, kissing my kiddos, making out with my husband, snacks and dinner, and even a nap and I woke up and my lipstick didn't stain the pillow at all!

The lipstick isn't drying at all. It's best to exfoliate your lips first before application because when it dries to a semi-matte finish, crusty lips will be exaggerated.


Look at that burger, mamas. No hint of lipstick at all. Amazing! The lipstick will stay put all day, like I said, because they are that permanent. I don't know if all the shades are like that (I didn't test the dark ones) but I feel confident that all the shades will stay put. In fact, even when I wiped my lips vigorously with a napkin after eating, the lipstick didn't transfer at all. In the evening, I really had to use an oil-based makeup remover to wipe off the Matte Ink.

Check out screencaps of my IG Stories when I tested Matte Ink last weekend. I got so many DMs because of this asking me to reveal the mystery lipstick! Well, I'm wearing the Lover shade of the Matte Ink line and I LOVE IT!

Anyway, watch this!


My favorites are Loyalist, Lover (my absolute must-have!), Pioneer, and Voyager. But I'm planning to buy more if and when the other nude shades come to our shores.

These lipsticks ara available on Lazada now. GET THEM ALL! In fact, as I type this, my lipsticks from Lazada just arrived. Too a while. I ordered them Sunday morning and they arrived 4 days later. Anyway! This is not a sponsored post. I didn't even get any free lipsticks. I just got to try them for my job (I'm a beauty editor at L'Oréal Paris) and once I tried it, I just knew I had to share my fantabulous find with you! Buy now!

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Monday, January 15, 2018

What an accountant can do for bloggers, freelancers and small business owners

It's January and that means it's time for me to renew my business permit. It's no joke starting and maintaining a business in this country. It seems like the government hates businesses, what with all the hardships and documents and fees and taxes to pay every single month for as long as the business is up. It's also no joke closing a business here because to do so is quite expensive and such a painfully long drawn out process.

So yes, I sometimes regret starting a business but because my business has allowed me to work with huge brands like Smart and L'Oréal Paris, I really can't regret it. I didn't want to be small-time. I wanted the big guns and so I had to open a writing business. It's thriving and providing for my family so even though I hate all government transactions, I am willing to go through all the hoops required.

Unless, of course, someone else will do it for me!

Because I am always on the look out for things that will make my life easier, I have found that hiring professional accountants from a reputable company is the best way to make my businesswoman experience better. Emphasis on "professional" and "reputable" because I hired an accountant before and he was unreliable and I am still dealing with the mess he left. 


I'm so grateful for Pinnacle Sources Global Consultancy Inc. They are a team of qualified accountants who provide end-to-end business solutions for start-ups. They will handle everything from business registration, HR and recruitment to all the nitty-gritty of accounting services that streamline a business’ accounting tasks to help us reduce costs and maximize profits. Through a team of skilled Certified Public Accountants, Pinnacle Sources will not only keep track of expenses but help the business create and manage budgets, forecast future revenue and track the financial health of the business. 

For me, Pinnacle is more than a service. They are so kind and patient with me especially when I'm so stupid and just can't understand all the hows and whys of what the government requires. Even when I've lost my resolve and given in to despair, they encourage me. Even when I am so ashamed and say, "I don't have money now," they tell me what we can do. They are more than professional. They care.

If you're a business looking for accounting services, if you're just starting out and need a professional accountant to manage your bookkeeping and taxes, you must give Pinnacle Sources a call. You will not be disappointed. They will really take care of you. I think they're one of my best finds as a businesswoman. Because of them, I don't regret starting a business anymore. In fact, they've made me believe I'm doing a good job. Thanks, Pinnacle!


Anyway, if you're still hemming and hawing about hiring a professional accountant like Pinnacle Sources, let me share with you what they told me which convinced me to hire them:

A qualified team of accountants will not only keep your books in order; they can help your business save by offering cost-efficient spending solutions or even help your business earn by helping you make accurate financial forecasts.

Yet for businesses that are just starting out, it can be difficult to allocate time and resources for accounting personnel as you focus on getting your company off the ground. That is why for small to medium enterprises or new business owners, outsourcing is a viable solution to fulfilling your accounting needs. Here’s a closer look at the specific advantages outsourcing your accounting:

Financial Savings 
Money can be tight when your business is just starting out. By outsourcing your accounting, you can pay for the specific accounting services you require without incurring the additional cost of hiring an employee. This will help you save on expenses like benefits and insurance and also on work space, office furniture, computer and software that you may not be able to afford just yet. 

Outsourcing your accounting also gives you more flexibility in terms of scale. Whether you are looking to grow your business or suddenly have to cut back, you have a team who can help provide different plans and options to achieve your goals, which in-house accounting can’t provide. 

Time Savings 
Think of the weekly hours it will take to manage in-house accounting staff—taking away from the time you can spend on business. Outsourcing your business’s bookkeeping operations frees up valuable time that can be put into better use for the company, such as improving your operations, product or marketing. Entrepreneurs also don’t have to deal with the typical headaches involved with recruiting, hiring, retaining and overseeing staff because that’s what the outsource service provider will handle.

Expert Services 
Outsourcing gives you a great way to have full-time knowledge on your team without having to pay for it around the clock. By putting your books into the hands of highly skilled staff who understand the best practices, your job becomes a whole lot easier—and efficient. Accounting service providers also have to constantly hone their skills to keep up with the competition, ever increasing the quality of their work. This means when you go to an accounting service firm, you can trust that your accounting will be handled well. 

Access to top systems 
Outsourcing your accounting operations gives you more access to the top tools in the industry. Most businesses can’t afford to pay for the extremely expensive bookkeeping programs nor can they afford to spend the time keeping up with changing laws and regulations. By outsourcing, you’re essentially purchasing those tools and that knowledge by proxy. In addition, these top systems create nightly backups and keep organized records and books for years, ensuring that you will have access to reports and will always be ready should an audit be required. 

Contractual Obligation 
Accounting service providers face higher liability than in-house staff, which makes them less of a risk for your business—they’re more likely to follow through on their obligations because they have more to lose if they don’t. Furthermore, dealing with the contracts or agreements of outside providers can be much easier than dealing with the hiring negotiations, employee management and other human resources issues involved with employees.

One of the companies who offer outsourced accounting services is Pinnacle Sources 
“Accounting is something that every business needs whether it is small or large. When you outsource your accounting services to us, you are assured of a team of Certified Public accountants that will help you make better financial decisions that will grow your business,” said Pinnacle Sources’ Managing Director Christine Li.

To find out more about Pinnacle Sources and their services, visit their website, http://www.pinnaclesources.com/ or their office at 32/F BPI-Philam Bldg, Ayala Ave., Makati. You can also send them an email: ask@pinnaclesources.com. 

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Saturday, January 13, 2018

Review: Flawless Rejuvelite Mask Acne Control facial

It's the new year and you know what I'm so excited about? People telling me my skin looks so good! You can't imagine how happy that makes me feel and I'm here to tell you that the Flawless Rejuvelite Acne Control facial is giving me that glow. Literally a glowing facial, mamas! Look at the mask Flawless uses on me:

Look at it glooooow!

There are four Rejuvelite Mask facials Flawless offers: Oil Control, Acne Control, Age Defy, and Whitening. Each facial uses a different kind of LED light energy to address your specific skin concern. Since mine has always been controlling my acne, that's what I tried.

To be very honest, I was skeptical about this facial. I mean, light can cure my acne? Get out of here. But I read up on it, read dozens of reviews from happy beauty bloggers and credible beauty editors, even looked up scientific papers on LED therapy (check out my research here), and so I gave it a go.

The Flawless Rejuvelite Acne Control Mask Facial is a full treatment that will take about 2 hours. It starts with cleansing, steaming and pricking and then the cold Oxygenating mask is applied to my face for 15 minutes.

Here comes the LED mask part. For my skin concern, blue light was used for me. Blue light kills pimple-causing bacteria and calms and soothes inflammation. I'll have to admit that I lay under that blue light-emitting mask, I was still a doubter. I guess I was so used to physical manipulation that to just lie quietly under light was unnerving.


After 15 minutes of my LED light therapy, I was free to go. I didn't notice anything different right after (maybe because it was dinner time and I was hungry) but I woke up the next day looking glowwy. Yep! I looked great. I thought, "Nah, it's just the usual facial."

But when I had that glow even after two weeks, and then the few pimples I had calmed down and disappeared and no new eruptions occurred even a month after my facial, I was convinced! I am now a LED light therapy enthusiast! I highly recommend it and if you should ever try a facial this year, mamas, the Flawless Rejuvelite Mask Facials are a must!

Every subsequent Rejuvelite facial I got made me even more smooth and young and glowing. Look at me now (this is just my phone camera):

The Flawless Rejuvelite Mask Facial is P1,100. There is a faster and more affordable option, the Flawless Rejuvelite InstaFacials (Calming, Boosting, Healing, and Firming). Each is only 30 minutes long and just P480. That's what I want to do next!

From the oily, pimply woman I've resigned myself to look like forever, I now look so much younger and better because of my glowing skin! Thank you so much, Flawless!!! Thanks so much for sponsoring my blog and my skincare last year, thank you for believing there was a beautiful woman under all those pimples and scars and wrinkles, and thank you for convincing me that beauty inside and outside can co-exist and be a wonderful thing.

I'm so happy my skin is so much better. I feel a new confidence and, now more than ever, I can't wait to conquer 2018!

To know more about Flawless services and promos, like their Facebook page, follow their Instagram account, and visit their website.

*This post was brought to you by Flawless Face & Body Clinic. 

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