TOPAZ HORIZON

Yo, I came out very quickly from blogger hibernation because someone slid into my DMs to say, "Kawawa ka naman puros lalaki mga anak mo." Girl, bless your heart, pero hindi ako kawawa. I am already so blessed to be a mother of one amazing, gorgeous, smart, healthy son. Na-times three pa! Sinong panalo? Sino???

Sinong pikon also haha

Pero nakakapikon talaga, ha. I was too suffocated with babyhood to have bothered before but, hey, I'm gonna make patol now. Why? Because this is not the first time this has happened! Piero wasn't even born yet and people have plagued me with this! Whenever people find out I have three boys, they get this look on their face, like, "Oh dear. Poor you."

Don't give me that look. Yes, I have a hard time with motherhood not because of the gender of my kids but because I'm a working mom, I have two (sometimes three) jobs, I have no household help, and no family around to help save my sanity. I may look kawawa kasi pagod na pagod ako at may losyang vibes na BUT I don't feel sad for having sons. Are you kidding me? I'm surrounded by three beautiful boys every day!

Three handsome boys all in a row. I mean, the world is always a better place when amazing brothers band together to rule it. Just look at these examples:


The Stark Brothers: Jon, Bran, Robb
Okay, technically Jon is their cousin but he was raised as their brother so don't fight me. And, yes, we will conveniently forget real brother Rikkon who was murdered by Ramsey. But just look at this photo from the first season of Game of Thrones! Who'd have thought they'd all become kings one day?


The Kennedy Brothers: John, Robert, Teddy
Yes, we'll do real life now. Yes, two weren't very good at staying alive and the last one wasn't very good at staying out of trouble but they did change US history and for three sons in one family to do that is pretty darn awesome.


The Hansons: Taylor, Zac and Isaac
Dreamy, can play music, can sing, knows a lot about art history, good looking, are amazing husbands and fathers. Perfect!


The Hemsworth Brothers: Liam, Chris and Luke
All three are successful actors (Westworld fans will recognize eldest bro Luke). They're easy on the eyes, too.


The Jonas Brothers: Nick, Joe, Kevin
Famous all over the world for being a pop sensation and for marrying strong and independent women.

The Sales VIPs
Best boys in this list! I can't even imagine what amazing things they'll do! I bet they'll be legendary. My mommy heart says so!

Mother of men. That's me!

I think having daughters is probably amazing, too. I say "probably" only because it's not my experience. I bet moms of daughters think they're the luckiest mommies, too. I'm super happy really. I seriously don't spend my days pining away for a little girl (sa hirap ng buhay ngayon, hindi talaga haha). Neither do I go around looking at moms of all girls and saying, "Kawawa ka naman." Loko ka. I think having kids of any number and any gender is a gift! So stop it and just congratulate me for being blessed three times over. Mwah!

"Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." Psalm 127: 3-5a

All the flowers last Mother's Day reminded me that I have a giveaway for my blog's 13th anniversary! If you follow @topazhorizonblog on Instagram, you'd know I was giving this bottle of Jo Malone Red Roses cologne. I'm moved by all the entries and I can't wait to see your story there.


I also wanted to share that my skincare products since summer of last year have a theme: roses. I sometimes stray from these and try out new beauty goodies (because who can resist?), but I find myself going back to these rose-filled beauty products because my skin looks and feels amazing when I use them.


This is my super favorite: Pure Beauté Facial Wash in Rose. I use this every single day (except for those times I sampled new facial washes sent to me). My face is so fabulous whenever I use this!!! I also use a tiny amount of the Pure Beauté Body Scrub on my face. Yes! It's so gentle on my skin anyway so I don't mind using the exfoliant once every 2 weeks.

The packaging looks so worn out na! That's proof that I really use them! You can buy these from the Simple Mama online store. I love Simple Mama's products. They're clean, pure, fresh, practically homemade. Every product feels like love in a container.

Okay, here's the link to the Pure Beauté page but the Rose Collection is a limited edition. That stresses me out because when my facial wash is running out, I go on panic mode. I don't think I can live without Pure Beauté Facial Wash in Rose! I won't guarantee this but maybe if you ask nicely, Simple Mama will make a batch for you. Tell me so we can order together!


Next favorite: In Her Element Petal Skin Rose Toning Essence. It's beauty water. It sounds unnecessary but it does what it says it will: Its water will beautify you. You know that part in the title that says petal skin? Yes, that will happen. Your skin will feel like rose petals. So soft and velvety smooth. So perfect!

It's P875 and the bottle is small. It feels like a lot of money for what is essentially water but get it!!! You don't need a lot anyway. I just pump the dispenser once and apply the toning essence all over my face. Pat, pat, pat. I don't use a cotton ball because I want ALL the drops on my now smooth and petal-soft face. So worth it!


So now you know my cleanser, exfoliant, and toner. Now check out my moisturizer: The Ordinary Rose Hip Seed Oil. This oil is pressed from the seeds of a rose plant. Oil is great for trapping moisture in skin but rosehip oil is also amazing for its anti-aging benefits. I added it to my skincare routine when I found out that Miranda Kerr, Rose Byrne, Cara Delavigne, Victoria Beckham and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, use it.
It's P900 from Calyxta and though it's a tiny bottle, you only need 2 drops for your entire face. You just warm up the oil in your palms then press, press, press. it's one of the best things I ever got for my skin. It smells like cooking oil, though, but the smell goes away soon enough. I love that the oil is quickly absorbed and so my mug doesn't look like a greasy frying pan.

My last rose-infused product is this super sulit Heritage Store Rose Petals Rosewater Mist. I use it for a ton of things! I got it from Calyxta for just P600 and I'll copy-paste na lang my review below.

So there you have it! My complete skincare products that all happen to have roses as its main ingredient! Have you tried roses in your skincare?

Now remember: I have a giveaway!

Okay, I'll talk about multi-masking with L'Oréal Pure Clay Masks in a bit but let me say this first: I totally forgot it's my blog's 13th anniversary this month! To celebrate, I'm doing a weekly giveaway over at my Instagram. Make sure you follow @topazhorizonblog to get a chance to win beauty products!

Now let's talk about multi-masking. From long-ago queen Cleopatra to today’s beauty vlogger royalty, clay masks have been used to detoxify and pamper skin. How does that work? The negative charge of clay attracts the positive charge of oil and dirt on your skin, sucks the yuckiness out of your pores, and leaves skin clean and balanced.

I was so lucky to be invited to the Samsung Forum 2019 at Resorts World Singapore! They wanted me to check out the new and impressive home appliances the huge electronics brand rolled out just for mommies like us. And, boy, was I truly impressed! I wanted to bring home every gadget I saw. And after I tell you my favorites, I'm sure you'll want a Samsung appliance in your home, too.

Here's what I want:

1. QLED TVs

The star of the show was this gigantic TV aptly named The Wall. It is so large, it is literally a wall. If anyone watched How I Met Your Mother here, that is the TV that Barney Stinson would've owned. It is massive! You'd need a mansion just to sit far away from it so that you can view your shows and movies properly. I don't have a picture of The Wall because there were just too many media buzzing around it, but here's a photo from Samsung:



Yes, it's 98 inches and while I'm very happy with our current 40" one, after I saw this, well, maybe bigger really is better! I really want a new TV now! And a Samsung TV, too, because I saw that the images were sharper and the colors more vivid. The fantastic picture quality is made possible by this feature called HDR10+. It processes the pictures to brighten scenes. It also has an automatic light control sensor so that it adapts to the brightness of its environment. So whether you're watching in bright daylight or in a dark room, your Samsung TV will adjust accordingly. This is the TV we should have used when we watched The Battle of Winterfell!

I also want to tell you about this clever function that the QLED TVs have. It's called The Frame because, okay, let's back up a little. When you turn off your TV, what does it become? A big black ugly rectangular hole in your shelf or living room. Ugh. Well then, if that annoys you, you will love The Frame TV.


Guess which frames up there are TVs? The Frame functions as a picture frame when you turn it off, displaying personal photos or art. I first saw this TV at Mandy Moore's exquisite home (the video tour shows the TV at 3:34) and it is now my dream home. A Mid-Century Modern Home nestled high up in the mountains is my definition of heaven. Anyway, since Mandy owns a Samsung The Frame, I now want one, too haha

2. Sound Bar

I've been lucky to watch my shows and movies with a better experience than most because my husband has always invested in a sound system. We are truly always surrounded by sound! Except lately because we need to upgrade our sound system. This is such a nerdy need but we need new speakers and when I saw the Sound Bar of Samsung, I just knew I had to have it!


According to the Samsung website, we should get a Soundbar HW-K350. It has 2 built-in speakers and a subwoofer for that truly immersive sound experience! I really want this! If you don't have a sound system with your TV, you're totally missing out. Buy one!!!
3. Powerbot Vacuum Cleaner

I have 3 boys. I live along EDSA. I have a rabbit. Of course we need a vacuum!!! We actually own a really good vacuum cleaner. While we love it, it's also large and unwieldy. It's difficult to take out of storage and it's heavy. Plus, its very long wire is always a hazard when you have 3 little boys running around.


So here's the solution! A robot vacuum that takes up so little space and just cleans the house all on its own. Maybe it's still a hazard because it's zooming around quietly and my sons may not see it, trip over it, or ride it (the most likely scenario). But I still want it!


And here's another vacuum cleaner that I want: the PowerStick Jet200!!! It sounds like something out of Harry Potter but this cordless stick is even more magical—it doesn't fly, no, but it sucks up dust like no one's business and I need it in my life! I know you all want this baby, too, because when I shared the appliances I found on my Instagram Stories, this is the gadget that everyone asked about! Sadly, it's not available here yet but, Samsung, you tell us once it hits our shores because my husband and my IG followers want one, too!

4. Air Purifier

I live along EDSA. I have 3 boys. We have allergies (don't worry—rabbit fur is hypoallergenic). Of course we need an air purifier! I saw these really amazing units at the Samsung Forum but I found out they're not available here yet. Sad face now.


That big one at the far right can handle our 110+ sqm home. I know we need an air purifier so that my kids can be safe from dust, allergens, viruses, smog, harmful indoor air gases. It's also relatively small and sleek so it won't take up too much floor space. And it's quiet. I want it!!!

5. Family Hub Refrigerator

You all know I just got a new refrigerator and I love it to bits so I really wasn't checking out the refrigerators at the convention. But I do want to share with you this amazing technology called Family Hub. It's all about Connected Living and Family Hub is the control center. You can check schedules, check who's at the door, answer phone calls, post photos and artwork, send messages, check the weather and the news, search for information—while cooking, cleaning, helping your kid with homework! Hands-free! It sounds like something from the future!


Samsung put this Family Hub technology in their big refrigerators because they deduced that the heart of the home is the kitchen. Every single member of the family visits the refrigerator at least once a day! So as you can see above, it's like a big phone on your ref door. Voice-controlled! It's amazing. I can't even explain it. Lemme study it and maybe do another post describing it once I fully understand it!

And there you have it! My favorite finds at the Samsung Forum Singapore! I had a wonderful time discovering all these incredible technology... for homemakers!!! And I'm not just talking about moms and dads. Anyone who lives in a house and wants household chores to be lots easier will want all these Samsung appliances.

Check out the Samsung Philippines website for more information and more gadgets. There are definitely more than 5 appliances that Samsung showed off (phones, washing machines, air conditioners, ovens, etc) but I was most impressed and needful of the ones I talked about here. Like the Samsung Ph Facebook page for more product announcements and sale promos!

Unboxing post! I only do this on Instagram (and not even often) but the Best Ever Joy press box called to me because it said it will help me lead a zero-worries life. Considering that my life has been a little crazy recently, I felt compelled to finally open the big yellow box and see the secret to a life free from worry!


So Joy, the trusted dishwashing liquid, recently introduced its new Best Ever Joy. I'm sure you're aware of this because of the dancing moms and Michael V ads everywhere!

Anyway, this latest formula is the biggest innovation in 10 years. It has the new powerful ingredient HOD, an amphiphilic polymer that locks in grease better and prevents it from attaching again to dishes when rinsing plates, sponge, sink and hands. So now when you wash dishes, you literally have "zero sebo"*  because the new Best Ever Joy breaks grease faster and more efficiently, keeps grease suspended in the wash solution, and rinses off more quickly. And because Pinoys like suds, they created the Best Ever Joy to have longer-lasting suds, preventing the need for more product on the sponge. Mas powerful na, mas nakakatipid ka pa!

Six bog bottles yes!!!

So paano naging #ZeroWorries ang life kapag zero-sebo sa kusina? I know. Medyo far-fetched but Joy believes that Filipino parents are always worrying about the quality and quantity of time we spend with our kids. And if we're just stuck sa kusina, washing dishes, what a waste of time!

Actually, when I talked to Pinoy mommies, hindi nila concern ang time sa kusina kasi majority of Pinoy households have kasambahays. Parang ako lang ang kilala ko na walang kaambahay! So at least sa bahay namin, issue siya. Husband ko ang taga-hugas ng pinggan (ako ang nagluluto kasi) and sobrang happy siya when he saw the Best Ever Joy box hehe

May P21 savings pa!

Anyway, if most Pinoy parents don't worry about dishwashing time, sama-sama naman tayo sa pag-worry about germs and if malinis ang baunan ng mga bata.

With the new Best Ever Joy, all those worries can be washed away! Moms and dads are assured of "zero sebo" — even though they used less product and spent less time washing, the plates are still completely clean of grease and germs. That means #ZeroWorries over time, energy, cleanliness, and budget. Moms and dads can focus on living the Best Ever Life because of the new Best Ever Joy! Hooray!

May hand-painted plato and sponge pa!

But let me share with you my powerful secret in beating worries: GOD!

Totoo yan! I am the worst worrier in the world. Hindi naman ako ganito dati. Naging ganito lang ako nung naging nanay ako. My worries manifest as a horrible itch sa legs ko (gross, I know), so if you look at my legs now, puros peklat. I tried meditation, exercise, breathing exercises, journaling, etc. Nothing! What helped was going back to God's Word.

There are many verses in the Bible telling us to not be afraid and to not worry at all. God is in control! He is Sovereign! No matter what happens, "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28). Everything is going to be okay, mamas!

Matthew 6:25-34 says, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

"Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God cloths the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?