TOPAZ HORIZON

Happy Mommy's Month!

It's been a very busy past few weeks for me—I have new blog partners and new endorsements! Mother's Month (hehe because we all know we have to appreciate moms all this month!) is just as busy. The scariest part is I have new speaking engagements! I'm frightened and excited at the same time because with my workshops, I usually just speak to 10-20 people. My talks this month have an audience of 120-150!

The first one is this Saturday, at the Mom 101 & Breastfeeding 101 series of St. Luke's Medical Center. This series is by the OBG Department and this weekend's instalment has a summer theme. I'll be talking about how to dress your baby bump stylishly even when it's so hot!

• a visit to the dentist every 6 months
• strictly enforcing brushing teeth at bedtime
• supervising brush teeth time
• no eating or drinking after brushing teeth
• flossing

• The perfect angle to tilt the toothbrush is 45 degrees for optimal reach. And gently sweep the brush down (upper teeth) and up (lower teeth). 
• Always floss! The ideal length of floss is 20 inches. That's enough to take out all the gunk between your teeth.
• Mouthwash takes care of the spaces inside the mouth that your toothbrush cannot reach.
• Retain baby teeth or milk teeth as much as possible. As I said above, they play an important role in guiding the growth of permanent teeth.

But first, naloka ako sa "well-known beauty maven" sa invitation. As in hahahahaha! Thanks, Philosophy, for calling me that even though I'm not exactly Miss Universe! Far from it! But, because of my current skincare regimen, I have the best skin I've ever had in all my 38 years. So, let me share with you what Philosophy products are making my skin look amazing, then I'll give you a peek at my little skincare party, and then I'll invite you to the next Philosophy pretty party!

Philosophy products I love
I only started using Philosophy this summer. As many of my blog readers know, I had been using and loving Shiseido's Ibuki skincare line. Now, Ibuki is designed for people in their 20s but it had worked for me anyway. Unfortunately, at the start of this year, hindi na yata nakayanan ng Ibuki ang almost-40-year-old skin ko. So I began using a drugstore brand touted for its regenerating abilities. Unfortunately again for me, the only thing it regenerated on me are pimples!!!

Left with dark pimple spots all over my face, I was looking for something to slough off the dead and tired skin layer and a brightening moisturizer. I've been getting facials at the Aivee Clinic but because I wasn't following instructions (OxyGeneo facials should be done every 10 days and my schedule was always too full for me to follow that strictly), my skin would go back to being dull. I needed something I can do at home. This is the miraculous answer:

My skin is always super soft and smooth after using this. I use this once a week. I'll do a full review next month. Anyway, love love this but because I'm 38 na, I need to exfoliate more than once a week so I added this:
This is kinda sticky and it stings a little since it's a chemical peel. But it really adds a glow! I'll do another review of this, too, next month!

Then because I have dark acne spots and freckles (also known as sun damage!), I added a brightening line. Within two weeks, my spots started lightening up!

Because the spots situation is being managed, I started using this last week. It's the anti-aging line of Philosophy and I can see changes in my skin!
Reviews soon! Oh, I'm really planning to blog regularly now! Kahit once a week man lang, or photos man lang! I miss my readers!

Anyway, my dear Loyal Readers, why don't we have a fun afternoon together, finding out about skincare, getting pampered, and getting fab Philosophy products? Just like how my friends did one fine afternoon when I invited them to a small party at Philosophy Mega Fashion Hall! Here's what happened:

The fun Topaz Horizon x Philosophy workshop

I'm so excited to report that my blog talk at Powerbooks Greenbelt that was done upon the invitation of National Book Store and The Study by Enderun was a SUCCESS!

I was so nervous because it was a public space. But my husband, Vince, who was there, said despite a few foibles, I did well! Hooray!

At the registration table.

I got a celebrity to attend my talk! Boys Night Out Tony Bueno is seriously considering becoming a blogger.

If you missed my talk, Jennilyn of the wonderful book blog Rurouni Jenni Reads has a detailed recap. If you read her post, it's almost like you attended my talk!

Now I've been doing workshops recently. I've had two with Bobbi Brown, one with Philosophy, and then this blog talk for Powerbooks and The Study by Enderun. I'm a newbie in this workshop business but I'm quickly getting the hang of it. I've also learned a few things from my workshops:

1. Arrive early.
I'm usually early for my workshops because I anticipate problems. For example, for the blog talk, I had brought a Macbook and their projector can only work with a PC. Buti na lang Vince was there because he told me to save my Keynote presentation as a PowerPoint one and then save that in a USB stick, which thankfully saved the day. Thanks, Vince!

Being early also helps calm my nerves. And most importantly, it allows me to do the next lesson...

2. Mingle with the attendees.
When I'm early, I get to chat with the participants. We get comfy with each other, which really helps make the workshop successful because a friendly atmosphere is established. They will actively participate! Plus, chatting with everyone informally helps me understand what they want to learn, and this is a big deal when I'm finally talking in front of everybody.

I hate to confess that I arrived very late for one workshop and I really felt the difference. The participants were annoyed, I was rushed, and the workshop just didn't start off well. I'm never repeating this mistake!

3. Personalize the space.
While I don't yet have the budget to decorate the venue of my workshops, I've decided that I need to put something of me or my blogs in the space where I'm working. Scented candles will help, especially because one venue smelled bad! I liked it when National Book Store sent me beautiful orange Leuchtturm journals for my participants—orange is the color of Topaz Horizon and writing is my work. So me!

Or maybe print huge tarpaulins with my face on it hahaha

4. Bring water!
Oh yes. What a mistake that I keep forgetting to bring water to my workshops! When I'm talking non-stop, my mouth just dries up. And when my mouth dries up, so does my brain!

5. Put notes on note cards! 
And write in big letters! And use a big, black marker!!!

Now that I know all that, I'm pretty sure my future workshops will be much, much better!

Speaking of future workshops...

Want to know more about making blogging a business? Then you're in luck! I have another blog workshop called "The Next Level Blogger" coming up on Aug. 27, Thursday, from 10am to 1pm at The Podium, Ortigas Center.

To know more about my fantabulous blogging workshop, click here.

Slots are limited since I really want to interact with my participants. Register before Aug. 15 to get the early-bird rate of P1,500. After that date, it's P2,000 na.

Oh, and I know the curriculum says I'll be talking about building your blog and making it look pretty, but I'm focusing more on making your blog earn money. How to make a media kit, how to work with brands, how to pitch to brands—basically stuff that established bloggers want to know. That's why my workshop is called, "The Next Level Blogger," because we're leveling up!

I hope to see you at my blogging workshop at The Study at Podium Mall in Ortigas Center! Please share with your blogger friends!

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I'm giving a little talk on Sunday about my blogging journey and I hope you show up! Powerbooks and Enderun's The Study said all I need to do is talk about how I started blogging, how I got my following, and how I'm earning from blogging. That's the general outline, but they said I'm free to talk about anything I like as long as it's about blogging.

So this past weekend, I've been trying hard not to be nervous for Sunday haha. I'm deathly afraid, to be honest. I have horrific stage fright. I don't suffer from stage fright when I do presentations for other things, say the magazine I used to edit or a project for a company. I'm very good at presentations. But when I started blogging professionally, I found it so weird to sell myself. Does anyone feel the same way?

Anyway, so I was thinking about my talk on Sunday and I remembered that all my friends who wanted to blog asked if I recommend it. You know, they'll ask, "Do you think I should blog?" Which always struck me as a strange question. It's like, "Do you think I should get married? Do you think I should have kids?" I think if you need to ask people about it, then maybe you know within your heart that it isn't for you. Here are a few reasons why blogging may not be for you.

But before I discourage you, let me encourage you!

Blogging exposes you.
Putting yourself out there attracts attention. Most of the time, it's a good kind of attention because you attract people who are interested in the same things you write about. Many of my friends today I met because of my blogs. They liked my humor, they liked my stories, they liked how I lived my life. And when I visited their blogs, I found that we were sisters from another mother—that's how alike we are!

But then sometimes, especially if you talk about things you believe in, you attract negative people. They will tear you down, criticize your beliefs, spread bad things about you, and basically find you so disagreeable, they can't help themselves. They just want to hate. Now, I have nothing against criticism. I'm not perfect and I'm not an expert. Plus, sharing how I live my life will invite opposing opinions. That's how life is. But I don't believe in hate. We can disagree but I don't understand why I have to be hated just because I don't live the way others do.

This used to bother me (like I would cry about it, and I don't cry easily!) until I realized that my blogs have brought me more love and friendship than hate. In fact, putting myself out there is one of the best things I've ever done! I have so many friends now. I have so many gifts from complete strangers who love my family! I gained work opportunities. My life is so much better all because I put myself out there.

But if you're the kind of person who can't deal with negativity, criticism and opposition, then think again if you want to blog!

Blogging may get you in trouble with your loved ones. Or your work.
This is mostly an issue with bloggers who talk about their personal lives or share their opinions on politics, religion and anything deemed controversial. So food bloggers, fashion bloggers and beauty bloggers are safe (correct me if I'm wrong!).

What you say online may affect your family or your employer. Both have happened to me. I had a big falling out with a member of my family because of something nasty that I said carelessly (the relationship is now healed). I also periodically get scolded by older family members for talking about my parents or for scandalizing them when I talk about sex (why does sex with my husband scandalize people?). So I'm more careful now, less reactive, less stupid, less emotional, less sex. At least online!

I also got in big trouble at the publishing company I used to work for because I gave a bad review of a product and the brand happened to be a major advertiser. I argued that my personal lifestyle and opinions shouldn't affect my professional life but I learned the hard way that, yep, they do.

I understand now that every part of my life affects each other, so I can't just blurt out everything in my head and heart. I must measure every word and judge how it will affect others, especially my family. I used to not care about these things because I thought that if I believed in it enough, then I must say it. It's my truth, and blogging is a terrific channel for expressing my truth. But now I understand my truth must be tempered with compassion, and sometimes compassion says, "Don't say it."

So if you're willing to ruffle feathers, go ahead and blog! But if that doesn't appeal to you, then start a blog that will be just fun but not personal. Examples are recipes, DIY, arts and crafts, home management tips, toy collections, and the like. These can still be incredibly successful!

Blogging can be incredibly intrusive.
Well, that's because when you share your life so publicly, you invite people into your life, whether you meant to do so or not. People who read your blog feel that they know you now and that they are your friend. In many ways, they are. I have so many friends now that I met online!

But there have been instances when a stranger came up to my husband and teased him about something I blogged about and Vince was smiling and all but inside he was uneasy because I'm the blogger and he's the private person so he felt invaded. My kids have also gotten weirded out when people will shout, "Hi Vito!" and try to pinch him. Oh, and I remember when someone blocked my way with a grocery cart at the supermarket and the woman greeted me happily. I was glad that someone I don't know was so happy to see me but at the same time, I felt, "Woah, you frightened me!"

I'm no celebrity. So I don't go around assuming I have fans. Oh haha that sounds so wild! But I do get thrilled when people say hi and ask for a picture or comment kindly about the kids. It doesn't go to my head; it goes straight to my heart! Thank you! So while I gave up a bit of my privacy (I don't reveal everything, you know!), the trade off is I allow more people to love me and my family. It's a beautiful exchange.

But if your privacy matters to you intensely, then maybe blogging is not for you.


Now if these reasons don't deter you from starting a blog, then you can drop by my talk on Sunday and learn more about blogging! I promise you it will be fun. And it's free! There will be a Q&A after so you can ask me anything you want about blogging!

Okay, I think I'll do a good job on Sunday. My nerves relaxed when I wrote this post. Now all I'm worried about is... What will I wear?!?

See you there!


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I'm so excited! Enderun's The Study and Powerbooks invited me to talk about blogging! This will be at Powerbooks Greenbelt 4, on July 19. Yes, that's this Sunday! I'm a little surprised at how quickly this happened but I'm thrilled to be given the chance to talk about my passion for blogging and to meet my readers, too!

Yes, you're all invited!

Please do come! Anything and everything you ever wanted to know about blogging (especially my blogging journey), you can ask me there! Or you can ask me in the comments below so I can be prepared haha.

See you all on Sunday!

UPDATE! I forgot to say this is FREE! So come one, come all!

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April is always special to me because it's my wedding anniversary month. It used to be special for another reason, too: it's also the anniversary month of OK! magazine, the Hollywood entertainment title I used to helm.

I've actually forgotten that April is OK!'s anniversary month! This year would've been our 10th birthday had we not been killed off in 2012. After just three years, I've already forgotten details of what used to be a HUGE chunk of my life. I only remembered because I was looking for photos of my kids' Babiators on my iPhoto library (another story for another day!) and came across these old photos I took of OK!'s "Letter from the Editor" page.


I posted this on Facebook and felt a sharp pang of nostalgia. I miss my team! They are seriously the best people anyone could ever want in a magazine. Here are a few photos of my old team:

Black and gold theme.

Harry Potter theme yata ito haha

The very last staff photo. Party theme, I guess. Mostly, "Bye-bye, dear OK! readers but let's not be sad" theme.

Gorgeous!

Anyway, as an extra, I'm sharing with you more pics of me. I took these photos years ago because I wanted to see the progression of how I looked like in the 7 years I was editor-in-chief. So these were supposed to be just for my private consumption. But what the heck! Let me share with you!

My very first EIC photo! Look at my giddy smile. Look at my FLAT STOMACH!!!

I liked wearing T-shirts in my late 20s. I don't think I owned a dress at this point in my life.

And this was probably when I started wearing dresses. That'll be in 2007.

Nope. Still in a T-shirt phase! And mommy jeans with NO BELT! Why?!

This is my favorite photo. Vince designed that dress and I had it made. I love that dress.

This was when our shoots started to be styled. Not only are we wearing better clothes, we also have accessories now!

That cleavage had to be added because I was as flat as a board.

I loved this dress so much! When the shoot was over, I reluctantly took it off. I regret not buying it.

This was an orange dress that we turned red. We also whittled my waist because I looked so thick haha!

Aww. I had just given birth here! Look at my new mom smile!

With Vito!!!

My last EIC photo.

Good heavens, what was I thinking in some of those early photos?! Wala pa kasi akong stylist then. After a few years, especially when we got our fashion editors Nichole and Kabbie, our staff shoots were styled. Thank goodness! I mean, really, a t-shirt for an EIC photo? And inulit-ulit pa!

Oh, those were good days. Happy days! But I'm into motherhood now more than I am into magazines so the stressful life of helming a publication is in my past. I like that I'm back in magazines now but as market editor of BABY Magazine. I just have my 20 pages to think of and then I'm back to my little boys. I work from home, best of both worlds, very easy life. Happy days!


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Hello!

I've disappeared! November was CRAZY! Just a recap via my Instagram:

Vito went to school.

Putting on his socks and shoes all by himself. My sweet, independent boy! And his brother who also wants to go to school and is crying his heart out :(

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Nov 11, 2014 at 7:00pm PST

I got a haircut so I'll be pretty for my birthday.

At the neighborhood parlor and this is just too funny heehee

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Nov 11, 2014 at 1:00am PST

I celebrated my birthday!

Sigh! My birthday weekend is over! I'll blog about it this week on Topaz Mommy (since I have giveaways to do on Topaz Horizon). Thank you to my family, my friends and followers for making my 38th birthday wonderful! Mwah!

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Nov 11, 2014 at 5:54am PST

We put up the tree.

What we did today :)

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Nov 11, 2014 at 4:23am PST

I had soooo many shoots, I still can't believe I survived this month!

What happened at today's shoot for BDJ Box Beauty Ministry! More soon on the blog and on BDJBox.com :)

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Nov 11, 2014 at 2:25am PST

Behind the scenes at Baby Magazine's shoot of #TeamKramer! That's Jigs Mayuga applying makeup on Chesca; Doug talking to our EIC Juana Yupangco; little Gavin just woken up from his nap; and Scarlett playing with my Piero! :)

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Nov 11, 2014 at 1:34am PST

Louie Aguinaldo has a new assistant 😜

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Nov 11, 2014 at 12:19am PST

Photo shoot today for Baby Magazine :) Our models, editor and Pond's girl Agoo Bengzon and her son Dre (making White Hat yogurt in bottom right pic) were so good with their poses! Can't wait to tell you about this amazing gorgeous mom in our Dec-Jan issue! 😊

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Nov 11, 2014 at 1:02am PST

Photo shoot again today for Baby Magazine! This time we feature the cutest clothes on the cutest kids, who are too happy playing with each other 😊

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Nov 11, 2014 at 11:15pm PST

She's soooo amazing! And soooo nice!!! Happy to feature Dr Aivee Teo as our Baby Mama in Baby Magazine 😍

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:17pm PST

To top it all off, we're having some parts of the house renovated!!!

Clue on my newest endorsement!!! Hello, talagang pinatrabaho nila ako for this project. So believe me when I say I really recommend Nippon Paint! #nipponmomento

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Nov 11, 2014 at 12:18am PST

Plus, meetings, events, lunches with friends, and family affairs (birthdays and anniversaries). I won't post the photos na of those. Hindi niyo naman sila kilala haha. But there! Punong-puno ang Nobyembre ko! December promises to be a little less hectic. Well, I have TONS of deadlines to meet this week so, okay, I'm gone again!

Will blog next week! Mwah!

P.S. Thanks for sticking around, dearest readers. I'm often on Instagram so please follow me there! Mwah mwah!

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There's a lot of blog neglect going on lately. Just when I'm overflowing with stories! I have so many exciting things happening, dearest readers. I could barely wrap my head around them and catch my breath! I looked through my Instagram account so I can give you a summary:

I collaborated with Ni-QUA to come out with my line of clutches. Buy one please! I have pink and tan, too!!!

I started work as Baby Magazine's Market Editor. My friend says it's the Town & Country of parenting magazines since it features a lot of upper crust moms. Well, I'm just glad I have work! It's very light since Baby Magazine comes out every two months. So I still work from home. Best of both worlds!

Here's a few shots from the fashion editorial shoot we did at Makati Shangri-la. That was sooo cute! In case you're wondering, my work as Market Editor is all about featuring products and services for babies, little kids, moms and families. So that's like a beauty/fashion/lifestyle editor. In other words, I get the fun part of making the magazine! If you have a product and service for babies, little kids, moms and families, tell me!

I also joined BDJ Box Beauty Ministry to dish beauty advice, tips and reviews. Check out my articles! I just started so I don't have a lot yet, but my fellow ministers have dozens of beauty reviews and tips you'll love!

Anyway, the BDJ post also means attending events and meetings! A very big one was at the Beauty Social mid-September. Here's a photo of me and Kate Alvarez backstage. Those bags behind us are hundreds of goody bags for all the girls who attended. Wow, there are soooo many BDJ Box subscribers! And it was so nice to meet you!

By the way, my articles came out in Smart Parenting's September issue. I hope you got a copy! These are possibly my last articles to come out in magazines this year because I'll be focusing on Baby Magazine now.

Then I got sick for a whole week. Asthma attacks for the first time in years! My kids got sick, too. My husband and I were worried about Vito and Iñigo. But they got better soon enough. Iñigo now is on the last legs of his horrible cold. But we're just happy they're healthy again.

And I was busy with the blogs. Here I am on my way to yet another meeting! And Piero is always with me since he breastfeeds. I know you're not seeing any action online but I've been going to meetings with people who want to work with me. Some didn't work out, some did. I'm just grateful for everything! Blogging has been such a big blessing!

That's why I'm back! I have to blog. I know I've been away. That's because life is exciting! Let's not forget to live! Still, I don't want to lose you, my dearest readers. So I'm going to try to blog here on Topaz Horizon twice a week. I also blog over at Topaz Mommy, in case you miss me. And if you reeeeeeally miss me, I'm very active on Instagram and Facebook. On IG, I post a lot about my everyday life. On FB, I share a lot of links to interesting and helpful stories I found on the web.

So I promise to blog more often and regularly! I'm thinking Mondays and Fridays. See you next week! Happy weekend!

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Good Monday morning, beautiful readers! I know all my posts lately have been about beauty products but I promise this isn't turning into a beauty blog. It's just that I've been mostly at home being a mom (for those adventures, you can check Topaz Mommy!) so I just write about the stuff that's making this pregnancy a beautiful one: beauty products!

Anyway, I did venture out of the house last week because Lancôme, one of my favorite brands in the world, invited me to an intimate brunch at Manila Peninsula to launch the new Lancôme Absolue Golden Glow, its latest luxurious skincare line created after 20 years of research into skin stem cells. Skin will look younger with a distinct golden glow. I'm super excited to try this line!

Here I am with Sasu Hurme, Lancôme's product manager. He was amazed that this was my third pregnancy, and said very kindly, "Your husband must be so very happy." He is, he is, Sasu! That's why I need to make myself beautiful for him because he makes me happy, too!

Here are a few products from the new Absolue Golden Glow collection. Inspired by nature's endless regeneration abilities, this skincare line uses precious oils from flowers, extraxts from linseed and chlorella, and Pro-Xylane technology which produced Lancôme's most effective anti-aging molecule.

Oh yes, there's makeup, too! This is the foundation but it's really a skincare product because it contains the same ingredients as the Regenerating Oleo-Serum so with each use, your skin becomes more radiant, wrinkles and fine lines fade, skin is infused with a healthy glow.

We also had a chance to check out the other anti-aging products from the Lancôme family:

(black bottle) There's Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate, to use after toner and before serum. This is what Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, uses!

(blue products) The Visionnaire line boasts that women who use it stopped or delayed cosmetic clinical procedures! This refines skin—pores and fine lines seem to disappear, texture improves and smoothens.

(black jars) Absolue L'Extrait. These are skin elixirs for erasing lines. A clinical study showed that with just 11 weeks' use, there was remarkable improvement in forehead wrinkles, frown lines, crow's feet, undereye wrinkles, nasolabial fold, and lines around the mouth.

(white and gold products) Absolue Premium promises extreme moisture to plump up skin.

At the event, we also got skin consultations and luxe facials. I didn't avail of the facial since I've already bought facial treatments at Lancôme Shangri-la Plaza. Drop by the Lancôme counters/shops and ask about their facials. They are so relaxing and makes me gorgeous!  

Anyway! Here's my Lancôme loot from the event:

A small vanity kit in gold leatherette.

Golden boxes inside!

Oh my! I die! I die!

The Absolue Sublime Rejuvenating Essence Foundation. A full size tube costs Php 3995.

The Absolue UV Global Youth Protector SPF 50, Php 3595. I love Lancôme's sunscreens! They're some of the best!

The Absolue Yeux Global Multi-Restorative Eye Concentrate, Php 6995. Can't wait to try this!!!

The Hypnôse Star mascara. Lancôme's mascaras always make it on the favorites of beauty editors and makeup artists!

I'll use these products after I give birth and I'll give a proper review.

For more information, visit the Lancôme website, or their shops and boutiques at Greenbelt 5, Rustan's Shangri-la Plaza, Rustan's Makati and Rustan's Alabang. Like the Lancôme Philippines Facebook page. Follow them on Twitter and Instagram (both @LancomePH).

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