TOPAZ HORIZON

Early this month, I was one of the women Martine de Luna of the inspirational blog, Make It Blissful, invited to her thanksgiving event. She called it Blissmakerie, a gathering of the women she's worked with or helped in her five years of blogging.

I was surprised to be there honestly (with my constant date, Piero, see below), because while Martine and I are friends, we've not actually worked together. I've long wanted to work with Martine to improve my blogs, but I got caught up in babymaking bliss (that's my kind of bliss!) so I put my sessions with Martine on hold. I also focused on family this year, what with two little boys and pregnant with the third to take care of with no yaya (we did finally get a housemaid)! With so much of life happening, I completely lost focus on the blogs.



But I don't regret any of this blog neglect. In fact, it was a conscious decision. Life was happening very quickly and I just had to live it! While many readers may have disliked the sponsored posts na sunod-sunod, I didn't mind. It was either sponsored content or no content. I had lost my "blogging bliss," as Martine would say. Many reasons. Other bloggers brought me down. A difficult pregnancy. A new baby. Just me and my husband raising our boys, which left us completely exhausted. New jobs. All of these left me with no time or energy for blogging outside of sponsored content.

Blogging became another job, although it remained a job I loved. While I consciously distanced myself from writing about my life (I was feeling very fragile this year), I was thankful that I didn't have to completely give up blogging thanks to my dear sponsors who gave me reason (and compensation!) to keep on blogging.

At Blissmakerie, however, my passion for blogging was rekindled. Seeing how Martine grew her blog and her brand, how she collaborated with other bloggers and brands, and helped grow other bloggers' online homes was just the inspiration I needed to shake up Topaz Horizon and Topaz Mommy. I began feeling that old excitement and thrill of sharing my life with you all. I also started dreaming again, visiting old plans I had for the blog. Read this October 2013 post  about my plans for 2014. The last paragraph says:

So that's what I plan to do this year and next year: blog. Grow the blogs, be more purposeful in my writing, get to know my readers more, build my reputation as a credible and honest blogger. Maybe these steps will help me in the next stage—empire building!—or maybe the next stage is more babies and just settling down to be a simple housewife. Who knows? Whatever it may be, I welcome it!  

Well, we now know that 2014 was just all about babies! But I also went back to magazine work so I didn't become a housewife. I did still remain a blogger. And for 2015, that should be my main focus (outside family, of course!).

Anyway! So let's look at this amazing Blissmakerie event so you get an inkling of how it inspired me to blog blissfully again!

The gorgeous venue was at Scarsdale Artisanal Delights (http://www.scarsdaleph.com/) along Shaw Blvd. Just look at that styling done by Constance Events Styling (www.facebook.com/constancestyling)! So pretty! But not sickeningly saccharine. Feminine but not girly. Sweet but elegant. I loved it! So pretty! I really told Constance Styling that if I have blog events next year, I'm totally getting them (if I can afford them, that is!).

My place at the table, marked by a Christmas ball with my name and exquisite macarons from Fat Fingers Sweet Treats (http://instagram.com/fatfingersph):

This afternoon was spent at @martinedeluna's #makeitblissful thanksgiving party at @scarsdale_ph, where everything was delicious. Martine the #blissmaker thanked her blogging friends and clients at her party and shared plans for next year. Beautifully and simply designed event called #blissmakerie2014, very feminine but not saccharine. Good job to event stylist @constancestyling! This is my place at the table. 😊

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Dec 12, 2014 at 2:00am PST

Scarsdale meant it when they added Delights to their name. The scrumptious food was truly good! And I am really maarte with food! I loved everything on the menu!
This pudding a la mode was beyond fabulous. It just had enough simplicity in it to be comfort food (which it is) but it also had just a bit more eye-widening sweetness and texture so that it's not just any old pudding. Must go back for this!!!

Martine invited about 20 of her friends, clients and collaborators. I had a lovely time meeting old friends and making new ones. I like this whole concept of collaboration that Martine dreamed up. Part of what discouraged me in blogging was the suddenly fierce competition and cliques. You know that scene in Mean Girls, that "You can't sit with us," scene? So high school, right? Well, it happened to me at an event. I was so shocked. I walked away, hurt and humiliated. I couldn't handle it! Buti na lang the print media table scooted over and made room for me. Print media are the nicest people!

Then I realized at the Blissmakerie event that not all bloggers are bitches. Many blogging women are wonderful, too. Inspiring and creative and passionate. They use their time online to help other women, to build up, to share. These are the women I want to be with!

Make It Blissful's Blissmakers

Martine's celebrity clients.

Martine with Rissa Trillo of Happy Skin, which sponsored some raffle prizes

Me with the blissmaker, mompreneur, celebrity and cutie-patootie 😄 at #blissmakerie2014, an event for moms and women who want to #makeitblissful.

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Dec 12, 2014 at 2:12am PST

Still at #blissmakerie2014, where Rissa's little girl is wondering why my little boy sleeps with his mouth open 😄

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Dec 12, 2014 at 2:15am PST

After an afternoon of good food, conversations and creative fun, Martine gifted each guest with the darling box of bliss. My Blissful Box, which was a pink polka dot sweetheart from Print Café (www.facebook.com/printcafe/), contained these lovely things:

1. watercolor postcards from Bloom (http://carlosandveronica.net/)
2. tags and postcards from Craftsmith (http://instagram.com/craftsmithliving)
3. Hurraw lip balm from Cutieverse (http://cutieverse.com/)
4. olive room spray from Heima (www.heimastore.com/)
5. products from Philosophy (www.facebook.com/philosophyph)
6. a vanilla bean from The Vanilla Company (http://instagram.com/thevanillaco)
7. a vanilla bear and products from A Vanilla Story (http://instagram.com/avanillastory)
8. foldable flats from Yosi Samra (www.facebook.com/YosiSamraPhilippines)
9. nail polish from Zoya (www.facebook.com/zoyaphilippines)

The boys are asleep. I can finally open my #blissbox of goodies from #makeitblissful's #blissmakerie2014 thanksgiving party!

A photo posted by Frances (@francesasales) on Dec 12, 2014 at 7:08am PST

I had a blissful afternoon, Martine! Thanks for inviting me, feeding me, and giving me my Blissful Box. And thanks for rekindling an old love that had been smothered by new loves (a.k.a. baby boys!). I have big plans for the Topaz blogs. With Piero a little older in 2015, which may mean I'll have more time, I can finally make my dreams for my blogs come true!

To know more about Blissmakerie and Martine's reasons for throwing such a pretty party, click here.

*all photos, except the ones from my Instagram, are from Shutterpanda Photography (http://shutterpanda.com/), used with permission from Make It Blissful.

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Now that I've established that I love my Skechers GOwalk 2 shoes, I wanted to share with you the day I checked out their Glorietta store. It's super siksik with great finds!

I want to share with you my new gig: I'm now part of BDJ Box's Beauty Ministry! BDJ Box is a beauty product subscription service brought to you by the makers of Belle de Jour Power Planner. They have an online magazine managed by a roster of beauty experts and enthusiasts and I was asked to join them this month. Check out my first article: My Favorite BDJ Box Finds.


I'm now a Minister. Very important job title, right? Heehee. I'm the token mommy in the group. Nicole's the beauty editor, Barbi is the top makeup artist, Tara is the corporate working woman, Kate is the artist and traveler. I'm the mommy! Yes, because moms need to be gorgeous, too, and I am here to impart sage beauty advice to moms everywhere!

Check out all our articles and videos on our favorite beauty finds, product reviews, tutorials, tips and tricks, and everything beauty in BDJ Box! Click here!

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Appebon Kid partnered with Topaz Horizon for Nutrition Month, which was July, if you didn't know. I didn't know but now I do! At a special brunch at Italianni's Bonifacio High Street, Appebon Kid invited pediatrician Dr. Florianne Feliza-Valdez to talk to mom bloggers about the importance of good nutrition for our kids.

• Once our kids turn a year old, milk should stop being his only source of nutrition. This isn't a real problem since we give our kids solid food (hopefully meat, fruits and veggies and not junk food!) at 6 months old. But some kids are given so much milk, they don't eat real food anymore!
• Formula milk can be considered junk food if it takes up the majority of what our kids eat. Formula milk has lots of sugar, which attracts bacteria. 
• Other junk food culprit is instant noodles. Some families think it's okay to give their kids lots of instant noodles because it seems like real food. It's actually just carbs and salt.
• There are two types of malnutrition: undernourished (child is not getting enough nutrients) and overnourished (a.k.a. chubby kids).
• Ask your pediatrician for a nutritional assessment if you're worried about your child (too skinny, too fat, too short, etc.). Every child is different and growth is affected by non-nutritional factors like genetics (short mommy and daddy will most likely have short children, for example).

Appebon Kid is a daily nutritional supplement that can help parents meet their children's nutritional needs. Packed with Vitamins B1, B6 and B12, Iron and Lysine, it's in a yummy strawberry flavor that even picky eaters from 2-12 years old will like.

So we give the kids vitamins to ensure they're not undernourished. Still, I would love it if they, especially Iñigo, would eat good food at meal times regularly.

To prove it, let me share with you a few photos of his 2nd birthday party:

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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I rarely attend events now because I'm so pregnant and I don't like being stuck in traffic, so I appreciate events that are scheduled in the morning. I'm fresh and happy and relaxed, then I have the rest of the day to enjoy! When Polish beauty brand Inglot held a brunch at the Early Bird Breakfast Club for beauty editors and beauty bloggers a few weeks ago, I just had to go!

Inglot launched here in Manila late last year, with a store at Glorietta 5. Now they wanted us to share with you ladies their summer collection. It's real purty!

Model Jasmine Maierhoffer showcases the summer collection that makeup artist Mickey See painted on her face. As you can see, the summer colors are all about pretty pinks, flawless skin and freshness!

Here are the new colors of the Bright'N'Matte lipsticks. The colors you see on the tube are the colors you'll see swiped on your lips. Yes, the purple is really purple! I have never ever tried purple lipstick before. I shoulda given it a go!

Here are the HD Illuminizing Powders, with premium silicons powders for perfect for a matte and smooth finish, but your face won't look flat because of the diamond dust (meaning you can use it to highlight). I do need highlighter. I used to use highlighter—I'd dust it on my brow bone, the tops of my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, my collarbones. I wasn't able to try this one either, though! I was too busy chatting up fellow bloggers! Oops!

Thank goodness I was able to take home a blush from the new Fusion Blush and Illuminator collection! I love blushes. They make me look less ghostly and more rosy, healthy, young, pretty. Just a little bit and I have color already! What I especially love about this blush is the illuminating part (that's the smaller, lighter part).

Then, for the girl with the sparkly personality, these nail polishes from the Pro Perfection Sparkling Nail Art Enamel! Ang haba ng pangalan! I'm a boring nail polish girl—I have a ton of pinks and beiges (ridiculous amounts really), although I do have a few bottles of reds and golds and blues. But these glitter polishes look perfect for a night of summer fun.

And now for pictures of moi at the brunch! 
I haven't cut and colored my hair yet! I'm with my friend, Tara Cabullo, who blogs at Chronicles of Vanity.

With Pauline Lim of Inglot (in white) and PR consultant Martha Sta. Barbara who blogs at The Beauty Junkee.

Find out more about Inglot's summer collection at their store in Glorietta 5, Ayala Center, Makati, or at the Inglot Philippines Facebook page. Have a colorful summer!

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