TOPAZ HORIZON

One of the joys of mommyhood is finding ways to be entertained on lazy days, and being resourceful and creative. What's the joy there? The main joy, of course, is making my kids happy, but I'm going to be honest with y'all: If I weren't a mom, I'd just sleep all day and then I'd never realize how fun and creative I could be pala!

One such afternoon, Monde sent over their Monde Special Mamon and Cream Puffs. They've been doing this regularly for over a year now (thanks, Monde!), but this time the pastries came in a big box with decorating tools and toppings.

The kids and I were so excited! We love cupcakes but I just can't get over the astronomical prices those little confections come with. Tapos wala akong hilig mag-bake. It never occurred to me to use mamon! I love it because mamon pa is so big! More yummy bites and more space for decorating! Plus, Monde Special Mamon is really masarap because it's made of fresh and premium ingredients like real eggs, imported wheat flour, and milk.

So my little boys Vito and Iñigo decided to celebrate an afternoon of summer bonding and decorated our very own mamon! The first Mamon-It-Yourself recipe we made is Chocolate Mamon a la Mode!

First, we started with the chocolate mamon. Look how big it is!

Then I scooped a big dollop of strawberry ice cream on top and let the kids loose on it!

Everyone's saying my face looks thinner these days. Considering I'm packing on the pregnant weight, I can only surmise that my face isn't ballooning because of the facial sculpting massage I learned from Shiseido.

I've been doing this for about a month now. My steps are cleanse, soften, eye serum, eye cream, moisturizer then massage. Six steps. Add one step in the morning for sunscreen. Yep, my facial regimen is becoming more and more Japanese/Korean, which is 8-11 steps. I'll have to add toner and face serum soon. First time I heard about the many-steps regimen, I balked. I mean, seriously, who has the time? But since I've been adding more steps to my facial care system, the skin of my face has really improved. Vastly.

Here's the massage I learned from Shiseido:






This massage is the big reason why I think my skin is firmer. I have cheekbones now and my eyelids don't droop so much. Plus, the skin of my neck isn't so loose anymore. Yep, I finish the massage with six strokes upwards so my massage is actually seven steps. Try it!

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Omigosh, Mother's Day is upon us! What are you getting your mommy to show her your appreciation? If I may make a suggestion, check out Ni-QUA's Mother's Day gift: a piña cover-up and a mother-of-pearl and leather necklace!
The gift comes packaged like so: the cover-up in a pouch of the same material, and the necklace in a satin-lined suede envelope. Yes, it's two gifts in one!

The necklace features five pieces of golden mother-of-pearl linked together with golden chains. You tie this around the neck with soft leather bands. It's very light on the neck and the gold hues really flatter your face.

The piña cover-up comes in two colors: black and taupe. I got taupe. It's light enough to wear even here in the tropics but the weave does offer warmth when the night (or the office) gets cold.

 Here's the cover-up and the necklace on a real mommy: me!

The back flows behind you like a cape (because moms are superwomen, diba?). You can wrap it around your body when it gets cold or when you need coverage (for breastfeeding your baby, for example).

Get one for your mommy now! Only available at the online shop of Proudly Pinoy brand Ni-QUA. Shop now!

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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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Just a few weeks ago, I blogged about being a redhead. Well, I'm not a redhead anymore. It's been a month and I've adjusted to my new darkness.

My hairstylist, Louis Phillip Kee, decided it was time for me to go dark since I can't maintain my red. That's the big deal with coloring your hair with hues so different from your original hair color: You have to maintain the roots with frequent visits to the salon. Since I go to the salon twice a year (believe it or not!), my roots are crazy long, as you can see in this photo:

So Louis said it's time to color my hair back to dark brown. Sigh. I'm going to miss being red but he's right. I also wanted to keep my hair long and Louis usually goes along with his client's wishes, but this time he pointed out that no amount of hair treatment would fix my dry ends (as you can see here). So he advised me to chop it off.

And he did! I feel lighter and fresher and my hair is so soft and healthy again!
I like my healthy hair but I do miss the red. I'll go red again maybe two years from now, when my about-to-be-born baby is old enough to allow me more frequent visits to the salon.

The thing with shoulder-length hair is it's tricky to style. My hair is naturally wavy so it follows the curve of my neck when it meets my shoulders, as you can see here:

So I'm super glad my friend Mariel gave me Moroccanoil because my hair looks this fabulous even after I just took a shower here at home (do you see my waffle robe?).

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