Taylor Swift's Blank Space debuted today (well, again haha) and I love it!
Love. Love. Love!
Love the dresses. Love the makeup. Love the places this was shot. Love the guys. Love Taylor!
I love it especially when she goes insane. I've never actually allowed myself to go crazy with my romances. I'm really quite level-headed, practical and sensible. This video is a fantasy for me. Oh, all those cheating ex-boyfriends I wish I could just club over on the head! But, no, every break up, I was polite. I think I even said, "Thank you."
My readers know I just got a cool gig as a Beauty Minister at BDJ Box, a beauty box subscription service. Part of my job is to write about my beauty experiences. Part of the perks of my job is to get monthly boxes of the beauty industry's hottest new products. And this is the current one I got:
Behold! The BDJ Box Elite: Corporate Chic box!
Here's what's inside:
Pureology Precious Oil Shamp'oil, P1,195 for 250 ml (box has full size)
Davines Oil for Hair, P800 for 12ml (box has full size)
K-Palette 1Day Magic Liquid Eyeliner, P695 (box has full size)
Canmake Tokyo Candy Wrap Lip, P410 (box has full size)
Revlon Superlustrous Lipstick, P350 (box has full size)
GlamGlow Youth Mud Tinglexfoliate Treatment, P3,750 for 50g (box has 5g sample size worth P375)
Glamglow Super Mud Clearing Treatment, P3,750 for 34g (box has 2.1g sample size worth P231.60)
Simply She Cosmetic Pouch, P400
The Corporate Chic box is worth P4,457!!! And I'm giving it away to one lucky corporate chick! All you have to do is:
Ni-QUA is throwing a fab event called "Bespoke Your Ni-QUA" on November 22-23 at Century City Mall. Bespoke means customized to your specific preferences so if you're a budding designer, here's your chance to have a one-of-a-kind all leather bag!
And because it's my birthday, I'm going to give you a chance to bespoke your Ni-QUA for free!
Grab one of the Bespoke Ur NiQUA photos from their website.
Post that photo on Instagram and tell Ni-QUA your peg when you design your own Bespoke Ur NiQUA. For example, I'd say, "I want my #BespokeUrNiQUA bag to be red, white and blue!"
Use the hashtag #BespokeUrNiQUA!
Tag @NiQUAshop and @francesasales. You have to tag me because I'm choosing the winner!
The prize is a NiQUA Manico Mini with Strap. I'd join myself but I need a bigger bag haha. It's best if the winner can drop by the event at Century City Mall on Nov. 22 0r Nov. 23 so he/she can personally attend to the design process. If the winner can't drop by, that's okay. I'll have Ni-QUA send the voucher to the winner (must have a Philippine address).
I announce the winner on Nov 17, 2014! Good luck!
TIPS: I don't do raffles so pleeeeeease don't do multiple entries. Don't create multiple accounts just to join kasi I check each and every entry and talagang nakakatawa yang maraming pangalan pero yung picture iisang tao lang. A real FB/IG/Twitter account appeals more to me so if wala akong makitang totoong tao behind the account, toodles! Also, mas pinipili ko yung kilala ko na. So if madalas mag-comment sa blog ko or sa IG ko or sa FB page ko, mas may recall so mas malaki ang chance manalo!
Of course, I also have my own Bespoke Ni-QUA bags: the Topaz Clutches! It's super affordable at just P1,395 each! It's a stylish bag to receive this Christmas! Grab all the colors!
I used to live and breathe Hollywood news. Did that for nearly all my 20s (as a fan) to my mid-30s (as a Hollywood entertainment editor). So even though I'm no longer in the celebrity magazine business, old habits die hard. I still look to Hollywood stars for beauty inspiration. When I investigate a new product, I check which celebs use it. And I always believe celebrity brand ambassadors!
So when new Olay ambassador Katie Holmes said, "Be your best beautiful," I sat up and thought about it! Watch her talk about her Best Beautiful:
Mom, actress, model Katie Holmes says Best Beautiful is "never settling." It's "an inner glow you feel, an outer glow you see."
I'm turning 38 tomorrow and yet people keep asking me why I look so young. I'm a sleep-deprived mommy of three little boys and yet I have yet to hear people say I look tired. Well, I'm not young and I am so very tired all the time but because I'm happy and so full of love, I look good!
Here are ways you can nurture that inner glow Katie talks about:
1. Do what you love. And do it for love, not for money. Well, it would be fabulous if what you love to do also loves you back monetarily, but don't let money take away your passion. You can never be happy if you're not spending your life on the work that you're passionate about. Whether it's curing people or baking cookies, throwing parties or making movies, writing novels or feeding the hungry, do what you love! The fulfilment and joy in your heart will show on your face.
2. Be grateful. You know what makes women ugly? Discontent and envy. That feeling that you don't have enough, that you want more, that you deserve more. So you look at other people's lives and frown because they have what you think you want. You worry about not having enough. You get insecure about your status, looks, possessions. But when you focus on the blessings you have, you will feel gratitude and peace and joy!
3. Surround yourself with love and beauty. Negativity should never find a place in your life. Hate, envy, anger, fear—these are evil! When these ugly thoughts and feelings rule your mind and heart, you can never have peace and joy. Everything threatens you. But when you forcefully push out negative thoughts and negative people from your life, you will be free from darkness. You will be released from fear.
4. Take care of yourself. When there is joy and peace in your heart, these will naturally radiate from your face. Trust me! But that doesn't mean you shouldn't brush your hair anymore! At the very least, be well groomed! Keep yourself clean and neat. Enjoy your femininity by wearing pretty clothes or wearing makeup. Most importantly, take care of your health. A healthy body is the most beautiful body!
5. Believe in a higher power. I believe in God. I really, truly do. Many of my fears, the anger and doubt, the insecurity and shame, all of this ugliness disappeared when I placed my trust in God. Everything in my life I give to God, too! From the biggies like my marriage, my kids and my work to the smallies like stuff I want for myself. Yes, I even prayed for clear skin when I was 36 years old! It never occurred to me to give that concern to God until I was 36! And God really provides for me. Whether it's the food on our table and writing jobs or when I need comfort, assurance and protection, God is always there! Because I have Him, I am free. I am at peace. I have joy. And that's what makes me beautiful even though my life isn't exactly perfect!
"I look at women today and they're taking on so much in a great way and really making a difference in the world. But they're juggling a lot. You have to take time to be grateful for the things in your life, to celebrate the people in your life that you really love. And drink a lot of water!"
Being at your best, feeling your best, doing your best. I think that's what makes you beautiful! How about you? What do you think makes you beautiful?
Okay, I know I seem to be posting a lot about Happy Skin lately. Trust me, these are not paid posts. I just really love the Proudly Pinoy brand! And this product I'm reviewing today is my current favorite!
Wow, ang laki naman ng photo pag embed from Instagram! Kakahiya. You can see all my imperfections!!! But that's really my skin. Riddled with acne scars and freckles! Actually, mas nakakahiya the grammar error. Grrr. To my credit, naka-autocorrect pa kasi my phone that time and apparently it does not recognize "its"!
Anyway, so I'm loving the ZZ Cream. As you can see from that huge IG pic, I started using ZZ Cream three months ago. Its full name is Happy Skin ZZ Zit Zapper Second Skin Cream Foundation for Acne-Prone and Sensitive Skin. It may be a very long name but it says exactly what it does—it perfects skin while making skin look perfect! I love it!
What I like:
I didn’t break out. I’m sensitive to a lot of skincare and makeup products and this foundation passed with flying colors. In fact, even when I committed that great skin sin (sleeping with makeup on), my face didn’t freak out. Hooray!
It has yogurt and grapefruit extract to lighten pimple marks.
I love the fresh feeling it leaves on my skin. Not quite minty but there’s a slight freshness, which is great for waking me up!
My skin looks even and glowing.
The foundation is buildable, for those days when I need extra coverage.
My skin improved over time! I haven’t had a pimple since I started using this every morning!
It’s affordable at P1,299 for the 30ml tube.
What I don’t like:
Well, it comes in just one shade and while the shade works for my skin tone, I think those with really fair and really dark complexions might find the one-shade-fits-all a bit odd.
Other than that, Happy Skin ZZ Cream is perfect! Here I am wearing all Happy Skin products: ZZ Cream, eyeliner, lipstick, and eyebrow pencil. It’s dual purpose, which makes it a makeup must-have for a busy mama like me! A foundation that will not just cover up acne marks but also clear up skin? Count me in!
Happy Skin is available at Rustan’s Makati; Rustan’s Shangri-la Plaza; Beauty Bar; Plains & Prints; www.happyskincosmetics.com
Hi, everyone! I'm Frances. I'm the author of Not Invisible. I'm also a lifestyle and parenting writer, a book editor, the co-founder of Lean In Manila, and I have a day job in corporate communications. When I find time away from my busy life as all mentioned and as a wife and mom, I blog here.
Welcome to my blog! It's a 16-year-old honest and safe space for working moms, mothers of boys, and feminists (I just described all of myself). Thanks for dropping by!
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