TOPAZ HORIZON

Just in time for Valentine's Day, wouldn't it be nice to get a makeover from the master stylist Louis Phillip Kee and his über posh Lifestyle Salon in BGC?

Louis has been cutting and coloring my hair since 2006. Ten years this March! Here are just a few of my looks created by Louis:

Pretty pink

Fiery red

Rich brown

Rumor has it that if you don't have a boyfriend and you go to Louis to have your hair done, you'll get a boyfriend within a year! Rumor also has it that if you do have a boyfriend and you go to Louis to have your hair done, your boyfriend will propose within a year! I didn't believe it because when I went to Louis that March 2006, I was in the firm belief that I was never going to get married. That December, yes just 9 months later, I was engaged. True story!

My theory is you come out of the salon looking so absolutely amazing, which gives you a huge confident boost, which makes you extra sexy!

So obviously, for Valentine's Day, what am I going to give away to my readers??? A fantabulous makeover from Lifestyle Salon by Louis Phillip Kee!!!


I'm gifting these makeovers to TWO readers. Each will win P10,000 worth of salon services. That's enough to have your hair cut, colored, styled and treated. Add a mani and pedi, too. Or have your makeup done. You can do whatever you like with P10,000!!!

Here's how to win:
1. Like the Facebook page of Lifestyle Salon by Louis Phillip Kee.
2. Post this on your Facebook: "I want to win a fantabulous makeover from Lifestyle Salon by Louis Phillip Kee and Topaz Horizon! Click this link to join: http://www.topazhorizon.com/2016/02/win-fab-makeover-from-lifestyle-salon.html" If you want to add why or a selfie or whatever, you are free to do so!
3. Tag my Topaz Horizon page so I can find your post. And make sure it's set to public because I won't be able to see it if it's just for your friends. Add this hashtag na rin #THxLPK so I can really find your post!

That's it! I'll pick the two lucky winners on February 7. I will announce it on this blog post and on my Facebook page. So if you don't read my blog and if you don't like my Facebook page, you won't know you won. I'll give the winners just three days to contact me. If I hear nothing, I'll choose a new winner!

I will send the gift certificates to the winners. So Philippine addresses only! But kayo na bahala how you get to the salon, okay? GCs lang ang pinamimigay ko, not transportation and per diem allowance, okay? Okay? Good luck!


UPDATE Feb. 7, 2016

This last week of January, I was supposed to roll out two new series for this blog: an advice column called "Ask Frances" and a press release dump called "Frances Finds". But Topaz Mommy got nominated for Best Parenting Blog for Blogopolis and I got distracted!

So I'm launching the two new series this February!

"Ask Frances" is for my readers who send me questions on life, career and love. I try to reply to their emails but I finally decided that I'm spending too much time dishing out advice during my me time. All my time should either be used for my family, for work or for me (like sleeping, eating, seeing friends)! So since I consider blogging work now, emailed questions asking for tips and advice will see the light of day on my blog! You can tell me to withhold/change your name for privacy, but if you email me a question privately, I will answer it publicly!!! Chosen questions will get fabulous products from me!!!

"Ask Frances" will be posted every third Friday of the month. So if you have any questions, email them to frances@topazhorizon with "Ask Frances" on the subject! I will pick a question to answer and I will answer it as bluntly and as honestly as I can. Walang iiyak! Walang magagalit! For February, the chosen question sender will receive this:

Happy Skin lip glosses!

"Frances Finds" is like a bulletin board for posting all the press kits I get. This is also my way of saving my Instagram account for my life, not products (unless from my sponsors). I'm not going to do that for emailed PRs because I get a dozen press releases a day! "Frances Finds" will only be for press kits sent to my house (and only those I find helpful and interesting!) because I can actually add something useful to the write-up because I've seen, held, smelled, or tasted the product. So I can give mini reviews!

"Frances Finds" will be posted every last Friday of the month. That said, please don't send me press kits!!! Ask me first please (email frances@topazhorizon.com with "Frances Finds" on the subject) and then we'll see if your products and services are a fit with Topaz Horizon. Why? I used to work in PR and I dabble in PR now and I know there's a budget for products to give away. I get so many things that I can't really promote like headbands for baby girls, or shampoo for thick and curly hair, or products from a competitor of my blog sponsors. Sayang naman yung product and effort niyo.

I have a couple more series I plan to launch within the year. There will be "What's in my...?" and "Frances's Favorite". I guess you can tell what those two will be about! But I'll launch those just before summer. I want a series for every week! So you have something consistent to look forward to every week.

As for the blog merger, it is sloooooowly happening! I'm deleting and editing blog posts over 10 years! Every night has been a true trip down memory lane. It's so amazing how my life has changed! How my kids have arrived one after the other! How I've grown fat and old! LOL! Anyway, once all the unnecessary or mega nega posts have been deleted, I'll be ready to merge Topaz Mommy to Topaz Horizon then migrate to Wordpress. So exciting! Thanks for patiently waiting for my relaunch!

Hi everyone! I want to make kwento. This weekend—I must confess!—I spent more than a few times admiring my skin in the mirror. It's not perfect. I still have a few whiteheads and a bit of dark acne scars on my cheeks. But my skin was smoooooooooth. No more scary bumpiness, no more angry pus-filled volcanoes. My Advanced Anti-Acne Facial Treatments from Flawless really work!

Still, those facials happen every two (or so) weeks. What do I do in between visits to Flawless? I manage my skin with three Flawless anti-acne products: SAS Soap, Erythromycin 2% solution, and Skin Protect Gel.

Here's my review of each product:

SAS Soap, P140
This is for deeply cleansing oily skin.

What I liked:
1. Just a little bit of soap creates a lather soooo rich and thick!

2. There is no fragrance. I'm sensitive to fragrances.

3. My skin is super clean!

What I didn't like:
1. Nothing!

Suds up fast, doesn't melt quickly.

Erythromycin 2% solution, P650
This is a topical antibiotic solution. Its main purpose therefore is to kill bacteria on my skin.

What I liked:
1. It works!

2. If I have a developing zit, I just soak a cotton ball in Erythromycin and plant that ball over the affected area for 10 minutes. The pimple dies.

3. It lasts for 4-6 weeks so it's affordable.
What I didn't like:
1. Oh boy, does this sting! It evaporates quickly enough so it doesn't feel like your face is burning. I like to fan myself while applying this.

2. Okay, I don't know if this is actually the medicine that causes it, okay, but my skin smells bad after application. It smells like wet socks. Vince says my face doesn't smell like wet socks but, nope, it doesn't smell nice.

3. My skin doesn't taste good, too. I know this because when I lick my lips, I sometimes lick past my puckers and I taste the medicine, and it tastes awful. Vince concurs. Heehee.

But who cares??? My skin is clearing up by the day! Wala na lang kissing masyado while I'm on treatment!

No added color to the solution.

Skin Protect Gel, P290
This is a sunscreen. All the dermatologists tell me that this is the single most important product in any skincare regimen!

What I liked:
1. It's soooo cheap! My favorite sunscreens are Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense (P1,995 for 30ml), Lancôme UV Expert SPF 50++ (about P2,000 for 30ml), and VMV Armada SPF 30 ($50 or about P2,300 for 88ml). This tiny tube is P290!

2. This lasted me 4 weeks! The reason it lasts long is because I only need a pea-sized amount! Why does that matter? The FDA, dermas, beauty brands and beauty magazines will tell you that we all need a teaspoon-sized dollop of sunscreen for our face, ears and neck. That's a lot.

And then did you ever notice that sunscreens are always sold in these tiny tubes??? So if I put 5ml (that's a teaspoon) of sunscreen on my face from a 30ml tube, that means a tube will last me just 6 days. Two thousand bucks for 6 days is insane.

3. It mattifies my skin! I'm super oily and oily-skinned girls really don't like sunscreen. But this sunscreen is so light, it's in gel form! And you only need a little! And the best part is my skin gets matte! No oiliness for hours!
 
What I didn't like:
1. The smell. It's too fragrant. So thank goodness I only need a tiny amount for my face!
* * * * * * *
P.S.
Like me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Instagram
Love me on Bloglovin'

What better way to frame flawless skin than with big gold earrings? I love the shape of these!

I don't own a leather-strap watch so let's mark the passing of time with this one!

My busy life needs a simple wardrobe... which means statement accessories like this chunk of rock!

I want an interesting bangle so I'll be inspired while I type! Love that silver pearl solitaire.

If my business takes off, I'm going to indulge in a chunky chain neck piece.

Last weekend was a fun celebration of my friend, Nicole Romero. She's many things to many people—friend, sister, aunt, editor, writer, fitness enthusiast, baker, makeup artist, blogger, and now beauty vlogger!

Nicole's blog is called Beauty & Sparkle: A Real Girl's Guide to Looking Pretty + Feeling Good. Nic's seriously one of the most professional, most amazing, most fantabulous beauty bloggers I've ever read. All her blog entries are well written, grammatically correct (she's an editor!), fun to read, inspiring, helpful, relatable, and her tutorials are friendly and easy to do. Her blog looks great, too!

And now she's into beauty vlogging! Check out her YouTube channel, Beauty & Sparkle!

I love how cute and pretty and helpful all her videos are! And the music she uses just makes me so happy, makes me do a little dance while I watch my friend, and follow her instructions. I love ALL her videos but these are my favorites:




She's my friend but when we're together, I don't, like, stare at her face. But because of her videos, I get to do just that and OMG doesn't Nicole have the MOST FLAWLESS SKIN ever?!? Seriously. I want to have skin as perfect as hers. And her hair? So lush and fab! And I'll tell you a secret and she will kill me for revealing this—she's naturally that way!!! God was doling out perfect skin and hair the day she was born, I bet!

Anyway!

Beauty brand Benefit celebrated Nic's new vlog with a party last Saturday at their boutique at SM Megamall. Did you know it's the biggest Benefit store in South East Asia??? You should go visit! It's chock-ful of beauty goodies and there are areas for spa treatments. So fab for girls like us and so perfect for a pretty party! Check out these pics I grabbed from Nic's Instagram account:

We definitely felt like VIPs!

Beauty blogger extraordinaire!

Nic and newly engaged Alyanna Martinez.

Nic, Nikki and me!

Just a few of Nic's family, friends, readers, followers and subscribers!

All the guests went home with a Benefit loot bag!

Here are my photos:

Checking out the products.

My message to Nic and all my readers!

Nicole introducing her videos.

Selfies with her fans.

What a fun party, Benefit! Thanks for having us at your fabulous store and for supporting Beauty & Sparkle!

And because unboxing videos are SO HUGE on YouTube now, let's check out the unboxing videos that Nicole made of Benefit products:




Love your channel, Nic! Congratulations, dear friend, on your successful vlog launch!

Read her blog: Beauty & Sparkle
Like her on Facebook: Beauty & Sparkle
Follow her on Instagram: @beautyandsparkl
Watch her on Snapchat: @beautyandsparkle
Subscribe to her YouTube channel: Beauty & Sparkle

* * * * * * *
P.S.
Like me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Instagram