Friday, August 11, 2017

Turn your blog into a business! Sign up for the next Boss Bellas workshop!

I'm doing another workshop for Boss Bellas, mamas! This time we'll talk about turning your blogs into a real business—something I know very well!


If you recall, last year, my friends Ginger Arboleda of learning company Manila Workshops, online tax filing tool Taxumo, and mom blog Mommy Ginger, and Martine de Luna of blissful lifestyle blog, branding services and workshops Make It Blissful created a business called Beauty Biz Bliss. With it, we wanted to pool together our knowledge and help other working women create passion businesses, juggle work and family happily, and prioritize self-care while doing all that. We called our little community Boss Bellas.

After a fabulous launch, we went on a very slow start and then fizzled out. Last year was very busy for all three of us, individually. This year is just as busy but Ginger and I are finally focusing on Boss Bellas again and we have a few workshops lined up for you!

The first Boss Bellas workshop was Mompreneurship 101, a gentle and encouraging get-together for moms who want to start a business or had just started one. Iyakan kami buong workshop hahaha. What a lovely and honest gathering! But hindi lang warm and fuzzy feelings siya. We also discussed lots of practical tips for overwhelmed business mamas and addressed questions on taxation. I was so inspired!

Here are a few photos I'm sharing from Photography by Lianne, the official photographer of our workshop. Photography by Lianne actually takes photos—not of workshop events haha—of the most adorable family and baby portraits so do check them out.

Ginger and me! Si Ginger ang totoong boss bella kasi marami siyang companies. Ako, boss ko sarili ko and sarili ko rin ang inuutusan ko haha

My new friend, Lique! She is such a gentle soul. And so talented! For your design and branding needs, please check her out at http://liquedimayuga.com/.

Oooh, I learned so much from Monique. She is a superwoman! She's also the founder of Klaseko so if you want to enroll your kids in school or enrichment classes from the comfort of your own home, visit https://klaseko.com/.

Now here are the working mamas who joined us that fun afternoon!
All of these wonderful women—though they look nice and gentle—they are formidable. They take care of their families while managing businesses. They are not just bosses, they are women who made their dreams come true and work hard every single day despite criticism and discouragement, physical and mental exhaustion, and the most crushing mom guilt! Gosh, I'm so inspired by these mamas!




For the second Boss Bellas workshop, we'll be helping bloggers make money from their blogs. If you're a blogger (and by that, I mean you already have a blog that you update regularly) and you want your blog to make money, do sign up! I'll talk about getting brands to work with you, how to make a media kit, how to pitch to brands, how to respond to proposals from brands, how to behave properly as a blogger, and how to register your blog as a business and pay taxes.

The Boss Bellas: Blog Your Way into Business will be a fun afternoon on August 26, Saturday, at Pen Brothers co-working space at Makati. The workshop fee is P1,800, but if you register before August 16, you get the early bird rate of just P1,200. And that's me giving away all my secrets!


Okay, can't wait for this workshop! I've a TON of secrets to share. You're going to learn a lot and we're going to have super fun. See you there, blogger mamas!

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Thursday, August 10, 2017

Frances Finds: Hygienix Body Care Pure Defense Germicidal Soap

It seems ironic that I'm writing a post about fighting germs when I just recently lost that battle and my kids and I got sick with the flu. Me, being the weak-lunged woman that I am, my condition worsened to bronchitis. But after a desperate visit to the doctor this week, I am on the mend!

And that is why today—after a long absence from the blog because of getting sick—I'm back! And I'll tell you about our new germicidal soap, the Hygienix Body Care Pure Defense Germicidal Soap, and why it's now a must-have in my home. Plus, I'll also announce the winners of our Hygienix Shower Rangers giveaway!

 So a few weeks ago, we had the most interesting visitors at our little home—The Hygienix Shower Rangers! This super gilas gumalaw group saved our family from world germination by defeating the evil disease-causing monster Germdugo! Yes, pati si Germdugo dumalaw sa bahay namin and nagsabog talaga siya ng lagim! 

Buti na lang the Shower Rangers arrived! The Shower Rangers are the four qualities that make the new Hygienix germicidal soap so effective and attractive to mamas like us. It's Super Sulit (Green Shower Ranger), Non-Drying Formula (Pink Shower Ranger), Refreshing Scent (Yellow Shower Ranger), and last but definitely the most important, Germ Killer (Blue Shower Ranger)!

And yes, mamas, the new Hygienix germicidal soap really does have a nice scent. It's not too mabango, and even though it's a germ-killing soap, it doesn't reek of medical or hospital-like smells. It's super affordable talaga kasi the big bar is just P28 tapos yung smaller bar is only P12! One month na namin ginagamit yung soap and hindi siya natutunaw. Plus, kahit ilang beses pa kaming mag-wash ng hands, our skin don't dry up. It's really very gentle on skin. Now, for the germ-killing part, I haven't actually seen with my own two eyes how the soap can kill 99.9% of known germs but I have faith in all the clinical tests done on Hygienix soap to prove that it really does kill 99.9% of germs!

My sons had such a great time helping the Shower Rangers beat up that nasty Germdugo. Then we all got a goody box of Hygienix germicidal soap and alcohol so that we can fight germs every day!

 Last week, Hygienix offered my readers the chance to fight germs, too. My followers were invited to share photos of their families in their best germ-fighting pose. The five mommies whose photos had the most likes won! I screencapped their photos LAST NIGHT when contest ended*, and here they are:
5. Imee Rafe Jaafar with 736 likes

4. Esmeralda De Vargas with 746 likes

3. Rose Ann Nardo Panganiban with 782 likes

2. Nica Enaj with 945 likes

1. Neth Saransan with a whopping 1,100+ likes!

Congratulations, mamas! Hygienix will contact you soonest on how you can claim your prize!

Hygienix Body Care Pure Defense Germicidal Soap is the newest product in the germ-fighting line of Hygienix. It's clinically proven to kill 99.9% of all known disease-causing bacteria. Use every day to protect your family from illness, mamas! As I recently experienced, we can't afford to get sick—our kids can't miss class and it's so heartbreaking to see them sick, and we working mamas can't get sick because our little ones depend on us for everything!

P.S. I highly recommend following their Facebook page for lots of funny videos and clever memes!


*Winners were chosen based on the number of likes garnered at the time contest ended. Additional likes received AFTER contest are not considered.

This post is brought to you by Hygienix.

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Friday, July 28, 2017

Pimply skin managed! Thanks, Flawless Acne Control Advanced Facial!

I'm knocking on wood while I type this: My skin is finally clear. Sana hindi mausog haha but because I'm more religious with my skincare and I've gone back to Flawless for facials and consultations, I think it's safe to say that. I'm still not flawless but my skin is smooth and pimple-free for the first time in years. Hooray!

My journey to smooth, acne-free skin only began in July 2015 even though I've had pimples since I was 13 (so for 27 years now!). My pimples calmed down when I entered my 30s so I thought, "Yey, puberty finally done!" Of course I knew full well that puberty is only during the teen years but I couldn't understand why I was riddled with pimples well into adulthood. But when I turned 30, my skin magically cleared up. Pimples only cropped up during the first trimesters of my three pregnancies. Otherwise, my skin was smooth and pimple-free.

Then exactly two years ago, my skin flared up again. It was hideous. It affected everything—I stopped attending blog events (unless required by sponsors), and my blog sponsorships slowed down when potential sponsors met me. I think my bad skin turned them off. I had to do something about my face! Just look at what it looked like back then:
Cheeks inflamed with pimples.
Flaky skin everywhere.

I went to clinic after clinic but it was only in Flawless that my skin cleared up. At first, I had to go every 10 days for my Acne Control Advanced Facial (review here). Then it became every 2 weeks, plus my dermatologist at Flawless, Dr Boyles, prescribed an additional salicylic acid peel. Then I only needed to go once a month and now I get a gentler peel, which is the glycolic one.
Getting my Flawless facial two weeks ago. So pink!

But this year, I got so busy because of my work at Calyxta that I couldn't go to Flawless regularly anymore. Well, a dermatologist is like a dentist—you're supposed to visit them just twice a year unless you have a skin problem. It's a good thing then I became more diligent with my skincare—which included Flawless products—so even if I skipped my facials, my skin seldom broke out.

Thanks so much, Flawless, for making me pimple-free!

Okay, I'm still not flawless. Naka-makeup ako sa picture na yan but at least walang bulubundukin na sa mukha ko. Flat and smooth na so concealer takes care of my dark spots—acne scars and sun spots. I still have my ice-pick pimple scars. And because I'm 40, there's sagging already, plus fine lines around my eyes and laugh lines around my mouth.

Dr Boyles said I can now try Fractional Needling Therapy (FNT) for my scars. I still haven't decided if I should do that because... I dunno, maybe it's because I'm already 40 so my scars don't actually bother me. What bothers me is my starting-to-sag skin, like my eyelids, my jowl, my neck, my tummy, my boobs, my butt haha For that, Flawless said I can try their new Thermolift Therapy. It's supposed to tighten, lift and contour skin. Will decide this week on what to do!

The Flawless Acne Control Advanced Facial is just P980. Additional peels like salicylic and glycolic peels will cost more. Click here to find the Flawless clinic nearest you. Follow their Facebook page to get news on discounts and promos.

This post is brought to you by Flawless Face & Body Clinic.

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Thursday, July 27, 2017

5 Fulfilling Jobs to Consider When You’re a Mom

Hi, working mamas! I was inspired to write this blog post because I get messages from my readers asking me for job suggestions since they want my situation—earning a living while being with my kids. I did blog about how not all parents can take to the blogger/freelance life (the income is erratic, for example). Now that my kids are older, I'm starting to think of a job that will give me regular pay checks, too!

Mom bloggers Nikki Tiu, Jackie Go and myself actually have other jobs!

Many moms find blogging as a glamorous career—like when we mom bloggers do photo shoots like above. But what you don't see is that we mom bloggers have other jobs doing what we really love. Yes, because for a lot of moms blogging is the platform to talk about what we love. Blogging is not the real job (although sometimes, it's the one that pays most!). I also want to point out that we mom bloggers have to wear many hats to supplement the blogging income that we do sometimes get. For example, Nikki Tiu is a makeup artist, makeup trainer, brand consultant, and HR consultant. Jackie Go is a commercial model and owns a business. Me, I'm a freelance writer, an editorial consultant, and I do PR and am a blogger handler for agencies sometimes. Lots of hats! That's because we mommies are always looking for ways to earn money while being there for our family.

When you’re a mom, it isn’t always easy to find a job that suits your needs. Not only do you have to think about finding a career that you’ll enjoy, but you also have to factor in flexibility, pay, and childcare, too! So many moms end up working retail jobs they hate because the hours fit around childcare, or they end up never seeing their kids because that job that pays well has long hours. It doesn’t have to be that way!

Okay, since I'm seriously considering changing careers (because careers for writers and editors are dwindling), I'm going to share with you mommies what I've been looking at. So without further ado, here are some truly fulfilling jobs that are perfect for moms:

1. Early Years Education
If you're a mommy of older kids but now you miss babies and toddlers, what could be better than spending your days caring for little kids? Working in early years education is a great way to balance your responsibilities as a mom with a great career. You can earn an early childhood education degree online, and then you’ll be able to work in kindergartens, daycare centers, or even as a childcare professional within your own home, earning a living in a way that truly fits in with your family life and your mommy responsibilities.

I'm actually thinking about this because I used to be a preschool teacher and there's a preschool very near my home. My other mommy friends and I have also thought of putting up a playschool, but that didn't pan out because it's going to take a lot of money! But I'm still dreaming of it! If you want to be my business partner, let's put up a daycare center! 

2. Tutor
If you love kids and teaching, you can make a very good living as a tutor. I know because I've been asking around for tutors' rates and it's about P500 an hour. If you tutor just 4 kids a day, that's already P2,000 for half a day's work! That's P10,000 a week, mommies! I'm thinking this is something I can do—from tutoring kids to teaching English to Koreans! 

You might need to go back to college to get education credits or to update yourself with new methods (like Singapore Math and the like), but once you’re qualified, you’ll be able to offer your services in any way you say fit. You could teach kids in your own home, thus ensuring you’ll be around for your own kids; you could become a mobile tutor, traveling to your clients’ homes at a time that is mutually beneficial; or you could open your own tutorial center!

3. Music teacher
Same as being a tutor, teaching music is big business. I asked around for my kids and for 12 sessions, it's about as low as P5,000 to as high as P12,000 to teach kids to sing or play the guitar/piano/drums/violin/etc. The great thing about teaching music, unlike tutoring, is your students don't need to be kids. Your students can be as young as 3 to as old as 80! You'll always have work!

Now, sadly for me, I don't know how to play any instrument, but my brother does (cello, piano, drums, bass, guitar, etc!) and he knows a lot of musicians so I'm seriously considering asking him to put up a music school with me. 

4. Financial Planning
If you have a degree in accountancy or similar, or you’re willing to get a financial planning qualification online, you can set yourself up as a financial planner from your home and set your own schedule. You’ll be able to make a good living, working around your family commitments, and you’ll be able to put your brain to good use, which is something a lot of moms really miss when they take convenience jobs over jobs they love for the sake of their kids.

I've thought about this because my financial planner keeps asking me to consider it. Maybe one day! If there's one financial job I wish there was more of, it's accountants. So many Filipinos now work from home or are bloggers and we all need accountants to help with our business. 

5. Freelance services
Last but not the least because this is where I am, try freelance work. If you have a skill, any skill, you can work freelance on your own terms. Selling skills like writing, book editing, web designing, graphic design and literally anything you can do well, you can find someone who is willing to pay for that service. For example, I write for magazines and websites. It doesn't pay as well as blogging but it's something I enjoy very much. Most of the time you’ll be able to do your freelance work from your own home, or at least at a time and place that is suitable for you and your family.

Obviously, this is just the tip of the iceberg, since there are other careers mommies can look at. There's selling homemade products, driving an Uber or a Grab—in fact I blogged about how my former magazine editor friends transitioned to other jobs here: Work-from-Home Careers for Busy Moms. And of course, there's professional blogging, which is something a lot of mommies still consider. If you've been a blogger for a while and hope to make your blog make money, I'm doing a workshop next month! It's another Boss Bellas workshop from me and my friend Ginger Arboleda.  

Sign up here!

I hope this post has highlighted that there are many fulfilling career options out there for moms trying to get the right work-life balance. Good luck, mamas!

*This post has affiliate links.

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Monday, July 24, 2017

10 ways to prevent a simple wound from killing you


This summer, I was one of the moms that Fucidin invited to talk about the antibacterial cream. The other moms are pediatrician Dr. Empress Carlos-Villapando (with pearls), Leo Pharma president and CEO Gitte Aabo (in green dress), and last but definitely not the least, Madam Kris Aquino (if you don't know who she is, she's the one in orange!).

At the event, Kris revealed that she's been using Fucidin for a while now and in fact became its brand ambassador because she said on one of her Instagram Stories that she applies Fucidin on her kilay when she gets her eyebrows groomed. Yes, kahit tiny wounds, she applies Fucidin. She said, “I have two boys and when they get a cut or a wound, I clean it with soap and water for 15 seconds. Then I apply Fucidin agad. Fucidin is part of our wound care kit!”


Unlike Kris Aquino, new believer lang ako ng Fucidin. Like most mommies these days, I've turned to natural remedies like coconut gel and kung anu-ano pang mga herbal pahid-pahid diyan to soothe bites and heal scratches and scrapes. Of course I wash my and my sons' wounds with soap and water, but pag malayo sa banyo, I use alcohol. I'm a big believer in alcohol! But if walang alcohol, may mga all-natural antibacterial creams din ako.

This has worked for us so far until last year when my bunso had a scratch on his knee and thigh na hindi gumagaling. In fact, lalong lumalaki at lumalala. As in, it's been MONTHS. Kahit anong pahid ng herbal/essential oil/plant extract balm chorva na recommended ng mga all-natural-no-chemical mommies na kilala ko, walang effect! We finally asked his pedia about it and she prescribed Fucidin. Within two days, healed na yung sugat. Two days! Imagine that—ilang buwan kong pina-suffer ang anak ko?!? Never again. From now on, doctors win any medical argument!


Why is Fucidin so effective? Fusidic acid/sodium fusidate Fucidin is a powerful antibiotic that is clinically proven against wound infection. It is fast-acting, working on the infection 2 minutes upon application and deep-penetrating, reaching the skin’s deepest layer 30 minutes after application. It also helps prevent bacteria from spreading.


Like Kris, I have Fucidin in my medicine box because I've seen how effective it is in preventing infection and healing wounds. But after this particular month, I'm even more convinced to join the fight against wound infection. Let me tell you the sad reason why.

So the event was done, I went about my life and thought nothing more of Fucidin unless we have little wounds, but this month, I was very alarmed to learn that two people died of staph infection. One was a little boy in my sons' school and the other a mommy [GMA News: Wasp sting blamed for ex-TV anchor's death]. It frightened me because I'm a mommy, I have little boys, and I just learned about staph infection a few weeks ago! In the late TV anchor's Facebook post [Once there was a wasp], she says a simple wasp sting became a full blown staph infection, which sadly was what killed her.


What scares me is hindi ko siniseryoso ang staph bacteria. Why? Because ALL of us have it on our skin. As in, right now, while you're reading this—you have staphyloccocus bacteria on your skin and nasal passages. When we get wounds, usually our immune system will heal it. No problem. If we don't clean it and magnana yan, staph infection yan. Nursing moms who suffer from mastitis have a staph infection. The worst staph infection I got was from a pedicure and it bled and hindi ko pinansin. Next day, my toe was so swollen with pus, and the veins leading out of my foot were red. That was cellulitis—a painful skin infection. My dermatologist gave me antibiotics and Fucidin and the wound healed within two days.

So in my mind, skin problems lang ang dala ng staph bacteria. But after the two deaths this month, I learned that sometimes the staph bacteria can cause food poisoning or toxic shock syndrome. When the staph infection enters the blood stream, sepsis happens. Sepsis kills.


So if maarte na ako sa sugat before, now I'm taking wounds even more seriously. Here are the tips I found to prevent a staph infection:

1. Always wash hands with soap and water for at least 30 seconds [Tip: Sing the Birthday Song twice]. Rinse thoroughly.
2. In the absence of soap and water, alcohol will do but wash with soap and water as soon as you can.
3. Do not share personal items like razors, soap, towels, etc. 
4. Do not use makeup testers at makeup counters [TODAY: Model warns about makeup brushes after getting infection]. Do not borrow your friends' makeup and makeup tools. If you're having your makeup done for an event, make sure your makeup artist uses clean brushes and disinfected makeup. If you want to be super safe, bring your own!
5. Make sure you clean your own makeup tools and disinfect your makeup! 
6. When you have a wound, wash it immediately and thoroughly with soap and water. Dr. Empress said it is still the best first step to fight infection because dirt, blood, and bacteria will be washed away.
7. Do not scratch insect bites. Do not pop pimples. Do not make kutkot scabs.
8. Do not touch other people's wounds or bandages. Tell these to your kids!!! You also, mommies, whenever you care for your family's wounds, wash your hands thoroughly after.
9. When you're working out sa gym, disinfect the equipment before using it.
10. Always apply Fucidin on wounds—big or small! Sometimes nga pag sobrang laki ng pimples ko, I dab a bit of Fucidin on them and they heal so much faster!

Wounds are part of life. From moms and dads to kids of all ages, everyone gets cuts and scrapes when playing, insect bites, puncture wounds, sliced open skin when cooking, paper cuts, mani-pedi sugat, etc etc. So since all of us get wounds, all of us should make sure these don't get infected. At best, when we're healthy, our immune system can take care of our wounds. But if we're not as healthy as we should be, then a simple scratch, a tiny insect bite, or even a silly thing as borrowing a friend's mascara can be fatal.

Okay, masyadong serious. I'll leave you with this anecdote, when Kris asked me about what my sons want to be when they grow up:


Fucidin® comes in two variants. Fucidin® cream is ideal for exposed parts of the body like the face and hands, while Fucidin® ointment is ideal for dry, scaly or cracked lesions. Fusidic acid/sodium fusidate is the generic name of Fucidin®. Fucidin® is available in leading drugstores nationwide.

If symptoms persist, please consult your doctor.

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