Ah. Sweet, brief, serene yet packed February. Tasting happiness and rainbows in a jar, meeting up for bacon and conversation with an online-turned-IRL friend, a laughter-filled Valentine lunch with a great friend, spending my 6th month in my current job, and two out of town trips in the second month of 2013? Not bad, not bad at all. Good job, universe.

Here are some snaps from this month, and while I was uploading them in Picasa I couldn't help but notice a theme. See if you can spot it, but then again judging from the title of this post, I guess it's already a little too obvious ;)

Goodbye, February. Now I am looking forward to March. Have a great month, you!

I just came back from a very relaxing weekend in Tali Beach, Batangas and I just have this to say: "serenity" is one of my favorite words but I never really knew or experienced the real meaning of it until now.

While sorting out the photos, I was amused by the fact that unwittingly, I was able to follow the beach rules in my previous post.



 And the last and most important beach rule I adhered to: be grateful for this day.

I really had a great time. It has been said that Public Relations is one of the most stressful industries, so it was nice to unwind, relax, laugh, and forget about diets and other what-nots with my ARC family. I love you guys and I am grateful. ♥

Packed and ready to go. In a few hours I will be leaving Manila with my officemates to go to Tali, Batangas and spend the weekend at one of our bosses' beach house. I am excited for the sun and sea and sand between my toes, and I am looking forward to watching the sunrise and the sunset because:

"There's nothing like watching the sun rise,

except watching the sun set in reverse."

- Daria

I hope the rain lets up today. If not, then maybe I'll just pretend I'm a Survivor cast-away. Rain or shine, I will definitely still roll around in the sand in my swimsuit mehehe ｡◕‿◕｡

Wishing you guys a great weekend, too! See you when I see you!

Hello, everyone! I am taking a quick break from packing because I'll be going out of town this weekend! Woohoo! My officemates and I are going to Tali, Batangas to stay at [one of ARC's bosses] Celine's beach-house, and I AM SO EXCITED! We'll leave after work tomorrow and come back on Sunday. I know it's going to be so much fun!

Too bad I don't have new swimsuits to bring, though... I'll give you guys a preview to Freeway's Summer 2013 Swimsuit Collection, but it won't be available 'til March. For those who are already making their plans for the summer, check this out.

Time to bring out your sunnies and book those beach trips once again as summer is fast approaching! With the anticipation of everyone’s favorite season also comes the summer ritual every woman looks forward to: swimsuit shopping! Freeway gears up for this with the release of its Summer 2013 Swimsuit Collection. 

This year, it’s all about defining a woman’s shape and silhouette as Freeway brings out lines, curves and cut outs as key highlights in their collection. The aim is to emphasize and bring out a sexier and more confident you. It is what summer is all about, after all. As for colors, Freeway’s summer collection boasts bold colors such as red, orange, purple and teal, matching the vibrant and colorful feel of summer. 

Freeway not only focuses on the design, they also pay attention on how it will enhance and outline the body with its sporty silhouettes. With its range of monokinis, bikinis and separates, you’ll be looking fab and sexy while leading an active summer lifestyle.

Apart from swimwear, Freeway also offers trendy summer pieces such as cover-ups, dresses, tops and bottoms, ideal for creating that fresh and fun vibe. Whether you’re sunbathing on the beach or having a bbq party with your friends, Freeway’s summer pieces is sure to make you an instant trend-setter. Make sure to catch the release of the Summer 2013 Swimsuit Collection this March at Freeway stores nationwide!

Bikini with cut out (P595) and piping cut-out bottom (P495) in red, gray, and black

X front Sporty Top (P595) in beige, white, and teal

Cross over peek-a-boo top and adjustable swimsuit bottom (P595) in white, red, and black

One piece Exposed Belly Button (P1,095) in white and black

One Piece Exposed Belly Button (P1,095) in red and teal

Color-block Piping Maillot (P1,195) in white, teal, and black

Color-block Piping Maillot (P1,095) in white, teal, and red

What are your favorites? I love the maillots but they do not suit my body-type. Oh well, back to packing! ;)

Visit Freeway's official website to view the entire collection. Connect with Freeway thru Facebook  and follow on Twitter and Instagram.

After two failed attempts to subscribe to Glamourbox, I finally got my chance when they opened limited slots for the February box a couple of weeks ago! I set my alarm to make sure I won't forget, then gladly paid the P595 fee for one month.

Last Monday, a package arrived for me in the office while I was working on my calendars. It's my Glamourbox! Hooray!

I'm sure most of my blog readers do not need any introduction, but for the uninitiated, Glamourbox is basically a beauty subscription service. You have the option to buy a monthly plan or a quarterly plan (personally I prefer the quarterly plan because of the many additional freebies they get, but unfortunately I didn't have enough credits in my card anymore ha ha), and for every month you are subscribed you get at least five deluxe samples in a curated box sent to your doorstep. Glamourbox's goal is to make sure you get at least double the price of what you paid for, and from what I've seen from all the boxes they have sent out since they started, they have really delivered. For me though, the best thing about it is the element of surprise; you never know what you're going to get so it's kinda like receiving a surprise birthday gift every month!

There is a theme for each month. For February, the theme is Romantic Beauty in keeping with the Hallmark holiday. Here are the contents:

I already have long and thick eyelashes to begin with so I don't know if I'm going to use this or give it away. I mean, it would be great to have lashes thick and dramatic enough to not need mascara anymore, but then again I don't want to deal with freakishly long lashes in case this really delivers!

I am embarrassed to admit this, but it is actually my first time to use Carmex LOL. I only ever used Chapstick, Nivea, and Blistex before. Still, it's always good to have lots of lip balm choices, right? I tried this today and I totally loved how it soothed my lips. Definitely bringing this with me everywhere, every day.

It'll be my first time to try this as well, and I am excited to do so after hearing Kira sing praises for this supposed "liquid gold" that is said to heal dry skin, prevent acne breakout, and reduce marks and fine lines.

I love The Body Shop and their lotions so I was thrilled to get these samples, mostly because we are going to the beach this weekend and I intend to pack light.

I haven't sniffed this scent yet but the description says it is "sophisticated, confident, and radiant." They are not three words that can easily describe me, so I'm not sure what my feelings for this scent will be after a while.

I'm not sure if I can use these as I don't have that much makeup, and I also want to hold off on buying a new bag, at least until the second half of the year... but we'll see.

Now this is a special treat that I received based on the beauty profile I filled out when I signed up for Glamourbox:

Not everyone got this so I feel extremely lucky, especially because I have been using the exact product for a while now! I love it on my hair! It's also very economical because one to two drops is enough; it has been three months yet I've used only just a quarter of my 50ml bottle! I'm sure it will still be a long, long, long time from now, but I am willing to buy a bottle once my stash runs out.

There you go. :) I'm not sure if I will get the March box because I am trying to curb my spending, but I'll definitely watch out for the April box, just because it's my birthmonth!