October 28 was declared a Special Non-working Holiday because of the Barangay Elections but I still went to work. It was a fun work-day though because we helped launch MANGO's new flagship store in SM Mall of Asia.

Since Rica was on her honeymoon that time, my boss Jenny hired someone, Hanna, to help us. Far and I liked her instantly because she's a very nice girl and it's so easy to talk to her. (She also co-owns swimwear brand Cesa, check out their super pretty pieces here!)

Hanna can also read auras. She said that all of us has every color in the spectrum somewhere inside our aura, but one or two colors are more prominent than others. When she first read ours, Far's was yellow (full of inner joy, very generous and not attached to anything) while mine was navy blue (balanced existence, sustaining life, eased nerve system, transmitting forces and energy) and green (restful state and healing). After a while though, she said that mine changed to pink (perfect balance between spiritual awareness and the material existence)! Today, when Rica and I met her for lunch, she said my aura's color was turquoise (dynamic quality of being, highly energized personality, capable of projection, influencing other people) but it changed to orange (uplifting and absorbing; inspiring) towards the end of the meal! Hanna said changing colors is normal, but she has never seen someone like me whose aura changes that frequently and quickly! I've always been expressive of what I feel and I guess that also translates to my aura; even my friend Allen told me it's proof of my dynamic personality. I'm a walking mood ring!

Moving along, these are the things that made my week.

My MANGO Rock It Up outfit Jacket - Britney Spears for Candie's | Dress - SM Teens' Wear | Shoes - schu

Thank you, Oishi! Would you like to win your own giant Oishi gift pack? Join my giveaway!

Tank top - SOLO | Wedges - The Little Things She Needs Hunger Games necklace and charm bracelets - Trinkets for Keeps

We thought it was just a simple meeting with a client, but Tokyo Tokyo ended up feeding us. A LOT. I wasn't able to eat dinner anymore that night.

My pretty pens ♥ Thanks, Rica!

Jacket - NEXT | Spaghetti-strapped top - Freeway Pants - SM Kids' Fashion | Necklace - Forever21

I've been chosen as one of MAGGI Philippines' influencers and was sent these so I can share recipes with you guys and cook them. You know you can ask me anything about books and movies but kitchen-speak is my weakness. Nevertheless, CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

What's in my bag? Baon from Oishi!

Jeans - Miss Sixty | Flats - Parisian Agate bracelet and Harry Potter-inspired charm bracelet - Trinkets for Keeps

Hanna's post-birthday lunch at Poco Deli Insert Far here ♥

Home-made red velvet ice cream from Poco Deli Sweet dreams are made of this.

New polishes from Caronia

Rainbow colors

I wonder what my aura's next colors will be.

Happy long Halloween weekend, you guys! Have a blessed and peaceful All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, as well. ♥

As I have already written several times before, I have a love-hate relationship with my hair. I love that it's lush and thick, but I hate that it somehow gets a life of its own and becomes almost impossible to manage when I neglect to put any styling product on it. Seriously, when can I have that "just rolled out of bed" look that other girls (like my friend/ officemate Far) always seem to pull off so well? #meandmyproblems Because I'm the type of girl who'd rather spend time pursuing other interests than worrying about my hair's state of affairs, I had it cut short two years ago and never looked back. I have to say I miss my long hair sometimes, though. It's the stuff that Throwback Thursdays are made of.

My hair is easier to maintain now although frizz is still a common occurrence "upstairs", so when my boss asked me to look for someone with short {and frizzy} hair to volunteer and have a Japanese Blowout done at JuRo Salon Exclusif to remove frizz, I have no shame in saying I did not hesitate to volunteer myself. If you remember my old post, JuRo is managed by the Philippines' top hair artists: hairstylist Jude and colorist Rose. They have already made a name for themselves with years of providing topnotch hair and beauty services to clients who are not willing to compromise the quality of their locks as well as training most of the country's top hairstylists today.

Brazilian Blowout has been around for a while now, but what exactly is a Japanese Blowout? Sir Jude said that, "just because hair is glossy doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s in the pink of health." What the method targets is the structure itself, improving the overall texture and quality to eliminate frizz and damage. If you have met me in person, you know that I have crazy frizzy hair. Are you excited to see the results?

I went there last Friday and, well, let's take a look at the photos.

BEFORE

Scraggly, uneven, unhealthy hairrr

The practice is composed of an initial 5-10 minute softening phase, involving the application of a Thioglycerine-rich solution, followed by a blow-dry and ironing to seal the nutrients within strands.

Miss Rose and very hands-on and applied the solution on my hair herself.

I was advised the process will take not more than 90 minutes since my hair is short, but even those with longer locks will not spend more than two hours having the treatment done. Everyone who tries it is guaranteed to have lustrous, manageable, and frizz-free tresses with the effects lasting for three to five months.

While waiting for the treatment to work its magic, I asked for a photo with Bianca Gonzalez who incidentally was also there having her hair cut and colored. I got a kick out of knowing that she remembered meeting me at another event!

I love her mauve-colored hair and purple highlights!

Are you ready to see the results? Dun dun dun dunnn...



My hair was noticeably smoother and finer-looking, but maybe that's just because it's still wet? Well, Miss Rose asked Sir Jude to cut my hair as well, and who am I to say no to that? Ladies and gents, the finished finished product:




Do you like my new hair? Because I DO! Here is what it looked like at the MANGO event yesterday:


It's so easy to maintain, and unlike other hair treatments, you can already wet your hair the day after! To ensure maximum longevity, JuRo Salon Exclusif recommends a care regimen similar to that for color-treated hair, with sulphate-free shampoos and weekly masques. Oh man, I wish this style and state can last on me forever!

Thank you so much, Sir Jude and Miss Rose! I am Frizzy Krissy no more ^_^

The JuRo Japanese Blowout is exclusively available at Juro Salon Exclusif in Unit # 2D Kensington Place, 1st Avenue corner 29th Street, Crescent Park West, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The treatment and haircut are given to me for free but all opinions are my own.

Most of the time you don't need any reason other than "because I want to."

- via

And because I want to, I will be reviewing another lip product today. This time, Benecos Natural Lipgloss in Rose Garden takes the spotlight.

Be glamorous with this natural mineral lip gloss from Benecos. Get nourishing hydration with organic sunflower oil, as pure mineral pigments provide excellent natural color. Made for sensitive lips, it protects and colors at the same time. Goes on smooth with a non-sticky and non-greasy feel.

Rose Garden Ingredients: Castor Seed Oil*, Lanolin, Canola/Tung Oil Copolymer, Silica, Mica, Beeswax*, Fragrance (Essential Oils), Candellila Wax, Limonene, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Sunflower Seed Oil*, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, May Contain: Iron Oxides, Talc, Titanium Dioxide, Ultramarines, Purple Manganese

* indicates Certified Organic Ingredients

It was sent to me by Canary Cosmetics, the same local start-up company that sent me my favorite MLBB lipstick, the Benecos Slimline Natural Lipstick in Rose Love. Benecos is a German brand that started in 2008 with the goal of creating high quality natural cosmetics at affordable prices. They are completely cruelty-free and do not use petroleum-based ingredients, synthetic ingredients, Genetically Modified ingredients, synthetic dyes, synthetic fragrances, ethoxylated raw materials, silicon, paraffin, or mineral oil derivatives. You may visit their website here.

It has a doe-foot applicator.

The color comes across as purple while in the tube, then goes a bit sheerer when swiped.

Unlike other lip glosses I have used and am accustomed to, Benecos Natural Lipgloss didn't have any shimmers at all. It goes opaque at first swipe then gets a bit more translucent upon blending. I liked that it is non-sticky and didn't dry my lips at all. Of course, bonus points for being completely natural and cruelty-free!

As with other glosses, though, it doesn't last that long and reapplication is needed especially after eating and/ or drinking. I also didn't like the taste that much but I think that's because of its mineral properties. Nevertheless, it's an excellent choice for those who like color on their lips but are not a fan of a lipstick's weight nor a standard lip gloss' micro-shimmers.

My Rose Garden can stand on its own but where's the fun in that? Just for kicks, I tried it with my Wet 'N Wild Mega Last Lip Color in Ravin' Raisin just because they belong in the same color family.



I love Ravin' Raisin's rich and plummy shade but I think putting a coat of Rose Garden on top of it made it more subdued and look better! This is the also the combo I used on a bohemian-themed press launch we had a couple of weeks ago:


If you're looking for a vampy lipstick shade for Halloween, this is a killer combo you might want to try. So there, I have to go now as I have to prepare for our big event in SM Mall of Asia Atrium tonight at 6. Are you going? Tweet me!

See you when I see you. ;)

The Benecos Natural Lipgloss costs P750 each and comes in other shades like Rosé‎, Berry, Apricot, Kiss Me, and Noisette. It was sent to me by Canary Cosmetics for free for review purposes but all opinions are my own. Please visit their Facebook page to see and/ or purchase their other products.

As I have written numerous times before already, work has gotten more stressful lately because of all the reports I need to complete. I'm not complaining though as I know it's a good problem to have. Nonetheless I longed for even just a few hours to recharge and make sure the machine's well oiled, so to speak. Last Thursday after work, I went straight to The Spa Wellness in TriNoma for some much needed pampering.

I always have my haircuts done at the salon beside it but it was actually my first time to visit The Spa Wellness. I was greeted warmly by the staff upon entering and I immediately felt relaxed. Maybe it was because of the interiors, or the smell, or the low lighting, or the ambient music. Maybe it was everything combined. I'm not really sure, but I appreciated that sense of calmness a lot.

I was booked to have The Spa Reflexology that day, a 60-minute head-to-toe massage that combines three Asian techniques – Japanese Shiatsu, Thai Massage and Chinese Reflexology. I know I needed that because my back had been aching for a couple of weeks prior, and my friend Rica even pointed out the many knots on my back.

Before my session, The Spa's Marketing Associate Michelle Brillantes gave me a tour around the place first. Judging from the front facade, you would think they occupy just a small space. I was pleasantly surprised that there are a lot of rooms and amenities inside!





The Spa also owns barre3 which is a combination of ballet, yoga, and Pilates. Since I practice yoga, I got interested with this "hybrid". I promise to try a session soon.



barre3 is currently available at The Spa Wellness branches in Alabang, Eastwood, The Fort, Rockwell, Shangri-La, TriNoma and soon-to-open in Promenade.

After the tour, I was led back to my massage room.


The Spa Reflexology is also great for sparties since you won't have to be naked during the massage. Also, since it's a 60-minute session only, this is perfect for those who need a quick breather but are always on-the-go. But since I was in no rush and I didn't have any friends with me that day, I was thankful that I got to have the room to myself.


After soaking my feet in a pail of warm water, my therapist Jeany also put a warm pillow behind my back. She then proceeded to massage my feet and calves first, then my head, and my arms. I panicked a bit when I thought she won't give me a back massage since that was the part I was looking forward to letting go of stress the most, so I was relieved when she asked me to lie face-down. It was pure 60 minutes of abandon. With every touch and every knead, I felt my muscles yield and relax. I am very ticklish (emphasis on very) so to be honest I am a little scared that massages won't work on me, but Jeany was great. I wish I have a Jeany at my beck and call all the time LOL.

At P600 only per session, it is one luxury I can definitely afford to give myself at least once a month. With all the stress I deal with on a daily basis at work, during the commute to and from home, and life in general, it is a most welcome treat. More enriching than just another shoe or bag purchase, right?


Add massages to my monthly budget? Done and done.


The Spa Reflexology is available at The Spa Wellness in Alabang, Greenbelt, Shangri-la and Trinoma. For more info, visit www.thespa.com.ph.

For reservations and inquiries at The Spa Wellness Trinoma branch, call 900-8818 / 900-8809.

HERE COMES THE BEST PART!

The Spa Wellness has generously offered to give one of my readers a chance to try out The Spa Reflexology for free! All you have to do is join the giveaway thru the Rafflecopter widget below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And that's it! The winner will be announced in two weeks. Good luck, everyone!

'Tis the season to be merry! Aside from my ongoing charm bracelets giveaway, the awesome people behind Oishi and Bridges PR partnered with my blog for another contest, where you could win a giant Oishi gift pack!


Last October 1, Oishi and Team O members Ramon Bautista, Elmo Magalona, and Slater Young devised a very special O Wow! surprise for young students in the Intramuros and Luneta area. O—a special jeep driven and occupied by these three celebrities in disguise, Everyone who came aboard were surprised with Oishi snacks and the chance to hang out with the three celebrities for the duration of the ride.


What a special treat for those who are coming to and from school or work tired and/ or hungry, yes? Watch the video to see their reaction:

I got a special kick out of it because the students are from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, my alma mater. Yup, that was my uniform back in college!

Now for the fun part, you can win a giant Oishi gift pack by joining my giveaway! And when I say giant, I really mean it, just look at the photos below!

It may not look like much, but when you look at the photo below for scale...

SEE???

Just check out the Rafflecopter widget below to join. Please note that the winner of the giveaway should be able to claim his/ her prize at Bridges PR's Makati office.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The giveaway ends in 10 days and the winner will be announced immediately after. Good luck!

Oishi and Team O’s goal has always beeni to spread O, Wow! surprises to make every day not so everyday, and it’s safe to say that Jeep O did just that to the everyday commute!

EDIT Oishi and Bridges PR sent me my own gift pack this morning and look how BIG it is!


What a wonderful way to start my day! Thanks, Oishi and Bridges PR!