And right this moment, it’s this gorgeous decadent chocolate cake. Borrowing Marla's words to mark my 6th (6th!!!) year in Public Relations! From ARC PR to MullenLowe MARC, between physical office transfers and promotions to countless events and press kits sent out, may the best of our todays be the worst of our tomorrows!

Cheers!

Koreans really don't dick around when it comes to skin care. I've been very emotional and stressed lately but my skin has NEVER looked this great. I recently overhauled my skin care routine with the new goodies I got from Althea Korea so I believe all credit goes to them.

I am going to write about my new (and simplified!) skin care routine on my next post but right now I would like to feature Althea Korea's collaboration with Korea's number 1 beauty TV show, Get It Beauty: the new Althea Real Fresh Skin Detoxers in Rose and Green Tea that I got as a welcome gift for being an Althea Angel.

Created to suit the hectic schedules of modern urbanites, these products harness the goodness of nature and translate that into freshness and vitality for the skin. Made with premium ingredients sourced from various parts of the world, these 10-second masks are filled with energy and freshness from nature to ensure your skin stays healthy and clean every day.

You read that right, 10-second masks! No more waiting too long and falling asleep with your sheet masks on! I mean, I would like to bask in the goodness of a sheet mask every day but who has the time?

Why come up with this product, you ask? Well, without a proper cleanse, the skin isn’t able to fully absorb nourishment, no matter the ingredient in your skincare. Althea Korea worked hand in hand with the experts from Get It Beauty because they wanted to showcase real, fresh ingredients and incorporate them into a system that allowed a deep, clarifying cleanse while boosting the skin with nutrients and goodness. The Real Fresh Skin Detoxers draw out sebum, dirt, and residue from the pores while dispensing an array of nutrients to the skin, leaving it fresh, supple, and smooth.

In the morning after you woke up, this product helps to protect and balance the pH levels of the skin, evening out the skin’s texture for perfect makeup application. It contains 100% May Rose Petals, which is hand-picked once a year during May from Grasse, Southern France. It deeply hydrates the skin and minimizes pores while soothing redness.


The main ingredient of this mask are young Green Tea Leaves from pristine Jeju island plantations. Jeju green tea powder relieves the stressed skin real fast by controlling the sebum and freeing the skin from dust and dirt.

Let me show you how I use it! I used my favorite, Rose. Both of them smell great but I'm specifically hooked on Rose!


With clean hands, apply a generous layer on your face.


Leave on for 10 seconds.

After 10 seconds, add a little water and massage in circular motions.


Rinse thoroughly.


Admire your reflection.


Pat, pat, pat, gently until dry.


Admire yourself some more, pleased with your revitalized and brighter skin.


Voila!


Now you can continue with the rest of your morning routine.

I follow the same routine at night with my Green Tea Real Fresh Skin Detoxer, except I only use it every other day.

Whether you've just recently discovered K-Beauty products and are feeling a little overwhelmed with all the choices in Althea Korea or whether you're a seasoned K-Beauty pro, I think you will like the new Althea Real Fresh Skin Detoxers like I did!

And because Althea is feeling generous, you can get both in a bundle for a discounted price by clicking here! If you order now, there's a huge chance you'll get it by next week. Try it and let me know what you think! 

“Don't be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don't have to live forever, you just have to live.”

- Tuck Everlasting, Natalie Babbitt

Everything is fleeting.

My grandfather Lolo Julian passed away in his sleep yesterday morning. He had spent majority of the last two years being bedridden and needing full-time care as he couldn't anymore speak nor eat normally; he had to be fed through a tube.

He was 79.

We weren't really close as he was not particularly warm, even to his children. I remember resenting him as a child because he would not let me go out of the house to play with other kids, causing me to spend all my free time reading books and playing with my dolls. I have long ago forgiven him for that though, as I understood later on that he was not really a people person.

Still, I'd like to think he had a good life. He and my grandmother had four children, the eldest of which is my Mother. My life is a product of him and his circumstances, together with the life and circumstances of everyone before him. I am grateful and I will miss him.

Hug your loved ones a little bit tighter, friends.

On my first week back to work after my long hiatus, I didn't really have the luxury to slow down as there were a lot of things I needed to attend to and assist with. One of these is the top secret shoot for Plains & Prints' newest collaboration.


Plains & Prints x Mark Bumgarner was finally unveiled at a private event in Manila House last week, and the capsule collection was very well-received!


Renowned fashion designer Mark Bumgarner’s fashion sensibilities work so well with homegrown fashion brand Plains & Prints. This capsule collection features 13 designer pieces that include four dresses, five tops, one pantsuit, and three bottoms that lend Bumgarner’s signature aesthetic to pieces that are more casual and wearable.



If you look closely, you may notice recognizable Filipino symbols in the prints. Bumgarner says some of the designer pieces from the collection were given a dash of local style by incorporating the Philippines' national leaf Anahaw and the Queen of Philippine Flowers Waling-Waling. These elements were reinterpreted into something wearable, laid-back, and modern that can bring ladies from office to cocktails. The pieces are also practical for daily wear as the silhouettes are fun and colorful, with a touch of class.


To say that working in PR is all about glitz and glamour is one of the biggest misconceptions about my job because people don’t see the amount of hard work that preparing for an event entails. You have to be able to think on your feet and be graceful while doing it. But then, however stressful it can sometimes be, there’s no other industry I’d rather be. The launch of the #PlainsandPrintsXMarkBumgarner capsule collection was the nth event I have worked for but I still had to pinch myself several times to confirm it was really happening. Everything came together, and it’s definitely one of my favorite events to date! Congratulations, Plains & Prints and Mark Bumgarner!

The collection will be available in all Plains & Prints stores nationwide starting today so grab your designer pieces now! For more information, visit Plains & Prints' official website and follow their updates on  Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.