A Very Braid-y Life

Practical and artful - braids have been an integral part to my daily routine as a girl with long unruly hair, living and commuting in Manila.

My favorite's the single French braid - it's easy, stays put the whole day, and I can sleep on it, too (the waves I get after untying it the next day are fabulous). The single French may not be for you but there are plenty of braid versions out there. I've got some favorite braid looks from TV series that I can't get enough of. That list is coming up real soon!

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Natural Ways of Treating Skin Problems

Flawless. Creamy. Glowing. Whether fair or dark-skinned, these are ideal conditions of skin that most people desire. Countless commercials and endorsements keep on egging us to buy that new cream, or to try that new technological solution, or to eat only this or that, to get that beautiful skin we desire so much.

Skin as lovely as Lea's, perhaps?

We have to admit, most of us have something about our skin which we would like to be removed or get treated. And our consumer-centric world capitalizes on that; all the more with today's ever-advancing technologies. An intense and costly skin laser treatment offered in a trusted clinic may be the way to go for some while others may opt for more invasive procedures like liposuction, face lifts, and nose lifts. I would never put myself under such risks for the sake of beauty but I certainly respect those who choose to do it. It just isn't for me. Now such procedures I've mentioned eat at the bank accounts as fast as Pacman swallows those yellow dots in the computer game, making that gorgeous skin seem like a mere dream or wish.

Or, as clear and glowing as Lupita's?

Yet one should not lose hope. The heavens are not that cruel. In reality, we just have to look around and the solutions we need can easily be acquired. And what's more, they don't cost as much as your car and they are as safe, and NATURAL, as plucking your eyebrows (not like those scary skin laser treatments that seem like your being dissected in a Sci-Fi movie). The following are some common skin problems that many of us encounter and the natural remedies you can do to take care of them.

Problem: ACNE
Ingredients:
Water
Baking Soda

Procedures:

1. Combine the two in a bowl in to create a paste-like mixture. Think of the consistency of epoxy; add parts of each until you come out with something similar to that.

2. Use your hands and spread tis mixture onto your face. Apply it as you would with applying cream for a facial mask. Let it settle and do not remove for about 20-30 minutes.

3. Remove and wash your face. Use only water.

Problem: WARTS
Ingredients:
Garlic

Procedures:
There are two ways to use garlic to gradually cure and remove warts:

1. Crush some garlic and spread it over the wart and and immediate surrounding area. Let it stay for about 20 minutes then wash with water.

2. Peel off the skin of a clove of garlic then gently rub it over the wart. Do this for about 30-45 minutes then rinse with clean water.

There are other natural ways of treating and taking care of your skin. All it takes is some diligent research and patience. And truth be told, you're better off with trying natural remedies first than cleaning your savings out with an invasive procedure. 

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My Picks: The Most Beautiful Brides in Movies

June, named after Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage, is the most popular month of the year for frilly white dresses, romantic motifs and traditional and non-traditional unions.

Products for your special day from Vogue's 2013 Wedding Guide

Yeah, yeah. I'm a day late but the internet connection was horrible last night so I'm posting it today. It may not be June anymore but couples get married all year long, right? Anyway, I seriously don't have any plans of getting hitched any time soon but like any other warm-blooded girl, I'm a sucker for gorgeous wedding gowns featured in Vogue and tear-jerking wedding videos captured by Jason Magbanua. Whether it's grand or simple, there's always something magical about the concept of weddings. Movies seem to magnify that concept and you can get an inspiration or two from some of the most beautiful brides I've seen in films. 

Carrie Bradshaw, Sex & the City (2008)

Before Carrie finally tied the knot wearing a labelless dress in city hall, she had to wear the most gorgeous samples for her Vogue photoshoot including this memorable Vera Wang dress. I thought her foundation was a tad cakey but the red lip was a lovely stand out.

Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre (2011)

Jane Eyre might have not gotten the perfect wedding day with Edward Fairfax Rochester wearing this old-fashioned lacey number but she did get her happily ever after in the end.

Liv & Emma, Bride Wars (2009)

With Liv's (Kate Hudson) purple smokey shadow and Emma's (Anne Hathaway) full brows and glossy lip, this film is bound to give blushing brides some ideas on planning weddings and picking out the perfect dress.

Georgiana Cavendish, The Duchess (2008)

If it isn't apparent yet, I'm a big Keira fan so I'm sorry for including her again. To be fair, she makes one aspirational movie bride (Love Actually, Pirates of the Caribbean) and this scene with Ralph Fiennes inspired me to recreate that 18th century makeup look on my BFF. 

Victoria, The Young Victoria (2009)

I've always known Queen Victoria to be the English queen who always wore black never knowing why she did. Now I know that after Prince Albert died, she decided to always wear black to mourn his death. If I married a dashing and loving prince like him, I would mourn him forever, too. And whoever thought proposing to men was a radical idea? Queen V would have begged to differ.

 

Jamie Sullivan, A Walk to Remember (2002) 

I read the book. I cried. I saw the film. I cried. Every time I watch this, I always cry. A Walk to Remember was the most tear-jerking romantic movie I could remember before The Notebook rightfully claimed that title. Mandy Moore made for a pretty bride but I have to ask, where's Shane West now?

In case you want to do a Kate Middleton on your own big day, i.e. do your own makeup, here's a useful makeup tutorial from Pixiwoo.

 

Do you have any favorite movie brides? Would you use any element from their "movie wedding" on your own dream wedding? ;)

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Philippine Fashion Week 2013 Beauty Highlights

Fashion is no forte of mine and my comfort zone is with jeans, sometimes shorts, and a tee. Despite the lack of fashion know-how, I still enjoy looking at runway photos since I like scrutinizing the models' makeup looks. And speaking of runway photos, I've been looking through these photos from Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2013 from a couple of weeks ago. To my disappointment, I wasn't able to go this year (I did get a couple of invites to two shows but alas, I got confused with the invites somehow - will not go into any more details about it. HA!) but hey, there's always next year. ;)

My favorite collection was "The Librarian" by Oz Go.

So what makeup looks dominated the runway this year?

All Shades of Pink

Pink always looks good on anyone when you're wearing the right shade of course. It's the most wearable lip color so I'm not surprised that this was a common look that week.

Penshoppe

Ruben Santos

SM Ladies’ Fashion and Parisian Shoes

Coral eyeshadow

Coral is so lively and gorgeous against medium to warm skin tones and it's not everyday you see women wear this standout eyeshadow color.

Eric Delos Santos

Jun Jun Cambe

Dark Red Lips

I'm an all year round fan of dark lipsticks since it gives off such a bold and confident statement.

Happy Andrada

Randall Solomon

Norman Noriega for JAG Origins

Return of the Gloss

I don't like wearing lip gloss because it's so impractical especially when you're commuting to and from work like me but on the runway, you'd definitely spot these women from a mile away with those fiercely shiny pouts. What I've learned from looking at these photos is that when the whole face stays matte, you can  easily elevate it with some lip gloss.

Oz Go

Russell Villafuerte

Xernan Orticio

Technicolor

The blue green eye shadow may be wearable but even though the avant-garde multicolored lips aren't, I think this is still one of the brighter and more adventurous looks from this year's runway.

Lizanne Cua

Embellishments

I loved Michael Cinco's collection and I love how the make up blends perfectly with his clothes. Makeup never looked more expensive when you have crystals adorning your face, too. You don't have to wear crystals on your face if you want to get the same pizazz as this runway look. You can use sparkly eye shadows or glitter mascara and liner instead.

Michael Cinco

Smokey eyes/Bleached brows

Who doesn't like a good smokey eye? It's so modern and sexy and with bleached brows like Lisbeth's, the contrast makes it even slicker .

Jerome Salaya Ang for Jag Origins

What were your favorite makeup looks from this year's Philippine Fashion Week?

*Images courtesy of Status

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