What are your thoughts on the Dear Diary commercial of Pond's?

This is Nicole Delos Angeles, Nichole Reyes-Mercado and me (looking very pregnant in a gray silk dress by Miu Miu for Prada!) at the launch of the latest TVC of Pond's Flawless White last Friday at the Beauty by SM at SM Makati. The commercial is called "Dear Diary." I can't find the TVC on YouTube yet so I trust you might've seen it on ETC by now.

 

Here's how the story goes... Once upon a time, in a magazine publishing company, an assistant named Carrie has a huge crush on her boss, Jack. Too bad for her, her dark spotty complexion makes her unattractive to Jack. So a friend gives her a pot of Pond's Flawless White, which magically lightens her skin and removes sun spots, acne scars, and all those nasty things in seven days, turning Carrie into a fair maiden. Will Jack notice her now? (Make a wild guess!) Will Carrie find her happily ever after now that her skin is flawlessly white? (Make another wild guess!)

Beauty updates!

I've been very very busy putting to bed the June issue of OK! magazine and gathering stories for you. Here's the special stories to watch for:

1. Johnson's & Johnson's Body and Bayo's fashion and beauty show
2. Pond's Flawless White's latest TVC, Dear Diary
3. NARS' upcoming fabulous makeup products (this is beyond exciting!!!)
4. Kenneth Cole's new super comfy high heels
5. TOMS Shoes' campaign to help poor Filipino kids get shoes

And, last but most definitely not the least, a beauty giveaway featuring famous Japanese brand Shiseido!!! I'm doing a fantabulous giveaway so I'm going to make the mechanics just a little hard, just so I can see how much you want the prize!

Okay, that's it! Are you excited??? I am!!!

Grooming gifts for the baby!

My little boy is so lucky. Here he is, in my tummy, working hard to develop his little body to become strong and healthy and already he's got pampering products waiting for him!

Kiehl's Baby Gentle Foaming Hair & Body Wash 

and Nurturing Baby Cream for Face & Body

Just Jewels presents its celebrity-designed wedding rings (plus a little chatter from me)

Dreaming of your wedding or already planning the big day? Then this news is for you!

Just Jewels just launched their Rings of Promise, wedding rings designed by actress and brand endorser Dawn Zulueta, TV host/society columnist/interior designer Tessa Prieto Valdes and fashion designer Debbie Co. The rings are part of Just Jewels' Made-to-Order Wedding Rings service, which promises good quality and customized design fit for any budget. I think it's a lovely idea! 

The event was held at Enderun Colleges at McKinley Hill. It's a nice place! Though it did remind me of a church. Anyway, the event took a while to start so I spent the time taking pictures.

WHILE WAITING...

Look at that blue sky! The red brick facade sure looked stark against that expanse of perfect azure.

Inside, the afternoon sun streamed in through the big windows. This would be lovely for an intimate  wedding reception.

I think the table arrangements are elegant and simple. I quite adore the flowers spilling over our heads. So pretty yet unobtrusive.

With me at the event was Mica, an intern for Cosmo.ph. She's so terribly young, it's almost painful. She's adorable, don't get me wrong, but she's all wide-eyed with wonder at the glamorous side of the magazine industry and when I told her that events are work not play, and that we usually spend our days hunched over a keyboard, typing and editing away, and negotiating with brand managers and advertisers, and worrying over circulation and advertising profit... well, she didn't believe me. She just thinks it's all fun, fun, fun! Sad to burst her bubble but it's more of stress, stress, stress!!!

Anyway, I was also there with bloggers Earth of Earthling Gorgeous and Jennie of Marriage and Beyond. They're power bloggers! Blogging is fast becoming (if it isn't already) the new important media, and Earth and Jennie are two of the few who know how to do this blogging thing well. I'm a blogger, too, but I'm still very entrenched in traditional print media. I do want to learn more about blogging because times are changing for print!

Olay Body pits models together for a fashion walk-off!

These days, it seems that we're running out of excuses to look old and ugly! With beauty products and treatments all filled with ingredients that promise to keep us tight, taut, smooth, soft, fair, etc, the only thing keeping us from looking our best is laziness!

To be honest with ya, I'm a super lazy girl when it comes to beautification. So I like products that do double duty. I like my moisturizer to have SPF, for example. I like my shampoo to not just clean my hair but also give it body. I like my toothpaste to have flouride and whiteners. Etc! So when it comes to my soap and shower gels, you can bet I use those that clean and moisturize at the same time!

Olay Body believes this, too! With its new Olay Body Age Defying Moisture Bar, women (and men, too!) can now start their anti-aging regimen in the shower. Regular soaps are meant to just clean your skin (which is a good thing!) but the Olay Body bar will moisturize it, too, so that you can fight dry and dull skin and improve skin texture. In fact, Olay Body bar promises that after just seven showers, you'll look younger. Hmmm!

Loving my La Mer lotion

I feel very soft and young and luscious lately because of a gift Ina Casas of La Mer gave me a few months ago--a big tube of La Mer Body Creme. She told me it was a "Congratulations on your pregnancy!" gift but I haven't been using it because, well, I wanted to try out Palmer's Cocoa Butter first.

Now I use them both--Palmer's on the ever expanding parts of me and La Mer everywhere else. And my skin is so soft! I feel so gorgeous and delectable. And it's also so hydrating, I don't need to use it every day. So even if it's pricey, I don't feel like my money is draining away because I hardly use it. In other words, it lasts longer.

Ria Prieto talks about non-invasive post-partum treatments

I get a lot of questions from mommies about safe beauty treatments while pregnant, and I promise you I'll write about this soonest (it's really simple--just stay away from Retinol!).

Meanwhile, this article by Ria Francisco-Prieto will be most helpful for mommies who've already given birth but are still mourning the loss of their pre-pregnancy looks (yes, it happens to all of us!).

Non-invasive post-partum treatments - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

I know Ria from when she used to be the beauty editor of teen magazine Candy. Now, she's the beauty editor of Inquirer Lifestyle and the mom of two adorable boys. Definitely the woman to ask about mommy beauty!

Lola Cosmetics' Klexius Kolby one beauty tip for the ladies!

A few weeks ago, I found myself at Makati Shangri-la's posh Red restaurant for an intimate lunch with makeup artist Klexius Kolby. There was just me, Preview's Pauline Juan and Good Housekeeping's Pia Rojas and--after a lovely meal of tuna tartar, sea bass and flourless chocolate cake--we just had to ask Klexius about Hollywood, makeup tricks and beauty tips.

Paul & Joe celebrates their 3rd birthday!

All you kikay girls need to mark your calendars this weekend! French fashion and beauty brand Paul & Joe is celebrating three beautiful years in Manila with a weekend of beauty!

I'm definitely going this Friday, before I get my Clarins facial. I've never used Paul & Joe products before so I'm very curious. The birthday bash will be held at the Paul & Joe beauty counter at Rustan's Makati. Let's go!

Makeup artist Nina Ricci Alagao will show pretty girls like us how to create spring's prettiest looks. I'm all about looking fresh and pretty so I'll see you there!

These limited edition bottles of Kiehl's Açaí Damage-Protecting Toning Mists can help save the rain forests!

Exciting news, beauty denizens! Kiehl's banded together with three influential artists to create these limited edition bottles of the Açaí Damage-Protecting Toning Mist! 

All of the net proceeds from the sale of this limited edition set will go directly to the Rainforest Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving biodiversity and ensuring sustainable livelihood. Yes, that's right--100% of the net proceeds, people!