This New Year, use Kerastase--and only Kerastase!--for your hair

I love Kerastase. I use the Resistance Bain Volumactive line for my flat lifeless hair. Of course, with Kerastase, my hair is revived and bouncy and beautiful! I also use the Reflection Bain Chroma Riche line when my hair's newly colored, to keep my hair looking redder longer. I cannot emphasize just how much I love Kerastase for my hair! Even my husband is spoiled rotten--he loves it, too, and switches between his Phyto shampoo and my Kerastase bottle because this stuff really works.

Now, Kerastase is not cheap. Why, it's the hair care line used by Hollywood celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Aniston and Emmy Rossum! So I'm so happy I'm friends with Kerastase's Senior Product Manager, the affable and totally wonderful Birdie Salva--he sends me my bottles and jars for free! Thank you, Birdie!

Birdie's so generous, he's extending his offer of free Kerastase products to YOU! Look at what he's giving away on his fantabulous blog, Hair in Manila:

My darlings, that is one box of beauty! Hop on now to Hair in Manila for details on how you can win that fab box!

P.S. Birdie, thanks for my Kerastase Resistance Bain Volumactive shampoo and conditioner and the yummily scented candles, too!

Mixed feelings about Park Jun Salon

When I said I'll never go to another salon again for cut and color, I did mean it. So when I was invited to have a Kerastase treatment at Park Jun salon, of course I said yes.

Park Jun is a huge Korean chain of salons all over the world. This year, a Manila branch finally opened at Glorietta 3. The salon is fantastic--spacious, the decor is cutting-edge, the gadgets they use are out of this world, the service lovely. The shampoo chairs are amazing--they mold themselves to your body!

Anyway, I was so happy with everything (especially my Kerastase treatment!) that when my stylist, the adorable Jinny Kim, said I needed a cut and color and she would like to style my hair, I said... yes.

Beauty can help fight cancer

A little boy named Mio is fighting the battle of his life. The enemy is leukemia and Mio is all of 5 years old, so we desperately need your help.

As a magazine editor, I get a lot of beauty products sent my way. I hope my friends in the beauty industry will understand what I'm about to do--I will be selling beauty products here at 20% to 50% off of their retail price to raise funds for Mio's chemotherapy treatment. These are all brand new, unused and authentic.

UPDATE: I've run out of beauty products to sell so thank you to the other magazine editors and beauty writers who gave me their products--the proceeds of which will all go to Mio and Jasmine! They don't want to be identified but thank you, lovely ladies!SOLD!

ABSOLUTE C RADIANCE MOISTURE CRÈME
REVLON
P554.80 (+ P80 shipping)
This instantly hydrates and energizes dull skin. Its sensational lightweight
texture leaves no stickiness and keeps skin glowing, moisturised and
silky smooth all day. Costs $22.71 (P1,109.61)
YOU SAVE P554.80 (50%!)

SOLD!

BLACK GARLIC EMULSION
SKIN FOOD
P300 (+ P80 shipping)
This toner/serum from the Korean beauty brand contains allicin from
fermented black garlic extracts to moisturize and smoothen skin.

SOLD!
SPLIT END MENDER
CITRE SHINE
P200 (+ P80 shipping)
This leave in treatment replenishes vitamins and nutrients that repair and
strengthen split ends, leaving your smooth and full of brilliant shine.
Daily use prevents new split ends from occurring by 90%.

SOLD!
WILD CHERRY BODY SCRUB
THE BODY SHOP
P684 (+ P80 shipping)
Leave skin radiant and subtly sweetly scented with a gentle
exfoliating scrub enriched with wild cherry. Costs $20 (P977.20).
YOU SAVE P293.20

SOLD!
OLEO-RELAX SLIM
KERASTASE
P954 (+ P80 shipping)
This leave-in conditioner for thick, dry, rebellious hair is designed to reduce
volume and leave hair silky soft and super sleek. Costs GBP 17 (P1,362.61).
YOU SAVE P408.61

SOLD!
OLEO-RELAX NUIT
KERASTASE
P1,369 (+P80 shipping)
This rich mask is a nutri-disciplining night treatment for dry and
rebellious hair designed to reduce volume and leave hair silky soft
and super sleek. Costs GBP 24.70 (P1,957).
YOU SAVE P588

SOLD!
MANGO SHOWER GEL
THE BODY SHOP
P500 (+ P80 shipping)
Smell yummy after every shower with this deliciously
scented shower gel. Costs P625 in shops.
YOU SAVE P125

SOLD!
SOFT SHIMMER LOTION
JERGENS
P100 (+ P80 shipping)
This looks amazing on bronzed/tan/morena skin! It leaves a golden sheen
on your skin. I think this is about P250 in SM Dept Store.

SOLD!
VITA LIFT RE-TIGHTENING MOISTURIZER
L'OREAL MEN EXPERT
P100 (+ P80 shipping)
FOR MEN: This is a 2-in-1 treatment. Action 1: GEL retightens skin
on face and neck. Action 2: CREAM reduces the appearance of wrinkles

SOLD!
PURE & MATTE MATIFYING TONER
L'OREAL MEN EXPERT
P100 (+ P80 shipping)
FOR MEN: The salicylic acid and algae extract dries out
imperfections, tightens and clarifies pores.

SOLD!
PURE & MATTE GEL
L'OREAL MEN EXPERT
P100 (+ P80 shipping)
FOR MEN: The anti-sebum complex will give you long-lasting
shine control for pure, clear and healthy-looking skin.

SOLD!
WHITE ACTIV MOISTURIZING FLUID
L'OREAL MEN EXPERT
P100 (+ P80 shipping)
FOR MEN: The Melano Block gives you fairer and more even skin tone.
With SPF20, it helps prevent against skin darkening.

SOLD!
JAPANESE CHERRY BLOSSOM PUREE BODY LOTION
THE BODY SHOP
P539 (+P80 shipping)
This lightweight lotion softens and smoothens your skin with extracts
from the Japanese cherry blossom. Costs P770 in stores.
YOU SAVE P231

SOLD!
WILD CHERRY BODY BUTTER
THE BODY SHOP
P672 + (P80 shipping)
With cherry oil that's filled with Vitamins A and E, pamper
your skin with this cream! Costs P960 in shops.
YOU SAVE P288

SOLD!
DNAge ANTI-AGE BODY LOTION
NIVEA BODY
P132.50 (+ P80 shipping)
Tighten, smoothen and tone your neck, decolletage and arms with
this lotion packed with folic acid and UV filters. Costs P265 in shops.
YOU SAVE P132.50

SOLD!
DNAge ANTI-AGE HAND LOTION
NIVEA HAND
P132.50 (+ P80 shipping)
This lotion uses tourine--the skin's own natural amino acids--to restore
moisture to dry skin and prevent aging. Costs P265 in shops.
YOU SAVE P132.50

SOLD!
EYE SHADOW PALETTE

LUNASOL
P200 (+ P80 shipping)
This is from the Japanese beauty brand. I don't know how much this
costs but I know it's available at Rustan's and it's not cheap.

SOLD!
EXFOLIATING BODY SCRUB WITH CORIANDER
KIEHL'S
P847 (+ P80 shipping)

This body scrub has coriander extracts to slough away dead skin cells and
prime your skin for moisturizing. Costs P1,210 at Kiehl's Greenbelt 5.
YOU SAVE P363

SOLD!
SEAWEED MATTIFYING DAY CREAM
THE BODY SHOP
P539 (+P80 shipping)

Extracts from the bladderwack seaweed will help control your
skin's oil spills! You stay matte all day. Costs P770 in stores.
YOUR SAVINGS: P231

SOLD!
SEAWEED PORE PERFECTOR
THE BODY SHOP
P675 (+ P80 shipping)
Extracts of the bladderwack seaweed and seaweed from the
French Coast help to balance oil and clear skin. Costs P965 in stores.
YOU SAVE P290

SOLD!
MUSE PORTABLE MAKEUP BRUSH SET
SHU UEMURA
P2,800 (+ P80 shipping)
This portable makeup brush set is from the Muse Collection. Includes
a face powder brush, blush brush, eyeshadow brush and a lip brush.
Made of goat hair, pony hair and sable. Costs P3,500 at Shu Uemura Power Plant.
YOU SAVE P700

Please send an email to frances@topazhorizon.com if you wish to buy. Tell me the product/s you want, your name, delivery address and phone numbers. Please also tell me how you wish to pay.

I accept PayPal, G-Cash and deposits to my BDO bank account. Once payment is received, I will send the beauty products straight to your doorstep. Yes, I combine shipping!

All proceeds of the sales made in this blog post will go to Mio's leukemia treatment. I will be adding more products in the next few days so watch this space! Thank you for your generosity and happy shopping!

IMPORTANT: If you arrived here from a link, please check more recent posts. All products here have been sold and I most probably have other and newer sale posts for Mio. Thanks!

Kerastase launches Oleo-Relax Slim in a chi-chi party

Hailed as the haircare line used by the stars (Jennifer Lopez, Emmy Rossum, Paris Hilton are fans), Kerastase is definitely the gold standard when it comes to hair products. Even I'm convinced! Whenever I use Kerastase, my hair is always perfect. I just can't use it all the time because (a) I have to test other brands now and then and (b) it's expensive. That's why whenever Kerastase launches anything, it's lovely to attend becasue I get to bring home Kerastase goodies!

The goody bags had a bottle of leave-in conditioner
and a tub of treatment

Last night was the launch of Kerastase Oleo-Relax Slim, the latest product that is guaranteed to tame frizzy and rebellious hair. Now my hair is naturally behaved (thank the heavens) so I'm going to let my sister try this one out. Will post her review in a week or two.

The event was held at chic new club The Establishment at The Fort Strip. There were art installations for guests to marvel at but I found the drinks and the food more inspiring, to be utterly honest. But, for art's sake, marvel below...
Beautiful people everywhere (or beautifully dressed, at least!). Very well attended event so congratulations to Oliver Salva and the Kerastase team for a gorgeous night and for another new product that I'm sure will be a success!

Preview's beauty editor Cindy Go and Real Living's art director Arlene Sy

SM's marketing manager for kids and teens fashion Jasmine Mendiola (in pink),
me (in yellow), Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief Zo Aguila (in gray) and
Cosmopolitan fashion editor Kat Dy (in black)

The Beauty Writer