My January Beauty Haul from Beauty MNL

Hassle-free, fast, and convenient - those are the three words to describe my Beauty MNL online shopping experience. Earlier this month, I was lucky to be handpicked by the Beauty MNL team to give their site a test run. The site carries a smorgasbord of brands to satisfy your beauty cravings. It is definitely a one-stop online shop for all your vanity needs.  I am warning you, if you are a beauty junkie, you will lose track of time window shopping and checking out their items. 

Here are the items I got to refill my makeup and skincare stash:

From left to right:
1. Maybelline Micellar Water 4-in-1 Makeup Remover

2. Lóreal Mat Magique Liquid Foundation in N5 Nude Cream
3. Skin Genie Lip and Cheek Stain Alive in Cherry Pink and Burgundy
4. Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Brown Nude Lipstick in Nude Nuance

Micellar Water 4-in-1 by Maybelline (Php 199)

 Mat Magique Liquid Foundation by L'oreal (Php 400)

Lip and Cheek Stain by Skin Genie (Php 80)

Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Brown Nude Lipstick (Php 299)

What I liked about Beauty MNL:

1. Easy to navigate and user-friendly site

The products are categorized into skincare, makeup, hair care, and so on which makes it easier for you to browse the item you need. The categories I frequent the most are makeup and skincare. I also find it helpful to go directly to 'Our Best Sellers' section since it includes holy grail and must-have items. You can also browse by brand. As for me, I have already bookmarked my fave brands so I am updated with their latest products.

2. Super fast delivery

I ordered and checked out on a Sunday night and got the package on Monday noon. So it arrived in less than 24 hours. Impressive right?? I even got an SMS update from Beauty MNL right before the package arrived. Double thumbs up from me!

3. Earning beauty credits by writing reviews

Aside from helping fellow beauty mavens by writing product reviews, you can also earn PHP300 worth of beauty credits for every 30 reviews completed. Beauty credits can be used to purchase in conjunction with the other modes of payment.

4. Bloom Magazine and Beauty by You product reviews

The other sections of BeautyMNL apart from its online shop is its own online magazine called Bloom and its beauty review section known as Beauty by You. 

Bloom Magazine

Inside Beauty MNL's site is an online magazine to keep you updated on the latest beauty trends and fresh beauty products in the market. The articles in Bloom are categorized into Beauty 101, Makeup, Skincare, Top Reviews, Budget Buys, Celebs, and Experts. All articles are tastefully written by the Beauty MNL team. They also invite and collaborate with beauty gurus, bloggers, and vloggers to contribute as well.

Below is one of the recent articles I have enjoyed reading and found extra helpful from the site.

Customer Recos: 4 Makeup Products that Do Everything

Beauty By You

If you are still confused on what to purchase or if you are still mulling over a particular item, then you will find these reviews useful. All reviews are written by real-life customers so they are all honest and unbiased. These reviews helped me in picking which products are worth spending money for.

Overall, BeautyMNL is an impressive site built for every Filipina's beauty needs. Their online magazine publishes helpful articles on beauty tips and how-to's to keep us updated with the latest beauty trends. Their online shop complements these articles by providing the products recommended and curated by the beauty experts. BeautyMNL is definitely a great guide to every Filipina's beauty journey. 

BeautyMNL

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Bloom | Beauty by You

Getting Organized with LadyPlans App

As you may have read in my previous post, one of my goals includes finding balance and establishing it in daily practice. But once again, busy work and errands schedule sometimes makes it impossible and turns me into a ball of  a disorganized wreck. Up until recently, a certain app helped me get back on track and regain the sense of balance between work, personal life, and everything in between. 

image source: LadyPlans.com

The LadyPlans app is a personal organizer dedicated to women and helping them manage their daily lives easily. It is developed by Julie Dando, a working mom, and a mother of two toddlers. This app is helpful for women struggling with busy schedules and myriad of responsibilities not only for themselves but for their family and loved ones.

WHAT'S INSIDE

Homepage

image source: LadyPlans.com

As you may notice, the homepage is very clean and is user-friendly. The event maker section is not only limited to you but to your kids, partner, home, and holidays.

L&L Random: The Pink Army | The Evolution of My Love for Pink

I just love pink and every shade of it. Everything about pink is a contradiction - it's calming yet exciting, innocent yet seductive, modest yet bold!

I used to be indifferent with this color during my high school and college days. I should blame it to my love for hard rock back then. I just resisted anything pink to the point of being averse to people who likes pink. I just couldn't get why the color gets that much love from everyone. The joke is on me now lol.

Then things changed bit by bit unknowingly. When I was in medical school, at my mid-20s, I started purchasing pink items little by little without noticing it. I starting to have the tendency to lean toward the pink version of an item. Yet when everyone asks me if my favorite color was pink, I still say hell to the no. See throwback photos below. During this time, I still deny that pink is my favorite color.

Life Lately | Accendere 2014, Gastronomic Discoveries, and Doses of Netflix

This blog needs a little lifestyle update. This post might threw you off a bit from the usual beauty post but Lights & Latte is a beauty and lifestyle blog. I also wanted to share a part of my daily experiences and chronicle it here at my blog. So without further babbling, here’s what I’ve been up to for the past week including places I’ve dined at and a show I am obsessed with currently.

Accendere 2014

I attended my batch yearbook launch. Our yearbook is called Accendere 2014. Accendere is an Italian word which means to light and 2014 is the year we graduated. The yearbook cover was designed by no other than my talented boyfriend Aldrin. It’s a calligram of a Blue Eagle with the phrase “No Atenean Left Behind” which is our school’s dictum in aiming for 100% every medical board exams.  We had a mini reunion. Food and drinks were overflowing.

5 Things to Do on a Lazy Sunday at Home

I am the kind of person who likes spending a day in my weekend at home. It's important for me to designate one day in a week to just relax, recollect my thoughts, and gather myself together to reflect, re-energize, and prepare for another week ahead. There's no better place to do these than at your own sanctuary, your home. 

1. Organize your closet

Some find it relaxing and satisfying to simplify their closet at least once a week. Get rid of what you don't wear anymore. Hang what needs to be hung and fold what needs to be folded. You may also plan a rough draft of what you will wear for the coming week. This will reduce your stress of trying to decide what to wear in the morning.

2. Catch up on your favorite online reads

I bookmark my favorite blogs and visit them on weekends for a punch of inspiration. I do this with a cup of tea and some snack. 

3. Get lost in a book

It's also nice to sink into your novels and be away from the online world. I also love reading Lifestyle and Beauty magazines for a boost of inspiration. I am still on a self-help book binge lately and it's astounding how much I learn from them.

4. Pamper yourself

You can paint your nails, soak your face in masks while listening to music, take a long bath with scented candles, or get a massage. This is the time to be out of a beauty rut if you are in one. Also try to sneak in beauty naps to recover some hours of sleep you lost the previous week.

5. Plan for the week

I simply list my to-do's on my phone or on my planner so I get a better view of what I need to finish for the coming week. Also, reviewing the past week in retrospect brings a sense of accomplishment. You can also plan your weekly budget during this time to avoid unnecessary expenses and overspending.

6. Bonus: Catch up on your fave TV series

I know I only said 5 but I will be a hypocrite if I don't put this one here. While I don't recommend this because it will eat up most of your Sunday, this is definitely one of my guilty pleasures. I do a TV series marathon once in a while and lately I have started Drop Dead Diva. I am currently on episode 8 of Season 1 and I am loving every bit of it.

That was the top five, well six, of the things I do on a lazy Sunday at home. Honestly though, you can do anything you want. If sleeping all day makes you feel fresh and energized, then you can do that too! Let me know what lazy Sunday activities you do by commenting down below. 

Happy Sunday everyone!

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Speechless Sunday | In Full Bloom

Revisiting My Goals

It is significant to revisit your goals and assess where you are at. And currently, I am not doing well. I know it's a little early to go back to the goals I have set at the beginning of this year but I need to fine-tune some details and gather the reasons why I am merely meeting each goal. Read on for my thoughts and reflections.

Lack of Focus

Being distracted with positive and negative events is one of the reasons why I am not moving forward with my goals. It is important to experience life as it happens and go with the twists and turns but I need to go back on track with my objectives.

Discipline Issues

I never really got the hang of setting rules for myself. I have to compromise a little, I guess. Saying No to impulsive purchases and Yes to setting aside my savings first before spending for the expenses.

Continue Moving Forward 

I should always remind myself to keep moving forward and never get discouraged. There will be a few bumps in the road but just keep going!

Just Meditate, Just Write, Just Go to Work, Just Carry On

Reminding myself to just do the things I have to do and stop complaining, worrying, and overthinking. One day at a time, one patient at a time, one post at a time, and one sleepy post-lunch work at a time.

About the Lotus Mask

I decided to use the Lotus Mask I purchased a few weeks ago from Sephora while reflecting. It's a fiber mask so it comes in a white face-shaped mask soaked with the product. It felt a little heavy and sticky at the beginning but I really loved how cooling and relaxing it felt. It has a very mild scent. The 20 minutes worth of pampering was all I needed to start this week right. I ended up applying the excess product on my neck, hands, and elbows. It was a perfect way to start this week.

Anyways, after I am done with my eight-day training for certification, I will try to tweak my goals to make it more feasible. How about you guys? How are your goals coming along?

Current Candle Choice: To Be Calm Mini Balance

I almost abandoned my fascination with scented candles ever since I read articles on how they can be harmful not only for your health but also for the environment. Thankfully, I discovered the brand To Be Calm which sells soy-based candles which are all natural and environment-friendly. 

The company was founded by Cherylynne Clews around 30 years ago. It revolves around the concept that beautiful fragrance can play a big role with precious memories and celebratory moments with families and friends. 

As I have written before, I am drawn towards aromatherapy at home. It's not unknown to us that we cannot always control the busy and often stressful tasks of our daily lives. We can however still customize the atmosphere and the environment we work or live in and make it more relaxing and fresh. 

Stress Busters | A Little Latte Talk

We all have those days of being worn out and stressed. They feel exhausting and too draining that we usually feel like quitting and escaping into a place far away from our busy lives to fill those 'empty tanks'. This happens to a lot of us, especially during this age of multitasking with spiking lifestyle and work demands. I would like to share with you some ideas that help me cope during tough times. I hope that they will be helpful for you in some little way too.

My First Sephora PH Haul

My orders just arrived! It was my first time to order from Sephora Philippines and it arrived in just 3 working days! I ordered Sunday morning so I counted from Monday and it arrived today, Wednesday. I was busy shooting some photos when I heard a knock. Since I was expecting the package to arrive next week, can you imagine my face when the delivery personnel told me it was from Sephora? Aldrin saw my face by the way and it was a face of mixed confusion and delight, probably an obnoxious expression I assume.

Life Lately | My Week on Instagram

I decided to compile and chronicle what transpired all throughout my week with the help of my Instagram. Here are little snippets of my life lately!

Aromatherapy & Essential Oils

I have been exposed to relaxing scents for a very long time through several massage spas I've been to. The usual scent I instantly smell whenever I enter the spa is usually minty with a hint of eucalyptus. I noticed that the scent immediately uplifts my mood, relaxes me, and keeps me calm to the point of almost dozing off during a massage. I wanted to bring that ambiance at home so I researched and filled my browser's history with articles discussing essential oils and aromatherapy. 

Finding Balance

I remember years ago in our leadership class when we were asked to draw an emblem of our self. The first thing that popped into my mind was a yin yang. There are two reasons why - first because I have always been fascinated by it ever since I was in my rock music junkie phase in high school, second because I know deep inside that it has always been a struggle for me to achieve balance in my life.

Fast forward to today. Lately, I noticed that I have been preoccupied with a lot of things that I tend to miss out some important details or tasks that needs to be done. I forgot to pay some bills, I was out of track with some of my monthly goals, and I have been failing at budgeting.  Don't get me wrong, the preoccupations are the things I really enjoy doing. However, a balance needs to be achieved in order to enjoy my passion and settle my responsibilities at the same time. 

How do I get back on track? Let me count the ways.

SEPHORA is Now Here in the Philippines!

...well halfway here! :) The Sephora Philippine website was launched yesterday, February 1, 2016 at 8am.

The long-awaited wish of beauty mavens is finally here. Sephora.ph is now live! Singapore-based cosmetic online store Luxola was recently acquired and transformed to Sephora by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE. Unlike the Sephora US site, the PH online store carries a limited number of brands. Here are some brands that I wish they start carrying soon -  Tarte, Urban Decay, Boscia, Buxom, Marc Jacobs, YSL, Too Faced, Tom Ford, and Laura Mercier to name a few. Although a physical store is still out of the picture, this online market infiltration is a good sign. I can imagine a 'camp outside the mall on the opening day' scenario when that happens.

My Sephora Wishlist | A girl can dream!

1. A nice dry shampoo by Percy & Reed for my day two hair and beyond.

2. This Works scented candle in Petitgrain and Jasmine

Image credit: Sephora

Guided Meditation Videos | Anxiety Relief & Relaxation

As part of my goals this year, meditation has been a big help for me. It made me more focused, more relaxed, and less anxious. I have to admit, the daily plan became a twice or thrice a week gig but I am still positive that I will be able to make it a daily habit. As a beginner, I listen to guided meditations on YouTube. I usually meditate at night in my room. The ideal place is somewhere very quiet and comfortable. I tried meditating while having foot spa and it also worked. This goes to show that you can do this everywhere. Just make sure to bring your earphones so you can block the external noise which may distract you from your meditation. Check out my favorite guided mediation videos below.

Confidence Boosters

Confidence has always been one of my Waterloos and public speaking my arch-enemy. In my line of work, I have to communicate with patients, build rapport, speak as a person of authority, and at times conduct presentations on health issues. Most of the time I have no choice but to muster up the courage to stand in front of an audience and talk. I just have to dive into those situations. 

Friday's 10 Happy Things | 2

Welcome to Friday’s 10 Happy Things, a list of ten things that brightened up my week. Simply recapping these highlights to fill my thoughts with positivity and gratitude.

Goals for 2016

The holidays are over and I did not even have the time to fully rest and recuperate for 2016. It was the opposite actually. It was a stressful December for me. Why is December so damn stressful? Particularly this year, among all others. It’s not like the work was harder last month, it’s just that my energy was plummeting to unimaginable depth. Last December marked my first year of working since I graduated last 2014. Could that be it? Is being an “adult” on Holiday season stealing all my energy?

Nevertheless, even though I was ranting and rambling here and there last month, I decided to welcome this year with a list of goals. This maybe known to others as resolutions. Though it is inevitable to fall off track as the year progresses, a little list of goals will keep me sane for the rest of 2016

Our Little Ball of Sunshine

This is Akira, our 1 year old Shih Tzu! She just had a haircut last week and is feeling pretty and happy about it. We went for a very short cut sparing her tail and ears, so it appears that she has a little bob haircut going on.

We went to Eastwood and had our little photo shoot. Eastwood has a pet-friendly park where dog parents take their babies for a stroll.

'What was that?!'

New Laptop from YouPoundIT

I must say, I will give YouPoundIT 5 stars for product leadership, customer service, and product affordability. I have never been this satisfied with an online shop before and you know me guys, I am a rant machine.