psychedelic florals and soft denim

 

forever21 dress & sunglasses (gifts from an aunt and the bff, respectively); thrifted (from a long time ago in Dumaguete City) softest and thinnest denim jacket; from Japan, gifted by dad cutie bag; primadonna via zalora heels

I'm losing my a-game in the fashion or style posts contents here. I can't seen to even pose right for the camera and tripod anymore now. I'm getting rusty? I can hardly even post on my instagram now for some reason. Laziness? Procrastination? I don't know, really.

I'm still alive though. Hi!

Summer is here and it's been very hot in the afternoons. Kids are out of school, too. It's why last June 4---I know...this is a very late post, yes, but most my posts here are late rn---the bff from college, Michi/JM and I went out to try some cafes and restaurants we've never been to in uptown, Cagayan de Oro City. I'll post about soonish. Within this week.

I'm wearing everything gifted here. Lol. And at least 1, the pair of Primadonna shoes I have on, I bought some one or two years ago. The softest and thinnest, perfect for the summer heat and humidity here 24/7 I thrifted in Dumaguete City some years back. I don't think there's anything new here but yep, I'll try my best to post more daily-ish/weekly-ish outfit photos here and then make it spill over my instagram again, among other things. Let's make both this blog and that instagram account livelier this time of the year moving forward.

I still have a lot of other catch-up posts on backlog. Some are in my drafts. Haha. Life's been busy lately mostly with family things and especially now that life's back on track after the Philippines' national elections last May 9. 

Is it just me or is Flickr going the Photobucket way? I'm out of options where to host photos at the moment. I'm not keen on maintaining a pro, paid account on Flickr...yet...anyway, so... I'm sad now.

 

living in bodysuits and shorts for days

 

bodysuit and shorts from essential manila via shopee. Both aren't available anymore but here is a similar bodysuit at an even cheaper price than I got this thing at (sobs). Also, here is a similar top and shorts set. The top and shorts set is a pretty comfy ribbed ensemble. Both the set and the bodysuit are, actually. Rings, a mix of Aizilim CdeO and Bagel Girl via SM Downtown Premier. Bangles/bracelets, a mix of souvenir shop in Dumaguete City and Aizilim CdeO. Necklaces (probably not pictured, not in the photos), forever21 and Aizilim CdeO.

Lounged in this some of Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday morning this week. And all I can say is that  I could live in this bodysuit and shorts for days, maybe a week. I have another one like this in either nude or brown that I also look forward to putting on rotation with this white one later. 

Yeah, I have, like, 4 bodysuits now including the one I wore in nude last time from the first batch of Essentiel Manila orders last year or was it...the year before last year? I've forgotten. Haha. The other one is from a shop in Ayala Centrio called Tops. It's a forever21 one and I still have to dig around my tiny closet for that one. I don't know where that thing is anymore.

Bodysuits are super comfortable I'm looking for more now. There's a Bershka overrun in pink I'm looking at from The Style Capital on Shopee and a pretty interesting Tally Weijl one in gray, too. I actually own some Tally Weijl stuff and showcased a couple of those here from time to time, if you followed this blog closely. I think it's a fast fashion brand from Germany. ....and I just googled it and it's actually Swiss, not German. Lol. The pieces were some things my dad got from Germany a while back and I still do wear them from time to time, especially the lace shorts in black because all my other shorts, the old denim ones and denim cutoffs from way, waayyy back, don't fit me anymore (sobs). 

Some links below may be affiliate links. This means I can earn a bit when you click and buy them. Feel free to do so to support the blog. :)

tote bag, Dapat si Leni (DSL) merch store. nivea lip care original care in 4.8g. natural spray sanitizer 50mL in cool burst, Human Heart Nature (if you're from cagayan de oro city or somewhere in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental, feel free to email, send me a text message or direct message me at @kristagrace_s on twitter or @treasure_chest_of_sorts on instagram to order Human Heart Nature products! I sell them at the regular SRP and follow the discounts in store!)

My sole entry for #KakamPinkWednesdays this week that I never posted on instagram (stories or the feed). lol. I had been kind of busy waiting for some projects that suit me at this one site I am at for work (freelance writing, mostly). I still don't really own a lot of pink stuff. I have a ton of blue stuff though because it's my favorite color. Haha. On the upside, I might be learning to love more of pink and am considering getting some things I have in my shopee cart and all in pink so we'll see how this love affair with the color goes. It's a pretty color but it's something I'd rather have in tiny, easy to look at doses rather than in, like, a full blown outfit all in pink or something. 

Anyway...I might have to jump the gun and get some of the dresses from Zalora Basic I'd been stalking. The ones with the lace details here and there that are suuuper romantic, dainty, pretty, cute. I need some new fun stuff to play with. I still do have some new and new-old ish fun stuff I haven't played with yet from some thrifting adventure at the city center a few weeks ago but... Yeah...I shouldn't be spending on anything yet rn. Buuuuttt... Zalora is on sale until the 16th this month so the temptation is so, soooo real right now. I'm definitely thinking of jumping the gun. Yes. It's only 500-600 Php-ish for a dress plus shipping so... Ah. This is me talking to myself about spending. I'm convincing myself it's not a good idea to spend for anything this time of the year when I haven't really exhausted much of my wardrobe yet and I still have some new-ish clothes from last year I haven't even worn much for this blog yet. Heh. Internal dialogue with the self, exposed! It happens. In my case, it happens a lot. LOL. Do you debate and talk with yourself a lot like this too? 

beauty: all that's in my beauty bag lately and all about South East Asian makeup and skincare

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I've had this sitting in my drafts for a while now along with some others. I think majority of this post was written when I was some few days away to my final work day with the company I was employed at from 2017-ish 'til then, 2020. 

This is actually a beauty post and me, seemingly going a bit after a brand in the locale I'm not too fond of for a plethora of reasons, most of them coming from just me being a mere mortal.

in the photo: BYS lip liners in latte to go and crimson, forever21 liquid lip gloss in dusty pink rose pale, Beauty Counter lip gloss in blush shimmer, human heart nature tinted lip balm in rosewood (find this in my store's favorites page, just click on view detail to see once the link is accessed from here), BLK all-day lip and cheek tint in red via Watsons (already sold out, I hope they restock) // BLK all-day lip and cheek tint in red via Zalora and something from BLK Cosmetics' older releases I'm not sure of but I use as an eyeliner for the lower lid as it's in brown...hmn..., Maybelline hypercurl mascara in very black (it's on sale in Watson's!)

Lo and behold! Pictured here are some of my current skincare, makeup, cosmetics in general or beauty brands. There are some more I'm interested in, of course and we'll talk about that along the way. Yes. So read on, my dears~

Staples in my makeup bag are stuff from BLK Cosmetics available in Zalora here and also in Watsons Philippines online here: BLK Cosmetics via Watsons (their official website is this one you can also shop their products in: BLK Cosmetics); Australia's BYS Cosmetics available in Zalora here and also in Watsons Philippines here: BYS Cosmetics via Watsons; and of course, Human Heart Nature's cosmetics or makeup line available on their site here. These are the three beauty brands I use on rotation day in and day out and I always tend to have some items or pieces of in my two makeup bags. They're essentials to me, especially when I leave home and stay out for a while in beaches, pools or resorts or even...just in my grandparents' home in the province. I'm a huge, HUGE fan of the multi-use products they offer people, actually. They keep my makeup and skincare bag clutter free. It's really just my skincare products that are constants for me (most all of them are Human Heart Nature, of course but you'll see an errant St. Ives there from time to time now, so yeah) end up being all over the place in my overnight bag/s. lol.  

I don't think multi-use makeup is in the US or anywhere else outside of South East Asia yet but they're quite the thing here now. I can't recall when they started being a thing in this region of the world but definitely, definitely...I'm hooked onto them for life. They're like, everything...EVERYTHING to me rn. I predict they'll still be everything to me in the future. Haha. 

Some of my favorite multi-use makeup pictured above are: the Human Heart Nature PerfectFlush lip and cheek cream tint in the rosy and BLK Cosmetics' K-Beauty All Day lip and cheek tint in red that's also available on sale now here on Watsons Ph (currently soldout, sad now)! The former is creamy in texture and the latter is watery. Both color the skin nicely, though. They're mostly for the lips and the cheeks but I use the cream tint for the eyelids sometimes, when I'm bored of my regular brown and black or gray smoky shades in the eyelids and the cream tint works fine for me as an eyeshadow too! It's handy when you're out somewhere and you can't bring your makeup bag with all the palettes with you. This is definitely something I'd always have in my bag for when I need to be out for hours without my makeup bag/s (I have two makeup bags rn, yes) or so. Right up there with the tinted lipbalm in rosewood I also love from the same brand and some others. There are really just those times when we need to put a little color into our faces to look as human and decent as possible and this, the tinted lipbalm and the bb cream or cc cream I current use are the three things I can't not have in my bag when in situations like this where I'm on the go. These three in a small bag? Yes, please! I don't need anything else other than these, to be honest.

I'm really big on eye makeup so I can't definitely be without eyeliners and mascaras. Up there, in the photo, is something from BLK Cosmetics in brown I can't figure out. I always thought it to be an eyeliner so I use it for the lower eyelids as it's in brown. It is an eyeliner, I suppose. I must've gotten this one when I didn't find anything of the sort in black in BLK Cosmetics in Zalora. My last purchase of makeup from this brand was actually...right before I left for Taiwan for Pentagon's Prism Tour concert date there. I've actually had this since 2019. lol. Yeah, I haven't been wearing much makeup lately so my beauty stuff are taking more time to exhaust themselves and run out of now. The current eyeliner in black I use now, meanwhile, is a pencil kohl liner that isn't anymore available in BYS Cosmetics both in their Zalora page and Watsons Ph page. It's not on their Shopee page now either. Yep, it's old too. I'm only sticking to it because, well, it's taking time to consume the whole thing and I'm not really fancying at all buying a new one yet. If I were to buy a new one though, I've some options in my head pictured right below here:

From L-R: the liquid liner and kohl pencil duo in black and the really cute and fun liquid liner pen with star stamp, both from BYS Cosmetics in Watsons Ph online and Zalora, respectively; and the waterproof liquid liner in brown from Blk Cosmetics via Zalora.

I've definitely tried other liners like the gel pot and quill types from Maybelline and L'Oreal and BLK Cosmetics' older liquid liner but for now, I'd like to try these out when my pencil liner runs out one day-ish. I think the one I got from BLK Cosmetics ran out fast so I got BYS Cosmetics' kohl pencil liner in black instead. There're only so few of the gel pot and quill liners and they're non-existent in drugstore brands like Maybelline and L'Oreal now so the pens are the way to go, I suppose, and the pencils that 'til now, continue to go on. South East Asian drugstore brand Nichido's pencil liners are pretty fine, too, I think. I remember using one of theirs not too long ago when my Special Education class in college went to Cebu City for a sightseeing trip and a look into some of the special education classrooms in the city. It wasn't bad for an insanely cheap pencil eyeliner. That one I had definitely got in a lot of use since then. The time we went to Cebu, too, was one period in my 20s my then closest friend and I were crazy about eye makeup and sat side by side on the bus to do our eyes. lol. Fun times~

Mascara has always been Mabelline's Hypercurl mascara because it's really cheap both at Watsons and SM Supermarket branches everywhere here but I'm currently thinking about venturing out and looking into other slightly higher priced but pretty good drugstore and some non-drugstore mascaras. Some of those I have in mind rn are:

from L-R: Lash Blast Fusion Water Resistant Mascara in Very Black, COVER GIRL; Infinilash Maxvol, Absolute New York (it's 50% off on site now!); the Fresh Sunkissed Volume Boost Waterproof Mascara and the Volume + Lash Extension Mascara (also available in Watsons PH online), both from BLK Cosmetics; the what the fake! volumizing and lengthening mascara (I read on a US beauty magazine online...not sure which it was...that this is all the rage where cheapie but really good mascaras are concerned and it's selling a lot on Amazon so yeah, it intrigues me...), the get BIG! LASHES volume boost waterproof mascara, and the I love extreme volume waterproof mascara all from essence cosmetics on shopee

Essence Cosmetics is, I think, a German brand but it's sooo cool that it's here already and the selection on their shopee page here is massive it's literally makeup playground. Kind of reminds me of BYS Cosmetics' that has some face and body glitter and some others I'm quite interested in plus...they even have metallic gold lipstick! I'm not big on lipstick, we'll talk more about this later, but It'd be really cool to have that one.

Ah, Essence Cosmetics is cruelty free and contain no hazardous to one's health chemicals which makes it all the more sweet for a cheapie, non-drugstore makeup brand. BLK Cosmetics and Human Heart Nature makeup are the same. So you can see why I'm easily drawn to them like moth to fire. I mean, who wouldn't be? Right?

I am doing the eyeshadow or eyelid colors last because this is where some things get tricky. I already mentioned I use the PerfectFlush lip and cheek tint from Human Heart Nature on the eyelids when I'm on the go and have little time to put color on my face so a bunch of multi-use makeup actually make it to this section along with some eyeshadow palettes I have in mind. Right now, I still have a face palette from the US, the Complete Look palette from Almay and a tiny, compact eyeshadow palette good for the daily day to night use. I also have Human Heart Nature's Perfect Eyes Mineral Eye Shadow palette in Earthy Beauty and it's too much rn to try to finish all 4. Someone help me. Lol.

I'm talking about these three palettes pictured below:

This is a ton to finish, right? Yes, it is. And to top this, I also tend to prefer the multi-use lip and cheek tints (they're lip and cheek tints but I use them for the lids too) like the Human Heart Nature PerfectFlush lip and cheek cream tint in rosy for the eyelids so yeah...RIP all the palettes I own at the moment because I'm pretty sure my multi-use makeup stuff will get more use than those. Multi-use makeup are just sooo good and so compact to bring with you everywhere that's why I like them a lot lately. I already own one of BLK Cosmetics' and Human Heart Nature's so let's look into more that I'm thinking about rn, hmn?

From L-R, going down: Coloursnap in Bloom, Coloursnap in Beachy, and Coloursnap in Waves, all three from Colourette Cosmetics; K-Beauty Intense Color Liquid Eyeshadow in Daisy, K-Beauty Intense Color Liquid Eyeshadow in Jasmine, K-Beauty Intense Color Liquid Eyeshadow in I Love You, all three from BLK Cosmetics; Airy Matte Tint in Daze, BLK Cosmetics; Holiday All-Day Lip and Cheek Tint in Punch, Fresh All-Day Lip and Cheek Tint in Very Berry, Fresh All-Day Lip and Cheek Tint in Feeling Peachy, and K-Beauty All-Day Lip and Cheek Tint in Cherry, all from BLK Cosmetics; Face Stack Multi-Pot Pan & Lid in Wanderlust, BLK Cosmetics; Fresh Creamy All-Over Paint in Coco Crush, BLK Cosmetics; Face Stack Multi-Pot Pan & Lid in Jetsetter, BLK Cosmetics; K-Beauty Creamy All-Over Paint in Peony and Fresh Sunkissed Creamy All-Over Paint in Summer Time, both BLK Cosmetics; Universal Multi-Tasking Matte Color Stick in Rose, BLK Cosmetics; Fresh Creamy All-Over Paint in Very Berry, Fresh Sunkissed Creamy All-Over Paint in Golden Hour, both BLK Cosmetics; Face Stack Multi-Pot Single Pan in Tan Lines, BLK Cosmetics; Little Luxuries Mini Creamy All-Over Paint in Sunstone, Little Luxuries Mini Creamy All-Over Paint in Pink Topaz, both BLK Cosmetics; Universal Multi-Tasking Matte Color Stick in Merlot, BLK Cosmetics; Intense Color Liquid Eyeshadow in I Love You (Shimmer Bronze, BLK Cosmetics.    

Missing: Universal Multi-Tasking Matte Color Stick in Mimosa, BLK Cosmetics Multitasking Glowstick in Sunset, and the BLK Multitasking Glowstick in Desert Rose, also all BLK Cosmetics.  

Dearest Colourette and BLK Cosmetics made, produced for us Filipinas/Filipinos by my favorite Filipinas, PLEASE. LET. ME. LIVE. Let me liiiivvveee! I need all of these. Like, seriously, but then...money, ugh, where the heck are youuu?!?!?!

Christ. The Coloursnaps from Colourette Cosmetics make me want to live forever by the beach in a hut or a shabby chic cottage right there and so do the Sunkissed Fresh line from BLK Cosmetics. And all of those multi-use makeup! Ugh. I'm struggling and weeping internally at the same time rn because I want and need a lot of the ones on the photo above so I can proceed and completely hermit by the beach or the pool...either in a resort or some other. This doesn't even include the shimmery stuff that double as highlighters... 

And without further ado, we have the highlighters and the multi-use ones too that can also double as highlighters, from L-R as usual: vegan glow (creamy highlighter) in radiant and sparkle by The Vegan Beauty in shopee (it's only Php 120 now!);  shimmertint in crystal prism, shimmertint in rose quartz, shimmertint in tiger's eye, and shimmertint in yellow diamond all by Colourette Cosmetics. You can shop their shopee site here, too: Colourette Cosmetics; Little Luxuries Shimmer Jelly Multi-pot in pink amethyst, Little Luxuries Shimmer Jelly Multi-pot in pearl, Fresh Sunkissed Shimmer Jelly Multi-pot in Golden Hour Glow, contour, blush, & highlight palette in flushed, BLK Cosmetics multi-tasking glow stick in sunset, and the BLK Cosmetics multi-tasking glow stick in desert rose, all by BLK Cosmetics.

Some of the items from BLK Cosmetics are a repeat of the above but they also double as highlighters so I'd include them here.

The Vegan Beauty on Shopee is another beauty brand that's local that I also stalk some days. Aside from their creamy highlighters, their clay blushes look good and seem worth a try. And in terms of prices, they're super affordable.

I'm currently tempted to get Colourette Cosmetics' Coloursnaps in Beachy, Waves, and Bloom rn along with the Vegan Beauty's two highlighters. They're only Php 120-150 a piece rn on shopee so they're very, VERY hoardable...if that word ever exists in the dictionary or somewhere else. ....and I have to think this and go about this very carefully before I spend so much on those and not leave anything else for others. lol.

Ugh. All of these that remind me of the beach and the sea and us still not being able to go out, travel and all, backpacking wherever because Miss 'Rona's still out there, hovering around us and she hasn't even stopped mutating for the worst and now we have new, more ferocious, scarier and even more dangerous and infectious variants from South Africa. 

I'm already resigned to the fact that we're going to have Miss 'Rona around us for a long time but at the same time, I'm also thinking: 'when will this ever end?' I'm pretty sure a lot of us are going this way.

That said...this post...in a nutshell...all I can think of and say is, those multi-use makeup products are really something huh? I don't think I can ever get enough of them in this lifetime. Hah.

Anyway, kind of going back but kind of not also...because...we're more like, going forward in here to something that's been on my mind for a while...

I'm picky with my makeup and skincare stuff as I am with clothing, shoes, bags and more. Yes. This post and the previous ones establish that.

Now, to what I was getting at...

If you notice, there's no mention here of a specific brand that's hot now and has been so since around...I don't know...two years ago? Pre-pandemic era. I'm talking about SunniesFace. 

A lot of my co-workers at the office I worked at until sometime late-ish last year are crazy for anything from this brand. I can understand why. Their products are packaged much like another cult favorite's, the Glossier. I know of a similar brand though, with really cute and minimalistic package design: Cloud Cosmetics. They used to have a website but now they seem to be selling their stuff on shopee too, right here: Cloud Cosmetics on Shopee. But I'm not really here to talk about their packaging. I actually have no issues with whether SunniesFace wants to be a the Glossier copycat where that goes, really. What I want to bring to the front here is their owners' issues and there are a lot, apparently.

The first issue I know of was the instagram post of theirs on their vacation or trip to China wearing the Chairman Mao's hat. This one is still circulating forums 'til now. I'm pretty sure this also made its rounds around the beauty community in Reddit among other issues the brand's owners are embroiled in. This was from some years back but I imagine some still are mad about how that ig post came to be and have called boycott on their brand. I have no problems boycotting the brand of owners that do not respect the history and such of another country including that of China although I'm much that into that country for some...well...different reasons. Anyway, for that ig post, their brand definitely deserved being boycotted by the socially aware people. 

Ah, if you want to know more about the Chairman Mao's hat issue and their ig post on that, you can read on the significance of the said hat here on the hatrealm. Apparently, the hat has so much symbolisms embedded in it due to its history and all so you're only allowed to wear it if you're using it as a stage prop in a theater or when you're in a very communist area in China. It's disrespectful and gross to wear that one and post pictures on social media sites like instagram just for fun or something...to attract more views into your feed. Please, let's respect historical items, relics like this even if they're merely replicas now. 

I actually wanted to say I liked Sunnies Studios better because they do have pretty cool and quite affordable, fun sunglasses, eyewear in general but then I came across this article from coconuts dot co. This is sad because I used to like Georgina W. when she was studying in Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) and some features of her I'd come across on the local teen and all fashion, sports, university happenings/events magazine, Candy, way back when I was in late high school to sometime in my early college years. I was even excited before and when the brand was launched that I even thought that one day I'd get at least one eyewear, sunglasses from her brand but...yeah, no. Now, I won't even bother thinking of getting anything from her brand. There are others with better eyewear and less problematic, better, much more human in that they're very relatable to the likes of me...owners. If you know what I mean. Business people being humans and not delusional their feet don't touch the ground anymore.

We're at a delicate time right now with the Philippine national elections getting nearer and nearer and nearer with every day that passes. I think we should try to be more compassionate and empathetic and especially, be a better judge of character where choosing people we hang out with and people whose businesses we patronize especially here in the locale. Now I know it's petty of me to drop such a brand like these two I mentioned (and they're owned by the same people since yeah, everything starts with Sunnies) especially because this is just...well...business but it actually feels better to back brands that are socially aware and socially responsible to their employees, their source of raw materials and more. Human Heart Nature is one of those. Another brand that's the same but I hardly talk about here that's BeachBorn is another and so is Colourette Cosmetics. 

I like the brands and their owners and founders I like to be relatable and decent human beings, companies that show care for people. By this, I mean, they care not just for their employees but even for their clientele, customers, audience...whatever you'd like to call that one they primarily cater to. It makes me proud actually, that I'm using products made by such kind, socially aware and responsible, very decent human beings that give back and are always thankful of people around them. I'm entirely sure how to put it but there's this light and airy feeling about supporting such brands. 

In the case of BLK Cosmetics, it's more that I know of its owner, Anne Curis-Smith, now Heusaff, being a gracious celebrity person though I've never met her in real life and just followed some of her stuff on and off and I'm pretty sure BLK Cosmetics, her biz, likely took long to materialize. It's still a small and growing brand to this day and from what I see of her, even if Solenn H. is her sister-in-law, she's not really like Solenn and company. Solenn and co feel like the type who don't touch the grass outside very often and can be quite unrooted from the grimness and of stark reality even when its around them. I gathered this from a tweet of someone I'd read in passing. The tweet mentioned about her and her friends', people's E! Philippines' (probably very Kardashian family-like in just how shallow, vapid, just business it can be) reality show. One thing I really like about Anne is that she worked hard to be where she is now and she continues to work just as hard to continue what she does best and be her best self so yeah, that's why I like BLK Cosmetics aside from the fact that it, like Colourette, is a treasure trove of everything an islander chick (yes, I just called myself that because... /eyeroll) like me needs. 

I dropped the Sunnies brand and I'm not caring for it not because I'm petty but because I'm socially aware of a lot of things, my twitter and blogs are a testament to that if you've been following me here, on instagram and even on livejournal (especially on livejournal because I've been putting out posts on social, socio-political issues there slowly but surely). Their, Sunnies' business owners' values just don't really align with mine that have actually changed (and some have never really changed since I was young) over time. But I do hope the owners of the brand wise up and become better people one day...someday. There's still a lot of opportunities and time to be better people (not just for them but all of us, too). Life is, well, quite long after all. 

Having been there for brands like Human Heart Nature when they first started 'til now made me realize a lot of things. (Just a bit of veering away from topic of this ending part of this post: Although I started this blog originally as a fashion blog, I actually meant it also to be a platform where I can shout my love for this brand and others like it so...yeah...this explains why we're here now.) My main realization is that I think and believe that businesses really shouldn't just be all good vibes and all that fluff and stuff: fake, shallow, vapid, very commercial and just there because, well, CAPITALISM! And that it makes the owner/s a lot of money. I think a business and its owner/s should also show some social responsibility to people, their employers and their clientele, the people they cater to. They should have it in them to give back to those less blessed compared to them as those same ones among others are who keep their companies up and running. Much like the environmentally good, sustainable cycle in clothes and such that I know some bloggers I follow or stalk on and off are into these days (I'm a bit into that too so lately, I have been going back to thrifting when I can, hehe...I just don't overdo with things like shopping anymore now so...), the beauty and skincare, selfcare industry both local here and abroad should aspire to be like the ones I follow as of late. Some have their political stances with people they share the same values with and some, although not very vocal in politics and/or socio-politics, have at least a show of social responsibility to the masses that support them year in and year out. 

I'm an aspiring business owner or entrepreneur myself and it's so good to have people in that industry, especially here in our country these days that are good and worthy of being emulated. It's not just the good vibes but the good feeling that you get from supporting a company that gives back and knows to be thankful to the people that supports it and appreciates even those less privileged than them. I'd want a business, my future business that I'm still, at the moment, taking tiny bits of steps to eventually, one day materialize here, that's not only good in product offerings but also, good, kind, compassionate, empathetic, sympathetic in treating people, it's clientele and those who aren't, all the same. A very kind and considerate business or company that has a cycle of all things good going for it like the sustainable cycle that's going around the clothing, shoes, fashion industry these days among some blogging circles. Yes, I'm aware as I'm an avid follower of such bloggers since the times of BryanBoy, Rumi Neely and more.     

I'm looking forward to that day that I have such a business I run (maybe even with a friend or two here in my city, my locale) that is known for being kind to everything and everyone. 

Okay, so I'm not saying at all to be like me where choosing products and companies to follow and patronize goes but I'll just end this blog entry with this: In everything, choose kindness. Let's make this world, our nation especially, a better place to be in one kind, nice act and decency, grace and all at a time.

Oh and yay! Php 99 deals going on at Shopee Philippines! Shop here at Shopee for really good, super affordable deals this season of gift giving!

back to my favorite place

 

vneck shirt, bench ph; skirt, f101 via zalora ph; heels, primadonna via zalora ph; wristlet, coach (gifted by aunt); mobile phone, samsung a21s; rings, mix of bagel girl at sm downtown premiere & aizilim cdeo; necklaces, forever21 & aizilim cdeo; earrings, sm uptown cdo superstore (the accessories section), pretty old; sunglasses, forever21 gifted by bff michi; bracelets, mix of necklace as bracelet gifted by aunt & aizilim cdeo; headband, I forgot...either forever21 or robinsons' department store's or sm superstore's accessories section. lol.

If I'm frowning in some photos, it's because it's really hot outside and it's already November. That's the Philippines for you. It's always hot during the day of the -ber months going into the end of the year, December. It only gets cooler during the late afternoon and evening and even then, it's not really THAT cool. It is cooler in the mountain area, though, so there's that at least. In the morning, it also gets pretty cold.

This headband is the only thing in pink I'm wearing for now. I don't really have a lot of pink in my closet but I'm working around to filling that up with accessories mostly and some tshirts.

Tshirts and tanks... This week, those seem to be the only things I'm wearing now to work from home. I haven't gone out this whole week and I don't see myself going out until next week either. Well, I am a homebody through and through.

I stocked up on tshirts and tanks last year and two years ago from Terranova in Limketkai Mall and Bench via Zalora Ph online. I'm crossing out Bench from my list of stores I buy from though...not because they lack in quality with the stuff they sell but because...because...there's this one politician they feature on an ad I'm not too into and that also caused more to call for the boycott of the brand. There are, unfortunately, a lack of local stores that sell basic shirts, tanks and stuff. You can go with H&M, sure, but that would cost a bit and our Forever21 here in SM Downtown Premiere actually just closed down last year so I've no choice but to get basics from there online through Lazada or better yet, Zalora. Paying for shipping is going to cost much in the long run but with the novel corona virus still around and still mutating...it's really not like we have any other choice but to get stuff online.

At least I have basic tops to last me awhile until I need to stock up again later. Heh.

I'm currently eyeing some pink shirts that may be affordable for me. I'll think about those yet...well...actually, it's only one from Clothes and Coffee. You can still shop their site here but they're also shopee here. I've been browsing the site and their shopee but I haven't really found anything I'm too into except some pink shirts. Their bottoms are definitely interesting though, especially the trousers which I lack much in the wardrobe. I only have about...two trousers I wear interchangeably when I go to offices so I'd love to add more one day. 

I'm thinking about posting daily from next week although I may have work to do towards the end of this week and some of next week as someone just offered me one on one site I'm in so we'll see how this goes. I might have to schedule these shoots daily though and, of course, the posts. 

the most comfortable bodysuit from essentiel manila on shopee

 

bodysuit, Essentiel Manila on Shopee Philippines (it's sadly gone there now); skirt, from a shop in Dumaguete City I forgot the name of, lol; platform heels, Zalora Philippines; socks, burlington; wallet/wristlet, coach (gifted by an aunt, old); rings, a mix of bagel girl in SM Downtown Premier Cagayan de Oro and Aizilim, old; sunglasses, forever21 (gifted by bff Michi); necklaces, mix of Aizilim and forever21 (old)

Sucky indoor lighting doesn't do this outfit any justice, especially the bodysuit from Essentiel Manila on shopee. If you squint on the photos, it's actually in the shade of nude.

This overexposed photo tells much about its color and somehow captures it so much better:

Ugh. This thing, this square-necked, tanktop type bodysuit is soooo...so comfortable I don't know how I only bought one of this when I could have stocked up on more back then. To date, I only own a couple of bodysuits. One from, yes, Essentiel Manila and another I got from a shop called Tops in Ayala Centrio some two to three years ago pre-pandemic era. I don't know where the latter one has gone to but I'm pretty sure it's somewhere in my closet. I'll try to dig that one up some other time as this one from Essential Manila already is working for me for everyday wear or just weekend comfy wear these days.

Unfortunately, Essential Manila doesn't carry bodysuits anymore but they do have some interesting onesies in nude, black, white and gray colors and they look really just as comfortable as most of the clothes they sell in there so yep, one might as well stock up on those. I predict we'll be staying in for quite a loooong time thanks to Miss 'rona still mutating to worse strains to this day.

I got this with a bunch of other things last year or around late ish 2019 because I felt I needed more clothes just for comfortably staying in since it was at that time we were given the orders to work from home. Back then, Essentiel Manila still had their own website and you didn't have to buy from them via shopee like you have to, now.

I bought stuff in two batches and some clothes I got from there still remain unworn to this day. 

I mostly bought clothes to wear at home like tops and shorts sets you can mix and match in linen, ribbed cotton, cotton and cotton-spandex cloth blends and the likes in two batches so to me, those were money well spent. I only went past 1000 Php (around approximately 20 USD) on both times but nowhere above 1500 Php, I'm sure. Their shorts are expandable due to the garterized waistband and most have laces you can ribbon or tie them with. Quite similar to some run shorts and others actually. Some shorts and tops sets only have gaterized waist bands and no laces to ribbon them or tie them up with to a snug fit. 

When buying from Essentiel Manila, however, do be careful and pay attention to the sizing of the products they sell. I have one top still unworn to this day (tried it once but...) because it's too small on me even though it looked like it could stretch on some parts of it. I also have a pair of silk shorts from them that probably would fit me better if I were two sizes smaller from my current one (thank you, Miss 'Rona and the pandemic for making me gain weight...not. I'd like to lose them because I don't really like gaining weight, to be honest, and would rather prefer to be my xs-s self from way back...). The latter actually broke or tore on some parts of it. Lol.

A good number of Essentiel Manila's wares run xs-s. Some, like this bodysuit I currently have on, run xs/s-medium so they're a good fit for those the likes of me that have grown some 1-2 sizes larger from their usual size sometime ago in the past. For those with larger frames, the occasionally do offer some clothes that run up to semi-large or large (oversized) so don't write the shop off if you can't find anything your size. A piece of advice when shopping at Essentiel Manila is to check the product descriptions for how small or big their stuff runs to. This can give you an idea which items are worth adding to your cart to and which aren't. You can save yourself the grief of buying stuff that don't fit you when you take my word for it and do this before checking your items out.

This bodysuit makes me so, soooo happy because it's so comfortable to lounge in at home and if you ever decide to go out, it's just as easy to throw in a decent bottom to complete the going out look and you're good to go! This thing will definitely see more wears from me until it falls apart. Lol. I hope it doesn't fall apart so easy.

Essentiel Manila stuff are so easy to play around with, no lies, that a bunch of orders from there is definitely worth your time and money browsing the site and checking out when you feel like getting the items in your shopping cart already. There are only so few items from my purchases in the past from there that I kind of regretted upon getting them. 

Some bodysuits I'm currently looking at to add to this one is this from the style capital in pink. It looks pretty and fun with the buttons and that it comes in a color I try to work around my outfits some 2-3 days a week due to...well...you know...is just...ugh. So, soo good. I think the small or the medium would be a good fit on me. I'm pretty sure it's stretchable anyway. Bodysuits and onesies, rompers and the likes normally are. These are Bershka overruns so they seem pretty cool. These from DNEMNLPH look similar to the one I have on, too, and dare I say they might feel the same and just as cozy and comfy in real life. This one from Trendibl Shop is also quite interesting and it's only sold for 99 Php (less than 2 USD). I think I might have seen it from Essentiel Manila way back but never really paid attention to it so I never got one of these then.

For something probably of better quality than this one and comes in different sizes so you can choose easier which fits you best, here are some pricier bodysuits I'm looking at on Zalora Philippines: this one from ONLY is really cute with lace and looks very, very comfortable. It comes in white, black and nude or beige, I think and is quite romantically styled so if you're bored of regular spandex and cotton blended ones with simple, basic styling or the ribbed ones, then this is the way to go. It is expensive though and way out of my budget at the moment so I can only stalk it for now. lol. Sizes s/m and m/l looks like they would fit me fine (I normally fit small in Zalora Philippines...it depends on how they run, normally, like should they run large or should they run small...if it's the latter, it's usually a smart idea to upsize once or twice). This pink fun number from Pomelo is on sale at only 500+ Php! I would so get this if I had enough in my bank account but alas, I still need to look for a writing or whatever that has to do with that, gig on Monday so...yeah. Later, fun bodysuit from Pomelo in a pretty (but not really my favorite) color. /cries. I hope that when I finally have a budget for zalora purchases either this year or next year, I can still get this thing somehow. Ugh. Oh...so they also have this in black! Fun! This pink one from Mango comes in black and brown colors but 2500+ Php is a price I would spend on something else for now. RIP our wallets just on really good, decent clothes that hopefully last a lifetime, or close. I do dig the top part of it though, how it's structure and seemed designed for really comfortable wear whatever occasion you decide to put this bodysuit on in. Both are available in medium so... but no. I don't have the budget for these yet. Then this sheer black one (also available in m!) from Trendyol looks fun to wear with very cute bralettes (lace lingerie!). It's priced below 1000 Php but still pretty unaffordable for me. I can dream about this one, though. Just. I've been after see-through stuff like this for a while now but never just seem to get lucky to get any. Ugh. When I find something like this on sale like it is now, I have no money to get it, at all. /cries. And when you're on Zalora, of course, you can never go wrong with Zalora Basics, my favorite of their multiple lines now on that shopping site, this one in pink with black buttons look nice and seems like it'd go anything. It's also available in black and beige. 290+ Php for a piece of this? That's a good price! A decent deal from the site already~ This one from H&M with the tiny blue flower print is really cute! And still available in m which is, like my size these days.

Oh and wow, even Terranova is already on Zalora. Today, I learned. They have some things I like where basics go and lately, it's them I like for those or Forever21 or Zalora Basics. H&M has been on Zalora for a while now, of course. Cotton On and Mango, too. 

If you notice, I veer away from the long-sleeved and fancy-looking bodysuits. I like my bodysuits comfortable for staying in and just lounging around the house, working from home and getting up and going out. I prefer them casual and I'm really always into dressing for the usual, yearly weather conditions or the climate. I think my limit, when it comes to bodysuits, is the short sleeved ones. I would only try the long-sleeved ones if they were like Trendyol's sheer one here. 

The photos above aren't very clear so here are more details of today's I-want-to-go-out-but-let's-still-stay-in outfit:

I'm still on my choker/necklace as bracelets agenda, apparently. I should probably consider getting new accessories to spruce up home clothes types or home to going out clothes types out some more. My accessories are getting kind of old and tried.

Well, if they still work fine then, they're still worth wearing in an out of the house, I suppose. The last ones I ever really bought were the studs I could wear on random days out doing errands from Aizilim in Cogon Market here. They usually have these stainless steel stuff that cost a fraction of those you see in the malls that I prefer for everyday use. Studs, because they're not heavy on the ears and go really well with any basic in my closet which I have A TON of.

*****

I think around 1 p.m. in the afternoon isn't the best time to shoot outfit shots due to the natural lighting from outside. Afternoons are becoming cloudy because it tends to rain sometime around 4-5 o'clock here and sometimes, at night. It's the wet/rainy season so we're getting a lot of afternoon and evening rain week in and out more than usual...like when, vs summer.

I woke up early today, got ready for the day just as early but I didn't really decide to shoot this outfit until later in the afternoon because I was editing a blog post on my LiveJournal. I also decided against shooting outside because I thought it might rain then and there and it's really becoming a pain now lugging my heels, tripod and camera with me, setting up for the shoot only to get rained on so yeah, indoor shoot it is. Also, hi to my messy bannister. Some of the jackets like the zip-up hoodie I take out when on the go and the denim oversized shirt are all hanged up there, too, with my bath towel. lol. I'm not exactly the most organized person here at home.

Note to self: try to shoot around 8-9 in the morning because it's the best time to and it has the best natural lighting indoors, in the same space as the photos here as well.  

*****

It's around 2 years now or so that I've neglected to post my wishlist for Christmas and my dream outfits for occasions like birthdays and beach trips...well, for the latter, we have Miss 'Rona to blame regarding how I'm uninspired now about that one because I haven't been to the beach or the pool in, like, a couple of years or so now so...since we're some weeks deep into November and it's going to be December soon, I might have to do the annual Zalora Philippines Christmas wish list post soon and also, the gift recommendations post to friends and family while I'm at it.

We'll see... 

You'll definitely have to stay tuned to this space of mine for that!

And yes, I still don't really shop stuff in the mall these days. It looks like it's real easy to get COVID 19 from unventilated spaces like those no matter how big a space they have inside and even if some have outside dining areas or so (al fresco). It's near Christmas and this time last year or the year before that, I recall Ayala Centrio buzzing with people come around night time and I was only in Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's open air dining area from around 3 or so in the afternoon until an hour and a half or so later then. Thank heavens for the likes of Zalora Philippines, Shopee, Lazada, and even Instagram now (I like shopping or just window shopping some people's vintage or thrift shops there, yes), we, I don't have to go out at all to shop gifts for people near and dear to us, me.

the mexican-philippine connection: dia de los muertos and UNDAS

 

mini dress, zalora philippines (old), probably not so clear in the photos but it's there underneath the cardigan; lace cardigan, vintage; necklaces, a mix of aizilim cdeo and forever21; rings, a mix of aizilim, bagel girl via sm downtown premier cdeo, forever21; heels, primadonna via zalora philippines (old); tights, random department store find (gaisano, I think, the 50 Php ish ones probably meant for one-time wear); devil horn headband (unseen here but in later photos, might be seen more), national bookstore (old); skull tealight/candle holder, daiso cdeo

A closer, better lighted look at tonight's outfit

I never dressed up as anything or anyone the 31st of October, back a few days ago or so but I had to, come November 2, Philippines' time. Here, it's still what we call UNDAS (November 1-All Saints' Day and November 2-All Souls' Day). Googling it earlier tonight, I'm surprised to find all of October 31 to November 2 in Mexico is actually Dia de Muertos or Dia de los Muertos which is basically almost what UNDAS here is. To westerners, it's the Halloween weekend so most of the time, I just refer to it as the Halloween weekend since such holidays continue 'til the 2nd of November anyway. It's the short 2-3 days we actually remember the dead here and yes, abroad, including in Mexico. I've always read from others how similar some Philippine holidays are to Mexico and customs and traditions and the likes but I never figured out 'til now how close it is until I googled dia de los muertos and UNDAS tonight. Just one thing about this though, I wish I'm better at makeup for costuming because I really dig the makeup for this Mexican occasion I often see when I google pictures of them like this one here from pinterest:

Hopefully I can one day learn this and get the hang of it because with the pandemic, I feel like all my creative energies have really dried up that even this halloween weekend shoot came out quite dry and uninspired (to me, anyway, I don't really know much how it is with the rest of you) even when I feel like I've put enough effort to it.

I was in Jasaan with the family overnight from Sunday 'til morning of Monday this week so I never got to work on a Halloween shoot until tonight. What I did there is your typical way Filipinas like me sort of celebrate the occasion growing up: watched Tumbok (a Filipino horror film) on TV5; Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho's Halloween special on GMA; and then waited for Yang Yoseob's set on MCountdown until 12 midnight aired also on TV5. I would have done this Halloweeny shoot in Jasaan but I didn't have a lot of my creepy ish, cool stuff with me and it was more a time to spend with family---three to four generations of it from my grandparents to my parents to my younger brother and cousin---so yeah, quite a busy overnight trip one with chores and stuff at my grandparents' before I got to lie on the couch and chill to these things on tv I mentioned I watched 'til 12-ish midnight. For some reason, I don't sleep well there so I only ever got 2-3 hours of sleep until 7:30 Monday morning.

I'm not entirely sure what I'm aiming for, for this Halloween shoot in terms of costume. LOL. Just your regular gothic, devil girl, I guess. I've been watching some horror films here and some fantasy new and old ones too but nothing has inspired me to dress up as anyone...yet...really. We'll see next Halloween, 2022 Halloween. Hopefully something good in mind comes up where this goes. Again, I just really feel uninspired lately. It's definitely the pandemic effect. It is still going on 'til now despite how there're more people out now in malls and such. (Philippines NEEDS more public spaces because malls aren't really good ones to be in when we have a pandemic still going on. Ugh. I just count myself lucky I'm in the Mindanao island so we have beaches and the likes when we need to be out and not in the super crowded malls. Heh.) Either way, watch me dress up as a unicorn maybe in 2022 as I'm soooo...this close to getting a unicorn headband or something like it, actually. 

Going back to the subject of Mexico, I've been having the urge to check on some telenovelas as of late. I'm not entirely sure why. I guess it has to do with TV5 re-airing Thalia's Maria La Del Barrio dubbed in Filipino/Tagalog. We did get a lot of her telenovela here in our local tv networks back in the day so I saw Thalia's shows a lot growing up. A lot of Philippine tv dramas/shows are actually telenovela-ish if that ever says anything about how similar our country is and its practices, including tv contents, to Mexico. I'm currently thinking about getting into Reina de Corazones. Or...is there any other you can suggest I get into? I'm not too into these things because I normally dislike how convoluted the story gets plus long *ss episodes of a telenovela but, yeah, I guess I now have better, newfound patience for telenovelas if I'm currently craving to watch them/get into them after a long while now. I'll see about which telenovela I can preoccupy myself with one of these days. Heh.