Style Star: Michelle Williams

One of my favorite girls is Michelle Williams. I never really liked her in Dawson's Creek, but outside that show, I think she's a pretty cool girl, and she dresses so cute too! Pregnant or not, I love how her style is always young, unfussy and effortless.

I've seen paparazzi shots of her, just walking around New York and even her regular clothes have the same cool, relaxed vibe. One can pretty much tell that she appreciates classic pieces, great, well-made clothes, but dressing up does not consume her.

Anyhoo, on to my favorite looks as seen on Michelle Williams:

Isn't she the cutest pregnant woman? Matilda is a big girl now, but these dresses from when she was still in Michelle's tummy years ago, can still be worn today.

Cute dress, no accessories. And I love how she paired it with these nude & cream platforms. Unexpected.

Love this Chloe shift dress! Again, see how she barely accessorizes with a bracelet (not seen here), round toe pumps and a nude clutch.

Again, a simple striped shift dress with front pockets and slightly pointy pumps. No accessories.

Of course, she truly glams it up on the red carpet. Remember her striking yellow Vera Wang gown? It is a dress that has seared its place in red carpet history.

While she looks great in color, she manages to blow away in black & white as well! And now I leave you with Michelle in this pretty peplum ensemble from Jason Wu.

P.S. - I hope peplum sticks around until after I give birth! I really want to wear a peplum dress like this! Heehee!

20 Weeks: Green is In

This is me and Xavi, who is now 20 weeks old. We had our ultrasound last week, and it's confirmed! Dragon Dychiao is a boy! So we have a new nickname now, Xavi, just like the Spanish footballer. (Although Kat & I agree that Xabi is more guapo, haha).

Last weekend, we went to my good friend Ivy's wedding, and it was just a lucky happenstance that I had this dress on standby. I got this from MYTH last year. I didn't really have an occasion to wear it to then, but I got it any way. It's by Joel Escober. It's not a maternity dress, but it had ample room to fit our growing baby boy. 

Sometimes, it really pays to get a great dress and just wait for an occasion to wear it to. Instead of looking for a dress when an occasion calls for it. At least you end up wearing a piece you love, not something na "pwede na" because you had no options.

Since the dress is a bit of a statement by itself, I accessorized minimally. Just my simple pumps from Louboutin, a pave bracelet from J. Crew, Tom Binns chandelier earrings and this gorgeous agate ring from Kristine Dee and Paul Syjuco!

Here's what I wore another day to meet Mikka at Rockwell, and stroll around the mall. An old dress from Zara. I searched high and low for this dress! Combed Manhattan for this in my size.  Found this in Zara on Broadway. Still something I can wear till full term I think!

Paired it with a FEED 1 tote and these Marni platforms that are the same shade as my dress! Chamba lang! Please excuse my grunge-y polish, wahaha! 

Incidentally, Marni x H&M happens tomorrow, March 8! My friend Naomi is asking her nanny to line up for her in the morning and will take her place when she brings the kids to school. Hay! So excited for her, and me! Heehee!

Goop! She Did it Again!

I always look forward to Gwyneth's "Get" posts on GOOP each Spring, and as always, her picks are flawless! Love her or hate her, there's no denying she's got impeccable taste! Well, ok I am biased because I also like Isabel Marant, Girl by Band of Outsiders, Margiela, DVF, Lanvin, DAY Birger et Mikkelsen, Kain, Sandro, Paul & Joe Sister, Lanvin and Alexander Wang. Hee!

Apart from her gorgeous albeit pricey Spring picks, she also has more affordable options that will help readers replicate the look, for less! Read the full post, HERE!

The Human Nature Flagship Store in Q.C.

A few weeks ago, my best friend Nina asked me to come with her to the opening of the Human Nature flagship store on Commonwealth Avenue, in Quezon City. She said her friend Anna Meloto-Wilks started the company which makes really great natural products. She actually did a special interest report on Human Nature for TV sometime ago, and had the products tested by chemists. And true to Human Nature's claims, the products Nina swears, are safe and truly natural. Now, I have actually heard of Human Nature prior to Nina's raves, so it did not take me a lot of convincing to drop by with her.

When we finally arrived at this really pretty and well-lit store, Nina introduced me to Anna, who like us, is pregnant and expecting a Dragon Baby! And, as Manila is truly small, it turns out, my sister Trina is friends with Anna too - they used to surf together a few years back, when they were all still young and carefree! And now, Anna has this amazing and truly world-class store to speak for!

Here's Anna & Nina against a wall of social enterprise products. Anna shares that apart from Human Nature products, they also carry items championed by social entrepreneurs who have endeavored to provide livelihood to impoverished communities and at the same time create value out of random raw materials while celebrating Filipino creativity.  Will tell you more about these soon, but first let me talk about Human Nature, hehe.

Anna gave us a tour of their store, which she shares was designed by two very young Filipina architects, Mau Adraneda and Joyce Angara. She says everything in the store is sourced in the Philippines, and all are made from sustainable materials. See those chairs above? Those are actually made from corrugated boxes! Clever no? They wanted a store that was truly Filipino, without falling into that ethnic, rustic cliche. And I think they really did an amazing job!

Anna says that they really want the place to be more than just a store, but also a destination. Where the whole family can hang out. There's shopping for the ladies, a reading nook for the kids, and unlimited (yes bottomless barako, mountain blends and Sulu) coffee (and free wifi too I think!) for the dads or those who just want an alternative to hanging out in overpriced coffee shops (although mahiya naman kayo and buy something from Human Nature as well hehehe).

And now, a quick run through of some of the products that caught my eye:

Apparently, the sunflower oil is a great makeup remover, and can be used for belly rubs to prevent stretch marks as well!

Love the packaging of these kids natural shampoos! Makes bath time so much fun! Human Nature also has a natural makeup line composed of powders, blushes, glosses and lipsticks. Camille, Anna's younger sister who is into cosmetics, took the lead in developing the line, experimenting with colors. What a fun (and meaningful!) job right?

Like I said earlier, apart from Human Nature personal care products and makeup, there are great finds in store like food, drinks, household and fashion items, which also make great gifts, giveaways and pasalubong for visiting relatives or friends from abroad:

Enchantea: healthy iced tea from GK Enchanted Farm

Golden Eggs: salted eggs, a Filipino favorite, without the toxic food color

Café de Sug: Gawad Kalinga’s famous coffee from Sulu - only for the brave!

- FilBambu: all food containing bamboo, winners in the Shanghai Expo

- Theo & Philo Chocolates: the only 100% bean to bar Filipino artisan chocolate

- Jacinto & Lirio: luxury bags made from leather and water Hyacinth

- Red Carpet, Blue Bamboo, Salabatea and more!

What made the launch of Human Nature's flagship store extra fun was the yummy, healthy food! Tito Tony told us with beaming pride that all the food served came from the GK Enchanted Farm and/or developed by young social entrepreneurs. 

A volunteer from France, serving organic lettuce from the Enchanted Farm stuffed with Golden Eggs & tomatoes

We had the yummiest fromage de chevre/ goat cheese with nuts spread over crackers aka as Gourmet Keso from GK Enchanted Farm. This was developed by Xilca Alvarez, who I remember was Trina's classmate during their grade school days. Nina and I ate a lot, never mind if it's pasteurized or not. These were just too good! Hahaha!

So, if you are ever in the Quezon City area, or even if you are way on the other side of town, I really think it is worth your time to schedule a visit to Human Nature's concept store. Not only do you get to stock up on various natural products, you also get to do your share in supporting the livelihood of the GK communities where all these products come from.

Human Nature is the Philippines’ largest brand of genuinely natural personal care and cosmetics products. As a social enterprise, it lives by being PRO-PHILIPPINES, PRO-POOR and PRO-ENVIRONMENT. Founded by Anna Meloto-Wilk and Camille Meloto, daughters of GK founder Tony Meloto, Human Nature’s products are 100% made in the Philippines and 100% free from harmful chemicals.

The Human Nature flagship store is located at 460 Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City (past the Caltex station and across Puregold).

To learn more about Human Nature products and advocacy or to learn how to be a dealer, visit www.humanheartnature.com or your nearest Human Nature Branch, or call (02) 931-5787. You may also visit Rustans, Shopwise and Beauty Bar for a select line of Human Nature products.

Studio SnR + Bobbi Brown Pop-up Store in Shangri-la

Happy 1st Year Anniversary to Studio SnR! Congratulations Sydney! I hope you continue organizing all these fun sessions that make things like makeup application and coffee appreciation for both enthusiasts and regular (but extremely interested) folks alike less daunting!

You see, I have always wanted to learn how to put on makeup. But I could never find a program that was right for me. I did not want to commit too much time going to makeup school or taking up makeup classes. After all, I only wanted to put on makeup on myself, and not on other people.

When my sister Nicole went to the first Studio SnR x Bobbi Brown makeup workshop last year, she enjoyed it so much and told me she learned a lot in one afternoon. So, when Sydney said they were opening up slots for another Bobbi Brown session this year and invited me, I happily said yes!

Just want to give a shout out to April! It was nice meeting you at Studio SnR!

From L to R: Ina (BB marketing executive), Bea (BB makeup artist) & Budit (BB education manager)

In a nutshell, Ina, Carrot, Budit & Bea aka the girls of Bobbi Brown, briefed us on the history of Bobbi Brown, taught us about the importance of starting off with a great skincare routine, and then introduced us to Bobbi Brown's 10-Step Beauty program. They went around helping us decide on which colors work best for our skin, and teaching us how to apply makeup properly.

I have to say, that truly, in just one afternoon, I gained a lot of confidence in putting on makeup! So much so that I found myself convinced it was time to take the plunge and invest in a nifty little collection. It helped that while Studio SnR provided the necessary makeup materials and lots of little freebies, we also got a GC to spend on Bobbi Brown makeup in Rustan's! So if you enroll in a session, it's sulit because not only do you acquire a new skill, you bring home all these disposable makeup sponges, cotton buds and cotton pads, you get product samples, plus of course the GC.

I think an added bonus of attending a workshop such as this, is making new friends! I met April, my sister's officemate who told me she reads my blog regularly! I also found myself seated with lifestyle blogger Jean of TriporTreats.com and beautyblogger Phoebe of Phoebeann.me. We were joined by journalist/editor Kissa Castaneda of Preview and Cosmopolitan magazines, who like me, used to write for Radar - she as Japonista and then, Curiouscities. I had so much fun playing with makeup with them! By the end of the workshop, it felt like we were old friends! 

A couple of days later, I got an email from Ina informing me about their temporary pop-up store on the third floor of Shangri-la Mall. Turns out, since the beauty section of Rustan's is being renovated until the end of March, they have opened up a bigger space near Figaro and Mango to accommodate more clients.

Of course, Estee Lauder, Clinique, MAC Cosmetics, Bobbi Brown and ADF can still be found in 2/F of Rustan’s Department Store but just an FYI ladies, they are also at the 3rd Level of Shangri-La Mall. I actually came by to check out the pop-up store, and armed with my cheat sheet and gift certificate from the workshop, I proceeded to purchase the makeup essentials I now realized I need to have in my vanity kit!

Tadaaaa! Hardcore Bobbi Brown, no?

Clockwise from bottom left: mineral loose powder, corrector, concealer with yellow powder, foundation, eye palette, powder compact, lip gloss, lipstick

Well, the eye palette I bought from Bobbi Brown in ION Orchard a few months ago, and the nude lipstick and purple lip gloss are swag from Bobbi Brown's latest Neon & Nudes Collection for Spring 2012!

Bobbi Brown Neon & Nudes Collection for Spring 2012

The Bobbi Brown skincare line is pretty good too actually! The makeup removers are amazing. I hear the cleansing oil made from olive oil is a bestseller. The eye gel is cool and soothing, and the lip salve feels so nice on the lips - makes it really soft and smooth. But I still have a lot of skincare products, so, bookmarking for next time!

What really sold me on Bobbi Brown was that the colors really looked natural on my skin. It didn't look like I had make-up on, while still looking polished. And most importantly, because I have sensitive skin, my face didn't get itchy after having all that makeup on the whole afternoon.

Hay, I love Bobbi Brown na talaga! Sydney and Studio SnR, you started this!