Kristel Ann Cruz and the Series of Disappointing Events

"We all need a box to escape to sometimes."No one else could have said it better
via

I am stressed, tired, and tired of being stressed. I am exhausted.

This hasn't been a good day. Nay, this hasn't been a good month.

...But the thing about bad days, they make you look forward to days when everything works exactly how they're supposed to. Well, maybe not exactly how they're supposed to, but at least be in such a way that they don't suck. Because to be honest, almost everything sucks right now. I don't like posting sad thoughts here, but yeah, whatever. I am sad and I am allowing myself to be sad so that I can get over it faster.

I've always maintained that one of my "gifts" is that I am not left wanting for friends. Thanks for this, Rica.

No matter how the world is making me feel bad right now, I know my natural optimistic disposition will take over. I'm just counting on this weekend to make myself feel better.

This book, too.
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

I can't wait to practice yoga again.

Hope your February's better than mine was!

Divergent? More like Disappointment.

Veronica Roth's Divergent trilogy popped up several times when I was looking for a new series to immerse myself in so I figured I'd add it to my never ending and infinitely growing to-read list. Because the movie adaptation of the first book in the trilogy will be shown on March 21 already, I bumped it up on the list and started reading last Saturday.

Before anything else, please understand that it was difficult for me to write this review. I love stories no matter what form they were told. It breaks my heart, but I have to be honest.

I finished it in just two days, and wow, what a letdown it was.

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In the post-apocalyptic dystopian universe of Divergent, the people are divided into factions based on the virtue they uphold most: the peaceful belong to Amity, the selfless belong to Abnegation, the brave belong to Dauntless, the intelligent belong to Erudite, and the honest belong to Candor. When they reach the age of 16, they would have to take an aptitude test to determine where they belong, and decide whether to remain with their families or follow the results of the test and transfer to a different faction where they would have to train and be tested as initiates before they can be full-fledged members. Due to some inexplicable twist of fate, Beatrice (who later changes her name to Tris) proves suitable for Erudite, Abnegation, and Dauntless. Apparently it is very rare to have inconclusive results like that, so Tris must hide the fact that she is a divergent lest she is branded a rebel and becomes a target.

Setting aside the fact that this is dystopian literature and fiction almost always calls for suspension of disbelief, I can't get over the premise that humans can have such a one-sided existence - I guess I'm just too fascinated with the human mind's complexity  to believe that you can tie them up with just one virtue for lfe.

But yes, okay, since it's a dystopian world, I'll let it pass. I just wish it could've been fleshed out better since when you think about it, it's an interesting premise. I couldn't help but think the act of dividing people into different factions is kinda like a more hardcore way of sorting Hogwarts students into different houses through the Sorting Hat, though.

Also, does anyone else feel like someone is urgently whispering the word three times back to you whenever the word 'divergent' is mentioned? Divergent...Divergent...Divergent.

It took me a long time to decide whether I liked it or not because I tried to like it. I really did. For something that has so many fans going gaga over, I expected I would enjoy it a little bit more. (Well, Fifty Shades of Grey also has a lot of following and look what happened there; I stopped reading after two pages.) But then, I figured if I had to think that hard, then the odds aren't good. Don't get me wrong, I was entertained by all the action. There were a lot of jumping off and on trains, violence and intimidation, senseless deaths, physical fighting, climbing up and zip lining down high buildings, and senseless deaths, among others. But somehow it felt a little...hollow, like the story's not really moving at all. Did I mention senseless deaths? I waited I waited I waited, nothing. (There were a lot of words being repeated three times as well, probably for emphasis. I didn't not like it, though. I actually like that writing style, but only when it doesn't feel forced nor pretentious.) I kept on looking at the bottom part of my Kindle that tells what percentage of the book I was in, and I distinctly remember that I was already 83% in when something of real consequence started to happen. Basically, the first book in the Divergent series felt like a reeeally long exposition. Kudos to Veronica Roth for painting an expansive picture of post-apocalyptic Chicago, though.

I loved and even highlighted a few quotes, mostly about bravery.

Becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it.

I was meaning to read Insurgent the next morning, and after that, Allegiant. But after coning across several reviews of the two books, I decided not to. I don't feel *that* affected because I didn't get too attached with any of the characters anyway, since they felt like robots to me. I just decided that life is short and I shouldn't waste it on not-so-good books. Not liking the first book in the trilogy was my first clue.

Maybe I'm just dystopia'd out.

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Of course I'm still going to watch the movie (even if I'm not a fan of the casting). I think Maggie Q and Theo James are perfect.

Did you read Divergent too and liked it? Please don't hate me because of this review. (^_^)

The buzz about The Body Shop's Honeymania Collection

Have I ever told you I like honey? No? Well then I'm telling you now. My aunt's sister-in-law lives in Palawan and she regularly sends us bottles of honey. It's an excellent natural home remedy for respiratory problems and I like taking one teaspoon every night. Excellent for home-made body scrubs, too!

Now I am a bit late in posting this, but... I am buzzing with great news for all my friends who have a sweet tooth: The Body Shop has released a new line too delicious to resist: Honeymania™!

The Body Shop's rich Honeymania™ collection contains products with luxurious textures enriched with wild-harvested Community Fair Trade honey from Ethiopia, leaving skin feeling soft and smooth for up to 24 hours. They say this is perfect for customers with normal to dry skin.

I'm sure you already know how honey smells like. The Body Shop's Honeymania™ collection smells exactly like that, tinged with floral notes; it's a perfect mix of sweet and flowery, but not cloying at all. I actually imagine Cleopatra and other Egyptian queens of old smelling like this when they bathed in honey. I got four pieces from the line: the lip balm shower gel, body butter, and soap.

HONEYMANIA™ LIP BALM

P250

Contains Community Fair Trade beeswax from Cameroon

Deeply moisturizes lips

HONEYMANIA™ SHOWER GEL

P395

Contains moisturizing organically harvested Community Fair Trade honey from Ethiopia

Cleanses skin without drying

HONEYMANIA™ BODY BUTTER

P695

Moisturization that lasts for 24 hours

Contains moisturising Community Fair Trade shea from Ghana, cocoa butter from Ghana, sesame oil from Nicaragua, Brazil nut oil from Peru, and beeswax from Cameroon

HONEYMANIA™ SOAP

P195

Contains moisturizing organically harvested Community Fair Trade honey from Ethiopia

Makes skin feel silky soft

I haven't tried using the soap yet because it has such a unique shape and I don't want it to melt yet LOL. Also, my bathroom is already filled with too many bath products as it is. Still, I couldn't resist the lure of having my own Cleopatra moment with the shower gel, body butter, and lip balm.

I have three other variants of The Body Shop's body butter but I think this one is my favorite. The Honeymania™ shower gel-and-body butter combo is now my go-to scent when it looks like it's going to be a gloomy day - one sniff and I immediately feel better. Perfect for pampering but not sticky like real honey. ;) I don't even put perfume on when I use these two in the morning because the scent stays all day. I still smell like honey when I get home, I love it!

The Body Shop also offers a bubble bath melt and EDT from the Honeymania™ range. I think I'd like to try that EDT as well... Now you guys, don't just take my word for it. Visit a TBS branch near you so you can smell these babies for yourself. Have a great week ahead!

Disclosure: These products were sent to me by The Body Shop team but I was not compensated nor required to write this post. Kindly click here for my complete Disclosure Policy.

International Book Giving Day 2014

"She reads books as one would breathe air, to fill up and live."

- Annie Dillard

So apparently, February 14 was also International Book Giving Day. I am embarrassed to admit I didn't learn about this sooner even though I am online almost all day every day due to the nature of my work. I would have been more prepared. Anyway, as the name implies, the International Book Giving Day is celebrated by giving a (used or new) book to a friend or relative, or by leaving a book in a waiting room or lobby, or by donating a book. I was able to get a digital copy of Chris Mariano's book Cover (Story) Girl for free when she gave it away on Twitter, and that's when I decided I also want to do the same.

Today is also International Book Giving Day so I will #giveabook to the first three who replies to this tweet <3
— Krissy Cruz (@krissyfied) February 14, 2014

I got a lot of replies in no time. I wish I could give more away, but I also had to think of the additional expense of shipping the books to their new owners.

Over the weekend, I rummaged through my room I nicknamed Serenity in Chaos - but in truth is leaning more heavily in the Chaos side now more than Serenity ha ha - to find for books I will give away. To make it a little more fun, I decided to create a theme for the first time I participated in International Book Giving Day.

Can you guess what the theme is? Books and movies! So painfully obvious LOL. I gave away Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown, Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers, and Stepford Wives by Ira Levin to Rose, Andrea, and Camelle respectively.

I hope you've already received your books by now. They're a little old and pages are a bit yellowed, but I do assure you that they're in great condition. Thank you for adopting my books and I hope you enjoy reading them.

Can we also offer a prayer for Camelle's mom's soul? Thank you.

I also hope Rose and Camelle don't mind the label. All of my books within that specific period I bought the ones I gave to the two of them has this.

You see, it's never too early to prepare for my future library.

I'm glad I was able to participate in this year's International Book Giving Day. I love reading and there are few feelings I enjoy more than learning a friend enjoyed a book I have recommended. I'll never get tired of discovering great reads and forcing convincing my friends to check them out.

I'm also happy because looking for books to give away gave me a chance to clear some of my book towers and find most of the books I have been looking for for a while now, like the limited edition Sweeney Todd comic included in the DVD, my copy of Para Kay B. autographed by Mr. Ricky Lee himself, and my copy of Paper Cuts that I really would like to ask Miss Pam Pastor to sign.

I will join the International Book Giving Day again next year, and I will make sure I will be more prepared.

That moment when you finish a book, look around, and realize that everyone is just carrying on with their lives... as though you didn't just experience emotional trauma at the hands of a paperback.

But then, as my friend Aldrin said (and this is the line I will forever remember him with) when we were talking about fiction, "They give us the experience of a thousand lives. The trauma they bring is well worth it." Indeed, indeed.

I'm excited to start reading Veronica Roth's Divergent series tonight!

I wish we won't lose sight of what's important.

"There are two kinds of evil people in this world. Those who do evil stuff and those who see evil stuff being done and don't try to stop it."

In one of the most quotable movies in our generation/ one of the best movies to have shaped our pop culture, Mean Girls, Janis Ian tells this to Cady Heron in the hopes of getting her to help her and Damian in sabotaging Regina George. There were a few mishaps here and there but everything turned out well in the end; everyone got a piece of the tiara.

But this is real life. There are no Janis Ians nor Damians - not even a Ms. Norbury who can help set things right - and it is so frustrating to try to make sense of things without Tina Fey's brilliant writing to back me up.

All fictional characters aside, I wish it is easier to fight for the truth. But when you are fighting against a system that started way before you were born - something that has been ingrained for far too long that it has become the norm - giving up seems to be (and I hate myself for saying this) the best solution option.

I wish I have more power to change things but what can I do? I am just a voice. A teeny voice. It's like everyone has become indifferent and apathetic, but at what cost? It's so easy to turn a blind eye and forget, but what good will it bring? You can argue mortality, yes, but have we become so arrogant to not care about the future generations anymore? That this is the kind of society they will be born into? Directly or not, everyone is affected but sadly there's nothing I can do but shrug bitterly. Sad and sickening, really.

A wise friend told me earlier today that sometimes it's better to "focus on the personal issues of the people close to me." I get what he said about things becoming a little overwhelming and distorted if you try to see the bigger picture, but it's difficult for me. Over the years I have taught myself to be accountable for my actions and carry the consequences of my decisions, so it makes me angry that people can go about doing excessively evil things because they can get away with it. I know life's not fair, but man, this sucks. This sucks to oblivion.

The Grand Distraction, from I Wrote This for You by Iain S. Thomas

I wish our sense of pride as a nation won't come out only when there's a half-Filipino contestant who got in as a finalist to an international singing contest or a reality TV show or whatever. I wish we can look past our computer screens/ cellphones/ own backyards sometimes and see the bigger picture. I wish we won't be distracted by bells and whistles and smokes and mirrors. I wish we won't lose sight of what's important, and then maybe I won't be just a teeny voice because we'll be a choir of voices.

I'm sorry, I just have a lot of feelings about this. Maybe I'm just a little too idealistic for my own good.

Almost Millionaire

I don't exactly remember how our conversation veered into this topic, but just last week my friend/ officemate Rica and I were talking about what we will do in case we win the lottery. My answer on impulse (and I know that this is horrible of me LOL) was that I will buy Nate Ruess (vocalist of my ultimate favorite band fun.), but after giving it a minute's thought, I decided I will just hire the band to play a private concert for me and my friends because I figured spending time with him before and after the concert will be inevitable since I would also be their host here in Manila. And then... after we spend time together, I will win him over with my dazzling personality and awesome sense of humor (ha ha ha) and he will fall in love with me. Perfect. ❤❤❤

Except, you know, how can I even win the lottery when I don't even play?

Well, guess what, I almost became a millionaire through my father.

As was his custom, he played the lottery last Friday (which was incidentally also his birthday) and got five out of six winning numbers right. FIVE OUT OF SIX. If he got all six correct, he would have won 26 million pesos! TWENTY SIX MILLION PESOS. Suddenly my dreams of living happily ever after with Nate Ruess didn't seem so far-fetched after all! (Did you know that on my birthday last year, I dreamt that he and Pink went to my house to sing for me? And then after Pink left, Nate stayed so we can make out. BEST. DREAM. EVER.)

Going back to the story. As it is, my father only got P14,000. Not bad, right? I still think it's unfair that there is such a disparity between the two prize pots, but 14K is 14K and no one would be able to get it just by sitting on his/ her ass all day. Besides, who said life is fair anyway?

Weirdly enough, I don't feel bad about it at all. Maybe because it has never crossed my mind that a chance at a huge windfall like that really exists.

So yeah, you're reading the blog of an almost millionaire who's also Nate's almost wife.

I don't even think about things I could've bought with the money. We would've bought a new house, of course, complete with a library with its own chandelier and photo booth for me - but that's it. No need beating myself out about a loss that, come to think of it, isn't really a loss since we still got something out of it.

How about you, what would you have bought with the prize money in case you won the lottery?

Krissyfied X Cream Silk: 30th Anniversary Giveaway!

My earliest memory of being aware about the "magical power" of conditioners to smoothen tresses was when I was about eight or nine. My mother suggested I use the brand new bottle of Cream Silk in the bathroom, and my hair care ritual has never been the same since. These days, I shampoo every other day and condition every day. 

It's surreal to know that Cream Silk is older than me by just  a couple of years - it's a little disconcerting trying to wrap my head around the fact that this brand has been around for 30 years already! "30 years of limitless possibilities for the Beyond Beautiful Filipina."

To mark this special milestone, Cream Silk invites every Filipina to go Beyond Beautiful with its new commercial starring Heart Evangelista, Sam Pinto and Toni Gonzaga.


The generous folks at Cream Silk and Bridges PR is also offering three of my readers to win special Cream Silk gift packs! One will get a premium limited edition Cream Silk gift pack while two will get the Cream Silk Anniversary pack. To join, check out the mechanics in the Rafflecopter widget below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I will update this post on February 23 with the names of the three winners. Before you join, please make sure that if you do win, you will be able to claim your prize from Bridges PR's office in Makati City, or at least authorize someone else to claim it on your behalf.

That's it. Good luck, everyone!

***

(EDIT - 23 February 2014)

I just drew the winners of my Cream Silk giveaway! Congratulations to Zarah Villacorta for winning a premium limited edition Cream Silk gift pack, and to Mizpa Herbuela and Allyzon Mae Sabio for winning a Cream Silk Anniversary pack each! I will email you more details on how you can claim your prize later. Congratulations again! :)

Big thanks to everyone who joined this giveaway. Please stay tuned for more!

Everything is awesome!

My Barbies, dollhouse, and play kitchen were my favorite playthings when I was young, but I also snuck into my brother's toy chest lots of times to play with his Lego sets. I didn't care that they were meant to be played with by boys - I had a great time constructing many different houses using different colored Lego bricks.

When I saw the trailer of The Lego Movie for the first time, it brought so much nostalgia that I knew I had to watch it on the big screen.

I can watch movies alone but I felt this is something that is best watched with a group but I had no one to go with. My chance came when I babysat my sister Kyla and cousin Jeco yesterday; I took them to TriNoma so we could see the movie together!

And it didn't disappoint. The Lego Movie was spectacular! Alex was right: it's a verrry hyper movie! It's every bit as hyper as the trailer suggests it to be! I mean, sure, it felt a wee bit too long for a kids' movie, but there was no dull moment. The production was brilliant, the cast was stellar, and the lines were ultra-funny! I especially liked Batman (but of course, duh) and his Bat-Puns. It was a very creative movie and delivered so much fun that I am willing to forgive some cliché‎s and how they missed out on giving Wonder Woman a more proactive role. Great job!

More than anything, the movie reminds us how much fun playing with Lego bricks are while armed with just our imagination. It also further cements Lego's title as one of the - if not THE - best toys in the world ever.

I also think this "Behind the Bricks" featurette and Blooper Reel are hilarious. Sharing them here because I'm a sucker for things like these hee.

The cinema was filled with people of all ages and it was erupting with laughter at almost every scene because if they're not delivering funny one-liners, one thing or another is doing some funny bit in the background. What a silly movie, I enjoyed it so much!

Here are some photos from our day out in TriNoma yesterday. Aside from the movie, we also had a great time in Timezone. ^_^

Giant Fruit Ninja!

The tickets we *worked* hard for

Biscottino and Chocolate Peppermint gelatos in Gelatissimo

Everything is awesome! Everything is cool when you're part of a team! Go see it if you still can! The song is still stuck in my head LOL.

So this was Valentine's

A month ago I came across a post by Miss Pam Pastor on Facebook asking for respondents to a survey about love in the digital age. Well, I'm a sucker for surveys (and romance, heh) so I messaged her about taking part in it. The results came out as a special Valentine's Day feature by the Super staff on Philippine Daily Inquirer today and yay, I was quoted in the article!

Others say it's their environments that are not conducive to finding love. Krissy, 27, pointed out: "I'm in an industry where there are predominantly more women and gay guys than straight men."

There's also a quote by a certain Merwin saying, “I will meet this person in a bookstore. I have always believed this!” What bookstore does he hang out in and why haven't we met yet?? LOL

I am not against dating apps (the most popular nowadays is Tinder) but personally, I don't think I would be using one. I've had my share of creeps who are only looking for hookups for me to know that it's not something I want. When I meet The One (if I haven't met him yet), I'd prefer it to be like a meet-cute and for the romance to happen organically. I blame many hours of watching romantic comedies and reading chick lit for this notion! But, yeah, I know a real relationship takes lots of work but if it gives me the shivers, then I would be very much willing to work for it.

You can read the full article here. It's quite long but it's an insightful read about people trying to find love in the time of dating apps, single men and women being pressured by their relatives to start their own families, and happy (or not) couples who have already tied the knot.

Speaking of Valentine's Day, how did you spend yours? Like the few Valentine's Days that have passed, I spent it unhitched but not alone - with my friends from my carpool service and friends I met through my work.

A huge floral heart was erected at the Ayala Triangle Gardens specifically for the occasion. Sweeeeet.

Yummy Chinese feast at Shanghai Bistro

I also got gifts!

A single-stemmed hot pink rose from Rica and chocolates from Ralph and Mike

From Vaseline

And, I'd also like to share with you my favorite xkcd comic just because.

Angular Momentum

However which way you spent this Hallmark Holiday, I hope you ended it (and all the rest of your days) with love!

Adulthood and stuff with Hyperbole and a Half

I can spend the whole day in front of my computer just surfing the Internet. The world wide web is a treasure trove of information waiting to be explored, and every corner offers a new piece of information I wouldn't have had any other way of learning. At any given time on weekends I'd have five tabs open in my browser: my personal email inbox, Blogspot, Facebook, Twitter and an extra tab I keep open for spontaneous Google searches for anything at all. I have a list of bookmarks that stretches to infinity, and every day is a hazy blur of right clicks and opening links in new tabs to read whatever it is I stumbled on.

It's through this way that I found out about Allie Brosh and her blog Hyperbole and a Half. I've been racking my brain trying to remember how I first came across her site to no avail; I just know that I spent almost the whole day and several days thereafter reading every. single. post. When she announced that she's writing a book, I knew I had to have a copy regardless of the fact that it will include some anecdotes that are readily available on her blog.

I pre-ordered a copy from Fully Booked but because I have the EQ of a pillow and their stocks were taking too long to arrive, I decided to get from Book Depository instead.

Hyperbole and a Half: unfortunate situations, flawed coping mechanisms, mayhem, and other things that happened
by Allie Brosh

Delivery took longer than expected and I was growing impatient with each passing day, but when I finally got my copy only thoughts about how the long wait was worth it occupied my mind!

For those who are abreast with memes, Allie was the one who came up with "___ all the ___!" taken from This is Why I'll Never be an Adult.

Be prepared: the book is heavy and made of 371 glossy pages of awesome stories and illustrations in full color! Don't let these fool you, though; there are a lot of cuss words here so you might want to refrain from letting young and impressionable kids in your house read it.

The book is an anthology of some of Allie's notable adventures from her childhood to her journey towards adulthood. I wouldn't exactly describe her writing style as "beautiful" nor "lyrical" (my favorite kind of writing) but it's witty, honest, and bitingly funny in a way that will make you wonder how much more fun yours would have been if you knew her in real life. I know I would want to be her friend in real life. There are a couple of melancholic posts like those that tell about her depression, but those were treated really well. Those actually originally came from her blog - you may check them out here and here. I remember wanting to leave a comment showing my support when I first read it, but I wasn't allowed to because the post has already received 5,000 comments. FIVE THOUSAND. That's the most number of comments I've seen in any kind of post ever!

From my favorite anecdote: The God of Cake

This is my fifth book in my 40 Books for 2014 challenge. I am also reading Nick Hornby's A Long Way Down at the same time so this offers a nice break when the suicide talk gets a little bit too much.

Seriously, if you don't feel like checking the book out, at least check the blog Hyperbole and a Half and read one of Allie's posts. You won't regret it. I just hope she would update her blog more regularly. Another recommended blog of the same league is Adam Ellis of Books of Adam. I also have his book and although it's not in full color, it's pretty awesome as well. God bless the funny people of the Internet.

Makeup to Wakeup with Pixi

I love how more and more retail brands have reached the Philippine shores and found their homes here, giving more choices for us Filipinas without having to resort to exorbitant shipping/ customs fees and the long and exasperating wait.

One of the newest beauty brands that have become available to us locally thanks to Glamourbox is UK-based Pixi, my first encounter of which was when I got my Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm Magic Tink Tint from my Green Beauty-themed Glamourbox. Launched 12 years ago in London by Swedish makeup artist/ product designer/ entrepreneur Petra Strand, Pixi offers "pure, awakening, skin-loving products that create a naturally radiant just-had-a-good-night’s-sleep look." I love dramatic looks as much as the next person but I have to agree that they're not always practical especially when I'm pressed for time or when I will just be staying in front of my computer in the office the whole day. Most of the time I prefer the no makeup-makeup look, and Pixi specializes on that, with the added promise of looking like you, only better, in no time. Their brand message? Makeup to Wakeup.

These products were sent with love and lots of pixie dust

Petra's inspiration when conceptualizing Pixi products are "busy women like herself – working women and mothers trying to look awake, fresh and pulled together in five minutes." Well, I'm not a mom but I'm a young professional who's almost always on the go so I still belong in its target market. The Glamourbox team gave me these Pixi products to "play with" during the launch, now let's see how they hold up.

Pixi Flawless & Poreless

Minimizes shine and pores immediately and long-term. Prolongs makeup stay. Skin texture improves with a velvety finish. We added willow bark extract for natural shine control, salicylic acid to reduce the appearance of pores long-term and skin-smoothing silica for flawless makeup application. Hydrating. Oil-free. Hypoallergenic. For all skin types.

I don't know exactly when primers came to be, but I'm really thankful for the makeup gods for them. Unlike my other primers though, this works like a BB Cream for me with its sheer coverage and finish. Maybe it's just me, but I love how I can get away with wearing it on its own without the need for foundation or powder.

Pixi Eye Bright Liner in Nude

Waterproof waterline liner. This precision inner rim liner makes eye-whites appear whiter and eyes larger and brighter. Twist-up, non-sharpening precision point pen. Hypoallergenic. Paraben and mineral oil-free.

Pixi brand ambassadress and makeup artist Au Mauricio confirmed what I've read before that nude eyeliners are more helpful in making the eyes look awake than white eyeliners. That made me more excited to use this!

Pixi Natural Brow Duo in Medium Brown

Waterproof brow pencil with angled tip for precise application and tinted soft-hold gel that keeps even the most unruly brows in place. Fragrance-free. Dermatologically tested. Use short, light strokes for areas that don't need a lot of color. Press harder for darker brows or for more color.

I'm using just a brow pencil from another brand at the moment, but I actually prefer this because of the brow gel. I don't like brows that look like they have been drawn on, and thankfully this product does not give that kind of result.

Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen in Black Noir

Waterproof. Gives the concentrated color of a liquid liner in a silky, easy to apply gel pencil. Stays looking flawless all day. Hypoallergenic. No preservatives, no parabens, and no mineral oils. Not tested on animals.

I think this is my favorite from the bunch, mainly because true to its name, it glides like a dream and stays put with very minimal budging even after being put under running water and rubbing. I could tug more to test its claims further but, you know, I don't really do that to my eye area so what's the point. 

Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm in Rosy Red

This balm provides hydration, sheer color, and lip stain. With shea butter and lip-plumping hyaluronic acid, it will keep your lips in optimum condition. Secure lid after use. This balm tints lips with an enhanced version of your own lip color - it works with lips' pH level, so it's different on everybody.

This is such a gorgeous red that I kinda feel a little sorry for giving it to my friend Rica, but the color suits her better than me so it's just alright. I love how minty and moisturizing it is and how it stays on even after four hours! It comes in many other shades and I think I'd like to get one or two more.

All in all I really love Pixi for its Fresh, Flaw Fixing, Fuss-Free philosophy. I also really like how most of their products are multi-purpose and waterproof, lessening the need for touch-ups. Bonus points for the whimsical and playful packaging, too, that makes it look suitable for use even by college students! Doesn't it remind you of Pixie Hollow? Here's a simple look I made using just the five products given to me:

How's that for Fresh, Flaw Fixing, and Fuss-Free? ^_^
Pixi Flawless & Poreless all over the face
Pixi Natural Brow Duo in Medium Brown on brows
Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen in Black Noir for that barely there wing-tip
Pixi Eye Bright Liner in Nude on the inner waterline
Two swipes of Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm in Rosy Red on lips

No professional blending skills required, promise! Everything's extremely fool-proof, even the biggest makeup noobs can manage applying all five products in five minutes and come out looking fresh!

Have you tried Pixi products yet? What's your favorite?

Pixi products are now available online via Glamourbox and in select Snoe branches. For more information, please visit their official website. You can also check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Disclosure: The featured products were given to me as press gifts from the launch. I was not paid nor required to write this post. All opinions are my own. Please see my blog's complete Disclosure Policy here.

Lang Leav in Manila

Workweeks always leave me feeling exhausted so if I can help it, I prefer spending my Saturdays sleeping in and curling up on the couch with a good book the whole day. I haven't been able to do that for two consecutive weeks now though as last week was spent in Babatnin with my dear friends/ former officemates, while yesterday was spent falling in line for Australian poet and artist Lang Leav's autograph at her book-signing event for Love & Misadventure held in Fully Booked BHS with Kira .

Beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully conceived, Love & Misadventure will take you on a rollercoaster ride through an ill-fated love affair—from the initial butterflies through the soaring heights to the devastating plunge. And, in the end, the message is one of hope. 

The journey from love to heartbreak to finding love again is personal yet universal. Lang Leav's evocative poetry speaks to the soul of anyone who is on this journey. Leav has an unnerving ability to see inside the hearts and minds of her readers. Her talent for translating complex emotions with astonishing simplicity has won her a cult following of devoted fans from all over the world.

Registration started at 10AM. Waiting in line for six hours for Manix Abrera's autograph last year taught me to make sure to get there early; we arrived at the venue at around 10:30 and guess what, we had slot number 140! Lang Leav sure has a lot of fans here in Manila!

Kira and Krissy: too early to function on a Saturday, but always game for selfies.

After registering, we walked around Bonifacio High Street and Market! Market! to while away the time since the signing event didn't start until 2PM. 

Our hungry tummies brought us to our favorite Aria Cucina Italiana for lunch.

We also hung out in Dakasi with Alex and Nio for a bit.

My hot Golden Honey Grapefruit Tea is an unpopular choice since it was a hot day but I really liked it.

With our cravings satisfied, we went back to Fully Booked at around 3PM.

Just a small portion of people who went

Unlike Manix's signing event last year where there was no limit on the number of books the fans could make him sign and draw on, Lang has published just one book so far and she signed the recipient's name and her autograph only so it was a lot faster. Our number was called in no time!

Kira and me with Lang Leav
Yay!

Happy camper

To be honest, I haven't finished reading Love & Misadventure yet but I am so glad she signed my copy. There's something about the whole experience of falling in line, waiting, and interacting with the author that makes it even more special, you see. If I could, I would have all my favorite books signed by their authors but that would be impossible since most of them have already passed on to another world.

I'm also happy to have met Pau-Pau today.
Sweet and sincere words are the best kinds of gift. Thank you so much!

I had a lot of fun yesterday. Getting dragged from bed and going all the way to Fort was worth it! Hee thanks for sharing the experience with me, Kira! Without you, I wouldn't  have been able to have my book signed.

Of course, big thanks also to Lang Leav for sharing your words with us, and to Fully Booked for bringing Lang here! I can't wait to finish reading my copy of Love & Misadventure and pick a favorite.