Divasoria

we went to white space to have lunch at the pepato pop-up and to view nikki luna‘s new project.

the concept of nikki’s work for this exhibit is pretty interesting – she collected various symbolic objects from women who have experienced abuse and she placed them inside pieces of handmade soap.

to discover each object, one must pick a bar of soap and then wash the hands. there was a basin filled with water on the side of the soap “wall”.

no one bar of soap was the same.

here are some of the artwork in exhibit at the site.

Manila Contemporary
Whitespace 2314, Chino Roces Avenue
Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City, Philippines
+63 2 8447328

Anna Oposa is just 23 years old, but she is one to watch out for. She is a freelance writer, musical theatre performer and a noted environmentalist, co-founding projects such as the Isko cleans UP, a movement she started as an undergraduate that helps implement waste management at UP Diliman and Save Philippine Seas, a movement to protect the richest marine life in the world. These activities have lead her to different countries talking about green initiatives in the Philippines and has been a delegate to the British Council’s Global Changemakers Summit as well as the Philippine youth representative to the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico.

Yahoo! Southeast Asia has hailed Anna as one of the 7 inspiring modern-day Filipinos for her efforts in environmental conservation. She now works at the Law of Nature Foundation as the officer-in-charge of Environmental Policy and Law Compliance.

How’s that for somebody who just graduated from college? Yep, don’t you feel accomplished?

***

There is a stereotype that environmentalists are tree-hugging hippies who have unkempt clothes and are mabaho. I’d like to think that this isn’t the case for me, because, well, I don’t think I’ve ever even hugged a tree, and I use a lot of products that smell GREAT! I must admit, though, that I always try to assess the “environmental impact” of the products I buy and consume. This means that as much as possible, I purchase products that are made in and sourced from the Philippines to decrease my carbon footprint, encourage livelihoods and support the local economy.

My (non-sectarian) prayers were answered when I heard about echostore and Human Nature, which are pro-Filipino, pro-poor, and pro-environment. Their products are of world-class quality and yet very affordable. I’m saying this now because most of the stuff in my bathroom and bag are from Human Nature or echostore. They’re like my one-stop shops for toiletries. I’m always on the lookout for companies like that.

Z.E.N. Coconut Shampoo and Human Nature Moisturizing conditioner: I’ve never had my hair colored/permed/rebonded, but I’m always under the sun, so I need to keep my hair as healthy as possible by using shampoo made of natural ingredients. The sweet, coconut scent of my shampoo instantly brings me to a beach, where I spend weekends scuba diving or summers teaching kids. Available at the echostore. My favorite part about my conditioner is the instruction: “Leave on for a whole song or two for maximum effect.”
Victoria’s Secret Pink, Energizing Body Wash Citrus Mint: “Think green. Live Pink!” it says. 100% vegan ingredients and not tested on animals. At the back, it says, “Made with peace, Love, and Happiness.” TRUE STORY.
Human Nature Feminine Wash: It’s comforting to know that whatever touches my vajayjay has no harmful chemicals.
Dove facial foam, cucumber and green tea: Unilever’s CSR department supports projects of the NGO I work for, so we’re given a lot of Unilever products. This is my favorite because it smells fresh.

Human Nature sunflower cleansing oil: BEST. MAKEUP. REMOVER. EVER.
Lubriderm Daily Moisture: I mix strong, floral-scented lotions I receive as gifts with this neutral scent (para hindi sayang).
Nivea Fresh Natural deodorant: This type of bottle is really hard to recycle (SORRYYYY) but I don’t like stick deodorants because they feel… Unhygenic. This is the Ocean scent so it smells like a beach and sunblock. (Obviously I was a mermaid in my past life.)
Celeteque moisturizer: It’s not lotion-based, so it dries faster and doesn’t feel sticky.
Human Nature citronella bug spray: One of their best selling products! 100% of the proceeds go straight to the farmers. Whenever I use it my brother says I smell like a candle hahahaha.
Coppertone Kids (sunscreen stick) and Shiseido Anessa: I love my dark skin but I hate sunburn, so these are always with me when I hit the beach. I stole the former from my mom and bought the latter in Japan.
Dental floss: Because a person’s smile is his/her greatest asset!
Playtex tampons – So that the biodegradable (the tampon itself) and non-biodegradable parts (plastic applicator) are separated, unlike with napkins. I’ve seen sanitary napkins 80 feet underwater. GROSS.

I did a lot of musical theatre performances for about 11 years, which explains my mirror and the huge makeup case on the left. The polka-dotted object is my iPod speakers, because I do my ablutions with music.

Since I hardly perform anymore, my makeup kit has shrunk to this:

Human Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil: Pocket size, to fix smudges.
L’Oreal True Match Foundation: For some reason, it’s so hard for morenas to find the right shades! It took me a long time to find foundation that didn’t make me look like an espasol.
Milea mineral eyeshadow in blue and gold: Just discovered this Filipino brand recently.
Gino McGray eyeshadow in purple and green: from Thailand.
Lancome eyeshadow (one in 7 shades, another in 4), blush (2 shades), lipstick (two shades): All bought from my last trip to New York. Still on the lookout for good, locally made makeup. Maybe I’ll try the Human Nature line when these are done na.
Fanny Serrano eyelash curler: THIS IS BETTER THAN SHU UEMURA!!!

The pouch I use for my cosmetics is made of recycled tetra packs, a gift from a friend In it are Bobbi Brown lipstick, IN2IT waterproof eyeliner (black) brown eyeliner from The Face Shop, spare tampons, and sparkly hair ties/hairbands to keep my hair out of my face when I run or do yoga.
Maybelline Volum’ Express cat eyes waterproof mascara: I love its unique wand. The “waterproof” part is necessary because I cry at just about everything from pictures of dead sharks to seeing a nice coastal area.
Human Nature Choco Vanilla and Peppermint lip balms: Choice depends on mood.
Human Nature All Natural Spray Sanitizer: The smell reminds me of Halls or Maxx. I almost finished an entire bottle when I was in India for a week!

as told to divasoria

despite my mission to be a simple girl, i can’t seem to let go of a few things like being a bag lady. maybe it’s the new yorker in me, i tend to bring everything but the kitchen sink with me everywhere. a fear of the apocalypse? maybe. but here are the things in my bag:

1 – kleenex tissue – i miss my beloved puffs, but according to CVS, they are available in true value. lemme check that.

2- my tiny canon ixus – yep, all my photos are taken with this camera because i believe it’s the photographer, not the camera, that makes for great pictures. hehehe.

3 – muji wallet – i know it’s huge and it’s just muji, but i love this as it has a lot of card slots, compartments and a mesh coin zip in between. really great!

4 – sunglasses – my eyes are pretty sensitive to light plus it’s great to wear when you people watch.

5 – group of stuff #1 – inside my armani beauty make up case are essentials – lighter, mints, eos lip balm(love!), j&j cologne, berocca(weary bones), hand sanitizer

6 – group of stuff #2 – blackberry charger(BB battery life sucks, but i still love it ), house keys, rosary, moleskine notebook and my trusty pilot v5

7 – group of stuff #3 – i call this the “technology” pack – smart bro dongle, lego brick ipod speakers(you never know when there’s a party and they need your iPod!), 16gB USB memory stick, in-ear headphones, ipod, itrip

8 – kikay kit – my usuals plus a bottle of particuliere. read somewhere that this chick brings a bottle of her favorite nail polish around because what if you get bored and you want your nails done and the nail place has lousy colors? works for me!

9 – eco bag – this cute one is from the grande epicerie! looks like an actual grocery bag.

prior visits to lusso were lackluster, to say the least, so i was pleasantly surprised to discover a more diverse and “pragmatic” menu on a recent trip. i decided to try their lobster and prawn rolls.

a new england staple, a traditional lobster roll is just freshly cooked lobster tossed in mayonnaise with a little bit of seasoning in a toasted hotdog bun. lusso’s version is made up of chunky lobster and prawns in homemade mayo, which made the big difference. it was fresh tasting and subtle in its flavors without the overpowering presence of old bay seasoning! it came in a buttered, crusty kaiser roll with a side salad and a cup of truffle potato crisps.

lusso
G/F greenbelt 5
(02) 756-5893

Christina Dy, or CD as she is called, is an accomplished artist known for her massive charcoal pieces. She has held solo exhibits here and abroad including a residency in Australia. In 2010, she participated in Busan Biennale, a prominent art event held in Korea featuring contemporary Asian art. Another interesting facet about CD is her love for pole dancing. She is the founder of Polecats – the premiere pole-dancing performing group and academy in the Philippines.

Currently, CD is working on new projects including a collaboration with photographer Corinne de San Jose in October. Also, she is in the middle of preparing for Polecat Manila’s 2nd Anniversary pole concert with the Manila Symphony Orchestra, happening on October 16th at the Philamlife Theater.

******

I like keeping things simple, and that applies to my beauty routine. It’s quite a challenge, considering my career as a pole dancer. How do you keep things simple when your job is to create drama and fantasy?

Here are some guidelines I try to follow :

- My makeup needs to fit in one small bag that I can take with me to gigs. If it doesn’t fit into that bag, I don’t buy it.
- I don’t like having a lot of things (my brain cannot keep inventory!)– so I use up my supply before buying new ones.
- I don’t believe in buying expensive makeup; I think most drugstore brands will do the work. Except for lipstick– this one is worth spending for, especially for shows.

I use Human Nature products- shampoo/body wash, conditioner, feminine wash, face wash. I’m allergic to a lot of things, including strong chemicals and scents, so my bath products have to be as simple as possible.

I recently got this Belle & Cat butterscotch body wash as a gift, and it’s awesome — it smells so good I want to eat myself. Haha.

I can’t use lotions since I pole everyday. I can’t use lotions when I draw as well– the oils on my hand mix with the charcoal and get on the paper, and I don’t like the consistency. So the rare times that I do use lotion, I just use gifts and freebies.

I’ve used The Body Shop’s White Musk since the 90s (ok now I feel old!), and it’s the only scent I’ve ever liked.

p.s. Rain (as in the Korean star of Ninja Assasin!) is the name of my pole. PolecatsManila company manager Myla gifted me with RAIN stickers and so I just put RAIN stickers on all my stuff.

All my makeup fits into the small pouch from Beabi. Well, except my falsies (right now I have 8 packs). I always have a stash in my bag for last minute gigs.

L-R, top to bottom:
Max Factor foundation ( a gift), Neutrogena powder (a gift again!), Bench clay-doh.
Neutrogena blush (a gift), Chapstick, MAC russian red ( a gift), Revlon Colorstay lipstick.
Elf eyebrow set, Etude House eyeshadow quad, Pond’s cold cream. falsies, Shawill gold eyeliner, Maybelline eyeliner. Shawill brushes and a generic sharpener.

DAY– i just put on Maybelline’s 2-in-1 impact shadow liner by Eyestudio and that’s it. I look sleepy without eyeliner! (See how short the eyeliner is already, since I use it everyday.) I love this eyeliner– it has gotten me through death and breakups without smudging!

NIGHT- I use this eyeshadow quad from Etude House- I bought this in Korea, for the opening of the Busan Biennale last year, because I forgot to pack makeup.

SHOW– depends on the look of the group. But always– falsies! I usually layer 2 sets for maximum effect. Falsies are the quickest way to add drama. I buy mine from Landmark at Php50-70 each.

Also, strong brows are good for shows. I use elf’s brow set– it’s inexpensive and does the job.

For red lips, I love russian red from MAC. Looks great on stage, in photos, and lasts a whole show.

Shows are also the only time I wear foundation/powder.

If there’s a special makeup requirement for a show– say, gold eyeliner, glitters, pink lipstick– usually there’s one Polecat who buys it and we all share it. That way we don’t spend a lot for something that we won’t use often.

To take it all off– good ol’ Ponds.

I have four nail polish colors– red, pink, gold– colors we usually use for shows. And black/deep purple– I use when I’m working on a charcoal mural, just to hide my dirty nails.

I rarely go for mani/pedi– only for shoots, and special shows, and I go to Belle & Cat for that.

Hair
Cut by Drea Zulueta of Straight n Smooth. I don’t have a hairdryer, not even a hair brush. With my hair now I can just get out of the shower and go.

Hmmm, after writing this, I realize my beauty routine is dictated by my pole career! Haha.

as told to divasoria

with all this 90s nostalgia going on, especially with 20th anniversary of the release of nirvana’s nevermind and pearl jam’s ten, i felt the need to post something about grunge.

of all the youth movements that have gone before us, “grunge” was the cultural touchstone that dominated the psyche and zeitgeist of my generation. there was something about the melancholic mood of the US pacific northwest, the grit of gnawing guitars and the sound of depressive rock stars that just melded well with what we were going through in 1991-1994 – we were all on the verge of adolescence filled with confusion, rage and hormones. and with nirvana’s seminal hit “smells like teen spirit”, the title alone made every 12-13-14 year old kid in 1991 feel like this song was for ME!

i was enamored by the whole scene and most especially loved the movie singles, it was a tragically hip movie of the time, a story of 20-somethings living the life in seattle. and it also came with the most amazing soundtrack ever. this cult classic dictated the music, lifestyle and fashion of the early 90s. i remember having to pause the laser disc every so often to take note of bridget fonda’s clothes.

i had also begged my mother to buy me doc marten’s boots and flannel on melrose ave. i also bought several bootcut ripped jeans and granny/kinderwhore dresses from contempo casuals. just like angela chase and rayanne graf of my so-called life.

if you’re a girl my age and had a rebellious streak, you were bound to be a grunge girl – opinionated, independent, strong, adventurous and a little ahead of your time. this was because of all the cool 90s chicks who were so popular back then. and here are some of my own favorites-

glam rock had all the groupies that came hand-in-hand with the music, 90s grunge had these chicks. kim gordon, shirley manson, PJ harvey, liz phair, darcy, tori amos, melissa auf der maur, hope sandoval – all these women were just so amazing. i remember being 14 or 15 and watching MTV and seeing how badass they were. they all spoke their minds and rocked as hard as their male contemporaries.

when i look at pop/rock stars of this generation, i feel they lack the chutzpah and depth of the women we looked up to in the 90s. they’re all so boring and cookie-cutter and i also think kids today don’t have shared cultural high points anymore. maybe it’s technology’s fault – they can access videos and music at their own convenience via the internet.

modern pleasures are not entirely a bad thing but this also lends to a generation consisting of little islands of people. my peers? we had come of age in an era where everything stopped when the new soundgarden video came out or the first time a new rage against the machine song played on NU. we also had the collective shock of hearing one of the heroes of our generation committing suicide. everybody remembers where they were when they heard the news that kurt cobain shot himself.

so it makes me smile to hear that a few young ones discover grunge and that whole early 90s scene and they start worshipping the same artists we loved growing up. and why not? i think my peers and i turned out quite well.

that said, i feel a little old yet nostalgic whenever i read or hear things about the music that dominated my youth. as they say, the music you were listening to when you were 14 stays with you forever and i couldn’t agree more. when i get sick of hearing all these hipster-y stuff, i click to my “grunge” playlist and i instantly feel like i’m a kid again.

despite all the trappings and luxuries of modern adulthood, i still feel like that grunge girl back in the 90s – i like to rock out in my flannels, ripped jeans and doc marten’s when the occasion calls for it. and i’m still a little bit fascinated by a rock scene of the past and re-living the good old days.

and seriously – those were REALLY good times. like this :

and i was there!

Sometimes being a girl can be such a drag. Unlike our male counterparts, women are expected to look put-together and perfect even while doing the most mundane things.

I find myself standing in front of my closet dumbstruck with what to wear and I wish that somebody would come up with a virtual closet organizer just like the one Cher Horowitz had in the ‘90s movie classic, Clueless — a computer that helps you mix and match everything in your closet before even trying them on.

Finally, the moment has arrived. What started as a film-based fantasy has become a reality with the launching of the first Filipino style networking site Miss-Match (http://www.miss-match.com.ph/) and just like Cher’s closet computer, it allows you to put together looks for every occasion.

This virtual closet is brought to you by FashionLab Inc., a family corporation composed of Albert Labrador, Pia Labrador, Toto Labrador, Pierra Calasanz-Labrador and Chinggay Labrador.

All are fashion insiders with a vast network and invaluable experience in the local industry.

For the rest of the article, click the link here.

Kellyn See is one of the most sought-after young freelance architects in Manila. Just a year after coming back from Europe where she worked at a Milanese architectural firm and where she also received her masters degree in Architectural Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano, Kellyn’s work has already been featured in various publications and design shows on television. One of her missions is rehabilitating the slum areas around Metro Manila and she has since then worked closely with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology or MIT program of “Cities without Slums” in coordination with the World Bank and UNCHS.

L’oreal Shampoo: I’ve been using this brand ever since I lived in Italy and can’t get over how cheap it is in Manila, only 199 pesos for a huge bottle. This earns points for me as I’m very stingy and only buy (most) of my “basic routine” in S&R.

Safeguard: I’m still sold on the 99.9% of germs will be gone after using Safeguard soap

Veet: for removing hair on the legs. Way better than shaving when I find the time

Scope Mouthwash: it was on sale in S&R when I got it.

The Face Shop’s Peeling day: I honestly thought this was a scrub when I 1st got it because I needed something to whiten pimple scars on my face. But this is more like a paste rather than a scrub that really sloughs off all the dirty parts of your skin, and (for me) effectively removes all blackheads, whiteheads, thick parts of the skin etc. It feels more like a microdermabrasion in a bottle really!

Cleo Viso Maschera: A face mask I buy in Italy. They also have really amazing moisturizers and body lotions if you can get them.

As I’ve said earlier, I love going to S&R to buy almost all my toiletries. So here is evidence of all the huge bottles of stuff I use:

Johnsons shea and cocoa butter baby wash: the smell! And the texture is really amazing, makes your skin feel luxurious all over.

Johnsons cucumber melon baby lotion: I’m a sucker for all things cucumber melon flavor. This is also very light, perfect for daytime because the skin just absorbs it all.

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion: My go-to lotion for the colder days or before I go to bed at night.

Christophe Shampoo and Conditioner: I still like Loreal’s shampoo/conditioner combination better, or schwarzkopf’s zero frizz which they ran out of in s&r lately which is how I got these. But now zero frizz is available again so I’ll probably get that on the next trip.

Zen Zest Moisturizing peppermint foot lotion: I just love putting lotion on my feet. And so far this has been the best one I’ve used. Plus it’s cheap so plus points!

I’m one of those girls who do not believe in wearing a lot of makeup so I need to have a skincare routine. I believe in Clinique’s 3 step rule: cleanse, tone, moisturize/apply sunscreen. My basic hair and skincare products are as follows:

Milcu deodorant: I hate the smell of deodorant and this one has none! So it’s perfect and not sticky!

La Roche Posay BB cream: I use this in the morning because it’s like an amazing tinted moisturizer which has major sunscreen. I really need spf 50 because although I don’t have the whitest face in the world, it burns easily and as I spend so much time outdoors for my job, it’s better to protect than to complain of my face hurting after.

Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Oil Antiseptic: I use this for pimples, regular nicks and insect bites(which I scratch to no end)

Clinique all about eyes eye cream: I’ve been using eye cream since I think I turned 21. I’ve been afraid of wrinkles ever since I could remember.

RA Cream: from my doctor. I use this at night and have no idea what it does.

Clinique anti blemish solutions: If I needed something stronger than tea tree oil.

La Roche Posay Effaclar M: This is the best thing ever for oily skin. It really mattifies your face and controls sebum production. The very light scent is divine too.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Foaming Facial Wash: the best facial wash ever. Paraben free and leaves your face not so dry after (after mangosteen soap from Thailand!)

Petroleum Jelly: for everything else

VMV hypoallergenics spring fresh oil free moisturizer: I bought this when I ran out of effaclar M. Also has spf. Very light and makes your skin feel soft! Plus you don’t pay so much for such a huge bottle.

Caudalie Bio Grape Water and Avene water spray: I am in love with sprays for the face after a long day at the site. I’ve been using facial sprays since I’ve discovered those Evian sprays we use in grade school

L’oreal Eye Makeup Remover: The cheapest eye make up remover in Watsons. Ok it works pretty well too.

Fekkai Glossing Cream: the best thing you can put on your hair after a shower.

I don’t have THAT MUCH make up but the ones I use everyday and really have no opinion about are:

• Face Shop concealer
For face powder/foundation, I alternate between:
• Sephora mattifying powder
• phytogenic powder from face shop
• Mistine Face Powder and
• Bare Minerals foundation
For Blush I’m ok with Maybelline Minerals blush, partnered with random Maybelline mascara(cheap and works really well!)

My choice of lipstick would definitely be Chanel for staying power, but my all time favorite is the Black Honey by Clinique. It looks really dark on the tube but really natural on your lips. I also use Dolce and Gabbana ruby palette because it consists of all classic colors. The Clinique lip palette I just got at the airport 1 time along with the set of Lip Glosses.

I don’t know if this counts as a beauty product but I need to have my Caladryl all the time along with any insect repellant for the dengue scare.

Also, while almost all girls have weird alcohol thingies hanging from their bags, I would have a bottle of alcohol anywhere and everywhere I go.

as told to divasoria

the very generous man eats manila sent over a bottle of bacon jam for me to try. bacon? jam? needless to say, i was intrigued.

on this lovely sunday morning, i decided to spread the bacon jam on toasted pandesal and top it with the lightest of scrambled eggs with a touch of truffle oil.

YUM!

and washed it down with my favorite nespresso.

this is what sunday mornings are all about

Over the weekend, I was asked to try out an interesting website – miss-match.com.ph. the concept was to create looks using locally available apparel, accessories and even cosmetics. How could you say no to that?

Miss Match offers a plethora of options for budding stylists from international labels such as Zara, Muji, GAP, Fred Perry, Bobbi Brown(some of my personal FAVORITES!) to local standouts like Bleach Catastrophe(!!!!), Regatta, Oxygen, Penshoppe, House of Laurel, among other amazing brands.

I started creating looks in no time! I love the drag+drop action, so easy-peasy. You can go through the stuff on a “per brand” or “per category” basis. You can also adjust the size of the different products while you’re trying to come up with the perfect combination. I was actually quite impressed with the variety and organization. My biggest thing though was the lack of the “see all” option. If you’re like me and my friends, we have internet ADHD and we hate scrolling to look for stuff. Think of it as a “steve jobs” philosophy – the fewer clicks, the better!

I started out a little slow as it took me quite awhile to navigate through the thousands of choices but after several attempts, I came up with quite a number of looks. I had slaved the weekend away thinking of different scenarios or events and what I’d wear.

Below are some of the stuff I came up with:

I had so much fun going around Miss Match and I didn’t realize I “time-sucked” the entire weekend away! I think one of the best things about Miss Match is unlike similar websites based abroad; your looks can actually be a reality since you can actually go to the store buy it pronto! How cool is that?

So what are YOU waiting for?!??! Join in the fun!