Care for Your Skin

I know I haven't posted in a while, it's because something exciting is coming up soon!  I will keep you posted about this and I do hope you will continue to support me in this new endeavor of mine :) In the meantime, I would like to share with you a not-so-new-discovery of mine:

For more than 260 years, the first thermal spring facility in Avène continues to treat patients with atopic dermatities, eczema, psoriasis and burns. Now, in the 21st century, it has expanded its facility via skin caring products that have been made available worldwide.

Two product lines that my family loves are the sun care and whitening ranges. I know, opposite collections, right? But for us, Filipinos, who love the sand and the sun; we need the best sun care protection to keep our skin cancer-free and looking young. We don't want our skin to age faster with wrinkled skin caused by sun exposure, don't you agree? As complementary to this sun care line, the whitening line that will help us even out our sun spots, blemishes and scars.

Laboratoires Dermatologiques Avène has long had their sun care line, but they recently added The SunSitive protection® FORMULA INNOVATION, which combines high-performance and high-tolerance photo-protective complex with a powerful anti-oxidant for cellular protection and Avène Thermal Spring Water for its soothing qualities. All 100% photostable, they are all paraben-free, and best of all, highly water resistant. Try their Very High Protection Emulsion 50+ and Very High Protection Mineral Cream 50+, both are very light in texture and can blend well on to our skin.

To support your sun care line (more so during the off-summer season), why don't you try Avène's whitening range? The line boasts of myrtle extract that prevents melanin production and regulates skin pigmentation. It also has Ascorbyl Glucoside, otherwise known as Vitamin C, that controls the source of skin pigmentation. It's also known to repair skin cells that are damaged by ultraviolet rays. Frequent usage reduces cell damage and promotes collagen synthesis to give firmer skin. Now, that's double duty action - whitens and firms!!!

Now, it might be a bit confusing which variant to use so here are some tips:

Avène Sensitive White Whitening Lotion is best for all skin types.

Avène Sensitive White Fluid is for normal to combination skin types, and is recommended to treat discoloration and best used to prevent brown spots from forming.

Avène Sensitive White Cream is for those with dry skin, which has she butter for extra hydration.

Avène Sensitive White Whitening Essense is a serum that's perfect for skin with dark and age spots. It gives a matte finish that's great for day wear.

And the best news? Selected products of Avène are at special half-price offers, for a limited time only. So, visit selected Mercury Drug outlets soon to get good deals from one of the best skin care brands. Like its account on Facebook at AvenePhilippines and follow @AvenePH for more details and updates.

Can't Wait for Tiesto

This is so a last minute decision - good thing, we were still able to get tickets to the Tiesto show this Thursday. I hope to see you there also, as we enjoy his music mixes that brings back the late '90s and early 2000s :D

For a quick refresher, read on to find out more about DJ Tiesto,and why we can't wait for Thursday ;)

“Beautiful World”, “Sweet Things”, “Elements of Life”, “I Will Be Here”, “Silence”, “Work Hard Play Hard” and “We Own the Night”. These are just some of the world-smash hits created by Grammy Nominee, legendary Dutch musician and record producer of Electronic Dance Music, and world – renowned professional DJ, Tiesto.

Tijs Michiel Verwest, more popularly known as Tiesto, began his DJ career by playing mostly New Beat and House Music in small clubs in his hometown in Breda, Netherlands. Tiesto then rose to popularity in the early 2000s after his performance at the Live at Innercity: Amsterdam RAI party, and the release of his first solo album entitled In My Memory. Since then, the Dutch musician has been making and producing award-winning Electronic Dance Music (EDM) hits and albums, holding concert tours and parties all over the world, and receiving countless recognition for his music. One of Tiesto’s albums, Elements of Life, took the number one spot on the Dutch album chart and on Billboard Top Electronic Albums in the US, and was awarded Best Electronic Dance Album in 2008. One of Tiesto’s most notable performances, on the other hand, was at the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, making him the very first DJ to play live on stage at an Olympic event. The legendary EDM record producer was also the very first DJ to rank #1 in the Top 100 DJs list by DJ Magazine for 3 consecutive years. He also received the Best International DJ award in 2008 at the DJ Awards, and earned other titles such as The #1 DJ of 2008 and The Best DJ of All Time, both given by Mixmag magazine; The 40^th Greatest Dutch Citizen of All Time and Officer of the Order of Orange – Nassau by the Dutch Royalty in 2003; and International Dance4Life Ambassador in 2006.

With a well-proven track record, there’s no doubt that Tiesto is one of most sought-after EDM DJs in the world. In fact, in the Philippines alone, Tiesto has played his tracks in front of his fans – the country’s hottest clubbers, EDM enthusiasts and personalities in two of the biggest and hippest dance arenas last 2008 and 2009. On October 3, 2013, Tiesto will be coming back to Manila for his very first concert party at the Big Dome as World Wide Womb, Ovation Productions, Driven Manila, and Republiq present Tiesto Live in Manila, with the fastest-rising, most exciting female Australian DJ, Tigerlily as special guest.

Tickets to Tiesto Live in Manila are now available at Ticketnet. For more information, visit www.ticketnet.com.ph, World Wide Womb and Republiq on Facebook. For VIP tables, please call +639175508888.

Tiesto Live in Manila is a World Wide Womb, Ovation Productions, Driven Manila and Republiq production. 

I have Moved

So much has happened in the past four months that I was on hiatus—a lot is on my plate now.  All the more with the birth of another baby boy in the Cheng family :)  So I've decided to move and keep just one blog. 

*photo courtesy of reliable-removals.com

Thank you for being with me these past few years.  I really appreciate the visits and the comments you leave for me in this blog.  So I hope you'll continue to visit me regularly at my not-so-new blog as I continue to share all my discoveries at LUCKY JANIE. See you all there! :)

Busy, Busy, Busy :o

Hello everyone,
So sorry that I have been so quiet for the past month. So many things happened. Plus, my laptop and camera "drowned." Just got my camera back, but still waiting for parts for my laptop. I just realized that there must be something with me and water this year, since it's the year of the water dragon AND I am carrying a baby water dragon ;)

I am figuratively drowning in so much work, as we're preparing for the opening of FOREVER 21 at The Block, at SM City North EDSA. Watch out for more updates next week ;) *hint hint* Please bear with me as I will try to be back online in a week. Thank you :D

Here Comes the First F21 Sale

Finally, the first Forever 21 sale of the year:

On March 16: Present your F21 Mastercard AND SMAC/BDO Rewards, get 20% off on regular items with a minimum purchase of P5,000 until 12nn only.

Present your SMAC/BDO Rewards OR SMAC/BDO Rewards, and get 10% off on regular items, until 12nn only.
On March 16 12nn onwards, until March 18, F21 Mastercard holders can get 10% off on regular items, with a minimum purchase of P5,000.

*BDO cardholders can avail of 5% rebate with a minimum purchase of P5,000 for all 3 days.

See you all there :D

Posh Nails x Banana Peel

I'm away this weekend with the family for a wedding in Cebu.  Of course, I had to get my hands and feet ready for this big event.  So I went to Posh Nails Tomas Morato for some pampering.

I brought with me my brand new pair of Posh Nails slippers by Banana Peel.  

Aren't they the cutest? :)

People Watching

I was in Cebu on the night of the Mega YDC finale, so I asked my good friend Thons Edano to attend on my behalf.  Check out his photos of the guests that showed their support for the show and for the magazine's 20th anniversary:

Bianca Gonzales

Mega's Executive Editor Peewee Reyes-Isidro

Buern and Matt of Becky Nights, along with Mark Qua

Lifestyle Asia Cheryl Tiu and Thons Edano

Mega's Beauty editor Kim Reyes-Palanca

Heidi Ng

Ruffa Mae Quinto

Cindy Cancio with a photographer (let me get back to you on his name :o)

Until the next event ;)

Future Fusion

It’s been a while since anything big happened at the NBC Tent, so it was a delight to see fashion again in the area recently. The MEGA Young Designers Competition celebrated its culmination with a finale showcasing the final six’s collection, with the theme of “Megamorphosis,” wherein the finalists were tasked to present a collection on how they envisioned the future of Philippine fashion to be.


Directed by Robby Carmona, and hosted by one of the country’s top models, Sarah Meier, the show featured the collections against a black backdrop filled with the designer’s sketches of their showcased entries. Simple, yet powerful, as this invited the guests to a journey of sorts, from conceptualization to the finish product.


Robin Gundran came in second runner-up, with Mara Chua as the first runner-up and who was awarded Best in Show as well. Gundran showed off his talent for curvaceous patterns that highlighted the feminine form, while Chua mixed plastic with fabrics (and ruffles) for a futuristic vibe.

Renan Pacson, who has been one of the crowd favorites since the start of the show and the competition, proved that he deserved the top spot. His utilitarian chic collection was amplified with the use of patent leather and sheer fabrics. His jackets with big lapels added a powerful aura to his women-on-top assemblage.

 • GEN M: Generation MEGA, The MEGA Young Designers Competition 2012 was created for TV by MEGA Publishing Group. For the latest updates, visit www.MegaStyle.ph. Like MEGA on Facebook and follow MEGA on Twitter.

Final Bow

I stayed home in bed last Saturday night, and was checking on my twitter feed when I saw tweets about Jil Sander's show for Milan Fashion Week.  I was curious and clicked on a few twitpics, and fell in love with the set design: lovely floral bouquets encased in glass and placed on narrow platforms that were placed on stage.

Its Creative Director for eight years, Belgian Raf Simons is on his last stint for the German label Jil (pronounced Gil) Sander, which makes this collection his farewell show.  I am a fan of Raf Simons' simplistic designs, and unique feminine silhouettes.  His color combination choices are always amazing, and I believe he is responsible for the "color blocking" trend a few years back.  So, following my twitter feeds was a must that night.

As expected, makeup was very minimal.  Baring all, with only a hint of color on the lips.  Backstage makeup artist Peter Philips shared in Vogue: "Rosebud-pink lips. “Raf was thinking about a day in the life of a woman as she moves from morning to afternoon to night. He wanted something soft, delicate, and quite sensual for the Jil Sander woman."  Hairstylist Guido Palau complemented the look with a fifties-inspired low pony for a crisp look.

As for the collection, friends know that I love anything pink and Sander's collection had snippets of pink that made me love this set all the more.  Plus, who would have thought that pink would be able to transcend from spring to fall? :)  Here are some of my favorites:

One of the colors I don't like wearing is black, but I wouldn't mind wearing it if it was this number on the right.  The shiny patent-like fabric makes it so interesting.  A gathered waist style with pockets are added reasons, too!

Raf Simons, taking his final bow---teary-eyed, with the stage filled with colleagues and editors congratulating him.

 
 Photos taken from nyc-fashion.com

Rumor has it that Raf Simons is set to move to the house of Dior, but that remains a rumor.  Either way, we can't wait to see what's in store for this Belgian designer.

Sexy Sirens

There will always be the good and the bad at the Grammys, and we choose to look at the positive fashion highlights. It seems that most of the guests came in nude-colored lips and smoky eyes that speak of subtle sexiness. Their fashion choices complement this understated sensuality with the use of see-through and sheer fabrics with amazing beadwork.


Adele was the queen of the night at the recent Grammys—not only did she bag the most awards, she walked down the red carpet in simple, sophisticated beauty. Dressed in an all-black ensemble (first, in Giorgio Armani, then second, in Burberry), she paired these gowns with sparkles such as a 12.4 carat diamond ring by Harry Winston, and lavender glitter nail polish. Her shoulder-length blonde hair and smoldering eyes (with an overdose of faux lashes) added a sultry air to her classic look.

Fergie showed up in a fiery, red, lace serpentine number by Jean-Paul Gaultier that showed off a simple set of black lingerie that’s reminiscent of a T-shirt bra and high-waist panties. Some say it was a bit racy, but we beg to disagree. It’s a great mix of contrast fabrics and styles. The lace gives off a vintage feel, while the underwear set adds a modern twist to it. When Ryan Seacrest asked her about what she was wearing, she shares “I had two choices. This is the safe one.” Now, this left us wondering what the other one was.

It seems that Katy Perry’s styling team has more blue magic up their sleeves. Elie Saab produced another fully beaded cornflower blue gown. With an A-line cut skirt, quarter sleeves and cinched at the waist with a blue ribbon, Katy Perry looked every inch the princess in this monochromatic look---with her electric blue hair in an up ‘do style.

Paris Hilton picked a Basil Soda gown made of delicate lace and, perhaps, silk chiffon. Strategically-placed lace keeps this sexy as it slightly showed off the heiress’ neck, cleavage and legs. A thin, metallic belt served as the only contrast to this off-white gown. It’s a grown-up version of a playful gown that’s still very “Paris Hilton.”

Rihanna showed up in a black dress with a low-front neckline, and high-slit (front and center)— “a collaboration between Mr. Armani and myself,” Rihanna shares with Ryan Seacrest on E Online! “We have a pretty good relationship now, since we’ve been working together on the campaign and designing a capsule line for his collection…” the singer beamingly adds. We can’t wait to check out this new team-up.

Taylor Swift’s golden choice by Zuhair Murad was the talk of the town. Fully beaded on a sheer fabric that serves as an overlay to a nude lining, Swift has topped the fashion charts again with this number. When asked by Seacrest on what she was wearing: “It’s one of my favorite dresses that I’ve ever gotten to wear, actually. It’s just one of those dresses that when you look at it, I am so impressed that someone made that. The handiwork is so beautiful, the design is just wonderful. So when I saw it months ago, and I kinda said, we gotta save it for the Grammys.” A very good decision, indeed!

Photos courtesy of AP.

Show-stopping Pinoy designs are great add-ons at a smash concert

Only a handful of people appreciate the production staff of a show. All most see and enjoy are the performers on stage. The magic happens there, but it doesn’t start there. Take for instance, the latest concert of Anne Curtis. One of the country’s top stylists, Liz Uy, disclosed that the styling team comprised more than six people including co-stylist Pam Quinones, designer Patrick Galang and a selected group of handpicked and trusted fashion assistants and interns.


Given only 10 days to prepare the outfits, Uy and Quinones commissioned top designers to produce show-stopping outfits based on their song numbers. “Every song has a different look. Pam and I collaborated and we wanted it to be highly entertaining and suited to the songs and Anne’s personality as a performer,” shares Uy.


Although we weren’t able to watch the concert live, we were able to follow it via online media. And we must admit, the outfits were definitely performance-worthy. Anne Curtis opened the show with a sparkling corset with fringes by Michael Cinco (which was flown in from Dubai). Other ensembles included a striped, hoodie jumpsuit by Martin Bautista; a shimmering, red gown with high-slit and another gown with a full ball skirt by Rajo Laurel; larger-than-life feathered headpieces by Dennis Celestial that were paired with a corset and shorts number by Albert Andrada (another Dubai-based Filipino designer); a neon pink and orange combo outfit by Regine Dulay; and cutout swimsuit by Charina Sarte. Staunch supporter Divine Lee adds that her favorites were that of Michael Cinco and Rajo Laurel since she loves shiny outfits.

Special guests included Curtis’s sister, Jasmine, Vhong Navarro and Luis Manzano (who wore Joey Samson), Vice Ganda in Dennis Celestial, Sam Milby (who went straight to the concert from the airport), Derek Ramsey, Christine Reyes and Sarah Geronimo—making the “Annebisyosa” concert a truly memorable one.


Stylists Pam Quinones and Liz Uy, with photographer Marc Nicdao, did a great job dressing up Anne Curtis.

*photos courtesy of Divine Lee

Enter the Lucky Water Dragon

It is believed that luck follows those born in the Year of the Dragon, which leads us to hope that this 2012 (Year of the Water Dragon) will bring more good news than bad news for the whole world.


And with good fortune on our side this 2012, together with hard work, let’s bring in the good vibrations this new lunar year with these suggested lucky charms:


Joy Lim introduced Filipinos to the wonderful world of auspicious charms, with celebrities and famous personalities as her main fans. One of her must-have accessories is the “Blessed All in One 8 Bracelet.” This is a mix of crystals that brings positive vibes in all aspects of life with the number 8 bead that represents the eight magical realms in Heaven and protects us from eight types of harm. The Aventurine Frog, meanwhile. is a money catcher that brings luck as well, with the Bagua balancing life. Other beads like the Fish stand for abundance, the Tael charm signifies wealth, the orange bead helps process transactions with ease, and the Rose Quartz improves love and relationships. For appointments and inquiries, call 742-2597 or 413-9112.

If sparkling jewelry is your preference, then you will definitely like Jewelmer’s latest collection of La Vita amulets. Take your pick from four pendants that symbolize the four powerful elements of life: blazing fire, cascading water, blowing air, and solid earth. Each medallion comes in a combination of South Sea pearls and colored stones that represents the four elements of life.

Men can also join in the good fortune with Dunhill’s set of polished sterling silver dragons. Each of these intricately carved dragons is attached to either a mobile phone strap or a keychain (with karabiner or ring clasp). Sterling silver cufflinks and pure silk ties in bold red, pale blue or pink with dragon motif are also available.

For the gods

Grace. Ethereal. Sheer. These words come to mind when one sees a dress designed by Maureen Disini.


Goddess gowns with soft draping that adds curves where they matter and hides flaws, Disini’s dresses are made of three layers of sheer and stretch knit jersey. They embody femininity and a sylph-like litheness that appeal to many women.


A stylist-turned-designer, Disini is steadily cultivating a clientele since she got back from her European studies earlier this year. Barely six months into making custom-made pieces, she recently debuted her collection at the exclusive and prestigious Genting Club in Resorts World Manila, in a fashion show series dubbed “Fashion I.”


Joining Disini to kick off the series were noted Cebu designers like Oj Hofer, Philip Rodriguez, and Jun Escario. Disini presented her 11-piece collection in a wide range of color palettes and hemlines to choose from. All in goddess form with her staple use of knit jersey fabrics and flowing styles that have a relaxed yet feminine vibe. Makitalo accessories served as the only accompaniment to these monochrome dresses.

*For inquiries and appointments, call or text Maureen Disini at 0917-8911104 or send an e-mail to maureen@disini.ph

Love for Classics

There's something about owning a piece of Burberry item with its trademark plaid print.  I, for one, have been dreaming of getting one of their scarves, as they make a great accessory to any outfit ;) 

Though the brand's cashmere and silk scarves may not be applicable to be worn here in our tropical weather, I think they're perfect to bring with us during our out-of-the-country trips.  

Another tip is to wear them as a belt, or tie them around your tote, or wear it as a necklace---there are so many ways to play with scarves :D

What I love about this collection is that it comes in lovely "heart" shades of red!  They sure do make you feel extra pretty ;)

*In the Philippines, Burberry is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) and is located at Greenbelt 4, Rustan’s Makati, and Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Outfit suggestions for Best Dressed Couples

Check out Forever 21's outfit suggestions for couples :D  Click on the images to enlarge:

Where will you be this weekend? I'm pretty sure a lot of you will be doing an extended Vday celebration ;)

Treasured Stories

You may call it commercialism, but Valentine’s Day is something we should be celebrating more than once a year. It’s a day full of opportunities to express one’s love for another. It doesn’t have to be for that special someone; it can also be spent with people you really care about.

I asked three lovely ladies to share with us their V-date plans, and what they’ll be wearing for this special occasion. Simple, actually…

Chef Stephanie Zubiri: “I’m working on Valentine’s, so I will be celebrating after work. I will need to wear something practical yet pretty that can go easily from day to night with some lipstick and heels… like a nice DVF (Diane Von Furstenberg) dress.”

 

Wedding planner Georgia Schulze-del Rosario: “A really sexy LDB (little black dress) with great accessories and my hair pulled back because that’s how Armand loves it.”

Entrepreneur Mika Lagdameo-Martinez: “For Valentine’s Day, since we don’t go out on Valentine’s day, we will be stuck in bed in our t-shirts and boxers.”

No matter where they will be spending their V-day, one this is for sure, they will be wearing Pandora accessories. “The Pandora pieces are the perfect gift this Valentine’s Day because each piece is unique and you can really personalize them to mean something,” Zubiri adds, “Each charm could represent a moment, a memory, or an occasion.” Pandora has a wide variety of clips, pendants, and charms for you to choose from and mix to come up with your very own customized piece of jewelry you can call your own.

A special Valentine’s collection is available this month of love. The heart-shaped pendant charm with facetted pink cubic zirconia, enhanced with five cabochon-cut rhodalites, is one of the must-haves from this collection. Bracelets and necklaces are also available for those who want to expand their precious pile of Pandora’s.

The Martinez couple also chooses Pandora as the gift of choice for the Valentine’s season. “I think Pandora’s quality is very good – and the prices are also affordable,” Chucho Martinez says, adding that he loves Pandora’s ring-upon-ring and earrings that his wife wears. Mika ends the interview with an answer to why she loves charms bracelets: “Personalized gifts always come with a story – and more than anything, that is what counts.”

*Pandora is available at Lucerne Shangri-La Mall, Greenbelt 5, Wrist_Pod-Bonifacio High Street, Newport Mall, and soon to open another concept store at the Super Block, Bonifacio High Street.