On the Mend

Before I say anything else, I would like you to know that I do not consider myself a love guru, a life expert, or anything of the sort, but I just want to share my thoughts with you. If I have anything to write in this blog, I think this would be most important. I talk about different things about life and all of us seek answers to different problems but I think these only lead to one solution. Love.

I know it may sound cheesy but entrenched inside everyone, we know that love is the greatest gift we can ever hope to give or receive. Love is the one thing that can overcome so many of the difficult times that we are faced with in life. Love is so powerful - it can turn frowns into smiles. It can help mend the most broken heart. It can even turn all of the ugliness in the world into the most beautiful portrait we could ever have the pleasure to behold.

Such a monumental task - of course… it could be. But only if we try to do it alone. Instead, if each of us, in our own small way contributed just a little - together, the task can become the reality we’re reaching for.

As potent as what love can be, it can only work its magic if we choose to allow it to. For that to come to pass we must let go of the other emotions that can get in love’s way. How is that - you may wonder?

Consider the thought that…

Anger - It’s normal, but holding on to it indefinitely isn't really necessary. Let it go… Forgiveness is so much better for the soul than holding on to a grudge. Not only will the person you’re angry at be happier but so will you.

Harshness - Harsh words take just as much effort and energy as kind ones do. Why not consider your choice of words before you tell them and choose gentler ones to get your point across.

Impatience - Aren't we all guilty of this at one time or another? Keep reminding yourself of the old saying - “Patience is a virtue” - who wouldn't want to be a little more virtuous? (Webster describes “virtuous” as being of moral quality or excellence)

Envy - We all know the saying here - “The grass is not always greener on the other side”. Take that to heart and concentrate on “fertilizing” and “watering” your own to get it just as “green” as your neighbors’ “lawn”. You may wind up being the one envied instead.

Mistakes - We all make them! So when someone else does, forgive them as you hope others would do for you. Allow them to be “only human” and consider the fact that they didn't mean any harm by it. Did you, when you made one?

Revenge - Someone always gets hurt by this one - and not always the one you expect to… Why take the risk?

Expectations - Set them low enough that they are achievable - not so high that you fail to reach them. No one wants to feel like a failure - neither you or the other person. If you don’t expect too much you will not be disappointed.

Perfection - We weren't born perfect and it’s not something that can be learned, so why not accept the fact that it doesn't exist. So many of us would breathe easier if this concept would just fade away. I would, wouldn't you?

          Instead of any of the above, consider these options…

        Take the time to know each other’s heart - when you do, you will be more understanding and less apt to misunderstand another’s intentions which probably were never meant to hurt or upset you to begin with.

      Smile more often - it may cause a few wrinkles, at the very least, but then, so does frowning. You choose what kind you’d rather have. And as you ponder that choice, keep in mind that they can both be contagious. Wouldn't you rather be greeted by smiles than frowns?

        Love causes less stress, less heartache, less misunderstandings, less of just about everything negative. Love does reap rewards - happiness, health, joy, peace, and so much more that’s positive. After all, what is life without love?

May you feel well again,
-Janina :)

Review: Ever Bilena Advance BB Cream Whitening

              Hey guys! :) So I've been thinking about what my next post would be about and I figured, why not share the things that I love doing? You already know that I like dressing up but I also love doing my own make-up. I like doing things myself and I know this sounds weird but putting make-up on helps me relax. I don't know if other girls feel this way but when I start applying eye-shadow, or lip-gloss my confidence immediately builds up and my stress from work is instantly relieved. Anyway, this is my very first product review and I started with this new BB cream that I bought which is from Ever Bilena.. Here it is: 

              To be honest, I think the packaging looks cheap, but that's just me. haha. BB creams are originally from Korea, and this actually acts as their foundation. It claims to have a lot of benefits for the skin, like an all-in-one skin care and makeup product. I was really intrigued when Ever Bilena launched their own BB cream. It claims to be a whitening and moisturizing foundation,and retails for ₱195, but I bought mine in a convenience store and was surprised to see that they sell it for ₱220. [dang, what a difference!] but since it was the only one left on the rack, I was forced to buy it 'cause I was really curious. They really sold out that fast? I assumed that everybody raves for it, and I wanted to give it a try. I knew that it comes in 2 shades: Natural (which has anti-wrinkle properties)and Oriental (which claims to have whitening properties). The shade that I got here is Oriental.

             And shown above is a swatch for before and after application because I was quite cautious about testing it directly on my face. The right side is the one with cream on. Also, this BB cream has a yellow undertone, which would suit most Filipinas but my skin tone is quite fair and I thought it wouldn't match me. When I tried it on my hand, it blended well so I think it would work. Here's what I look like without make-up:

               (I know, I look so sad in this picture!) But for the sake of this review, I'll let my true colors show.[although I'm normally embarrassed to show my naked face to people] As you can see, I acquired dark circles because of staying up late at night. I also have blemishes here and there, and the redness on my nose is due to irritation to chalk dust. [I'm a teacher and I just can't avoid it.. 'sigh'] Anyway, here's what I looked like after applying the cream on my face:

           As you would notice, I still look pale but the dark circles and blemishes were covered, because the cream also claims to work as a concealer. Obviously, I looked significantly better here than the first picture. The redness and hyperpigmentation on my face has been covered as well. It felt sticky at first and my face tends to get oily during the day so I tried to set it with powder. It didn't cake that much but here's what I'm sure of: It wouldn't last all day because of the humidity. I wouldn't recommend to build it up because it would appear uneven. When you touch-up, you have to remove most of the first layer, so it's quite inconvenient. Now here's what I look like with full make-up on:

            The product holds true to what they advertised that it would help you achieve a "picture-perfect" look, but I think I couldn't maintain to use it everyday. I would suggest that you should only use it occasionally because it feels heavy on the skin. It would suit parties at night because it makes your face glow and it holds make-up very well. I also didn't like the scent 'cause it reminded me of the ointment that my grandma used to apply on her back [gross]. This BB cream may suit people with dry skin because it works as a moisturizer too. But as I have said, my face easily oils up so it would ruin the matte finish.

            Overall, this product works really nice as a make-up base but I have to remind myself that this is also a concealer. I have to ease up on using it because it might cause me acne breakouts due to the blockage of the pores. If you'd ask me, I won't take that risk again because it's really hard to recover from the blemishes. [trust me, I've been there]

            So there you go ladies! You could try it if you like. We all have different skin types anyway, so it might just work on you. But always remember that it's your personality and positive outlook that would make you beautiful in the inside and out.

Stay pretty!

-Janina :)

The Bright Side

I woke up, with sore arms and a headache. I was looking forward to a sunny day, but the unwelcome sound of pouring rain immediately let my hopes down.  It’s been raining endlessly for the past few days and we have been inundated by flood two days in a row. No words can describe how physically and mentally exhausting it was to clear the water out of our house twice. I have never been so annoyed and exasperated of the rain as I am hitherto.

Admittedly, I’ve been petulant all the while. But now that the sky has seemed to be tired of deluging a heavy downpour, I cleared my head off and decided to take account of this undoubtedly striking experience. As I contemplated I began to see myself as inconsiderate and conceited, for I seem to worry about the slightest of things when somewhere, there could be someone suffering the worst out of this typhoon. Someone out there probably lost a house,starved, or was disheartened in the worst possible ways, while I’m here complaining about a smartphone with a low battery. I deemed that I was fortunate compared to the people I saw in the news who underwent tremendous situations and bore unimaginable distress brought about by ‘Maring’.

I recurred how my family endured several days of brutal rainfall, oftentimes without electricity. We sat around the house gabbing uncomfortably while the flood reached our knees. We were lucky we had a second floor; otherwise, it would have been impossible to get through the night. The couches were elevated and everything was placed upstairs away from the reach of the ghastly water. I spent all my time inside the solace of my room and wrote this blog post. I was gratified that I took the time to charge my laptop before the lights went out, or else I would have been wandering idly around the house. It would drive me nuts if I don’t do anything other than stare blankly at the muddy water swamping our first floor.

I suddenly had a perky viewpoint of my situation. I wouldn’t call it optimism because I don’t regard myself as a positive person at times. I often think about the worst-case scenarios thus the peevishness toward the rain. But despite the irritability, I came to realize that our condition could have been worse, yet it was luckily favorable. We were still blessed with the company of each other. We still ate three or four times a day unlike most families during storms. We still had the amenities that we needed to get through this tough week. And most of all we survived unscathed.Surprisingly, my family bonded more during this mishap than any other normal day.Moreover, I know a lot of you are secretly thankful for the suspension of work and classes. [I won’t deny that I am. .haha]

And so I put forward to everyone discerning the same sentiment: “Often it takes a calamity to make us live in the present. The measure of a good perspective is to find the bright side in everything.” You can complain because roses have thorns, but you may choose to rejoice because thorns have roses.

After the heavy rain had somehow ceased, I’m discomfited to confess that I kind of miss the flooding, but I pray and hope that it NEVER happens again. :)

Bye for now,

Janina

Picking Up the Pieces

 There are things that we do not want to happen, but have to accept; things we do not want to know, but have to learn; and a person we cannot live without, but have to let go. This is a revelation that relationships can be compared to glass, because sometimes it is better to leave them broken than to hurt yourself by trying to put it back together. No matter how painful a break-up is, still there are ways to move on and begin a new life. Never let a break-up get you down. For some people, it can even be a good thing to choose because they can evaluate their life better than before. You can also take the advantage of a break-up to help you find someone who’s more suitable for you. The truth you can believe is that you can move on after breaking up from your relationship, no matter how bad it might have been. These following statements that I would suggest could provide you with some ways to move on after one.

            You might feel depressed after a break-up, but never let the shadow of yesterday block your sight of a brighter tomorrow. Give yourself plenty of time to heal all the pain, and remember that time will heal all your wounds. Put away the pictures, gifts, and any memorable things that remind you of your ex because a part of loving is learning to let go. You also should resist the urge to call your ex to ask to get back together because a rebound relationship may be a mistake, for a break-up is the most vulnerable condition in someone’s life. However, do not drown yourself into the negative activities. On the other hand keep yourself doing the positive things that can make you feel good about yourself.

            The next way is to surround yourself with friends and loved ones, such as your family. Share your problems with them and feel free to talk about your experiences and feelings. Then, allow them to comfort you by giving some advices and suggestions. Do not try to deal with your problem by yourself. Gather with everybody you trust to help you erase your loneliness. Another way is going out, meeting new people, rebuilding old relationships, and networking into social situations. Furthermore, you can ask your best friends to hang out and do something fun and exciting. It will make you realize that being single can be just as fun as being in a relationship. It can also help to keep your mind off your ex. The point is, keeping yourself busy doing things you enjoy and not dwelling yourself on the past could help you a lot.

            After you have done all of those things in the previous paragraphs, the other thing to do is taking some time off of your mind and getting away from the world for a while. Try to reflect by yourself and arrange your life again with the new expectations for your future. After that, enjoy your time alone by doing such activities you like to do, such as watching your favorite movies, reading books or novels, and even shopping. Those kinds of activities may help you to clear your mind of all negative feelings, so that you can slowly let go of any lingering bitterness. Then, try to start dating again. Allow yourself to fall in love again and enjoy starting a new relationship with someone else.

            “Sometimes I wish I were a little kid again because skinned knees are easier to fix than broken hearts”. This sentence may exist on everyone’s mind that has been broken up from his or her relationship. Still, there is a life after a break-up. Break-ups can be so difficult and painful, but the most important thing to remember is that it is not the end of your world.

Fab School-Rock

 I'm feeling a bit edgy today so I decided to put together this Rocker chic ensemble. It took me quite a while to figure out how to tone down the hardness of "rakista" fashion, but I think I somehow pulled it off.

 Of course it wouldn't be called a rock outfit if it doesn't have black elements in it, so I wore a black skirt from Imprint with matching black leather wedge boots from Yalida. I then paired it with a hot pink Forever Young tee to still make it feminine and youthful.

To finish it off and mix in the school-girl look, I accessorized my outfit with a navy blue leather backpack from Pony.

Comfortable Vintage

Christmas holidays are fast approaching and the weather is somehow cooler for days now. I figured wearing long sleeves might help in keeping me warm and it surely did the job. I also didn't have to sacrifice comfort with this vintage ensemble.

 For this outfit, I matched camel-colored Rafaella shorts on top of a sheer long-sleeved top that I found on an online boutique. I also wore a brown belt. The color schemes really added that vintage feel, yet it still keeps the look up to date.

I then finished it off with indigo Century flats with gold accents and a brown leather satchel to complete this classic look. It surely fits my "teaching personality" 'cause I do look matured enough here, don't you think? :)