H&M SINGAPORE

Too excited!

H&M Singapore is opening September 3 at The Orchard Building.

Map from superadrianme.com

Now I don't have to fly to Hong Kong, Shanghai or Beijing for H&M. It'll be right at home (Naks! I'm owning it! SG's our new home).

Saw a preview of the Autumn 2011 collection -- mostly browns, camels and burgundy. Lovely!

Now, more than ever, I'm bent on selling everything inside my closet. (Which reminds me, I just sold eight clothing pieces -- four dresses, two tops, two skirts -- via my second ukay-ukay aka moving out sale. Yey!). I'll be shopping for a new wardrobe in SG (with Simplifying My Life still in mind, promise).

VANITY SESSIONS by JOYCE IGNACIO

In my continuous quest to learn how to do my own every day make-up, I attended another workshop, Vanity Sessions. Professional make-up artist Joyce De Dios-Ignacio was a grade school and high school batch mate from Maryknoll (aka Miriam). Learned about her makeup class from Facebook (same way I learned about Makeup by Karen).

It was another fun (I love everything kikay!) and empowering (Kaya ko pala!) experience for me. I love learning new skills!

ABOVE

Our class of six.

I love that it was a small group

kaya Joyce was able to focus on each of us.

ABOVE

Me at work.

I chose a seat near the window

for maximum natural light.

ABOVE

The workshop provides attendees

with headbands, makeup brushes,

a buffet of makeup, mirrors, lamps,

bottled water and snacks.

I still brought my own kit

so Joyce was able to check if I have the correct shades.

As I feared, my liquid foundation is too light.

I have to get me a darker shade.

ABOVE

The Transformation

My bare face.

My day look (mas fresh na!).

My smokey eyes (ibaba ang kilay!).

ABOVE

Each participant received a gift bag!

Yey!

ABOVE

What's inside the gift bag?

Shu Uemura samplers, discount card, oil blotter.

ABOVE

I bought a makeup palette

sold by Joyce for only Php 1,500.

Practice na!

ABOVE

The "vain" women of Vanity Sessions.

Joyce's (in stripes) makeup looked so fresh, clean

and very polished! She was every one's peg, hehe.

Workshop details:

Name: Vanity Sessions

Fee: Php3,000 for a one-time, 4-hour workshop

(50% down via BDO)

When: Check their website

(I attended the Saturday, Aug 20 session.)

Where: Ours was held at the Medical Plaza Building, along San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas

(10-min walk from our condo! Yey!)

Time: Ours was held from 2pm to 6pm

Group: You may form your own group of six to enjoy a private session

(I joined a mixed group.)

MOVING OUT SALE

Photo credit: getprettified.com

My first ever ukay-ukay (Pinoy slang for second-hand goods sale) is a success!

I'm moving to a new country next month. And I plan to travel light. I've been doing an inventory of items to keep, items to let go of. Over the weekend I got to choose the first eleven things I'm saying goodbye to:

1. A black MNG messenger bag
2. A brown H&M messenger bag (a Beijing find)
3. A brown Net (Taipei brand) satchel
4. An orange Salad bag (a HK find)
5. A white Charles & Keith purse
6. black and white pearls
7. pink & cream Forever 21 strands
8. Liz Claiborne charm bracelet
9. wooden bangles
10. maroon & gold charm bangles
11. green pendant necklace

I sent a Facebook private message to my office mates Sunday evening. In minutes, they were already reserving items. When I arrived in the office today, Monday, everything was sold out in less than 20 minutes. Bongga!

I was ecstatic to have sold everything. But I must admit, a part of me is having some sort of separation anxiety. But because my stuff are now owned by people I know and care for, I'm assured they'll be in good hands. Ang weird ko.

As I wrote on my "stuff" blog entry last year, I enjoy fashion, style, and the shopping that come with them but I know these are stuff I can let go of. In the grand scheme of things, I like them a lot but they're not what I hold dear in my life.

I must be ruthless in sorting my stuff. I don't want to pay for excess baggage.

Next items up for grabs...

PROJECT RUNWAY PHILIPPINES

DFW (Designer Fashion Workshops) aka AIF (Asian Institute of Fashion) is the official partner for the new season of Project Runway Philippines.

Wala lang, na-excite lang ako for the school. Yey!

DFW is where I attended Fashion Styling. Read about my fun experience here.

(Label for my other DFW entries: Style School.)

WHAT TO WEAR ON A BUSINESS TRIP

I know moving to another country is not a mere "business trip." But because I'll be looking for work in Singapore, and Nina is among my style gurus, and this is the book on hand, this is a start, a take-off point.

Come Fly with Me: What to Wear on a Business Trip

(p45-51, Nina Garcia's Look Book, 2010):

The Vital Questions:

• What is the climate/weather forecast for the time you're there? (Singapore's climate is humid, ranging from 23C to 35C, hottest months are May and June. Monsoon: December to March; then June to September.)
• Is this a big city, small town, suburb? (Wikipedia: Singapore is a small, heavily-urbanised, island city-state)
• Is there cultural fashion etiquette that I should be aware of? (Me: I'll research more on this. But based on our past trips, the ladies who take the train are in little office dresses or skirts and tops. Friends who work in the Media/Advertising can come to work in jeans.)
• What business sector will I be interacting with and what is that sector's business style? (Me: My background is in broadcasting. But I'm also interested in fashion.)
• What sort of meetings will I be attending? Board meetings, presentations, seminars, parties? (Me: For the first weeks - job interviews.)
• What business-centric social events will I be attending?

Business Travel Dos

• Choose fabrics that don't wrinkle easily, such as wool, rayon, and cotton blends.
• Invest in your business style essentials, including proper blouses, skirts, and trousers.
• Bring layers. Pile them on or pare them down as needed.
• Err on the side of formality when traveling, but never to the point of being miserably uncomfortable.

Simple Travel Checklist

• DRESS: Two lightweight, tailored. A-line or narrow sheaths that can be worn with a jacket for day and brightened up with a few key accessories for evening. At least one must be an LBD (little black dress); these are your base garments.
• TROUSERS/SKIRT: Pack a pair of smart black trousers, or a lean pencil skirt, that go well with your jacket.
• BLOUSE: Bring at least three tops. A white button-down shirt is a must. If you want a touch of color, choose a pastel or neutral -- something that will match everything else you've packed.
• VEST/CARDIGAN: When you want a more casual look, leave the jacket behind and throw on a vest or cardigan.
• JACKET: Tailored, tailored, tailored. I can't stress this enough. Make sure it goes with everything else you've packed.A warm gray, black or navy blazer can be instantly transformed simply by changing what you have on underneath or adding a scarf or belt.
• COAT: A trench is always appropriate for business. It's chic, versatile, and timeless. It may just be the perfect coat.
• SHOES: Always pack at least two pairs of shoes, one for day and one for evening. Choose your most comfortable and versatile pair of heels.If you prefer, wear business flats. Patent leather is gorgeously weatherproof. (Me: Check! Thanks to my Zara patent leather ballet flats!) Remember this basic rule when packing shoes: You don't want to be thinking about your feet the whole time you're away, so pack something you can walk in. Nothing brand new: that's just begging for blisters. (Me: Hmmm, I think that happened to me in Beijing, with my new pair of Converse, click here for the story. My bad.)
• ACCESSORIES: Bring a scarf for a dash of color and warmth. A belt is key; you can wear it with the dresses, jacket, and cardigan to create different looks. Bring a few well-chosen pieces of jewelry, and always, always a watch.

Carry-On 101

• Pack makeup and sundries in a mid size clutch that can be worn for evening and doubles as a traveler's survival kit.
• Ballerina slippers that fold into a small pouch just in case you can't keep those heels for one more second.
• A fountain pen.
• A cardholder. Contacts are gold and a cardholder is organized perfection.
• Personalized stationary makes a lasting impression when you need to pass a note.
• A sewing kit for those little emergencies.
• Make your carry-on a good-quality, minimal, and logo-free pull suitcase.

Thanks, Nina! I can always count on you.

WHAT TO PACK

We're moving to another country. My current dilemma: what to pack?

I'm reviewing Nina Garcia's "essential staples":

1. The Little Black Dress. I'll try to bring three (or maybe four?).
2. A classic men's white shirt. It's been tough for me to maintain whites. I don't think I have the patience para karirin. So I'll probably bring black and blue versions of this. Pasaway.
3. Cashmere cardigan or turtleneck. Just light cardigans. We're moving to hot and humid Singapore.
4. A trench coat. I have to choose only one: black or beige?
5. Denim. I'm thinking of bringing four -- a straight cut, a wide leg, a skinny, a black denim.
6. A man's classic watch.
7. Diamonds. Yey, items 6 and 7 are easy to bring / pack.
8. Ballet flats. I must control myself and bring just two pairs -- black and blush.
9. A classic high-heel pump. I plan to just buy a pair there. My current pair looks too worn out.
10. A great bag. I'm planning to bring five. Yikes.

Obviously, I need more than these ten. I need my running gear, my church dresses, my sleep wear, my lounge wear, my undergarments, more shoes (?), etc. And we haven't even started on my toiletries, hair tools, gadgets. WAHHH!

Good luck to my 30K baggage limit!

Photo credit: articles.nydailynews.com

And what about everything else I leave behind? First, which ones do I leave behind? I'm thinking of selling items. And flying the rest via courier. Breathe. Those are next on my long To Do list. First things first.

Any tips?

SALE FIND

Above:

My fierce find

from National Bookstore's ongoing book sale.

I loved Christian Siriano's Project Runway stint

(was a fan of his fierce creations!)

Hoping the book is also a winner.

MAKEUP BY KAREN

I attended Batch 4 of the "Makeup by Karen" workshop. Below are a few of the photos from the session.

First part of the workshop:

LECTURE

(I'm seated in the first row.)

My top learnings from the lecture:

• I've been too harsh on my skin. I should apply everything lightly. Huwag galit. LOL.
• Take the cleanse-tone-moisturize regimen seriously. Bawal ang tamad.
• Caking is caused by too much product. Guilty.
• Highlighting. I must practice on this.
• Contouring. More practice needed on this too.
• I must master the color wheel.
• Now I know why I need two concealers: one that's yellow-based, another that's peach-based. Curious? Attend the workshop, hehe.

Second part of the workshop:

HANDS-ON APPLICATION

My top learnings from the hands-on application:

• I have hope! My close friends know how palpak I can be with makeup (Remember my "mukhang putik" days?).
• I'll get better with practice. And because I really, really want to learn.
• There are budget alternatives to the branded makeup products and tools. Yey!
• My makeup kit has the basics, more or less.
• Must buy: a foundation brush.
• I have hope in doing smokey eyes! I used to try it on my own, at home; and I end up looking like I've been punched by Manny Pacquiao (Black eye, is that you?). LOL.
• I need to learn hairstyling too. The workshop does not cover that.

Final portion of the workshop:

PICTORIAL

Above are my workshop batch mates

and our instructor Karen Jean Santos.

For Karen's credentials, visit her website.

Above:

My official workshop head shot

(light eye makeup)

It was a fun Saturday afternoon activity. Go color your world!

What: Makeup by Karen

When: Check out her Facebook page for the skeds (mostly Saturday sessions)

I attended the August 6 workshop

Time: 2-6pm

Where: H Studio, 2F of PureGold, Shaw Blvd (going to Kalentong)

5 minute-drive from Shangrila Mall

Fee: Only Php1,500 per session

She'll ask you to deposit Php500 to her BDO account then pay the balance during the workshop.

Bring: Your own kit so you may practice with your own stuff.

But they'll provide makeup & tools.

MAKEUP WORKSHOP

Guess what made my day? My first-ever personal (vs professional) makeup workshop!

Been wanting to learn the art but I haven't found (a) the time, (b) an affordable session, (c) and a convenient location...until now.

I chanced upon "Makeup by Karen" via Facebook. Sessions are held Saturday afternoons (Yey!), for only Php 1,500 (Wow!), along Shaw Boulevard (Our street!).

Was first to arrive at the H Studio (2F of Puregold Shaw Blvd, Mandaluyong City). Was there 1pm. The session starts at 2. Excited much?

First part of the workshop: Lecture

Second part: Hands-on exercise

Last: Photo shoot (Yes, there's a photographer to take head shots and group shots. I'll try to upload the "official" photos as soon as they're released to us.)

They'll provide make-up and brushes but it's more efficient to bring your own kit (The merits: 1-less waiting time; 2-you may practice with your very own tools. That gives you an instant inventory of what you have and what you still need; 3-without your own tools, wouldn't you be like those students who come to class without pen and paper?).

I tried to take photos of my work, via my Nokia c6.

Above:

Light Eye Makeup

and my version of Smokey Eyes

(not exactly Day & Night - didn't change my blush and lipstick)

Workshop notes:

1. Came to class with a naked face. For a major before and after comparison, I should have taken a photo of me with no make-up at all, before the hands-on exercise.
2. This was a mere 4-hour session. Should I attend a full makeup course next?
3. I need to learn hair styling too.
4. More expensive makeup are really better. But there are budget alternatives that may work well with your skin. Keep on trying everything.
5. Blend, blend, blend.
6. Master the color wheel (same lesson from Styling School).
7. Make-up can really brighten ones face. And when you're really good at it na, it can actually hide flaws, and highlight assets.
8. Everything can be learned. If you want to. If you try to. (Friends, I can do eye makeup na! Remember my palpak makeup days? Lol.)
9. Practice, practice, practice.
10. Attended for me. But I wonder if I can make a career out of this?

Hubby picked me up after the workshop. My make-up inspired him to do an instant pictorial in our (home) studio. Here's our favorite shot.

What I wore (combination of my own makeup & Karen's):

• PAC liquid foundation
• Fanny Serrano powder - combined two shades
• Maybelline concealer (yellow) for highlighting
• Fanny Serrano concealer (peach) for my dark under eyes
• PAC eye makeup - purple and black
• L'Oreal Summer Caresses eye makeup - Nylon and Milk Chocolate
• In2it gel eyeliner - dark brown
• PAC blusher - pink
• Fanny Serrano lipstick - Coco Copper
• used my Fanny Serrano mini brush set

Ready to face the world? *wink*