Why I Love Belle De Jour

Belle de Jour (n. bel duh zhoor'):
French fashion lingo for I.T. Girl; The modern-day renaissance woman who dares to achieve her goals, lives her dream life, makes a difference in her community, and does everything in great style.

i have been using the Belle De Jour Planner ever since it was launched in 2007 :) and there is one primary reason why BDJ remains to be the perfect planner for me, and no, it's not the discount coupons (although that comes close haha) :P

a snapshot of my week in early 2011

i absolutely love how the weekly pages are laid out! :) a planner should first and foremost, help you organize your busy yet fabulous life, and BDJ hit it right on the nail. it's organized into columns which allows me to easily fill in all my appointments. i'm also able to clearly set my most important tasks for the day. additionally, there are areas to jot down random thoughts. seriously, it's brilliant! :D

OOTD: 11-11-11

Happy 11-11-11 everyone! :)

a lot of people are saying this date will bring good luck. so i decided to wear my new red scarf today (i'm not chinese, but i associate the color red with good luck :P). actually, i'm not really superstitious or anything, but hey, if today will usher in good things to come, then i'm all for it ;)

scarf from bangkok
forever21 ring
flatterbuy necklace

white sheer top from sydney
forever21 tanktop (worn inside)

tomato miniskirt

S&H booties

universe, please be kind today! :)

Ready for Rain!

i was bloghopping the other day, and came across Bambi's post about the New Plueys for 2011. i saw the Booties, and i immediately fell in love with it!

i've always wanted a nice pair of rain boots, and although Plueys' collection is uber cute, they weren't really my style. it's just that i don't think i can carry off wearing 'em printed pairs, i'd be too self conscious wondering if it clashes with my outfit or whatnot (hey, that's just me ok). so these booties are just right up my alley :D

so i logged on to Facebook, searched for their page, and minutes later found myself emailing them and ordering a pair! they have 3 types: black with red bows, black with nude bows, and nude with black bows. i got the nude ones because i already have a pair of black boots, and i liked its feminine yet edgy vibe.

SuperSale Bazaar

i went to the SuperSale Bazaar at the World Trade Center today, let me share my awesome finds.. :D

my first purchase was this hot black dress from H&M. it's simple yet sexy, eh? ;)

Mad About Shoes

i absolutely love Charles and Keith shoes and accessories. my sunglasses, a couple of bags, and most of the shoes i wear to work are all from Charles and Keith. so when HSBC Red MasterCard came up with this promo a few months ago, i instantly signed up for a new credit card (even though i already have at least 3), teehee.

basically, you will get 3 vouchers worth PHP1,249 

so here are the shoes i've hauled the past 3 months.

first, i wanted a pair with low heels. one that i can wear with a dress when i'm out having coffee with my girlfriends. :)

Motives Makeover Party

my kikay friends and i attended a makeover party held by motives cosmetics last saturday :D

we got to try their product line and learned beauty tips along the way.

Won: Shen's Anniversary Giveaway

i am one of the winners in Shen's Anniversary Giveaway :D

i received a Cleanser and Toner from the House of Obagi :)

thank you sooo much! :)

F21 Haul

i was absolutely ecstatic when i found out that Forever 21 was opening a branch in Makati :D my Sundays are usually spent in Ayala Center: catching a movie with my parents or strolling the malls. and so ever since they opened, i've been going there every week! yey, i no longer have to drag my dad to drive all the way to MegaMall :P

so let me show you what i've hauled so far..

week 1

scored 2 dresses on my 1st visit

Shen's Addiction 3rd Anniversary Giveaway

Happy 3rd Year Anniversary to Shen's Addiction! :)

Get a chance to win some fabulous prizes from brands like Pond's, Bobbi Brown, Avon,  Kiehl's, Ellana, The Body Shop, Kerastase, Neautrogena, House of Obagi, Revlon, Sakura Bella, One Naturales, Clinelle, Maybelline, L'oreal Paris, L'oreal Professionel, Myra and more by visiting her 3rd Anniversary Giveaway!

Beautynomics 5th Year Anniversary Contest

Happy 5th Year Anniversary to Beautynomics! :)

Win prizes from Avon, Pond’s, L’Oreal Paris, The Body Shop, PureDerm, Obagi, Beauty & Minerals, Goodskin Labs and Golla! Visit Beautynomics’ 5th Year Anniversary Contest entry to know how!

Congratulations to Sophie for winning the Pretty Powerful Blogger Contest and for becoming the Bobbi Brown Philippines Beauty Blogger Ambassador. :)

FOTD: PhotoReady

i bought Revlon's PhotoReady Foundation a couple of months ago, but i haven't been using it much because i think it makes my face so much "whiter" than it already is. but i found a way to make it work! :D instead of using finishing powder, i set it with mineral foundation to give my face some color, so to speak. 

so here's my FOTD :)

Birthday in Boracay

i flew to Boracay with my friends to celebrate my bday :) here are some snaps from my trip :D

lovely weather on our first day :) 

welcoming my birthday with drinks and dancing at club paraw :D

thank u patio pacific for my birthday cake! :D

OOTD/FOTD: "Prom"

our team held its monthly gathering, and it being the love month and all, our theme was Prom. our conference rooms were decked with balloons, and folks were asked to come in "dressy office wear."

i was asked to host the event, and i gladly obliged. i'm not one to shy away from exposure, hahaha!

so here's my FOTD :)

i pretty much used the same products from this look, except that i blended some lilac eyeshadow on my outer crease for some pop of color, and i used my new mascara.

Falsies Volum Express

i've been hauling so many mascaras lately, i'm probably good until the end of the year.

here's the latest one i opened: Maybelline Falsies Volum Express Mascara. i actually got this at dutyfree (my brother's gf bought it for me :D), i don't think this is available locally. i was choosing among the many mascaras that Maybelline offered, and this one hooked me in with its name :P

OOTD: Casual Friday

my officemate brought his camera to work today, so i asked him to please take a picture of me :P hellooo, vanity! haha

Dress by Ice

Lace Vest by Bayo

Belt from a bazaar

Shoes by Charles and Keith

Havaianas 2011 Collection

for those who love Havaianas, here's a look at their 2011 collection:

i went to glorietta yesterday to check them out, and a soon as i walked in the store, this pair instantly grabbed my attention:

OOTD: Wellness Week

i wore these shoes to work the entire week :D we had our first wellness week, and employees were encouraged to come to the office wearing our "work-out attire." i pretty much wear heels all the time (i need the height, haha), and it was a nice change to be able to come to work in rubber shoes. i actually hardly wear rubber shoes - i only do when i'm at the gym or when i go running, and i found it quite refreshing! i never realized how comfortable they really are :P  

so i wore a tennis skirt on one of our wellness days, for 2 reasons:

1. i don't play tennis, so when am i really going to wear this? :P
2. it's not exactly everyday your office allows you to wear one :P

i just paired the skirt (Nike) with a black top (Kamiseta), and i wore my La Salle jacket (Adidas) over it.

i can't believe i pulled off wearing this to the office! my dad even asked me if i was going to the gym hahaha!

Orgasm Lust Lip and Cheek Set

ever since i started blogging/reading about makeup, the NARS Orgasm blush has been on my wishlist. when i saw the NARS Orgasm Lust Lip and Cheek Set on Sephora, i just couldn't resist anymore! i had my friend order it for me, and i even got 20% off thanks to the Sephora Friends & Family Sale, sweet! :D

this limited edition set pairs NARS' best-selling blush and bronzer, Orgasm and Laguna, in a mirrored mini compact. it also includes a mini lipgloss in Super Orgasm. totally lust-worthy, right ;) 

OOTD: Purple Party

i went to a birthday party last night and the celebrant's request was that we wear purple. lucky for me, i have tons of purple tops to choose from. :) it's become one of my favorite colors as of late.

Salsa Trend Top
Bayo Lace Vest
Tomato Miniskirt
Possibility Heels

FOTD/OOTD: Black and Gold

just a quick post on what i wore to work :)

 

Redhead blazer 

Plains & Prints tank top 

Poisonberry skirt

Charles & Keith heels

Forever 21 necklace

Naked Palette

when i first saw this palette on the internet, i just fell in love! i'm more of a neutral gal, i normally gravitate towards my pink chocolate collection when doing my eyes in the morning. this palette contains the most gorgeous neutral colors, and it just screamed my name! i read the reviews on sephora, and they just drew me in even more, i couldn't wait to get one for myself!

unfortunately, there was so much demand for this palette that it was out of stock everywhere. i then heaved a huge sigh and signed up for urban decay's waiting list in the meantime. that was around september 2010. about a month or so passed, and i finally received an email from them saying that i had one reserved for me! i immediately begged my friend from new york to order it for me online (i couldn't purchase it myself, as the site only accepts US issued credit cards). she received the palette around the end of october.

my friend and i agreed she would ship it here in manila in november. that was still a long wait away, but i didn't mind, i was just happy to have a palette of my own. her balikbayan box arrived around the 4th week of december. i was in sydney at the time, so i had to wait for 2 more weeks before i could get my hands on it. i finally received my palette in the 1st week of january 2011. i opened the package in my office cubicle, and i must have looked like a crazy person because i was just staring at the palette with this lovesick look in my eye. haha, i told you, i was in love!   

okayyyyy, sorry for the long intro, i just wanted to share "how i met my naked palette" :D
 

EOTD: Natural Eye

my Natural Eye Neutral Eye Shadow Collection comes with 3 "how-to" cards which teach you everything you need to know to create the "perfect" natural eye.

i played with my palette today and recreated the looks :)

day

so this is a very simple look. it's very easy to do, it'll take you just about a minute or so! ;) i think this is good for those who don't really wear much makeup but just want a little bit of definition. :)

Natural Eye Collection

my sister gave me the Natural Eye Neutral Eye Shadow Collection by Too Faced for Christmas :) isn't it great when your friends and family support your obsessions :D

the kit contains 9 eye shadows for creating the perfect natural eye. these shadows were formulated and hand-selected by Too Faced founder himself, Jerrod Blandino. that makes me feel like i own a piece of art :)

Happy New Year!

hi everyone! :)

i know i've neglected this site.. there are tons of FOTDs, OOTDs, makeup hauls, and reviews that i just did not have the time nor energy to put up. i'd rather not get into it, so let's just say 2010 was a bit of a rollercoaster ride.

well i'm hoping to change that this year. :) i've missed blogging, reading about other ladies' infatuation on makeup and everything pretty, and sharing mine. :P

so here's to another kikay-filled year! ;) happy 2011 everyone! :)

 

p.s this photo was taken at our Christmas party last year. we were supposed to dress up as Filipino icons. i just bought a sash and voilà, Miss Philippines! haha :)