Underwear That #FeelsLikeFreedom

Inasmuch as we plan our outfits for the day or for a period of travel, apart from the outerwear we use, we should always take into consideration what we wear underneath. I found myself leaning towards black and skintone underwear when I got older. This was because those are the staples in a professional model's bag and wardrobe. During pole recitals, there would even be an underwear check - to make sure that there are no frilly ruffles or stars or cartoon character printed underwear peeking through pole shorts. Besides, no matter how gorgeous that dress is if you're wearing bad or ill-fitting underwear, it just loses the sense of it all.

Visible panty lines, bunching straps, and uncomfortable pinchy wires could definitely make or break you. That is why good underwear matters, even if it's not shown.  When you are uncomfortable picking wedgies or fixing straps, it really shows. It's really important to find a pair that's comfortable and most of all affordable. Unfortunately, good underwear that's affordable is quite hard to find, sometimes costing more than the actual dress worn. In these frugal times, sometimes it takes a while to buy that bra which costs thousands when it costs more than your outfit.

I was glad though when I received a pack from Avon's latest collection: Body Illusions underwear which is powered by Invisilite technology and boasts underwear that's lite, seamless, and limitless that anyone of any age would wear it - the teener that's starting to wear bras to the corporate mogul who needs to look presentable and proper for meetings, the pole dancer and fashion model who has always to be wardrobe malfunction-free all the time during performances and shows, and the regular woman who wants to look good and feel good with what she wears underneath her OOTD.

Charlene Bra in Tuscany (nude)

The Body Illusions underwear collection comes in two styles: The wired Charlene Underwire Seamless bra and Panty available in Tuscany (a more nude skintone color). I got the Charlene bra and even though it had wires, the wires were not pinching.

laser-cut edges for no marks even in the tightest catsuit you would like to wear

The fabric glides on like butter with no straps digging to my shoulder or showing through clothes. It literally felt like second skin. The foam cups did not feel or look fake at all. Even though this was a wired bra, it felt comfortable with no pinching or digging wires - and this is coming from someone who is a sports bra kind of girl.

Sonia Bra in Pink Blush

The Sonia bra (available in pink blush) is for those who do not like wires and have that sports bra-like vibe because you wear it by pulling it on like a t-shirt instead of hooking it at the back. It still has the same buttery, silky second skin kind of feel.  You can even use a set for the perfect bridal boudoir photo (throw in a robe for good measure).

Bridal boudoir feels with Avon Fashions Body Ilusion underwear after Jinky's bridal makeup masterclass.
makeup by Jinky Ureta

I'm very tricky and picky with panties as I have chunky thighs and buns (thanks to squats and plies and teacher Paulo reminding me never to skip leg day). The thing I didn't like with no VPL panties is that they are so thin that I feel they would rip apart under my yoga pants during splits. This, however, was made of sturdy material that still glides on the skin super smoothly. It literally feels like nothing and looks like nothing - even at the tightest of tight leggings and yoga pants. I didn't even feel like my panty was riding down that I have to keep on pulling them up. It stayed put where it is supposed to be.

Go and wear tight yoga pants with no lines. 

For those who wear dresses that are tight at the hip and bum area, this is your best bet. If you are an everyday leg day kind of person like I am, you would be happy to know that this is a panty that will not leave you picking on wedgies. So go ahead and show off  your gams and buns without unsightly VPLs getting in the way. This is also workout-friendly as I've tested this during flexibility training - did not bunch, rip, or tear at all. Also, no unsightly peek-a-boo moment in my tiny pole shorts/yoga shorts. So to my pole buddies, this is pole-friendly and Stellar recital approved.

So how does this fare with your budget? Not bad at Php 899 for the bra and Php 299 for the panty. They have a variety of sizes from S-XL. The bras also come in bigger sizes  (36C, 38B, and 40B). I definitely would want to get the Sonia Non-Wire soon after hearing good reviews about it.

Care is also easy because these babies work best as handwashed with gentle detergent, so yay for those who travel. Just be sure to store your Sonia or Charlene bra in those bra cases you buy at the mall for the bra to keep its shape in your luggage or wardrobe.

If you Konmari-d your closet and you are looking to overhaul your underwear drawer with the more versatile basics, this is your best bet for comfort, durability, and versatility. It doesn't cost much as other high-quality underwear so you could get more than one or not feel bad about wearing underwear that costs way more than your dress. I swear my favorite happens to be the panty which feels nice on the skin and totally did not budge with my workout.

If you would like your own set, Avon Fashions Body Illusion is available at avonshop.ph or at Zalora.

Strip Launches Gingerbread Cookie Wax for the Holidays

Thankfully now, getting defuzzed down there is no longer taboo and has become almost like a monthly ritual like haircuts or eyebrow threading. process. On a personal note, being a pole dancer, this is a required monthly process for me for obvious reasons, like unsightly accidents peeking out during that jade or reverse ayesha. Well, my activities have made it a must, I guess, but I think it's true what they say, once you go bald, you'll never go back.

I've heard of Strip: Ministry of Waxing from friends who swear by it as it being less painful than other waxing parlors. I'm a recent convert after a session last summer since my usual waxing salon was fully booked. Anyway, just a backstory. I'm no waxing virgin and I've tried it all - hot, cold, and warm. Although I've never had waxing accidents, I've heard some accidents from my friends who tried hot wax and the wax hardened too much on the skin, so I sort of had a hot wax phobia for the longest time. My first session at Strip was, well awesome beyond comparison because there was relatively less pain, the results were cleaner, and the procedure was much, much faster. One thing too that I found quite cute with Strip is that their waxes had different "flavors". I don't know what the "flavor" signifies, but it sort of made waxing fun. A personal favorite of mine is the strawberry flavor, and it's my usual "classic" order whenever I'm there.

Strip: Ministry of Waxing comes up with different "flavors" depending on the season. And just in time for the Holidays, I was invited to try the Gingerbread Cookie Wax, a white-colored wax that resembles cookie or cake batter when melted with the comforting mellow and sweet smell of gingerbread.

I find the smell of gingerbread quite comforting and pleasant. I burn some ginger essential oil whenever I do yoga for a burst of energy during the morning. With its energizing scent, it also eases the senses like dizziness and nausea, especially for a girl like me who's super prone to motion sickness. Gingerbread cookies also remind me of happy Christmas desserts and gingerbread cottages from fairy tales. Now all I need is a cup of tea and an English accent.

I set my appointment at the Strip branch at Serendra, which is like 5 minutes away from my house. The staff was very accomodating too. They needed to reheat a new batch of wax since they were quite full that day but it was okay because I got to see the wax during its melting process, like this.

I told you it does look like melted ice cream or cake batter. Had I not known it's hair removal wax, it would have been something to dig on to eat with a wooden spoon. But yes, my dears, it is hair removal wax.

I really like Strip's facilities as their treatment rooms are very clean. For first timers, I have to tell you this: They use fresh spatulas each application and you are ensured that there's definitely no double dipping. All therapists use latex gloves during treatment as well. Prior to the treatment, I was also handed wipes to wipe my nether regions to make sure I was 100% clean as well.

The thing with heated wax is that it opens and relaxes the pores so hair is easily removed from the follicle. It's also less painful, delivering faster results than breaking the hair each time the wax is being pulled. It's a plus for those who want to get things done right away, since the procedure is much faster and also, for those who are intolerant to pain, hot wax might be your best bet. I have very high tolerance to pain, so the experience was almost like zero pain to me.

For those who have low pain threshold, you can squeeze this stress relieving monkey or bite a candy cane pillow or throw darts on the wall.

Just like my past experiences at Strip, I was very much satisfied with this treatment. For a first-time waxing treatment, i.e. a waxing virgin, this is a place I would recommend and although the treatment can get pricey (Php 1,200 for an all-off treatment), it's worth it since they get it done fast, clean, and with less pain (you may avail of their waxing packages or try getting this during special occasions like birthday, Christmas, pole competition season, etc). For those girls who have undergone waxing treatments for years, this would be a real treat, especially if you don't want pain.

At the counter, they had cute gingerbread cookies (kinda reminds me of the candies I used to get after a visit to the doctor).

These cookies are for all Strip clients and are provided by Party Perfect (contact them at party.perfect@yahoo.com or call 0917-5361221 or 09178376364). Party Perfect and Strip currently have a tie-up where for a minimum Party Perfect purchase of Php 900, they get 30% off their gingerbread brazilian all off at Strip. For those who are still looking for Christmas or wedding/party giveaways, you may contact them and get a special treat from Strip.

For those interested to try this treatment, you may book an appointment with Strip: Ministry Of Waxing at the following branches:


Strip Serendra
2nd Floor Serendra Bonifacio High St.
Bonifacio Global City Taguig 1634
T  632 901 0892

Strip Greenbelt 5
4th Floor Greenbelt 5 Ayala Center
Makati City 1200
T  632 501 3997