My Hairflip Moment

Christine did a double whammy text the other day. First she posted the postnup pictures of Bryan and Ethel and plus she posts this on her wall. This lovely, lovely picture:

That photo was one of our many many shoots. And whaddya know, it was bought by a company to be a book cover of an Elizabeth McGregor book. The book cover there is the French version of the book, so anyone in France, that's our work out there! You could see that photo from our collaboration here, if you're a friend of Christine's in Facebook.

model: natasha chystsiakova

photographer: Christine Day Lorico

Pole Withdrawals Equals 2-hour classes, 2 days straight.

After Holy Week, the first thing I wanted was to get back to class so when Wednesday came, I ran to Gen studios and looked for my favorite dance partner Rain. But before Rain, here's a recap on what we did pre-Holy Week.

Split grips. I tried them once in a mix level class, it's kinda tricky and hard since your weight should be on the top (strong) hand and the bottom hand is only for support. And straighter legs of course if my knees don't give out.

I grip and hold with all the strength in me after 2 hours of dancing and spinning.

Kayleen captured me doing a seat during last Wednesday's class.

The seat is actually painful but it looks so pretty. Since it's pretty humid, the pole tends to be slippery (condensed water vapor from air on pole + sweat = periodic wiping). Hopefully it'll be nice on the cold recital area.

We're currently practicing and polishing our tricks that we would be doing in our recital which would be in a month's time. EEEEKKK!!!! I compiled the tricks we did in one video, to note as well my progress. Yes my dears, the poses are real and I didn't use a chair to hoist myself up. My challenge now is maintaining a good grip despite the humidity.

I did the first two tricks on Rain and the last one, the one with the thigh hold and plank was on another pole in front. Hopefully I get to post another one this time with the skater.

By the way mini-teaser, I sorta learned a new trick and I'll post a video of it as soon as I really polished it down to pat. Wiiii!!!!!!!!!!!It's a scary, scary trick but so exciting.

I'll be doing a bit of shopping for my recital outfit as we'll be having our photoshoot on Saturday. Omigod! excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ethel and Bryan Postnup shoot

"BAMBIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!"

That would have to be Christine when I answered her call on a Sunday night as I was trying to digest the orange chicken lauriat from Chowking walking from Chowking Fort to Burgos Circle.

"Yes Christine?" I asked her in between sips of hot tea to un-distend my full-to-the-brim stomach.

She reminded me that our scheduled post-nup shoot would be the following day and hopefully it hasn't gotten out of my system that we had a shoot scheduled that day. "I'm all yours that morning!" I told her. "I just have pole class at 5 pm after." She said we would be done by that time, with the number of layouts already planned and how fast she shoots.

We met at our usual place to meet (Shell McKinley). The location would be at the couple's house in QC, and it would be near the epic Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon Ave. We had a map already with us just to be sure, but since maps do not tell one-ways and all, I whipped out the directions to Quezon Ave from my phone. Beyond going to Quezon Ave, I'm lost.

Sto. Domingo Church was on the other side of Quezon Ave, the one going to Manila, and how to get there I didn't know, since I'm more familiar with the one going to UP Diliman. Thankfully, Christine spotted a U-turn to that side to Quezon Ave, and sure from that point, the map was our guide.

When we got to the place, Christine fell in love with the location as it was a quaint old-school compound with lots of areas that she sure could play around with. We didn't even have to go out and guerilla-shoot on the street.

We met the couple, Ethel and Bryan who shared us their story in between makeup, hair, and yummy trail mix. Ethel and Bryan have been married already for one year (hence this is why it's called a post-nup shoot). Bryan is based abroad working in the US and Ethel is currently teaching at a university. They only get to see each other once a year, but as Ethel says, it's love and commitment and they already had in their minds that the long distance is only temporary and they'll be together soon. I'm glad Bryan was game for a post-nup pictorial.

Ethel was absolutely cute and Tin, Aisa, and I felt like we were playing dress-up with a life-size Barbie doll. She really looks like a doll and I was all giggly with this set-up.

This set-up was inspired by our Tinsel Rose photoshoot last December with our dual-role model Kate. Need a refresher? Click here and here. The theme was a special request by Ethel.

Looks like Bryan's searching for something here.

I found a pretty fairy!

When Ethel smiles, it's not just her face that lights up. EVERYTHING lights up. Aisa is such an amazing stylist, with how she plays up color and texture into something playful, pretty, and wearable. She and Tin complement each other with their own tastes as well.

By this time, Ethel's curls have flattened out from humidity and external elements so I just brushed it out to this cute flipout. I love pastel pink lips since they pop out really well on cam.

Just a little tidbit, I did see Ethel and Bryan before, but not in person. Their wedding photo was in the front page of the We Heart Weddings site a year ago. You could click on my entry on it here. It was a fun, fun, fun shoot with these guys and I hope to see them again in the near future.

Credits:

Couple: Ethel and Bryan

Photography: Christine Day Lorico

Stylist: Aisa Ipac

Makeup: Bambi de la Cruz Makeup Artistry using traditional method.

Swatching Viva Glam 2 Gaga

Yes, yes, I am a proud owner of Viva Glam's Lady Gaga since purchasing one on counter. The cushy amplified creme lipstick in a nude color is finally mine. mua ha ha ha.

MAC logo + Viva Glam packaging + Lady Gaga's signature + pale creamy color

Pale does not mean one shade lighter here. It goes really really pale on the lips, almost like a concealer, so a perfect combination with this would be dark, smoky eyes. Wear this with hardly any eye makeup and expect people asking you need blood transfusion as it's a very, very pale nude color, or maybe it's because we're darker. So we really need to play up on the eyes. But with the right balance, it could go on really, really sexy like Angelina Jolie or those Victoria's Secret supermodels.

In case you're lazy, a thick line of Blacktrack winged out and lots of mascara would do the trick. Since this is so pale, I really need eye emphasis on this to look alive, but nevertheless, I think it's a pretty good buy if you want a pale lippie to give the eyes some focus.

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 lipstick costs Php 1,000. And remember, for every MAC Viva Glam lipstick you buy, proceeds go to the MAC AIDS Fund so those who want to spend a little extra would be glad to know that it's for a good cause. :)

Packing For Touch-Ups

It's quite impractical for me to bring out my entire makeup kit come touch-up time during weddings, since the makeup kit is very heavy and I really don't like splaying out my entire case for the whole world to see. Sure it would look nice during the hotel preps and all but say on location, I opt for more portable and convenient packaging, since I need very few items anyway for touch-ups.

Prior to leaving the hotel and going to the church, I already take note of what to bring with me to pre-ceremony pictorials before the bride starts to walk down the aisle. A bride's moment is her bridal march when she walks down the aisle, so she has to look strikingly good, and even though makeup is made sure to last humidity, sweat, and tears, I still need to be OC.

So anyhow, here's what I bring for touch-ups:

I love, love, love this cosmetic pouch from The Body Shop. It's not a regular item in store though. You get this as a GWP when you buy Php3,500 worth of The Body Shop products, and that should include an item from their spring collection Brush With Fashion.

My only qualm is that it's white so a little makeup smudgie would show, so it means I have to wash it really, really well after so it looks spic and span for my next gig. It looks like a tiny laptop bag actually, except it houses my makeup essentials:

Tissue is needed to catch tears before they run down the face, blot out oil and sweat that have beaded in, and cleaning up smears and smudges. For the groom, it's to wipe off the lipstick mark that has travelled during the part of "You May Now Kiss The Bride". Anyway, handy packs are needed, so keep them in handy.

Lipstick of course, since that's the thing that gets worn out a lot, even with sealer. Should blush fade off, keep a natural-looking one with you so the bride doesn't look pale.

Powder, powder, powder. Powder to mattify any oiliness and keep makeup looking true. For travel and touch-ups, the pressed version is preferred because it's less messy. I swear by MAC Studio Fix Powder, but I could also alternate it with MAC Blot powder or any pressed powder the couple prefers. Most of the time, I have two powders in handy, one for the bride's color, and one for the groom.

For times that tears are shed: Lash glue, mascara, and cotton buds. Cotton buds clear out messies and are used to spot-apply lash glue should too much tears cause the falsies to be dislodged at the sides. Mascara darkens lashes for an extra coat needed.

I only use three brushes for touch-ups: A powder/blush brush, a lip brush, and a smaller fluffy brush to apply powder on hard-to-reach areas like undereyes, sides of the nose, and corners of the mouth. I choose a brush that functions both for powder and blush, so I don't have to bring an extra brush. I wrap them in tissue so the makeup residue on the brush doesn't travel inside the case.

My be-all-end all makeup fix for makeup to look fresh and natural: MAC Fix+. I love it because it refreshes and moisturizes skin and it smells really good. It also helps makeup last longer. I need to purchase another bottle really soon because this one's about to run out. I'm totally lost without it.

Another very portable touch-up bag I have is a brush case from Suesh, which I bought last year. It looks like a small thermos bottle, when you look at it, and the strap slings over the shoulder so it's pretty convenient.

It's quite compact and convenient, not to mention very discreet. It does however, conveniently open up and converts any table into a tiny makeup station:

Since this slim container can't fit some pans of blush and lipstick, I use this to carry my Fix+, brushes, mascara, lash glue, and lipstick, and have a separate cosmetic case, which I keep in my bag for the rest. I like especially how the top cover could convert into a brush and everything holder. Now my lipstick doesn't roll off to a loss.

For touch-ups, it's important to pack light so there's less frantic scrambles and you have what you need. Also, makeup artists are given only 10-15 minutes to retouch before the reception so we have to work fast with little equipment as possible to save time.

Danah Gutierrez - Blogger, Dancer, Superwoman

Meeting new friends in pole class is one bonus of my bi to tri-weekly routine of travelling to Ortigas for a fun session to stay fit. Aside from my instructors who patiently teach and spot us to perfection, we got our own classmates who are inspirations on their own.

Danah is a girl who’s beautiful, fabulous, confident, and strong inside and out who loves and accepts her plus-size body. I met Danah during my early days in pole class. I was going incognito with my identity as a duck trying to climb one level until Myla introduced me as their makeup artist. Then Danah noticed me. Apparently, she knows my blog too! After chatting, I discovered that Danah’s also kikay sharing her love for makeup and clothes. In class, she comes in her trademark fuchsia lipstick and well-defined eyebrows with big and welcoming smile to brighten our day.

A fun thing I learned about her after adding her in Facebook was that she’s also a blogger. She shares a blog with her twin sister Stacy about fashion and beauty for the plus-sized girl. The mention of “beauty and fashion for the plus-size girl” lit my face up. I’ve always admired plus-sized women who know how to work it and no longer hide from baggy tents of fabric or live in the bubble that fat is ugly. One of my favorite articles was when she posted an OOTD which shows that plus-sized girls could toss the frumpy swimwear in the next beach trip and wear that two-piece swimsuit. In her pictures, she showed pictures of herself wearing a two-piece swimsuit that flatters her in every way and she wore it with confidence that rivaled any skinny cookie-cutter runway supermodel.

Twin sisters Stacy (left) and Danah(right) of Plump

In their blog, twin sisters Danah and Stacy Gutierrez both have healthy and positive views in accepting their curves and how they view life through rose-colored glasses. They show that full-figured girls have the right to be as sexy and confident as skinny girls do. They style and put together clothes really well, highlighting their assets and have the confidence to empower any girl of any size to just be fierce. Their healthy outlook in life has got a lot of people noticing. Looks like the girls got the right people noticing since they’re also brand ambassadors of the famous clothing brand, Forever 21, another feather in their caps. Way to go, girls!

Danah like me loves pole dancing and we both go through withdrawals whenever we miss a session. You could read about her experience in pole class here. She also relates to us that she used to be scared of lifting her feet off the ground during strengthening exercises. But with practice, she got really strong even doing a good full chair spin (a spin I’m still having difficulty with) and a perfect back leg hook. Danah was game enough to show us a few tricks too, with her favorite pole Rogue.

Check out Danah's perfect Dreamgirl:

Smiling amidst pain during the thigh hold.

She gamely answered also a few questions for me to share with you guys, a little Q&A included in our chika breaks.

How long have you been blogging and how did you start?

I've been blogging with my twin sister for almost 2 years now (nov 09). We started with personal posts, hoping we inspire others through our personal experienes, then later on progressed to societal topics and features we felt our readers would like.

Normally, plus-sized girls get picked on during their early years. How did you deal with this growing up?

It was difficult for me, I even got the harsh criticisms from my family, which hurt me a lot. I used to hate my body and torture it with crash diets. Good thing God saved me and really showed me my value and worth (apprently, I'm worth dying for!). He assured me that He is the perfect Creator who never makes mistakes, that everything He does is beautiful. From then on, my journey towards body-acceptance began.

Now you’re a student, budding pole dancer, and a now Forever 21 Brand ambassador. How does it feel representing a very popular brand?

It feels amazing, still unbelievable sometimes. It's such an honor to be working with very talented and artistic people in the fashion industry. I'm just so grateful to God for this opportunity. I remember praying so hard for it! Hehe :)

Stacy and Danah with fellow Forever 21 ambassadors during the launch at SM Makati.

You’re very graceful in your dance moves. Did you have any dance background?

Why thank you! :) yes, I did ballet when I was around 5. Then later on explored other genres like jazz and hip hop.

Why pole dance among the other forms of dance?

Because pole dancing is so empowering! You can do it alone and you really feel stronger (emotionally and physically) every time. I love how it makes you feel so sexy and confident. I also like fluid movements that's why I was more drawn to this type of dance.

What are your favorite spins and tricks in pole dance ? What tricks would you like to learn in the future?

I love doing the fireman cross ankle and the thigh hold!!! :) Oh man, I would like to do the gemini and all the other "professional (borderline contortionist)" tricks. Hehe

Give some encouragement to the girls out there who want to do pole dancing but are scared or shy to try because they think they’re too fat or they don’t have the dancer’s skill.

I'd say let go of your inhibitions and just do it. Do it and don’t be afraid! I personally think it's best if you're willing to embrace your body as you go along with it, not with the pressure to lose weight (as I say all the time, crave fitness, not thinness). Enjoy your body! Have fun with it. There's no such thing as TOO FAT to try pole dancing. It never discriminates. If you let what other people might think of you get in the way of your desires, you'll always be the loser. As with dancing, it's something that can always be learned, so don't worry much about it.

You recently had a boudoir shoot. Tell us about it and how did you feel after?
Well I saw my friend post photos of her boudior shoot. She was so stunning!!! I was intrigued, so I looked them up, The Boudoir Dolls, and I found out that they're a group of 3 women photoraphers who do shoots for women empowerment (besides their bridal shoots). I loved their advocacy, so I emailed them right away. Thank God they answered immediately and we set a date for our own shoot! It was such a great experience. I wanna talk about it some more but I'll need to stop and leave room for our blog feature about them!

Any memorable fan mails from fans?

Oh my! We've received quite a lot now. But one was when this girl (who is now a dear friend) emailed us, telling us how she back-read our posts for 3 hours and cried her eyes out. She then said that finally, she can let her body be what it is and start loving it (no more crash diets). She told us her life has changed since then. It's amazing. It's really more than we imagined... to change someone's life? That's just beyond us.

Suppose you woke up and found out you were suddenly skinny. What would you do?

OMG!!! I would freak out! Seriously. I've been plump and happy for quite some time now so I guess I would be super shocked. My first instinct is to eat (as if I'll regain the weight I lost in a day, hehe), but then as I foresee it, I'd have to accept my body at the end of the day, no matter what my size or shape is. :)

That’s Danah to all of us, the beautiful big girl with a big personality and a big heart.

Photo-op with Danah after pole class. Both our tops are from Forever 21. Horray!

You could find out more about Danah and her twin sister Stacy through their blog: http://www.theplumpinay.com.

(Danah's non-pole photos taken from her Facebook page. )

The Body Shop Makeup Contest: View From The Judges' Stand

When Billie sent me a message asking me if I could be part of the panel of judges to be judging The Body Shop's Makeup Competition, I was both nervous and excited that I was in a mass of nerves and excitedness mixed with high endorphin levels that I had to go back to my calm self in the cab. It was an opportunity of a lifetime that I couldn't miss. The Body Shop is a brand I practically grew up with. It started as a gift from my aunties and I still remember that I had a passionfruit-scented frosty purple lipstick by TBS when I was in high school. Aside from the awesome products, I love the fact that this is a brand that's earth-friendly. As a pro makeup artist, I keep The Body Shop products in my stash since I love to use makeup that's cruelty-free and has a big no-no to animal testing since this little duckie is an animal lover.

So here's the view from the judge's seat, while the event gets all warmed up.

Silly silly me. I was quite surprised that my bag was so light. When I was digging in when I got to Pan Pacific Manila, I then knew why - I forgot my camera at home!!!! errrrggghh! Good thing that I had my phone's camera function with me which worked quite well for me to get details right.

Another happy thing is I was able to see a familiar face in the event. Joining the judges' panel is one super-duper amazing makeup artist who I've known for since I started out with makeup... Cherry Pacheco. Isn't she pretty? I super love how she does her eyebrows too and how detailed she is with makeup and blending.

Another familiar face is fellow blogger Vince Golangco. He was there to host the event with his co-host Tracy. They're DJs on The Wake Up Show at Mellow 94.7. Oh and Vince, thank you so much for plugging my blog!

Each year, The Body Shop Philippines sends one in-store makeup artist to Singapore to compete for The Body Shop Regional Makeup Competition along with other artists from The Body Shop from all over Asia and Australia for the title. To know who'll be the lucky makeup artist to get sent to Singapore, The Body Shop holds this contest among their makeup artists and in this event, there are 8 finalists to vie for the title.

In this competition, it's not just makeup and go. Artists first had to execute their design on a smudge chart, and that smudge chart had to be judged as well. They were also judged on their makeup application, technique, and even their showmanship (i.e. overall appearance, posture, confidence, cleanliness, etc). We even had to do a Q&A portion to get to know them more.

The judges didn't just stay on the seats. We also went around to check on the contestants to see them at work up close.

Michael of TBS Festival Mall applies base makeup on Natasha. Base makeup is absolutely important, since the base provides the canvas for good makeup. Foundation and concealer have to be match the model's skin tone, and foundation had to look like second skin instead of a mass of powder slapped on. Brows are the hardest part in makeup, but they're very, very important to frame the face.

Makeup artists busy at work. :)

After base comes color, so the artists now create their edgy looks inspired by The Body Shop's spring collection Brush With Fashion (you could read my review on the collection here). Recalling Brush With Fashion as a very edgy collection with fresh and pretty colors mixed with smoky grays and matte blacks, we have more or less an idea on how the makeup could and should look, with a touch of their own.

After our own deliberation (a really hard one as they were all so good) we had to reach a decision. The artist who'll be sent to Singapore is none other than Via of The Body Shop Ermita. Yay!

Big congratulations too to the runners up Michael of TBS Festival Mall and Gil of TBS Ayala.

Congratulations to everyone! To our very happy winner, good luck, have fun, and be filled with happy vibes!

Going home with some more love. :)

That makeup pouch will be baptized this weekend during touch-ups for my debutante and bride. So much pro and organized to look at than fishing out makeup jiggling in the bag.

After the event, it was back to Makati for me, but before heading home, I stopped by The Body Shop to fill in on their classic skincare products which are a treat to my skin and the senses.

This is a different take to taking my vitamins. Vitamin E for the skin around my eyes so I'll always have bright, awake, and wrinkle-free eyes. Vitamin C for a burst of energy for tired skin.

Did anyone have fun there? I sure hope everyone did. Thank you The Body Shop Philippines too for this opportunity!

Pretty Sweet Look

Just your regular sweet look inspired by my bridal work, yet a tamer version. Can't get enough of pink, but I want it very fresh, very natural, and very modern.

Thank you for the pool, I have preserved my Bohol color even with flash. Please and hopefully let it be this way until rains pour in.

Face:

Olay Total Effects Moisturizer and Eye cream

MAC Studio Sculpt concealer in NW20 on undereye

MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer in NC30 on unevennes

Paul and Joe Creamy Compact Foundation #5.

MAC Studiofix powder in NC40

Blush:

MAC Blush in Tippy (Hello Kitty collection)

Brows:

Make Up For Ever Eyebrow Corrector in 0

Eyes:

MAC Paint pot in Painterly

MAC Flip on inner 2/3 of lid

MAC Paradisco on outer 1/3 of lid

MAC Soft Flower on Crease to contour

MAC Espresso on outer V

MAC Sunday Best on browbone

MAC Creme Royale on inner corner as a highlight

Kryolan black on lower lashline set with MAC Stylin'

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack

Lashes:

Maybelline Volum' Express in Brown

Lips:

Kryolan LC001

When I said that paint pots tested sweat and humidity, I meant it, and so did the eyebrow corrector. Big whoop to makeup lasting. But my curls didn't but that's okay. I'm doing a two-hour session today and let's see how I fare when I post my weekly pole update. I'm sure it's gonna be painful. I haven't posted the results but soon you'll see them.

Can't Get Enough Of Pink

Isn't pink such a happy color? It's pick-me-up ever-so-happy color that I always associate it with positivity and all things pretty. So what happens when pink and makeup combine in a gift set, just like the Tainted Love Lip, Cheek, and Nail set from NARS? This lovely box is from Avy's makeup collection, one of her favorites and since it's too cute, I took pix of it.

(Retail price Php 3,350 at Rustan's)

This is part of Avy's makeup collection, something too cute to not be featured. Whenever I hear of "Tainted Love" I always think of the Soft Cell song that's so upbeat and now became sexeeeh when the Pussycat Dolls did a revival. Could it be an inspiration to the all-pink set, the song? Anyway, going back to the Tainted Love set, it's practically enough to do a complete look in a jiffy when all you have is just a mani-pedi and a teensy bag.

(From T-B: Angelika Multiple [LE], Schiap Nail Lacquer, and Angelika Gloss)

When this set says pink, it really means happy cotton candy sweet pink thrown in with silver and gold flecks so it's not all flat and blah. Here's a swatch, too, of the Multiple to see how it looks on our skin.

The famous pink NARS Schiap lippie has one for nails and if you already have the lippie, put the Angelika gloss on top for more pink power. The Multiple actually on its own is enough for creamy pretty color for lips, cheeks, and eyes. It functions like a slight lip color, a cream eyeshadow, and cream blush. For our humidity though, I'd still recommend using the Multiple only on the lips and cheeks as the creamy formula could be prone to creasing. The Angelika Multiple is a really gentle but sweet pink on the skin. Since it's summer, you could hammer the color in place with a quick dusting of loose powder to set.

Summer's a great way to experiment with fun and fruity colors, so a popping sweet candy pink scheme could be one way of getting the summer vibe on. Wear it with a fresh lime green swimwear or tank top for a very fresh summer look!

Thanks Pamela! I love these!

My classmate Pam took these shots with her awesome awesome camera! Camwhoring during classes shows us our progress. :)

I always work towards my plank. I got the technique na how to lock my legs so I get a good grip on the pole in between my thighs

Just let it all go and tilt back. Hmm.... now to lower pa the hands for a prettier arch...

The sun wheel again. I surprise myself with the definition of my calves. Is that caused by standing up too much? wearing heels all the time while I was younger? :) Now I need to work on my back muscles and core so I get really strong for the harder spins that engage a lot of core and back muscles.

Getting Stronger This Summer

Wheee!!!!!!!!!! The first week of April was happy happy for me because that means more pole class schedules so there's no excuse for me to miss my quota. I try to really make time and do 2-3 times a week so I get to really practice and refine my skills. Of course, I need to give my muscles some rest so they get to recover from all the practices that we do.

The Stellar Summer Program would be from April to May of this year. You could check the schedules and rates here if you want to join. More pole classes to accommodate more students and at the end of summer, there would be a recital so students could show off what they've learned during the summer. Isn't it fun? Plus, if you can't get enough of your pole sessions, there are also UNLI cards, which means unlimited pole classes.

And speaking of Unlimited pole, a few of my friends did a challenge to do back-to-back pole challenge. :) Class started at 5 pm then we moved to 6-7 class. It was two hours of spins, climbs, and tricks but it was really fun!

A while ago, Amaya taught us a new and pretty pose called Dreamgirl, which makes use of a thigh hold and it's all pretty when you arch your back or if you're confident, try letting go of one hand. The pose I had with the super mega arch with the head back looked like I was beheaded from that angle so here's a little modification for picture purposes.

This is Pam, my classmate practicing the Dreamgirl. Pam did three-hour pole last Tuesday! Yay for her!

Amaya gives a one-on-one on how to do inverts properly without injuring yourself. Excited to do inverts soon! CD says in a month I could do them as well. Now I'm so inspired to work hard.

Speaking of inverts, we need to perfect our planks first. Soon, we'll be letting go of the pole. Here's Kayleen teaching the right way to move from plank to another pose. This is what we mean by spotting. Each instructor makes sure that the student does the pose right. A little wrong twist or weightbearing could result in sprains, unwanted bruise, or injury. They teach you techniques on how to hold the pole right and how to conquer our fear of letting go of the pole.

Speaking of letting go, I tried my hand on a one-handed spin last Tuesday.

It's been a good one month for me taking pole dance classes and I'm really happy I got in the groove. I do have bruises again, and they're bound to add up but it's okay, I know that these are bruises worked hard for.

Till more updates and all!!!!!!

Surviving Summer At The Olay Natural White Healthy Fainess Launch

Hello Summer, how do you fare? The sun is shining, (friendly and safe) bodies of water (i.e. calm beaches and swimming pools) are inviting, and the mercury's rising up the thermometer as school's out and hemlines get shorter. Isn't it time to just have fun? Summer gets my body going in the right amounts. I spend a great deal of my mornings sunning by the pool and taking a morning dip as part of my strengthening exercises. As my boots make way for flip flops and I tuck my coats and cardigans at the back of my closet making way for the tank tops and shorts, it just dawned to me that we do need to take care of that part in our bodies that get exposed all the time, which is our skin.

In just the nick of time, I received an invitation for an event that's in time for summer and this time, Olay, a skin care brand I totally swear by has come up with another line for girls who would like, well the lighter things in life in a healthy and safe way. Naturally, we all live in a culture that's obsessed with fair skin. There are others in the spectrum who love our natural golden color, like myself. Sometimes though, sun worshippers like me do tend to get in tanning accidents and walking around the concrete jungle that is our own city sometimes get us a bit of uneven skin. For example, the dark forearms but pasty white chest. It's like, you're tan, but not the right and even tan we want. So even if we want to bare it all in those sexy skirts, we still can't because of the uneven patches of skin color.

Last week, Olay launched the Natural White Healthy Fairness Bar, a moisturizing soap bar that could be a bathtime companion when we want a bit of evening out of the skin so it would be so much easier flaunting the skin. The event was held at the SM Makati activity center. As we've been familiar with the face moisturizers that came out last year that takes care of our faces from blotchiness, we now have something to take care of the rest of our skin. Aside from that, the event also introduced their ambassador, actress and celebrity endorser Kim Chiu.

This soap contains the same Vitamin C technology used in the facial creams, so it's not bleaching and burning our skin. As Kim says, it doesn't turn your skin really, really white. It just brings out your natural fairness. I was told before that the lightest our skin could get is the inside of our forearms, as that part gets less exposed. So (sigh of relief) we get results that are natural and fit for our skin tones, so nothing pasty or unhealthy here too. Besides, Vitamin C is good for the skin!

Aside from introducing this new product, the event shows us all how to maximize our summer time from experts who know how it's all done. Tim Yap gave tips on how to get noticed in parties and shindigs to avoid another wallflower moment while wedding photographer Pat Dy also gave tips on how to pose so our one million and one summertime photos are flattering for our figures. To put together summer outfits, celebrity stylist Ana Kalaw gives tips and tricks on how to look our best during summer.

Tip #1 was to experiment on jewel tones like sapphire, emerald, and ruby colors. So it's all about bright colors to get noticed. Hmmm... come to think of it, she does make a point. A pretty ruffled fuchsia top gets you noticed more than a gray maxi dress. Don't get me wrong though, I love gray. Hmmm... maybe I'll pair that with a jewel-toned statement bag too.

Jeans, check! Turquoise flowy top, check! Even with minimal or clean makeup, Natasha didn't look like a wallflower in this getup.

For those na matigas ang ulo and would still wear black (like me!!!!) let's not fret because black is still okay, and in fact, a classic. However, it's time to spruce up the black with a bit of texture so it's not flat and blah. Take this cue from Melissa, who wore a black bodycon dress with sequin details.

The shimmer adds a bit of dimension on the photograph, so it's not one chunk of black. As I stare at the sea of black outfits in my closet, I wonder how to spruce them. Hmmm.... silver accessories maybe, just for dimension, or a statement necklace or belt perhaps?

Of course summer staples are swimwear and accessories, and Ana shows how to wear two-piece swimwear depending on the body shape.

Shades are summer's best friends - they shield the eyes from harmful UV rays and prevent the fine lines and wrinkles caused by squinting. Another bonus is they hide bags from sleepless nights. They also make us look chic even if we're not wearing makeup. Don't these three look so very Charlie's Angels?

If anyone finds the pieces familiar, these clothes come from everyone's favorite clothing line Forever 21. By the way, they'll be opening in a few days in SM Makati so whoop-de-do from yours truly, who's guilty of a weekly shopping trip in the SM Megamall store. :)

Olay Natural White Healthy Fairness Bars are already available in supermarkets, drugstores, and department stores. They cost Php 45.00 for a 90 g bar. I'm sure you'd love the yummy scent as it pampers our skin. As of the moment, the unopened bars smell really nice and clean, I'm tempted to use them on my sponges and brushes too, but of course, my skin comes first! :)