Alex Gonzaga: The First Filipina Face of Proactiv

Proactiv is one of the brands I love to try but find a little intimidating. I remember seeing testimonials by Jessica Simpson, Alicia Keys, Katy Perry, and Adam Levine on TV. I thought it must be really good for the company to get these celebrities to share their Proactiv story and be the brand ambassador. Still, I was hesitant to spend a good amount of money for something that may not even work for my Filipina skin. Finally yesterday, I got to meet someone, a proud Filipina, who changed my perception and made me think that Proactiv could be the help my face badly needs.

Proactiv, the skin care product choice among Hollywood's elite finally found the perfect Filipina who embodies the brand. Young, charming and most importantly, a loyal user of Proactiv, actress and comedienne Alex Gonzaga is the first Proactiv Filipino endorser. 

"The Proactiv 3-Step System has been an important part of my daily skin care routine for years! It is effective and easy to use. I am so thrilled to be the first Filipina face of Proactiv and tell everyone all about my experience using it," the 27-year old TV host shares. It's mild formulation gently exfoliates my skin, removes excess oil and delivers powerful acne fighting medicine." 

Being an in demand celebrity causes stress and fatigue which may take a toll on the skin. The long hours of tapings and shoots, the never-ending mall shows and pounds of make-up cause damages on the skin such as zits and breakouts. She knows, however, that with Proactiv's dermatologically tested ingradients, her skin stays clear, radiant and acne free. 

Even with her frenetic schedule, Alex Finds time to adhere to Proactiv's simple and easy 3-Step System. "As my beauty regimen before going to sleep, I apply Proactiv's Step 1 which is the Renewing Cleanser. You can feel it gently removing impurities in your skin with its exfoliating beads," Alex explains. 

The Renewing Cleanser is an oil-free, soap free medicated exfoliating cleanser that kills acne-causing bacteria with U. S. prescription-grade  benzoyl peroxide. The ultramarine micro-crystal benzoyl peroxide penetrates pores fast while being gentle on the skin. 

"I follow it up with Step 2 which is the Revitalizing Toner," Alex continues. Proactiv's Revitalizing Toner is refreshing alcohol-free toner that refines and purifies pores. It's Glycolic acid exfoliates dead skin cells to help keep pores unplugged while its botanical-rich formula soothes and hydrates acne-prone skin. 

"Step 3 is the Repairing Treatment. I just squeeze a pea-sized amount on my palm and spread it on my face," she adds. 

The Repairing Treatment is a feather-light, invisible medicated treatment that kills acne-causing bacteria preventing zits and acne. 

Each Proactiv kit comes with a free Refining Mask. The Refining Mask makes a great leaves on spot treatment at night for better complexion in the morning. 

"We are proud to have Alex Gonzaga as the first Filipina face of Proactiv. She is beautiful, spontaneous and hip, making her a perfect fit for the brand," says Proactiv Philippines General Manager, Mari del Rosario. "With Alex heading our local campaign, we hope to reach out to more Filipinos and Filipinas and encourage them to take a step and fight acne today."  

Proactive is available in 30-day kit (P2,495) and (60-day kit (P3,995) and is exclusively distributed at all Watsons nationwide.

Support Your Favorite Blogs At The #Bloggys2015 Gala Night

For the longest time, I consider my self a newbie blogger. All I knew about blogging is from what I see and read on other bloggers and websites I stalk. I was a noob. I was shy about signing up on campaigns, or joining blogger groups. I didn't even know if I could call myself a blogger. More than one year into blogging. I can now confidently say I am a professional blogger. I'd like to think my writing had improved. My choices got better. And I am now a proud member of the blogging community.

When #Bloggys2015 started to ask for nominees for the most awesome blogs in the Philippines, I fancied nominating myself. Well, I'm not that confident (yet). But I could not pass up the chance to show my mentors how much I appreciate their help. Yes, I call them mentors, whether they know it or not. The Philippines have a lot of amazing and inspiring bloggers that had thought me what to do, and how to enjoy what I'm doing. They had inspired and educated a lot of us. Given us food for thought or just made us laugh. They all deserve a spot at the Bloggys Award! They deserve to be validated.

If you have your own favorite blogs too, please, show them some love and nominate them to be recognized at Bloggys 2015: Philippine Blogging Awards. Vote for them and join the Gala Night on November 21 to see who won. For more information, you can visit bloggys.ph.

Have you nominated your favorite blog? See you at the Gala Night!

5 Tips To Maximize Your Visit To Love Desserts Buffet

 

Have you been to a buffet and you love the food yet you find yourself too full too soon? You only had a plate and you can barely put another spoonful in to your mouth, lest the chance of burping them all out (ewww!). That's kinda gross but it's true. All the amount of food you see can overwhelm you and trick your mind in to thinking you are full. When I go to a buffet place, I want to get the value of my money and enjoy as much food as I can without feeling sick. So what do we do?

Last weekend, Donna of Honey's Haven invited me for a late morning bonding at Love Desserts Banawe This is the second time I visited Love Desserts and it never disappoints. The first one was on their Fairview Branch. Though Love Desserts Banawe is closer to my place and opened first, I was a little hesitant to go then because I though it'll be hard to find and does not have options for commute. It was in fact easy to spot if you know the right landmark. It's right next to Bruno's Barber Shop, and near Z Square in Banawe corner del Monte.

Buti nalang dumating na si sundo hubby. Or else, who knows how many more plates of heavenly sweets I'd have. Thanks for that girl bonding and fun chismisan, @triplejoys, @honeys_haven, and @teacher.angel! It's always fun at @lovedessertsbuffet! #lovedessertsbuffet #lovedessertsbanawe

A photo posted by chronicles of life with mila (@milastolemyheart) on Sep 12, 2015 at 12:25pm PDT

The floor area is L-shaped so don't hesitate to come in if the front tables looked packed. There are a lot more seats waiting for you inside. All your senses will be awakened by the delightful sweetness of Love Desserts. Not only are the food sweet, it's the decor, ambiance, and service that are endearing.

To maximize your visit to Love Desserts Buffet, here's a few simple tips:

"Pitch In" at Asia E- Commerce Expo 2015 #AECoE

{press release} 

Asia E- Commerce Expo 2015 is happening on November 25, 2015 at SMX Convention Center, Taguig from 8AM to 6PM with more than 20 speakers and expecting 300 attendees plus 30 exhibitors to showcase their products and services.

The main objective of the event is to empower the start up inovators and traditional organizations to adapt E-Commerce & to learn from the following sessions and discussions about; EPrivacy, Elogistics, EPayments, Market Analysis, Digital Marketing, CRM, Strategy, E- Commerce and Going Global.

The organizers will present also 10 Start Up Innovators who submitted their profiles to share to the attendees their products and services and possibly to meet their prospective partners if looking. We are giving each Start Up Companies 5 minutes to present their innovation, company profiles, products and services for everyone to see.

#AECoE is not just about learning, empowerment and inspiration but a potential future collaboration that’s why we allot time for networking. Speakers confirmed are as follows plus 5 more awaiting for their confirmation;

• Constantin Roberts - Managing Director, Zalora
• Lars Jeppesen - CEO, Tech One Global
• Jacqueline Van Den Endeavor - Managing Director, Lamudi
• Kristian Melquisedec - General Manager, Viber
• Janette Toral - Founder, Digital Club Filipino
• Subir Lohani - Managing Director, Carmudi
• Chinkee Tan - Book Author and Radio Host
• Robert Yupangco - CEO, Yupangco Group of Companies
• Frederic Levy - Founder & CEO, CashCashPinoy
• Camille Montejo - CEO, Tree Top Adventure Inc.
• Bjorn Pardo - CEO, Xend Business Solutions
• Quentin Boucher - Managing Director, Ensogo
• Amor Maclang - Director for Communications, Geiser Maclang Marketing Communications Inc.
• Mannix Pabalan - CEO, Hashtag Digital 

Moderators;
• Chris Kiklas - President, EmLogis
• Pocholo Gonzales - CEO, Creativoices Production
• Spanky Enriquez - Corporate Communications Consultant 

Speakers are leaders from different industries and engaged in momentous pursuits of significance to the ASEAN region. Attendees are senior business people, high-ranking government officials and media journalists. 

Registration Fee per delegate: Php 3,000.00 (Inclusion: Snacks, Elegant Buffet Lunch, Conference and Expo.) 

3 easy steps to register.

1. Deposit the registration fee to TAG Media and Public Relations BPI Checking Account # 1680 0010 29

2. Scan the deposit slip

3. Send the scanned copy to [email protected]

For those who are interested in the "Pitch In" Session. You can still submit your profile on or before September 30, 2015. The chosen companies will be included in the program/agenda.

For more info please check here; for partnership/sponsorship, please contact the organizer at 09166299381 or [email protected]

Supertaster, At Risk For Hypertension

photo credits here

Ever heard about a “supertaster”? Sounds like a superpower right? Supertasters are people who are particularly extra sensitive to taste, specially bitter ones. It is thought to have been developed from the evolutionary genes to easily detect unsafe foods and toxins. It could be a cool superpower then! 

Supertasters can have twice as many taste buds as most people does. The more taste buds you have, the more heightened your response to taste is. It is said that women, and those from Asia, South America, and Africa have more chances of being a supertaster. There are certain foods that supertasters have less preference for because they would have a hard time tolerating the taste. Some example are cabbages and brussel sprouts, certain alcoholic beverages, coffee and carbonated water. You would think that having super charged taste buds mean you need less flavoring for your food. According to research, supertasters need less fat or sugar but it's the opposite for salt. This is because salt helps temper the bitterness of food. 

Salt helps cancel out bitterness, one of the sensations that supertasters experience in Technicolor. This may explain why the supertasters in the study perceived the low-sodium cheddar cheese to be twice as bitter as the Cracker Barrel, and liked it far less than the other study participants did. "They needed the salt to block the bitterness of the cheese”2

The predilection of supertasters to salty food puts them at higher risk for hypertension and other health concerns. Too much salt in the body can raise your blood pressure because of the extra water it stores in the body. Combination of high salt intake and high blood pressure can also lead to a build up of calcium that gets deposited in the kidneys forming stones.

ATC Fish Oil: Stop the Stress, Take a Rest

In a fast-paced world we live in, stress is always present. Traffic, office hassle or attending to your family’s needs, these are just some of the things that stresses us. Stop thinking too much, for it may have a great effect on health especially to your heart. Stress can alleviate your blood pressure that may lead to heart attack or stroke. So stop the stress, take a rest. Let ATC Fish Oil take care of your heart.

ATC Fish Oil is a dietary supplement extracted from various fish. It contains the Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA), and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) that are known to possibly aid in lowering blood pressure. Protecting your body from stroke and heart attack.

Protect your heart from the stresses of daily living with ATC Fish Oil. ATC Fish Oil is available at Mercury Drug and leading drugstores nationwide for P 6.00 per capsule.

Recipe: Crunchy Mushroom Popcorn #makeitjolly

Crispy Mushroom Popcorn is a fun snack that you can whip in a few minutes. It's easy and healthy. You can even play with flavors to make it more exciting.

It was another rainy afternoon and Mila was sound asleep. My mind had been wandering and restless so I checked the pantry something to eat or prepare. Auntie 'Lil, Mila's yaya, already prepared food for dinner so I thought I'd just make some snacks. I was about to grab the bad of chicharon so I can plop down in front of the TV when I remembered I was on diet. Since my mouth was already craving for the crunch of chicharon, I decided I'd have to make something with the big bag of Good Life Japanese Bread Crumbs I got a few weeks back. Japanese Bread Crumbs (Panko) is traditinally used as a coating for deep-fried foods such as tonkatsu. Crustless bread is coarsely ground into airy large flakes that don't absorb as much grease so they stay crispier.

Initially, I thought of using Panko for Chicken Popcorns. But remember, I'm trying to eat healthier. So sitting right next to the Panko a can of Jolly Mushrooms Whole. Could I substitute chicken with mushroom? Why not? It's worth a try. I searched on the internet and found different recipes for fried button mushrooms. So maybe it will.

The original plan was to flavor the mushrooms with garlic. But I did not have garlic powder. I used ground garlic but the flavor was not there, or it was not enough. Then I grabbed a half-bar of cheddar cheese, grated it, and coated the mushroom with it, before I rolled it in panko. It was ok but hubby said it can still be better. I like it though so I decided to amp the health-factor some malunggay leaves that I got from the garden. I was half-way through the whole can when I ran out of grated cheese. We have popcorn cheese powder and voila. It gave the recipe that missing omph!

Hubby and Mila said they liked it. But they do love me. I wanted to test if the recipe is any good since it's my first time to make and eat breaded mushrooms, I brought a tub of these at work and workmates gave it a thumbs up! Yey!

Crunchy Mushroom Popcorn

Ingredients:

1 can Jolly Mushrooms Whole
1 1/2 cups Good Life Japanese-Style Bread Crumbs (Panko)
1 cup water
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cheddar cheese powder
1 teaspoon ground malunggay leaves
Jolly Canola Oil for frying
(Optional) Yogurt or Ranch Dressing

For The Love of Chocolates at the Academy of Pastry and Bakery Arts

There's something about chocolates that's just impossible to resist. I've never eaten a chocolate I don't like. From the sweet milk chocolate to the bitter dark. From plain to nutty. It's always love at first bite.

When Fully Housewifed May posted an invite to be her representative for a demonstration of how master chefs create chocolate sculptures and the right way chocolate should be prepared, I immediately signed up. The magic word was chocolate. It may be short notice but I don't mind at all. I will go and no one can stop me!

The event was hosted by the recently opened Academy of Pastry and Bakery Arts in Makati. After a hearty lunch, we met the master Chef Lawrence Cheong Jun Bo. At 27, he had conquered the pastry and baking world and had gained the title of Asia's Chocolate Prince. This accomplished chef is not siting on his laurels yet. Just early this year, he had joined and won the Coupe de la du Monde de Patisserie 2015 (World Pastry Cup 2015 Lyon) held in France. The most exciting news is that he will be staying in the Philippines for a while to teach at the Academy of Pastry Arts. That means Filipinos will have the chance to learn great skills from a true master.

Chef Lawrence holding up the freshly made chocolate heart truffles. How cute is that!?

#milaOOTD: Baby Doll

#milaOOTD: Baby Doll
May 2015
Dress: Lola's Gift from Japan
Shoes: Mini Melissa Black Cat 

You may not have missed me blogging about my life but I bet you miss #milaOOTD's. I sure did. 

Daughters are so much fun! I got a living doll. One I can dress up and play with. And it's so much more exciting because my doll has her own taste and style. I can argue with her, I can have her do what I want, orl I can just give up and let her make all the decisions. This baby doll never boring. She can even work her charm on anyone if she choose to. 

Case in point: we were having our lunch AT Jollibee right before church. She's done eating but we still have a lot of time before service starts. The whole time we were eating, she won't get her eyes off the mural. When we let her walk to it, we realized she wanted to get the big fries! The manager noticed and could not stop laughing. Mila just looked at him and said hi before saying, "Fries Please?!" That got the manager's heart and we went home with free balloon and ice cream cone. Yey!

#uberlatepost She wanted to get the humongous fries 🍟

A photo posted by chronicles of life with mila (@milastolemyheart) on Jul 17, 2015 at 4:43pm PDT

I'm Back!

Finally, the hiatus is over. I'm back to blogging and I realize now how much I miss it. It's possible you may not have noticed I'm gone but I did miss the comments and questions I get from you too! 

For two months, I had to take a sudden break from going to events (except for one or two I cannot pass up on, haha) or even writing anything. It was unplanned but refreshing. Due to some health issues, I needed to take things slow. I cannot put anymore stress in my life, on top of the mild depression I was having. The easiest, and I say that with a lump on my throat, is to drop blogging from my routine. 

For most, blogging is a stress reliever. I love it because it is an outlet for me. Something I do that I want rather than I need or had been asked to do. Then it slowly became such a task that it took too much of my time and emotions. Instead of helping me, it had added to the stress of my daily life. There are even instances I was thinking more like a blogger than a mom. I'd be frustrated when I'm not able to take a photo of a fabulous outfit I put Mila on because she spilled something on it before I got the shot. I should have been happy she can eat on her own and that she enjoys what mom cooked. I was more concerned of documenting everything instead of living the moment with my daughter. Maybe a lot of us experience that, not just bloggers. The social media culture got us in to this predicament. So I guess, blogging is not to blame huh? Ok, I blame it on Instagram. Haha. 

With that said, the very much needed break had given me the chance to sit back and relax. I got more time with Mila. I was able to focus on planning and preparing for her second birthday celebration. My husband and I had more chances to talk and reconnect. He was able to help me out of depression, without him knowing I was depressed. I'll tell you more about it soon when I'm ready. I'd rather share my happy moments first. If anything, I've learned to focus on the positive. Go back to wait make you happy. 

Now that I'm healthier, I want to go back to blogging too because it had been a source of so much happiness and fun. It's not just writing and freebies and events. It's the fun of the community and friends that I've met. It's the joy of meeting and connecting to people. Post may be few and far in between. I'd be more. Laid back now and learn to prioritize. But I'd still continue sharing my adventures as a first time working mom, who may not know everything, but is definitely ready to learn and grow up with her daughter. One blog post, and one #milaOOTD at a time! 

PS: Just because I was on hiatus during the blog's 1st year anniversary, it does not mean I forgot to celebrate with you guys. Watch out for the next post! *wink*