Marionette

GAMES OVERLOAD - HOW I COPE WITH STRESS LATELY :)

Friday, August 26, 2022

Hi guys! I know I rarely post anything here on my blog. To tell you honestly, I always felt tired and sleepy lately. But I am good!

Thursday, May 5, 2022

I have been to California a couple of times and I love its robust economy and rich mixture of cultures. It's a huge place that offers a lot of opportunities.

#history #travel #Calgary #Alberta #educational

The Cows of Calgary: A Visitor's Guide to the Udderly Art Legacy Pasture

Saturday, March 5, 2022

Have you ever been fascinated by something and suddenly found yourself learning intently learning about it? This is what today's post is all about. A fascination that resulted in the desire to share the interesting things I've learned.

#drivingexam #roadtest #personal #pasco #florida #roadexam #pascocounty #dadecity #drivingtest #firsttimedriver #taxcollector #dmv #roadtestsuccess

My Road Test Experience: Dade City Pasco County Office Edition

Saturday, December 25, 2021

Woah! I can't believe I've been driving on my own for two months now!

animal crossing , classic games , computer games , entertainment , free games , games , gaming , hobbies , island life , microsoft , new horizons , nintendo , nintendo switch , online games , past time , videogames

Blast from the past: Games edition

Saturday, November 6, 2021

Do you like videogames?

#drivingexam #roadtest #personal #pasco #florida #roadexam #wesleychapel #drivingtest #firsttimedriver #taxcollector

Wesley Chapel Road Test Experience (First Try in Pasco County, FL)

Saturday, September 11, 2021

Address: Pasco Tax Collector - 4610 Pet Ln #101, Lutz, FL 33559

#causebox #alltrue #alltruebox #summerwelcomebox #subscriptionbox #womenowned

Alltrue Subscription Box Overview & My Summer Welcome Box

Friday, August 27, 2021

I hope everyone is enjoying the start of their weekend! Let me share something with you that I am very excited about!

#lifeupdates #personal #update #life

Life Updates!

Monday, August 16, 2021

Hello everyone! You might be wondering where I might have been because it has been a while since I posted on this blog. Sorry about that! As usual, life gets in the way.

But now, writing calls to me once more, so I am writing here again. I hope to maintain that momentum and continue to write here on a regular basis.

In this blog post, I wanted to share some life updates - what I have been doing, what had happened to me, what changes I have embraced, and what are the things that are keeping me busy.

Lets's start by going back to October 2020. I finally left the office world and resigned as a Legal Assistant for my first and real job here in the United States. I was sad to leave behind pears I have known for almost 3 years, but was happy to take on a new path that I was so excited to take - to be a full-time content creator.

For a while, I was so happy to be home, do the things I love to do, and focus more on improving and growing my Instagram account. I was also in the midst of talking business with my brother and trying to set up an Etsy store. But the latter took an unexpected turn and it never came to fruition.

Despite not being able to finish setting up a business, I was happy to find a routine that works for me so I can focus more on spiritual things while still doing and improving my content creation. I bought a camera - (Canon EOS M200), to build my photography game. I had the opportunity to spend more time with close friends, while carrying out our ministry together. I was also able to maintain a clean home and even better care of our fur baby Luke. I was indeed living the life I had longed for and I was happy even in the middle of the pandemic. My mental health improved a great deal and I was finally getting back to my old cheerful self.

Last September 2020, I finally decided to apply for my US citizenship. I had my interview/exam on April 26 of 2021, I passed and took the Oath on May 6, where I officially became a US citizen. I applied for a US passport the following day and I'm still waiting to get it.

I feel like I was doing really good and I am definitely enjoying being home all day! I was even getting at least 1 paid brand deal every month and I was constantly receiving offers from brands to promote their products and also being added to PR lists. Think of it as a dream come true for an aspiring full-time content creator like myself!

But sometimes, responsibility calls back to you. My husband is still helping her mother and I wanted to help my family in the Philippines financially as well. If it's just me and my husband, he can take care of us and all our bills.

I tried looking for work from home jobs to have a stable income. Unfortunately, most of them are call center jobs (which demands long hours on the phone and weekend work). And although I can't be picky as we are in the pandemic and everyone needs income, I must take into consideration my mental health and spiritual well-being.

On top of being anxious about trying to find a job from home, I received the sad news that my father has been in an accident and needed to be operated on as soon as possible. Thankfully, my youngest sister along with the help of my other siblings and my mother was able to get the money and my dad was able to do the operation. But the dilemma did not end there because right after that, my grandmother (my mom's mother) had a stroke. I can't imagine how devastating and saddening, this is for my mother. And since I was too far away, I can't do much - emotionally and financially.

But it must be a blessing in disguise when I was offered a position back on my previous job. After just seven months off, I came back. As I am not yet mentally ready to be a legal assistant again, my supervisor was pleased to accept my request to work at the front desk. As I was writing this, I'm turning three months being back on the job! Do I miss being home? Absolutely! Do I like working back in the outside world, I wasn't thrilled, but honestly, I'm glad. I love what I do and I like the people that I work with. And of course, I'm glad to finally have a regular income so that I can at least give some financial support to my family.

It's been a struggle keeping up with products and PR reviews in addition to keeping the house clean, but I can still manage. I decided to limit, accepting non-paid brand offers and also to limit my application to free products online. I think I am slowly getting better at it. :)

One sad life update though, we gave away our precious fur baby Luke. 😔 We had a hard time keeping up with him since we are both back working, so we decided that he has to be in a new family that can give him the space and attention he needs. I cried for three days, but I felt better knowing that he has now found a new family and home that can give him a better life.

On another note, I started practicing how to drive again! I got my learner's permit way back in 2018 and just stopped practicing because I didn't feel the need to drive. But now that I am back at work, I'm so ready to get that license so I don't have to bother my coworkers by asking them to drop me off at home. I am taking my driving exam next month and I am getting anxious, nervous but excited at the same time. I am going to write everything about it here on my blog. Stay tuned!

So that's it for now! I hope you still find your way back to my blog. Please feel free to share any ideas and suggestions of what you wanted to read here. Let me know in the comments below.

Editing Apps , Free Apps , Instagram Post , Social Media

My Favorite Editing Apps for my Instagram Posts

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Do you struggle to get that perfect photo to posts on your social media channels? Do you lack the tools that most content creators have like a ring light for brighter photos, a professional camera, or even a phone with a good camera? Or you just don't have time to catch that natural sunlight or golden hour for better-looking photos?

Whatever your struggles are, know that you are not alone. Even with years of posting on my social media channels, I still struggle to get that "one" photo that will just feel right sometimes. And believe me, there will be just days that you won't like any photo you take no matter what.

But it's good to know that there are some apps out there that can help us step up our photography game. Today, I'm gonna be sharing some of the editing apps I used for my Instagram photo and video posts. Please note that I am not a professional in editing photos or videos, but with practice and persistence in learning these apps, YOU can be one. 😉

1. Lightroom

This app is what I usually used for all my photo editing needs. You can control your photo's color temperature and tint, adjust brightness, apply effects, and even apply presets that you have. I don't play that much in all of these settings right now because I was blessed enough to get presets from @nickypresets. She has a wonderful selection and I love using her Bright and Airy preset for my current feed. The bottom line, you have a lot of control over this app and it's user-friendly and not complicated to use at all plus it's free.

2. Snapseed

Just like Lightroom, this app is free and super easy to use too. Upon opening the app and uploading your photo, you are already given different filters you can choose from. But if nothing from them caught your detailed-eyes, you can go ahead and explore more of their different filters or manually edit your photo easily under Tools. You can tune up your image, adjust contrast and brightness or make it vintage-like, HDR scape, glamour glow, grainy film, or retroflux. My favorite feature in this app would be the vignette and lens blur. Lens blur was my most used feature in this app (before I bought my Mirrorless camera) as I sometimes don't like my background and with this feature, I can easily blur it.

3. A Color Story

I haven't tried this editing app as much as Lightroom and Snapseed but this is quite a favorite of a lot of content creators. You have access to limited but enough free filters and effects to choose from, then the rest of the selection within the app is paid ($2.99 or more). If you are just starting out, the free filters are already good enough. But, if by all means, you found something that calls for you and matches the aesthetic of your Instagram feed, go ahead and get it. It's only a low investment you have to make.

4. Fotorus

Do you need to do a photo collage, maybe a before and after, or wanted to beautify a photo? This free editing app can do that for you. It was actually one of the first apps I used when I was just starting out. Now, I still love to use it for a before and after photo collage and if I wanted to include captions within my photos.

5. Meitu

Do you have something in your photo that you wish was never there? Behold, this app can erase it for you! I discovered this app while watching some Tiktok videos and was amazed at how easy it is to erase unwanted things on your photo. Although I use this app mainly for that feature, it has more to offer. You can easily edit your videos in this app and make them extra with transitions, music, effects, stickers, and texts. This is what I used to create my low-key L'oreal Infallible foundation reel and my Statusphere Unboxing IGTV on Instagram.

6. Go Pro App

If you watched my previous Instagram reels (like this one), I made those videos using this app. I don't even have an account because I don't have a Go Pro camera but it lets me edit my videos seamlessly. When you uploaded your videos, it will automatically choose transitions and music for you but you can manually edit them on your own. It has limited capability I might say but it's perfect for a total noob like me who knows nothing about creating amazing videos like others.😁

Bonus:

StoryLuxe

This is another app I found from watching Tiktok videos. It's not an editing app that you can use to fully edit your photos but it's more like an Instagram story template app. It has some cool templates for your Instagram story although you have to get the paid version if you want to have more access. It's pretty basic and using it is a no-brainer. Just choose your template and upload your photos and your Instagram story is ready to go.

Canva

This is one of my favorite apps to use and many content creators would agree that Canva is one of the best free sites/applications where you can do so much more than editing photos. Canva offers tons of free templates for your Instagram feed post or story post. I love that they also have animated ones that can spice up your posts. They also have templates for Instagram story polls and questions you are free to use. It is super easy to use!

Have you tried any of these? Let me know your favorite editing apps to use!

#pixibeauty #makeup #makeupcollection #makeupbrands #instagram #beauty #collection

My Favorite Makeup Brands to Follow on Instagram! (TOP 8)

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

As you might already know, I love beauty and started to love makeup not long before I started my Instagram page (which is about 5 years in the making).

As I spent more time on Instagram and tried different makeup, I have come to love some makeup brand pages and I am going to share them with you on today's blog. I have Top 8 to share, let's go!

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

If you read my previous blog post, you already know that I excitedly announced that my brother and I are doing business together and launching an Etsy store pretty soon! Today, I am excited to share more about it and at the end of this post, we have some freebies for you! So let's keep going!

First of all, what led us to this point? Well, nothing like being your own boss while making an impact on others' lives, right? Besides, this blog is all about motivating others and making an impact on their lives.

So, you may be wondering what kind of products are we putting up on our Etsy store? As I have mentioned in my previous post, we will be selling printables and digital products like calendars, planners, inspirational quotes, and images. Being an influencer, I love planning things out especially my content. Having a planner is so important as it gives me a clear understanding of what things, products, and posts I need to prioritize. Also, I love inspiring people with quotes that I share on my Instagram caption, be it something I just made up or I got from google. So my brother thought of designing images to go along with it. We are still in a very early stage but we are trying to have something up on our Etsy store very soon.💓

For making it to the end of this post, I am giving you access to a copy of a weekly planner, a giveaway tracker (both for influencer and for giveaway entrants), a login manager, and 31 inspirational quotes you can use as a caption on your social media posts.

Click here to get your freebies:

And if you happen to like the freebies, stay tuned for our Etsy store launch and you can get more helpful planners and trackers, especially if you are an influencer like me.

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

2020 - what a year it has been! Now that we are finally in the most awaited year, have you ever thought of what goals you wanted to achieve in 2021? Given the uncertainty of us getting over the pandemic soon, you might think that it is hard to set any plans and goals. But hey, setting goals gives us motivation and can make us look at the future with more hope and positivity.

So, let me share some of my goals this year along with my action plans! Hopefully, it can inspire you to make some too. Plus I have an exciting announcement at the end of this post. So let's start!

1. Grow my Instagram audience. Despite so many hardships 2020 gave us, I appreciate that it also gave me my biggest Instagram milestone - reaching 10k followers. This year, my goal is to at least double it and make it 20k. I would love to reach more people to inspire and motivate through my content.

Action Plan: Dedicate at least 1 hour each day to research my potential audience and engage with them.

2. Have more outdoor photos. Most of my photos from last year has always been indoors. The excuse of course is that we are in the middle of the pandemic and I don't drive anyway. But last month, I discovered a nearby trail/park that seldom has people. It's definitely a perfect spot to take photos and the best part was it's walking distance from home.

Action Plan: Dedicate a day or two to go to the trail/park. Schedule and plan ahead of what products to bring for the photoshoot and include them in my planner.

3. Lose 21 lbs. According to a BMI indicator online, my BMI is 25 and it is considered overweight for my height. I am currently 141 lbs and my goal is to get it down to 120 lbs.

Action Plan: Walk/Run on the treadmill or at the park for 1 hour a day this month then start a consistent workout by February. I am leaning towards starting another Chloe Ting Challenge next month!

4. Improved my mental health. 2020 took a toll on me. This year, I wanted to improve my mental health. I believe this is one of my important goals this year.

Action Plan: Dedicate a social media break day and do the things I enjoyed offline like reading books and doing puzzles.

5. Close at least 20 paid collaborations this year. Last year was an eye-opener for me. Being an influencer is a totally fun thing to do but it requires hard work too. As an influencer, I learned to wear different hats - creative director, photographer, stylist, planner, copywriter, and strategist. Yes. It's a lot of work. This year, I am dedicated to only saying yes to collaborations that align with my mission and vision and to brand deals that can see my value and willing to pay the price.

Action plan: Formulate a pitch template and start listing 5-10 brands that I wanted to send my pitch to. Engage with each brand for a month before sending a pitch to start the connection.

6. Dedicate more time to spiritual things. I feel like I have been so inconsistent on my spiritual goals last year so this year, I want to be more consistent.

Action Plan: Schedule a definite time early in the morning to do bible reading. Block at least 1 hour for bible study every day and do at least 2 hours and 4 days in my volunteer ministry in a week.

7. Grow my TVPage affiliate sales to at least $80 each month. I was invited to be part of the Macys Style Crew last November and I earned at least 50 dollars on my store. It was not a lot but it definitely motivated me to do more.

Action plan: Create consistent content and share regularly on my social media channels. Include a schedule on my planner.

8. Be consistent in planning. I made a decision last year to plan my content ahead but never really stick to it. This year, I wanted to do more planning. I started focusing on planning my day ahead. And my goal is to be able to plan at least a month of my social media content.

Action Plan: Utilize planners and dedicate a day to just planning things out. Use planning tools like Planoly or Later for my social media posts. Write everything down on my planner and plan as far as 1 month ahead.

9. Take at least 2 classes about Social Media Marketing. When I quit my job, I told myself I wanted to focus on learning social media marketing like Facebook Ads, Google Ads, and SEO. 3 months later, it all ends in just starting out and I am back to NADA. Nothing. So this year, I wanted to focus on learning and taking as much knowledge as I can to be better in this field.

Action Plan: Decide what course to learn and focus on one course at a time. Dedicate one to two hours each day to my chosen course and apply what I learned as soon as possible. Make sure to include it on my schedule and write it on my planner.

10. Grow my blog and have at least 2k subscribers by the end of the year. I was so happy I was able to relaunch my blog last year. However, nothing happened that much and I think I only gained at least 5 subscribers. I might sound ambitious with 2k subs, but I am going to work towards achieving that goal.

Action Plan: Improved my content. Create a consistent email campaign that can relate to my subscribers. Create an interesting lead magnet by the end of January that will make others subscribe to my blog.

11. Start a business and launch an Etsy Store! This is what I am most thrilled about! I am excited to announce that my brother and I are starting an Etsy store this year and plans are already in place. We are finalizing our products and I can't wait to tell you more about them in my next blog post. Hint: it's digital and printables. Another hint: one of the products is going to help influencers like me to plan their contents.

Action Plan: Finalized the name of the store by the end of this week. Have the designs ready by next week and have the store ready for launch by the end of this month.

At the end of this year, I will be revisiting this post and see what goals I achieved and what goals I still need to work on. I will also be sharing what my struggles are and what things work and didn't work out.

I am so excited to see what this year will bring us all! And I can't wait to hear about your goals that you will be hustling to achieve this year. Please share them below!

Stay tuned for my next blog and I am going to share some business deets about our upcoming Etsy Store!

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

If you have been following me on Instagram for a while, you might already know some facts about me. As we end this year, I'd like to share more not-so-fun facts about me so you can get to know the person behind this blog better.

1. My name means a doll or a puppet moved by strings but it's totally something that my parents didn't know when they came up with my name. They are just combining their nicknames. 🎎

2. I don't drive. In the Philippines, we have all sorts of public transportations and private vehicles are oftentimes a luxury. I did get a learner's permit here in the US but my husband is now too afraid to teach me because of one little accident we had while I was behind the wheels. 😂

3. I don't like taking medicines. If I can bear the pain, I will. 💊

4. I love crime movies, TV shows, and anime. I enjoy detectives and spy movies. 🚨

5. My superpower is that I can go on a day without eating or just eating once. Unlike many, I prefer sleeping over eating. 😴

6. I used to play guitar and write songs but now starting to have an interest in a Ukelele. 🎸

7. I am not a fan of horror movies or anything about zombies. 🧟

8. I have motion sickness. I can't read (even browse my phone) while in a moving vehicle. 🚓

9. I don't celebrate holidays like Christmas, New Year's, and Easter due to my Bible-based beliefs. You can check out this link for more information: https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/jw-celebrate-holidays/. 🌲

10. I can always imagine what could happen in a certain situation and in a negative way. Like for example, I saw a nail poking out somewhere, my brain would immediately imagine myself getting poked in the eyes, bleeding and I can sometimes feel it. Yes, it's weird. 💁

11. I love giving gifts. There is truth about what Acts 20:35 in the Bible says: ‘There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.' 🎁

12. I wanted to be a band member when I was younger. I dreamed of being a lead vocalist or someone who plays the guitar or the drums. However, I don't really have the talent for it.😆

13. I think I have grown tired of working in a company setting or working for others in general. This year, I felt so lost in what I really wanted to do. And I am still figuring things out. 📴

14. I am a graduate of Business Management and I majored in Marketing but I don't really think I have used my course that much. 🥈

15. I am not good with math or numbers. Thank goodness for calculators and Google. 🔢

16. I love babies and kids but I prefer to not have my own. People don't understand that sometimes and it's totally okay. But, if ever I get pregnant along the way of my married life, I will definitely embrace motherhood. 👶

17. I am not really good at English grammar so pardon me if you see or hear me say grammatically wrong things. 😅Although English was taught in school at an early age, it is not my first language. Tagalog (Filipino) is my native language and I feel more comfortable reading and writing in that language. 🔖

18. My husband was my first and last boyfriend. We met on Facebook thru a common friend and the rest is history. We are celebrating 6 years of marriage soon. 💓

19. I had one minor surgery once to remove fibroadenomas from my right breast but I am a pretty healthy person. I dread going to the hospitals and getting blood work done. 😖

20. If I can go back to one place aside from my hometown in the Philippines, I wanted to revisit Monterey, California. I fell in love with the place when we had our Legal Summit / Team Building in Cannery Row years back plus it is where I first met my then virtual boyfriend (now husband) in person. 💨

If you reach this far, nice to meet you! Please leave a comment with your Instagram or blog so we can connect! I hope to see you more in 2021.💗

What's one thing you'd like me to write about here on my blog? I am open to suggestions! Let's get ready for 2021!

2020 , beauty , beauty brands , Kbeauty , makeup , skincare , top 20

My Top 20 Beauty Brands in 2020

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

2020 might not be everyone's favorite year right now. There was so much sadness throughout this year, but I can't help but to still be thankful. Along with everything that happened are some great realizations and discoveries for me. And although it might be a little early to say this, I will claim it already:

"Hey, I am still alive and ready for 2021!"

But before we leave this super dramatic year, I would love to take this opportunity to mention the top 20 beauty brands that made my 2020 a little better. Shall we start?

1. PixiBeauty. This brand would be my number one on the list. If you read my previous posts, I never failed to mention PixiBeauty. Not only because I am on their PR list, but also because all their products are honestly incredible. So if you haven't check this affordable brand yet, you should start checking them out and see their wide range of skincare and makeup products. You might find a new favorite brand come in 2021. See my dedicated post for this brand here.

2. Good Molecules. Although I have only come to know this brand this year, it has quickly become one of my favorite. Their skincare worked so well for my skin and they have become a staple to my skincare routine. My wonderful 2020 skincare journey would not be the same without this brand. Learn more about them in my previous post here.

3. Fresh Beauty. This might be one of the most expensive brands I included in this list, nevertheless, they do deserve this spot because they have remarkable products that work. You can find something you will fall in love with from their variety of skincare, body care, and fragrance products.

4. Rituals. Looking for something affordable but luxurious beauty products? This brand is for you! Their body care set is phenomenal. And I can't wait to try their perfume, skincare, makeup, hair care, kitchen essentials, and clothing products. Yes, they have it all.

5. Innisfree. Are you a k-beauty fan? This Korean beauty brand should be on your list this coming new year if you haven't already tried it. Aside from their cute packaging, you'll love their skincare, makeup, body, and hair product line up.

6. Filorga. I have only tried two of this brand's products yet I might say they don't disappoint and it made me want to try all of their products. I am not even exaggerating. This brand is also on the pricey side but it's for a good reason. Their products are effective!

7. Kiss / Impress Manicure. I am not a fan of fancy acrylic nails but who doesn't like pretty nails once in a while? That is why I came to love this press-on manicure brand. Besides having a gorgeous line of beautiful nail designs, they are also easy to apply and are great for last-minute party calls. Yes, even the zoom parties.

8. Amika. What is beauty without beautiful hair, right? This brand has some astonishing hair care products. I personally love their Flash Instant Shine Mask. I didn't even have to comb my hair, let's leave it at that.

9. Eva-NYC. Let's talk more about hair care products. There's nothing more satisfying than a good hair day on quarantine mode. Ever since trying out their dry shampoo, this brand easily becomes one of my favorites.

10. Laneige. One of the keys to beauty is well-hydrated skin and lips. This is where Laneige comes into the picture. They have hydrating skincare and lip products that can make a difference in your beauty routine.

11. First Aid Beauty. I was first introduced to this brand this year and I couldn't be happier. FAB created products for all skin types but has a specialty for dry skin. Their Ultra Repair Cream is a best-seller and is also a game-changer for me. Their products are one of my winter must-haves.

12. I Dew Care. This is a fairly new brand to me but swiftly became a favorite. They have adorable and fun packaging and their products are exceptional. They had me with dewy and glowy skin. Most of the time, that's all I wear.

13. Spongelle. Bath has been extra enjoyable with Spongelle products! Their body wash-infused buffers are my favorite. All of their products from body and bath, hand care, feet care, and candles smell heavenly. Need a bath? Make it extra with Spongelle.

14. Hum Nutrition. Would you agree that beauty also comes from within? I do! I was gifted some of Hum Nutrition products that help me look and feel good inside and out. It has been a very great help for my skin as I have noticed I don't experience troublesome breakouts like before.

15. Merci Handy. This brand has been a ray of additional sunshine amidst the pandemic. Not only do they have very fun packaging (and some lovely jokes to smile about), they also have a charming hand, body, and hair products.

16. L'oreal. This year won't be complete without some L'oreal products. To tell you honestly, most of my lipsticks are from them and who doesn't love lipsticks? It's my favorite makeup. Now that I stay home and do not wear masks, lipstick is the only color I wear on my face most of the time.

17. Pop Beauty. This is a rather new brand that brings a pop of color to the beauty world! Their products have interesting names that will certainly get your attention. They bring you "uncomplicated" skincare and "unapologetic" color through their quality products.

18. Buxom Cosmetics. They offer a variety of beauty products and my favorite was their plumping lip glosses. The shine of their glosses are gorgeous and provides that refreshing and cooling sensation. Let's keep that until 2021 and the years to come.

19. Joah Beauty. If you are looking for an affordable K-beauty and drugstore brand, this is a brand you should start looking at. You can find it at your local CVS and there are so many products to choose from. Take your pick.

20. 310 Nutrition. You might think, this brand is not a beauty brand and you might be right. But hey, beauty comes from within, remember? 310 Nutrition has been part of my health and wellness journey throughout my 2020. Their protein shake powder and collagen powder are something that I can say became part of my beauty journey. Their collagen powder helps support healthy skin, so that counts as part of beauty, right?

Thank you for making it at the end of the list! I hope you found some new brands to try this coming 2021.

What are your top beauty brands this year? Did any of mine made your list too?

Wednesday, December 9, 2020

A few months back, I was stuck at 4k followers on Instagram. I made it a goal to have 10k followers by the end of the year. And here we are, making that goal a reality!

But you might be wondering, why is the Instagram follower count so important? As a brand, it shows your brand power and as an influencer like me, it shows my influence and my expertise. Also, it's easier for me to be noticed by brands that I might be able to collaborate with if I have that big 10. But don't get me wrong, as I mentioned before, a lot of brands don't look at follower count but rather than engagement. So smaller accounts can still collaborate with brands.

Of course, as you may have already known from my previous posts about my influencer journey and how I became one, my Instagram started as a hobby. I love sharing my first-hand experiences with products and found a passion for skincare and beauty. The main reason I set the goal to hit 10k was because of the swipe up feature. Since I just started my blog up again this year, I find it easier for me to promote a new blog post and direct my followers to the link on my Instagram story instead of telling them to check out my bio. It's unquestionably a game-changer!

The Journey to 10K

It was never easy achieving this goal. It's a series of trial and error - what techniques work and what don't. Plus, Instagram's algorithm has been all over the place lately, so you cannot honestly tell. But you know what's the biggest take away from me? Reaching goals can only happen when you have help and support. So I am forever grateful to all the people who believed in me and supported me all the way. For all the likes, shares, and saved from my family, relatives, friends, acquaintances, and from all the people who genuinely followed my page because of my content. A ten thousand or a million thanks won't ever be enough to show you how grateful I am.

The Promise

Of course, the journey never stopped here. My mission to inspire, motivate, influence, and make an impact continues. I know that honest and genuine content matters and I will continuously strive to be better. I am still learning my ways of creating captivating video content and still trying to improve the quality of my photos. Believe me, I was never the creative type when I was younger and art is not my favorite subject, so I'm a bit struggling here. But all of you are my inspiration!

So, all that being said, let's take a look at my Top 10 posts!

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Hello! So today, we are not doing any gift guide post. Instead, I just wanted to share some skin update and the current products I am using on my skincare routine. Maybe, you can find something that you'd like to try!

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

For today's gift guide idea, I would like to share my very own wish list!

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Holidays are just around the corner, and many people are starting to get their gifts list done. Although I don’t really celebrate any of the upcoming holidays, I love gifting in general!

I made up a list of some of my favorite things that would be great for gifting and in today’s post, I will be sharing skincare products.

PIXI BEAUTY GLOW TONIC

First on the list would be my all-time favorite PixiBeauty Tonic.

The Pixi Glow Tonic is a highly concentrated, invigorating facial toner that deeply cleans pores by sweeping away excess oil and impurities. I personally love this toner because it's gentle enough to exfoliate the skin but tough enough to remove dirt and impurities, leaving the skin soothed, refreshed, and radiant. It comes in 3 sizes - 15 ml, 100 ml, and 250 ml. It's perfect for gifting on its own, but if you want a more sophisticated one, you can get the Best of Bright Kit, which includes the Glow Mud Cleanser, Glow Tonic, and Glow Mud Mask.

Photo from Pixi Beauty Website

GOOD MOLECULES - THE HERO REGIMEN

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I often rave about this brand - Good Molecules. This brand has become one of my all-time favorite skincare brands. It's not only effective but super affordable too! I also love their initiative of listing all the ingredients and how much percent they put in the product written on each box. They mostly use glass bottles and avoid the use of plastics to save the environment. Plus, who doesn't love products that were never tested on animals?

For a perfect gift, why not buy a mix of everything? The Hero Regimen Collection would be the perfect one! This bundle includes seven of their best selling products to prep your skin from morning to night - Instant Cleansing Balm, Niacinamide Brightening Toner, Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Overnight Exfoliating Serum, Squalane Oil, Silicone-Free Priming Moisturizer, and Caffeine Energizing Hydrogel Eye Patches. Check out my previous post about Good Molecules and some favorite products from them here.

Photo from Good Molecules Website

MARIO BADESCU - DEW IT FOR THE GLOW

Who doesn't want that "glow," especially this holiday season? Why not gift a friend (or yourself) this Mario Badescu Dew it for the Glow Bundle?

Photo from Macy's Website

This set includes the Enzyme Cleansing Gel, Witch Hazel & Rosewater Toner, Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater, Hyaluronic Dew Cream, and Hyaluronic Dew Drops. These products are ideal for all skin types and will certainly give you (or anyone you are gifting this) a dewy skin that glows.

FIRST AID BEAUTY ULTRA REPAIR CREAM

Super dry skin? No problem! This First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration is perfect for your friends or relatives that suffer from dry skin, especially this colder season. This multi-function cream provides head-to-toe moisture and instant relief for dry, distressed skin and even eczema. It's lightweight and fast absorbent with no greasy after-feel.

If you want to make it a fancier gift, try getting the All that Fab Kit, which includes Pure Skin Face Cleanser, Facial Radiance Pads, Ultra Repair Cream, Eye Duty Niacinamide Brightening Cream, and Ultra Repair Lip Therapy. This 5-piece limited edition set of FAB skincare essentials will help promote a smooth, radiant, and hydrated complexion. Anyone will be delighted upon receiving this!

Photo from First Aid Beauty Website

INNISFREE JEJU CHERRY BLOSSOM JELLY CREAM SET

This is definitely a cute set any skincare-loving youngster will love! This set includes Dewy Glow Jelly Cream, Dewy Glow Toner, and Dewy Glow Emulsion. This trio is all you need for a simple yet effective skincare routine that can boost your skin's radiance while delivering soothing hydration the skin needs.

ELIZABETH ARDEN VITAMIN C CERAMIDE SKINCARE GIFT SET

Vitamin C and Ceramides can be holy grail ingredients. It can be a wonderful gift for moms and grandmoms or just someone that needs extra love and care for their aging skin! This Elizabeth Arden Vitamin C Ceramide Skincare Gift Set includes Vitamin C Ceramide Capsules Radiance Renewal Serum, Ceramide Lift and Firm Day Cream Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30, and Advanced Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum.

Photo from Macy's Website

These are just some of my favorite skincare products that you can consider gifting to your loved ones.

Stay tuned for more holiday gift guide series!

*Some links are affiliates, and I may earn a small commission when you purchase through these links.

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

As I transitioned back to working from home, I started working on building my home office. I want to be as comfortable as I can, because the more comfortable I am, the more enthusiastic I will be to work, won't you agree?

I always wanted to work from home, and I truly believed that this is the time for me. I started looking at home office ideas on Instagram and Pinterest. These are some favorites so far.

theunstitchd.com - Pinterest

Casinha Organizada - Intagram

worldmarket.com - Pinterest

Of course, I had to consider my budget, so I window shop (well screen shop, really 😅) around for a few weeks to see the best offer. I am mainly looking for a desk and a comfortable office chair with good quality but won't break the bank.

I found my office chair in Walmart.com.

Walmart - Yoyomax

This office chair was originally $169.99 but was on sale at Walmart for $91.99. I was drawn to it because of its ergonomic design with an adjustable headrest and lumbar support that looks so comfortable. It has a breathable mesh material that promotes air circulation and keeps my back and legs relaxed. The headrest and the seat is adjustable up and down while the backrest can be adjusted forward and back. The installation is also a breeze - no additional tools or fittings are needed. It took me less than 3o minutes to install everything.

On the other hand, I found my office desk from Amazon.com:

Mr. Ironstone L-Shaped Desk - Amazon

I could have bought my chair in Amazon if the prize is on sale like in Walmart, but unfortunately, it was not. Anyway, I really fell in love with this Mr. Ironstone 50.8." L-shaped desk, perfect for the corner that I planned to build my home office. The original price was $129.99 but was on sale for $99.99. It has a white marble top and gold frame legs, so it was a perfect design. It also has excellent reviews and looks really good based on verified purchasers' photos. I also love that it arrived within two days! (I am a Prime Member, by the way😃)

The assembly is pretty easy too. It took me less than an hour to assemble everything all by myself, and I am impressed.

So here's the overall look and feel of my humble home office:

I am really going towards the rose gold theme here, but I am still working on that. 😂 You can check my home office rose gold list essentials in my Amazon Store Front. You might find something that you would like too!

My Starburst Wallpaper Sticker is from Wallmonkeys that I was sent complimentary for review. The little frame below was from Dollar Tree; you will be surprised how much cute stuff you can find in there! You can also do DIYs from Dollar Tree products if you are the creative type on a tight budget. I like to do that, but sometimes my creativity runs dry along with my motivation. I am usually just too lazy. 😂

I also love the idea of having a brick wall. Am I the only one? I found out that one of the easiest ways to achieve brick wall design without spending too much time and money is by using faux bricks. I came across Faux Brickwork, which has some good selections of Faux Brick Wall panels.

Here's how chic they look:

I think this would really look great in my home office!

Flemish Bond-Raw

If you are looking to step-up your brick wall-looking home or business, you may want to check Faux Brickwork. They are located in Clearwater, FL, and can serve the US market with exceptionally sturdy, beautiful, and realistic faux brick panels. They also offer samples to make sure you are 100% before committing to a large order.

Their panels range from $49.99 to $89.99 each with Dimensions of Width 39", Height 36 ½", Depth ¼" or 40", Height 35", Depth ¼". They have a friendly design team that can assist and advises you on your design, and if you can't find the faux brickwork that speaks to you from their extensive line, they can provide you comprehensive design service for the more bespoke ideas.

What do you think? Is faux brick a good idea or no? Let me know in the comments below!

*Some links in this post are affiliates, and I earn commissions on qualifying orders.*

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