Labeling Your Goods

I've been thinking lately of putting up a small business. Ideas have been sprouting, confusing me all the more on which products I should offer. If I had my way, I'd like to formulate my own cosmetics. A long shot, I know, considering the competition. I'm no Fanny Serrano or Patrick Rosas who have built a strong following as make up artists before they created their own makeup lines. If I can come up with a miracle potion, I guess that would be an easier route but for now, do help pull me back to reality.

One of the exciting parts of coming up with your own brand of products is the packaging and labeling of your goods. Hmm... I could think of various spunky names for them. I am trying to picture how they would look on top of my products. If only I had the merchandise to start with. Oh well.

For those who actually have something to sell and are starting small, online printing services may be a better option for private labeling than expensive print shops which only accept bulk orders. Design your stickers and order them for a minimum cost. If you want posters for your establishment, you can likewise order prints at an affordable price. If you're vain enough, you can put yourself in the poster and pose like Angelina Jolie, as though you're you're promoting a movie. This can be useful if you're advertising your services as a makeup artist, for example. But do keep the pose modest.

Speaking of makeup artists services, having your own brochures for rates and packages is an effective means of attracting more clients. Distribute it during fairs or leave copies at the offices of events coordinators.  Look around online for printing services where you can order professionally made brochures.

The labeling may be secondary to the quality of the product itself you're selling or the services you are offering but it could tell a lot about you.  Let your label speak for what's inside it. Make the printing simple yet elegant, sophisticated yet affordable.

Blog Brigade For Ondoy Victims

Last Saturday, residents in Manila and other parts of Luzon fell victims to the wrath of Typhoon Ondoy. We were luckier down south because despite the frequent rains, we were spared from the disastrous fury of Ondoy. We just prayed for others' safety and strength during these trying times.

According to the news, something similar  happened in Manila in 1967 so it doesn't really happen in a long time. Viewing the footages on TV, we gasped how people were floating helplessly in the strong flow of currents while vehicles floated uncontrollably in the streets, bumping into one another or were submerged completely. The rescue did not come easy because of the difficulty to brave the enraged stream of water practically drowning an entire city.  Diabetic patients had blood sugars fluctuating due to starvation, grandparents were suffering from arthritis attacks due to the cold weather, babies and small children were crying everywhere, and pregnant mothers went on early labor. Most of them stuck at some roof. Cold, starving and helpless. To date,  while plenty have been rescued, the death toll just keeps rising.

Beyond the superficial pleasures and vanity, these events give us renewed perspective of life. No amount of beauty, money or intelligence can save you from nature's wrath. We suddenly realize how important our lives (that we oftentimes waste) are.

After the rain stops, when everyone is settled, we can look back and re-examine what we did to trigger mother nature's violent response. Hopefully, we can learn a valuable lesson here and make the necessary actions to avoid future mishaps. For now, let us quit pointing fingers and stop judging like people deserved their fate. All of us are vulnerable and no one is invincible as some may think they are. Let us do whatever we can to help, shall we?

For ways on how to help, please refer to this handy resource guide prepared by volunteers. This has been passed on and retweeted to help mobilize more help: ONDOY Manila.  Emergency medical assistance and help hotlines are available. We're calling all beautiful souls to heed the calls of our fellowmen who were victims of the flood. If you have a blog, facebook or twitter, please pass on this information. Whether you're nearby Manila or in some other place, you can do something. Online donations are also possible. Personally, I had it  through the Red Cross donation. Please check out these links and be an angel for others.

Fashion and The City

Just finished watching one of my favorite 80's movie: "The Mannequin" the Kim Catrall and Andrew McCarthy  flick which catapulted the song " Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" to the top of the music charts. Don't ask how old I was when the movie became a  hit.

I was amazed at how  Kim Catrall evolved from the sweetheart doll into the bombshell character that she played in the popular TV series Sex and the City's which I enjoyed as well.  Sad that they had to end it.

Speaking of "Sex and the City," they are currently filming the sequel to the successful movie version released last year. News is that Catrall and Sarah Jessica Parker, the actress playing the role of the fashion savvy Carrie Bradshaw are not on speaking terms which is causing a lot of stress on the set of the current movie. Here's hoping they iron out any differences between them. I'm a big fan of the two but I totally adore Carrie's fashion sense. Well, who doesn't?

In case you haven't noticed, Carrie has been spotted a lot of times wearing Mikimoto Pearls as her fashion arsenals. She can wear that little black dress without looking too safe or boring by accentuating it with these signature pieces of jewelry. Lovely, isn't it?

Mikimoto Kōkichi is the Japanese entrepreneur who discovered the methods for culturing pearls as jewelries, hence the name. Mikimoto pearls are fine, exquisite fashion accessories which are not at all the types that you would find in the flea market. They come at a cost but then with its quality, who could complain?  If you wanna strut just like Carrie, investing in these fabulous fashion accents may be a good start.

The slated date for release of the SATC Movie part 2 is on May 28, 2010. Mark your calendar, fashionistas!

Paging The Universe

Sheesh.. I was pondering and I realized that I got quite a handful of things that I want to accomplish in my life.

Among these are:

• to put up my beauty spa


• to train for anti-aging/regenerative medicine


• to learn acupuncture


• to study web design


• to be an entrepreneur


• to be a good doctor


• to be a better writer


• to be a devoted wife and hopefully, a doting mother


• to update my blog more often

• to live in prosperity and abundance

Not much, huh? Except that I don't know where exactly to direct my efforts to achieve these diverse goals. If I only had the funds to afford me the liberty to realize my dreams. Training in Anti-aging Medicine will require me to live some place else. Putting up a beauty business will need a huge amount of money. All the rest are up to my physical, artistic and mental energy bank. Maybe dialing the universe hotline will grant my wishes as it always did. Prayer, law of attraction, or whatever you wish to call it, do work for me. Oh Lord, hear them all. And please bless me with a better health so I can do all these things in this lifetime.

Calamansi & Egg White Skin Routine

As promised on my previous post explaining how calamansi and egg white work wonders for the skin, here are the instructions on how to do it:

• Prepare 1 tsp of egg white and 1 tsp of calamansi extract


• Wash the face with soap and water then pat dry.


• Apply the calamansi extract and leave it on for 5 minutes


• Rinse off and pat dry


• Apply the egg white into the face and leave for 10-15 minutes or until it hardens


• Rinse off with water

Do this 3x a week and notice the improvement of your skin a week after. The results may vary for each individual. If you are prone to skin reactions, use it at your your discretion.

Don't Put Your Dime On Your Makeup

I find it creepy that some people put a dime on top of their eyeshadows to demonstrate the size of each color. We cannot stress further the load of bacteria on a coin. Eyes can be really sensitive and are easy prey to microbes. You can at most put a dime BESIDE a palette to give an idea of its size but please, not ON TOP of an eyeshadow. I once saw a seller doing this and no matter how attractive the price of her goods, I never looked back on her page. And now, I was just watching a youtube video and somebody did it  on her makeup once again. The sanitary practices of these folks are driving me insane.

Calamansi and Egg White for Skin Care

These kitchen regulars do not only make useful ingredients to a satisfying meal. They also double as natural remedies to skin problems and as beauty enhancers. They I just say the magic word? Yep, beauty with a capital B. If that got your vain self more interested in knowing how, read on.

My 13 year old niece asked for my help in an investigatory project she had at school. She wanted to prove if calamansi and egg whites had beneficial effects on the skin, thus she enlisted us as her guinea pigs. The idea of dabbing citrus on my face scared me. Not out of fear of turning my face sour, but due its acidic nature which may be irritating. Then I remembered the recent routine that I apply daily on my skin consists of acid nonetheless. I've been putting glycolic acid to facilitate exfoliation and skin renewal to get rid of my pesky acne pock marks.

Calamansi as a Fruit Acid

Glycolic acid is classified under alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), a group of naturally occurring chemicals derived from fruits. Sugar cane, beets, pineapple and grapes are common sources. Calamansi (citrus microcarpa bunge), likewise, is a rich source of fruit acids. AHAs are widely used in the cosmetic industry. Owing to their acidity and solubility, they penetrate the skin and loosen the bonds that hold the dead skin cells together, hence allowing exfoliation.

As we may know, dead skin cells contribute to acne formation by blocking the pores. They also give the skin an uneven texture. While Calamansi is being promoted as a skin whitener, the lightening effects may be mostly due to its exfoliating effects, revealing a fresher and smoother layer of skin.

Fruit acids do not only exert a peeling effect on the skin but also stimulate the formation of collagen and elastin on the dermal layer, which are diminished as we grow older. In addition, the anti-oxidant properties of fruit acids fight off free radicals which give our skin a worn out look. By attaching itself to the free radicals, we are saved from further damage to the skin cells, lessening premature wrinkles and age spots. Whether as an acne treatment or beauty enhancer, fruit acids are shown to be beneficial in our unending quest for beauty.

The Miracles of Egg White

There's more to egg whites than melting in our mouths as a delectable meringue. For the beauty savvy, I am certain that you've heard about its use as a facial mask. Although there is a lack of scientific evidence proving the efficacy of this technique, the positive testimonials from women who have tried using egg whites in beauty rituals are not to be ignored.

Egg whites contain around 40 different proteins dissolved in water, among which, albumin comprises the most part. The skin- clearing properties of egg whites may be partly attributed to the lysozyme, an enzyme which digests bacterial cell wall, thereby fighting acne. This enzyme has also been used as an ingredient to prevent food spoilage.

The egg white contains the enzyme hydrolysate which promotes the synthesis of hyaluronic acid in fibroblasts at the dermis. Fibroblasts, in turn, produce collagen. Simply put, egg whites have amazing anti-aging properties.

Tightening and shrunken pores are noticed immediately after the application of this protein-rich poultry product to the skin. Whether or not it has long term beneficial effects, it remains to be seen.

The base pH of the egg white makes it an effective neutralizing component in facial masks utilizing other natural products like the calamansi (note: although the pH of lemon is acidic, it is considered an alkalinizing food when taken in because of the chemical reactions inside the body). With the combination of the effects resulting from both ingredients, they make quite a powerful skin care tandem.

So how do you apply this natural skin care regimen? Find out on my next post. Til then!