Before we know it, we'll soon have to pack our bags, not for a travel getaway, but to another chance to learn something new. Right. Most of us have to head to school. Oh, I'm not here to make you sad, in fact, there's nothing to be sad about saying goodbye to summer. Going back to our usual routines as a student or as a worker grant us the chance to learn more and share what we have learned from our long hiatus. Besides, if summer should last forever, then it wouldn't feel too essential, right? Or so I thought.

Anyway, to excite you more on what June has in store, I'm hosting this back to school giveaway where you get the chance to receive items that could be of great use. Don't worry if you're not a student, this giveaway is open to everyone who lives in the Philippines. If you want to win the items featured in this post, then sign in to the rafflecopter below.

 Tote Bag from SM Department Store

A bag is always useful and as a beautiful plus, it has an inspiring note that I want my readers to remember - try something new. 

 Three cute ballpoint pens, a snail correcter tape, and a lilac mesh pencil box from SM Department Store

Just something cute to inspire you to work! hehe

 Mascara from Delia Cosmetics and Pure Mineral Blush On from Maybelline

Just because feeling stress is not an excuse not to look fresh. lol

Eating Utensils from the South Shore

I happen to stop by in a local shop called the South Shore and I couldn't help purchase a few items from them. They actually have a number of school supplies and fashionable items, so if you're in Cebu, you should definitely check them out.

Mini Leather Notebook from the South Shore

Here's another item that I got the South Shore. It's a cute leather notebook which is in blue (my favorite color) and it has this nautical vibe in it. I chose the mini one over the bigger one since it would be cool to have as a journal where you can write down your random thoughts. It can also easily slip in anybody's purse which is a good thing.

Fill in this giveaway rafflecopter to join the giveaway. 

By the way, the items in this giveaway aren't sponsored. I bought each one of them. The giveaway is open to Philippine residents only or to anyone with a shipping address in the Philippines. Apart from filling in the rafflecopter, comment your name and your email address on the comment section below. I will personally contact the winner via email right after the giveaway ended on July 31 , 2017.

Update: I am extending this giveaway for another month, which means that the giveaway will end on July 31, 2017. More time and more chances to win! In addition, I'm adding more prizes to this giveaway.

Good luck!

love lots,

Tin

Summer is a time for us to get away and relax somewhere. It's a time for us to exhale and enjoy the magnificence of nature. Regardless of our own preferences of spending such a blissful season, I bet we can all agree that summer is a time for us to get dancing on our own beat. I have spent much of my summer with my family and with the season ending soon, I don't want it to be a reason not to hang out with them. For such reason, I'd like to spend time with my family to what's good at Cebu Parklane International Hotel. This coming June 25, the hotel will host a running event. 

Dubbed as Hunat Sugbu 7 (Dagan Para ni Maning), the commemorative run is organized by Cebu Parklane International Hotel for its past president Mr. Manuel Ting and is in its 7th year. 

You don't want to miss the event because as of  its opening last March, a total of 538 runners have already registered for the upcoming event which will be held on June

25, 2017, Sunday at the Ayala Terraces.

Cebu Parklane International Hotel encourages those interested runners to register as early

as possible since there are only 700 and 500 slots allocated for the 12K and 21K

categories respectively. 600 slots are also designated for both the 3K and 6K categories.

First organized on May 15, 2011, the run not only serves as a tribute to the hotel’s late

president but is also one of the company’s major Corporate Social Responsibility

projects, where its proceeds go to a Medical Mission in partnership with Jesu Christi. A

portion of the proceeds will also be donated to the Cebu Ultra Runners Club, the group

behind the “Basura Run” to support not only the organization’s cause but also help the

environment.

So what is new with Hunat Sugbu this year? To come up with a more effective and fast

race results for the runners, race director, Mr. Joel Baring and the Parklane organizing

committee decided to use the “Time-in Chip” race bib for the race categories 12k and

21k. The “Time-in Chip” race bib will be distributed upon the runner’s registration.

A scrumptious meal awaits all the runners at the finish line, including giveaways and

raffle items. There will also be water stations manned by the different departments of

Cebu Parklane International Hotel to assure adequate hydration for all runners.

A total of P72,000 cash prizes are at stake aside from the plaques and the finisher’s

medals to be given away in the 12K and 21K categories.

Year after year, the number of runners has also been increasing, with the latest headcount

exceeding 2,200 in 2016. And in our seventh year of hosting this commemorative run, we

are expecting to exceed the 2,500 mark.

Registration fee is at P800 for 21K, P700 for 12K, P500 for 6K and P400 for 3K

inclusive of singlet, race bib, buffet meal and medal for the 21K and 12K finishers.

Registrations are on-going at the Parklane lobby from 8AM to 7PM daily.

Parklane doesn't only offer us the chance to get fit. The hotel also wants us to indulge in a fresh and delicious treat. Catch up with good old friends or take a night off to de-stress with your loved ones while savoring the authentic Cebuano delicacies from the northern part to the southernmost part

of Cebu along with the live accompaniment to help set the mood.

The signature specialty restaurant also offers Cebuano Buffet with mouth-watering and

delectable fresh-from-the-grill dishes and a whole array of Cebuano cuisine every Fridays

and Saturdays for only Php 449.00 net per person. They also have a Sutukil all you can

only from Sundays to Thursdays at Php 399.00 net per person from 6PM onwards. Ala Carte dishes are also available for dining orders. 

As a handsome plus to their fresh offerings, Kan-anan restaurant which offers Cebuano buffet is located at the 4th floor of the hotel. That means you get the chance to enjoy a good view of the city while savoring a good food.

If food and fitness are your things, then don't miss what Parklane is offering. I hope we'll see each other at the Hunat Sugbu 7 event!

love lots,

Tin

*the photo above is from Cebu Parklane's official Facebook account

Scrolling over the celebrity makeup done by professionals all over the social media, I couldn't help but wonder how stars achieve such god-like skin. Are they born with the perfect skin, or do they have their makeup done by gods? It's definitely fun to imagine that such thing could happen. 

For somebody like me who works on a regular 8-5 job, getting myself a makeup artist isn't simply feasible. Besides, doing so might break my bank. Fortunately, with a good array of makeup products, tools, and a little bit more time to practice, you and I can achieve those selfie-worthy looks. 

Our skin, which serves as the base of our face makeup must be of great importance. Just like having a good pair of shoes, how we do our face makeup can make or break our entire #FOTD. With that in mind, I'm sharing you my favorite illuminators, specifically highlighters and bronzers from SEPHORA PH which can easily go together with our choice of foundation.

I got these illuminators from Sephora, one of the best beauty stores ever, to test how they can affect my makeup look. It's my first time to use the products featured in this post, and I chose them because I am curious on how they look and partly because of their popularity. Basically, I wanted to know if these products are worth the hype and if they could stick to what they claimed on their description.

Famed for their signature ‘backlit’ look, BECCA is the secret to a flawless, photo-ready finish. Uniting BECCA’s best-loved Shimmering Skin Perfector in shade ‘Opal’ – adored for its phenomenal illuminating capabilities – this collection is the perfect way to fall in love with BECCA, as well as an indulgent gift for any make up maven. Choose from Light/Medium or Medium/Dark Shadow & Light Brow Contour Mousse, then discover how to sculpt your favourite features with the creamy Lowlight/Highlight Perfecting Palette and dewy, rosy Beach Tint. The collection is completed with an angled brow brush for precision application of the brow enhancing duo.

 Lowlight/Highlight Perfecting Palette 

The moment I saw the pallette, I instantly  adore its packaging. Its compact container is sturdy yet very sleek. It also comes with a mirror so there's no need for one to go somewhere to use the product. However, I wish it has more details on it such as its ingredients and manufacturing date. Other than that, the product works so well. 

The lowlight portion which has the consistency of a mouse is easy to blend and long lasting. You can easily make a noseline with it using your fingers! Its color also looks very natural, so when applied on the skin, it doesn't look like you have this fake noseline. lol

On the other hand, the highlight is also very blendable and yes, it does look very natural on the skin. It feels like the shimmer and the glow that it gives is part of your skin. I'm also amaze how the lowlight and the highlight can easily match different skin tone. I tried using it on my friend who has a warmer skin tone and it works for her. It does work for me who has a lighter skin tone so it's a great bonus for the palette. 

 Medium/Dark Shadow & Light Brow Contour Mousse with Angled Brow Brush

 This is the product that I'm most excited to try in the kit. I can't live without filling in my brows and I'd love to try a good angled brush. The brush, as well as the contour mousse and highlighter works so well and they are so easy to use together. I bet this one's a great buy for both amateur and professional makeup artists.

 Beach Tint in Watermelon

Among all of the products in the kit, this is the only one that has a scent. It's not mad about the scent because it smells good and its just a faint fruitty scent. I love how it gives a natural redness to the lips and cheeks, but I found out that it's not that long lasting. :(

However, its very hydrating especially when used on the lips. It didn't feel sticky too, which is a handsome plus for the product.

Shimmering Skin Perfector

I don't have so much to say about this product other than it is amazing. It gives out a gorgeous glow on the skin which could make anyone achieve a goddess-like complexion. I love putting this as a highlighter on the areas where the light hits my face. 

Sweep some powder on your cheeks for a subtle glow. Betty-Lou Manizer comes in a shimmery shade and acts as a shadow or bronzer. Use it to highlight your cheekbones and facial contours. Betty-Lou Manizer contains a creamy texture that glides on. If you desire that youthful radiance, this compact powder does the job. 

 Good packaging to any beauty product is always a good thing. theBALM Betty Lou Manizer is a good example. Look at how pretty they created its container. The visuals and the ideas behind it is simply stunning! The word play involve is also very well-thought. However, let's talk about if the product itself can be a good balance of its packaging.

The bronzer is placed inside a compact container with a mirror. theBALM claims that it can work as a highlighter, shadow or as a shimmer. It also claims that the product has a maximu staying power. I tried using the product and I'm glad that it didn't disaapoint me. It is effective as a highlighter, shadow and as a shimmer. To check its longevity, I did wipe a swatch of the product to see if it comes off easily. I am stunned that it stayed true to its claims! With or without a primer, the bronzer works so well particularly when used as an eyeshadow. If you are looking for a good bronzer, theBALM Betty Lou Manizer might be the best for you.

I found it a bit difficult to look for the products above here in the Philippines. Sure there are a number of stores that offer them online, but it's best for us to go where we can be sure of the products' authenticity. After trying out the illuminators above, I can say that they are a must have product that you and I can purchase at Sephora. Though they are somewhat pricey for some, it's not a big deal since I'm pretty sure that what one has to pay for is worth it. So do the products above live to the claims given to them? I'd say that the answer would be a 90% yes. If you want to try them yourself, you can always check what Sephora has in store for you. 

love lots,

Tin

If I remember correctly, I was in 9th grade when I first started churning out poems into my plain journal. It happened after I have read a few good ones by young Cebuano students from a local daily. This may sound like an exaggeration, but those poems welcomed me to the mysterious, yet spectacular world of words that is poetry.

A few years passed, I found myself attending a poetry reading event along with a friend. I never knew back then that poetry can be an ear candy, as it is in the heart when somebody performed Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye's When Love Arrives. That was when I first let the art of spoken word held me in its arms. I said to myself, it would be a privilege to meet Sarah and Phil and listen to them perform live. With the conspiracy of the stars, I was able to meet them both at a press event organized by the Cebu Literary Festival at Circa 1900 last May 9, 2017.

The glorious sun was about to bid farewell when Sarah and Phil arrived at the dining area designated for the press. Their presence lit the dim room and made our hearts brim with joy. I believe that we all tried to contain our excitement. I gently pressed my seatmate's hand, regardless of the fact that it was the first time that we spend time together. Seeing Sarah and Phil in flesh felt like meeting your childhood best friend after a long period of time. And even though you haven't talked to that friend of yours' for quite some time already, you know deep inside you that you can still count on him.

During the press event, we had the chance to meet and dine with the celestial duo. I find it difficult to swallow what we had for dinner, not because it wasn't sumptuous, but because just sitting a few inches away from them was enough to take my hunger away. Truth be told, I wasn't hungry for food at that time. I was starving for the words of my literary heroes. I'd like to share a few of what I have digested in this post.

Here are some lessons to live by from Sarah and Phil for everyone who breathes poetry:

Sarah and Phil, effervescent as ever, were generous enough to answer all of our questions and take photos with us. I'll never forget their gorgeous locks and melodic voices. I went out of Circa 1900 feeling blissful. After all, it's not every day that you get to dine and converse with people who inspired you to write more. 

On my way home, a summer rain started falling from the evening sky. Aside from the curious thoughts of the petrichor that emanated from the roads, I heard the universe promising me a future made brighter by the beauty of words. I know that I have so much to write about and those lessons from Sarah and Phil shall flow together with my ink. I smiled riding a jeepney going home thinking of my students. I couldn't wait to share such promise to my dearest ones whose eyes are gleaming with poems.

love lots,

Tin