Anybody here a fan of body sprays, room sprays, or linen sprays, or hand sanitizer? I know I sure…read moream and I'm always happy to support local brands. This is where Cosita comes in. Cosita translates to "little thing" in Spanish but ironically enough, I feel like that's the last word I'd use to describe these products as they're huge in terms of heart and quality. They also have candles as a part of their product line which also endears them further to my heart as I'm obsessed with candles. I highly recommend giving their mint and lemongrass hand sanitizers a try alongside the orange, nectarine, and powder fresh body spray. LOVE.

90% of the store's inventory are Havaianas slippers. Walls are lined with those familiar rubber…read morethong slippers of all sizes and colors. However, a closer look and a quick look around the store reveals that it carries much more than the brand that makes the entire place smell pleasantly like new rubber. One of the indie brands they carry is Gouache, which I adore. They're known mainly as an online shop for sturdy waxed canvas bags, though they do have a few retail partners. Common Thread has nearly all the colors and designs available, and the prices are the same as Gouache's original prices. I bought a city bag for my boyfriend as a Christmas gift, and it is now his everyday bag. The colors Gouache has available are very versatile as they have a deliberately worn look, and the color palette is pretty tame. Lots of outfits will go well even with their vintage red designs. We are so happy with the bag's performance that I plan to buy a knapsack next. Prices aren't unreasonable either. I'm extremely happy about the fact that I can buy from a physical store something that I would hesitate to buy online. Being able to touch, hold, and inspect an item just provides a different satisfaction.

I encountered Mineraux Cosmetics Makeup Workshop by pure circumstance as my sweet cousin had gifted…read moreme with a certificate last Christmas. She went all out and purchased the Ultimate Makeup Workshop as opposed to the basic one, so off I went to book my session. Melissa headed the workshop and she was great. Super friendly, accommodating, hilarious, and best of all, very adept at all things related to makeup. I really felt that I was able to get the most of my cousin's investment in my aesthetics department. I learned a few things and I also made a new friend out of Melissa. I suppose my only suggestion would be for the organizers to make allowance to grab a bite as six hours without a sufficient meal break is a little rough. Nevertheless, highly recommended!

My relationship with make-up is quite a distant and lukewarm one - I usually only wear it when I…read morereally need to, and I'm not at all confident applying it. My friends, though, enthusiastically invited me to this basic make-up class which one of them found on a discount coupon site - if we come as a group, the discount would be much bigger. While I wasn't really keen on it, I figured learning with friends would be fun. The instructor was friendly and showed us the specific shades of make-up that would suit our skintones. She gave us general guidelines as well as step-by-step instructions. I kind of got lost on the step-by-step instructions, particularly on the eye shadow and the eye liner, but she helped me out. I found out through this class that I look good wearing eye liner, but I don't know if I'll be able to do it again on my own. I did get the general guidelines for the powder, the blush, and the lipstick, at least, which sounded more manageable to me. They offered the make-up we used for that class, and we bought some. It's Mineraux, a hypoallergenic mineral make-up also with sunscreen. It's quite easy to use so I use it on the few times I do wear make-up, especially on formal events. Make-up and I are still not the best of pals (I still don't apply eye liner as I find it daunting), but we have a better relationship now.

Last year, I had my first "réveillon" in Manila. In Brazil, it's a tradition choosing the color of…read morethe clothes you'll be wearing at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day. Yellow means money. Green if you need hope. Red if you wish love. White if you want peace. Blue if your goal is inner harmony and so on. Well, I was almost 8 months pregnant and my tummy was about to pop, so all my best clothes were useless by that time. I had to buy a new one, with a symbolism for the New Year! I got very happy when I discovered this store at Glorietta. The windows instantly caught my attention because the things are organized by colors! There's blue, orange, yellow, violet, red, green...it was perfect for me to keep my Brazilian New Year's tradition! I chose orange, cause I wanted joy and happiness, and it's a very vibrant color. Of course the clothes didn't fit me, because they don't have maternity ones. I've got an accessory anyway. The intent is what matters ;)

Roy&biv in Glorietta mall in Makati is a sparkling little concept store that's as colorful as the…read morebright rainbow after a refreshing rain. It actually strives towards presenting everything in wonderful bright colors, giving you the chance to explore the store in colorful segments. As the name might hint at, it sells everything that comes in the colors of the rainbow, such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple and more. You can find very fun little gifts for family such as little red candles as well as a red little hairbrush for yourself or even red glasses and bottles to go with a set of red silverware. (Of course, I prefer fuschia myself.) The presentation of their offerings is so fun and you can get lost all day exploring the assorted mix of offerings at the store and color-matching all the loot you'll discover on your hunt for the greatest colormix. Hues all day yo!

So Sanuk sandals (or slippers if you like) are the MOST COMFORTABLE SLIPPERS you will every wear!…read moreThe sole of the sandal feels like a cushy yoga mat and the thong-bit of the slipper doesn't bite or pinch into your foot. So no blisters for you! BUT, and there is always a but when something is too good to be true, the sole of the sandal wears down really easily and fast. Maybe because I have a bit of pronation, but after about 4 months of wearing these sandals, they started to thin out. I may go and try the more fashionable styles next time, which seem to have thicker soles. They have a good range of seasonal styles to keep me interested. So it's worth a try! For men, they have proper shoes as well as sandals too!

When I moved to Manila, my husband and I decided not to have a car. That means I would have to walk…read morea lot, so I decided to invest in an extremely comfortable pair of shoes. I didn't want running shoes, though. I was looking for something casual and comfy that goes well with everything. Yep, these shoes exist. And they're called Sanuk. I discovered this store when I was window-shopping at Glorietta. I decided to try them and it was ove at first walk. They are versatile, soft and highly comfortable! Whenever I travel and I have to choose only one pair of shoes to go inside the luggage, my choice is Sanuk.

Marikina is said to be the shoe capital of the Philippines. While there have been noble attempts to…read morerevive the rich shoemaking culture in the region, these have sadly been browbeaten by the arrival of foreign brands and fancy marketing campaigns. Yet underneath it all Marikina's heritage is still chugging along, biding its time until a point where it could show the world what it's made of. Mark R is a member of that heritage. One of Marikina's oldest shoe factories, it's a wonder and a pleasure that Mark R is still alive and well, its store now stationed in the middle of the burgeoning Cubao X district. Pass by and see what time has forgotten - a legacy of well-made, handcrafted shoes at a price point that's almost criminal to exist. Make sure to purchase a pair and be proud that such great shoes are inherently Filipino.

I'm glad that what was once "Marikina Shoe Expo" and is now just the much more appropriate "Cubao…read moreX" hasn't completely lost its roots and you'll still find a few shoe stores in the area, one of them being Mark R. It's one of the bigger stores in Cubao X, with the space extending to both sides of the U-shaped complex. And with that they have tons of shoes, in all different shapes and sizes. I myself have gotten a pointy, burgundy ankle boot that I still adore even more than a year after I've bought it. I can be pretty fickle about my fashion choices, and I know that as odd-looking as the shoe is, this one's a keeper, as would the other shoes I'll be planning to buy. They go on sale on occasion, so that's something to watch out for, especially since their classic styles don't change much. Still even at their affordable prices and the quality of their locally made shoes (even down to their laces), it's a pretty good deal at a full price. The one caveat is that I don't think they have air conditioning, which can be pretty brutal at this heat. Their place is airy enough, but if you want a cooler temp they also have their shoes sold at the Shoe Center at Ali Mall--you'll just be missing out on their bigger selection in their Cubao X store.

The name of Winnerka Fashion must be a play on the Tagalog and English words 'winner' and 'ka.' In…read moreother words, you're a winner. Cute. Stores like this used to be called boutiques. I don't think anyone uses that word anymore. Makes the user seem so passe and out of touch with the times, which is a no-no especially in the world of fashion. It's a neat and small store that's comfortably air-conditioned. From what I saw, the main products are casual ladies clothes, not too expensive and not too cheap either. My wife and daughters would be most happy to at least give this place a look see, I'm sure. But I was alone when I happened to pass by and just peeked inside out of curiosity. I am no expert at women's fashion so I can't really say if the clothes sold at Winnerka are hot stuff or meh-worthy. In my eyes, they looked mighty fine. I'm going to let the ladies in my life decide for themselves if they will become regular customers or sukis of this new story. Sooner rather than later, I am certain they will at least pay it a leisurely visit.

PCX is a nice drug store chain with a handful of imported brands. I usually go here if I need…read moretoiletries or drug store makeup, and it is pretty well-stocked. The employees are usually very friendly, but kind of hover over you. (I imagine the reason is to deter you from shoplifting, or because the store itself is quite cramped and small. Or both.) Think of it as a small scale Watsons. I came here looking for my preferred Organix brand of shampoo and conditioner. However, I could not find it. I still enjoyed browsing though! It is located in the old wing of Alabang Town Center.. kinda like near the cinema.