The Kikay Loot!

Over the years, my perception on staying presentable and looking good has change. I still believe that through the years, "simplicity is beauty" and I still live up on being simple on my clothes and stuff. But being a career girl, someone who loves to travel a lot and move around, it is important that I still take care of myself and how I look to others. I read a lot of articles in Cosmo magazines that one secret power on being promoted on work or being respected is how you project your image in a positive way. So for this new entry of mine and a little peek into my vanity kits, here are some of the list of my current kikay loots and stuff that made out most of my cluttered room. :)



For my skin, I am quite a hoarder of scented lotions and body butter. I also like scented oils for moisturizing. For lotion I always use Nivea Angel Star Pink and Victoria's Secret lotions. I love these two for everyday use because the scent still lingers even after office hours. For rainy days, I use Neutrogena Body oil for moisturizing. I also use Body Shop's body butter in Cherry flavor and Watson's Bella body butter in Strawberry and Cinnamon. For moisturizing my face, I use Nivea day cream and for removing unwanted blackheads, I use the Pore Remover from Saizen. It keeps my skin smooth and glowing. For hair I use, Citre Shine hair spray for making my hair more manageable and free from tangle. I also like traveling a lot and doing stuff outdoors so I always put sunblock on my body and face. This prevents UV exposure especially during summer days.


For body spray and perfumes, I am not keen on high-priced perfumes but it is quite obvious that I love Victoria's Secret various body sprays and scents. Most of these were gifts for me. From left to right, here are the list of my favorite scents:

1. Guess Pink - a present from my HS friend when she went to Hongkong

2. Clinique Happy - my dad bought this for me when we were shopping at DutyFree

3. Victoria's Secret Shimmering Spray Charming and Fun - a gift from my aunt/godmother when she went home from US

4. Victoria's Secret Shimmering Spray Cool and Calm - also a gift from my aunt/godmother

5. Victoria's Secret Almost Nude Body Spray - a gift from Ni

6. Victoria's Secret Pink -also a gift from Ni

7. Elizabeth Arden Green Tea perfume - I bought this from Hongkong. It was on sale ;)

8. Cute DKNY Be Delicious perfume sets - a gift from my dad when he went to New York.



I also have my own cute make-up kit with basic list of essentials. I am not much into make up but I want to learn the basics. I noticed that since I attend quite a few number of formal parties in the past, going to salons for make-up can be expensive. So what I did is collect few reliable pieces of make-ups and use them when certain need arises. Here are some of my essential list:

1. Maybelline Clear Smooth Liquid foundation - If your skin is smooth and fair, you don't need to buy concealers not unless there are few blemishes on your face that needs to be covered

2. Maybelline Make Up remover - I use this after the event or parties before washing up my face to remove the eye makeups and foundation.

3. Maybelline Coral Blush on

4. Mac Nude Shimmer and Maybelline Red Lipstick

5. Maybelline Volume Express Mascara

6. Lipgloss from Ilog Maria, Jo Malone Vitamin E, My Lovely Lipbalm by H&M (which I brought from Hongkong)

7. Eye shimmers and shadows from LA colors, Etude House and Body Shop

8. Ellana Mineral Make ups such as Coral blush on, Blue eye shadow and powder foundation

9. Make up brushes for eyes, face and cheeks.




My one weakness also is aside from splurging for massages is having a foot massage or spa. I love wearing peep-toes shoes and flip-flops so I always like to put color on my toenails. When I'm on the house, I put different nail polishes and over the time, the nail polishes piled up so I had no choice but to put it in a separate storage. My housemates often tease me about it that I looked like doing a home service because of my nail polishes. And see my feet below for my wacky nail polish experiment :P



My wacky foot which just came out from a fish spa experience in Iloilo! :)

And for the final touch here are the rest of my kikay loot!






One my clothes closet that are about to explode, accessories, my kikay loot basket and my favorite book by Jane Buckingham, "Modern Girls Guide to Life" :)

My Dreamboard...

It's been a while since the last time I filled up entries on my so-called secret blog. Yep its secret because few people know it. I am not the type who flaunts everything I write or read or watch. As much as possible I want to keep my identity private so that I would be able to live in peace and write my heart's content without hesitations.

There's so many happenings around me and I am really not sure how to enumerate or put them into thoughts that would clearly define them in my entries. For my today's entry I decided to put up my dreamboard in my room. Just a few while ago, I was busy sorting out stuff in my room and been putting some things in their respective places since I left it in mess before going overseas. I just checked my dreamboard which I wrote down last year that I want to visit Hongkong, Macau, Australia and other local places I haven't been to.

I know it sounds silly but most people I knew already went to Hongkong and Macau. I've been to Singapore last year on a solo flight trip on my first out of the country experience and I find it memorable and eye-opener. But right now seeing that you already fullfilled one of your dreams, which is visiting Hongkong with your someone special is much memorable and fun. I used to think Disneyland is just a dream... here it is already fullfilled and experienced. I used to see commercials of Hongkong Disneyland in National Geographic and Discovery channels. I used to say that someday I'm going to visit my childhood dreams and cartoon characters I grew up with. Now I already done it and experienced a new different level of happiness. It was very special because last year I was putting it as a future travel destination in my dream board. I already fullfilled two. And I still need to visit different places...

For my next post in my dreamboard, here are some of the places I want to visit and things I want to do:

1. Visit Vietnam and Cambodia
2. Visit South Korea and experience the snow :)
3. Visit Bangkok and Kota Kinabalu
4. Go back to Hongkong and shop for Marc Jacobs and lots of Longchamp tote bags! (bag-a-holic mode) and also shop for dresses at H&M and other outlet boutiques
5. Euro-trip!
6. A nice house for my future family
7. A SUV care
8. my secret dream in Iloilo... :)

In due time I know I will be able to do this.

Another Valentines Post! (pagbigyan na please)

(The picture above reminds me of my favorite scene in the movie)

This is another Valentines post of walang magawa moment after watching 500 days of Summer. As you know every Valentines season most cable channels shows all movies, segments, soaps and commercial pertaining to the love month. Tonight, after my Dad got tired of watching the replay of the uber-boring impeachment trial he handed me the remote and I tried doing the channel surfing. I saw that the 500 days of Summer is shown in StarMovies so I watched it again. Though I watched the movie a dozen times, can't help but feel sad for Tom... affected ako eh (bruhang Summer, ayaw pa kay Tom). But what captured my attention is what Tom's sister told about failed relationship or love... You're too blind to see before the indications that there's no love or care in what your previous partner does. Maybe Tom misinterprets the actions Summer shown to him. Tom lives in a dream that there is destiny and fate, while Summer relies on being practical on choosing which would be best for her. It might not be a happy ending for Tom and Summer but there are always lessons learned in love and life... especially on movies like these :P

Tom's sister might be young but her view on things about love is quite mature. Sometimes when we are blinded by love we ignore small things that might indicate that something is wrong in relationship. We only realize the faults and mistakes in the relationship when it is already over. Failed relationships might be seen as waste of time and mistakes of the past but what's important is the lessons it carved in our minds and hearts. As they say, practice makes perfect. Make sure that you don't fall to the trap of same mistakes again...

What's so romantic about my 2nd Valentines post? Nothing? Just thoughts to ponder and a bit enjoyment of having to watch rom-coms... I haven't watch for a while due to busy schedules and appointments... :)

Happy Valentines!

Love is in the air and it's what romantic people are looking forward during February - Valentines day. For hopeless romantics this day define all efforts to be the most romantic person ever. Ever since I am not a fan of this day. Though I've been in relationships during and after college... I don't know, it just so happened that my exes are not fans of Valentines day so you would expect that none of them sent me a flowers or any of the cheesy stuff before. I just get used to the idea that Valentines is just an ordinary day to me... I received few Valentines cards and stuff toys in the past but none of them flowers or any surprises.

This year was quite different... this is the first time that I received flowers (yes, you hear it right!) and had a nice dinner after office. It's quite chaotic going out on a Valentines day since fine dining restaurants and even fast foods are filled up with people (either dating or just having ordinary dinner) so expect that it's an effort to queue up / order and then find a nice table to sit. I had to admit that I do have few ounce of patience left when it comes to big crowds and traffic. But today, this is the first Valentines date that I get to enjoy the day. Ni (my significant other) already gave me the flowers last night and the sweet gesture touched me. I know it sounds so shallow by other people who's used on getting flowers every Valentines day. For me, this is different. This is the first time that my special someone get out of his way to show how much he truly loves me on this special day. I used to remember in high school that I get envious of my other girl classmates who got flowers and cards during Valentines and I was secretly hoping someone would gave me one (hahaha! those were the days...). I am quite grateful and thankful that in this age of mine and 12 years after high school I got one special set of pink flowers and spent the night with my special someone who mean the world to me and looks forward on a journey of forever with him... So just this once, it may be as cheesy and sugary as jawbreaker candy, I just want to greet my special someone...

Happy Valentines Ni!




For me, they are the beautiful flowers in my life and thank you for this :)

Taking Charge of Life

It's been a long time since my last post. 2011 was quite a tumultuous year for me and this 2012 was quite another challenge. But whatever events or moments I had in my life and even if I seldom filled out my blog pages with new entries, I would still find time to fill in some new notes in my secret page. Another reason of my absence on this blog is that I am currently maintaining a new travel blog which contains all my escapades and previous trips I've done in the past. It was some sort of my travel diary and accounts on my happy days as a traveler.

Ok enough of the long explanation... my post is about my new resolution on how to look on things positively in life. I posted this on my Facebook page and I would like to share it here in my secret blog.

This was an e-mail sent to me without credit to the author. I do believe, however, its original intention was to be shared and I do hope it will help you take full responsibility for your own happiness.

I’d like to emphasize that it is only you who can make yourself happy—a simple life lesson that is very difficult to follow and see through, which is why I chose to share this.

For 2012, take charge of your own happiness. As Maria Robinson said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”

But before you can begin this process of transformation, you must stop doing the things that have been holding you back.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. Life is too short to spend with people who suck the happiness out of you. If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you. You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot. Never, ever insist yourself with someone who continuously overlooks your worth. And remember, it’s not the people who stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst, who are your true friends.

2. Stop running from your problems. Face them head-on. It won’t be easy. There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them. We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems. That’s not how we’re made. In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall. Because that’s the whole purpose of living—to face problems, learn, adapt and solve them over time. This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.

3. Stop lying to yourself. You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself. Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves. Read “The Road Less Traveled.”

4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special, too. Yes, help others; but help yourself, too. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.

5. Stop trying to be someone you’re not. One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else. Someone will always be prettier, smarter, younger, but they will never be you. Don’t change just so that people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.

6. Stop trying to hold on to the past. You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep rereading your last one.

7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. Doing something and getting it wrong is, at least, 10 times more productive than doing nothing. Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading toward success. You end up regretting the things you did not do far more than the things you did.

8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us. We all make mistakes, have struggles and even regret things. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here now with the power to shape your day and your future. Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.

9. Stop trying to buy happiness. Many of the things we desire are expensive. But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free—love, laughter and working on our passions.

10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else, either. You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else.

11. Stop being idle. Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place. Evaluate situations and take decisive action. Making progress involves risk. Period!

12. Stop thinking you’re not ready. Nobody ever feels 100-percent ready when an opportunity arises. Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.

13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. Relationships must be chosen wisely. It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company. There’s no need to rush. If something is meant to be, it will happen—in the right time, with the right person and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.

14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. In life, you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet. Some will test you, others will use you and still others will teach you. But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.

15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. Don’t worry that others are doing better than you. Concentrate on beating your own record every day. Success is a battle between you and yourself only.

16. Stop being jealous of others. Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own. Ask yourself this: “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”

17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason—to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you. You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough. But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past. You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind or situation. So smile! Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.

18. Stop holding grudges. Don’t live your life with hate in your heart. You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate. Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.” It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.” Forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you, too. If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.

19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level. Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.

20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it, anyway. Just do what you know in your heart is right.

21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting. Sometimes, you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.

22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things. The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.

23. Stop trying to make things perfect. The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done. Read “Getting Things Done.”

24. Stop following the path of least resistance. Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile. Don’t take the easy way out. Do something extraordinary.

25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. It’s okay to fall apart for a little while. You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well. Cry if you need to—it’s healthy to shed your tears. The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.

26. Stop blaming others for your troubles. The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life. When you blame others for what you’re going through, you give others power over that part of your life.

27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out. But making one person smile can change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. So narrow your focus.

28. Stop worrying so much. Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy. One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time? Three years? Five years?” If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.

29. Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. Focus on what you do want to happen. Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.

30. Stop being ungrateful. No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs. Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.