Love Chic

We’re so excited to be part of the Superb by SuperSale bazaar this May! This is the flyer we made for our booth. The biggest booth goes to the blogger whose flyer gets the most number of “likes” on SuperSale’s Facebook page, and since we’ll be selling a lot of couple shirts, accessories and pre-loved items, we could definitely use a big booth. We know we can count on you guys for this, so we decided to throw in a little thank-you gift.
   
We recently got a box of Nivea Sparkling White and Nivea Visage products from our friends at Nivea Philippines. We can’t possibly use them all up for ourselves so we divided the extra items into two sets, which we’ll be raffling off to all our followers who will show their support for Love Chic at the Superb bazaar. Here’s how.

Nivea Set 1:
Essential Care lip balm with jojoba oil and shea butter
Sparkling White whitening and cell renewal night care
Sparkling White UV blocker SPF 30 PA++ (blocks both UVA and UVB)
Sparkling White whitening and clarifying toner
Sparkling White acne oil control whitening cleansing foam (combination/oily skin)
Sparkling White purifying whitening foam
Sparkling White refining whitening scrub
   
If you want the Nivea Set 1:
Simply go to our flyer here. “Like” it, click “Share” and tag us with this caption:
“I voted for @Love Chic at the Superb by SuperSale Bazaar! Click this photo to vote too!”
From all the “Shares,” we will choose (1) winner via Randomizer.

Nivea Set 2:
Med Protection SPF 15 lip balm with Vitamin E (dry lips)
Visage Q10 plus anti-wrinkle light day care SPF 15
Visage Q10 plus anti-wrinkle cleansing lotion
Visage Deep pore control toner (combination/oily skin)
 
If you want the Nivea Set 2:
For our Twitter followers, tweet this and tag three (3) friends:
“I voted @sephshai for the @bloggers_united x @supersalebazaar! Vote too @Friend1 @Friend2 @Friend3 http://on.fb.me/JVBJkj“ 
From all the tweets, we will choose (1) winner of the Nivea Set 2 via Randomizer.
   
If you want both Nivea Sets 1 and 2:
Simply follow both sets of instructions! :)
   
Winners will be announced on May 26, Saturday at 10AM. 
Thanks, everyone! See you at the Superb by SuperSale bazaar!

Outfits from the Topman/Topshop event paired with Call It Spring boots, what we wore to the Etude Playhouse Fair last Sunday at The Block SM North Edsa. We’re giving away our Etude House goodie bags to two of our followers—read on for how to win :)

Upon registration, participants are given colored markers to express their love for Etude House on this wall.

Top view. They really went big with the playhouse/fair concept.

Seph spinning the wheel for a prize

Throw the velcro balls to win the beauty booty of your choice

Janine playing buds-ketball

Photobooth with the cutest backdrop

Sweet treats from Tous Les Jours

Cotton candy!

Real-life ballerina music box

Penguin, seal and panda mascots. Hiiiii

There was also this incredibly cute pink Beetle with the false eyelashes and lipstick which Shai wanted to drive home.

It wasn’t just all fun and games though. There were also educational talks on beauty, fashion, and skin care.

There was a long line to get inside the beauty area, where princes and princesses (what they call Etude House customers) are treated to a free makeover and beauty crash course.

People we spotted: Janeena Chan, and Love Chic reader Clair Ching whom we remember for always taking the time to post comments or tweet us on our blog entries. It’s readers like her who make us want to give back, which is why we hold blog giveaways from time to time. We wouldn’t be here without you guys, so the least we could do is share the love!

What we’re giving away: two (2) Etude House goody bags containing Dress Room Lovely Look shower cologne, Milk Talk Oh Choco body wash and Missing U Hand Cream #2: Honey Bee Story. Open to Love Chic followers. We’ll check!
  
Just like our Mandaue Foam giveaway, all you have to do post this on Twitter and tag two friends: “I want to win an Etude House goodie bag from @sephshai! http://lovechic.com.ph @friend1 @friend2”
  
Deadline for tweets is next Friday, May 4 at midnight. We’ll choose two winners using Randomizer and announce them via Twitter on Saturday morning. Stay sweet and playful!
   
*** 
   

UPDATE 05/05/12: WE HAVE WINNERS!
   
 

Congratulations to @bebelycah and @harranicks. Email lovechicmail@gmail.com with your full name, shipping address and contact numbers. Thanks for joining, everyone! We’re already cooking up another beauty booty giveaway so keep posted :)

Tonight’s date outfits. The chic yellow cardigan on Seph and the beige button-down on Shai are from Memo. The clothing brand is more popularly known for their crisp corporate attires and smart casual finds, but with a little bit of tweaking, the items in Memo are actually stylish enough to be worn with other pieces to create whatever look you fancy. Check out their summer collection on their Facebook and Twitter.

Memo cardigan, Forever 21 shirt, Herbench (yes, it’s my mom’s) jeans, Call It Spring boots, and SM Accessories bag, necklace and glasses. Hype this on Lookbook here.

Shai got me these contact lenses from an online shop called Japanese Candy and I thought they’d look great with these uber-cool transparent glasses from SM.

Three things my wardrobe always has: cardigans, V-neck shirts and metal necklaces.

The beads are a gift, while I got the Timex from SM’s Privado luxury accessories sale for cheap.

MSense is a brand under SM Accessories that has unique bags for guys that you can’t find just anywhere. If you’re into man-purses like me, you should check this brand out.

I always check out Call It Spring in Greenbelt. I saw these new arrivals on one of my visits and I just knew I had to have them.

Memo collared button-down, Love Chic x Chemistry shorts, Puma socks, Schu brogues, Anne Klein bag, and SM Accessories headband, necklace and rings. Hype this on Lookbook here.

Beauty notes. Face: Etude House Baby Skin base, Revlon Photoready Airbrush and Powder, Mary Kay sheer mineral pressed powder, Etude House Lovely Cookie blush in #3 Orange. Lips: Majolica Majorca Honey Pump Gloss Neo. Eyes: The Face Shop eyebrow filler, Nichido liquid eyeliner and eyelash curler, Maybelline Volum’ Express Cat Eyes mascara, Benefit Decked Out Dandelion eyeshadow palette, and Bambi Sesame Gray 15mm contact lenses from Japanese Candy. The ones I got for Seph are Bambi Chocolate 15mm. Unlike him with a perfect vision, I’m severely nearsighted, so prescription contact lenses are a necessity. Glad there’s a stylish way to deal with it!

We received a question on Dear Love Chic about how to wear necklaces with collared tops. I’d like to believe there are no rules to how you should wear accessories with certain pieces of clothing, but personally, I prefer statement necklaces like these multi-tiered chains from SM, worn under the collar instead of over it.

Continuing the chain reaction with this burst-of-sunshine yellow Anne Klein purse. I love the color, plus the chain strap could be pulled longer to make it into a shoulder bag.

When I saw these rings at SM, I thought of bubble gum and butter balls. Yum!

How gorgeous are these blue and white brogues from Schu? In lieu of the usually flat, usually neutral-colored and usually laced-up styles, this pretty pair is a breath of fresh air. Slipping it on (and keeping it on) is no problem—it’s as comfy as your comfiest pair of flats. Get Schu updates via their Facebook, Twitter, blog and online shop.

Goofing around after today’s quick shoot. Follow us on Instagram @sephcham and @shailagarde for more Love Chic silliness. Have a great Friday (the 13th) night, everyone!

We had no plans of weighing in on the recent controversy involving FHM Philippines’ March issue, but while uploading these photos for just another fashion post, we were reminded of it by word association. Colored background, black and white… It might’ve been in the back of our heads all this time, as an issue that’s close to home for us both. So what the heck, let’s throw Lookbook captioning out the window for a moment and throw in our two cents.

Unless you’ve been in hibernation, you probably know that the magazine’s original cover this month featured British-Filipina actress Bela Padilla posing for the camera in a swimsuit, surrounded by five dark-skinned Filipinas in blackface who are either looking down despondently or looking up in awe at this fair-skinned beauty who is “Stepping out of the shadows” (the caption). Guess we don’t need to elaborate on the message this cover clearly sends out. Following a slew of comments from offended netizens, the men’s magazine has recalled the cover and released one with the photo and caption replaced.

All should be well and good now, except it quite isn’t. Because this isn’t the first time we Filipinos have displayed ignorance and insensitivity regarding this, and it probably won’t be the last. Not while the people involved admit outright that they see nothing wrong with blackface, and do not regret having participated in it. Not while again and again, TV shows portray characters in blackface who would be maltreated, ridiculed and hated just for being dark, while becoming lighter-skinned would bring them a better life. Not while we’re okay with how newspapers and magazines continue to paint non-black models black for the sake of art or advocacy without realizing or considering the impact the photos would have, regardless of the accompanying text’s intentions. Not to mention the comments on blog posts about the issue that go along the lines of, “Things are blown out of proportion. What’s so racist about that cover? What’s wrong with painting them black?”

What makes it ultimately tragic is the irony of it all—how we as a people have been victims of white supremacy and racial discrimination for centuries, and yet we ourselves have been participating in it, knowingly, willingly and unabashedly.

Look at Charice. Immense talent, charm, dedication, but with looks that don’t fit the bill as far as Filipino audiences are concerned. She’s been trying to make it in the local music industry but nobody here would give her a break, preferring the mestizos and mestizas with less than stellar vocal pipes. But when Ellen Degeneres gave her a break and the western world embraced her, “Oh, she’s world-famous now, I’m so proud to be Pinoy!”

Seph: In my work, I’ve always been aware of the preference for fair-skinned, foreign or half-foreign models over moreno Pinoys. Whenever I book a project, they would tell me to avoid getting dark or risk getting replaced. In go-sees I attend, we often don’t stand a chance once Caucasians come in. Just watch a random TV commercial, attend a fashion show, or flip any magazine and you’d notice the trend yourself, if you haven’t already.

I used to work with an actor-model when he was starting out and he used to say, “Gagawin ko lahat para maibalik sa Pinoy ang trabaho.” (I will do everything to bring Pinoy models back our work opportunities). He worked hard, kept fit, honed his craft and went on to become one of today’s most popular mainstream stars. It’s just one little success story, but I took it to heart. Today, I see everything I do as an opportunity to make it and be able to say, “You don’t have to be of a certain descent or skin color to get to where you want.”

Shai: When I was younger, I auditioned for a TV project. After my turn, I was told flat out by the casting panel, “You’re really good and we want to get you, but the audiences will want something else.” They ended up casting a pretty Caucasian who couldn’t act or memorize lines. The project eventually bombed. Rejection is part of the industry I work in, and it would’ve been fine each time it was because I screwed up or wasn’t right for the part. But what stung was each time that it was because I’m not the typical Pinoy standard of beauty: porcelain skin, aquiline nose, bright-colored eyes.

So when I got to work for a teen magazine and then as producer for TV shows, I made the most of the opportunity: since everyone else was already pitching the standards, I made sure Pinay models and local talent weren’t ignored—those who weren’t just book-worthy because of a foreign-sounding last name or paper-white complexion, but models who actually knew how to pose and project, whose faces were actually for modeling. Talents who actually had talent other than smiling about their easy-earned stardom.

We get to talk often with teens and young adults about their personal issues, and colonial mentality and the insecurities it brings is one that affects us most. We’re happy to notice the changes for the better: morenos and morenas taking the international fashion world by storm, global artists of Pinoy descent proud of their roots, among others. But with something as recent as the cover photo brouhaha, it’s obvious we have a long way to go. We’ll just have to keep doing the little things we can until we get there.

***

On Seph: Zara button-down shirt, from Bangkok leather jacket, Bench jeans, Skechers shoes, SM Accessories eyeglasses. Hype on Lookbook here

On Shai: Zara button-down shirt, SM Department Store cropped blazer, The Ramp skirt, Aldo mens socks, Skechers wedges. Hype on Lookbook here
Photos: Jeru Czar | Hair and makeup: Ariel Barrios

   
@Sparklingmag @Megmagazine @Previewmag and @Chalkmagazine this month! From wardrobe wisdom to fab features, they’ve definitely got you covered (‘scuse the pun).
   

  
Sparkling’s Winter 2012 issue is chock-full of K-pop goodies for both guys and girls, along with this neat Street Beat (try saying that five times!) feature on us and some of our favorite bloggers.
   

  
Meg’s February 2012 issue is all about love (just call us Captain Obvious)—but not just the cheesy romantic type. While there’s that, as seen in this omnibus feature on stylish couples, the mag also dishes out tips on loving yourself: from moving on to enjoying single life to fashion and beauty must-haves you deserve to treat yourself with. Oh, and this nifty bit about online faves: Love Chic, the new Yahoo Philippines and Miss-match.com.ph :) Thank you, guys!
   

   
We’ve probably read Preview’s January-February issue from cover to cover about seven times now—even brought it with us on our Hong Kong trip! Their first issue for the year boasts of a feature no other local magazine has done so far: QR codes. Yes, the kind you scan with your smartphone’s QR reader. With an even stronger tie-up with their web platform, Stylebible.ph, Preview’s first Multi-Media issue is bound to amuse techy fashionistas—scan any QR code you spot in the mag and it leads you to lots of cool additional content. Also, thanks to the wonderful ladies of Stylebible for including Shai in their nominees for Top Fashion Blogger for 2011. To be lined up with such names is flattering in itself :)
  

  
Chalk’s February 2012 issue is big—figuratively and literally. The cover actually has big bold yellow letters that scream “Dream Guy” right below Mario Maurer’s name, but it couldn’t fit our scanner and we had to crop! What’s inside? A feature on seven sporty couples (us being the least sporty, although we do try to be more so!) and lots of useful style and beauty tips to tide you through the Valentines season and beyond.
  
So head to your nearest bookstores now! Our moms have bought copies. And they bought lots. LOL but no seriously, check ‘em out :)
   
Special thanks: Gigi Yia of Sparkling, Grace Libero, Ekai Magtoto and Elisa Aquino of Meg, the editors of Preview and Stylebible, Nana Caragay and Sara Aunario of Chalk. Y’all are awesome.

Guess who just dyed their own hair ombré?

The term is a French word which means “gradiation” or “shade.” Instead of one color throughout, you’ve got a darker shade on top that gradually goes lighter down the tips, usually ending in blonde.

We didn’t find any salons that offered this, so we thought we’d do it ourselves.

We’re glad we did; not only were we able to save money, we were also able to pick up a few self-reminders from the experience.

Lesson 1: Stand on your own two feet. We’re firm believers that nobody is self-made; whatever form of success we currently enjoy, people along the way helped us get to where we are. However, being dependent on others is a different story. If you always need people to do certain things for you, what happens when they leave, turn their back on you, or worse, demand repayment and rub in your face all the good they’ve done when things go sour? Do things yourself. If it works, you’ll have leveled up and won’t have to drown in debts of gratitude. If it doesn’t, you’ll still have learned and have no one to blame.

Lesson 2: Dare to be different. Just because everybody’s doing this or wearing that or getting hooked with this app or going to that hip-happening place doesn’t make it imperative that you should, too. Au contraire. Dare to be a starter, not a follower—and dare to stand by your own choices and preferences.

Lesson 3: Experiment. Take risks. Whenever hesitation or fear strikes, ask yourself what’s the worst that can happen. What have you got to lose? Will it matter in the greater scheme of things? Will it matter three, five, ten years from now? And even if the answers to these are bleak, well, sometimes the best way we can truly learn and grow is through our mistakes and failures.

Lesson 4: Be yourself, always. In this day and age more than ever, this seems to be one of the simplest yet most challenging things to practice. With everyone so inevitably connected and perennially updated, it seems to have become so important to be who we are expected to be: edited, curated, censor-approved versions of ourselves, rather than who we are happy to be: just ourselves! How can we be true to other people if the person we see everyday in the mirror is fake?

On Shai: Forever21 embroidered dress, Parisian at SM Department Store booties, SM Accessories bangle, Fidelity necklace and rings. Hype on Lookbook here.

On Seph: Forever21 blazer, Topman shirt, Bench jeans, Aldo socks, Adidas shoes, SM Accessories necklace and wristband, Timex watch. Hype on Lookbook here.

   
…All this from three tubs of hair color. Who knew? Haha. Tutorial, anyone? Tell us what you think—use that Reply button on your Tumblr dashboard or leave a Disqus comment :) Hope y’all had a good start for the new year!

We often get questions about what Shai uses on her face on a daily basis. Some questions specifically ask for makeup brands, while others, skin care products. We’d like to answer more on the latter, since as much as possible, we like to keep artificials (makeup, cosmetic accessories, hair products, etc.) to a minimum.

In Shai’s case, the only beauty booty she regularly uses are Freshlook Colorblends (she’s nearsighted with a grade of 700), eyebrow filler, eyelash curler, volumizing mascara, and concealer (under the eyes, around the brows, and on the bridge and sides of the nose). She has no problems going out in public wearing absolutely nothing but moisturizer on her face, unless the day’s schedule calls for full makeup, like in this outtake from a photoshoot.

Not to say that there are days when she doesn’t feel insecure of her skin, days when blemishes appear. No amount of primer, foundation or BB cream can conceal blemishes and rough spots—the sad reality is, thick makeup actually emphasizes these. The real secret to looking nice in photos lies not so much in beautiful makeup, but in clear, smooth, blemish-free skin.

A recent discovery: Nivea Sparkling White day care cream and whitening cleansing foam. From a few weeks of use, it’s actually been doing what it says on the bottle, cleaning “deeper into pores to prevent acne and reveal fairer skin.” Plus, the foam smells and feels good to lather on the skin. Blemish-battling in a bottle, designed to keep skin looking photo-pretty, anytime!

Speaking of pretty, the Gondo Girls have some treats in store for you. Click on the picture, Like NIVEA Philippines on Facebook, and stay updated.

***

Giveaway Alert: Would you like your own pair of sparkling Freshlook contact lenses? Simply share a link to this post and tag us on Twit ter (@sephshai) and Facebook (@Love Chic) with this status: “http://tumblr.com/Zb7HPyB8StLj Love Chic’s Freshlook giveaway!” Ask your friends for support—most number of Likes and Retweets combined by the end of the month wins a pair of Freshlook Colorblends in Pure Hazel and a pair of Freshlook One-Day in Green, plus a pair of Freshlook One-Day in Pure Hazel for a friend of your choice (maybe the one that really helped you win? Haha). Perfect for the upcoming Holiday parties ahead!

An invite to try out Freyja Day and Nail Spa couldn’t have come at a better time: with everything so hectic at work, we both needed a quick relaxing break. And so we happily went. We were welcomed by a clean, invigorating scent and cozy interiors.

Freyja is the Norse goddess of love, beauty and war. Cool, huh? You’ve got to check out their Facebook page to see the many pampering services they offer for both guys and girls. We were both treated to Vana-goddess Whitening Hand and Foot Spa, plus Reflexology for Seph and Nail Art for Shai. But first…

Tacos! And Sola! How did they know we love munching on these?

Om nom nom

Time to take off those shoes (Adidas Porsche sneakers, Asian Vogue pumps) and wear these cutie booties!

The booties are snug and warm, and they vibrate to give your feet a massage. So awesome.

And then there’s this. Our feet have been thanking us all week.

Shai’s musical nail art in turquoise and pink. Neat, isn’t it?

This October we’re holding a ton of giveaways. Two Love Chic readers will be treated to a blissful “Mellow Me Out” package. Open to both guys and girls. You must be following us on Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook to join.

To join, reblog this post on Tumblr, share on Twitter (+ tag @sephshai and @FreyjaDaySpa) and Facebook (+ tag @Love Chic and @Freyja). You may leave a Disqus comment to let us know you’ve joined. We’ll be choosing winners via randomizer and announcing them on November 5. Yay!

***

UPDATE: We have a winner! See here.