My Best Beautiful Self

As you all know, I am a very busy girl. Aside from blogging (which I do part-time,) I actually do have a job which requires me to be on the go on Weekdays and a slew of other activities combined with that. A lot of my work revolves around philanthropy and my own personal advocacy which is education. Doing this makes me really happy and fulfilled. However, after some time of juggling all my many different projects, I realized the importance of taking time off for oneself to de-stress and to relax. From the get go, I understood the importance of helping myself first before I can help out and be of service to other people. Mandy Hale once said that "It is not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself and to make your happiness a priority. It's necessary." This saying brings me back to my main point because I don't think it is possible or feasible for a person who can not help themselves to help other people. As they say, charity begins from oneself at some point, I think that we all need to realize that we need inner strength and peace before being able to give that to others. This is the reason why I make sure I take some time to refresh and of course, to take good care of myself, first and foremost.

Blockbuster Mesh Backless Ruched Swimsuit: Glitterati

Gold and Blue Necklace: Cultus ChiChi

Photos by: Celyn Jaravata

As you know, living in the city makes getaways a bit hard. But I don't think that should be an excuse to slack off giving oneself some down time. This is why I am glad that despite living in such a saturated city, I am able to have this place to retreat and get away from it all. If you have been reading my blog for some time, you must already know that water means instant relaxation to me and it helps to own my 2-bedroom condominium unit that gives me instant access to various amenities... one of them being a swimming pool...where I can just hang out, chill out and not think of anything else. While I don't really live in my condominium and prefer to live in my own house that I am moving away from soon as possible since I am building my personal home in another private village in Makati (construction is ongoing), I think it is nice to have a halfway condo unit that I can use just in case. I tried the entire condominium life a few years back but I find having the privacy of my own lot space more appealing. I think the maximum I've been able to hold out living here was about two months until I threw in the towel and moved back to the house and while my house does have a pool, I have always associated being in the condo to checking in a hotel, because I have solitude, the place all to myself and I can retreat completely to my own space without having to worry about anyone else. Also, the amenities are much better so I might as well take advantage of that right? While relaxing at one of our beach homes in Batangas seem like the best option, the weather and season isn't as cooperative. Also, my schedule can not currently afford the travel time and the days off so while I cannot bring myself to the beach... I can still definitely bring a semblance of the beach to myself. Being underwater, drifting and being afloat has such a relaxing effect on me that even the pool helps greatly. It clears my head and I completely zone out all the noise and the things that are causing me stress. An hour or two by the pool (if the beach is not even close to being an option) does wonders for me and it is simply amazing. I end up becoming revitalized, energized and recharged and all it takes is some hydration to somehow hit a reset and restart button. Now doesn't that spell out "water baby" for you?

 

In line with that, if you must know, one of the most important things I take care of and invest in is my skin. I have done the entire facial treatments, the weekly visit to the dermatologist, laser and UV-light because I think that it is vital to have healthy and close to flawless skin. Of course, that was all back then when I was in high school and college when I had all the time in the world to pamper myself to spa treatments etc. However, given I am older and have more responsibilities, I have less time to spare for that which is why I find that it is such a blessing that I have some products that are  available to me that give my skin the boost and extra help it needs. Just like water revitalizing my psyche, a product that I am using to give my skin a boost is Olay's AQUACTION™which works wonders for the water baby in me. 

You see, like the magical effects being around a body of water does to soothe myself, so too does this product as it provides long lasting hydration, intense nourishment and intense treatment to my skin after being exposed to so many things that can make my complexion dull and dehydrated. Like myself, I find that my skin ultimately needs instant hydration which is given by this line of products which I am ultimately obsessed with and cannot get enough of. I am happy that I was able to discover this new line from Olay because it has been a long time that I have been searching for something that is hydrating and at the same time, a perfect fit for my oily skin. Most moisturizers and creams that I have tested are usually oil-based which result to a build up of sebum on my skin and I end up looking oily rather than dewy...which is the overall look I am definitely trying to achieve. By trying out Olay AQUACTION™, I am able to experience excellent hydration that retains a dewy refreshed glow on my skin. Now since I do wear make up everyday, my favorite products are the Softening Sleeping Mask + Long Lasting Hydration gel which provides intensive hydration, locks in moisture and keeps the oiliness of my skin at bay that lasts day and night. I've never tried any product that has been able to provide that kind of hydration on my skin without causing clogged pores or an oily texture which is kind of a big deal for me. The plus side is that I can use it daily too. For times when I need intense nourishment, I am lucky enough that much like the much needed time off I take to sit by the pool, I can use the Olay AQUACTION™Intense Treatment Nourishing Hydration Mask which provides instant hydration, moisture and nutrients that I am in need of especially when my skin gets too dry or too dehydrated due to the many things I am exposed to that drain my skin off its vitality. The result? A healthy and refreshed glow. Like treating myself to a day off to the beach or the pool to relieve myself of stress, Olay AQUACTION™'s products manage to do the same to my skin and I end up looking refreshed and re-energized (almost like a take a vacation all the time).  Now isn't that just perfect? With Olay AQUACTION™, not only do I feel reinvigorated and revitalized from within (after my days off)... it also shows on my skin and my face as it definitely gives me that boost of moisture and hydration that I need. Now when I go and do my work, I am my best beautiful self...from the outside and within. Perfect for someone who always needs to have their best face forward at all times!

xx, JL