Makeup Mecca

Hello girls!

Today, I was informed about a place that exists, which I could have sworn has appeared in my dreams...or at least daydreams. It is a place that basically screams the persona that Divanity intends to portray. It is a place that I refer to as Makeup Mecca - where makeup belongs.

Okay, on a less vague note, I'm actually speaking of the makeup styling studio in the home of our girlfriend and professional makeup artist, Ms. Cats del Rosario. Before I give you a peek, I have to emphasize on how I feel as if she jumped into my brain, walked through my dreams and thereafter produced a studio from them. But then again, I'm sure each and every one of you reading this will have the exact same sentiment.

Enough suspense. Take a look:


Are we swooning or what? Those reupholstered computer seats alone are beyond fab! The vanity mirror! The chandelier reflected in it! The crystal pitcher and sorbet cups! The plum-colored wall! I'm hyperventilating!

Inhale...exhale...

Alright, now to get the point out. I didn't post these images just to make all the Divanity readers green with jelly, but for the purpose of letting you know that any one of you can be styled in these gorgeous, girly quarters or that you can even rent out the space if you happen to be a makeup artist yourself.

Fyi freelance makeup artists, the going rates are Php250.00/hour for a chair and with an additional chair is Php400.00/hour, with a minimum of 2 hours. A small price to pay for a large amount of joy for your clients right? Just be sure to book in advance by contacting Cats at 0915-999-0954 or 0922-877-1671.

Admittedly, I am trying to hit two birds with one stone here: 1) to promote Cats' lovely studio (you are now well-equipped with knowledge on how to book the same) and 2) to remind readers about Divanity hair/makeup styling as well as glam photo shoots (rate cards can be sent to you via email, so just send us your addresses to 0917-804-9947). Of course, in the event that you would like to be styled by our team at the studio, booking of a chair/(s) will be c/o Divanity.

So there you have it makeup artists, models and aspiring models, talent agents, et al. Must you even think twice? Start booking the place that I hope will now run by it's Divanity-given name -- Makeup Mecca! Oh and the stylists, too. Ahem ahem.

Take care ladies.

Monique

Ondoy Relief/Homegrown Talents for our Homes

Hello dears!

I, along with the Divanity team, figured that we ought to let the dust settle after the terrible disaster known as Ondoy, before returning. The state of calamity, though, is still a very, very open wound with so many areas still flooded and many of our people left without homes. That being said, we felt it was important for us to let our readers know that we are constantly doing what we can to cushion the blow for victims by accepting donations. If you would like to donate via Divanity, do get in touch with us at 0917-804-9947 or email divanity_services@yahoo.com We also came to the realization that a lighthearted tone on our site would be what we do best -- create a quick escape from the madness in the world.

Before lightheartedness, I have to say that my heart really goes out to those that are now homeless. Homes, to me, is a very sensitive topic. The reason for this being that my hubby, son and I recently moved into our first independent home together. You would not believe the amount of time, effort and vision (ours is predominantly Modern Zen) we started putting into our residence even before we officially moved in. I actually zoned out on beauty and fashion, and focused solely on interior design, landscaping, and virtually anything related to homes. Despite having only lived in it for just under a month, I can already express the preciousness of having one that is your own. Reflections of yourself and family members, memories, and security are created soon after you settle in your house. Therefore, I can only imagine what it must feel like having your sanctuary taken away from you (whether old or new).

Now, while none of our teams' homes were seriously damaged by Ondoy, rebuilding of homes is on our minds. This is where the aforementioned lightheartedness comes in. For those capable, perhaps we can entertain you with a suggestion on what you can do for your home that will also benefit all our countrymen (apologies, but vanity struggles at being right with sensitivity)? Of course, you should do your best to patronize local designers and suppliers so that you can strengthen your own economy, rather than that of a foreign country.

So who is the homegrown talent that can start off the interior of or spruce up the interior of your homes? None other than one of our favorite fashionistas: Tina Maristela-Ocampo. Best known for bag brand, CELESTINA and recently, her basic black pieces for The Black Shop. Now considering this, we can already trust that whatever she designs has taste and class all the way. CELESTINA dawns the arms of Hollywood and NY Glitterati, while The Black Shop puts a very chic twist on LBDs and other wardrobe staples like shrugs, slacks, tees, etc. It has to be said that her fur capelets are to diiiie for (NOTE: A capelet is sort of a cross between a shrug and a scarf as it ties around your neck but covers your shoulders)!

Mrs. Ocampo's latest conquest is CELESTINA HOME; furniture that is very Filipino in it's architecture, but very contemporary in it's use of materials (pretty much the aesthetic she applies to her bags). I, myself, am a very big fan of mixing old with new whether it be in fashion or in interior design. I am yet to find more samples online, but I will soon scan the pictures of my favorite pieces - her ponyskin stool with wrought iron legs and tiger penshell tables and chairs, that were featured in Metro Society. However, I did find some of the graphic designs done for her brand as well as some of her smaller pieces.

Take a look:


Just to show you which types of pieces you can expect from Celestina Home



Beautiful alternative to storage space (and everyone that knows me, knows that I love designs that make use of prints -- especially camouflage!)



And then of course I had to show you some of my favorite Celestina bags (hehe):


Ah, woven silver. Swooon.


Gorgeous mosaic-type mirror clutch.

Shagreen clutch.


This looks like cobblestones, but I love it!



Alas, the piece de resistance! An obviously Balenciaga-inspired purse. I waaaaant.


So there we have it ladies. Again, in times like these, we must help one another out by means of relief movements as well as...lighthearted banter (my word, I have overused "lighthearted" in this post)!

Till next time, everyone keep safe and always live your life with Divanity!

"Divanity is not just styling, like a diamond is not just a stone"

Yours,

Monique

A Pink & Black Affair -- An Invitation from Divanity

Hello dears!

The Divanity team would like to invite you to attend a special Mary Kay PR event on Tuesday, September 22, 2009, 6-10:00pm at The Fort, McKinley Hill at the lovely Enderun Colleges campus (a chic glass building overlooking lovely greenery).

The event will serve as the perfect excuse to dress up and feel girly. We shall dress to impress in our cocktail dresses (keep it semi-formal though, not formal as it is playfully dubbed a "pink and black affair" as opposed to a "black and white affair"). There will be tons of food and pampering with Mary Kay make up and spa products so, of course, we had to share this endeavor with our wonderful readers.

If you are interested in attending, make sure to RSVP for guest list by mailing our girlfriend Ylana Harel of Nancy Harel & Associates (daughter & director of the PR agency) at inharel@hotmail.com or by texting her at 0916-213-9882. Give your full name and mention that you are a Divanity reader.

See ya ladies!



Map/Directions to venue (Enderun Colleges):

Note: If you are having trouble viewing the map, you can mail monique_abmp@yahoo.com and a jpeg image will be sent directly to your e-mail.

The Eyes Say it All

He hey hey ladies!

Just when you thought we gave you the buzz on absolutely every girly element possible...we now give you the 411 on something entirely different from anything we have posted on here or that you have read about on any other fashion/beauty blog - chic contact lenses! ;)

Now, honestly, I haven't been a contacts wearing gal myself. Basically, I have this really weird thing about anything going near my eyes. Exhibit A) I once had this terrible infection in my eye to the point where it was so red and swollen, but I still refused to use eye drops (you can liken this to the episode of Friends wherein Rachel had the same problem -- yes, I was THAT stubborn), and Exhibit B) I was doing a photo shoot for a magazine spread way back when and was required to wear contact lenses (with much hesitation and diva behavior *oops*) and only got said contacts in with the help of 3 frustrated stylists (1 to hold me down, 1 to hold my eyelids open and another to shove 'em in).

(blank)

Just waiting for the WHOA-CRAZY-GIRL thoughts to settle...

Okay, so despite all of that, I honestly think that this latest find can cure me of my fear of eye-touching (which leads me to the following brain-fart: what would the scientific name be - optimaphobia?!). Never have I seen such lovely, vibrant colors and designs that suit the Asian eye so well! So striking that I have to remind myself that I have willingly undergone so much pain for beauty. That being said, I will force these things in my eyes for the sake of vanity and so should you!

Run by and with products imported by our girlfriend Kate Orino, Glam.Rock.Pixie is an online boutique that captures trends and fetishes from Seoul, Tokyo & Hong Kong. At the moment, the main products are the special circle contact lenses designed to make eyes appear larger and more doll-like (ah to have doe eyes!).

Here are some of the looks that caught my eye (no pun intended -- you'll see types that simply compliment the eyes and some cool trends):


How cool is that? You can literally be the girl with stars in her eyes!



The new eye makeup. Lol.

Now I would really consider wearing these regularly, whereas the first two examples call for the right occasion and venue. Who wouldn't want to have Angelic eyes? Hmm...I wonder if I could pull off the green ones.


Make your eyes sparkle!


Just look at the difference. From blahh to ooh ahh.

Now, if you would like to order a pair (or 2 or 3), then take note of the following reminders:
-Be sure to place your orders by filling up an order form by September 22 so that you may receive them approx. 2 weeks from said date
-Prices range from Php720-880 (and only Php620 each if you purchase at least 2 pairs)
-You may add grades for FREE
-1-year life span for lenses
-Free shipping within Metro Manila plus free lens cases
and, of course
-The site url is http://www.glamrockpixieshop.multiply.com

So there you have it dears! The latest and most unique trend watches reported on your fave girly site. Yayeah!! =P Till next time, keep living your live with Divanity!

Monique

Make A Statement

Well...if I'm gonna make a comeback, then obviously I want to "make a statement". =P

It feels good to be back ladies and I have heaps to share with everyone. First off, I want to touch on the topic of statement shirts (I can just picture the light of recognition graced on your faces as you read this..."Ahhh!"). Now, when I say "statement shirts", this refers to tees that dawn quotes, artist names, or even iconic images. They don't necessarily have to have words on them and some words do NOT equate to making a statement. Basically, a brand name is not a statement, but a specific line under that brand is a statement (i.e. Dior is not the statement, but "J'Adore Dior" is). Comprendez?

See, in my opinion, wearing a statement shirt shows that you have a sense of pride and humor and that is always appealing.

Here are some of the statements shirts that you'd find in my closet:
Long Live The King.

Nope, I'm not a b-girl, but I'm a HUGE fan.

Well...this really speaks for itself.


And this is just adorable. =P



The eternal beauty icon.



Here are some statement shirts that I'm aiming to have in my closet:

My homegirl T showed me this. So creative, right?!
Fan for life.
Barack Obama may be becoming more unpopular these days, but that isn't the case with Mrs. Obama! Aside from being highly intelligent, spunky, and fashionable...her toned arms alone are iconic!



With respect to the fashionable concept, like with vintage tees, the whole point of statement shirts is to wear something that is really unique or to embrace a particular time. For those reasons, I like to do a lot of digging in boutiques and even online...emphasis on the word "digging", because it really is up to you on how original your search will be. Liken it to beat-makers digging in the crates - they share common knowledge about certain spots, but they also have their secret spots for fabulous finds. So in the spirit of Divanity-hood, I will mention a few places to get you started, but the rest is up to you. *wink, wink*

Of course, I like hitting up music sites like Okayplayer.com for artist/band and world tour shirts (obviously the best place to get world tour shirts, though, is by catching your fave concerts) plus one of my most prized tees of all time is my baby tee from the okayma* limited edition. Surprisingly, boutiques like American Blvd. (old school!) and Greyone Social have some really interesting pieces, but you have to be aware of how many people will get hold of a particular design.

And so my dears, that should suffice as start-up info...a few more tips and I'll be wrapping up this long-awaited new post:

1) Don't forget that with tees, you must keep in mind the types of cuts and your body type. Low v-necks don't look too nice on busty ladies, lengthier tees to shirt dresses hide love handles, and circumference and length of sleeves should be taken into consideration depending on skinny or meatier arms

2) If you really want to be unique, come up with your own designs and have them go thru silkscreen printing. I'm being told these days that when designing, it is better to use Adobe InDesign as opposed to Photoshop since images do not get pixelated when resized. Hey, it's not a bad idea to be a lil' Narcissistic and have a portrait of yourself done. You want to immortalize yourself while you're a hottie. Let's put it this way...I have a world tour tee from when I watched D'Angelo's concert during his Voodoo tour in 2001 and we all know he was a neosoul music God then. Fast forward to present day and he looks like Freeway of Roc-A-Fella Records! Oh dear Lord. So I try to erase the knowledge of what he looks like now and take the way-back machine to the 2001 D'Angelo. Have I made my point?!

AND lastly...

3) Being a hypocrite or a poser is not cute. Make a true statement. Don't rep a shirt that has nothing to do with your personality. Harsh, but I have your best interests at heart girls.

So there we have it, lovely ladies. I'm so glad you all waited patiently for updates and our team is completely thrilled at the prospect of booming activity on this site here on out. Keep checking back with us every few days!

Until next time, always remember to live your life with Divanity!

Monique