The Blessings in a Breakup

My last relationship was a failure. It was filled with anger, jealousy, lies, infidelity, and oh-so-much drama. I wasn't allowed to go out drinking, hang out with my friends or even go anywhere without asking permission first.

black shirt from Giordano / silver skirt from ASOS / black studded gladiator sandals from Zalora / Evenstar necklace from Fandom Trinkets / floral ring from Pandora

And even if I did, heck, most of the time, he'd say no anyway. So I lost touch with all of my friends, missed out on a lot of events and pretty much devoted all of my time to that little cheater.

And man, when I failed to reply to a text within a minute, he'd bombard me with angry texts or calls. Coz of One. Minute.

Why did I stay in the relationship? As I said, I lost touch with all of my friends and I felt like I had no one left but him.

Whenever I'd call someone or text someone to cry about my ex cheating on me or just being an asshole, in general, a friend would reply sometimes, but no one was really physically there to slap me back into my senses. As such, I stayed in the relationship for four months longer than I should have.

The breakup was a blessing, really. Yes, it hurt. Yes, it was full of hate and rage. But in the end, the best things happened.

I've been bonding with my friends again, all of which welcomed me back into their worlds with open arms as if I hadn't just ditched them all for a midget for almost a year. I've met and I've gotten close to so many new amazing people that I now cannot imagine my life without. And I've devoted more of my time to growing at work, as a family, and in spiritual and physical health.

Family is great. Money is good. Friendship is amazing. Lovelife has potential. I lost weight. I feel good. I couldn't ask for more.

So I guess the lesson here is not to be afraid of letting go when things aren't working out. If a job is stressing you out more than anything, resign. If a friend isn't treating you well, say goodbye. If a lover is disrespecting you, learn to let go.

Above all things, though, learn to forgive. Yes, I raged. Yes, I wanted to ruin lives. But after a while, I learned to let that rage go and forgive. I forgave him for doing me wrong and I forgave myself for having been so stupid to stick through all of the bullshit.

Eventually, all of the rage just floated into nothingness. It's true what they say about time healing all wounds. Also, focusing on the people who actually love and respect you will help you love and respect yourself - and that is the most important thing of all.

Snow Skin Whitening Products Will Help You Look Good and Smell Good

By now, you should know that I am a huge fan of Vida Nutriscience products. After all, MySlim helped me lose a ton of weight (will be blogging about that miracle again soon!) and Snow Caps has proven to give me a sort of 'glow' whenever I take them. Well, Snow Caps also happens to have sister products: the Snow Skin Whitening Cream and the Snow Skin Whitening Lotion, both of which are both pretty straightforward to use.

Snow Skin Whitening Cream

Snow Skin Whitening Lotion

For the Snow Skin Whitening Cream, simply apply a generous amount on your face after cleansing and toning. For the Snow Skin Whitening Lotion, simply apply it all over your body. Both products penetrate into the skin and target any uneven skin tones, particularly on the elbows, knees, nape and neck - so make sure you really put a lot of it all over your entire body!

Those particular parts aside, these products can also help reverse skin problems like dark spots, age spots, acne marks, old scars, uneven skin tone and melanoma.

I love how the packaging is so tight and well-protected! It had so much tape on it, I didn't worry about having gotten a bad product in any way.

The best part is that both of these products are all natural, which means they aren't chemically modified in any way. They also serve as great moisturisers and protect the skin cells against UV radiation. They also promote healing and reduce the discolouration of scars - something that someone as clumsy as me is really happy about.

And did I mention that they smell really good? Coz they do! In fact, I don't wear any perfume whenever I put on the lotion - it works as one on its own.

Now, did I get whiter from it? It's hard to tell because I'm under the sun a lot, but I use the lotion and the cream without the intentions of getting whiter anyway. I just love the smell and how soft they make me feel everyday - the whitening is just secondary. :) Will update you again if I ever spend a month without standing under the sun. :p (I'm a sun bum - I'm sorry!)

For more information, visit Snow Lotion's Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/snowskinwhite or follow them on Twitter at @SnowSkinWhite and Instagram at @SnowSkinWhite7 :)

Lipault: Making Travel Both Colorful and Fun

Who says your travel luggage has to be drab and unexciting? If you're all about adding pops of color into your life like I am, then you're going to love this new brand in the Philippines: Lipault. They've got colourful, fun lightweight and durable items that will ensure you never get tired of your travel gear.

Lipault was launched in 2005 by French designer Francois Lipovetsky and was acquired by Samsonite International in 2014. Now, this chic and youthful brand is known as the go-to luggage option that satisfies the trademark Parisian style: luxurious yet understated, fashionable yet functional. I absolutely love the patterns and colours of their items!

The best part is that they are super lightweight, so you won't feel bogged down when you're running around, yet are still durable enough to ensure that you can bring everything that you need. (They're made of durable nylon and vinyl fabric.)

Lipault is also thoughtfully designed to meet the dynamic lifestyle of savvy female travelers, whether it’s for a long-haul business flight, a family vacation to the beach, or a simple road trip to a weekend getaway. They have business and laptop bags, handbags and totes, and softside and hard side suitcases, all of which look smart and fresh.

Currently eyeing a few matchy-matchy items of my own for this year's travel escapades! :) Lipault is currently available at the J.S. Trunk & Co. store at The Podium Mall.

Help!!! Where Can I Buy Good Workout Clothes?

If you follow me on social media, you should know that I started working out again this month. I stopped taking MySlim after reaching a size 2 in my clothes and to ensure I keep fit the healthy way, I've been trying best to go to a pole dancing class at Chrome Divas once a week, go to the Kettlebellista gym once a week, and do yoga once a week.

Unfortunately, since I lost a ton of weight, I have had trouble finding workout clothes in my closet that actually still fit me.

That's me on the right!

I found some awesome new sports bras and cycling shorts at a department store recently, which are perfect for yoga and for pole dancing, but since I go to Kettlebellista with my guy friends, I don't wanna strut around there in a sports bra and cycling shorts. For this, I like getting casual tees from Crimson to complete any look. :)

However, I'm still not satisfied. After all, who can ever get enough of good workout clothes? Do you have any suggestions on where I can get some good, comfy, lightweight tees and affordable yoga pants? :)

Toblerone: Spread the Love with Chocolate This Valentine's Day

Still don't know what to get your loved ones this Valentine's Day? I don't know about you, but I like spreading the love to as many people as possible during Valentine's Day. In high school, I even made it a point to make sure that all of my classmates received chocolates from me. :)

If you plan on surprising a handful of people on this special day, as well, then you can never go wrong with chocolates. To make sure they still feel special even though chocolates are available all year round, why not opt for a limited edition red metallic sleeve from Toblerone? The best part? You can even win cool prizes with each sleeve purchase.

Yes. This Valentine’s Day, the best shape is definitely a Swiss triangle. I mean, think about it, guys: who doesn't love Toblerone?

I have personally been in love with Toblerone since I was a kid in Germany. Unlike other chocolates out there, it has this extraordinary taste of premium high-quality chocolate - you know what I mean? Plus, it has honey and nougat in it, adding to the unique richness of it all. It's no wonder why people of all ages love the stuff!

Not only can you hand these out to your slew of loved ones, you can also add them onto whatever other romantic surprise you might have in store for your significant other on Hearts Day. Take your enchanting dedications and fancy dates to the next level only by adding some Toblerone to the mix.

As for the exciting prizes I mentioned earlier, simply visit any of Toblerone’s 75 mall hubs nationwide and you could get a chance to win the most luxurious present you can give to your loved ones, including an all-expense paid romantic date in Switzerland.

#GiveTheBestLove with Swiss-made Toblerone.

Love Toblerone as much as I do? Then visit them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/tobleronepilipinas and follow them on Twitter and Instagram: @toblerone_ph :)

Authority Hoodie: Feel Like a Superhero Everyday

Authority Hoodie: Feel Like a Superhero Everyday

You know how Superman vanishes into a phone booth to change into his Superman suit or how Spiderman sometimes rips off his clothes to change into his Spidey costume? I've always wished that could be possible in real life, if only just to make my superhero dreams feel more real every now and then. (Yes, I have legit superhero dreams.) Unfortunately, I look chunky in layers and it is simply far too hot in Manila to wear a shirt underneath your clothes.

So I found the next best thing: superhero "costumes" that you can wear on top of your clothes instead of underneath them. In other words, these are the "costumes" that you can wear in the cinemas, in cold malls and in colder countries: hoodies from Authority Hoodie.

Face it: a hoodie isn't as awkward as wearing double layers and you can just carry the hoodies around, keep them in your bag or, for fellow 90s kids, tie them around your waist when not in use.

Even if you aren't as intensely geeky as I am, Authority Hoodie's hoodies are pretty cool to have and wear. Plus, if you ever have any last-minute costume parties to attend (especially during Halloween), you can just put one of these on and get away with it. :p It would be best if your entire barkada had one.

Naturally, I got the Wonder Woman one. Actually, I got the Wonder Woman one and the Harley Quinn one, but I feel like you might not take me seriously anymore if I post one of me in a Harley Quinn hoodie coz I've always been Wonder Woman. :p

For those of you wondering, these photos are pretty old. I didn't gain weight again. :p

Super loving the details! <3

If you want one of your own, then you're in luck. I'm actually giving away an Authority Hoodie Wonder Woman hoodie right here on my blog! :) All you have to do is fill up this Rafflecopter form! Good luck! :D

a Rafflecopter giveaway