Hairography

I think a girl’s obsession with hair begins even before we hear “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your golden hair!” Early on, we were taught that girls had long hair and boys had short hair. Of course, these days, anything goes...My 10-year old nephew is rocking long hair and one of my BFFs has the cutest pixie cut she’d be a shoo-in for Alice Cullen (Sorry, Ashley Greene).

You can ask my sister and she’ll tell you with her trademark brutal honesty that I have struggled with my hair. As little girls, we had the same straight, fine apple cuts. But somehow in our tweens (Yes, it’s no longer called pre-teens!) she grew long, soft, black hair and my brown version went amok. I still cannot pinpoint the culprit though - Was it too much Aquanet or was it that disastrous layered look I attempted at 12 (Think poodle)? So to hide my frustration, I kept my hair in a ponytail (Goody: A Girl’s Best Friend) or chin length. As Jen's, Posh's, and Katie’s manes were copied in salons all over the world, I sadly kept my hair the way it was, but silently vowing that one day I, too, would finally know what the term “crowning glory” really means.

It’s taken me more than a decade of weekly hair treatments (Irma), hair cuts every 2 months (now it’s Philippe or Tom), color maybe twice a year (Dave), and a gazillion bottles of Kerastase, but I think I’ve finally come to terms with my hair. I knew I finally got it when kneeling down in prayer at our NYC parish of St. John’s, two elderly women tapped me on the shoulder and said “You have such beautiful hair...” All of a sudden I was Jessica Simpson with Ken Paves as a BFF. Of course, that was a really good hair day and I'm far from my ultimate goal - Gisele's big, bouncy waves - but let's just say that was the highlight of my (hair's) career.

Just so you know that you're not alone in your search for the perfect hairstyle, I gathered some of my bestest chicas to share some of their hair secrets...And to make it more fun, I went to InStyle's Hollywood Hair Virtual Makeover to give us a look at what we'd actually look like with our dream 'dos. All you have to do is upload your pic and you can choose from a variety of celeb styles. You'll never have to make that mistake of getting the wrong cut, we all know about the dreaded "growing it out" period. Enjoy!

KIT

I have thick, wavy hair. I shampoo and condition my hair everyday or every other day (depending on daily activity). 

My favorite products are:
1. Kerastase Bain de Force shampoo.
2. Kiehl's Leave-In Conditioner I use this when I style my hair with
3. Bespoke Labs T3 Wet-to-Dry Ceramic Flat Iron and finish with
4. Kerastase Nacre Nutri Sculpt

If I could have Eva Longoria's or Kim Kardashian's hair I would die happy :)

* Supermom Kit with a black-colored version of Eva Longoria's mane.

LEXI

I too have really thick hair--both in terms of single strands and overall volume. And my hair's WAVINESS doesn't help the cause either!

To keep it manageable, I have my hair short to avoid looking like a lioness. I try not to shampoo and condition every day as apparently it's not too good for your hair...and when it's too hot and I have to wet my hair on a non-shampoo day, I put a tiny amount of conditioner.

Also, I try to do a hair treatment in the salon every quarter to regulate my hair and scalp....as I color my hair at least three times a year.
 

Since I love experimenting with color and never get to have my hair long, I always wondered what I'd look like with:

a) Gwen Stefani's PLATINUM BLOND hair!! (my ultimate dream!)

b) Demi Moore or Jordana Brewster's mega straight, long, BLACK locks

c) Marcia Cross (or Brie Van de Camp's) perfect RED hair
...as nobody in this country knows how to mix the right shade of RED (or brown, for that matter)

* Since I couldn't find a Marcia Cross, I gave Lexita Mad Men's Christina Hendricks' red and her dream platinum blond.

LORENA

My hair has always been fine and straight, and in the past, oily. I only use shampoo since conditioner will weigh it down. Not much styling products for me, sometimes I use my secret rollers (hehe) and blow dry it, but most of the time I air dry it using the fan (my hair gets oilier due to blow dry heat).
 

Whose hair would I want? I love Drew Barrymore's 60s 'do when it was all teased and parang she just got out of bed. Blake Lively's curls are also so warm and pretty, Sandra Bullock's hair during the Oscars, Jennifer Aniston's hair (always pretty) and Carrie Underwood's hair (parang Barbie).

* For my Bru who has always had short hair, I gave her Jen's uber fab updo in black.

RORIE

I have mondo thick and wavy hair—enough to make three wigs! I shampoo and condition every other day (Pureology is THE best) and I try to do a Kerastase deep conditioning/repair treatment once a month. Stopped using styling aids as they sometimes make me break out.

I would love to have tousled, French-chic hair a la Eva Green. I've also been dying to go short and when I'm brave enough, I'm going to sport a Carey Mulligan 'do!

                                              

* Now the always chic bride-to-be knows what she'll look like with Carey M's pixie. 

STEFF

I have fine black, curly, yucky hair that I have re-bonded every once in a while...otherwise, I'm a walking humidity radar.

Hair products I like are:
1. Kiehl's Leave-In Conditioner
2. Kerastase Oleo Relax Masque

Products I'm dying to try are:
1. Kerastase Bain Bio-Recharge Shampoo
2. Kerastase Bain Clarifiant
3. Kerastase Bain Divalent

I would love to have hair like:

1. Sofia Vergara
2. Charlize Theron

* Steffi gets her brunette version of Charlize and her daughters' choice of their idol - Taylor Swift.

VICKY

I’m an absolute Kerastase fanatic. Tony & Guy has this “shine zone spray” that keeps your hair super shiny with just 2 sprays. Aside from Kerastase, seriously swear by Goldwellmoisture definition treatment intense products, specially their “” which is like an instant hot oil treatment for 5 minutes in the shower. 

Celebrity hair? Hmm have to say I like Penelope Cruz's, Giselle Bundchen’s, Kim Kardashian’s and Leighton Meester’s hair. Angelina I love only because she is my love. Hahaha!

* Fab V as a lighter-haired Penelope Cruz. 

As for me, I'm keeping my hair long, but in my dreams, I have Katie Holmes' hair.

 EXTRA HAIR TIPS FROM VICKY:

Want instant highlights? Put lemon juice on some strands of your hair while you’re under the sun.
 
For reddish highlights, use cranberry juice spritzed on your hair while under the sun.

Want to lighten your hair? Chamomile tea after shampooing.

Parlor made you too much of a blondie? Make a paste using coffee and warm water. When pasty and cool enough, spread all over your hair using a paintbrush (like the one they use for dyeing your hair) and leave for 15 minutes.
 
Super dry hair? After you shampoo put honey all over your hair and wrap with saran wrap (it seriously rinses out quickly and won’t make your hair sticky at all).
 
Dandruff? Soak cotton ball with apple cider and rub on your scalp, leave for 15 minutes and shampoo off.

So a special GRACIAS to Kungs, Pwet, Bru, Mama, Ats and V for indulging me yet again. I ♥ My Girls!!! - KAB

On Kids & Money

My five-year old son asked me for a toy he saw his older brother was looking at on a website. When I explained to him that it was newly launched and not available in the country yet, he answered with, “We can just order it on-line and have it shipped, Ma!”
 

At the mall when I told my barely-three-year old son that I didn’t have the money to buy a toy he wanted, he replied, “Just use your card, Mommy!” Never has it been more evident that my children are growing up in a world far from the one I knew as a child.
 

With the current situation of the world economy, none of us want our children to grow up to be misers or lavish spenders and money burners. But in this day and age where children are bombarded and exposed to all sorts of consumerism from television and the World Wide Web, it’s increasingly hard for parents to teach kids the value of saving money and spending wisely, the difference between a mere want from a real need.
 

I read “the greatest influence on a child’s spending behavior is what their parents do with and say about money in the real world”. Teach Your Kids to Spend Wisely While I have been firm and more-often-than-not successful with only buying toys for special occasions, my sons have seen firsthand that MOMMY orders some of her beauty products on-line and uses her credit cards to make purchases. No surprise there – monkey see, monkey do. I suppose I have only myself to blame for my children being familiar with on-line shopping and credit card spending.
 

The previous link has some really simple tips on how to teach kids the value of money. I don’t want to tell any parent just how to do that, but it’s important for us to keep in mind that no matter how young our children are, it is never too early to lay the foundations for the kind of relationship they'll eventually have with money through our own spending and saving habits. - KGG

Summer lovin'

In the middle of what feels like Manila's hottest summer, here are some of the things that are helping us keep our cool. As the song goes, "...summer days driftin' away, to uh-oh those summer nights..."

 

Jenny

My Dream Getaway is: Dheva Spa and Wellness Centre’s 7 day Wellness Retreat (Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai, Thailand (Photo from mandarinoriental.com)

 

 ...But I’ll be happy to go on a Wellness Retreat at The Farm (San Benito, Batangas)

My Summer Reads are: Becoming Vegetarian and The Kind Diet (Photo from amazon.com)

My Summer Playlist: Harana and Little Women original cast recordings

My 5 Summer Must-Haves are: Sunblock, bottle of water, hand towel, umbrella, and hand fan

The one thing I will buy before the summer ends: Not buy, but try...Ultrasound and RF treatments

Rorie

My Dream Getaway is: Positano (Photo from traveleurope.it)

 ...But I will settle for my province (La Union!)

My Summer Read is: Eat Pray Love (Finally!)

My Summer Playlist: Gaga over Lady Gaga

My 5 Summer Must-Haves are: Ginormous shades, tinted lip balm, sunblock, chic tunic and umbrella (Photo from popsugar.com)

The one thing I will buy before the summer ends: Anniversary gift for the geekster hubby (i.e. another gadget!)

Karisia
 
My Dream Getaway is: Andronis in Santorini (Photo from book-santorini-hotels.com)

...But I will settle for Shangri-la Bora

 
My Summer Reads are: The Five-Forty-Five to Cannes (T.U.Holthe), Like the Flowing River (P.Coelho) and Skinny Bitch in the Kitch
 
My Summer Playlist: A mix of Matt Nathanson, Taylor Swift, The Black Eyed Peas and Lady Gaga
 
My 5 Summer Must-Haves are: Zara denim shorts, Ray-Ban aviators, my hot pink Nano, sunblock and Aldo wedges (I love being 3 inches taller!)

The one thing I will buy before the summer ends: Nike running shoes and Nike + iPod Sport Kit

Kit
 
My Dream Getaway is: Greece (Photo from smashingmagazine.com)

...But I will settle for Bellaroca

 
My Summer Read is: Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina
 
My Summer Playlist: The Temper Trap and Snow Patrol on shuffle forever!
 
My 6 Summer Must-Haves are: Sunblock, Clean & Clear blotting papers (because my face produces so much oil in this heat!), Keihl’s lip balm with SPF, Creed’s Silver Mountain Water, Tom Ford’s Whitney shades in Graphite, dresses (lots of summery dresses! It’s too hot to wear pants!)
 
The one thing I will buy before the summer ends: A bikini! Hahahaha!!!!! (Photo from zimbio.com)

 

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Did you know that only one holiday actually keeps florists busier than Valentine's Day? And unless you've been stuck in a remote island a la Tom Hanks in Cast Away, you'd know that I'm talking about Mother's Day. And yes, it's THIS Sunday, Peeps. (Remember, Mother's Day is on the 2nd Sunday of May and Father's Day is on the 3rd Sunday of June...ALWAYS.)

So what do you give a woman who has everything? 1. I know your first instinct will be to pick-up the phone and order some flowers. Of course she'll love them, I truly believe ALL women love receiving flowers no matter what they say. (Mabolo) 2. If you know Mother Darling's favorite scents, which you really should know by now, you can pick up a bottle of perfume, beauty products or candles. 3. Or you can go the hobby route - book lover (Check out The NY Times Best Sellers), entertainment junkie (CDs and movies), or domestic diva (kitchen gadgets or gardening tools). 4. Then again, a pampering session at a spa (The Spa) will always be appreciated. 


But what if you want to try something different this year? A Mother's Day Brunch could be just 2 notches harder than ordering take-out. Who knows, this may inspire you to bring out your inner Giada or Ina.

Grocery List: (Most of the things here you probably already have in your kitchen)

1. FOJ (That's how we now call fresh orange juice according to my slow-cooking amiga, you know who you are...)
2. champagne or other sparkling wine
3. coffee or hot chocolate
4. pancake mix
5. Sprite
6. eggs
7. bread (preferably of the loaf variety)
8. fancy cheese
9. fruits

Let this be your inspiration: Once again, we call on Martha...Recipe: Martha's Mother's Day Breakfast
What to do with the heart-shaped bread? Fancy grilled cheese! Lay out thin slices of your preferred cheese (make sure you don't fill it up all the way to the sides as the cheese will melt and spread) on the bread and cover it up with another slice to make a sandwich. Heat it in a pan on low heat and flip once golden brown, around 3 to 4 minutes per side. Need filling ideas? A combo of emmental and cambozola, mozzarella and basil, or gruyere and your fave jam. (Photo from marthastewart.com)

So yes, it can be a surprise breakfast in bed or a mini family reunion, you pick. Just make sure there's enough food for everybody. You can even do a potluck with the rest of the family.

Have chilled and sliced fresh fruits in a bowl. Hot chocolate and coffee in a tray. Ice-cold FOJ in a pitcher. If you have sparkling wine, instant mimosa!!! (1 part FOJ + 1 part sparkly = easy peasy!)

Kids coming over? Treat them to pancakes! Instant pancake mix takes on a whole new level of fluffiness if you just switch the milk with Sprite. (I actually haven't tried this yet, but my friend, Monsieur Stone, swears by this...so let's blame it on him if you're not happy with the results.) Have some fun by adding chocolate chips to the batter and serve it with peanut butter and Nutella, alongside the butter and syrup, of course. 

It's all so simple. Give it a try, you may be surprised at how much fun you'll have. Most of all, your Mom will feel extra special. And doesn't she deserve that? So to Mommies everywhere, Happy Mother's Day! I'm proud to be a Mama's Girl. I ♥ ♥ ♥ My Mumsy!!! - KAB