Calyxta Turns 1: One year and counting of making women more beautiful!

Women had something to be happy about as  Calytxa turns one. Calyxta is a well-known on-and-off-line authority on aspirational yet attainable beauty. Stemmed from its Greek etymological meaning, Kallisto [“she is beautiful.”] In line with the celebration of their first anniversary, they invited women for an afternoon of pampering, beauty treats and “me-time" at the posh pool area of the Makati Diamond Residences.

Some of Calyxta's products as shown online.

Lenovo Holiday Gift Guide 2015

Press release: Holiday gifting is made easier and more joyful with the cutting-edge multifunction device offerings from Lenovo Philippines. Designed for ultimate portability, optimal entertainment, and premium performance, these devices will give the gift recipient a great head start for a fun and organized New Year!

Nickelodeon's Sharelebration 2015

Attention all Nicksters: Nickelodeon, your favorite kiddie channel invites everyone to Nickelodeon’s annual pro-social event this Saturday, dubbed as Sharelebration 2015, at Robinsons Place Manila, they’re asking kids to donate new or pre-loved toys for the Philippine Toy Library  to help build play corners in underprivileged areas in the city. In exchange for their donation, kids get to enter the gigantic Nickelodeon Box of Goodies and get to bring home a gift for themselves.

So save the date mommies, December 12, from 11:00-6:00PM at the Robinsons Place Manila. This is a great way to teach your kids the value of sharing and giving at Nickelodeon's Sharelebration event. 

Cook Magazine's 5th Holiday Bash

Cook Magazine recently held its 5^th annual holiday bash at the Houze Manila of Remington Hotel in Newport City, Resorts World Manila as a way of thanking their advertisers for their unending support. Guests had the chance to have endless chitchat, mingle, enjoyed the overflowing  food and drinks and practically be merry. The party had Disco Fever as its theme, so guests came in afro hair, cool funky clothes and whatnot. The said event was made possible to recognize the 2015 Top Advertisers, without whom Cook Magazine wouldn’t be where it is now, as the Philippines’ longest running monthly food publication. 

Cook Magazine, in celebration of its 15^th year of publication, continues to look for ways to involve our readers and evolve into a more complete experience. While sharing recipes and food finds through articles and pictures are what we’ve been doing for over a decade, we’d like to bring the reader closer to the action and actually take them along in our journeys of food discovery. 

First impressions: Unboxing Lenovo A6000 Plus gadget review

Earlier last week, I had my intention to give Lenovo A6000 Plus a fair and unbiased look before it comes out of the market starting tomorrow, December 9, 2015 at exactly 12 noon, exclusively at Lazada. I’ve a set of questions and requirements that a smartphone would have to meet in order to meet my needs. I wondered if Lenovo’s latest phone Lenovo A6000 could stand up in comparison to my previous phones and can meet my requirements.

I’ve just unboxed Lenovo A6000 Plus. Here are my first impressions, coming mostly from the process of unboxing the thing. Lenovo A6000 Plus actually targets multimedia and music lovers and offers a good size display, resolution and audio performance for its price range. It features an HD IPS display with ultra-wide 178 degree viewing angle, Snapdragon quad core processor and twin speakers with Dolby Digital Plus audio to boot.

Heads up! Gary V on Novuhair: putting energy into prevention

Nothing describes Gary Valenciano quite like his moniker “Mr. Pure Energy,” He is the very image of youthful vibrance, whether onstage or not. That’s why it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he values the way he looks the same way that he values the core of who he is: a prayerful, faithful husband, dependable father, and an outstanding entertainer. 

Part of what makes Gary stay young looking is his head of hair. What many people don’t know is that, like all other men his age, Gary once worried about hair thinning and hair loss. That’s why, at the first signs of the problem, Gary sought to find ways to prevent it from becoming worse. 

                           

“I first noticed the hair loss in the shower, after I toweled my hair dry. Then one day, my team of hairstylists noticed that my hair was thinning, too. That’s when they told me to look for the product that Fanny Serrano was using, a product called NOVUHAIR,” remarked Gary on his journey to regaining control over his hair loss.

Korea's Banila Co Makeup arrives on the Philippine shore

Korea’s influence over our cosmetics industry has gained considerable momentum through the years — and it promises to grow even bigger. The first wave of the Korean cosmetics invasion brought to the Philippines a plethora of Korean cosmetics brands that focuses mainly on skincare.  The Philippines however, stands as the only country in South East Asia where makeup outsells skincare.  With the Korean makeup trends that we now have it is but fitting to welcome Korea’s Banila Co on the Philippine shore. 

5 Reasons To Make Every Day A “D” Day

For folks who live right by the sun-drenched equator, it’s ironic that Filipinos are largely Vitamin D deficient. Local research shows that 7 out of 10 Filipinos are low on this vital nutrient[1]. Considering that Vitamin D is absorbed by the body through the sun, one would think that Filipinos are “over-sunned.” “But, inadequate sun exposure is extremely prevalent in the Philippines—surprised?” posed Dr. Stan Chua, a Functional Medicine Practitioner trained in the Institute for Functional Medicine, Washington DC, USA, and Health Optimization Medicine Consultant in the BioBalance Institute.

We need to level up on the “D.” Here are top 6 reasons why we should consciously make every day a (Vitamin) D day:

Scholastic Big Christmas Warehouse Sale

Scholastic Christmas warehouse will be having a sale from November 27 to December 23, 2015 from 9am-6pm daily. Take advantage of the wide selection of picture books, fiction and nonfiction books, popular series, references, inspirational, arts and crafts, teacher’s resources and audio books with discount of up to 80%. Come early as the place gets really packed but it guarantees great titles for both adult and kiddie books. It's a must-visit for all bibliophiles and bookworms. 

Tutuban Center honors Gat Andres Bonifacio on his 152nd birthday

Tutuban Center honored one of the country’s most recognized heroes, Gat Andres Bonifacio, via a solemn wreath-laying ceremony held today at the Bonifacio marker site fronting Tutuban’s main building to commemorate the celebrated hero. (From L-R) Engr. Ted Mosquito, AVP for Safety & Compliance, Tutuban Properties, Inc.; Sylvia Tecson, VP for Leasing & Marketing, Tutuban Properties, Inc.; Carminda Arevalo, Deputy Executive Director for Administration, National Historical Commission of the Philippines and Obet Asilo, Councilor of 1^st District of Manila. 

Domex Blog Giveaway Winners

Hello everyone! I know I’ve promised to announce the winners for my Domex Blog giveaway. And I’ve chosen the lucky winners randomly on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram who tagged us and were following Purple Plum Fairy. Congratulations to all the winners! You will be receiving a message from me soon with details on how you could claim your prizes. Thank you to everyone who joined our giveaway. Rest assured, there will be more giveaways in the future. 

And the winners are: 

Feel young again with Premium HyC150 and Ginger Black Tea

Wouldn’t you just love to wake up and feel young again? Ageing can be such a scary process for many people, especially those who value health and beauty. The youthful glow that was once there becomes just a memory and a thing of the past that cannot happen again.  But is it really impossible to turn back the hands of time and regain that feeling?

Fret not because now you can have that youthful feeling again with Premium HyC150, a supplemental drink that contains ingredients that moisturize the skin, protect the body from harmful toxins and help prevent cell damage.

TYPE KITA 3 PASS ON THE PASSION: A Typography Workshop + Exhibit plus more!

On December 12 and 13, type lovers and lettering enthusiasts will be in for a treat! The team behind Type Kita will be holding the 3^rd installment of their annual typography exhibit! The previous Type Kita exhibits offered visitors with an incredible showcase of local typographic art pieces, on-the-spot workshops by some of the country’s well-known hand-letterers and calligraphers, and for the bargain hunters, a slew of handmade crafts and printed goods from local entrepreneurs.

The 3^rd Type Kita exhibit promises to be even bigger than before, with over 60 participating exhibitors and artists sharing their talent for this event-for-a-cause.

Set during the holiday season, the Type Kita Exhibit will serve as a big Christmas gathering for type enthusiasts around the metro! With live art, demos, art trade and gift giving activities, it’s the perfect holiday feast for type lovers!

COUNTRY MUSIC SUPERSTAR BLAKE SHELTON TO HOST "NICKELODEON’S 2016 KIDS’ CHOICE AWARDS," AIRING IN ASIA ON 14 MARCH 2016

Country music superstar and coach on the Emmy winning NBC’s The Voice, Blake Shelton, will host Nickelodeon’s 2016 Kids’ Choice Awards, airing in Asia on 14 March 2016. Super-sized surprises will take over this year’s Kids’ Choice Awards honouring favourites from the worlds of film, music, and television, and giving kids a front-row seat to slime, stunts and celebrities. The show will be seen by kids around the globe on Nickelodeon channels in 180+ countries and territories. Additional Kids’ Choice Awards news will be announced in the coming months.

Said Shelton of his hosting duties: “I’ve been on countless stages throughout my life, but none have promised the madness, excitement and endless slime as Nick’s Kids’ Choice Awards, which is undoubtedly the ultimate party for kids. There is only one team here, and it’s Team Kids Choice so bring it on Nickelodeon!”

Make way for Starmobile Knight Spectra with its awesome dual rear camera

We must’ve seen a lot of great smartphones lately. And each time one brand launches its mobile model, we’d always get the same reaction: Some “ooohs” and “aaahs” here and there. And Starmobile Knight Spectra is one smartphone that truly sends such reaction. Why is that so? Well, it’s got such awesome features that’ll definitely make you want to have them. Let me give you five reason why Starmobile Knight Spectra is a top smartphone choice:

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        The Starmobile Knight Spectra has LTE capability that allows high-speed internet wherever LTE is available.

·         With its 5.5 inch full HD AMOLED screen display and it’s slim and sleek making it simple  yet elegant in style.

·         It has a built-in digital TV tuner

·         It has 64-bit Octacore with 3 GB RAM

·       And best of all, it has an innovative way of taking pictures with its dual rear camera. One camera has 2MP while the other has 13MP. Starmobile Knight Spectra is the only mobile phone to date that has 2 rear cameras with DSLR capabilities. 

Nowadays, when people are so much into posting and sharing videos and photos on different social media platforms, Starmobile Knight Spectra makes it easier for you to celebrate life’s milestones and unforgettable moments. It is after all the most advanced Filipino cameraphone specifically made with shutterbug enthusiasts in mind. The Knight Spectra is just what you need to ante up your share-worthy Instagram pics.

Five Best Features of Lenovo VIBE P1

Many great smartphones were released this year. Among them is the new Lenovo Vibe P1. Here are the four top reasons why we think the Lenovo Vibe P1 should be part of your Christmas shopping list:

1. Lenovo Vibe P1 was designed to look at its best in class design and build quality. It is slim and sleek with a simple yet elegant look. The large 5.5-inch display fills the front panel. Watching video becomes more enjoyable because of the high-definition screen. The VIBE P1 is available in Platinum and Graphite Grey.

2. It has a long battery life. The P1 is equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery. This is a rating bigger than most power banks, which usually have less than 4,000 mAh of battery juice. Having a powerbank-level battery doesn’t just mean you can enjoy hours and hours of gaming enjoyment, YouTube viewing and online productivity, it also means you can charge other devices/phones. You can have more than power for your own use and even get to share it with others. On the left side of the Vibe P1 is a manual power saver switch. Upon turning this switch position, you will immediately see the number of hours you have left on the phone. Charging the Vibe P1 is a breeze because of its rocket charge feature. It has a 24-watt charging capability so that an hour’s charge will get you through the day and four hours of charging will get you through 2 days to a week (depending on usage) of brownout episodes. Of particular interest to me, as a user, is OTG or on-the-go charging. OTG or on-the-go technology has been around since 2001. It simply means OTG allows you to connect your phone to other phones, printers and other peripherals (such as a mobile phone to a keyboard and mouse) without the need for a PC. OTG technology was developed by engineers because of the growing trend of business and productivity tools beginning to move away from the PC. The Vibe P1 allows you to charge your other devices, such as bluetooth headsets and even other phones using a special adapter, included in the box when you purchase the Vibe P1.

View Park Hotel Tagaytay Review: The perfect getaway + staycation surprise

When you’ve been traveling for quite some time now, you develop a certain skeptical attitude towards hotels and other destinations—because let’s admit it, too often they may not look as good as they are in the pictures or brochures. But surprisingly, that’s not the case with View Park Hotel in Tagaytay. In fact, it’s but only fitting that I give a review of the said chic hotel because they had actually exceeded beyond my expectations both in service and with the look of the hotel. 

Located on Calamba Road, Sungay East in Tagaytay City, any weary traveler won’t miss its green sign because it is strategically located just right across one of Tagaytay’s favorite family destinations, The Picnic Grove. It’s also a few blocks away from Our Lady of Manaoag Church and The Development Association of the Philippines. Finding View Park gives the weary traveler a home away from home. What made me say so? Well, you are being greeted with a warm smile by any of their staff each time they meet you while you’re in the hotel vicinity. And mind you, the staff is genuinely nice and not some put on unlike other hotel staff I’ve previously met before whose smiles quickly disappear and makes you feel like those smiles are like shovels left in the rain.

Teqube: Responding to Filipinos’ Digital Needs

Teqube, a subsidiary of the Tao Group of Companies, continues to find ways to reach consumers and present offerings to answer their digital requirements. Housing leading handset brands like Lenovo, Nokia, LG, and even offers cellphone accessories, Teqube recently launched its concept store and the first gadget store in the country that offers devices and accessories based on consumers’ lifestyle.

Support the # 1M CleanToilets Movement + Win Gift Packs from Domex!

Domex, the germ kill expert continues to lead the fight against diseases due to unsanitary toilets through its 1M Clean Toilets Movement. This advocacy program by Unilever Philippines through its germ-killing expert brand is already on its third year. Now, Purple Plum Fairy together with Domex and Unilever Philippines in celebration of its 1M Clean Toilets Movement will be giving away 10 Domex gift packs. Yes, we've got Domex gift packs giveaway on World Toilet Day, happening on Friday, November 13. 

Experience the Magical World of Disney at SM City North Edsa

SM City North Edsa ushers in the holiday season with the magical world of Disney for their annual festive Christmas treat to loyal mall-goers. A truly magical experience can be seen and felt with awesome Disney-inspired Christmas adornments and decorations that’ll surely be enjoyed by the kids and those kids-at-heart.

There’s the Disney Christmas Village at the Block Atrium. Enter a magical town with well-loved characters that Disney is known for such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Pluto! There are huge git boxes, colourful Christmas garlands and a 24-feet high Christmas Tree at the center atrium that will surely make you in the mood for shopping for the holidays.

1 Million Clean Toilets Movement: Help Save Global Toilet Sanitation

Based on a research conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), children around the world miss an estimated 443 million school days each year because of diseases caused by poor sanitation and hygiene practices, including using unsanitary toilets. The said figure only meant that it is tantamount to all grade school and high school classrooms in the country with an empty stomach for a month. This truth prevents the children to learn significantly and reduce their quality of life. 

Illnesses due to poor toilet sanitation include diarrhoeal disease and parasitic worm infections which can lead to nutritional deficiencies, physical and mental stunting, and death. Every day, millions of children in rural communities and urban households nationwide are exposed to these health problems by using dirty toilets populated by disease-carrying germs.

Lose Weight and Win Big Prizes with Amway’s BodyKey by Nutrilite 60-daychallenge

BodyKey by Nutrilite, a weight management program from Amway, now offers Amway Business Owners (ABO) a chance to win big prizes, just by losing unwanted pounds and keeping them off on a sustained basis!

Unlike other weight loss programs, BodyKey by Nutrilite is personalized. It comes with scientifically formulated meal replacement shakes in chocolate or vanilla flavors, Nutrilite All Plant Protein Powder, Nutrilite Nutri Fiber Blend Chewable Tablets and Nutrilite Double X (31-Day Supply), meal plans based on nutrition guidelines endorsed by the Nutrilite Health Institute, and exercise strategies, that makes up a complete personalized program toward achieving your weight goals for life.

EQ Baby Club Extends Quality experience to members

Mommies had all the reasons to be happy about. EQ Diaper, the country's most trusted and well-loved diaper brand has good news for every Mom.  If you're an EQ Baby Club member, there are a lot of things in store for you.

Exciting months ahead await the EQ Baby Club Members! Starting this June, EQ Baby Club members will now get exclusive perks and privileges from partner merchants! Indeed, motherhood was never this fun and rewarding.

 

As part  of its commitment to make motherhood a joyful and memorable experience, EQ Baby club has partnered with selected merchants so that Moms can enjoy herself and her time with loved ones even more.

 

Fashion, lifestyle, food and leisure brands will be giving out discounts and freebies to EQ Baby club members who will show their EQ Baby Club IDs in partner establishments. Enjoy wonderful perks and privileges guaranteed to make motherhood (and bonding time with loved ones) a most memorable experience.

Excited about this new offering? Becoming a member is easy-peasy.  Simply avail any of the three EQ Diaper Variants (EQ Dry, EQ Colors and EQ Plus) and register online and on-site via selected EQ baby Care registration booths. Activate your membership online and get your EQ Baby Care card to start enjoying the various rewards that await!

 

With EQ, you can enjoy the best value for money diapers at an affordable price…and indulge in the wonderful perks and privileges that go with it.

 

Please check out posters and flyers for more details.  Like the EQ Baby Diapers Facebook page for regular updates.

Urbanista Oslo Earpods and Eaphones Product Review

After the earphone I had been using for quite sometime now was literally shelled from its apple green colored cords due to my nephew’s mishandling and improper use, I had been looking for a good quality earphone. So when I stumbled upon Urbanista headphones, I felt ecstatic about it. I’ve got myself a pink Urbanista Oslo earphones and in this product review, let’s see if it can be any good and would they be okay as potential replacement or alternative to my beloved ear buds that needed retirement. 

KIX’s R U Tough Enough winner is a Renaissance Man

KIX, the ultimate destination for action-entertainment recently concluded R U Tough Enough competition which was about finding the toughest Pinoy who is not just physically tough, but mentally and emotionally tough as well.  It is doubtful that anyone could have predicted that the actual winner Reyn “The Daring Dreamer” Talosig, would embody that concept of toughness so completely and perfectly.

Cartoon Network’s Intergalactic Halloween 2015

Ghouls, fairies, superheroes and whatnot, kids donned their most spooktacular costumes as they celebrated one fantastic Halloween and Ben 10’s birthday bash and filled SM Megamall Megatrade Hall 1 where Cartoon Network’s Intergalactic Halloween was held recently.

Kids and kids-at-heart enjoyed the said event where intergalactic entities joined them and graced the said affair along with all-time favorite Cartoon Network characters such as Finn and Jake of Adventure Time, Gumball and Darwin of The Amazing World of Gumball, Grizzly, Panda and Ice bare of We Bare Bears and Ben 10.

Life Lessons I’ve Learned from Chef Martin Yan, host of Asian Food Channel’s Taste of Asia

Chef Martin Yan with Purple Plum Fairy

“You should love your job, whatever it is. Love it so that you won’t feel pressured, so that you will always feel inspired and energetic,” says the legendary chef Martin Yan when he hopped our table at an exclusive event organized by Asian Food Channel at the New World Hotel last week. Through the invitation of a dear friend, Security Blanket was fortunate enough to be one of their guests that particular night. Chef Martin Yan was in town for a series of live cooking demonstrations as one of AFC’s popular celebrity chefs. Chef Martin’s known for his amazing knife skills and wit. He was so good at it that he even showed us how he’s able to debone an entire chicken in 18 seconds. Yes, that’s how fast he can do it!