Lullabies and Lippies

(Typed this entry a few weeks back and completely forgot to publish it. WHY. Oh well, better late than never!)

Since I am the first among my friends to get pregnant, I frequently get asked a lot of questions on how it feels like, at least on the physical level. Here are some FAQ's which I thought of sharing here, too :)

What does being pregnant feel like?

Right off the bat, I should say that every pregnancy is different. When we found out we were expecting, I worried immediately about morning sickness, nausea, food cravings and aversions, bloating, fatigue, and all the other pregnancy symptoms we hear about from our moms and titas. I was told to brace, especially during the first trimester since this is supposedly when symptoms are at its worst. 

At 30 weeks pregnant today, I'm happy to report that except for a little low blood pressure, I experienced none of the usual pregnancy symptoms we often hear from people. I had no morning sickness, no food cravings, no fatigue. Nada. I have a full-time job and am at the office Mondays thru Saturdays. My husband would often ask me if I have any cravings, and each time, I would say no. The funny thing is that he was the one having late-night cravings, particularly for dimsum. He would literally leave the house, even at past 10 in the evening to take-out some dimsum for himself! It was the funniest thing!

So, you didn't get any pregnancy symptoms, at all?

I was lucky to be spared from the above major pregnancy symptoms during my first trimester. I will say though, I have started to get the following symptoms maybe about two or so weeks ago:

• body (particularly, my belly) feels extra heavy - My tummy only started to really get big after the 26th week mark. I felt my tummy's growth after the 26th week mark was exponential in that it kept growing really quickly. (During my 25th week, I could still wear my regular pants and clothes. Come 26th week, they felt a little snug already, and by the 27th week, wearing my regular clothes felt like child abuse already. LOL. But seriously.)

• feeling extra bloated/full/out of breath after meals - My appetite has not grown significantly ever since becoming pregnant. In fact, my OB-GYNE slightly scolded me when I went for my check up during my 27th week because my tummy was so much smaller than it should have been. (Recommended weight gain during pregnancy is about 25-30lbs.) At 27 weeks (well-over the halfway mark), I had only gained about 12lbs. She has since advised me to eat more, particularly increase my protein intake. Since making the conscious effort to eat more, I noticed that I would feel so bloated and out of breath, particularly after meals. It felt like the food and my baby would be sitting on top of my lungs, making it hard for me to breathe. My husband suggested that instead of increasing my meal portions altogether, that I take smaller, more frequent meals instead. Seems like it was a good call because when I returned to my doctor the following week, she measured my tummy, gave me a nod of approval and said that my baby was already catching up in size. Good job, Dad! :)

• leg cramps - I've experienced leg cramps in the morning probably only three times so far. Lucky for me, my husband used to be a student athlete, so he knew what stretches to do each time. A tip I picked up from our childbirth classes is to resist pointing your toes in the morning while stretching right after you wake up. Apparently, this is what triggers the cramps. Glad I took a mental note of this because just a few mornings after that class, I woke up and felt the urge to rotate my foot while stretching. I could already feel my leg about to cramp up, when I remembered this tip and stopped moving my foot. Cramps successfully averted!

When do you start to feel your baby move?

I began to feel fetal movements at around the 16th to 20th week. My husband only started to feel these movements at around the 24th week. The first few times you feel your baby move will feel almost like a stirring sensation, almost as if there were a goldfish swimming inside your tummy. Whenever my friends ask me, I would tell them that it almost feels like kinakabag ako (or am feeling gassy) By the time your husband (or whoever is touching your belly) starts to feel these movements, it will feel like gentle nudging or fluttering inside. I'm currently on my 30th week, so my baby has been moving so much more lately - in the morning, throughout the day, before bedtime, and even in the middle of the night. I can also feel her limbs getting stronger since her movements are now starting to feel like kicks and punches to my ribs. I sometimes get startled from these kicks throughout the day!

As a final note, I would like to stress again that every pregnancy is different. My experiences may be completely different from yours. In the same way, your experience with your first baby may be completely different from that of your succeeding babies'. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to trust your doctor, and listen to your body as well.

Is your experience the same as mine or completely different? I'd love to hear about it! Also, if you've got any more questions, leave them in the comments section below!

With date make-up, you can go either of two ways: fresh and au naturel or striking and sultry. Whichever you choose, I've got you covered! Follow these simple steps for an easy, make-up look that's perfect for some 1-on-1 time with your special someone, a get-together with your best girlfriends, or even just some alone time to recharge and relax

Fresh and Au Naturel

Key elements: Even, glowy skin, natural brows, fluttery lashes, rosy flush

Striking and Sultry

Key elements: Perfected skin, chiseled face, structured brows, defined eyes, bold lip

From warm eye shadow tones to a subtly defined face, here are the beauty trends that are taking shape in 2017.

FACE: Subtly Defined

Say goodbye to harsh contouring and hello to subtle dimension. Using a fluffy brush, sweep bronzer or contour powder across your hairline and temples. The thing to remember is that you don’t need to be too precise in application as you’re going for a softer, less chiseled look.

To take things up a notch, apply highlighter on the top of your cheekbones, down the bridge of your nose and on your cupid’s bow to achieve that naturally-dewy look.

BROWS: Naturally Filled and Slightly Tamed

Things got a little crazy in the brows department last 2016 when overly-structured eyebrows took the beauty world by storm.

While this may look good in print ads and editorials, it’s not exactly the most natural-looking. On a softer note, we’re seeing more natural looking brows this 2017. Naturally filled-in, and slightly untamed, there’s just so much to love about this year’s brow trend.

Another thing to love about it is that it takes way less time achieve. Simply fill in your brows with brow powder and comb through with clear brow gel. To further cut down on prep time, opt for tinted brow gel so you can tint and set your brows in a single glide.

HAIR: Messy and Lived-In

Think Victoria’s Secret Angels — To achieve this look, use a curling iron to add soft waves to your hair. For further volume and that lived-in look, apply dry shampoo or sea salt spray on to your roots, flip hair over and shake out.

LASHES: Separated and Slightly Clumpy

Separated (and slightly clumpy) lashes reminiscent to that of Twiggy’s were seen all over 2016 Fashion Week. If the idea of clumping on mascara freaks you out a bit, you can still cop this look with some falsies, particularly on the bottom lashes!

LIDS: Warm and Inviting

Orange, red, copper and other warm shades are having a bit of a moment. This trend started around fall last year and it looks like it’s here to stay. Lucky for us Asians as this color palette looks amazing on our skin.

Which of these beauty trends are you trying for the new year? Would love to hear your thoughts in the Comments section below!

I was born with naturally and permanently fleshy (read: chubby) cheeks. I say permanently because it doesn't matter if I've lost any weight - my face remains as chubby as ever! Not complaining, though. Have learned to embrace and love this about my face since I think it makes me look at least a few years younger - and I'll take any pass I can to shed a few years off!

Once in a while though, I do like to subtly contour my face to add some subtle dimension. For events, I go a bit heavier on the contour so that my face comes out more chiseled and defined in photos. Lately, my favorite product to contour with has been this Contour Kit by Sleek MakeUP. I have it in the shade Light.

It comes with in a sleek (hehe), black compact that contains the contour powder and a highlighter to go with it.

I especially like the contour powder in this kit because it's not too cool, nor too warm. Too cool contour powders can look grayish or muddy, while too warm powders can look orange and sunburn-like. It's quite difficult to come across a product such as this that is the perfect shade.

I would describe the formula of the contour powder to be a satin. In the pan, it certainly looks matte, and there is no detectable shimmer in the product, but when you put it on with a brush, it looks as if there is a very subtle, natural sheen to it, just enough to make it not look completely flat.

Pigmentation of the product is also very good. For a subtle, everyday contour, dipping my brush in once is enough to do one side of my face. Formula is buildable, though, so I do go in with more product if say, I'm going out at night or will be taking a lot of flash photography.

This contour kit also comes with a nice, champagne highlight powder. To be honest though, I don't use it all that often only because I have a lot of other highlighters which I like a lot more (read about them here) I don't have any complaints about it though. It's certainly a nice, champagne shade, and although this does contain some shimmer in it, the formula is so finely-milled that I don't find it to settle in my pores or facial lines. This kit would certainly be nice to travel with since you won't have to take two separate products anymore. The compact also comes with a good mirror for on-the-go application!

Retail price for this kit at malls is PHP575. Not bad for a quality 2-in-1 product.

Have you tried this? What are your favorite products to contour or highlight with? Would love to hear about them!