The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Give Flavorfully 2015 Holiday Launch

     It's a no brainer that Christmas is the most anticipated holiday of the year here in our country. We are very excited when our calendars hit the BER months. We are all busy thinking of Christmas parties, reunions and shopping for Christmas gifts. Behind all these things, have you paused for a while and said to yourself that "I've been good this year", "I've achieved the plans that I envisioned last year" and Thank you, Lord for all the blessings." We are all blessed, big or small a blessing is a blessing. It doesn't matter what kind of blessings we have received this year and in return of all these, how will you give flavorfully?

      This was the question during the launch of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's Give Flavorfully event that made me think of all the things I have in life. I've realized that I'm truly blessed and there are people who despite all the hard work still lack something in their life. I can say I'm blessed because I have a family who value giving and caring for other people in need. That's why my mission this holiday season is to  help someone in need flavorfully. 

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's Give Flavorfully 2015 Holiday Launch

     During the launch, we we're asked to write something that we'll do flavorfully this holiday season. We wrote the things we want to do in the 'flavorfully' wall. It's nice to know that we all want to do something fulfilling in the spirit of the yuletide season. 

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's Give Flavorfully 2015 Holiday Launch
Sharing with you what I'll do flavorfully this holiday season on this wall

     Christmas season started early with the launch of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's 2015 Holiday offerings which include two special flavors that make the perfect companions for this season and these comes in two variations: an iced drink and a warm latte. 

     Toffee Nut Flavor is for the fans with a sweet tooth. A holiday tradition inspired drink that compromises of a buttery caramelized sugar with a hint of nut, paired with the richness of espresso and a sprinkle of toffee bits

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Give Flavorfully 2015 Holiday Launch
The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf 2015 Holiday drinks: Toffee Nut and Winter Dream

     Winter Dream Tea is another offering that  you should not miss. This is a drink that will be a hit in your taste buds if you're a patron of rooibos and black tea. These beverage is truly what holiday dreams are made of as this is blended with sweet spices and hints of vanilla.

     Aside from the two special drink offerings, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf® hopes to give flavorfully this season in ways that warm the soul as much as the body. As a way to encourage its community to brew their best years, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf® will also be releasing a new edition of The Giving Journal. It is a journal designed to inspire each individual to pursue their passions and find meaning and fulfillment in everyday moments, while at the same time providing them with the opportunities to give back by helping others.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Give Flavorfully 2015 Holiday Launch
The Giving Journals 2016

     During the event, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf team showed us The Giving Journals in purple, tan and light blue colors. If you love writing simple things you do everyday, this journal is a must. It's simple yet full inspirations inside- it's a diary you can say your own. Plan your travels, jot down notes, score freebies because there are exciting coupons inside too!

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Give Flavorfully 2015 Holiday Launch
The Giving Journal 2016 in Purple

     It is the tradition of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf® to give back to the community, and it has partnered with Real LIFE foundation, the Giving Journal’s beneficiary, to fulfill this tradition by supporting the educational needs of the less fortunate. To date, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® has already sponsored 38 university scholars since 2011 – giving them the chance to fulfill their dreams, help their families, and improve their prospects for a brighter future. At present, the brand is proud to share that 13 of the sponsored scholars have already graduated. 

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Give Flavorfully 2015 Holiday Launch

     Evidently, The Giving Journal is certainly not your ordinary planner; it is a gift where the joy of giving and receiving it lasts well past the holiday season. It is also a journal where you'll give hope to the scholars in fulfilling their dreams. Share the gift of education to the chosen scholars by purchasing The Giving Journal 2016 and from this, you'll be able to give flavorfully to one individual. Thank you so much The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf for having me and letting me share what I need to fulfill before the year ends and this coming holiday season.

For more information on  The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf® Philippines 2015 Holiday offerings

Like them on Facebook: The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Philippines

Follow them on Twitter: @CBTLPH @BREWPH 

Follow them on Instagram: @CBTLPH @BREWPH

Subscribe to: brewyourbestyear.com

Good Times!~

The Cutest Parent-Child Relationship

     Having a child can be incredibly daunting, especially for first time parents. There are a plethora of serious things that can go wrong regarding a baby’s health and wellbeing, not to mention smaller dramas like tantrums, mealtime stress and children’s birthday parties and play dates. The good times, however, completely outweigh the bad, and children can prove to be an incredible source of inspiration, love and humour. Some of our favourite celebrities share some beautiful relationships with their children on their Instagram pages, where they do things normal families do as well as some things that belong to the realm of the rich and fabulous. For your daily cute-break, here are some of the most adorable relationships between celebrities and their offspring, showing just how beautiful and strong the bonds of family can be.

The Cutest Parent-Child Relationship

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Charlotte

     Sarah Michelle Gellar is perhaps most famous for playing Buffy in the hit supernatural series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and for her turn as Kathryn Merteuil in Cruel Intentions. She has a famously strong relationship with her husband Freddie Prinze Jr to whom she has been with for 15 years and has two children with. She recently launched an e-commerce start up called Foodstirs that provides baking kits and equipment for kids. To help her to publicise the brand, she enlisted the help of her daughter Charlotte, who she describes as her most ‘honest’ customer. This adorable picture taken by Sarah for her Instagram page shows her daughter looking to the camera whilst up to her elbows in baking mixture. You can always rely on children to tell you exactly what is on their minds, which is why they are so adorable and, oftentimes, hilarious.

The Cutest Parent-Child Relationship
Sarah Michelle Gellar's kids

David Beckham and all his kids

     One of the world’s most famous footballers, in recent years David Beckham has also branched out to other areas of public life. This has included philanthropy, becoming a UN representative for UNICEF as well as modelling for labels like Armani, Calvin Klein and H&M. With his wife Victoria Beckham, David has four children, Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper, who he is more than willing to share on Instagram. He captures beautiful moments with all his children, showing that he might be one of the world’s biggest stars but his family is the most important thing to him. We love all the shots of him kissing and cuddling Romeo and Brooklyn and we also love that he isn’t afraid to make himself look a little silly, for example when he wore a party hat for Harper’s birthday party. Fathers are encouraged to be much more hands on with parenting these days, and David Beckham is the ultimate inspiration. He doesn’t take himself seriously and will do anything for his children.

The Cutest Parent-Child Relationship
David Beckham and son

Kim Kardashian and North West

     With a hit reality TV show, businesses, product endorsement deals and big designer friends, Kim Kardashian has cemented herself as one of the most famous women in the world. She is known for her polished, high profile looks, with her favourite labels including Balmain, Givenchy and Valentino Shop. However, we love her down time snaps that she shares with us on Instagram. These mostly feature her cute daughter North West. With a cheeky smile and a wardrobe to die for, Kim claims that she is the family’s ‘Troop Leader’. Kim shares her daughter’s fancy dress costumes, trips to the pumpkin patch and playdates with her cousins, showing that even one of the most famous families in the world has relatively normal downtime. She loves to be at the beck and call of her daughter and we think that North is on course to become one of the sassiest and fashionable toddlers in the world.

The Cutest Parent-Child Relationship
Kim Kardashian's daughter North

Feature: Lips on Fleek with Lip Pure

     Colder months means dry, flaky and chapped lips season for some women. Despite the relief that cold air brings, it can also affect our puckers! For ladies who experience this every year, the search for a trusted lip care is always challenging. Not all lip balms in the market guarantees immediate results. Some may trigger allergies that's why we need to know first the root cause of dry lips.Taking care of our lips is important as taking good care of our skin. 

     The skin surrounding our lips is very thin that's why we need to look for gentle and mild lip care products that will help in combating dry, flaky and chapped lips. Do you agree that looking polished with healthy and moisturized lips will give you the #onfleek feel all the time? For me, it's a yes! A well-moisturized and healthy looking lips is what you need if you want to look naturally polished and it can even make you favorite lipstick look gorgeous. Here's a new lip care product that will give you a lips that's always on fleek! Scroll down to know more :)

Feature: Lips on Fleek with Lip Pure

    Lip Pure, a new and all-natural beauty product by international OTC and health care company Mentholatum, offers just this with its unique formulation and ingredients. It contains all-natural components that are sure to be safe for the skin. 

     The lips are very important in accentuating or completing a look. Dramatic or subdued, keeping them healthy and moisturized is a must for those vying for double-tap worthy selfies.

Why choose Lip Pure lip balm?

• It's natural.
• Made from 100% food grade ingredients.
• It has beeswax.
• It's free of colorants and preservatives.
• Lip Pure is formulated with royal jelly and manuka honey to keep the lips moisturized even during the harshest of weather conditions. 
• Additionally, its moisturizing qualities are made even more effective with a combination of natural ingredients like almond oil, aloe extract, shea butter oil, and jojoba oil for deep hydration and long-lasting moisture.
• Lip Pure is also infused with anti-oxidants like Vitamin E and grape seed oil to keep lips youthful looking. 

Feature: Lips on Fleek with Lip Pure
Lip Pure Fragrance Free and Lip Pure Orange (P129)

So what does it take to stay #onfleek all the time? 

     Looking well-kept doesn’t mean you have to pile on makeup. Sometimes, looking fresh is all it takes to look refined and well-maintained.

     Dance floor maven and television personality Yassi Pressman is a good visual example of this. With her hectic schedule and always on the go lifestyle, one might wonder how this rising star manages to step out looking on point all the time. “It doesn’t take much for me, really. I try to stick to the basics no matter how busy I am. When my schedule is really hectic, I just put on cheek tint, mascara, and swipe on my trusty lip balm.”

Feature: Lips on Fleek with Lip Pure
Yassi Pressman, brand ambassador

     Lip Pure is the perfect makeup kit necessity for those who want to keep themselves well-kept while still caring for their lips’ health. Yassi, who also serves as the local brand ambassador of Lip Pure, is the perfect embodiment of the youthful brand.

Feature: Lips on Fleek with Lip Pure
L-R Clockwise: Lip Ice Sheer Color (P145), Lip Ice Water Colour (P145) and Lip Ice Tinted Lip Balm (P99)

     Lip Pure is a product of Mentholathum, an international OTC and health care products manufacturer headquartered in Orchard Park, USA.In Asia, their regional office is in Hongkong. Lip Pure is available in the Philippines in all Watsons Nationwide. Other products are: Mentholathum Therapy Lip Balm and Lip Gel, Men’s Cool Aqua Lip Balm and Lip Ice in Sheer Color, Fruity, Tinted and Water Color

Have you tried these lip care products from Lip Ice? To know more about Lip Pure and Lip Ice

Like them on Facebook: Lip Ice

Good Times!~

Care in the community: why social care is central to a healthy community

     Community services are a major part of NHS activity, with some 100 million community contacts taking place each year, ranging from public health functions such as school nursing and health visiting to assistance with intensive rehabilitation and chronic disease management. 

     There's an ongoing ambition to transfer more health care from hospitals to locations closer to patients' homes, progressing from reactive care to proactive care and prevention.

Care in the community: why social care is central to a healthy community

     Skilled personnel, registering through a social care recruitment agency, use their expertise in their own particular field to educate the local community on improving their lifestyle. Their common goal is to create a healthcare system that doesn’t wait until patients become ill before it acts, but rather work to keep the population healthy. Risk-reducing behaviour can significantly decrease cases of preventable disease and chronic conditions.

     According to a survey by charity The King's Fund, there has been "significant progress" with care in the community, resulting in reductions in the length of time spent in hospital. In addition, care co-ordination programmes are flourishing particularly well at neighbourhood level, where engaging local communities is paramount.

     The aim of social care is to help people improve their health and general wellbeing, based on a local need and varying between areas. Some of the issues tackled by social care in a proactive manner include smoking, eating habits, physical activity, sexual health, alcohol and emotional wellbeing.

Activities include:

• Advice on stopping smoking, including community support groups
• Breastfeeding advice for new mums, leading to teaching parents about healthy foods for children
• Healthy cookery courses for people on a budget
• Breakfast clubs, ensuring children have a healthy meal to start the day
• Exercise and weight-management classes
• Raising awareness of the dangers of binge-drinking and substance abuse
• Promoting initiatives such as screening programmes
• Advice on immunisation
• Initiatives supporting emotional wellbeing
• Advice on keeping your teeth healthy

    The government's vision for care in the community, explained in its 2012 White Paper, Caring for our Future: Reforming Care and Support, outlined the benefits of social care.

     Two core principles were identified. The first was to postpone and prevent people's need for formal care by keeping them healthy and out of hospital through social care. The second was to change society's perception of people with care needs, recognising they had a lot to offer and ensuring they could live life to their full potential.

Product Review: Japonesa Face and Body Bar Soap

     Hi dearies! I'm excited to reveal the latest whitening soap that I'm using as of the moment. I've been using this face and body bar for more than a month now. For my long time readers, you know me already when it comes to product reviews. I make sure that I use a whitening product for at least three to four weeks before sharing my experience. For the nth time, I have fair skin but it's uneven and I guess lacks nutrition. Yes, using whitening products makes the skin "oh so good" to look at but the question "is your white skin healthy?" will arise.

     With this realization, I think I've stripped off some nutrients present on my skin because some of the whitening soap that I've used before will just whiten my skin and that's the end. What if there's a soap that will help maintain or achieve fair, bright, young skin and healthy at the same time. We need to nourish our skin and that nourishment is something Japonesa Face and Body Bar can offer. This face and body bar is a SKIN FOOD! Intrigued? See the ingredients below and learn more why I highly recommended this promising product. Something that will be a mainstay in my bath essentials :)

Product Review: Japonesa Face and Body Bar Soap

What is Japonesa Face and Body Bar? Japonesa is a unique blend of:

• LACTOFERRIN that heals, repairs and regenerates the skin.
• GLUTATHIONE that provides pinkish and flawless complexion.
• COLLAGEN that makes the skin smooth and young looking.
• PROBIOTIC is an active ingredient which nourishes, exfoliates naturally and adds nutrients to our skin.
• ST. JOHN'S WORT an anti-inflammatory and protection for sensitive skin.
• OLIVE OIL provides extra protection and moisture in our skin.
• GLYCERIN helps improve the texture of the skin.
• COCONUT OIL gives the soap a creamy and more lather.
• SWEET VANILLA a mild scent infused to enhanced relaxing mood when the soap touches your skin.

Product Review: Japonesa Face and Body Bar Soap

• Japonesa bar soap is a Japanese soap that has different benefits from head to toe. 
• It is a SKIN FOOD- it nourishes the skin to help remove impurities and infused the outer later of the skin with probiotics and lactoferrin. Can I say it's like a yakult for the skin!
• It is a whitening and anti-aging soap. 
• It can be used as shampoo for hair and scalp care, and as feminine wash.
• It has ingredients that's a first in organic whitening soap. 

Product Review: Japonesa Face and Body Bar Soap

     After more than a month of using this creamy face and body bar religiously, I'm impressed with the results. I decided to stop using other skin care products related to whitening like whitening lotion and cream. I can attest to the effectiveness of this creamy bar because in a span of thirty days, my skin maintained its color, looks healthier than before and there's a pinkish undertone when I'm outside the house. At first I though I'm getting dark but my sisters told me that I'm still fair and there's a certain brightness.

Product Review: Japonesa Face and Body Bar Soap
Japonesa Face and Body Bar Lightening Soap in two sizes

size: 120 g

70 g

price: 220 php (Around $4.70+)
135 php (Around $2.80)

place bought: Free

Available at UNIMART, Greenhills and mariajaineliskincare.net
You may reach them here 
Mj Jamias (T)+63 2 8834883 / (M)+63 917 6022758
mj_pharmaskincare@yahoo.com

instruction for use: Wet the soap and use a towelette to make a creamy lather. Massage very gently all over the face and body. Rinse and pat dry.

ingredients: Lactoferrin, Glutathione, Collagen, Probiotic, St. John's Wort, Olive Oil, Glycerin, Coconut Oil, Sweet Vanilla

Product Review: Japonesa Face and Body Bar Soap
The soap is wrapped in a special Japanese paper. You can see the engraved brand name and logo of the soap once you open the wrapper.

What I like:

• It's made of organic ingredients.
• Japonesa Face and Body Bar is infused with lactoferrin and probiotics, first in the organic whitening soap department. 
• It's a lightening, anti-aging face and body bar that's also great for sensitive skin.
• The scent- smells so DIVINE! It's so luxurious, first time to try a soap that smells like vanilla. 
• The packaging is attractive and has a luxurious feel because of the engraved logo.
• Aside from the box packaging, the soap inside the box is wrapped in Japanese paper.
• The soap produces a very rich creamy lather.
• I don't need to worry if I left the soap in my soap dish despite the hot weather. Even if this is hand made, no signs of melting happened. I was able to use the bar until the very last shape. It's amazing how it can withstand the weather.
• The price- if I'll do the math it's affordable as one bar will really last more than a month with daily use.  
• It's multi-purpose- can be used from head to toe. Face and body bar, shampoo for hair and scalp, and feminine wash too.
• My skin feels soft and velvety smooth after every wash. 
• It maintained my skin tone despite the hot weather.
• Made my skin glowing and bright.
• Exfoliates really well! I can see dead skin big time every time I scrub my body.
• Japonesa Face and Body Bar is available in two sizes: 120 g and 70 g. I can say that the later is great for travelling. No need to bring bulky soap with you when you go on a trip.
• Made some dark spots and blemishes caused by pimples appear lighter after a month of everyday use. 
• Though I'm not sure on the anti-aging effect, I noticed that my skin became supple. I thought I'm getting dark but there's this "namumula" (rosy/healthy tinge) on my skin.
• Complete batch, manufacturing and expiry date printed on the box.

What I don't like:

• Not easily accessible. It's available at UNIMART Greenhills and in their physical store only as of the moment.

Will I repurchase? YES, definitely! This soap is back-up worthy.

Recommendation:

     I give this soap a 5/5 rating. Another organic soap that I'll include on my top list, another holy grail material as I'm very much impressed on the performance.  I have very sensitive skin that's prone to redness and irritation. I'm glad that no negative reactions arise on my skin from the very first use. I highly recommend this Japonesa Face and Body Bar if you like to have healthy-white and young skin.  Japonesa Face and Body Bar is proud to be an organic and all natural Pinoy brand! Made from high quality raw materials, not tested on animals (cruelty free) and made in the Philippines.

     I know that there are so many whitening and anti-aging soaps in the market today. Read the ingredients carefully and see what it can do to your skin. This is my honest opinion about the product. The ingredients in this soap are promising and I think the first to offer Lactoferrin and Probiotic in one bar. Would you like to  Japonesa Face and Body Bar a try?

Good Times!~

DISCLAIMER: This product was given to me by Maria Janieli skin care for review. The views expressed here are my honest opinion about the product. We have different skin types, what works for me may not work for you or vice versa.