Glow by Lady E

  You ladies know that I have dry lips. Dry skin and lips have been an issue for me my whole life, even when I was a child.  I saw this product at KKV and yesterday, I gave it a try.  It says to apply on the lips 15-20 minutes.  I opened it, pulled out the tray and the mask was folded. I don’t know if it’s the way I pulled it.  Anyway, I applied it and set the timer for 15 minutes.  Immediately, I noticed the skin around my lips to sting. But I didn’t mind it because sometimes my sheet masks also make my skin sting at the beginning and then the stinging will fade.  But then the stinging increased and then my lips started to sting, too, so I quickly removed it and washed my lips and the area around it with water. Lots of water.  Then it was still stinging, so I got my ice ball roller and just rolled it all over lips and the areas that the mask touched.  After the ice ball, I checked if the area got red, but there’s no redness. The stinging als...

  I have a system for replacing my bath lily. I wait until it unravels. That’s it. That’s the system. 😂 If it is still recognizably a bath lily and capable of producing bubbles, apparently I consider it perfectly employable. Then I bought this pretty pink one and, for the first time in perhaps ever, wondered: Wait. When are you actually supposed to replace these things? Because surely the official answer cannot be, when it loses structural integrity and becomes a very long piece of netting. It is not. For a synthetic mesh bath pouf like mine, a quick research revealed that dermatologist guidance puts replacement at around two months . They should also be rinsed after use, allowed to dry thoroughly, and cleaned regularly because all those folds can hold onto skin cells and moisture.  Two months. I would like to formally decline to disclose how old some of mine have been. 😌 This reminds me of when I asked whether anyone else was still using their sponge even though it already...

  I have a thing for pretty tissue. Most of you ladies know that. 😁 Actually, that’s not entirely accurate. I have a thing for pretty, high-quality tissue in different sizes. Because apparently, somewhere along the way, my tissues acquired job descriptions. The smallest packs go into my small bags. They barely take up any room, which matters when I’m carrying one of those tiny purses that seems to believe women require nothing beyond a card and a lipstick. It’s important that I have a tissue with me at all times because when I’m with family, I give my tote to one of them when I need to use the mall bathroom. But not all bathrooms here have tissue, so small bag tissue is a life saver.  The medium ones live in my tote. There’s more space there, so they’re allowed to be a little bigger. This tissue is shared property. When the boys need it, there’s tissue. When we travel and someone needs it, I pull it out. Eating out and there’s not enough tissue and it’s too troublesome to cal...

  I found this little box of Mont Marte watercolor paints for around $4 at KKV. Twelve tubes. That comes out to about 30 cents per color, which made me wonder how good they could possibly be. Turns out, pretty good. 😆 I believe these are student-grade paints, and they don’t bloom quite as beautifully as my Koi watercolors, but they bloom enough for the way I paint. The colors are pleasant to work with, they’re easy to control, and I’ve genuinely enjoyed having them in my collection. I especially like the tubes. I can squeeze just a tiny amount onto my palette when I need it instead of disturbing an entire pan of color. It’s convenient, surprisingly neat, and somehow makes sitting down to paint feel even easier. And maybe that’s why I like finding inexpensive art materials like this. Not everything in my atelier has to be precious. Sometimes I just want paint I can squeeze onto a palette without thinking too much about it and start making something. For around $4? I’m ver...

  I read the Dior email too late and missed out on the Lucky Clover collection. It was sold out by the time I texted EJ, my Dior Ambassador. He said there were only a few pieces that arrived and it sold out fast. I was busy in the atelier.  I used to think missing out meant I had to find the next-best thing. But I didn’t want the next-best thing. I wanted the pretty little clover lipstick case.  The lipstick was available but the case was sold out, so I left without buying anything. Maybe healing also looks like this sometimes. Not scrambling. Not compensating. Not buying something I didn’t really want just because the thing I wanted was gone. Sometimes I can simply say, I missed it. And let that be okay. Something better will come soon.  —- With elegance and quiet fire, Lady E Founder, Glow by Lady E  An editorial space for stories, art, and intentional living

This part of Venice always has the most people. People like taking their photos on this bridge.  We stayed at Venice for a long time because there were a few shops I wanted to visit and they were located far from each other.  But I got to experience it at twilight and eventually when the sun has decided to rest from our part of the globe.  I love pretty lights that’s why Christmas is my favorite holiday. All those lights adorning the streets and malls are so beautiful at night.  I passed by this sleeping cat on my way to another store. I left the boys at the food hall so that I can do my shopping fast.  The cat was in front of Texas Road House.  Seeing the collar on the cat, the mall must also have a policy on cats like Ayala Malls. Ayala Malls protect the stray cats in their area. They are vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and well-fed.  My next stop was Miniso. I hardly go to Miniso ever since their branch near me closed.  I was happy to find it here...