Why Switch To A Water-Based Nail Polish

Want to make a greener, healthier choice for your nails?

by Coco Timajo

Boost Your Back-to-School Confidence with These Top 5 Tips

Boost Your Back-to-School Confidence with These Top 5 Tips

As the school bell rings and the hallways echo with excitement, it's your time to shine. Confidence is your secret weapon, and this article is your guide to unlocking it. From embracing your unique style to conquering your fears and celebrating your victories, we've got your back.
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5 Habits to Adopt in the New Year for a Well-Controlled Life

5 Habits to Adopt in the New Year for a Well-Controlled Life

2023 is officially here! It’s time to embrace new chances and new opportunities that will come along the way. As Charles R. Swindoll once said, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”
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Nail Your New Year’s Resolution

Nail Your New Year’s Resolution

2022 has been a year to remember! With only a few days left, now is the perfect time to start anew as we reassess our actions and decisions. Just take a look into your goals and start making plans for them.
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Women of different ethnicities

Women's Union Day: Why it Matters and How to Celebrate It

We stand with women everywhere, celebrating their accomplishments and striving for equality. Here's everything you need to know about Women's Union Day and how we all can celebrate it!
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Accepting Who You Are and Being Proud of It

Accepting Who You Are and Being Proud of It

What matters is that you find something that feels right for you!
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6 People Who Changed LGBTQIA+ History

6 People Who Changed LGBTQIA+ History

Pride is an everyday celebration of who we are. It’s about acceptance, equality, awareness, and support. We have come a long way since the stonewall riots, yet there is an even longer way to go.
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Moving on from a Toxic Relationship

Moving on from a Toxic Relationship

Relationships aren't easy.  A toxic one is a thousand times harder; and what might be one person's version of toxic can be quite different from another person's. 
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Best Comebacks to Toxic Comments

Best Comebacks to Toxic Comments

While we all like to think that we’d put up with anything life throws at us, sometimes a ✨clapback✨ is called for. 
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Maan Pamaran's 18-year Journey From Domestic Abuse to Freedom

Maan Pamaran's 18-year Journey From Domestic Abuse to Freedom

Maan Pamaran is no stranger to the word “toxic”; she was in this kind of relationship for 18 years.

After a year of dating her ex-partner, they got married. It wasn’t long after when he started showing red flags. He isolated her from her loved ones as he didn’t want her to spend time with her family and friends. On top of this, he began to put her down and make her feel less. 

When she had their first child, he influenced her to quit her job, despite having accomplished so much in her career already. During her second pregnancy, he began to physically abuse her.

She was able to go back to work once their first child was older, but he once again made her quit when she got pregnant with their third. Even their three children were beaten, slapped, and strangled by their father. Their home only felt safe when he was away. 

Because she was jobless and isolated from her loved ones, her ex-husband continued to downplay her achievements and made her feel as if she had nowhere to go. 

After about 18 years together, Maan finally put her foot down when he got another woman pregnant. Despite the pressure from his parents to take care of the child and protect the family reputation, she refused. 

3 years ago, she and her kids left their home. She only brought with her a wallet and a tablet, but she never looked back. She deems herself lucky to have found a safe space with her family and friends, despite not having access to the resources that now exist for domestic abuse survivors.

Today, Maan talks about her experience openly and continues to inspire people who are going through similar toxic or abusive relationships. She advocates for fellow survivors to know their worth and leave once they recognize toxicity.


If you are a victim of or know someone who needs assistance, you may reach out to: 

Sulong!

Volunteer-run organization that bridges victim-survivors of sexual violence to pro bono legal advice, psychological aid, and other services.

Email: general.sulong@gmail.com 

Facebook: /sulongphilippines

Request form: bit.ly/SulongRequestForm 

Donate here: bit.ly/SurvivorsSolidarityFund


Maya’s Organization Philippines

Davao-based support group offering help and advice to victim-survivors of sexual, physical or emotional abuse.

PH Mobile: 09631115935 (Smart) | 0966 7552253 (Globe)

PH Landline: (082) 291 9481

Email: mayasorgdavao@gmail.com 

info@mayasorganisationphilippines.org


PNP Women and Children Protection Center

Lead unit of the PNP that handles Violence Against Women and Children.

Aleng pulis hotline: 0919 777 7377

FB: /wcpc.didmpnp 

Email: alengpuliswcpc.didm@pnp.gov.ph

Website: wcpc.pnp.gov.ph


Women and Children Cyber Protection Unit

Unit in the PNP responsible for addressing concerns and reports on sexual and gender-based cybercrimes.

Facebook: /PNPACGWCCPU/

Tel. +63 (8) 723-0401 local 5354 / 0927 084 3792

Tel. +63 (8) 723-0401 local 7494

Email: pnp.acg.wccpu@gmail.com

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Group of friends sitting and having a laugh

34 of People's Most Relatable and Funny Toxic Traits

Whether it’s being late to literally everything or working on a project at the very last minute, we all share at least one “toxic” trait. 🤪

We headed over to Twitter to find the "toxic traits” people have aired out on their accounts.  Some are genuinely fascinating, while some are too funny (not to mention totally relatable) that we needed to share them with you. Keep scrolling! 

  1. Setting 100 alarms that I simply ignore every morning
  2. Joining Zoom calls one minute late
  3. Anytime I get a compliment, I require two-step authentication by asking "really 🥺"
  4. Being nosy. I don't even care, but I want to know. 🤣🤣🤣
  5. I think I'm 100% convinced I can fight even though I am the size and density of a chipmunk
  6. Thinking I could have been a pop star if my parents had been more supportive in my youth
  7. That money means literally nothing to me when I'm drunk
  8. I reply to people in my head and forget to text back
  9. Is putting off an easy and trivial 15-minute task for three weeks to the point where it builds such great anxiety that it becomes nearly impossible for me to start, let alone complete. 
  10. I think that every Wednesday is already Thursday
  11. Acting sober when I'm actually blacked out
  12. Starting to get ready whenever I get the "on my way' text
  13. Holding my pee when nothing is stopping me from getting up and going to the bathroom is my toxic trait
  14. My toxic trait is volunteering myself for things when the silence in the room becomes too unbearable. So now I'm in a vice-chair, and I have no clue what I'm doing.
  15. My toxic trait is thinking I can always arrive in 10 min 😅
  16. Is that I swear I'm talking in a normal pitch, but I'm actually screaming
  17. Waking up on time but laying in bed until I'm late
  18. Forgetting someone's name right after we shake hands the first time we meet
  19. Checking my bank account, hoping I got some random deposit
  20. Putting leftovers in the refrigerator, knowing I'm not going to touch them again
  21. Asking four different people for advice and then doing whatever the hell I want
  22. Not letting anyone else clean because it's not clean unless I clean it. And then getting angry when no one helps me clean.
  23. I never speak up; I just get mad and distance myself til I'm not angry anymore.
  24. Thinking anything less than a 7-hour drive isn't that far
  25. Being productive for 20 minutes and then giving myself a 2-hour break
  26. Is always needing background noise to do literally anything
  27. I feel like I could represent myself in court 🤣
  28. Thinking I could go through my lecture notes in one night for my exams tomorrow
  29. Driving as if speed limits and the police don't exist
  30. Being so unnecessarily nice to people that they end up thinking I am interested in them.
  31. Eating the lunch I brought to work as a snack at 10 am 
  32. I am constantly interrupting people. 😟 I don't mean to! I just get excited and need to interject.
  33. Getting mad at the drivers around me going the speed limit
  34. I buy Tums for the right reasons and then end up eating them like they're tic tacs

What would you add to this list? Let us know at @naminatural on Instagram

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man on laptop buying clothes online

What is Conscious Consumerism and Why Does it Matter?

Imagine you're walking in an aisle of newly launched beauty products or scrolling past the IG feed on an online shop on Instagram. How long do you visualize your pro-con list before adding it to your basket? Does that list include social, ethical, and sometimes even philosophical reasons? If so, you might already be practising conscious consumerism! 💗

In layman's terms, conscious consumerism is when purchase patterns are motivated by a desire to make purchasing decisions that have a positive social, economic, and environmental impact. A socially conscious consumer will first consider whether consumption is essential. Then, once they have decided to purchase, they will consider who is providing the goods and how the product impacts every stakeholder during its development and distribution.

Woman on frozen aisle looking at an item

What is the value of this trend?

The consumer model is constantly shifting, with many customers today focusing on what is known as "conscious consumerism", but then why does it matter? 

For starters, it drastically helps humankind inch closer to achieving sustainability goals. With the climate crisis looming and growing steadily day by day, conscious consumerism can curb the effects of human waste and pollution. It cuts back the need for mass consumption and production, which is one of the main culprits behind the degradation of the environment.

It is also necessary from an ethical standpoint, given that conscious consumerism places a strong focus on the idea of having a beneficial social and economic impact on the world. Unfortunately, unethical practices are no alien to the world of shopping. Child labour and animal testing are just parts of the whole. 


Make your money count! 

The glaring truth is that businesses are in business to make money. Using your funds to purchase ethical products and services and the entry of ethical brands can help shift the narrative, demonstrating that companies can be both good for the world and suitable for their company.


Spread awareness and make a difference.

Spreading awareness is quite simple to accomplish. It is inexpensive and straightforward to spread a message through social media technologies with a broad reach. Even though it is critical to highlight, you can raise awareness about a specific topic without criticising or imposing your viewpoints on others. Instead, devote your time and energy to raising awareness and teaching those interested in learning more.

Reusable bag

As a brand, the first step in our journey to reinventing what it means to be beautiful is to be transparent about our products, so that our customers can make conscious decisions. Our products are intended to benefit not just our consumers, but also the earth we live on. 🌿 For starters, you can check out PETA’s Global Beauty Without Bunnies program, an online database of certified ethically produced beauty products that we’re incredibly proud to be part of! 


There are still hurdles to conscious consumerism; the biggest ones having to stay on a budget and the lack of time. But that shouldn’t stop us from trying, right? Think about it, with every purchase we make, we have the opportunity to set a precedent for how businesses will operate in the future and demonstrate that companies that care about the world are so much more worth it than those who don’t! 💗 

We all have the ability to make a difference, and by working together, we can gradually develop a future that benefits everyone! 

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three women having a discussion

10 Boss Babes We Look Up To

"A strong woman looks a challenge in the eye and gives it a wink" 
- Gina Carey

Women that inspire us come from many areas of life. Nothing is more vital in today's world than pushing one another up to achieve success, empower one another, and dare to lead by being fearless in the face of fear.

These 10 boss babes not only demonstrate how far the country has progressed in fostering gender equality in business and the workforce, but their work has also become a model for all aspiring women here in the Philippines.

 1. Nikki Sevilla

Founder and president, EcoNest Philippines

Nikki Sevilla aims to provide everyone with the opportunity to adopt environmentally friendly packaging. Her startup, EcoNest Philippines, was founded in 2018 to reduce the use of plastic. It sells cassava bags, edible straws, and sugarcane food storage boxes, among other innovative, technologically advanced, and environmentally friendly packaging items.

 2. Anna Melissa Nava

Co-founder and CEO, 1Export 

Exporting can be intimidating for small businesses. They are concerned about prices or paperwork or simply do not know where to begin. But, Anna Melissa Nava, who co-founded 1Export, a one-stop, end-to-end platform for cross-border trading, says her psychology major helped her create trust with clients. As a result, the company now works with 450 companies that are export-ready and has a presence in 15 markets.

3. Cindy Burdette

Co-founder and CEO, Allcare 

Cindy Burdette's goal with Allcare is to provide freelancers with the same employment benefits as full-time employees and empower SMEs to provide their employees with the same benefits as large corporations. Allcare, a membership-based marketplace that began in 2019, offers various worker benefits—from insurance to training to mental health checks—to employees who would otherwise be excluded. As a result, Allcare's client base rose tenfold from 2019 to 2020.

4. Angely Dub

Founder and CEO, Access Travel & Tours

Angely Dub owns a travel service that has become a favourite among well-known local musicians, travel bloggers, influencers, and those looking for well-planned itineraries to maximize their vacation time. Fate took Dub down a different road when she began her own business at 19. She had to deal with several challenges, including being betrayed by a business partner and losing all she had worked so hard for.

5. Jehanel Vidad Soriano

Founder, Jesla Integrated Farm

The farmers' unwavering commitment to learning and applying new knowledge to their crops encouraged Soriano to start and run a farm school. The PalayCheck primer is included in the farmers' major textbook for learning. In addition to running a farm school, Jehanel launched a Youtube channel. They began to document their everyday farm activities, which they described as their own way of promoting agriculture to their peers.

6. Katrina Chan 

Co-founder and director, QBO

Katrina Chan hopes to strengthen the Philippines' tech startup ecosystem through her accelerator QBO, which she co-founded in 2016. The business is a public-private partnership that includes the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Trade and Industry, JP Morgan, and the accelerator IdeaSpace. It hosts the annual Philippine Startup Week and has over 500 startup programs under its belt. In addition, it just started the Startup Pinay campaign to encourage women to pursue careers in technology.

7. Rissa Mananquil Trillo

Co-founder, Happy Skin

Rissa Mananquil Trillo was the co-founder of the successful cosmetics and beauty product line Happy Skin. The company is known for its innovative makeup products that cater to the Filipina skin. Though Rissa has recently announced her departure from the company, she was one of the key persons behind Happy Skin’s growth: 13 storefronts and around 100 beauty kiosks. It has also won 30 beauty accolades, including Watsons Philippines' Most Promising New Cosmetic Brand.

8. Alice Eduardo

CEO and Owner, Sta. Elena Construction and Development Corporation

Alice Eduardo is the owner and CEO of Sta. Elena Construction and Development Corporation, one of the Philippines' largest development corporations. She leads a large, profitable construction company and oversees a large number of employees, all while contributing to the development of our country in multiple ways. She continues to prove herself in this male-dominated industry day after day.

9. Mica Tan 

Founder and CEO, MFT Group

Mica Tan chose to establish her own business when she was 19 years old. Fast forward eight years, and Tan, now 27, has accomplished just that: she co-founded and is the CEO of MFT Group, a private equity business with assets of more than US$61 million that operates in nine countries and 18 locations around the world. Tan also received the Filipina Women's Network's Most Influential Filipina Award in 2019.

 

10. Angeline Tham

Founder and CEO, Angkas

Angeline Tham is the founder and CEO of motorcycle taxi service app Angkas. It surprised everyone as the motor industry is usually considered a part of a man's world. Tham is working on expanding Angkas by offering free training to drivers and starting the Philippines' first motorcycle ambulance.

The fight for equality is far from over, but these women have demonstrated that they can care and empower everyone in whatever sector they choose. Their stories each teach a valuable lesson: be a dreamer, a doer, a thinker, and see possibility everywhere!

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