About
The Reluctant Stylista is a fashion and lifestyle blog written by Alex Lapa--a once tomboyish girl who suddenly discovered the joys and perks of dressing up. Original illustrations by Paolo Lazatin.
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If you're looking for my styling work, you can browse blog entries tagged "work" and other related keywords. Drop me a line and let's see if our schedules will allow us to collaborate! It may take me some time to reply, though, as usually there's a lot of other things I juggle and I need to be doubly sure about my availability and resources before I commit.
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We won!
The Reluctant Stylista is proud to be a finalist and winner for two categories at The Philippine Blog Awards 2010: Best Beauty and Fashion Blog and Best Blog Design. Thank you to all who rooted for us!
Twitter Updates
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Running on 2 hours of sleep over 48 hours x_X
posted 16 hours ago. -
Red bull and Toblerone. Sleep is for the weak!
posted 2 days ago. -
Room with a view part 2 http://t.co/6iwLQgPL
posted 2 days ago. -
Fishtail braid by @brent_sales http://t.co/ylVrdvzi
posted 2 days ago. -
Walang magawa sa dressing rm so instagram nalang. #xfactorph I look like a totoy. Carmi looks girlier than I http://t.co/3ABRDJM6
posted 2 days ago.
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Networks and Affiliates
My mom saw the photos I posted of myself in the last blog entry and told me that I’m basically skin, bones and HAIR (her exact words were “Payatot kong anak na puro buhok”. Ironically, I got my hair from her only mine has 3x the volume). I have so much hair at this point. Truth is, I’m trying to grow it long, and I know it doesn’t look it but it’s waist-level. Since my hair is springy, no one can tell unless it’s wet. It doesn’t seem like it’s growing longer, though, only more voluminous!
Actually, I’ve been using my Beyond Bath Organics set, which is grapefruit, and it’s for volumizing. I know, I know, I should’ve gotten something else, but I normally don’t believe in specialized shampoos for volume or normal to dry hair and such, I just use anything (but especially if it’s organic). I don’t even use one especially for color, even though I have color-treated hair. So I guess after this experience, I can say Beyond Bath volumizing really works. Or yes, maybe my hair has just too much life of its own.
Can anyone suggest a shampoo/conditioner that can tame the frizz but not kill the volume completely? Just tone it down a bit. I used to overcondition (or so I think) my hair that sometimes it ends up too limp. Or maybe it’s time to get a haircut, even though it’s never been a solution to minimize my hair’s volume in the past.
You know that my best hair is actually when I wake up? I wish there’d be a product that makes my hair looks like this after I shower:
This is my bed hair, unless I slept with my hair wet, then I wake up looking differently (think aswang). See, I couldn’t even include my face in the photos ’cause I don’t want anyone seeing my morning face, hahaha!
I think it looks nice, but the problem with this is that when I take a shower, it’s gone. Basically, it’s the oil my scalp produced overnight that makes it look like this so it’s definitely not a product I’d see in the market.
True story: on the day I was to get my college graduation photo taken, I showered, combed and dried my hair, then took a nap because I knew my hair needed its own beauty sleep. The hairdresser at the photo studio couldn’t believe the curls were natural. xD
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Yeah, this is true. It’s really tempting not to wash your hair when you see it looking better like it has been styled while you were sleeping. I think I’ve read somewhere that our hair should not be washed everyday, or shampooing should not be done everyday.
You know this has been my problem the past weeks. I am now in a serious search for the right product to bring back my relatively fine hair. I have tried a new conditioner though, and it seems to work for me so far. I also bought L’Oreal’s Elseve, I’ll see how it will help my hair.
Anyway, those are nice locks.
I know, I read that somewhere, too, but whoever wrote that didn’t live in tropical country. I’m actually using the exact same conditioner alternately, L’Oreal’s Elseve also the one with royal jelly, before I got this Beyond Bath conditioner. It’s pretty good! But if I overdose, I get limp, heavy hair. Maybe you need a volumizer?
I super love my hair, too when I wake up!
And it tends to get limp din because of too much conditioning. I’ve recently gone back to Cream Silk and it’s love 
I think Cream Silk has something new, right? I used to be a Cream Silk girl when I was in college, maybe I should try it again. Hmm..
love your curls! Have you tried the new Pantene? they say it gives volume but not too much.
I use a curling iron to turn my waves into curls like yours! Though another trick I like to do is put my hair into a messy bun during the day, and in the evening the curls are presentable! (No curling iron or product necessary.)
My hair is coarse and wavy but not as springy as yours! Im envious! :p I can’t recommend any shampoo + conditioner combo since I want my hair as limp as possible bec it tends to be frizzy. Maybe John Frieda has some products for curly/non-frizzy hair? Im not sure.
Your hair is so gorgeous! I wish mine looked like that in the morning (without having to spend for a perm).
gorgeous hair alex!!! you could try sunsilk’s curls waves and bounce shampoo and conditioner? it’s qhat I use but my hair is permed.
btw, emailed you! i think you forgot to send me the screenshots for your entry for my blog giveaway. If you send it before 9pm mahahabol ko pa for the draw. Hope you read this on time!:)
Lizz – I do that messy bun trick, too! Although there are rare times that it’d backfire and my hair would end up even bigger after being released from the ponytail, haha!
Thanks for the suggestion!
Kookie – not yet, that’s the mystery shampoo no? I’ll check it out
Kira – John Frieda? Where do I get that?
Lauren – thanks! The only problem is I can’t keep taking a nap just before I go out, hahaha!
Pax – won’t that give me even more volume? xD I emailed you already, wheeee!
Super agree that hair looks best in the morning! =) Sometimes, I like it so much, I don’t wash it, but it becomes too oily by midday. Tropical country curse! =P
Gosh, natural curls? yours is the best I’ve seen so far, Alex! =)
Dang – Thank you! I’m often accused nga of having it permed. And, omg, I know what you mean. I tried that before (not washing it for a day)! But like you said, it’s really not possible for someone living in the tropics.
The best solution I’ve got so far is to get it wet early in the morning and dry it properly. Tying it in a messy bun like Lizz said is good then. By afternoon, with some luck, it’ll turn out like my bed hair. 
Hello Alex
I love my curls when I still have them. Contrary to other’s opinion, having curly hair is maintenance free for me that is. I can’t comb it so that the curls can last. And to have anti frizz hair after shampooing, I just use the good old lotion or oil that’s just laying around somewhere around the bathroom hehehe
So i love having a curly hair!
xoxo
MrsM
We both have natural curls. But I really like your hair better than mine! Hahaha! You’re curls are big! Mine are a bit small. And I’m also looking for a shampoo & conditioner or a hair product that could tame the frizz. I also like the volume!
I also don’t really like getting haircuts because if the stylist don’t really know how to handle curls the cut will just ruin the perfect curls. And they also can’t believe that my curls are natural! Haha!
Do let me know if you find a product for our hair type.
MrsMartinez – yeah that’s what I like about curly hair, I don’t have to comb it more than once. It’s only now that I’m older that I’m experiencing dry hair. The concept of conditioner used to be alien to me before. =/
Leia – The best haircut I got was from Studio 546 of this guy named Jomel? Johnel? Ornel? Something like that. But I’m not sure if it was just a fluke since I’ve gone back and they never quite got it again although the cuts I got after were okay, too. I just loved the first cut they did because even when my hair lengthened it still looked good. I always request to make my layers with larger gradation so I’d end up with cascading curls. With my hair it’s always better to have lots of varying layers.
i hate chu. hahahahaha. have you tried using a serum?
Ira – thought about it! I remember I used Vitress before and Vanilla & Co.’s Vanilla hairpsray that used to do wonders for my hair. I think I’ll repurchase..
My hair is even worse (and it only looks good when I’ve woken up, too), since I inherited half from Mom and half from Dad. She calls you payatot, and she calls me tabaching. Hahaha!
Anyhoo…being tabaching is worse when you’ve got hair as rebellious as mine. So far only L’Oreal Elseve works in taming it. And Vitress (or Kerastase Oleo Relax).
Your hair is looking loads better na nga eh, don’t complain haha!
gosh! you’ve got nice curls! mine’s straight but with volume.. but i wanted curls so i will not need to comb them as much! hihi
Thanks Rhia! I know how that feels, I love it that I only comb once a day and that’s when my hair is wet
)
OMG, your hair looks gorgeous! I have always wanted long curly locks like yours, but do not want the damage a perm could do to my hair. And so stayed put with my straight-but-wavy-in-places hair. Haha. Again, I soooo love your hair! ^_^
Nathalie,
Try combing your hair only once a day. I had the same problem with mine (my hair has straight-to-wavy strands mixed in super rebellious curls) until I decided to stop rebonding and just let my hair be.
You have very beautiful hair! Those locks of curls remind me of a friend. So cute!
Thank you! :3
Ur hair is so pretty!
Aww, thank you!