In the often punishing plane of fitness, pushing beyond the breaking point doesn’t yield better results. We explore how too much can do more harm than good—and how it can be rectified.

Related: STRAIGHT FROM THE 80S, THESE WORKOUTS ARE WORTH TRYING AT HOME NOW

If you were to tell my much younger self that his grown up, hopefully wiser realization would spend an inane amount of time at a musty, rusty, and quite frankly, dusty gym, lifting weights, exploring calisthenics progressions, and even getting too into boxing as a form of exercise, then he would probably laugh at your face. That isn’t to say that I was particularly averse to physical activity. On the contrary, I had taken a liking to biking, tennis, badminton, and a self-taught form of gymnastics. Sure, there was something about an organized, routine-type of exercise that turned me off, but in reality, I naively saw fitness and the rabid, cult-like following it subsequently amassed as superficial.

And judging by overheard conversations, skimmed over literature, and really, just the surface level, it seemed that it was all these people could care to talk about. And as an all too impressionable youth, I had absolutely no desire to participate in the perpetuation of vanity. That is until of course, life got in the way, careened me out of a waylaid path of physical no-bleeps-given, and I found myself being dragged to, of all things, a hot yoga session.

THE GAME PLAN

“Why would I pay to sweat and stretch?” I asked, flabbergasted at the rate I had to shell out to keep on my quest of a revenge body. (You see, I had gone through a break-up and naturally, my course of action was to make the person jealous by carving out myself in the image I had assumed I wasn’t. That, and the perceptions and preferences of society, especially of gay men are insanely unforgiving. (But that’s an entirely different story altogether.) What happened next stunned my most hard-pressed self: I actually enjoyed the mind and body workout, eventually sticking to the practice, squeezing in an hour of practice in between overtime at work, before ultimately branching out to a more physical and aggressive exercise—boxing. What? I needed an efficient venue to release all that pent up hostile energy. So, if I could hit two birds with one punch, then all would be well.

Now, before this begins to even remotely sound like a fitness fairytale, this is where things got a little too intense.

What started as spaced out, intermittent sessions soon became, if I willed it enough, almost everyday trips to the gym that oddly sat atop a pizza place. No reason for making mention, other than the fact that at that point, I had committed to giving up fastfood and the temptation didn’t even make a dent to my now eagle-eyed focus for working out. And trust me, every chance I could, I would find myself rushing to the gym the second the clock hit 6’o clock, making sure I punched in at most two hours on the regular. This entailed an hour of combined warm-up and weight training, which was followed by boxing mixed with circuit training. Keeping at this for a good year or more, I am not going to lie, I really felt great. Slowly and surely, I had been seeing physical results on my body, my strength and stamina have improved immensely since I ditched my blasé, sedentary lifestyle, and by most accounts, I was much less angry with the world—figuratively lighter if you will.

With a clear penchant for routine, this has been my life for a while: Wake up-work-work out-rest and repeat. Sure, I had not forgotten to have fun as my weekends were peppered with an actual social life outside the walls of the gym, but aside from the essentials, deadlines, and pressing matters, all I could and well, still think about is rushing to make the training cut-off whenever I can. It is simple: Come hell or high water, I have to work out or else I lose it. No, really. Several unforeseen circumstances that forced me to skip my routine has driven me up the wall, reducing me to a volatile, grumpy force I had long avoided. My weekends have even been anchored to my physical activity requirement, much to the chagrin of my family.

Needless to say, I have become obsessed, to the point that it has become almost unhealthy. And dare I say it, the fun I once had with working has slowly been deflating as of late. So much for self-care, huh?

TOO MUCH

While it will take a certified specialist to ascertain if you are suffering from some form of obsessive disorder, it certainly doesn’t take a Google search to tell that overdoing your workout can do more harm than good to your body and eventually, your mind. Being competitive, even just with oneself, and obsessive are intrinsic to the evolved human being. With a high from working out, as well as seeing desired results such as being lean, light, and lithe will trick your brain into wanting or being more in the context of fitness, further driving you to a point of pushing beyond perceived limits. It is admirable, sure, but it can seriously cost you in the long run.

Muscle soreness, fatigue and injuries aside, overexertion of the muscles can lead to a fatal case of the fibers working too hard and ultimately dying, eventually releasing toxic contents into the bloodstream, which can have serious effects on your kidneys. “It can happen with any intense exercise if it involves repetitive motion of a muscle and new movement,” says Maureen Brogan, M.D., an associate professor of medicine at New York Medical College New York.

Forms of fitness are hinged on the basic science of breaking and building muscles for circulation and growth, but tipping this over the edge, compounded by a dent on your mental capacity, might prove to be irreversible. “The benefits you want from working out—getting leaner, stronger, healthier—reverse when you don’t take breaks,” says Holly Parker, Ph.D., a lecturer in the psychology department at Harvard University and a certified personal trainer. And all you wanted was to shed a few pounds or define your shape.

There are many ways to work around this typically unforeseen offshoot of fitness, but perhaps the most important and equally difficult step is to be consistently and constantly aware of your mind and body when hitting those intense neon-lit spin classes or going apesh*t at your CrossFit classes. Remember that any complaint from the body must be addressed. Take a water break, breathe. Recover. No one is requiring you to go beyond your limit; therefore, you must be vigilant and mindful of every muscle in your mind and body. Learning to stop doesn’t mean you haven’t met the physical requirements to burn calories from that weekend binge, or worse, giving up. If at all, these points of recovery are the opportunities where your body begins its process of rebuilding what you’ve lost—and come to think of it, you should do the same internally. More so, it is imperative to grasp that punishing yourself and feeling pain, doesn’t mean coming out with better results. Yes, we are still talking about working out.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

More than the physical, however, the overextending and overexertion in fitness and working out can also lead to a stress that is more mental. In this case, a self-diagnosed form of body dysmorphic disorder, which in plain speak is a mental disorder where an obsessive (often unfounded) idea of one’s body being severely flawed takes root, causing one to take extreme measures to remedy. “Muscle dysmorphia often happens in men where they look in the mirror and they think they’re tiny, but in fact they can be of normal physique or actually quite large because they’ve spent so much time obsessively working out and working on their diet,”  says psychologist, Dr. Ben Buchanan. “But also they see their muscles shrinking and when your self esteem is so tightly tied to your muscle mass then it can be devastating.”

In my case, for example, years of trawling the gym has accorded me a body that is by most standards, fit. And I will not be shy about it, because I worked hard on and for it. However, there are days when I stare a little too long at the mirror and I feel like what I see isn’t enough: the cuts aren’t too deep, the muscles can be a little bigger, or worse, I feel paunchy. This gets heightened when life gets in the way and I have to skip gym more than I like. The stretched out periods drills itself into my head so much so that every intake of food and inactivity would register as fat gained and muscle definition lost. Consequently sending me into a downward spiral, this process settles into me hating myself. But when you really think about it, nothing is really wrong with me. In fact, food and rest does a body good in this circumstance.

It is ironic that at some point of pushing too hard, what is perceived as the pinnacle of healthy becomes unhealthy in more ways one would care to admit. This is why it pays to listen to your body and mind when working out. The periods of rest allows you to recover, recuperate, and recalibrate your sense to attune itself to what your fitness goals are. Also, it encourages you to really enable a discussion with your body to figure out how this distorted perception can be quelled and eventually, especially when it goes out of hand, remedied. Will you wait until it is too late to take action though?

Fitness is meant to keep you in shape, losing a few desired pounds in the process. But what it doesn’t intend to do is make you lose yourself in every sense of the word. You can quote every possible cliché on self-love you want, but remember that song that goes: “Too much love can kill you?” It may have alluded to a metaphorical sense of loss, but it sure fits in well with the perceived self-importance of working out. Sometimes just enough is all the love your body needs—nothing more and nothing less.

The sooner you take it easy, perhaps then will you see the infinite realm of possibilities (and results) open up for you, and yes, your temple of a body as well. So, slow down. Wolf down that decadent chocolate chip cookies you mother baked for you. Enjoy your Friday night and go out. Indulge in a fast food break every once in a while. Sleep in on a Sunday or binge watch a show on Netflix. Then the next day, get up and hit the gym, mindfully this time.

I am slowly realizing that there is greater love in knowing when enough matters. There is absolutely no need to punish or dislike yourself for anything you think is less than at any given period of time. More so, you have to stop being too hard on yourself, because you are more than that reflection in the mirror. You are by all accounts, a healthy living being, and hopefully, a good soul, too.

So, are you rethinking that unforgiving fitness on hyper drive resolution of yours? I know I am. Remember, it is perfectly okay—necessary even—to rest. And then you get back to hustling after.

Don’t you just love these two equally strong stunners? Aside from being artists on the rise, we couldn’t resist spotting all the times Vivoree Esclito and Zendaya Coleman had major hair twinning moments.

Strong women—may we know them, be them, and raise them. Nope, this isn’t the place to pit women asking who did it better, because why can’t we just stan them both? Vivoree Esclito and Zendaya Coleman are two of the coolest It-girls that we know of and more often than not, we see a lot of similarities in the way they act, their effortless vibe, and their ✨glorious hair✨

Their style and beauty choices are all bold and they’re unafraid to veer away from the usual pretty girl stereotype that people uphold in celebrity culture (thanks to their amazing glam teams, too!). Scroll down below for the 10 times Vivoree and Zendaya looked exactly like twins.

RELATED: 10 Times Liza Soberano Was Unofficially The Fifth Blackpink Member

BIG HAIR

You know what they say: The higher the hair, the closer to God.

TOP KNOT

What did we do to deserve these women?

HALF UP BUN

This effortless hairstyle instantly frames your face and highlights those pretty peepers.

TENDRILS

No one else can do an off duty look better than these two.

WET LOOK

Most people are afraid of trying this hairstyle outside of the pool in fears of looking like a basang sisiw, but they keep on proving us wrong.

STRAIGHT HAIR

Straightening your hair for hours may seem tedious, but it’s cool to switch it up in case you feel like having a new personality for the day ?

BRAIDS

In case you don’t feel like curling or straightening it, you can always turn to braiding parts of your hair for a more no-fuss look.

CURTAIN BANGS

Honestly, we haven’t seen anyone who wore curtain bangs and doesn’t look good. Safe to say it’s the universally flattering hair for everyone.

TOP KNOT BRAIDS

The Ariana ponytail is cool, but braiding it (especially for longer hair) adds an extra edge.

EFFORTLESS PONYTAIL

This 5-minute hairstyle will never not make you feel like a leading lady in a K-drama series.

(Photos courtesy of Instagram, Hollywood Reporter and E! News)

We know the Wildest Dreams visual album is Nadine Lustre’s most ambitious project up to date, but one debutante took it to the next level and made it her own.

From fan art to song covers, we’ve seen it all. When Nadine released her much-anticipated debut album, everyone wanted their own Wildest Dreams moment. But what happens when you re-create the whole visual album?

Created by Project Blank Canvas, they made their first ever film and boy, they did not come to play. “Inspired by Nadine Lustre’s Wildest Dreams visual album, we vow to break the tradition and convey a story.” What better way to celebrate your coming of age than to take inspiration from the first ever visual album made by a Filipino artist? Princess Shoebelyn exactly knew what she wanted and Project Blank Canvas flawlessly brought their vision to life.

RELATED: Why Nadine’s Wildest Dreams Should Be A Blueprint For Fashion Shows in the Future

We asked the collective behind the stunning music video, which is spearheaded by Vince Lim, on how the project came to life. “It only took us two days to finish everything last December because we want to tidy things up as soon as possible.” Two days yet so much artistry and thought into each scene? We are in awe. Vince also shares that they explored places to shoot in their hometown Davao since they only had limited resources. “There was no big budget in this project. Just our hope to be recognized in our crafts through our creativity and effort.”

The biggest surprise yet? They were all made by STUDENTS. “We are just students from Davao with big dreams and we are still starting po.” Another fun fact: they named it HERSTORY as they’re all Drag Race fans, too—just like Nadine. “Our materials for production design are just made from scratch. We thrifted some wardrobes and we utilized the available costumes we got from the online market,” reveals Vince.

“We pay tribute of course to Nadine’s Wildest Dreams visual album for the main creative inspiration, but we want to interpret it in our own way so we entitled it, Herstory. This is our call for our fellow creatives to not be hindered by the world. Creativity is above and beyond.”

Vince tells us, “this is about our dream to convey that people, and not just women, have their own unique and vivid identities. We should never live up to anyone’s expectations, and we must embrace our paths as it is perfectly designed for us to flourish in life.”

And just like that, they produced their biggest project up to date. Watch the whole music video here.

High-end streetwear brand AMBUSH just dropped these zip tie bracelets and the Internet had an awful lot to say.

In case you missed it, AMBUSH, a luxe brand founded by duo Yoon and Verbal just made zip tie bracelets and rings as part of their A/W 2020 collection. Known for their tongue-in-cheek accessories, they’ve come up with interesting takes on accessories such as safety pins, cigarette lighters, and curved nails that are usually dipped in gold or silver, as well as their fire collabs with NIKE and NBA. Yoon, 1/2 of the duo may sound familiar as she was invited by Kim Jones to design the accessories for Dior Homme and yes, she was responsible for those cyborg-like hardware that the models wore on the runway. (Needless to say, the world wanted it all.)

RELATED: Meet The Creative Making Bootleg Toys Of Your Favorite Pop Culture Icons

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But when AMBUSH dropped these $588 (it’s $670 on Farfetch + tax, which is roughly 32,208.91 in local currency, including a shipping fee of P1,105.68) neon zip tie cables as bracelets, we lost it. Why even?

While the zip tie concept isn’t new and were done by the likes of Christopher Kane, Marcus Veyera and Francesca Amfitheatrof in the past, the brand details that their take is “Coated sterling silver to look like plastic?” You can easily get those at National Book Store or ACE Hardware, resell them maybe for P100 or less, or perhaps just dip it in paint and emboss the AMBUSH logo? Will people even buy it? Imagine being kidnapped in these? We have so many questions.

We are all for innovation and creativity, but this might seem more of a product made for social commentary (which is obviously working) and the price revolves around the idea and the brand’s name rather than the actual function of it as a zip tie and not a “luxury item” or “art piece.” Although at some point, we’re all guilty of this as we spend a lot on basic/essential items like plain shirts or sweatpants, but only buy them because they’re branded. We’re not gonna lie, the silver and gold ones are fuego despite the $800 tag along with the sunglasses, but maybe just not the ones you can get for P20 or less at local hardware stores. Who knows? It might just be another marketing ploy for us consumers to be further possessed by capitalism.

Honestly, the newest glove bag hybrid by Prada is not only Instagrammable, but smart and functional in all ways. (Tropical countries have left the group chat.)

Glove culture may have reached its peak, especially with Crocs gloves existing on the dark side of the Internet. But just when you thought you’ve seen it all, Italian fashion house Prada decided to drop the newest It-item this season—the Glove bag. They haven’t officially told us what they’re actually called yet nor is it available on their site, but we’ll settle with that for now. Quite literally a hand bag, it’s a pretty useful accessory if only we had winter here. Or perhaps make ’em fingerless for the tropics?

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Utilitarian fashion is having a major moment right now, especially for Ms. Miuccia and Raf Simons, so we’ve listed down 10 things you can carry inside the new Prada glove bag, because who needs pockets when you have these things?

FACE MASK

Stop?putting?your?mask?under?your?chin?

AIR PODS

If you lose the glove, you lose the pods.

HAND SANITIZER

Can we please normalize bringing our own hand sanitizers instead of asking for free pumps?

PIMPLE PATCHES/OIL-ABSORBING SHEETS

Always take care of your skin, wherever you may be.

BEEP CARDS/ATM & MEMBERSHIP CARDS

Can’t wait for the day that we get to flex these bad boys at the LRT and cashiers ?

SANITARY PADS/PANTY LINERS

You’ll never know when someone spots a stain!

CHEWING GUM/FRESH MINTS

Did you know that people only realized how stinky their breath was when they started wearing face masks?

BAND AIDS/SAFETY PINS

In case you trip on the floor or need an alternative for nipple tape, you can always rely on band-aid. Figurative wounds need a different kind of band-aid though.

A STACK OF RINGS

You can fit a couple of rings and earrings like this set from Sou.ve.nir vintage!

CONDOMS

You know, in case of an emergency. Practice safe sex, and remember, no glove, no love—pun intended.

Breakups are sad, painful, and most of the time, downright terrible, but even worse? Cutting off friendships you thought had been built to last.

Related: IS IT REALLY AN OPINION OR ARE YOU JUST ADDING NOISE ONLINE?

There I was, lying flat on my stomach preparing to dive deep into the black hole of YouTube videos to tire my brain out. With the light of my computer casting a light at an awkward angle from my face, there I caught my reflection from the screen: hair an electrocuted mess, face sunken even more by the harsh shadows, lids drooping from visible exhaustion and my eyes an empty, glassy abyss. I take a deep breath and survey the endless list of saturated content until I see one that catches my interest: Best Man Speech—Receives Standing Ovation. Click.

The 14-minute video saw me through a swing of emotions, from laughing my guts out to trying and ultimately failing to hold back the waterworks. “You’ve taught me that the most important foundation of love is friendship,” he says followed by a brief and weighted pause. At this point, I was feigning the sniffles just to cover up the stream of tears giving way to gravity. Why was I so affected? I mean, I am predisposed to crying to just about anything, especially wedding- and love-related videos, but this one struck a deep resonant chord, opening up a wound that I had tried to be steadfastly nonchalant about. No, this isn’t going to be yet another narration of my ever-so storied and virtually non-existent romantic life. In fact, this is the beginnings of dealing with the dynamics of loss, one that is anchored on the integral and often taken for granted relationship in our grown- up lives—the case being adult friendships.

You see, it is no secret that I have some sort of idea how I want my future wedding to be. While there is no partner in plain view or a definite visual I want realized (yet), I was always sure that at the heart of the coming together would involve speeches from the people I hold near and dear, friends and family who have seen me through everything, recounting my woe-is-me youth to the questionable decisions I made as a knowing adult. It would be funny, charming, heart-warming, gut-wrenching and full of love, I imagine. Tears would be requisite—lots of them, because damn it, I waited for so long. But as the video stretched on to the final moments leading to the enjoining toast, things felt amiss. This might not even a possibility anymore, I thought, at least for the foreseeable future.

A week prior to this well-timed conduit, my friends had I figured into a petty scuffle that escalated to heightened emotions, a spilling of long-held frustrations and a well-reasoned fit of calling out on certain misgivings. These people, at least to my knowledge, were my constants; my ride or die; my chosen family. Meaning, whatever and whenever problems and misunderstandings accumulated, it would take a precedent shred of understanding to pull through, including an airing out of feelings shut tight, making sure nothing and no one was to be left behind. Or so I thought.

Just a few days shy of a work trip that I extended to a quick vacation, I was notified by a message from the friend I called my best that popped up on not just one, but two other platforms that in a nutshell read something like: “Our friendship has been in a state of limbo lately. I don’t know why and I can’t explain it, but I want to be truthful to you.” What followed was a laundry list of everything that was apparently and allegedly my fault. Boy, was he thorough. Basically, it became clear how I was painted and portrayed—and it wasn’t pretty. A saving grace superseded, as the letter gave way to saying how much I was loved and missed. It felt like a misguided eulogy, honestly. And well, it could very have well been. “I’m sorry to say that I don’t feel we are not where we were anymore and I’m moving on. I hope you understand and thank you for the friendship.”

There it was, the persistent thought I had swirling in me for the longest time. So much so, I have sought out the opinions of other, far more objective and emotionally sensible constants to weigh in on the matter. “Am I such a terrible friend?” I asked, feeling the pain of each word uttered. While I do not even remotely consider myself perfect, I know in my heart that I am the type of person who would go through great lengths for a friend, especially those who I’ve seen many ups and downs with. I was assured I was not, but a warning came not too long after: “Your definitions of friendship are not the same, that’s why this is necessary, especially for you.”

And then it struck me, while the relationship wasn’t what I had chalked it up to be, I thought it was the best for us. It was a friendship we meticulously shaped over the years—nicks, bruises and bumps notwithstanding. But as the veil of familiarity was violently yanked from the sinuous drape over us, it became painfully clear: not only were we different people, at least at this point, we also settled into the confident and comfortable, which in hindsight were precursors to the cracks that were there all along.

A similar “break-up” happened years back, which is why I felt bothered and backed into a corner. Maybe, I thought to myself, there was something inherently wrong with me, since people easily just decide to walk out of my life. No explanations, no discussion, no threshing out—just a final address that is the proverbial nail in the coffin. Rest easy, friendship.

No matter how hard we try, friendships (or any relationship for that matter) will not always be the way we see it from our point-of- view. And if you begin to trace things back, this is where things start to fall apart. Friendships, especially the real and great ones are meant to last a lifetime and more, whatever the circumstance may be. But as we continue to wade the murky and complex waters of adulthood, we begin to realize that sometimes, it is necessary for things like this to end at a certain point—when it feels right, of course. There are friendships meant for specific times of your life, and it is okay, normal even, for it to expire at a breaking point. It is futile forcing something (or someone) that doesn’t want to be there anymore to stay. It becomes more apparent that your brand of friendship is something that has to be met and reciprocated in the same way, if not even greater. There should be no need for words, for guesswork. The beauty of seeing eye-to-eye is that you don’t need to speak when something is up, or when something is off tangent.

I’ve had my fair share of romantic breakups in the past, the real and the shoulda, woulda, coulda included, but nothing compares to deep and lingering pain of parting ways with a friend—especially one you thought you would see through to so much more. It is a sharp cut that slices through each and every time you go back to the message locked with firm decision, as well as the curling anger you conjure up realizing how you didn’t even so much as have a say or will to fight the perceived liability. But then everything dissipates into specks that settle and it becomes crystal that as your wise friend has made mention, just as any toxic or weighted relationships you’ve accumulated or held tight, this needed to happen for your sake and peace of mind.

There’s no use crying over spilled milk, or in this case, a friendship relegated to what once was. The best thing to do is to shake the excess off, learn from the falling apart and build yourself up. And this time, you have to rear yourself to choose friends better, nurture the ones that are true and beyond just the surface level, and make sure you are that friend you want others to be to you. Finally, learn to let go when life begs it to. Don’t hold on when things are falling through the cracks just because of history and nostalgia. You need better to see your best self through, that includes people who will lead you to that path and pardon the platitude, light the way as it needs be.

I’m pretty sure when the time comes and I do get married, someone will fill in and give a wedding speech that is the best ever. He or she could be in the current circles I interface with or it could very well be someone who will come back, we never know. Or you know, I could even meet someone new who would be able to eloquently articulate my romantic narrative better than I can imagine, leaving people in tears, both from laughing and crying—just as I had imagined it to be.

Photography Yukie Sarto

Styling Angelo Ramirez de Cartagena

I know what you’re thinking: it’s time for a change. We’re all itching for something new, whether it be physical, mental, or spiritual change, there’s that voice inside your head telling you to do something about it.

If you’re one of us who are tiptoeing into the world of body art, then you’ve come to the right place. A change in appearance is definitely a big deal, especially if it’s something permanent like getting inked or getting body piercings.

RELATED: 10 Tattoo Ideas That Manifest New Year, New Life

Before you give in to the urge for piercings, here are five important things you should do or think about.

GET TO KNOW YOUR BODY

This may be a little vague, but I’ll get into the details real quick. Where do you want your piercings to be? Tragus? Helix? Septum? Take a look at your body and think about where you want to see that shiny new jewel. If you’re unsure, test the waters with fake piercings and see how well you like it on your body before committing to the real thing. No-pierce jewelry is magic!

Before the day of your actual piercing session, make sure you get enough sleep to strengthen your immune system. Also, don’t forget to eat something beforehand to keep your blood sugar steady. Just take it from me, who vomited and blacked out after spontaneously getting my ears pierced without properly prepping for it. It was not a good look and I advise against it.

WHERE TO GO FOR PIERCINGS

You might be asking, is it safe to get one now? Just make sure to practice safety precautions and go to reputable shops, then you’re good to go.

It’s pretty common to see mall boutiques offering free piercings when you buy their earrings. Most of them only do lobe piercings because they use a piercing gun, which is not recommended if you want a smooth recovery. Piercing guns are not sterilized because it’s made out of plastic, so the only thing sterilized is the actual earring. Resist the piercing gun to avoid infections and blunt force trauma.

Instead, what you need to do is go to a reputable shop that takes necessary precautions in place and get to know the equipment being used. Pick out a parlor that knows what they’re doing. A trained piercer will know how to use hollow needles or “cannulas,” and/or hand-pressured piercing instruments.

You can check out Piercings by Ravana, who pierces the likes of Rei Germar and Ry Velasco. The shop has good pre-appointment and aftercare instructions to ensure a safe and fast recovery.

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Another reputable piercer is Oskie Esguerra, the body piercer of Kathryn Bernardo. Check out 55 Tinta in Makati or Maginhawa and get to know more of their piercers.

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CHOOSE THE RIGHT EARRING

One of the most fun parts about getting piercings is choosing the stud. The first thing you should ask is: can you commit to that stud for 6 to 12 weeks without removing it? Make sure you really like the design and ask if it’s a premium hypoallergenic metal. Also, make sure that your clasps aren’t too tight to allow optimal airflow and safer healing.

PAIN IS RELATIVE

via GIFER

Your friends might have told you that it didn’t hurt one bit after getting their bodies pierced, wherein some have had traumatic experiences that led to bleeding, infection, and all that nightmarish stories.

Remember, your body is different from theirs so the pain you feel won’t be the same as theirs. Pain is relative and it varies from person to person.

SAFE HEALING

It is an absolute must that you have proper aftercare, especially for your more complicated piercings. It is never advisable to have more than three piercings because your body needs to heal itself.

Wash your hands before touching your piercings and only use the aftercare solution provided by your trained piercer. You should also turn the earrings one full rotation everyday. Do not remove your piercings for more than 24 hours after the 6-12 weeks of healing because it will close again.

… Last but not the least, do not pull an Annie and Hallie. Never DIY your piercings no matter how tempting it is.

Charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent aside, these queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race are bringing the drama in a slew of gasp-worthy looks referencing iconic moments in high fashion.

Related: YOU LOVE TO SEE IT: GIGI GOODE AND NAOMI SMALLS ARE EATING UP THE GIRLS IN THIS BEAUTY CAMPAIGN

Forget what you thought about the besmirched number 13, because the queens from the latest season of RuPaul’s Drag Race are shattering any superstitious notion and making luck work in their favor.

Succeeding a most storied sisterhood, as well as of being introduced to the illustrious and multi-awarded reality TV competition, the newest inductees to the halls of RuPaul’s Drag Race have their work cut out for them. With larger-than-life and hard-to-forget predecessors who have all taken over the world in different capacities since their times on the show, the racers (as RuPaul now calls them) really had to dig their heels in ye olde work room and claim their space in the mantle of the groundbreaking pop culture phenomenon-on-on-on-on.

It wouldn’t take long for the fresh crop of queens to break away from the pack, because in its 13-season history, the current iteration has clocked in a record of the most-watched episode for the show with a whopping 1.3 million viewers during its premiere night. But most importantly, this edition, which was filmed during one of the heightened contexts of the pandemic, breaks the barriers of its long-held resistance to the age-old traditions of drag with the inclusion of Gottmik, a transgender man competing for the crown. It took a while to unlearn the preconceptions, but there is no better time to make progress, finally. Now that’s crashing the cis-tem.

There are many things to look forward to from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Aside from the standard charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent, there’s also bound to be a lot of drama (six lip syncs in episode one eliminating half the competition? Gasp), emotions (Tamisha Iman, enough said), and fashion. As of this writing, the show is three episodes in and the style moments on the show have been…a journey. At this point, the queens are certainly raring and ready to show off their looks and goods, some just more successfully than others. With jaw-dropping highs and brow-furrowing lows, it is always the delight to witness the fashion hit the runway in the signature sashays of the crown hopefuls.

All this and the Ru-year has just begun? With a lot more of RuPaul’s Drag Race to get into and voraciously consume (Drag Race UK season 2 has just started airing, the Australian edition is set to begin production, and a rumored All Stars season seems all too likely), this current season is already shaping up to be one for the books. But before they speed off into the track, we took the liberty of poring through their looks so far in the competition and listing down the high fashion references articulated overtly and otherwise.

With their engines revved up and ready to go, we fully expect a full extravaganza, eleganza experience down the line. But for now, here are standout style turns from some of the queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race season 13.

Denali Foxx — Moschino Fall 2016

Following the sharp blades of another ice skating queen, Milk, Denali Foxx is gliding through gracefully thus far in the competition. For the Lady and the Vamp mini challenge, where the racers had to walk the runway in looks that are a complete juxtaposition of each other, the Chicago-based queen revealed the inspiration of her scorched sorceress vamp look: Jeremy Scott’s Moschino Fall 2016 collection based on Tom Wolfe’s Bonfire Vanities.

Gottmik — John Galliano for Dior Spring 2004

A trailblazer, an early favorite, and a passionate creative with a penchant for true artistry, Gottmik is definitely one to watch out for. From an irreverently painted face in a base of black and white, Gottmik is also turning it out fashion-wise. From the promo and entrance looks, as well as of a social media post tribute to the incomparable David Bowie, the RuPaul’s Drag Race standout stunned with a chromatic gold seahorse-inspired look on the Lamé You Stay-themed runway on the main stage. While it isn’t as a direct nod as compared to the others, this Diego Montoya number appears to be an homage to the iconic Egyptian-inspired gilded look from Dior Spring 2004 under the unparalleled helm of John Galliano.

Kahmora Hall —Bob Mackie

The Mackie doll out of the box, Kahmora Hall is a true Bob Mackie connoisseur. If you don’t know who the legendary American fashion designer and costumier is, then you better hit up the Google search right now on the memorable looks of icons such as Ann-Margret, Carol Burnett, Carol Channing, Judy Garland, Cher, Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli…well you get the gist. Anyway, aside from owning several original Bob Mackie originals that have been fitted to the specific measurements of the Chicago hopeful, this specific number is said to be a hybrid of Cher’s much talked about naked dress at the 1974 Met Gala and Britney Spears’ diamond bodysuit in the music video, Toxic.

Olivia Lux — Jacquemus

If you manage to look away from the beguiling smile of Olivia Lux, then you might have to squint a wee bit for this fashion reference. No, we’re not talking about the dress here, but rather the bag, which is a wink and a nod to the Le Chiquito by Jacquemus. The diminutive purse that barely fits anything, but has nonetheless charmed the world over, has been a consistent style statement by Olivia Lux on RuPaul’s Drag Race, having been seen on both looks on the Day To Night mini challenge, as well as on the arrival to the work room.

Rosé — Alexander McQueen Spring 2013

Like a buzz of bees to honey, Rosé has taken to Sarah Burton’s Spring 2013 Spring runway collection for Alexander McQueen. Inspired by romance of beekeeping, the assemblage from the eponymous brand gave rise to hive-like patterns, cinched waists, caged skirts, exaggerated silhouettes, and beekeeper-inspired hats that would very well be of use in our current paradigm. Taking a sip from the fancy fluted glass of recent archive, Rosé and Diego Montoya did their own spin with a dazzling red body suit, caged hip protrusion with tulle overlay, and a wide-brimmed hat on the main stage.

Symone —Gisele Bündchen for Esquire 2004

Mastering the art of referencing pop culture, both mindful of taking inspiration and appropriating it to fit the definitive drag persona, Symone really knows her stuff. A Rolodex of fun facts and nostalgic turns, the Ebony Enchantress has positioned herself as the one to really watch out for, especially in terms of fashion. From a raver in Zion from the Matrix to Lil Kim’s Interview November 1999 cover; Symone once again set our retro-loving hearts aflutter with the shingles of self-portraits on Polaroid stills fashioned as a mini dress very much in the vein of Gisele Bündchen on Esquire October 2004. Now that is how identify yourself as a superstar.

Utica — Vivienne Westwood

With a predilection for patterns, the wacky, quirky and kooky Utica sure knows how to work, match, and even clash the classics in a singular look. While there have been jaw-dropping moments thus far, such as the 60s mod lady balls fantasy and the marvelously macabre vamp look in the Lady and the Vamp mini challenge, it was the ruffled gingham outfit worn with multiple stacked hats in pretty pastels for the promo of RuPaul’s Drag Race that really calls to mind another legend in the fashion realm, Vivienne Westwood. A true irreverent with a distinct point-of-view that endures to this day, the designer’s favoring of tartans, plaid, and geometric configurations that are rendered in the evocative silhouettes of a Victorian-meets-punk aesthetic is a true statement that is passionate on all cultural fronts.

If you didn’t grow up dancing to The Spaghetti Song flexing your non-existent bones, randomly shouting “Get Get Aww!” or simply outshining everybody at your Christmas party, sorry but you were raised wrong. We were reared by queens known as The Sexbomb Girls.

How on earth did a group of supposedly backup dancers-turned-multimedia stars raise an entire generation pre-social media? There was no TikTok, no Instagram, and no means for people to get to know them other than being a noontime show mainstay for almost a decade.

For your education, The Sexbomb Girls, aka the Best-Selling Philippine Female Group of All Time for almost 10 years, was comprised of dancers, singers, rappers and of course, visuals. If you were too young to remember as this tweet points out, Rochelle was the leader and main dancer/rapper (she also released a solo album), Jopay was the lead dancer who could also spit bars like Lisa (before viral hit songs like Catriona, there was Jopay by Mayonnaise), Izzy was the visual and lead vocal along with Weng, and both Monique and Yvette were main vocals, too. Did we mention they could act? Imagine the range and creativity they put into their 26-seasons long, 7-year drama series, Daisy Siete.

They were more than a triple threat. For many, they were role models that everyone looked up to and broke society’s standards of what it means to be a woman. Oh, and they might have predicted the COVID-19 outbreak, too. The Sexbomb Girls were a real phenomenon, the OG influencers, and TV Stars pre-KUWTK (to the point where someone even made a thesis about them). And in tough times, always remember, these ladies taught us we only have two choices in life: Laban o Bawi.

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INVENTED CHROMATICA BEFORE CHROMATICA

No one was ready for the slayage of this era. For their debut album, The Sexbomb Girls took no prisoners. They were all about finally finding their silver lining—without realizing they were on their way to becoming the best-selling female group in Asia. Oh, and they also won 4x platinum awards for this album.

GLOBAL GIRL GROUP DOMINATION

We can only imagine how their stylist created their iconic looks and honestly, we have no idea how you could look this good in the early 2000s. In the Y2K era, almost everyone had the strangest taste in fashion, but The Sexbomb Girls were ahead of their time.

THEY’RE THE BADDEST HEAVYWEIGHTS

Winning championships and endorsements in color-coordinated sports bras and leather boots? Your favorites could never. Thanks to this serve in their sophomore album, Round 2, your new gym outfit just got an upgrade.

THEY SERVED BODY-ODY

As if their style wasn’t sharp enough, their choices when it came to hair and makeup were also the reason why our moms would often try fixing us up in the craziest hairstyles. During this time, Megan Thee Stallion’s viral TikTok dance wasn’t even the hit song yet, but the girls were already paving the way for the era of the fine, fierce, and fabulous female.

SPICE GIRLS WHO?

The UK may have had the Spice Girls in the 90s, but we had the Sexbomb Girls and they were all style icons in their own right. Those little black dresses? *chef’s kiss* We absolutely want to snatch Rochelle’s cutout dress, please.

REAL HOT GIRLS

This was a moment. A cultural reset. The styling for their album ‘Sexbomb: The Sexiest Hits 2’ definitely deserves more recognition. If you’re still looking for different ways to wear a scarf, this is the answer. The way they styled paisley prints and matching cutout dresses have more details than you even realize. Finally, a girl group who knows how to standout all at once.

THE REAL SAVIORS OF PHILIPPINE MUSIC

Their third album, Bomb Thr3at, still remains undefeated and it’s not hard to see why. Unsurprisingly, they were also nominated in the Awit Awards for Best Album Packaging. Photo cards still weren’t a thing back then, but each recording artist knew they had to kill the lyrics book and the posters that came with it—including the outfits, of course. Welcome to the SB Multiverse, a dimension built for legendary women and legendary women only.

(Photos courtesy of @sbgirls.ph, @ladygaga and @sexbombarchive)

Following a successful debut of his work, Cooking Adobo in the Hea(r)t of 25.2048° N, 55.2708° E in Art Dubai 2019, Dubai-based Filipino artist, Augustine Paredes serves up a saucy storm with his visuals, narrative, and lest we forget, feelings.

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As they always say, the more personal the story, the more difficult it is to tell. Not just limited to the context of art, this nugget of wisdom has parlayed itself to life in general, where everything from the harrowing tales of our unique and individual day-to-day, to the cold, distant, and unimaginable conditions of migrant workers in their quest for a better future for their selves and their families, quote-unquote.

We’ve all heard stories of overseas Filipino workers. Heck, it has been heavily dramatized on many a film and teleserye for us to realize that far from the familiar warmth, comforts, and love from home, these brave souls who hustle in the realest sense of the word are modern-day heroes keeping many things afloat at the same time—their families, the economy, and lest they forget, themselves. It can be hard living a veritable world away from home, which is perhaps why they find comfort in the tangible forms of familiar at their disposal, such as an immediate Filipino community, noontime TV shows typically left on as white noise in the cacophony of a typical Pinoy lunch, and for an unapologetically passionate few, art.     

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“It was, definitely,” says Filipino artist and photographer, Augustine Paredes, when asked how his current visual narrative, Cooking Adobo in the Hea(r)t of 25.2048° N, 55.2708° E, was a difficult story to tell. “Most importantly, more difficult to let out to the world. I feel like all personal stories are.” Those familiar with the artistic ethos of Paredes (whose works have been exhibited internationally and in titles such as Vogue Arabia, Harper’s Bazaar, Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, Madame Magazine France, Brownbook Magazine, WKND Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, The Huntr, among others,), will notice a distinct growth to his photographs and accompanying snippets of stories. While the current effort still grapples with the familiar making sense of time and identity, as seen in previous pursuits such as How Strangers Meet and The Lonely Transit, this one is grounded, conceptual, and provocative yet wrapped in a welcome restraint that is a result of his nomadic episodes, as well as with certainty, his tenure as a creative in Dubai over the course of two years. “It was different, because I had to be more rigorous than my usual feelings-based body of work. I had to read different text, [go through] consultation and dialogue. Whereas before, I would just sit down with myself and do it. Now, with all my art, thus the long process, I shower myself with critical text,” he says. “Being part of Campus Art Dubai (an intensive program, with workshops and seminars for six months) twice, really helped me become more critical and rigorous with my body of work. ‘Di na puros feeling lang.”

It isn’t to say that his current series, is devoid of a thumping and brimming of life that is akin to his earlier works. Vivid and vibrant, as it is punctured with longing and necessary levity all anchored on the Filipino staple here and abroad, the Adobo. Much like the stew that reminds Filipinos of home, the storytelling of Augustine Paredes is in parts saucy, sour, and maybe with a kick of spice that makes everything tie together in his homage to the life of being an OFW in Dubai. Presented in a series of conceptual and existential self-portraits and stills, this thoroughly post-modern exposition narrates how this atypical permanence has carved him into the artist, and most importantly man that he is now. Attempting to answer seemingly deceptive but philosophically-charged questions such as “Where are you from?” and “Will it make the Adobo better?”, his work necessitates an introspection that is of the essence in this day and age.

Developed under the Art Dubai program, the first and only of its kind in the UAE, this piece has actually been marinating in his head for a while back as I recall from our San Miguel-laced conversations last year. With a trove of experiences, memories, anecdotes, and photographs, Paredes was certain he wanted to tell a compelling story. How? He wasn’t quite sure. “Do it documentary-style, as an expose of sorts from a younger point-of-view,” I suggest, sipping the bottle I had been nursing far long than I intended. “Possible, but where and how would I show it?”

As anyone who has had a hand at cooking a good ‘ol serving of Adobo, in whichever way you see fit to your tastes, the stew needs a certain amount of time to simmer before the full burst of flavors really tie in together with the meat, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar and spices. There’s a reason why some argue that the longer it sits, the more delicious it becomes, which is perhaps why some can extend its lifeline to close to a week depending on their appetite. Since then, the idea gestated and grew, evolving accordingly, before it was finally ready to see the light of day in Dubai’s biggest art fair no less, Art Dubai 2019. Part of a group show under the theme, Mirror Mirror On The Wall: Contemporary Art And The City, Cooking Adobo in the Hea(r)t of 25.2048° N, 55.2708° E, debuted to great response, prompting even a hilarious encounter of someone asking Paredes if he was to perform his show through an actual cooking of Adobo. “Manimaho ta’g garlic,” he says in Bisaya, which translates to, “We’d smell of garlic.”

In art, among many aspects of life, we are told to make things personal. But as we progress and find nuance in the different trajectories thereafter, we learn that there is greater efficiency and effect when all that thumping and sometimes volatile energy is harnessed to a state that is malleable and easier to drape to the world. Make it personal, but don’t make it just about you, I realized. And just as the string of feelings and emotions continue to anchor many an artistic pursuit, such as that of Augustine Paredes and Cooking Adobo in the Hea(r)t of 25.2048° N, 55.2708° E, it becomes crystal clear that the stories we tell no longer become just about us, but rather of everyone who finds themselves taken and woven into this tapestry of tales we call our life.

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Taking this opportunity, we ran an exchange with Augustine Paredes on art, migrant workers, and the concept of home beyond that of adobo. Read below for the rest of the interview:

We’ve discussed doing this story for a while now. What finally made you push it out and how did the concept and visual narrative evolve?

When I went back to the Philippines after almost 2 years in Dubai, it felt like a homecoming in two ways—I came home to a place where my body and my tongue belongs, and I came home to myself. When I came home I said to myself, ‘so this is how it feels to be a balikbayan. I’ve been working on the project of my life in Dubai as a Filipino migrant worker for the last two years, presenting it to different mentors and attending workshops. At the beginning I was very ambitious with this propaganda-esque notion, saying “I don’t want the Filipinos to be pushed back in the kitchen.” But over time, I realized no one can represent an entire country, let a lone a very diverse country like ours. So, I represented myself, my story, hoping that it would shed light to other people’s stories.

You tackled many topics in your portfolio of stories, why zero in on this for the exhibit and similar themes as of late? 

I felt really strong about certain topics—home, belonging, belongings, and identity—especially because I’ve been here, alone and away from the comforts of home. I’m not the only migrant worker, there’s thousands of us around the world, and some may not have the luxury of time and energy to think about these things, or have a voice. I’m using my ways, making use of my art and story to share a story that some may resonate to.

What was the biggest adjustment translating your art from the Philippines to the Middle East? 

My art in the Philippines are very personal and tightly intact with my queerness and sexuality. Whereas here, I couldn’t tell that kind of story because it’s illegal and the country has censorship. So, I had to tell a different story—clear of the smoke, sex, and alcohol—something more personal and requires more introspection.

Having traveled to many parts of the world, what made you find permanence in Dubai?

I still feel like Dubai is a temporary place, thus I travel often in search of a new place to call home. But this is the longest time I’ve spent in a city. I also felt like Dubai is very accepting of my potential, and also I’ve met many great people here—most importantly it’s brought out a very different side of me as a person, especially as an artist.

What was the biggest misconception that you had before working in Dubai? What have you learned since about the migrant plight since?

Reality inspired TV shows like MMK and Magpakailanman would portray migrant workers as slaves and struggling people, and I grew up thinking that. I was so afraid I was gonna be kawawa when I got here, but I was fine. Though I was struggling, it was a different kind of struggle—more emotional, rather than physical. I also learned that Dubai is a very tolerant and welcoming city, very open to young talents and appreciative of potentials. At least for me. Although I want to say, sometimes skin color and passports weigh heavier than your art and portfolio.

Moving forward, what do you want your art to evolve to? What other stories do you want to tell?

I’m currently being mentored by amazing photographers like Maggie Steber (Nat Geo), Tanya Habjouqa (Noor), Mohamed Somji (Gulf Photo Plus) and critic and writer Uzma Rizvi (Pratt University, NY), helping me be more rigorous and critical in my practice. I want to do and explore a different kind of reportage, documentary work through photography. Be in more exhibitions and finally release the self-published book that I’ve been working on since 2015.

What do you miss most of about home?

I miss my Mama the most, and my longing for that kind of love and home-ness are always translated to my work. I miss falling in love in the streets of Davao and Manila, and the warm feeling I get after being told, “Mahal kita.”