I’m very thankful for this humble loot. Not only do they have great products, they’re also Philippine handmade, eco-friendly, natural and organic!”

Mara Mina, one of the recipients of our Easter Giveaway, gets a pleasant surprise at work. Read about her experience here: http://ow.ly/jGOAx

These are handmade from our old catalogs by award-winning writer Yvette Tan , author of Waking the Dead (available at National Bookstore and Powerbooks) and contributor to GMA News Online and Spot.PH. You can read more about her on her blog, www.yvettetan.com

How to join:

*”Like” this photo on the Leyende Facebook page (go to www.facebook.com/leyende)

*Share this photo in your Facebook Timeline

–Two winners will be chosen randomly from the list of likes (we will check if you shared it in your Timeline!)

–We will announce the two winners on our Facebook Page on April 1, 2013

Easter Egg: A minute with Yvette Tan

What made you interested in upcycling/recycling notebooks?

Two things: One, I’ve always been interested in finding uses for things other than the intended as an exercise in creativity and as a way to lessen our impact on the environment. Two, I love paper. The feel of it, the smell of it, the idea that it had the ability to hold your thoughts. My childhood dream was to make my own stationery. The notebooks are an offshoot of both loves.
2. We know you consider yourself an aspiring minimalist. How do you apply minimalism and mindfulness in your everyday life?

The answer to this is lengthy (I’ll probably write about it at length on my blog), but it boils down to prioritizing quality over quantity in every aspect of my life, be it with material belongings, emotional well being, or relationships cultivated. In work, it’s always doing a good job.

3. What is your favorite Leyende product? How do you use it? (if there’s a unique way you use it. if not, no need to answer)

I can’t have just one favorite Leyende product! I love Clean Slate, which I use as a cleanser and face wash; The Way You Make Me Feel, which is use as a face and body moisturizer (I sometimes also use it to tame frizz and to keep my brows in place); and The spirit of 76, which you should totally revive. The products I like tend to have multiple uses, so I only need to take a few items with me while traveling.
4. What are you working on now?

I currently have blogs on GMA News Online and Spot.PH, and have another book of horror stories coming out sometime this year. Waking the Dead, my first collection of horror stories, is available in all National Bookstore and Powerbooks branches. You can find me on Twitter at @yvette_tan, where I tweet about weird things and on my website, yvettetan.com, which is often mistaken as a food blog, but is actually not.

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t expect much from using it as it doesn’t mention anything about healing pimples. Surprisingly, I didn’t breakout further when I started using this product! You can’t imagine how it was such a relief. The main reason for this, I believe, is that this product is organic and contains zero chemicals so it didn’t harm my skin…However, I noticed my dark pimple scars start to lighten – and to think I’ve only used this two weeks!…For months I have been in serious acne attacks, and I have been looking for a facial cleanser that would calm my breakouts down, and thankfully, Leyende did it. I’m happy to say that I have been free of new breakouts for the two weeks I’m using it.”

[Read her full review here]

Thank you, Angel, for sharing your experience with us!

We immediately set about concocting a similar “recipe,” this time using our homegrown muscovado sugar and virgin coconut oil (VCO). We put in calamansi extract for good measure to help even skin tone. The result is the delicious, better-not-eat-it jar of La Dolce that many of our customers love.

We’ve compiled some photos at our Facebook page to give you a sneak peek at how we make this beloved face exfoliant. [Click here]

This summer, Leyende is striking a brand partnership with AVA.ph, the Philippines’ first invitation-only shopping boutique.  Named by SPOT.ph as the top online boutique for 2012, AVA.ph reaches more than two million premium shoppers all over the country. Their dynamic, well-curated line-up of brands and promotions positions them as fashion and beauty tastemakers for their online audience.

For a limited time, AVA.ph is promoting the last leg of the Real Benefits Campaign through an exclusive online sale —  get the products at 25% off! Better make up your mind soon because the sale lasts until March 15 (Thursday) only.

What better way of supporting the advocacy of your choice than giving these products as gifts? You can even put the donation of P100.00 for every purchase under the name of your loved one, and they’ll receive a note of appreciation and donation receipt from the foundation you chose to support.

Get started by registering at AVA.ph. Click this link.

Click here to see the video of Leyende’s Real Benefits Campaign

Tis the season of giving once more! But with all the gadgets, toys and accessories available in shops and on-line, choosing presents has become more of a chore than a thoughtful process. With everyone scrambling to the next new shiny thing, the value of handmade gifts seems a thing of the past.

What do you give someone who means the world to you? Or someone who gets the latest and trendiest each season?

Instead of adding to the culture of excess that each holiday brings, Leyende offers a refreshing take on truly meaningful gifts: the Real Benefits Campaign.

Holiday shopping takes on a new, socially-relevant dimension with the following limited-edition Leyende products:

Clean Slate Multi-tasking Face Cleanser (limited edition packaging with crocheted waterdrop phone charm) 100mL – P450.00

Wash away ignorance! For every purchase of limited edition Clean Slate Multi-tasking Face Cleanser that cleanses skin without overdrying or stripping off natural oils, you donate P100 to the Project H.OU.S.E. College Fund, which is going to sponsor the education of at-risk, out-of-school youth who undergo work-study program with Messy Bessy worry-free, ecofriendly household cleaners.

Mother Butter Cocoa Butter Body Moisturizer (limited edition packaging with crocheted sleeve made from recycled plastic bags) 100mL – P450.00

Save a Mother, Save the Future! For every purchase of limited edition Mother Butter, you stave off stretchmarks and dry skin, and contribute P100 to help UNICEF’s Safe Motherhood Program reach more expectant women in need from remote areas.

Beach Bomb (limited edition packaging with crocheted wings lariat) 50mL – P450.00

The Sweet Scent of Freedom! For every purchase of limited-edition Beach Bomb cologne, the refreshing blend of aloe, vetiver and coconut essences lifts the spirits, knowing that P100 of it goes directly to the daily needs and rehabilitation costs of the residents of  Marillac Shelter for Women.

One of the best things about being an entrepreneur is meeting different kinds of people and having the opportunity to do something new each day.

I’ve always wanted the chance to be on the other side of a radio show. One of my (embarrassing) childhood memories was pretending to be a radio DJ, reading out the news or sending out greetings or dishing out my opinion on a particular issue to my “listeners:” my little brother (and now Leyende’s Admin and HR Manager), Kline, and one of our pet cats. It’s still surreal that this year alone, I got the chance to be part of two radio shows: 88.3 FM (with Lana Junia) and last November 9, I was a guest of the Entre Pinoy Espesyal program of DZAS 702 AM!

These photos are proof that it happened! Here I am with Kuya Lem and Ms. Jo (above photo). I was very excited when Grace Estabillo, their researcher (see her photo at the end), called a few weeks before to ask me to be their guest. I’ve always been a fan of AM radio stations because it’s always been a source of reliable news, information and advice for most Filipinos for generations.

DZAS is part of the Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC) which began its broadcast in June 1948. It was officially the first radio station in the Philippines to go on-air (as KZAS). Even my mother wasn’t even born during that time! By being a guest in their radio show, it seems Leyende and I have become part of a very rich history. Needless to say, they’ve garnered so many awards through the decades, as you can see below.

Overeager and antsy, I showed up a bit too early at their Valenzuela station (quite a drive from Makati!). But Grace and the radio hosts kept me entertained. Here I am at the radio booth where it all happens! They prepared me for the interview by chatting with me about the major points they were going to ask me. It went very well and we all had fun. Before I knew it, it was over and I was on my way back to the office (where everyone was tuned in via internet radio!).

Of course, I had to give them all our wonderful products. It was the least I could do for their generosity and support for Leyende. See below the wonderful Grace Estabillo (striped jacket), and the very professional and accommodating staff of DZAS who were very warm and kind enough to take photos for me during and after the interview.

On behalf of the Leyende team, I’d like to shout out at big THANK YOU to the DZAS hosts and staff for a wonderful experience. It was thrilling to be in the booth with the pros for a few minutes. And the feedback and inquiries we received through email, texts and phone calls was tremendous. In fact, we’re still meeting new people who listened to the interview until now.

We’re grateful for these opportunities and for our new friends and supporters in DZAS!