A couple of years ago, one of my clients hired a woman to help out with merchandising and operations. I enjoyed working with her because she was smart and always ready to learn - she was such a huge help since the team was very small at that time. However, she quit within the month if I remember correctly. Why? Her boyfriend gave her a hard time about spending too much time working. She started missing work and he started waiting for her to come out of the office like a stalker.

It was a sad situation, and I was sorry that she didn't choose to get out of it. I know it's none of my business but I wrote a lengthy, emphatic email explaining why she shouldn't have left her job for her boyfriend. I told her, if he controls her like this when they're not yet married, imagine how he'd be like once they tie the knot!

Yes, it's none of my business, but sometimes it has to be. There are many forms of domestic violence. It's not necessarily as direct or physically obvious like a black eye - it could be a partner limiting your economic situation like preventing you from keeping a job or cutting you off from your bank accounts/cards. It could be verbal like him telling you you're stupid or incompetent all the time. It could be emotional like him stalking you via text or preventing you from seeing your friends and family. 

Not really

There are signs - except, we tend to turn the other cheek because we don't want to interfere. We don't want to be labeled "pakialamera". I believe that there are boundaries we shouldn't cross and that everybody is entitled to privacy. But there are situations when we shouldn't keep our mouths shut. I mean, if you truly care about someone, shouldn't you be proactive, say something and offer solutions to ger her out of her misery?

That's why I love Avon's global #SeeTheSigns Campaign.

Here's some news for all you fab and busy moms out there: Smart recently introduced their Family Ties Plans, which helps you stay constantly connected with members of the family while ensuring a safe and protected environment for children when they use their mobile devices.

With this plan, you no longer have to think twice about making that quick call to your son to check up on him at school or sending some sweet-nothings to your husband while at work because of the unlimited calling and texting features that come with the plan.

At the launch: Mompreneur and blogger Janice Villanueva and PR practitioner Ana Ongpin talk about how they juggle their family along with their hectic work schedules. Both love the new plan as it keeps them in touch with their kids and staff!

Here's the new TVC (which will air starting today):

Details of the Smart Family Ties Plans 

Families have two choices for their postpaid lines: Family Ties Plan 900 includes unlimited calling within the family circle, unlimited SMS to Smart subscribers and 200 all-network texts, as well as 100MB of free data for each line every month.

Did you know that your beauty regimen at night is just as important as your routine during the day? Oil and sun protection are your top concerns when the sun is out. However, it's easy to overlook dehydration and insufficient nourishment at night. This is the reason you sometimes wake up with a dull and tired-looking face!

Night time is the best time to allow your skin to recuperate from the day's stresses. It's when your body is resting completely that it is able to better absorb any nourishment you care to shower it. If you don't have a good night regimen yet, here are five things you can do that'll help you wake up with glowing skin every morning!

1. Double-cleanse your face. There's cleansing with facial wash, and then there's a thing called double-cleansing. This is a simple technique where you use a makeup remover first before you lather with your facial wash! It's okay to wash your face only once during the morning, but at night you would have accumulated a lot of dirt, oil, and bacteria on top of your makeup. It's absolutely important to be able to remove ALL of that before you move on to the rest of your night routine.

You can use a cleansing oil or water-based makeup remover to wipe off the makeup. Then, proceed to massage your face thoroughly with your preferred facial wash. I like the foamy ones, I feel they clean better. If you have dry skin though, you should go for non-foaming, non-soapy cleansers to keep your moisture barrier intact.

2. Allow your skin to indulge in a rich moisturizer. Due to the humidity in the Philippines, most of us prefer to use light, maybe even water-based moisturizers. These are great to wear during the day, but at night, we need something more moisturizing.