When I look at how far my friends have come, I can't help but smile.

Tara Pink Nouveau and Sophie Candy Yum Yum at the Nuffamily Day last year I'm not sure when was the exact time that Sophie and I started becoming friends. I do remember being intimidated and scared of her cos she's taller than me and she speaks quite fast. As it turns out, Sophie is one of my gentlest, kind-hearted friends I have that I'm super thankful to have. Since the two of us are closest in proximity, we often go home together and it is such a joy to become closer to her as she tends to share things she knows, her realizations, movies she's seen, her travel wisdom -- She is never insecure and will do her best to help you out -- she is a gem of a friend, really.

The Charmbassadress

Of late, I have been truly joyous for her because

a) her baby, Charm Essentials just turned five and

b) she came out with a limited edition set, a Travel Pro V3 in gold and leopard print aptly named Sonia, dedicated to her mom, Tita Sonia.

How very classy, yes?

I've met Tita Sonia once before, when they both picked me up from home, as Sophie and I were on our way for dinner with Shen and already, I could feel her support for her eldest daughter, Sophie.

I know all mothers are supportive {mine is super duper supportive of my goals in life it's so touching!} and Tita Sonia was just so:

“Sonia is my mom’s name and I am dedicating this first ever limited edition set to her.” A staunch supporter of her business venture, Sophie recalls how her mom was the one who got her the perfect swatch of the animal print fabric which houses the limited edition set. “There were a lot of challenges as it is in any business but my mom never failed to provide support every step of the way, I am just so lucky to have that,” she adds.

I love how one of my friends has named something she worked hard on after her mom. I've yet to name anything after anyone but more than being able to help makeup enthusiasts and equipping us with the right tools, Sophie is an inspiration to women our age --- to never stop creating, that hard work is the only way to go and to look back where you've come from and pay homage to the people who help you along the way.

As for the brushes, I've had the crocodile-cased, hot-pink Travel Pro V3 for more than a year now and they're all holding up well, they've retained their shape and functionality so I can attest that one that comes in gold will do just as great.

Sophie’s passion for the perfect stroke, the perfect blend and the perfect pigment pickup has always been her driving force behind her pursuit of quality makeup brushes. “I’ve been in love with makeup for the longest time, about 10 years now and every time I travel, I always look for the best brush for different purposes,” she shares. “And I do find them, it’s just that to me, craftsmanship and quality does not have to equal a hefty price tag.” Spurred by this inspiration to share that belief, she sourced out numerous craftsmen until she found one that matched her strict standards for makeup application.