Happy New Year (and my New Year's Resolution)!

Happy New Year Everyone! It's a new year and it's time to make improvements on our lives. I've come up with a New Year's Resolution and that is to spend less especially on food! I've been eating more frequently and in more expensive places this past year (partly because of my sister's influence) which explains my big weight gain this past year :( Awww... I've also been spending a lot on drinks! I'll try to just get water during my meals out to avoid extra sugar intake. Well, I hope it goes well for me.

Anyway, I'm adding a poll to this blog. I'd also like to know, what would you like to see more of in this blog? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave me a comment!

Epilators Anyone?

I recently tried my friend's new Braun Epilator which her husband bought her from the Middle East. It was my first time to try epilating. At first I was scared because of the rolling head, but when my friend tried it on my legs, the pain was actually tolerable and the vibrations of the epilator makes you a bit numb from the pain. Although it was a bit time-consuming, it's actually effective. I'm thinking of buying one in place of having my legs waxed in a salon, which is more costly. But i'm not sure what are the good epilator brands out there, although I was satisfied with the Braun Silk Epil.

What are your thoughts on epilators? Can anyone give me some recommendations?

First Impressions: Skin Hour Revitaleyes Eye Balm

photo taken from skinhour.multiply.com

Product description:
An unscented eye balm applied under the eye during the night to diminish puffiness, firm skin and reduce lines. It also lightens dark circles and moisturizes the most sensitive area of the eye.

Ingredients:
Organic beeswax, sweet almond oil, apricot seed oil, coconut stearate, collagen, vitamin k, calendula extract, vitamin e, grapefruit extract and orris root extract

Being a full-time student and a working only part time, I can't afford really expensive eye creams, so I'm on the lookout for an affordable eye cream that delivers.

I bought this during the Mineral Makeup Weekend because of good reviews. I've been using it for around a week now. My first impression is that the product is quite greasy because of the oils so I recommend that this should only be applied at night. Well, that's what it says in the product description, too. It's quite rich and doesn't feel light on the skin, being a balm and not a cream. However, after applying it for a few days straight, I noticed that my eye area is really moisturized! The texture has changed. My undereye area is smoother. I haven't noticed if any of my lines have been reduced since I've only been using this for a week. I also can't tell if it has diminished the puffiness of my eyes because I've been sleeping late lately. I'll have to use this for a longer period of time to see what happens.

The best thing about this product, though, is that it's organic! As you can see, there are no preservatives. All the ingredients are beneficial to the skin. And it's only P100! Very affordable. For its price, it's a very good product. As I wrote earlier, I still have to see regarding it's effects on lines, dark circles and puffiness, but it's a terrific moisturizer. My eye area has never looked better.

10 Cheap Ways for Younger, Healthier Skin

Okay, I'm no beauty expert but I'd just like to share these tips with you. Some of you might think, duh! but actually, because these tips are really common sense that we forget to do these. You won't get the best results out of expensive face creams and procedures if you don't do these very basic tips:

1. Keep your skin hydrated inside and out. To keep your skin hydrated from the inside, drink lots of water (the recommended number of glasses is 8). To keep your skin hydrated from the outside, use moisturizer. Despite my extremely oily face, I still use moisturizer at night to prevent my face from looking shiny. The key is to find the right type of moisturizer for your skin type. Also, on hot days, I spritz my face midday with a facial mist to keep my skin hydrated.

2. Take vitamins and other antioxidants regularly. There are a lot of inexpensive vitamin brands out there. Good food supplements help our bodies stay in working order. Antioxidants fight free radicals which cause damage to our bodies and of course, our skin. Free radicals, of course, are one of the aging factors. For healthy skin, a basic and important vitamin to take is Vitamin E. For those with oily skin like me, there are water-soluble forms of Vitamin E out in the market.

3. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. The best source of nutrients are still the natural way, through fruits and vegetables. Remember in grade school? Our teachers taught us the 3 types of food: Go, Grow and Glow. Fruits and vegetables are Glow foods. Reduce your intake of processed foods.

4. Use sunblock. UV rays are one of the most damaging elements to our skin. A daily application of sunblock with at least SPF 30 is a must. Also, make sure your sunblock has both UVA and UVB protection. Aside from applying sunblock on your face and body, don't forget other areas such as eyes, ears and lips. I used to have a problem (and still slightly do) of having a darker eye area than the rest of my face because I place sunblock on my face but not in my eye area.

5. Use protective gear. When I mean gear, I'm not talking of boots, raincoats and stuff! I'm talking about caps, umbrellas and shades. When you're out in the sun, it benefits you to use other means of protection to supplement your sunblock. I'm known as the girl who always has an umbrella, rain or shine. Also, wearing shades during a hot day prevents squinting, which in turn, prevent lines.

6. Treat your eye area with care. Resist the urge to rub your eyes when they are itchy, as our delicate eye area is really prone to wrinkles. Also, put on eye makeup gently. Avoid tugging your skin.

7. Don't smoke. Everyone knows the damage smoking does to the body, and since our skin is the largest organ in our body, the effects of smoking are also very visible to our skin. Also, not smoking is no use if you're constantly exposed to second-hand smoke. Try to avoid places and situations with a lot of smoke.

8. Wash your face after being exposed to "the elements." When coming from a long, smoky and dusty commute home, I always wash my face right away to prevent further damage from the free radicals on my face.

9. Get lots of sleep. Your face shows if you had a restful sleep or not. Plus, a good night's sleep is preparation for the day ahead. Experts recommend 8 hours of sleep a day, but I find that I function my best after 9 hours of sleep. Of course, I don't always have the luxury of having that much sleep all the time.

10. Don't be stressed. Like the commercial says, "Stress can make you look and feel old." It's true!

and lastly, SMILE and stay happy! That's the best thing you can do to your skin.

Recent Hauls

Last Tuesday was our concert in Shangri-La Mall, so before our call time, I stopped by Nikki's (askmewhats) office to get one set of art pens from her. It was my first time to meet her and she was so nice! Of course, I admired her nail art which is lovely as usual. Anyway, I bought these art pens because I want to learn how to do my own nail art since going to salons to have it done is quite costly.

Here is a pic of my nail art pens:

There are 24 pens in all and she gave a nail dotting pen free.

Here's another look at my lovely nail art pens:

I can't wait to create my own nail art. Aside from these pens, I'll be purchasing other materials for my nail art.

Anyway, after I left Nikki's office, I went to Shangri-La Plaza. During our break, I went around the mall and lookie what I bought from Rustan's:

Another Orly nail polish in Catch the Bouquet. I also wanted to buy the Orly Spritz Dry but decided not to to save on expenses. However, it would turn out that I would regret not buying it because the next time I did my nails, the polish took forever to dry! I'll be buying the Spritz Dry one day, unless of course someone can recommend a good spray-on nail dryer.

Aside from my Orly nail polish, finally bought myself a Belle de Jour planner, which I've been lemming for since last month. This was the last copy in National Bookstore.

I was deciding between this and the Cosmo Date book. The Cosmo Date Book is only P200 (around $4) while the Belle de Jour is P598 (around $12). They're both really girly and have discount coupons, although the Belle de Jour has more. However, the reason why I decided to buy the Belle de Jour was because it had better binding and a hard cover while the Cosmo Date Book's cover was just made of thin cardboard. I felt that it wouldn't last the year if it was in my bag. It's good, though, if you plan to just leave it in your study/office desk. However, Belle de Jour is better if you plan to take this with you wherever you go like I do.

Regarding the coupons, I'm probably not going to be able to use most of them because most of the coupons are only good for regular-prized items. And I'm not the type who buys something regular-prized when it comes to clothes, bags and shoes. Although the coupons of BDJ are more than the ones from Cosmo, there are similar coupons though.

As for the Starbucks Planner, I don't plan to buy one in the next 10 years because it's really hard to gulp down 16 cups of expensive coffee in 2 months!

Anyway, I finally got home today and look what I found waiting for me: my Aromaleigh Haul! This haul was a pool order with Rebecca (newbietobeauty) and Micah (hoarder from GT). We ordered during the end of November sale.

The sticker on the pot is really cute. Here is how my haul looked like:

Here is what I got, a FS of URFP in Peaches and Cream and 5 mini jars of Illuminating Perle Powders in Kindle, Tickle, Whisper, Splendor and Allure. The Perle Powders are so pretty! I wanted to get more actually but it was going to be too expensive already so I got these top 5 which I felt was going to be the most useful for me.

Anyway, that's my haul! Merry Christmas again!

Post-Christmas Lemmings!

I know I just finished my Christmas shopping but all this blog-hopping has left me lemming for some eye products!

Do I want the Aromaleigh Pure Drama Eyeliners (that I've been lemming for since I read Phoebe's blog)? They're really pretty.

photo taken from www.aromaleigh.com

Or the Coastal Scents Gel liners that I saw swatches of in another blog?

photo taken from www.coastalscents.com

Or both?

It's a good thing none of these two companies are on sale right now so my wallet can rest for a little while. I might decide to wait for a sale.

I'm also lemming for a brush belt/case and a train case. I use a toolbox, but my stuff can't fit there anymore. Regarding the brush belt/case, I don't know which one to buy. Can anyone recommend a good one?

Of course, I'm also starting to collect more nail products, which I'll post in the next few days.

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas to everyone! Have a great day!

Hauls from AWG and Lumiere

My packages from Adorned with Grace (AWG) and Lumiere arrived a few days ago on the same day. At last I finally got my hands on them! I ordered a duo fiber brush (I read that it's the same one from SN) and the 15 samples for $12 dollars. Franchesca's shipping is really affordable. $2.00 only! One of the cheapest I've encountered.

Anyway, I opened the paper wrapping the duo fiber brush and found that this was tiny and I do mean TINEEEY! However, Aileen said that it's great for using glows so I hope this will work for me. I hurriedly washed it so I could start using it. Just so you could see how small this brush it i held it in my hand (which is small, by the way) for comparison:

Here are my samples. They were vacuum sealed. Anyway, since I've been busy these days, I didn't have time to open and sample them. I'll sample them on a later date and blog about it next time. Franchesca also gave a sample of her Celestial Silkening Powder.

Moving on, I also ordered from Lumiere during their November sale. It was sad because they were still selling these in vials during this time, so I paid a little extra for insurance in case they got damaged during shipment.

Here's how my package looked like:

Inside were three vials. One was a blush in Ditto "O" and two were finishing powders in Veena Silk Powder and Veena Veil.

I feel a little sad because I should have waited a little longer had I known that they were going to revert back to selling their minerals in jars. Oh well, at least I have something different in my makeup kit.

My EG Minerals Haul

Finally, the samples I ordered from EG arrived some time this week. When I opened the envelope, this is what was inside:

I ordered 2 sets of the Get Acquainted Kit plus some glows and an eyeliner. I got the Beautiful e/s as a freebie. The foundations I ordered were Jocelyn, Jeanne, Ria, Mia, De Anna and Jin. Jocelyn, Jeanne and Ria were too dark for me. De Anna is an okay match but my best matches are Jin and Mia. I honestly have a hard time deciding which is better because they're very close to each other and both of them suit my skintone well. I also ordered their HD powder, which is getting a lot of raves although some say it's the same as AL URFP in clear.

I ordered two blushes: South Pacific Dawn and Strawberries N Cream. I chose South Pacific Dawn because I saw it in Nikkiz' (notjustminerals) blog and it looked like a good color. When I swatched it, I was right. What a pretty color! It reminds me of Cory's Luminee blush. It's a peach-y shimmery shade. The blushes are very pigmented so a little will go a long way. The Strawberries N Cream is a light but bright pink. I reckon I can use it but in small amounts only. When I went to take a bath after swatching the blushes, I had a hard time scrubbing it off, so yeah, I had a feeling that it would stick to my skin really well.

Here are the swatches of the two blushes:

from left to right: South Pacific Dawn, Strawberries N Cream

That same day, since I was really excited, I used the EG products on my face right away. When I tried the South Pacific Dawn on my face, I liked the color even more. It looked really natural on my face.

Here's an FOTD using EG foundation, HD powder and blush:

FACE:

• Bare Naturals S5 Primer
• Sweetscents Hide-a-pore in Medium
• EG Youthful Glow Formula Foundation in Jin
• EG High Definition Powder

EYES:

• Monave Lid Wash in Buttercup
• Ellana Awake Undereye Concealer

CHEEKS:

• South Pacific Dawn

LIPS:

• Ellana Liquid Lip Color in Allure

*EDIT: The EG foundation i'm wearing is in Youthful Glow, not in Cover Me.*

Coming from the MMU weekend

I finally came home from the MMU weekend. I got a free loot bag. Here is what was inside: Samples of PA foundation in Yukon Gold Rush (which looks too light for me), Monave Blush in Buff Apricot, Illuminizer in Radiant, Bare Beauty Face Color in Gold, Bare Beauty Mineral Veil and Emu Oil Lotion from Blusche.

As for my own loot, I got a Blusche Powder Brush (ang lakas ng powers magconvince ni Grace kasi e) for P200 only (around $4) and I got another Emu Oil Lotion as a freebie. From Beauty and Minerals, I got a Charm Stippling Brush (finally!) and a Monave Blush trio in Seashell, Neutral Pink and Autumn. Thanks Sophie for agreeing to mix and match the blushes. I also got free samples of Ivy (nice green color) and glow. I also bought Skin Hour Revitaleyes Eye Balm because of Gale's good review. Hopefully it will work for me.

I met a lot of new faces today, beauty bloggers and GTalkers. Thanks guys!

Cute Dogs

Yesterday, during our concert in Bonifacio High Street (Christmas Fusion), I stumbled upon cute dogs lazing around in the sidewalks. So many people were taking pictures of these UBER cute dogs.

Here was my favorite:


I stroked his hair, and it was as soft as a stuffed toy's hair. I wanted to take him home.



Here's a picture of him with another cute dog.

Here was another cute dog they were with.

Awww....

MMU Weekend: 1 more day to go!

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE GRAND
MINERAL MAKEUP WEEKEND!

When: December 20 and 21, 2008 (10am-6pm)
Where: Greenmeadows Clubhouse
(inside Greenmeadows Xmas Rush Bazaar)

After the huge success of last year's Mineral Make-Up Weekend, we are bringing back the much-awaited event this week!

The Mineral Make-Up Weekend brings together different mineral makeup brands in one venue to celebrate mineral makeup and create more awareness about it. Six brands will be joining, and as a treat, FREE SAMPLES will be given away to all pre-registered visitors, as well as free makeovers and skin consultations.

Moreover, talks will be held by skin specialists, makeup artists, and
MMU brand owners as they showcase their strengths and advantages,
and show us how to create simple yet stunning day and night looks.

FREEBIE ALERT!
We are giving away 300 FREE mineral makeup lootbags,
worth Php500 each!!! Each loot bag contains product samples from all the participating brands. Plus a free mirror if you come on Saturday!

To avail of your free loot bag, here's what you need to do:
1. Post about this event, together with the banner, and a link back to this site on your multiply blog or blogspot. (Just copy the text above until this part - procedure on how to avail of free loot bags, then include a link at the bottom.)
2. Send your blog entry URL together with your full name, address, and mobile number to claudbaron@yahoo.com, with subject: MMU Weekend. Also, please indicate if you are a mineral makeup user or newbie.
3. Only one free loot bag per blog, per person. Sorry, but we cannot accept submissions for your friends.
4. To claim your free loot bag, simply attend the event and present a valid picture ID at the MMU Room Registration area.

for more information about this, go to http://eventions.multiply.com/photos/album/72/#

Two More Days to Go Till the MMU Bazaar

Yey! The MMU bazaar is finally drawing near. I recommend going there if you're a newbie on MMU but it's still worth going to for MMU addicts like me. I missed the one last year but I'm not gonna miss it this year!

For those of you who don't know yet, the bazaar will be held in Greenmeadows on Dec. 20-21. Different MMU brands will be participating. I won't be able to go on the 20th but I'll be there on the 21st. See you!

Raves and Rants

Okay. Let me start off to say that this day did not go very well. This morning, at 10 am, I went to a branch of my bank to deposit money for my debit card because I want to order some MMU from Dreamworld before the end of their sale this December 20. So, went I went to the bank, I got a number which was No. 22. The teller called out No. 14. 35 minutes later, the teller was still stuck at No. 16! It was taking more than 35 minutes to accomodate 3 people! And since I was still no. 22, how long would it have taken before they called out my name? An extra 1 hour and 30 minutes? We have other things to do besides wait in a bank. I just sighed and left the bank. This is not the first time it's happened to me. I don't understand why this bank is so popular when it has such crappy service. I've had numerous experiences already. I think it's time to start looking for a different bank.

The sad thing is that this might be my only day available to go to the bank. I might not be able to order from Dreamworld anymore before the sale ends :(

Well, aside from that, I went to buy wrapping paper from National Bookstore in Robinson's Galleria yesterday. It said that there were 6 rolls of paper for 39.75. I bought the paper, and to my shock when I was wrapping my gifts a while ago, I only found 3 rolls of paper! They are mislabeling their items. I got really pissed.

It's a good thing I got a few goodies.

My friend, the one that I brought along to the Ellana showroom (in a previous blog entry), went back by herself to buy some stuff. I asked her to buy me a full size of their Sheer Velvet HD Powder in White Chocolate Mocha which I previously raved about in a previous blog entry. Yey! It's very affordable for P380 and has a generous amount. They also have a new paper bag design.

Here's a pic:


Anyway, today I accompanied two of my friends to buy gifts in Trinoma and I couldn't resist getting a bottle of Orly Bonder. Now I have a base coat to go with my Orly Won't Chip!

My Coastal Scents Palettes

Okay, first of all, I'd like to apologize for not being able to blog so much. December is my busiest month of the year, with all the Christmas concerts. Well, at least that means I have more money to spend on makeup and skincare! Just kidding. I'll really try to blog more often this coming January.

Anyway, moving on, I received my Coastal Scents 88 palette (the original one, not the shimmer). I promise that this is THE LAST eyeshadow palette that I will buy since I already have all the other palettes that I want. My only lament is that I wished that I bought all of my palettes together instead of buying them one-by-one so I would have saved P200 (around $4) extra on shipping.

Here's a pic of the 88 palette (left) side-by-side with the 88 shimmer palette (right):

As you can see, the shimer palette is indeed more shimmery. I read that the original palette is supposed to have matte and frost shadows, but actually, some of the shadows from the original palette are also shimmery. There are actually a few pans in the palette that are exactly the same as the one in the shimmer palette. Like they said, the 88 original palette is a little more pigmented than the shimmer palette, but I like the shimmer palette nonetheless because I like shimmer! Can you blame me?

So now, here is my family of Coastal Scents palettes:

from left to right: 88 palette, 88 shimmer palette, 28 neutral palette

The next day, I had to play with my new palette so here's a day look I made. Please forgive my messy hair. It was still wet when I shot the picture.

FACE:
Bare Naturals S5 Primer
Milan Minerals Oil at Bay
Ellana Sheer Velvet HD Powder in White Chocolate
Dreamworld Foundation Luna formulation in Themis
Joppa Dewy Finishing Silk in Sheer

EYES:
Monave Versatile Mineral Powder in Semi-matte Beige as base
Coastal Scents 88 palette 8th column, 1st row on lids
Coastal Scents 88 palette 10th column, 6th row on crease
Coasta Scents 88 palette 1st column, 3rd row as highlighter

CHEEKS:
Ellana blush in Heaven

LIPS:
Ellana liquid lip color in Allure

TAGGED: 16 Things About Me

Deal: once you’ve been tagged, you have to write a blog with sixteen random things, facts, habits or goals about you. at the end choose ten people to be tagged, listing their names and why you chose them. don’t forget to leave them a comment (“you’re it”) and to read your blog. you can’t tag the person who tagged you.

THANKS AIKA for tagging Me!

I'm slightly short of 5 feet :( sad I know...
I'm a flute major
I also play piano
I like STAR TREK
I will have my graduation recital this coming March 2009
I want to play with the Asian Youth Orchestra
I was a lot more introverted when I was in high school
My favorite dish is sinigang
I love stuffed toys!
Most people's first impression about me is that I look "masungit"
I'm a pack rat
When I go online, after checking my mail, the next thing I look at is the Beauty Bazaar in GirlTalk
I'm not an impulsive shopper. I do a lot of thinking before I buy something
I'd rather spend money on something I want than on something I need
I get really angry when my ballpens don't write
People get very surprised when they find out that I'm the eldest of 4 children because I don't act like one (according to them)

I'm tagging: Shasta, Gale, Jamie, Khymm, Shen and everyone else who hasn't been tagged.

Nail Haul and Nail Art

Yesterday, I went to Landmark Trinoma to do some shopping and I got my first ever imported nail polish haul! I wanted to get a good top coat or base coat for myself so after taking a long time to decide, i got myself Orly Won't Chip. I also got an Orly Nail Lacquer in Witch's Blue for my sister. I'm sure she's going to like it. Total wallet damage: P714 (around $14.28, I know! Orly is so expensive here!)

Next time, I want Orly Bonder so I can also have a good base coat.

Anyway, since I was so excited to use my Orly Won't Chip, I got myself a manicure in Princess Nails and Spa once again. Here's how it turned out:

Yes, I know it's similar to my first nail art but I'm a really dainty person at heart and I still haven't gotten past the flowery theme. At least now, I'm using a deeper shade of pink (I normally like a very nude shade of pink). This color is OPI but I wasn't able to take a good look at the name of the shade since there was something else blocking my view.

Well, that's it for now. I have a lot of work to do!

.

Spend vs. Save

Spend: Silk Naturals lip gloss in Damsel ($.4.25 + shipping)
Save: Ellana liquid lip color in Precious (P150, around $3)

During my trip to the Ellana showroom, i tried a lot of their lippies (being addicted to them) and I noticed that one of their colors looked a lot like my SN lip gloss in Damsel. So I took out a piece of tissue and swatched them, and guess what? I was right! It's the same color!

Here's a swatch of SN lip gloss in Damsel:

Damsel isn't as popular as SN's other lip glosses such as Birthday Suit and Rare Berry, but this is one of my favorites. It's a bright but sheer pink that I think is very "young."

What are the differences between the two? First, SN lip glosses aren't really very glossy, so the Ellana is much glossier. Second, the Ellana has peppermint extract so there's a cooling sensation when you apply it. Third, the SN Damsel is more moisturizing and has excellent staying power! I haven't encountered an MMU lippie more long lasting than SN.

Of course, I didn't buy the Ellana lippie because I don't need two glosses of the same color :P

Watching Hairspray the Musical

First of all, I'd like to apologize for not having a picture for this entry. I was supposed to take a picture of myself beside the poster but since I was running late, it slipped my mind.

I watched Hairspray at the Aliw Theater last Sunday, November 30. It was staged by Atlantis Productions. We were in the 2nd to the last row yet the view was still good.

The first thing I noticed when the show started was that the sound system was bad. It was shrill and the voices were a little garbled. Tsk tsk. It was an effort to listen to the whole show.

Anyway, moving on, the cast was wonderful; good voices and good acting. I'd like to note Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo (Velma) who once again showed her versatility, and Michael de Mesa (Edna) who stole the show even in a fat suit. He (or his female character) was undoubtedly the funniest one that night. The voice of the night, however, was Dulce (Motormouth). I didn't even know who she was before that night but wow! Her solo received the loudest applause for the night. A little nit picks though, Madel Ching, who plays the lead role of Tracy needs to work more on enunciating her works. Tim Espinosa, who plays Tracy's love interest Link, needs to work on his vocals in general.

The cast had really high energy and there were a lot of upbeat dance sequences. The audience was really enjoying that night. The cast was really appreciated.

Although the musical of the year for me is still Avenue Q (also by Atlantis Productions) mainly because the show had better material to begin with, production-wise and more importantly, cast-wise, Hairspray is a good, fun show.

Testing my Ellana minerals products

Ok, I posted my Ellana haul a few days ago and I decided to roadtest some of the products I bought. So today, I decided to test some of them out.

Let's start with the blushes.

Here are the swatches of the 3 blushes I bought:

from left to right: fulfillment, happiness, heaven

I know that Fulfillment looks very orange in the picture but it's actually peachier that how it looks like on the picture. Happiness is a soft pink shade while Heaven is a plum shade. Heaven and Happiness look very similar in the jars but they're actually quite different when swatched.

I wore Fulfillment today. It was a really tiring day so I didn't have any time to check my makeup until I got home from a long day's work. It was already 9 1/2 hours since I applied it. I checked the mirror immediately once I got home and saw that there was some color left on my cheeks, although the color wasn't as obvious as it was when I first applied it this morning. I reckon that it could have used a midday touch up.

Would I buy full sizes? Probably not. Although it's okay since it's inexpensive, there are better MMU blushes out there. The problem is I'm actually too lazy to sample blushes (since I'm not a blush addict). I'd rather see the blushes in person.

Next, we move on to the Sheer Velvet High Definition Powder. This powder actually has only 2 ingredients: silica and silicon microspheres. This is the reason why I bought it, since it contained a lot of silica. This is only available in one shade: White chocolate. Well, as the name suggests, it's color white. The powder is very fine. When I applied it to my face it didn't make my face turn scary white.

Using this powder, I didn't need to blot until 2 1/2 hours later. Yey (I know, my face is an oil mine)! Of course, this is already on top of the other usual oil control products I use. This is a good alternative for actual silica powder since this powder is mostly made up of silica, anyway. The difference for me is that amorphous silica (which I bought from sweetscents) is not fine, so my Blusche powder dispensing brush can't really dispense it properly. I really like the oil control of silica powder, and I don't want to take it with me everywhere in a jar because it's a little messy. With Sheer Velvet, since the powder is very fine, I'm confident that my brush can dispense this properly, so I can bring it everywhere with me for touch-ups.

Would I buy a full size? Yes! It's very affordable at P380 (around $7.60) for a jar larger than the usual 30 gm jar.

Lastly, I tried the lip scrub for the 2nd time today. I bought this (in strawberry flavor) even though I found it a little expensive. It was P150 (around $3) for a 3 gm jar. Tiny. When I tried it, though, I was so surprised how a ridiculously small amount of it is needed to exfoliate my lips. A little really goes a long way. I used a tiny amount, and then scrubbed my lips (dry) for around 3 minutes. After that, my lips felt softer and less flakier. It also has a sweet taste if you ever accidentally (or not) eat some of it.

Would I buy this again? Yes, but it will take a while before I finish this small jar.

My Mineral Lippies

I'm a mineral foundation and finishing powder addict, but lippies will always be my first love. I've been addicted to lippies ever since I can remember. I remember having lip balms as early as 5 years old, and then went to tinted lip balms in grade school. I started collecting lip glosses when I was in high school. Now that I'm into mineral makeup, all my lippies are now mineral, too.

Here's a pic of my mineral lippies:


I know it's not THAT much, but since mineral lippies DO have an expiration date unlike their powder counterparts, I think it's wise not to have too many or else they just might expire. So despite my addiction to lippies, I'm currently on a lippie no-buy until I finish a few of these tubes. Unfortunately, I broke this rule yesterday when I bought my a liquid lip color from Ellana. I hope I won't get tempted again and actually buy more lippies :p

My lippie stash from left:
3 Ellana lippies
10 Mini Lumi Lips (1 is not in the picture, though)
4 Bare Naturals lippies
3 EDM lippies (1 is also missing from the picture)
5 Silk Naturals lippies

Helping a newbie with MMU and my brush haul

I have a friend who has watched me put on MMU everyday and always commented on how fresh I look and how come I don't get pimples even when I use it everyday. So now, she finally decided to buy her own MMU. After a couple of weeks of planning, we finally to try the new primer from Bare Naturals and their flat top brush (since this is said to be very similar if not exactly the same as the EDM flat top). She was on a budget; she just wanted to spend a total of 2k. She is going to order the 2 products from BN and then today, we went to the Ellana showroom in West Ave.

I recommended Ellana to her because, first, it's readily available, second, they have a showroom so she can actually sample the products, and third, a little money can go a long way.

We really took our time there, trying so many different products. So after about an hour in there, she finally decided on full sizes of Toffee Mocha intensive coverage foundation, Espresso con Panna finishing powder, smile undereye concealer and a sample blush in harmony. She also couldn't resist getting the makeup remover which she really liked the smell of, and the baby buki, so that she could bring it with her. She actually wanted a retractable brush, because she saw mine. Unfortunately, it was out of stock. *Sad*

Of course, though, she can't use the foundation until she gets the FT from BN. She can't wait though. She wanted to get a little more products, but since she was on a budget, she decided not to.

Here is the pic of her haul:

She also got an extra foundation sample of toffee mocha. Her total wallet damage: around P1,500 (around $30.00). With the other items she ordered from BN, her total wallet damage will be around P2,200 (around $44). Not bad for someone who's on a budget.

Of course, since I was there, I couldn't resist buying some for me, too.

Here's what I got: sample sizes of heaven and happiness blush and a full size of fulfillment blush (I would have gotten a sample size but they were all out). I liked these colors but I only got sample sizes because I wanted to see how long they would last on my oily skin. I also got a sample size of their new high definition powder to see if it has good oil control. I know I'm on a lippie no-buy but I couldn't resist buying a liquid lip color in allure. I also would have bought it in lovely but they didn't have any new stock. LOL. Thank goodness for that, at least I saved P150 (around $3). I also got a lip scrub in strawberry. Hopefully it works out well for me.

The bulk of my purchase, though, was the buffer brush. This brush is big! I'll use this for days when I'm really in a hurry, since this can cover a lot of areas very quickly. The long handle also makes it easy to use. I'm getting this instead of the TBS kabuki brush because of some reports that it sheds. :(

Total wallet damage: P1500 (around $30)

Of course, my haul didn't stop there. After that, I went to the mall and got myself the following brushes:

from left to right: Elianto eyeliner brush, Elianto big blender brush, ELF eyeshadow brush and Bloom Blush Brush.

Because of all the raves and a lot of convincing in Girltalk, I finally bought myself the Bloom Blush Brush. Wow! This brush really IS soft! I can't wait to use this. I also realized that I need more eyeshadow brushes so after reading different blogs, I got myself the ELF eyeshadow brush which is getting a lot of raves, too. I also went to Elianto and thought about which brushes do I need so I ended up getting the eyeliner brush and the big blender brush since I don't have brushes like these yet. Despite the raves for the flat brush, I decided not to get it (at the moment) because it looked very similar to the ELF eyeshadow brush and the ELF is almost half the price.

So there. Yeah, I spent a LOT of money today. I'm done for this year's brush haul. I can now cross some items off my Christmas wishlist.

Plug: Cyleina Organic Soaps New Stocks Available

After a long wait, new stocks of Cyleina Organic Soaps are now available.

Here are the ff variants available:
Black Pearl
Rice Bran
Papaya Kojic
Strawberry
Tomato
Honey Oatmeal
Papaya Goat's Milk
Grapeseed
Gluta Max

Contact me at 09228148028 or 09053474599

Meet-ups can be arranged in UP Diliman, Philcoa or Robinson's Galleria

A Review of Different Nail Spas I've Tried

I'm not really good at applying nail polish. So a lot of times, I'd rather have my nails done in a nail spa. Like my fetish for trying out different sunblocks, I also like trying different nail spas, so here is a review of the different nail spas I've tried. I'm sorry I don't have any pictures. :(

My criteria for a good nail spa: Must have good ambience, nail polish, and service for a reasonable price.




1. Relaksasi


Branch: Robinson's Place Manila (Other branches are in SM North Edsa and SM Southmall)

Nail Polish: Bobbie. Add P10 for Essie (Essie's colors are quite limited, so it might be a problem for people who like bright colors. But since I'm a neutrals kind of girl and I love french tips, this is no problem for me).
Choices: Limited
Top Coat: Bobbie Quik Dry.
Nail dryer? None.


Ambience: I like the ambience of this place. The theme is Indian-inspired so there is a lot of heavy drapery. Each client has a private cubicle, each with its very own lazy boy (and a floor sink)! Yes, I'm a sucker for a lazy boy! Yes, It's so comfy so I really feel relaxed.


Service: Since Relaksasi is more of a massage and wax place, they don't offer any other nail services aside from the usual manicure and pedicure. I got the pedicure, which costed P100 (around $2.00) and then added P10 for the Essie nail polish. The attendant was gentle on my feet, and I was pleased with how my nails looked like. The only thing that went wrong is that before I came in, I was asked if I wanted cold or hot tea. I told them I wanted cold, but I never got that tea even after I finished my pedicure. No biggie though, since I'm not a tea person anyway.

Would I go back again? Yes! This is really value for money, but since Manila is very far from me, my next visit will be a very long time from now.




2. Luxe Nail Lounge


Branch: Robinson's Galleria, Ortigas, Pasig City (This is actually the only branch)


Nail Polish: A lot of Orly, OPI, China Glaze, Essie and some other brands that I'm not familiar with. A little Revlon, Sally Hansen and even a few premium polishes that will cost an extra P60-P100 (around $1.40-$2.00)
Choices: plenty
Base Coat: Essie base coat
Top Coat: Orly Won't Chip
Nail Dryer: None.
They have a variety of other nail treatments such as the Orly No-Bite which will cost an additional P10-P30.


Ambience: The place is spacious enough so I didn't feel cramped. The lights were dimmed but not to the point of being dark. There are a lot of couches with different styles. Some are good for one, some are good for two. The receptionist told me that they were aiming to create an atmosphere where the customers can choose what type of couch they would sit in. Note though that although the couches look really nice, they're actually not that soft.


Service: Before I go to the actual procedure, may I just add that they also have WiFi (I'm not sure if it's free though) and they also have a selection of imported magazines that are up-to-date. Anyway, moving on to the pedicure, I chose the Express pedicure, which can be misleading because it's not really express. At first, my feet were soaked for around 5 minutes. Then, my feet were shaped and cleaned. The attendant was very gentle on my feet. She really took her time. Then she massaged my feet for maybe 10-15 minutes. The massage was really relaxing. It did a good job in relieving my tension. Then lastly, she applied the polish. The express pedicure costed me P220 (around $4.40) plus P15 for french tips so I paid a total of P235 (around $4.60). The express pedicure is actually not the cheapest pedicure. The basic pedicure, which consists of just cleaning, shaping and nail polish application costs P180 (around $3.60) but I don't actually mind paying the extra P40 for the massage because it was really good.


Would I go back again? Yes! Plus, this is near my place.




3. The Nail Loft


Branch: Brgy. Sacred Heart, Quezon City (There is also a branch near Greenhills)
I went here because it was walking distance from Lay Bare, where I get my waxing done.


Nail Polish: Orly, OPI, Essie and China Glaze. Sally Hansen and Revlon are also available but will cost extra.
Choices: Fair
Base Coat and Top Coat: Both Orly but I've forgotten what kind.
Nail Dryer? None.


Ambience: The ambience was just okay. It's actually very small so I felt cramped up inside. Since I was there during the day, there weren't much lights so I found it too dim inside. Plus I sat in a long couch and there were two people beside me and there wasn't much elbow room, so yeah, it added up to the cramp-ness I felt.


Service: I got a little turned off because I just availed of the GM pedicure but the attendants kept on suggesting that I also get a foot spa, even when I already said no a couple of times. Anyway, on to the pedicure. It actually started with the attendant putting lotion on my arms and then giving me a little massage. However, during the actual pedicure, there was pain involved, but no wounds. The nail polish application was good though. After my pedicure, I was served complimentary hot tea. I paid P150 ($3.00) for the GM pedicure.


Would I go back again? Maybe, if I'm not in the mood to shell out money.




4. Princess Nails & Spa


Branch: AIC Grande Tower, Ortigas, Pasig City (This is the only branch and is only around one month old)

Nail Polish: Orly, Essie, OPI, China Glaze, a little of The Face Shop and some local polishes
Choices: more than fair
Base Coat: CND Base Coat
Top Coat: CND Hi-Gloss Top Coat
Nail Dryer? Yes.


Ambience: This place is really for the uber-girly girls because it has pink everywhere. The seats for the pedicures are even hot pink with polka-dot pillows. It's very bright though so it's not very relaxing. Since I had a manicure done, I just sat in a chair while the manicurist did my nails in a table. The attendants told me though, that they'll be replacing the hot pink seats with white. Note though that the manicurists are really quite chatty, so if you'd prefer that the attendants don't talk much, then this place is not for you.


Service: I availed of their nail art. Their nail art is just manually painted on, it's not the type with stamps and molds. Take note though that they only have around 6 nail art pens. Hopefully they'll add more. My only regret is that my nails weren't long so they couldn't do much with my nails. The manicure consisted of the usual cleaning, then application of lotion. After that, they painted my nails. The last step was to transfer to another spot to have my nails dried. I was happy with my nail art, especially since it was my first time. The nail art is very affordable. I only paid P250 ($5.00) all-in-all. They don't offer additional rhinestones or pearls for your nails, though.


Would I go back again? For nail art, yes, because this is very affordable; but if you're going for a regular foot spa, or mani/pedi, there are other places that offer better ambience for around the same price.




5. Get Polished


Branch: Brgy. Sacred Heart, Quezon City (The other branch is in BF Homes, Paranaque)
This just opened this month and is currently on a 15% off promo on all services. This is convenient since it's in the same building as Lay Bare, which I mentioned is where I get my wax done.


Nail Polish: Orly, Essie, OPI, China Glaze and The Color Club
Base Coat: Yello-Out
Top Coat: Orly clear coat
Nail Dryer? Yes.


Ambience: This place is very pastel-colored, which is nice I'm into since I like pastels. There are individual off-white couches for each customer. The lighting is just right. Yes, I felt relaxed.


Service: I wanted to get the Totally Polished Pedicure, but since they didn't have a paraffin machine yet, I availed the Get Polished Moisture Pedicure instead. It was long procedure. At first my feet were soaked in a foot bath, and then I was scrubbed with the scrub of my choice (There were around 6 scrubs to choose from; I chose eucalyptus) and then my feet were exfoliated manually. After that, they cleaned my feet. I can't really say that the cleaning was pain-free, but each time I twitched a little, the attendant stopped to adjust to me. Then, they place a shea butter treatment on my feet (which felt minty!), wrapped in plastic foil and then placed in heated booties for 15 minutes. After that, they applied CND Vanilla Shimmer Lotion on my feet. They also massaged my feet, but I can't remember if it came before or after the shea butter treatment. The massage was just okay. I can't really say that it relieved all tension. After applying the nail polish, they brought the nail dryer in a trolley so I didn't have to transfer seats. The trolley wasn't very comfortable though, since i couldn't put in my feet properly. I was satisfied with the pedicure. My feet felt softer after the treatment. The Get Polished Moisture Pedicure was actually P470 (around $9.40), but since there was a misprint in their main list (it read P450), the receptionist gave it to me at P450! Yey! And since there was an additional 15% off, I only paid P382.50 (around $7.60) for everything. Not bad, ehh? They also have a loyalty card wherein you get a few throw-ins for free after a certain number of visits.


Would I go back again? Yes. Although I can't really say that I fell in love with this place, it's still a good place to visit.


Other nail spas I want to visit: Nail Tropics, CANS and Dashing Diva.


What are your thoughts on this? I'd love to see them.

My Christmas Wishlist

It'll be Christmas in a few weeks so I've come up with my Christmas wishlist. Hopefully there will be a lot of good sales. Hmmm...

1. TBS kabuki brush
2. Bloom blush brush
3. a stippling brush (i still don't have one! wah! poor me...)
4. Leyende face canvas
5. samples from EG minerals
6. samples from AWG minerals
7. FS of URFP and Illuminating Perle Powders from AL
8. FS of glows from Dayna
9. FS of blushes from Cory
10. FS of finpows from Lumiere Cosmetics
11. FS of Luna foundation and finpows from DW
12. Belle de Jour 2009 Planner (I still don't have one. I'm so left out)
13. NSI vitamins and supplements (my stock will run out before the end of January)
14. Health Express Water-soluble Vitamin E (my stock won't last me a week!)
15. Venus and Mars products
16. more e/s brushes

This is quite a lot of things to buy? You think can get around it before the year ends? LOL. That's a lot of money.

What's YOUR wishlist? I'd love to hear (or see) your thoughts.

NAMCYA Winner's Concert

I'm sorry I haven't blogged in a long time. Last week was really hectic because I recently participated in the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). What a big surprise it was for me to get First Prize and tie with a good friend of mine who is also a very talented flutist, John Raymond Sarreal. Last Sunday, November 16 was the NAMCYA Closing Ceremony where all the First Prize Winners performed. This was really a landmark in my life. I've been joining this competition since I was twelve years old (it's held approximately once every three years). I've entered Category A, Category B and now, Category C! I'm really grateful that I've come this far, and yet it also makes me realize that I'm already old! LOL.

with my fellow flutist, John Raymond Sarreal

with my pianist, Prof. Pia Balasico

I still can't believe it.

Well, let me squeeze in something beauty-related. I had to be in CCP by 11 am in the morning but the concert was going to start at 6 pm. Since there were blocking rehearsals during the afternoon, I knew that I wouldn't have enough time to totally redo my face for the concert. So I had to do my basic makeup in the house, and then just bring my eye makeup to turn my look from day to night. Since I needed foundation that would stay put, I brought out my deadliest weapon: Monave concealer foundation!

When it comes to staying power, Monave is really a winner. It really stays put the whole day! I'm one of the lucky ones who are hiyang with Monave. I don't experience any itching, I don't get any kind of bumps or zits even if I use it everyday.

Pardon the not-so-good eye makeup, despite being a performer I'm actually not used to putting on eyeshadows. I have to get used to that. LOL. Anyone out there who is willing to teach me?

Since I was already bringing a lot of stuff: my gown, shoes, instrument, etc. I really didn't want to lug a lot of makeup around so aside from my usual kikay kit I brought along my CS neutral palette which covered my eye makeup needs.

During events that I have to play, I use lip stains instead of lipsticks or glosses since I need something that is totally dry. There can be absolutely no stickiness whatsoever or else, things will get ugly! lol.

FACE:

Monistat Anti-Chafing Gel

Sweetscents Hide-a-pore in Medium

Monave concealer foundation in Saturnina

Sweetscents Amorphous Silica

Lauress Ultimatte Finish in Medium

EYES:

Coastal Scents Neutral Palette 2nd row, 2nd column as base

Coastal Scents Neutral Palette 3rd row, 2nd column and 4th row, 7th column on lids (as as brow powder)

Coastal Scents Neutral Palette 2nd row, 1st column as highlighter

Coastal Scents Neutral Palette 4th row, 8th column as eyeliner

Ellana Awake Undereye Concealer

Loreal Volume Shocking Waterproof Mascara

CHEEKS:

Skinfood Vitamin Shadow 05

LIPS:

Ellana Lip and Cheek tint in Amethyst

Rave: Myra E Hand and Body Lotion

I just grabbed this when I was in the grocery because I was looking for a lotion that was small enough to be carried around in my bag. Little did I know that this was a keeper.

This is such a steal for P33 (around $0.70) for 50 ml. Normally, non-greasy lotions are almost watery that, yes, you get the moisture but it's like you're putting on water with a little cream. You don't feel soft and silky. On the other end, most lotions give you a soft and silky feeling but you end up with sticky hands. This lotion is just right, you don't feel like you're putting water, you get soft and silky skin but is absolutely dry to the touch. I don't worry about not being able to hold things properly because of my lotion.

The only downside is that this lotion smells pretty strong when you first apply it, but it becomes mild after the lotion dries.

Would I buy this again? Definitely! This is a great find for such a small price.

FOTD!

Pardon the setting. I took this while I was in the bus. I had a sudden event so I put more makeup than what I usually put on. I was in a hurry though, so I wasn't able to put as much as I wanted.

FACE:
Monistat Anti-Chafing Gel
Sweetscents Hide-a-pore in Medium
Lauress Minimalist in Pure Yellow
Lauress Ultimatte Finish in Medium
MAC Blot in Medium Dark

EYES:
Coastal Scents Neutral Palette: 2nd row, 2nd column shadow as base
Coastal Scents Neutral Palette: 3rd row, 2nd column and 2nd row, 6th column shadows on lids
Coastal Scents Neutral Palette: 4th row, 6th column shadow as eyeliner and brow color

CHEEKS:
Skinfood Vitamin Shadow 05

LIPS:
Silk Naturals lip gloss in Breathless

CS Palette and My First Nail Art!

Look what I got today! The CS neutral palette! I got the 88 shimmer palette before and loved it, so I decided to get the neutral palette as well! Since I don't use eyeshadows all the time, I promise not to get anymore palettes (except maybe the 88 matte palette!). The CS palettes are my only non-mineral makeup aside from my MAC Blot. Even just looking at the palette, I realized that sis Aika was right. The shades here are different from the neutral shades found in the 88 shimmer palette. Can't wait to play with these!

I got my very first nail art today! I initially went to Get Polished in Diliman because the Lay Bare website announced that it today was the grand opening plus I saw a Now Open sign outside. I went inside and was so surprised when I found out that they weren't open yet! Grrr.... I then found myself in Princess Nails and Spa in AIC Grande Tower in Ortigas. I really wanted a pick-me-up so I tried nail art on my fingernails. I've never actually had a manicure before! Normally, I just get pedis.

I'm so fond of dainty designs! It's too bad that I have short fingernails so I can't really do that much with them.

I used Orly Taffy here. For P250 (around $5.00) this is reasonable. The base and top coat are CND (I've never actually heard of this brand before but it's US-made).

Please excuse the messy background.

I'm happy that I tried nail art. I'll definitely do this again. Maybe next time on my feet! Lol.

Dayna's Loot!

This is how my Dayna's package looked like when it arrived a few days ago! So neat! Dayna even wrote me a little note.

From left to right top: Golden Zephyr Glow, Finish line Glow/Vellum, Illumination Glow, Golden Summer Glow, G2 foundation, LG2 foundation
bottom: Whisper Pink Glow, Cloud Nine Glow, Bronzed Goddess Glow, Violet Vesper Glow, Peachy Sheen Glow

I tried swatching the glows but as I expected, it was too light to come up on camera. The glows are so pretty! I haven't tried them on my face yet, but on my hand they were all so nice that I can't say what my favorite is. The only glow that I didn't fancy was the Bronzed Goddess Glow, since I found it too dark for my skintone and I'm not fond of bronzers anyway. I actually got 8 glows from her (she has 9). The only one I didn't get was the darkest glow. My only lament is that each sample is just slightly more than 1/8 tsp (at least to me). She gave me a Finish Line Glow/Vellum as a freebie.

I only got one shade of the foundation which is G2, because most girltalkers recommended this shade for me, plus I couldn't decide which shade would be suitable for me based on the website's descriptions. But Dayna was kind enough to give me another shade of foundation which is LG2. G2 and LG2 are actually very similar and I can wear them both. I think that the difference between the 2 shades is that G2 is more yellowish? I can't be sure yet. I haven't decided which shade would be better for me. I already tried them on my face and so far I'm liking it. It's dewy with medium to heavy coverage. I still have to wear them for the whole day to see how it will hold up.

All-in-all, this was really worth the wait. These babies look very promising and I'm most likely to get some bigger jars very soon.