Aromaleigh Contest

Aromaleigh is having a contest! They're giving away 5 full set of their Spring Solstice Collection. To see how they look like, click here


Click here to find out how you can join this contest!


When people ask me what my favorite mineral makeup brand is, I always answer Aromaleigh. Why? Because they have so many wonderful products. Their Ultra Resolution Finishing Powder is a must-have for my oily skin. I also love a lot of their other products such as their blushes, perle powders, coquille powders. Their eyeshadows are also a must-try. Their very pretty, pigmented and long-lasting.

Recent Hauls

I received a lot of goodies this week and I just wanted to show you. First, here is a recital gift from my aunt.

Thanks tita! It smells good. I can't wait to use it!

Next is my package containing Urban Decay 24/7 liners:

I've been lemming for these ever since I tried Nikki's (askmewhats)! Urban Decay is discontinuing this set. In fact, it's not available in their site anymore. So I went into a panic and bought this from Ebay.

Speaking of Ebay, look what I got for 99 pesos only:

Yey for Ebay! It has 10 pockets. If I put eye brushes, it will fit more than 10. The material is delicate, though, so it needs to be handled with care.

Lastly, my Blusche pre-buy brushes also arrived this week.

The retractable brush is cute! The stippling brush is long, though, so it looks a bit flimsy to me. I'll have to try it out first to be sure.

So much goodies!

Pics from my Graduation Recital

This bouquet was almost as tall as me! Thanks dad!

I was so stressed out that I wasn't able to take a proper FOTN. Normally during performances it really slips my mind. Now that it's done, a huge burden has been taken of my shoulders.

On Nail Swatches and Lucky Tom

This is long overdue. I joined a nail polish spree together with other sisses from GirlTalk. Thanks Mhean for hosting this spree!

Forgive the darkness of the shots. They were bright on-cam but for some reason, they turned out dark when I uploaded them (could be the brightness of the monitor).

Here are swatches of the polishes I got (all taken in artificial light):

left to right: Orly Robo Romance, China Glaze Gogo Pink, China Glaze 2NITE, China Glaze Sexagon and China Glaze Visit Me in Prism.

The next ones aren't mine. They're my sister's, but they're so pretty that I had to show you guys.

Here are four shades from the China Glaze Romantique Collection:

from left to right: Passion, Cherish, Awaken and Adore

from left to right: OPI Brand New Skates, China Glaze Emerald Sparkle, China Glaze Liquid Leather.

Aren't they pretty? It's a good thing I can use her shades too!

Moving on, I went to the Hello Kitty Launch in MAC Shangri-La yesterday. The mall opened at 10 am, but I was able to get there at 3 pm already. To my surprise, a lot of stuff were already out of stock (on it's opening day!) especially the lip glosses. It's too bad, I liked the lip gloss in Sweet Strawberry and the TLC in Popster. Boo hoo!

At least I was able to get my hands on a Lucky Tom palette, which I've been lemming for quite some time now.

Here's a pic of the palette:

Here are swatches:


I really wanted to have this, partly because of the Hello Kitty packaging and I wanted to be able to bring these colors around. These colors are dupable, though, but I still want them. However, Paradiso (the orange shade) might be a little hard to find. Nevertheless, still puuurrrty! Since I wasn't able to buy any lippies from the HK collection, I got myself a pot of Fluidline in Blacktrack instead (no photo). I can't wait to use them.

Coastal Scents Contour and Blush Palette

I finally got my hands on the Coastal Scents contour and blush palette. I was really surprised how big they were! I expected small pans, but the pans were as big as a face powder! The whole container is around the size of the CS 28 neutral palette.

Here are swatches of them, taken from top to bottom, left to right:

The second swatch to the left can hardly be seen because it's so close to my skin color. The powders are smooth and not chalky. Being a performer, it's nice to have a contour palette so I can contour my face easily. It's also very easy to mix colors using this.

An Invitation...

I'm inviting you to watch my Graduation Recital this coming Wednesday, March 18, 5 pm at the Abelardo Hall Auditorium at the UP College of Music, Diliman, Quezon City. Guest artists are Prof. Pia Balasico (pianist), Prof. Chino Toledo (conductor) and the Metro Manila Community Orchestra. Refreshments will be served after. Admission is free.

Programme

Scarlatti-Benjamin: Suite for Flute and Strings (arranged for Flute and Piano)
Reinecke: Undine
Del Rosario: Tongali
Jolivet: Chant de Linos
Chaminade: Concertino

Green EOTN

Here's another EOTN I made using two different shades of green. I've been working on colorful e/s lately. The lighter green is from my CS 88 palette, while the darker green is from my CS 88 shimmer palette. Please pardon the slightly higher black eyeliner. I'll work on that next time. As usual, this look is done with any mascara. I even forgot to curl my lashes.

Anyway, the last two weeks have been unbelievably stressful. I've been preparing really hard for my recital, as well as juggling so much other stuff. Now that my audition is over, my load has become a little less. I can't wait until this month ends!

MAC Fluidline in Dipdown vs. Coastal Scents Gel Liner in Truffle

I was inspired by Nikki's Stila Smudgepots in Black vs. Coastal Scents Gel Liner in True Black post. I decided to do this for a brown color, since I use brown gel liners more often than black because brown gives a softer look. Anyway, for this post, I'm comparing Coastal Scents Gel Liner in Truffle (left) and MAC Fluidline in Dipdown (right).

Seen in the picture below, I swatched a few strips of the CS (left) and the MAC (right).



I waited for 5 minutes for these two brands to dry. Then, I smudged them with my hand. Here is how they looked like:

As you can see, the CS smudged more than the MAC. Although it's not very clear from the picture, my MAC Fluidline smudged as well.

In the next picture, I place my arm under running water.

As you can see, there are no changes in the swatch. Both stayed put.

So, to give a more detailed look at each gel liner, let's break it down one-by-one.

Price: Coastal Scents Gel Liners retail for $6.95 each online, while MAC Fluidline is available locally for P1,100 (approx $22). Unfortunately, though, shipping from Coastal Scents is really expensive. Keep reading to find out how you can order this without the killer shipping fee.

Color: It's not very obvious from the pictures, but I find that MAC Dipdown is a little darker than CS Truffle.

Texture: CS Truffle is creamier than MAC Dipdown.

Smudge Factor: As seen in the picture, CS Truffle smudges more easily than MAC Dipdown. The creaminess of CS Truffle might have something to do with it.

Waterproof Factor: Based on the swatches I did, the waterproof-ness of both are the same. It's pretty hard to remove these with soap and water. A good makeup remover is needed.

So what is the final verdict? Overall, I find that MAC Fluidline works better than me. Although, being really oily and single-lidded, I find that I can't stay absolutely crease-free even with UDPP! Yes, it's that bad!


Tips

• When I use my CS gel liner, I put a fan in front of my face to speed up the drying time.
• If you want to order from CS but don't want to deal with the expensive shipping price, you can order from The Makeup Mix Shop. Go to Toma's blog to find the link (http://www.makeupmasala.com/). I believe that she has a limited supply left so hurry!
• Gel liners dry up right away so be sure to keep the lid tightly closed.

Well, that's all for now! Hope that helped!

Honest Scrap Award

given by Sis Aika from The Diary of Recessionista

Aika is truly a unique individual. She's a very creative person, has a great sense of style and I love her bargain shopping! Nothing is better than getting something good for a cheap price.

As the recipient of this Honest Scrap Award comes with some requirements before I can pass this along to another fellow blogger. Quoting from Aika's blog, here are the requirements:

“When accepting this auspicious award, you must write a post bragging about it, including the name of the misguided soul who thinks you deserve such acclaim, and link back to the said person so everyone knows she/he is real. Choose a minimum of seven (7) blogs that you find brilliant in content or design. Or improvise by including bloggers who have no idea who you are because you don’t have seven friends. Show the seven random victims’ names and links and leave a harassing comment informing them that they were prized with Honest Weblog. Well, there’s no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon. List at least ten (10) honest things about yourself. Then pass it on!”

here are the 10 honest things about me:

1. I really hate it when I am left hanging. Give me a yes or no, please!
   
2. I'm a very graphic person. I do a lot of actions and sound effects (yes!) when I talk.
   
3. I really enjoy making music.
   
4. I only became really "kikay" around mid-2007. During high school, I really didn't care how I looked like.
   
5. No vices ... AT ALL! (ditto Nikki!)
   
6. I am an afternoon person.
   
7. I like getting lots of sleep. Although it's hard to get a lot of sleep, I noticed that I function best when I get 9 hours of sleep (yes nine!).
   
8. It takes a little time for me to get comfortable with someone.
   
9. It's easiest for me to get comfortable with someone if I have a one-on-one (or two at most) conversation.
   
10. I've gained a lot of weight the last year and I really want to lose it!

I'm passing this award to:
Jamie (mizzmakeup)
Gale (galelovescolors)
Shasta (newbietobeauty)

and to whoever wants to do this, you are welcome to do so!

Review: E.L.F. Mineral Lipstick

photo taken from www.eyeslipsface.com

Product Description: Now you can hydrate your lips and get a lasting soft color naturally! This nourishing blend of exotic oils, natural waxes, vitamins and plant extracts create the perfect moisturizing formula. The sleek lipstick has superior color payoff, glides easily onto lips, and is long wearing. Lips stay perfectly hydrated and soft throughout the day for no fuss, lip loving happiness. All our mineral makeup is 100% mineral based with no parabens, no preservatives and no chemical dyes.

I've said many times how much I love lippies right? I've been waiting for a long time for E.L.F Mineral Lipsticks to arrive here because I've been curious about them. Well, finally I bought myself one and tried it.

Contrary to most mineral lippies, this is packaged like most traditional lipsticks in the market. Trying it out, I had no problems. It's non-sticky, non-greasy, and long-lasting enough. After a meal, there is still a good amount of product left, but of course, still needs some retouching.

The color I bought is called Ripe Rose, and it's a very wearable shade of red. I only use a light layer, though, because I want a lighter color.

Here's a picture of me wearing a light layer of Ripe Rose (the light is a little bright here):

The main con? It's only $5 in the US but is P400 (around $8) here in the Philippines. That more than a 50% increase, but there's a lot product in this lippie, much like regular lipsticks.

Will I buy this again? Well, it will take me forever to finish one up, but I'll buy again if I find another color I like.

Product Spotlight: Godiva Vitamin C Serum

photo taken from http://www.godivaskincare.com/

Product Description:

Godiva Vitamin C 10% Serum helps lighten and brighten skin, diminish fine lines and minimize skin pores. This rejuvenating formula gives firmer skin on contact and fights free radicals. Vitamin C is a powerful anti-oxidant that enhances the skin's ability to combat the visible signs of aging. It improves skin's texture, clarity and tone at any age. Godiva uses bioactive Vitamin C which retains its potency for up to 3 years at room temperature.

Direction: Apply 2 to 4 drops morning and evening to clean skin. Enjoy it on your face, neck, nape, chest and back of hands. Follow with Godiva LicoWhite Cream to even out skin tone, or Godiva Fruit Acid Cream and Godiva Face and Neck Firming Cream for younger, firmer skin.

Ingredients: Water, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate. Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium PCA, Sodium Citrate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Polysorbate-20, Imidazolidinyl Urea


I first learned about this product from Girltalk almost two years ago. Back then i had moderate acne. I was so prone to breakouts especially before my period. So because of the good reviews about this, I decided to try this out.

My first impression is that the product is non-greasy and it's easily absorbed by the skin. All I need is 3 drops for my face and neck. At first, I started using this product only once a day. I didn't see any difference in my acne, so I tried using it twice a day. Lo and behold, my acne cleared up! From then on, I never stopped buying this.

Although it says that this has a long shelf life, I find it best if it's consumed within 3 weeks after opening because after 3 weeks, it turns from a clear liquid to a whitish liquid. Yes, Vitamin C oxidizes easily.

Aside from anti-acne benefits, this is supposed to have anti-aging benefits and is supposed to make sunblock more effective. I can't say for certain if it's true though. I have to wait for a few more years to find out.

This may seem inexpensive at P274 (around $5.50) per bottle, but it's actually a splurge since one bottle only lasts me a month. So in a year, think of how much I spend for this stuff! But I see the effects on my skin so I will keep on buying this until my skin gets immune or I find something better.

Note: In the Godiva website, one bottle is sold for a whopping $22! Talk about a huge price jack! It's four times the price of one bottle locally. It's better if it's bought in a store.

Will I buy this again? Lol. I think I made myself quite clear.

Tag Time

Tagged by Lootwagon (lootwagonista)

what’s your favourite eye shadow color to wear?
any color that will brighten up my eyes

what’s the one product you wouldn’t leave your house without?
sunblock! i'm a sunblock addict

what’s your favourite makeup look – high drama OR natural?
natural! since i'm still in school, people give me a lot of comments if i try dramatic e/s

which feature do you play up the most?
as much as I'd like to say eyes, i'm too lazy most of the time to I'd say lips

which feature do you try to downplay/cover up?
undereye circles!

your favorite makeup brand, if you could pick only ONE to exist?
aromaleigh. they have so many good products

which product have you re-purchased OVER and OVER again?
cyleina soaps (not just for business but for myself), skintel pimple clearing soap, godiva vitamin c serum, derm-a tretinon

which product would you NEVER repurchase again and why?
anything with castor oil or petrolatum. i'm very oily so i'm prone to breakouts

one beauty treatment you would always PAY to have done?
foot spas. i walk a lot, so my feet need need pampering every once in a while

one beauty treatment you would NEVER pay to have done?
plastic surgery. it's just not for me.

one beauty trick you can share with everyone?
use stippling brushes to apply blushes especially if they're very pigmented so there's a smaller chance that you'll overdo it.

best advice you've ever been given regarding beauty and makeup?
Regarding Beauty ---SMILE!
Regarding Makeup ---good makeup starts with good skin

I'm tagging anyone who hasn't been tagged yet!

My New Train Case

I've been lemming for a train case for the longest time since my stuff can't fit into my toolbox anymore. So I finally bought myself one from Quiapo. Thanks Nikki for the contact number.

Here is how it looks like when it's closed:

Here is how it looks like open with all my stuff:

I'm sorry that the picture is a little over exposed in the right. The door was open so there was too much light.

Anyway, here is a picture of my toolbox where I formerly place all my makeup. I love this because a toolbox like this is a rare find. I'm definitely keeping this in case my makeup won't fit in my train case anymore.