Musicalfan Loves Minerals

Product Review: VMV Armada Face and Body Shield SPF 60

2011-11-15T16:41:00.000+08:00

Product Description:

The most comprehensive protection, with some of the highest protection factors ever against the full spectrum of skin-harming light: indoor and outdoor UVA, UVB, Infrared and Visible Light.
Impressive power in a weightless, anti-oxidant cream that's friendly to all skin types.
When used everyday, indoors and out, also helps lighten melasma.
Protects against melasma, sun-induced skin cancer, photo-aging, and other photo-induced damage.

Active Ingredients:

Zinc Oxide, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, 4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor.

Other Ingredients:

Aqua/Water/Eau, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Laurate, PVP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Tetrasodium EDTA, Aluminum Hydroxide, *Tocopheryl Acetate, Zirconium Dioxide.

VMV Armada has been my dream sunblock since college, but it was never within my budget. The Armada linke of VMV has always been part of its bestsellers, so sales are hard to come by. Thankfully, after I started working, I chanced upon a 2-hour sale of the Armada line in a VMV boutique, so of course I had to try it.

PROS

Offers a comprehensive indoor and outdoor light protection
Doesn't feel greasy at all
Dries quickly
Didn't give me breakouts

CONS

The zinc oxide ingredient has a whitish cast. Even if I put a small amount only, I still get a whitish cast that's why I don't like to use it when I'm not wearing makeup
Expensive at more than P1000 (I forgot the exact price)

Will I repurchase? Maybe. The comprehensive protection is great, but the whitish cast makes it hard to work with. The price is a bit prohibitive too.

Current Favorite Acne Mask: Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

2011-11-07T22:56:00.000+08:00

For the next installment of my "current favorite" blog posts, I bring you my favorite acne mask: Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. I don't know why I've never written about this before, when I've consumed several tubes of this already.

Product Description:

Mint Julep Masque is the original natural home treatment developed by a dermatologist that helps dry up acne pimples, rinse away blackheads and shrink enlarged pores.

Simply apply Mint Julep Masque to your clean face and neck. Within minutes it firms and hardens, drawing out impurities from your pores. After the masque is removed, your skin will feel clean, refreshed and smooth.

Even for individuals who are fortunately free of skin problems, Mint Julep Masque is a refreshing facial treatment that helps relaxed tired muscles and ease tension lines on the face and neck.

Ingredients:

Water, Kaolin, Bentonite (CI 77004), Glycerin, Zinc Oxide, Propylene Glycol, Sulfur, Chromium Oxide Green (CI#77288), Fragrance (Parfum), Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben

This product has one of the shortest ingredient lists for a beauty product, which I guess is a plus, because the simpler, the better! I actually neglected this for a long time since I didn't have pimple problems for a long while but now that I'm breaking out, I've started using this again. I apply a thick layer on top of a pimple before I go to bed and just leave it in. It dries up small pimples overnight, but the bigger pimples need a little more work. Yes, I sleep with green spots on my face, but there's a price to pay for beauty. It's really quite helpful for people with light acne. On the few occasions that I used this as a facial mask during my bedtime routine, I find that I'm significantly less oilier when I wake up. Not bad for a very affordable product!

This product has a 4.1 out of 5 rating in Makeup Alley, which is high for a non-cosmetic product.

Where to buy? Your best bet would be Robinsons Department Stores.

How Much is Too Much?

2011-11-02T09:00:00.003+08:00

Being the beauty junkie that I am, with a sister who's pretty vain herself, we've seriously accumulated a lot of beauty products. When our household helper says that she's going to clean our room, she says she's going to Watsons. And in the past my friends have also remarked that it's like a little PCX in our room. So without further ado, I give you, pics of our beauty products/toiletries:

more...

more....

the biggest stash of beauty products...

but it still doesn't end there...

and some more...

and more.

Ughhh... These aren't all mine, but I'll admit that at least 60% of these are mine. I have so many bottles of lotion and body colognes that are still unopened. I bought none of them though. They were all given to me. This doesn't even include my makeup collection, which I have a lot of too, especially since I'm a makeup artist.

I'm aware that we have too much stuff though so I've resolved to consuming five bottles before the end of year, and my sister has pledged to finish three. If it has to be replaced, though, like facial toner and the like, it doesn't count. I also haven't bought any beauty products aside from a facial masque and anti-acne stuff. It's really time to lessen the clutter.

How about you? Do you think it's too much? I'd love to know your thoughts.

Current Favorites Part II

2011-10-27T10:00:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! Here is part two of my current favorites post. I already have a lot of products and I don't think I need to be buying more since I already have a lot of favorites among the ones in my stash. So here is part two!

Current favorite finishing powder: Guerlain Meteorites

Yes, it comes at a very steep price, but I'll tell you why I think this product is unique: I've tried a lot of oil-control powders out there and there is seriously NOTHING out there that can control my oily face for more than one and a half hours. Yes, I'm that oily. With Meteorites, however, I still oil up but I look more dewy rather than greasy-oily.

Current favorite makeup remover: Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover

I'm so glad that my mom sent me a bottle of this. It's pricey for a makeup remover, but this one removes waterproof makeup easily without irritating my eyes.

Current favorite lip balm: Human Heart Nature Lip Balm

Okay, this is a picture of the old packaging, but I haven't picked up a new one yet. My gosh, I love this to bits. The best part is that it only costs P65! Who can complain?

Current favorite mascara: Maybelline The Magnum Volum' Express Waterproof

This is my favorite among the Maybelline mascaras I've tried. It's not clumpy and adds a good amount of volume as well.

There you go for my current favorites for now. I'll be posting individual reviews of my other current favorites in the future so watch out for that.

Current Favorites

2011-10-25T21:28:00.001+08:00

Hello everyone! I'm really sorry for not updating my blog often. I tried to but I've been really busy lately and to make matters worse, my hard drive crashed! Ughh. So anyway, I've accumulated so much stuff already that I rarely purchase anything anymore. My room is sort of like a little Watsons already, so I really have to use up what I have before I purchase even more. So for now, I'd like to show you my current favorites among the things that I'm using.

Current favorite cleansing oil: Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil Fresh

Whoa that's a long name. I've seriously tried all the variants of the Shu Uemura cleansing oils, and I feel that this one is the best for my skin type. The makeup removing properties are just okay, but this helps make my skin less oily, so I will keep repurchasing this until I find something that works as well but more affordable and will not break me out.

Current favorite evening product: M2 Skin Refinish 20% (formerly Mama Lotion)

I'm currently on my second bottle. It has a high price tag, but my first one lasted me at least six months. This is very good for my uber oily skin. It helps keep breakouts at bay and is an anti-aging product as well.

Current favorite foundation: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup

This is my favorite liquid foundation! Its staying power is superb, and after I oil up I still look good.

Current favorite body scrub: Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Body Scrub

I still haven't found anything to replace this. I haven't seen any whitening effects (which I'm not really after) but it's affordable, exfoliates without being too abrasive, not to mention it smells good!

How about you? What are your current favorites?

Product Review: The Balm Cosmetics Liquid Timebalm Spot Concealer with Tea Tree Oil

2011-10-11T12:04:00.000+08:00

Hello lovelies! Did you miss me? I'm sorry for not updating my blog. I went on a self-imposed exile for a few weeks to deal with something important. I'm not gonna spill anything for now, though. So anyway, back to business! I've been dealing with a lot of stress lately, and as a result, I've been having really bad breakouts. My self-esteem is suffering from all these zits, so I had to find a spot concealer with tea tree oil to help heal my zits while I recover. I remember reading some good reviews about The Balm Liquid Timebalm so I gave this a try.

There are three shades available: Fair, Nude and Honey. Nude was the closest one to my skin tone. This comes with a doe-foot applicator, much like a lip gloss. I recommend that you don't put this directly on your face, otherwise you might end up with more concealer than you can handle.

Here's a blended swatch on my hand:

As you can see, the concealer is not completely yellowish. There's a bit of a salmon undertone, but still workable for blending onto pimples.

PROS

The tea tree oil helps heal zits.
A little goes a long way
Provides good coverage.

CONS

Because it's liquid it takes longer to dry
Not that long-lasting; I have to reapply after a few hours.

TIP: For spot concealing, I find it better to use a small concealer brush instead of my fingers. This way, the concealer only goes into the spot as opposed to all over your face. Don't forget to set with powder.

Place bought: Beauty Bar for P875.

Will I repurchase? Maybe. Hopefully I won't have to buy another one since I rarely breakout and just have the occasional zit.

Other spot concealers with tea tree oil that you can try are The Body Shop and Fashion 21.

Lovin' Zumba!

2011-09-16T23:31:00.000+08:00

This is going to be a short post. Several months ago, I availed of Metrodeal's voucher for Gold's Gym. It entitled the user to 10 Zumba classes for only P1000. It's really such a steal because it's like paying for P100 per class only. I haven't been able to use it until recently, and I must say that I am loving it. I'm not a very fit person, so I was worried that I would have a hard time keeping up. Surprisingly, Zumba is not a very high-intensity cardio workout, and I don't get drained after every workout. The pace is just right for me. I'm finding that I get excited every time I'm going to a class. Metrodeal is offering a similar deal again, and of course, I bought myself a new voucher! For those, who are interested in trying this out, head on over to Metrodeal. Hurry, though, the deal will be expiring soon!

Bargain Alert: Enza Nails and Spa Turns 4!

2011-09-14T18:28:00.000+08:00

Oh yes, I must be one of the most feet-obsessed people out there. I very rarely do my own polish application now because I seriously can't do it the way professionals do it, and I do like the pampering time I get from my pedicure sessions! I've taken it upon myself to explore different nail spas around my area, and Enza Nails and Spa is no exception.

I spend a lot of time in Katipunan, and I remember passing by Enza but they're always fully booked! So you can imagine my excitement when they opened a new branch along Garnet Road, Ortigas! And since it's the franchise's 4th anniversary, their giving a 40% discount on all services (valid only for their Ortigas branch and their main branch, Katipunan).

Now that's a real bargain! A pedicure costs P150, but they charge an additional P40 for premium polish (which is Orly), but with a 40% discount, you save a whole lot of money. You can always bring your own polish (that's what I do) to save a little bit of money. I love that their pedicure comes with a foot soak and a short massage, and I don't even need to pay extra for french tips! I will definitely be coming back here.

Serious Talk: Why I Don't Do EOTDs Anymore

2011-09-12T14:28:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! I'd like to start the week with something a little bit serious. Back when I was just starting with makeup, I really didn't know anything about using eyeshadow, and I experimented eagerly with different eye looks. Eventually, as my makeup addiction heightened, I studied professional makeup. However, now, I almost never present EOTDs anymore, which may look ironic. Now that my eyeshadow skills have improved, that's when I stop posting EOTDs? I still show FOTDs sometimes, but don't focus on eye makeup anymore. That's because my eye makeup is really simple. Why? I have realized that my eyelids are extremely uneven. Actually, I only have a double lid on one eye. The other eye is a monolid. It's not just that one eye has a bigger lid than the other, one eye has no lid at all! This has frustrated me to no end, and the only way to even out my eyes with makeup is to put an absurd amount of eyeliner in one eye (putting very thick falsies also helps camouflage the problem). Of course, I don't want to to that. I've tried eyelid tape but it looks very unnatural, and I don't want to use eyelid glue because I'm afraid of the wrinkles I can get from all that tugging.

This dilemma has frustrated me to no end, which brings me to another topic: cosmetic surgery. I'm contemplating getting blepharoplasty (double eyelid surgery) in the future to correct this problem. I know my eyelids aren't as big of a deal as I'm making it, after all, we all tend to amplify our flaws. This flaw in particular really bugs me, and I might just be willing to go under the knife for this. I don't plan to get it anytime soon, but maybe in the future.

I'm still thinking about this really hard. What are your thoughts about this?

Tools for Volumized Hair: Volume Hair Base Review

2011-09-08T23:13:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! So now, I'm here for part two of my Tools for Volumized Hair special. Another tool to volumize hair without teasing that is getting quite popular locally is something called the volume hair base. I've seen this being sold on facebook locally, but I was finally able to get my hands on it when I went to Hong Kong last June at a cheaper price! Since I've been looking for ways to volumize my hair without teasing, I was eager to try this out.

This usually comes in sets of two. The volume hair base is a sort of velcro sponge that is placed near the crown of the head to give the illusion of more volume. One piece won't give you a beehive hairdo, but it certainly adds more volume.

PROS

The velcro has a good grip on my hair
It's not hard to cover it up with my hair, because it blends in well with dark hair
The bump doesn't look unnatural

CONS

People with dark hair might have trouble covering this up
For super big hairdos, teasing is still needed
A little bit expensive for something that didn't cost much to make, but better to spend on this than damage your hair from teasing.

Conclusion: Between this and bumpits, this is definitely the winner for me!

Will I buy this again? Hopefully I won't need to if I don't lose them.
Where to buy: Online resellers for around P170-250 for one set.

Tools for Volumized Hair: Bumpits Review

2011-09-06T19:19:00.000+08:00

This is going to be a two-part special on tools used to volumize hair. No, I'm not talking about hairspray, I'm talking about actual hair inserts. For the first part, I will be reviewing the popular Bumpits.

What the product says:

*Comfortable,leave-in, self-gripping, hidden inserts
*Create perfect volume every time!
*For classic volume in crown, try bumpits
*Instructions are included
*Easy to create dozens of styles
*Made in China

At first, this was being marketed as something that didn't require any teasing. They eventually dropped that, because if you read the instructions inside, it does require teasing.

Bumpits are available in three colors to match hair color: blonde, brunette and black. It comes with 5 pieces: One extra large one, two large ones and two small ones. I bought mine from a local reseller from Ebay. For the life of me, I really don't understand why they'd send me a blonde-colored one, knowing that Filipinas have black hair, and also the picture they had showed black bumpits. Anyway, moving on to the actual using of the product.

I find that you really have to tease a lot when using this product, or else you will create an odd bump like having a headband inside your hair. It's also pretty hard to cover up the bumpit. Even if I used a black bumpit, I imagine that the shiny plastic will still show through the hair. Maybe this will work if there are hair extensions on the top part of your head, but without them you'll have to have a LOT of hair to cover this one up.

I haven't used this going out and I probably never will as I find them difficult to use.

How about you? Do you have these? Have you used it? How do you find them. Please share your thoughts.

Stay tune as I review another tool for volumizing hair.

Great Find: Jane Iredale Purelash Extender and Conditioner

2011-09-02T22:43:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! I'd like to share with you a great find that I made. This came with a goodie bag that I got from skincarerx.com. It was a while before I started using this, and boy am I glad I did!

This is best used as base before putting on mascara. This coats my lashes, and in the process, helps lengthen it. The best part, though, is that when I use this, I experience absolutely no smudging at all! If you follow my blog, then you'll know that I have extremely oily lids that cause even waterproof mascaras to smudge on me. With this on, I'm much more confident that I won't have raccoon eyes at the end of the day. I find that this works even better than my Clarins Double Fix Mascara! I will definitely repurchase!

Mich and Myl Nails @ Ortigas Center

2011-08-30T21:41:00.000+08:00

If there's one service that I always pay for, it would be pedicures and foot spas. I'm not confident to do my own nails, unfortunately. I do have some polishes at home, but I found that doing my own nails never resulted in something as neat as having it done by the pros.

I'm really delighted that two new nail salons opened up literally just across the street from where I live. I tried the one, Mich and Myl Nails because they had a promo of 30% of all services until August 31 (tomorrow).

The manicure/nail art station. It reminds me of CANS.

The pedicure/foot spa station:

This salon has a lot of materials for nail art. It has more than the average nail salon, IMO. They also do gel/acrylic nails.

I enjoyed their service. I availed of a foot spa (that comes with a pedicure). Unfortunately, though, you'll have to add P50 if you want to use OPI nail polish. I forgot the regular nail polish that they have (the name didn't really ring a bell for me). However, I just bring my own polish since I have several here at home, anyway. I also added some nail art for my big toes:

I'm sorry, I know there's a bit of hair on my foot :P Yes, I'm a hairy girl.

The whole experience lasted a little over two hours. I have nothing bad to say about their service. Everyone was polite and accomodating. I just wish they had their own restrooms like a lot of other nail salons. I'll be trying another nail salon in the area so stay tune folks!

Mich and Myl Nails is located at Emerald Tower, along the corners of F. Ortigas Jr. and Garnet Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City

Product Review: Maybelline the Magnum Volume Express Mascara (Waterproof)

2011-08-18T17:34:00.000+08:00

Maybelline mascaras are people's go-to mascaras. Why? It makes sense not to spend so much money on something that has to be thrown out every three months. Maybelline mascaras have good reviews at a price that won't dent your wallet too badly. One of these is the Magnum Volume Express. It's been getting a lot of positive reviews but I haven't had a chance to try it until now.

Before you continue reading, please know that I have very, very oily lids. With the exception of fiber mascaras, I haven't tried a mascara in a long time that didn't smudge on me, even if I stayed in an airconditioned room all day and didn't sweat at all. Most of the time, I still use my Clarins Double Fix Mascara on top, and even then, I still encounter smudges sometimes. Waterproof mascaras haven't seen oily until they meet me :)

After one coat of Magnum mascara, I did get more volume and length, nothing very drastic, but good enough. I only use one coat of mascara on myself because the more I pile on, the uglier it will look when it smudges. And besides, I have long lashes already so I just want to enhance them further.

(Sorry for the messy brows. I always do my brows last)

I find that this mascara is not clumpy, and on a day when I don't sweat, I find that this one doesn't smudge or flake on me. On days that I know I'll be out in the sun or doing some walking, I still use my Clarins Double Fix Mascara as a safety measure (I don't want to take chances). This is definitely the most waterproof Maybelline Mascara I've tried to date. It's not a pain to remove, either.

Will I repurchase? YES!!

I'm Back from Cebu!

2011-08-16T18:38:00.000+08:00

I'm back from my Cebu trip and I must say I love it there! Now I know what's so charming about it.

We stayed in the newly-opened Golden Berry Suites care of our Ensogo coupon! We paid less than P3,000 for a suite with a king-sized bed and a balcony (although the view is not good LOL)

Here's my sister at the bed. She loved it so much she didn't want to leave.

We spent our first day sight-seeing, and of course we went to the usual tourist spots. I saw something I did not expect, though, and this was in front of Sto. Nino Church:

I don't know exactly what it's called, but it's really beautiful. I never thought I could find something like this in the Philippines.

I love that Cebu is significantly cheaper than Manila. Here's a picture of a really large dessert we had from Casa Verde, known as Death by Chocolate. It's so big for P125!

Aside from cheaper food, the massages are also cheap. Thai massages are common in Cebu and they offer it for as low as P150 per hour. Sadly, though, the cab price is the same as Manila :(

A few minutes away from the city and you can go to higher ground and see the Cebu night lights! Here is Mr. A, a restaurant with a nice view!

I really enjoyed my trip! Hope to see Cebu again soon!

Will Be Jetsetting Again!

2011-08-12T23:27:00.000+08:00

I'm sorry for not being able to update my blog. I just came from a shoot today, I'm so tired but I cannot rest because I gotta pack. I'll be leaving for Cebu tomorrow and I'll be there for three days. So I'll be signing off for tonight. See you next week!

My Favorite Way to Wear Concealer

2011-08-10T12:55:00.000+08:00

I'm sure everyone has their favorite type of concealer. As for me, my favorite type of concealer would me mineral concealer. First of all, I don't need heavy coverage under my eyes, it doesn't have any harmful chemicals and it has some ingredients that help shield our skin from UV rays. Unfortunately, it also has a big downside: you have to apply it in very thin layers, or else it will cake. I honestly don't have the patience to do this every morning, so I apply my concealer in a different way. I combine it with my eye cream.

I just tap a little mineral concealer at the back of my hand, and then mix a small amount of eye cream with it. I end up with a sort of liquid-y concealer.

I find that this method works with most kinds of eye creams. This way, applying concealer becomes a breeze and I don't have to worry about caking. I can control the coverage with the amount of concealer I mix with my eye cream. Plus, I find that mineral concealer stays on me the whole day!

Musical Theater Review: 9 Works Theatrical's Sweet Charity

2011-08-08T00:17:00.000+08:00

Last week, I watched 9 Works Theatrical's Production of Sweet Charity. Wanna know what I thought? Click HERE to read it in my musical blog :)

Product Review: Blinc Kiss Me Mascara

2011-08-04T13:56:00.000+08:00

picture taken from www.sephora.com

Product description:

What it is:
The famous pioneering, tube-technology water-resistant mascara.

What it does:
Blinc Kiss Me Mascara is the original tube-technology mascara. It's invented to form tiny water-resistant "tubes" around your lashes for maximum amplification and hold, rather than painting them like conventional mascaras. Once applied, the tubes bind to your lashes and cannot run, smudge, clump, or flake, even if you cry or rub your eyes.

What else you need to know:
This mascara adds both volume and length, to give you a radiant natural look that lasts all day. Neither water nor pressure alone will remove Kiss Me Mascara. Only the combination of lots of warm water and gentle pressure (no need for harsh makeup removers) will slide the tiny tubes effortlessly off your lashes into your hand. Upon removal, you will actually see the tiny tubes slide into your hand.

Among the nominees in the 2008 Best of Sephora, Blinc Kiss Me Mascara has is clinically tested to be non-irritating, making it ideal for sensitive eyes, contact lens wearers, and active people in search of a mascara whose look, hold, and ease of removal is without compromise.

I finally gave in and purchased this when Beauty and Minerals went on sale! I've been wanting my own tube of Blinc Kiss Me Mascara for a long time, so this was the perfect chance to try it out. So after using it a few times, I'm ready to say what I think about this mascara.

First of all, I love the packaging! It comes in a tube that houses the actual mascara.

Now on to the actual mascara:

PROS

I truly have the oiliest lids on the planet and no waterproof mascara ever works me. But this mascara, just like other fiber/tube mascara, doesn't smudge on me!
Lengthens my lashes
Another pro of fiber/tube mascaras is that it's easy to remove and doesn't take your real lashes with you.
The long thin wand easily reaches my inner lashes

CONS

Although it didn't smudge, there was a bit of flaking on my lower eyelid
clumps my lashes a bit
It is a wet mascara, which some people might not like. In my experience, since I have long lashes especially on my right eye, I find that while it's drying it actually touches my eyelid and smears a couple of times O.O
If you are looking for volume, this mascara is not for you.
A little expensive

Here's a pic of my lashes before and after I used Blinc Kiss Me:

Sorry for my eyebrows. I always do my eyebrows last, you see. Anyway, from the picture, you can see that my lashes became longer, although it clumped a bit.

Conclusion: All-in-all, I consider this to be an everyday mascara, not the type that I would wear for special occasions. I love that it didn't smudge on me, which is very rare for a mascara indeed.

Will I buy again? Maybe, but probably not at regular price. I just don't want to spend too much on mascaras because they have a short lifespan.

My Venture into Eyelash Perming @ Lavish Lashes Salon

2011-08-01T10:00:00.001+08:00

I have been curious about eyelash perming for quite sometime now. I have long eyelashes already, so I didn't want extensions since they're a hassle to take care off. After thinking about it carefully, I decided to get my lashes permed. I thought about where to have it done, and I finally settled on Lavish Lashes Salon.

I'm not sure about other salons, but Lavish Lashes Salon is actually quite picky with their customers. They require a certain length of lashes before they agree to perform the procedure. They told me that some of my lashes on the inner corners are shot and won't curl properly.

So I was led inside and it's actually quite cozy. I had to shut my eyes for 1 hour and 30 minutes. I didn't feel any pain during the procedure, but after one eye felt a little itchy (I have sensitive eyes). So here is the end result:

My curl looks natural! I'm happy with the result. And even though they said that my inner corners won't curl, it actually did! Sorry for the messy eyebrows. This is how it looks like without any makeup on: thick and the hairs are facing down.

Some tips:

If you don't like to sleep, prepare a playlist to last an hour and a half because you really can't open your eyes.
You can't wet your eyes for 24 hours after the procedure, so be prepared with some facial wipes.

Will I do this again? Probably yes. It's less hassle to take care off and I can cut curling my lashes from my makeup routine. It's supposed to last for 2-3 months. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Wallet damage: P600.

Nail It! Salon near Katipunan, Quezon City

2011-07-26T20:34:00.000+08:00

I spend a lot of free time in Katipunan so I spend that time for my grooming needs: pedicures, waxes, haircuts and other stuff. I've already explored a good number of nail salons in or near Katipunan and will continue to do so.

For my nail-related needs in Katipunan, I've grown fond of Get Polished, but recently, I got curious about Nail It. I've been seeing it recently on my way to Lay Bare Waxing Salon. On a whim, I decided to give it a try.

Loving the purple and white motif!

The waiting area:

Cashier/payment area:

and the lounge:

I just got the regular pedicure. Although the nail technician who did my nails didn't have the most gentle hands on earth, I didn't get any wounds which is the most important thing.

The cleaning costs P120 and the polish application costs P100 so I paid P220 all-in-all. It costs around the same price as the average nail salon. For that price, I got a little foot soak with a very light foot exfoliation, nail cleaning, a mini-leg massage and nail polish application.

Nail It uses only Orly and The Face Shop polishes, which might be a bit of downer for girls who are not fans of these brands. They also have several packages to help us save money! Plus, get this: Lay Bare VIP Cardholders get 10% off according to my suki waxing lady. I haven't confirmed this, though, since I only found out about it when I went to Lay Bare after my pedicure. Boohoo :( Oh well, next time!

Mentholatum Lip Ice Swatches

2011-07-22T00:36:00.000+08:00

Okay, okay. I admit it, I bought the two other variants of the Lip Ice SPF 15 that I found in Watsons. After reviewing Lip Ice in Candy Apple, I actually went back and bought Pretty Pink and Sweet Rose. So I thought that I'd swatch it for you guys since there are no testers in Watsons.

from L-R: Candy Apple, Pretty Pink and Sweet Rose

Candy Apple, which I previously reviewed, is the most pigmented among them. Pretty Pink is anything BUT pink. It's actually a peach-y color. Sweet Rose is a slightly lighter version of Candy Apple. I recommend buying only one of either Candy Apple and Sweet Rose since they're similar in color.

How do you find these?

On Why I Haven't Been Blogging

2011-07-19T23:40:00.000+08:00

Hello pretty people! I have to apologize for not blogging recently, but for the past week I have been battling cellulitis. It began as a simple bite (most likely by a cockroach) but got infected by some bacteria. I actually have a feeling that the bacteria itself came from the cockroach. We never know where it's been! That same day, I had a hard lump that was around 1x1 inch and painful. The next day, I could barely walk going home so I passed by a doctor she diagnosed it as cellulitis (which confirmed what I had searched in the internet). My bump had grown more than twice its size. The doctor started me on a regimen of oral and topical antibiotics, but for several days it still continued to grow. My foot had really swollen, too. I had a hard time walking for days and sometimes, I was confined to the bed. It's only now that I'm already walking properly, although my leg hasn't healed yet. I still experience some pain. But as of today, I am back to work. Hopefully, my leg will continue healing soon and I can start blogging again.

'Til Then!

Urban Decay Releases its Fall Collection!

2011-07-13T18:14:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! Who here loves Urban Decay? I know I do! With the exemption of their glittery shadows, I love their eyeshadows! They're creamy and pigmented for an affordable price. Last night, I got an email from Urban Decay about their Fall Collection and this one caught my eye: the Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette!

I want this! But unfortunately, it's out of stock in the Urban Decay website. Hopefully, they'll have stocks again! How about you? Are you eyeing this?

Mentholatum Lip Ice in Candy Apple

2011-07-11T20:42:00.000+08:00

I am probably the last person to get into the Lip Ice craze! When this first became popular, I didn't really buy any because I had a lot of lip stuff. But I've been craving for some lippies lately and I do need some with SPF 15, so I gave in and bought my very first Lip Ice lip balm.

What I like about it:

It has no mineral oil.
It contains SPF 15.
It has beeswax
It's reasonably priced at around P130.

What I don't like:

It smells weird O.o

I was actually surprised by the pigmentation of this lip balm. I thought it would just have a slight tint but it's actually quite pigmented. It has a glossy finish. Don't expect much in terms of staying power, after all it's just a lip balm.

To give you an idea, here is a picture of my lips without lip balm and with lip balm:

What do you think? I'd love to know your thoughts.

Beauty Lemming: NARS Blush/Bronzer Trio

2011-07-08T11:02:00.000+08:00

Ever since I read about this from beauty blogs months back, I knew I wanted this: the blush/bronzer trio from NARS' Portrait of Paradise. It costs a pretty penny at $55, but it includes 3 iconic NARS products: Orgasm blush, Albatross highlighter and Laguna bronzer. I have Orgasm and it's one of my favorite blushes! I just hope that this will be available locally. Please oh please oh please!

My Mani-Pedi Experience @ Studio Zen Salon

2011-07-06T11:42:00.002+08:00

If you're like me, then you're addicted to purchasing groupon deals from sites such as ensogo, metrodeal, etc. I love these groupons! They're a great way to save money, but be careful, some of them may be misleading. Anyway, I'm not going to talk about that today. I'm going to talk about a deal that I purchased a few months ago, but I haven't been able to post. I bought a deal from ensogo where I only paid 250 for a pedicure and manicure at Studio Zen Salon.

As of now, they have only two branches: one in Cubao and a newly-opened one in Katipunan. Since I'm always in Katipunan, I opted to have mine done there.

Upon entering, I was greeted by a nicely-decorated interior. Its motif is black and white. Classy but at a student's price.

Sadly, I wasn't able to take a picture of the pedicure/manicure area, which was quite cozy.

So let me tell you about the highlights and lowlights of my experience:

HIGHLIGHTS

It's common for hair salons to have a limited selection of nail polish. However, aside from Orly and Sally Hansen polishes, they also have some Misa polishes which made me happy because they're not common here :)

LOWLIGHTS

Only one person did both my manicure and pedicure so it took longer than I hoped for.
They don't have a base coat, so if you're peculiar about that better bring your own.
There is only one parking slot :( They should really do something about that. It took me a long time to park.

The unique thing about this salon is that for a certain amount, you can avail of unlimited sessions of a certain service. For example, for only P590 a month, you get unlimited manicures and pedicures! So it's very affordable if you like getting your nails done all the time!

As for me, I think I will stick to nail salons for my nail jobs :)

Product Review: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

2011-07-05T21:09:00.000+08:00

Hey everyone! How are you all doing? The rains were stronger than usual today in my part of the world. Anyway, today I will review Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. This is just a sample that was given to me. For a while, it was just sitting in my dresser, but lately since I've been doing some traveling, this was the perfect opportunity to try this out.

As you might know, gel moisturizers are better for oily-skinned gals like me. This gel is very easily absorbed by the skin, and leaves the skin feeling smooth. There's absolutely no greasy feel. I also didn't experience any breakouts from this. Your male friends/BFs might also appreciate this because it doesn't feel like putting cream on their face. Take note that dry-skinned individuals may find that this is not moisturizing enough for them.

Will I buy this again? If this were cheaper, I'd definitely buy this, but the price is a little prohibitive. For those who'd like to try this out, ask your friends and relatives in the US to buy this for you.

And I'm Off Again!

2011-06-30T20:38:00.000+08:00

It seems like I'm quite the jet setter these days LOL Only two weeks after my HK vacation, I'll be flying to Tacloban, Leyte for the weekend for work. I don't think I'll be able to go around much, though. Anyway, here's me signing off for the weekend. See you all next week!

Bo's Brewed Coffee for only P15!

2011-06-28T11:00:00.001+08:00

Hey guys! I found this on spot.ph and thought that I should share it with you guys! Bo's Brewed Coffee for only P15 and Froccino for only P50! To read more about it, click on the picture to magnify.

Have a great day!

My One Day Cleansing Experience with Juju Cleanse

2011-06-26T19:49:00.004+08:00

I admit I am not a healthy eater. I want to have a healthy lifestyle, but it's just hard to resist the tempting food around me, so I knew that going on a cleanse would be a good idea. I read some good reviews about the Juju cleanse, so I decided that it was for me because: (1) it didn't need any preparation and (2) it was delivered right in my doorstep.

Since I just wanted to see if I could do a long cleanse, I signed up for a one-day level one cleanse. The level of the cleanse determines the ratio of vegetables to fruits. The higher the level, the more vegetables.

I opened my pack to find 6 bottles with an ice pack, as well as some mint tea leaves to put in my tea on the morning of my cleanse.

Each juice is numbered, so that there will be no confusion with the drinks.

So let's talk about the drinks:

Green bomb - This is the only drink that repeats during the day. Unfortunately, this was my least favorite drink. Too bad because I think this is the healthiest of the bunch because it's entirely from green vegetables.

Alkazest - This one tastes like fruit juice! I didn't have any trouble drinking this. It doesn't go well with water, though (I think it's because it has a high level of alkalinity).

Red giant - This tastes like a slightly better version of the green bomb.

Spicy lemonada - One of my favorite drinks! It tastes just like lemonade but with pepper so it gives it a kick.

Salaba't lemon - Honestly, the thought of drinking salabat seemed scary, but this one actually tasted good.

Surprisingly, I didn't feel hungry the whole day except for one time after my second drink. After my third drink, however, I felt fine. Just remember to drink lots and lots of water. Of course, all that drinking means more bathroom breaks, which are good for you!

I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to do this. If only cleansing for three days were easy. That is another step that I should take next time.

The downside? This cleanse is expensive. However, the ingredients are all organic and the juice bottles are biiiig!

For more information, visit www.jujucleanse.com

Question to my Readers: Where Do You Get Your Lashes Permed?

2011-06-22T14:59:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! This time, I'm asking you for your input and wisdom. I'd really like to get my lashes permed but I don't know. Let's Face It had some good reviews before but now, I read that they changed the formulation of their chemical for the lashes and the reviews have gone bad. Now I'm quite scared of having it done there but I'd still like to try this out. Can anyone leave some feedback of good and bad salons for lash perming so I know which to skip and which ones are worth trying out?

Permanent Blowdry: Is It Worth It?

2011-06-20T10:44:00.000+08:00

I have naturally curly, frizzy hair which gets really hard to manage that's why I choose to have it rebonded straight. I'm not a big fan of flat hair, but let's face it, it is easier to manage than my natural hair. Unfortunately, repeated rebonding has dried out my hair, so I began to look for other options. That's when I read about Permanent Blowdry or Keratin Complex Treatment. Treatments like these have begun to surface in the Philippines, and it began touting itself as THE treatment for damaged hair that other salons won't touch. Supposedly, it wasn't a straightening treatment but will help eliminate frizz, as well as make damaged hair look healthy again.

Sounds like a dream come true? My further researched indicated that early versions of these treatment contained formaldehyde. Now, there are formaldehyde-free versions being offered in salons, but reviewers online still said that fumes from the treatment stung their eyes. Sometimes, the hairdressers still wore masks. In effect, I'm worried about the possible health effects from this treatment. This, plus the hefty price tag and the short life span (most salons claim up to two months life span only) has made me very skeptical about this treatment. So I'd like to ask you: Have you tried it? Is it worth it?

Musicalfan Loves Minerals Has Reached 300 Followers!

2011-06-19T19:30:00.000+08:00

Musicalfan Loves Minerals has reached 300 followers! I know it took a while, and I've been a bad blogger sometimes, but thank you all for bearing with me. Here's to more beauty reviews!

I'm Back! + Mini Haul

2011-06-17T14:41:00.000+08:00

Hey guys! I'm back from a really enjoyable vacation in Hong Kong! I've been back for a few days but I've been so stressed out from work that I haven't been able to blog until now. I'm just going to show you tiny tidbits from my trip. We actually just went to Ocean Park and HK Space Center this time, since I've been to HK several times already. We decided not to go to Disneyland anymore since we've been there twice, and the rides are really more for kids and I just go there for the shows, LOL. We spent most of our time shopping actually. However, I have never enjoyed eating on a trip more than this one. It was noodles and roast duck galore, not to mention the Haagen Daz ice cream overload, since it's cheaper in HK than here.

So I'd like to show you what I really enjoyed the most in Ocean Park: seeing pandas! I was so enamored by these panda bears. It's so easy to forget that they can be as ferocious as grizzly bears because they're just so cute! And boy, do they enjoy their green leaves! Here's one panda having lunch:

And of course, Ocean Park wouldn't be Ocean Park if they didn't have an aquarium. Here's my favorite picture of them all: jellyfish!

Of course, a trip abroad isn't complete with a little beauty mini-haul. First a MAC 222 brush. I'm glad they have it in HK because it's not available here. After buying this in Harbour City, I left the mall really quickly because I saw NARS, Benefit, MUFE and other brands beckoning me to come closer, but I didn't want to spend more.

And a shampoo and two treatments from Schwarzkopf.

I also bought Liesle hair dye but forgot to take a picture. It's really so much cheaper there than buying it from online sellers locally.

Unfortunately, I bought more than just beauty stuff. I also bought two multi-wear knit tops from Giordano, a leather bag, a pair of shoes from Crocs and 5 music books! So yes, I did spend more than I hoped for, but I'm happy!

My Sister Gets a Makeover + I'm Going on a Vacay!

2011-06-08T20:33:00.001+08:00

I just love giving my friends and family makeovers, especially when they don't wear a stitch of makeup most of the time. My sister is such a person, despite me being the beauty junkie that I am. So when she went to a party, I was more than happy to do her makeup. Too bad there was no time to do her hair.

Anyway, here she is! Everyone says she looks like me LOL

Plus, I'm going on a much-needed vacation. It's just going to be nearby, in Hong Kong. I just wish it would be colder but unfortunately, it's quite warm in Hong Kong this time of year, too. I want to go shopping, but hopefully, just moderately. I don't want to open my credit card bill and get a heart attack! Wish me luck!

Hair Care Beyond Shampoo and Conditioner

2011-06-03T21:51:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! I'm sorry I know I've been a bad blogger, and I'll really try to blog more often this month to make it up. Anyway, I've mentioned several times that I have bad hair because of my repeated rebonding and lately, coloring sessions. Baad, I know, and now my hair has paid the price. The ends of my hair are very dry and damaged, yet I don't have the heart to chop all my hair off, so I'm slowly chopping it off, one haircut at a time. In the meantime, I have to deal with my damaged ends. What do I use to help keep my hair manageable?

I've made two discoveries lately that help me with my hair problems. The first one is Citre Shine Shine Miracle Anti-Frizz Serum. This has been around the house for quite sometime because this actually belongs to my sister. I tried it out one day and since then, I can't live without it! I apply a pea-sized amount on wet hair, and then when I dry it off, my hair is much less frizzy and manageable, yet not oily. The only thing I'm not fond of is the citrus smell :P

Another product I've been using lately is Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Time Restore. This is actually made for mature and fragile hair. I bought this since I got sales talked into it. The guy who was doing my hair seemed to really know what he was talking about. It was the first time that I actually bought a product from the salon, and so far, so good! After my hair dries, my hair is so soft and manageable and the effect lasts for a few days, unlike other masks where the effect only lasts until my next hair washing. It doesn't come cheap, though. I paid P1800 for 200 ml, but I wouldn't mind buying it again since I like it anyway. I alternate this with my hair masks from Human Heart Nature and Creamsilk.

Have you tried any of these? What are your thoughts?

I Have a New Blog!

2011-06-01T10:00:00.001+08:00

I'd love to thank you all for the support you gave Musicalfan Loves Minerals. Don't worry, I will not be abandoning this blog, but I will be making a new one for the more personal side of me--my music. I do hope you follow me there too. It'll be different from this one, and I'm quite excited. Say hello to my new blog: Musicalfan Unleashed

Something New: Lipstick Sealer from Suesh

2011-05-30T15:52:00.000+08:00

Lipstick Sealers are so hard to find in the Philippines! And sometimes clients would really want to have long -lasting lipstick, but that's not always possible I remember ordering a top coat from Lancome but it never came :( So it's a good thing that Suesh now has makeup sealers and among them is a lipstick sealer!

picture taken form suesh.multiply.com

I'll test this out and let you know how it goes.

Have you tried this? What can you say about it?

Another Great Find at Landmark!

2011-05-25T23:30:00.000+08:00

I love Landmark! There are so many things that you can find for low prices! A few days ago, I visited Landmark Trinoma and look what I found in the nail section:

From Amira Magic Beauty, one very fine brush, one angled brush, one flat liner brush, a fan brush and a dotting tool, all for an affordable price of P199. These are nail brushes, but all of the brushes (without the dotting tool) can also be used for makeup! The three brushes on top can be used for fine details. The fan brush can be used to apply highlighters, or cut into a smaller size to be used as a mascara fan brush. Who said brushes need be expensive?

Musicalfan Asks: Do You Believe in Reflexology?

2011-05-23T12:47:00.000+08:00

I'd like to ask this question since lately I've been getting reflexology from really trained people and not the ones found in nail salons. They claim that there are real health benefits from these, and not just for relaxation. After my first reflexology session, I immediately felt the urge to use the bathroom to do the number 2 (haha) and i had some loose bowel. Someone I know had a similar experience. One thing for sure, though, it does relax your feet. So now I'd like to ask, do you believe in reflexology?

Favorite Hand Sanitizer: Human Heart Nature Spray Sanitizer Citrus Burst

2011-05-16T22:12:00.000+08:00

photo taken from www.humanheartnature.com for review purposes

Hand sanitizers are very important to have in our everyday kikay kits. I'm happy to say that I found my favorite hand sanitizer with Human Heart Nature! I've tried a lot of their products and like most of them, I'm happy with this! I find that it's not as drying as other brands I've tried and the citrus smell is very pleasing. I keep spraying this I'm sure I'll run out of this in no time.

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Affordable Brushes: Fanny Serrano Angled Eyeliner Brush

2011-05-11T18:52:00.000+08:00

I so love it when I find good brushes at affordable prices! And I can count my Fanny Serrano Angled Eyeliner Brush among them.

I have several angled eyeliner brushes but I find that this is my favorite for applying gel liners. I find that the small size of the head makes it easy to control the application, since other brushes are too big that the bristles aren't firm anymore. This one has the right amount of firmness. Applying gel liner on clients is a breeze! The bad part, I have a hard time using this to apply gel liner on myself because the handle is too long. I can't see my eye well from afar because I have bad eyesight :P Good thing Fanny Serrano also has a mini version of this!

How much? P150. Affordable, right?

Product Review: Maybelline Great Lash Mascara Waterproof

2011-05-05T19:00:00.000+08:00

Okay, let me start off this review by saying that I made a big mistake. I actually bought this in brownish black instead of black (from the US). Yep, I bought the wrong shade but luckily this shade was more on the black side than brown, it just wasn't jet black.

I got curious about this mascara since this is THE mascara that started it all, so I bought one.

The wand is just your ordinary mascara wand, nothing special about it.

Here's how my lashes looked like after 2 coats of Great Lash:

On the left is a picture without mascara, and on the right is with mascara. As you can see, although it did add some length, I wouldn't call it a crazy improvement, just right.

Unfortunately, like 80% of mascaras, this failed to pass my oily eyelids test. Even after I coated this with my Clarins Double Fix Mascara, one eye got smudged pretty badly when my eye got a little wet from the dryness I felt from my contact lens :(

This mascara is good for those who want a natural look and don't have extremely oily lids like me, but like most mascaras, this is not waterproof enough for me :(

An Ode to my Favorite Brush Cleaner at the Moment

2011-05-02T10:00:00.004+08:00

Pink soap--have any of you heard of this brand? I read about it in a few beauty blogs, so when I went to the US last year, I made sure to pick up a bottle of this. Pink Soap is a brush cleaner that's actually meant for art brushes, but according to reviews I read, it's also effective for cleaning makeup brushes. It's also very affordable at $8 for almost 250 ml. I picked this up in a local hobby shop near my mom's place.

I find that it's very effective in removing makeup, especially foundation (which I have a hard time removing with baby shampoo). It's not effective, though, in removing old stains, so for your white-haired brushes, be sure to wash them right away or else it doesn't work as well anymore. It also contains no alcohol (so it's good for your brushes), plus it smells like mild shampoo!

I'm so glad that I found a good brush cleaner that isn't so expensive!

Product Review: Anti-Blemish Solutions Body Spray

2011-04-25T09:00:00.000+08:00

Bacne--something that a lot of gals have, but no one seems to talk about. I myself suffer from bacne, so my mom sent this over from the US for me to try: Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Body Spray.

Active Ingredient: 2% Salicylic Acid (to be sprayed on to affected areas 2x a day)

The first thing I noticed with this is that it's quite sticky, so it takes a while to dry up. After using this twice a day, my back did improve a bit but I still find that the best treatment for my back is a lot of sessions of TCA peel combined with medication. The smell is also a little bothersome. This is something worth trying if you have light bacne, but for heavier bacne, I recommend stronger treatments.

Weekend Blogger Meet Up!

2011-04-19T09:00:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone! How was your weekend? As for me, I spent my sunday afternoon meeting up with fellow bloggers Thiamere (On Beauty Stuff and What Else's), Arg (The Beauty Bin), Grace (J'adour Rougit) and Gale (Gale Loves Colors). Our first names are both Crystal but she goes by Gale which is good because I go by Crystal! Haha.

I've met Arg and Grace before, and I've also met Gale before but it's been a long time. It's my first time to meet Thiamere.

photo taken from thiamere.blogspot.com

We had dinner at Va Pensiero at Gateway Mall. It was fun spending time with you gals! 'Til next time!

Product Review: Fashion 21 Dip Liner

2011-04-15T20:40:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! It’s a happy Friday as I’m sure most of you are looking forward to the weekend. As for me, I will still be working during the weekend so it’s not really a happy Friday for me L Anyway, today I’m going to be reviewing Fashion 21’s Dip Liner.

My sister bought this one because she wanted to practice using liquid liner and didn’t want to shell out a lot of money to practice. Being the beauty junkie that I am, I tried this out too and I’ve actually used it several times.

Here’s what I find:

PROS

· Once it dries, this thing is REALLY smudge-proof, even without a primer or eyeshadow underneath! And to think that I have really oily lids…

CONS

· It sometimes dries up in patches; some parts sometimes become darker than other parts so you might have to put on another layer
· Since it’s also very smudge-proof, it also means it’s hard to remove
· The pointy end doesn’t feel soft on your eye

Here's a swatch:

Conclusion: Despite the fact that it can be a little patchy, the fact that it really doesn’t budge makes this a good product especially for students who are on a budget or people who just want to practice using eyeliner.

How much: P120.

Great Deals from Human Heart Nature!

2011-04-13T08:00:00.000+08:00

If you've been following my blog, you'll know that I've had a good experience with a lot of Human Heart Nature products. Our friends from muraito.com have informed me that for a limited time, they are offering two promotions for Human Heart Nature products! First is that they are offering 44% discount on Human Nature Dealership membership and the second promotion is that for P599, you get P845 worth of Foundation, Blush and Lipstick from Camille Meloto's Human Nature Love Minerals!

So for the other HHN addicts out there (I know there are a lot) who would like to become a dealer, or for those who would like to try out Love Minerals, here's your chance! Just hop on over and have a look!

Skincare on a Budget

2011-04-11T15:00:00.001+08:00

Hello everyone! How are you doing? I'm sorry I haven't been blogging often. I honestly thought that I'd have more time to blog, but summer is still quite hectic, with all the summer programs and all. Anyway, today I'm going to talk about skincare on a budget. Previously, I wrote about how i believe in investing in eye cream. Now how about for the rest of your skin care regimen? Here are my thoughts on what to save on and what to scrimp on especially when you're on a tight budget.

Facial Cleanser = save. I used to think that cleansers are something that you should really spend on, but come to think of it, facial cleansers don't really stay long on your face, so if you're low on a budget, you can save on this. Just choose something that's targeted for your skin's needs.

Exfoliant = save. There are many affordable exfoliants out there that range from non-abrasive to abrasive depending on your preference. Need an exfoliant because of acne? Tretinoin is readily available and won't burn a hole in your pocket.

Toner = save. Toners are actually meant to make sure that your face is dirt-free and also to clean off residue left behind by soap. So toners need not be expensive.

Sunblock = save. Gone are the days when sunblock felt greasy and left an ugly white mask. Nowadays, there are so many choices available. Just make sure to choose something that's non-greasy, and has both UVA and UVB protection.

Eye cream = spend. I already wrote a whole article on this, so there's no need to elaborate further. If you only have enough money to invest in one product, I suggest that it be eye cream.

Moisturizer = save/spend. I think you can save on moisturizer if you have to, but I honestly believe that you should upgrade your moisturizer as you get older, since our skin gets more dry as we age.

What about you? What do you think? I'd love to read them :)

Unsung Heroes: Brow Mascaras

2011-04-05T23:53:00.000+08:00

Around two years ago, my mom bought a brow mascara from Lunasol. And ever since then, I've never looked back. They became even more necessary after I started dyeing my hair. I have yet to commit to bleaching my eyebrows, so brow mascaras are a must for me. My Lunasol brow mascara worked well for a little over a year before it dried out. I didn't repurchase it because it ain't cheap. Then I purchased an ELF Studio brow mascara in medium. Although it took a little longer to apply, I actually didn't mind since it meant that it was harder to overdo it. It dried up in about 6 months, which is okay since it was very affordable anyway.

When I went to Bangkok last November, me and my MUA friend were desperately scouting for a MAC Boy Girl Brow Set, which is always OOS locally. We still scouted around the Watsons there, and ended up testing different brow mascaras: Kate (by Kanebo), Fasio and another brand which I forgot. Kate proved to be the hardest to rub off. Once it dried, it really stayed put! So, we bought one each and our lemming for MAC Boy Girl disappeared.

Brow mascaras don't seem to be getting enough attention. Not only do I use them for people (and myself) who have colored hair, they are also useful to soften a person's overall look. I like to use them on people who have full brows (like mine). Clear mascaras are useful for people who don't need color tweaking and just want their brows to stay in place.

Here's me and my full brows using Kate brow mascara in LB-1. Don't you think it helps soften my look?

Do you use brow mascaras? What do you think?

Question: Do You Invest in Eye Creams?

2011-03-31T19:00:00.001+08:00

If there's one beauty product that I believe in investing in, it would be eye cream. There are so many beauty products and procedures to help fight skin aging, but when the lines are around the eyes, it becomes so much harder to reverse the aging process. Why? First of all, you can't exfoliate your eye area the same way you exfoliate your face. The eye area is just too sensitive. Instead, we fight fine lines by piling on moisture, antioxidants, etc.

I started using using eye creams around 2-3 years ago. During that time, I was still in college and I definitely couldn't afford to buy expensive eye creams, so I definitely used cheaper alternatives. I'm still young, so the lines on my eyes are pretty fine. It could have been finer, though, had it not been for the years that I tugged my eyes to get my contact lens in my eye (yes, folks, get contact lenses with a small diameter so that you won't have to tug your eye so much to get them in). I began to get really conscious about the lines under my eye.

My first venture into expensive eye creams was when my mom gifted me with a jar of Clinique Repairwear Intensive Eye Cream. Since I don't really need "intensive" repair, I alternated this with a cheaper eye cream from Garnier. That way the Clinique would just serve as a preventive measure for more lines as opposed to a treatment for lots of lines.

After I finished the whole jar, I started using a sample of Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream (which I got when I purchased something from Bobbi Brown).

There was a list of ingredients on the back. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw what it contained--there were so many antioxidants and moisturizing ingredients. The best part is that next to water, the second main ingredient was squalene before silicone. I always check the ingredients of beauty products before I buy them, and what I noticed with most drugstore eye creams is that, one: after water, the second main ingredient is some form of silicone, and two: there are many forms of silicone present in the eye cream. Silicone will help smooth out the eyes temporarily, but it really won't solve the underlying problem. Don't get me wrong, even the expensive eye creams have a lot of silicone present, but they have a lot more beneficial ingredients than drugstore eye creams. Drugstore eye creams can be enough when you're young, but more mature women might need something stronger. Nevertheless, if you have the budget to invest in an eye cream, I really suggest you do so. After all, prevention is better than cure.

I'm really not rich enough to pay for expensive beauty products. So I'd like to thank my mom for giving me my previous eye cream, I'd like to thank Bobbi Brown for the sample of eye cream which I'm using right now, and I'd like to thank Clinique for gifting me with two jars of eye cream. Hmmm... If only someone else would sponsor my next eye cream *winks*

What are your thoughts?

Have a nice day!

Summer Lemmings!

2011-03-29T21:27:00.000+08:00

How is everyone! I'm sorry for being MIA, but my power adaptor died so I've been without a laptop for some time. I just recently purchased a new one, and along with other expenses: my derma bill, a new swimsuit, a replacement for my broken palette, another makeup book and paying off my credit card bill, I went flat broke in two days! *sniff* That doesn't stop me from lemming for stuff, though. So here's my lemming list so far this summer:

Crocs Rio Wedges

There are very few Crocs shoes that catch my eye, and these wedges are one of them. They're so much comfier than other wedges, 'nuff said.

Hair extensions

As someone who works in the beauty industry, I really need different colors of hair extensions!

Summer dresses from Get Laud

I'm not very brand conscious when it comes to my clothes. I don't own anything from Get Laud, but their catalog looks very enticing. I really need dresses for everyday. People who see me often know that I rarely wear long pants. I wear mostly shorts and dresses and I absolutely need more!

Yikes! I need more money! LOL What about you? Have you any summer lemmings? I'd love to know what they are!

Product Review: Love Minerals Tinted Lip Balm (by Human Heart Nature)

2011-03-24T19:49:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! And so the review of Human Heart Nature products continue. Today, I'm reviewing the tinted lip balm from Love Minerals, the mineral makeup line by Human Heart Nature.

I tried to make the picture clear, but my camera is having problems so it's quite hard to see the Love Minerals logo.

Anyway, I bought this lip balm together with my peppermint lip balm and other stuff from HHN. So how did it fair? Read on to find out.

First let me start by saying that this has peppermint in it so it will give your lips a minty feeling which doesn't last long. People who don't like mint will have a problem with this but I don't so I love it! I find that the color is long-lasting for a lip balm. I still have a good amount of color on my lip after eating. It also has good moisturizing power :)

Here's a pic of my lips without anything:

Here's a picture of my lips after swiping on some tinted lip balm:

It gives a slightly coral-rust sheen on my lips.

So here are the pros and cons:

PROS

It's P69.75 for an organic, tinted lip balm! Need I say more?
Tint has good lasting power
Has a minty feeling (which might be a con for some but for me it's a pro)

CONS

Only one shade available. I really wish they'd release more shades in the future but I don't think they will since they also have a line of lipsticks.

The verdict? I'm really glad that there is a tinted lip product that is very, very affordable and good for my lips :) I'll surely buy again!

Tips for DIY French Nails Newbies

2011-03-22T11:00:00.001+08:00

Hello everyone! In case you don't know, I love getting french tips! Sadly, though, having a manicure in a nail salon every week is just too darn costly. And I'm no pro in doing it myself so I settle for doing solid colored nails instead. Recently, I got bored and decided to try french tips out for myself, which I haven't done so in a very long time. So I'd like to share a few tips on how to DIY french tips for the first time. That way you can use your salon money for something else instead :)

File your nails in a square shape instead of round. That way, you can use regular scotch tape (which draw on straight) or magic tape as a guide instead of french tip guides that can cost a pretty penny. On your thumb, though, you'll still have to create a bit of a curve after you remove the tame.
You can use only one piece of tape for both hands so you don't waste any tape. In my case, I just keep switching the tape from one side to another.
If you're really not confident with your nail polish skills, you can skip putting a base coat and a base color and just go to straight to painting the tips. After all, a french manicure normally means using a natural nail color. It also saves time since you don't have to wait for the nail polish to dry completely before sticking scotch tape to your nails.
Still not confident about painting your own tips? Use a glittery/shimmery polish instead. Glittery polishes are more forgiving than white matte polishes.
Finish off with a clear top coat.

So there you have it, easy-peazy french tips. In my case, I just filed my nails to a square-ish shape, used scotch tape as a guide to paint my nails with a holographic polish, clean away the excess polish with a cotton bud dipped in acetone, then finish off with a clear top coat! I was done in no time! And here is the end result:

Polishes used: China Glaze Sexagon, Caronia clear polish

Not bad for DIY if I do say so myself :)

Product Review: Human Heart Nature Exfoliating Facial Scrub Super Fruits and Black Rice Grain

2011-03-19T16:03:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! I know I've been reviewing a lot of Human Heart Nature products lately. I've raved about their peppermint lip balm and their intensive hair mask. I've gotten hooked to their products because they're organic products that are very, very affordable. Human Heart Nature is one of the lowest priced brands of organic products in the market. So did I like this product, too? Keep reading and find out.

The appearance reminds me a lot of St. Ives Apricot Scrub. Since the beads are from black rice, some people might find that these beads are too harsh for the face, so scrub lightly. After I wash this off, my face doesn't feel squeaky clean like most products, instead it feels more moisturized similar to the feeling of washing off cleansing oil. This is because this scrub contains virgin coconut oil, sunflower oil and a little bit of ylang-ylang oil. Although the presence of these oils could cause breakouts for people with very oily skin (like myself), I haven't experienced any adverse reactions so far. However, don't take my word for it since I only use this once a week because I already use a chemical exfoliant everyday.

What I don't like about it? It's the smell. I've tried my friend's day moisturizer (also from Human Heart Nature) and the smell is similar to this. It smells like old beauty products :P

PROS

Very affordable. I can't remember the exact price that I paid but it's definitely no more than P100 for 50 ml.
It's organic so no harmful chemicals!

CONS

Like all products with oils, it's not impossible to break out with this.
I am not fond of the smell at all.

The verdict: I'm not sure if I will buy this again, because the smell bothers me. Nevertheless, this is still worth trying since I believe that scrubs need not be expensive since we just wash them off anyway :)

Test Your Skin's Age

2011-03-17T15:00:00.000+08:00

I recently came upon a quiz to determine the age of our skin. It was like a jolt to me that I should be taking better care of my skin! So I went online to find more skin tests and I thought I'd share them:

The Pinch Test (test your skin's elasticity)

How Old is Your Skin

Another quiz for people from the age of 27 to 81

Try taking some of these tests. Tell me what you think!

Rave: Human Heart Nature Intensive Hair Mask

2011-03-14T11:00:00.003+08:00

I'm starting to get hooked into Human Heart Nature. I raved about their lip balm a little earlier. Now I'm going to talk about their Intensive Hair Mask with Avocado and Gugo Bark. I have this in Rosemary scent. I've actually had this for a while but I've been ignoring it. Recently, I've started using it frequently since it's organic and won't last long. I'm glad I did because I love it!

I tried taking pictures of the ingredients but there's something wrong with my camera so I can't. I can say though that there are no parabens, and no silicone! That's something that most commercial conditioners and hair treatments have. It's what makes the hair soft. This hair mask has none of those. It only has a lot of natural ingredients like oils and extracts. It also gives my hair a minty feeling which I love. I leave it on for 15-30 minutes. Normally, I don't leave anything on my hair for more than one minute because I'm very prone to hairfall. Normally, if I use at-home hair treatments, I tend to have a lot of hairfall. With this hair mask, however, I have almost no hairfall. Around 3 strands of hair at the most!

After I rinse the mask off, my hair is not as easy to comb as commercial conditioners and shampoos. I guess the difference is because of the silicone. However, once my hair dries, I find that it's very soft. My damaged hair (from rebonding and coloring) becomes much more manageable. It also leaves my hair more "bagsak" than commercial hair treatments. I think because there's no silicone coating my hair.

The best thing about it? I bought mine for P90. It has around 50g which is very reasonable. I think that HHN has increased the price of this, but only by around P10 or so. For sure, I'll be getting the 200g tub next time!

No Beauty Blogging for Now

2011-03-12T19:09:00.001+08:00

I'm not going to blog about beauty this weekend, since right now everyone is very concerned about the situation in Japan. What's happening there right now really saddens me, so I will be signing off for the weekend.

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NARS Blush in Gina

2011-03-10T18:11:00.000+08:00

NARS Gina doesn't get as much attention as other NARS blushes like Orgasm or Deep Throat. However, if you're looking for a neutral-orangey blush, you might want to try this one.

Altough it looks more terracotta in the picture, it's actually a neutral orange with a hint of pink. It's very matte; absolutely no shimmer.

Here's an FOTD of me wearing NARS Gina. Not at all pink or peachy. Use with a light hand for gals who are fair-toned to medium-toned.

Do you own this blush? What do you think? Do share!

My Most Favorite Lip Balm to Date: Human Heart Nature Lip Balm

2011-03-09T10:31:00.000+08:00

Hey everyone! I'm sorry I've been MIA again. Things have been really busy. Anyway, I'd like to share with you a great find! Actually, it was my sister who bought this. She told me to try it and I fell in love!

Human Heart Nature Lip Balm in Peppermint

I love the minty feeling from the peppermint oil! I put this on before I sleep and when I wake up the next day it really makes a difference the next day! My lips are much more moisturized. Three days of using this and my lips are really in tip-top shape!

Plus, it's organic! No chemicals there, just a lot of ingredients that are good for you. See the ingredients for yourself:

The picture is a little dark, but as you can see, no parabens, petroleum, mineral oil, etc!

And the best part, it only costed me P55! The regular price is P65 but it's on promo right now. Nevertheless, P65 is still very, very affordable!

I'm really loving this that I bought one for myself already!

Product Review: Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover

2011-03-02T22:02:00.000+08:00

I received this as a gift from my mom a while back but I haven't been using it since I still had some Elianto Cleansing Oil which I've been using. Now that it's almost empty, I started using this and boy, have I been missing out! Even the most stubborn liquid eyeliner and the most waterproof mascara comes off easily with this. It's my first time to own a makeup remover that's made up of two parts (one oil-based and one water-based that you have to shake for them to mix) much like the ones from Loreal, Maybelline, etc. I like how it doesn't feel oily and it doesn't hurt my sensitive eyes.

The downside? Only that's it's expensive. That's the only reason why I might not buy this product. I might try something similar.

Remember, though, I am a firm believer in using a good makeup remover! We don't want to rub rub rub our eyes and get wrinkles!

9 Works Theatrical's Production of RENT

2011-02-28T11:53:00.000+08:00

Happy Monday everyone! How was your weekend? I spent my saturday night in RCBC Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium watching RENT so here is my review on it:

I don't consider myself to be a Renthead, because there are other musicals that I prefer over Rent. Nonetheless, I'm very familiar with the show, owning the DVD's of the movie and the Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway. I also have the movie soundtrack as well as the Original Broadway Cast. Having said so, I entered the theater with high hopes. After all, as far as I know this is already the 3^rd run of this musical. The first run was early 2010, when I couldn't find tickets because I bought too late already. The second run was late last year, when the tickets were expensive since it was staged in Rockwell. So I bought my tickets early and was happy for the chance to finally see the musical.

The good thing about Rent is that production-wise, it isn't hard to replicate. The set isn't extravagant (and doesn't change either) and the costumes are simple, too. They're everyday outfits that can be pulled out of an ordinary person's closet. The musicians are composed of a small band of 4 or 5 people. Having said this, you don't need to put in an extravagant amount of money to replicate this in Manila. 9 Works was able to give a good feel of the Broadway show.

Of course, a production doesn't mean anything without a good cast. When it came to acting, the cast was able to capture the essence of their characters. I was especially impressed with Job Bautista as Angel. They got the perfect man to play Angel, the optimistic, dancing, AIDS-stricken cross dresser. Singing-wise (which is the most important part of me), they were okay. Gian Magdangal (Roger) at times reminded me of Adam Pascal's rocky, edgy voice. However, the high ranges of the male characters proved to be a challenge to the male members of the cast. They had to resort to almost shouting their high notes. As a result, power ballads such as Roger's Your Eyes and Collins' I'll Cover You (Reprise) fell a little short for me. This, coupled with the fact that the sound engineer failed to notice that the high was too high (leaving a very penetrating sound when the actors sang in their high range). It's a little hard to explain, but if you know how to operate a sound mixer, you'll know what I'm talking about.

All-in-all, I would say that this was a good production, although it would have been better if the cast were better able to hit the high notes. Nevertheless, this a fresh, young cast whose faces are relatively new in the musical theater scene. I look forward to their blossoming in the years to come.

List of cast that I THINK I saw:

Gian Magdangal - Roger

Sherry Bautista – Mimi

Fredison Lo – Mark

OJ Mariano -Collins

Job Bautista – Angel

Mian Dimacali – Maureen

Jenny Villegas- Joanne

Lorenz Martinez – Benny

Fun Shoot!

2011-02-25T13:45:00.000+08:00

Hey everyone. How are you all doing? Me, I'm happy to not have work today. In fact, I didn't have work yesterday either! It's rare for me to not have work for two days in a week because I normally work 6-7 days a week. I have some errands to run, though, but before I go I'd just like to leave you with some pictures from our fun shoot last week at my friend's house.

Model: Cyrene Leicht
Photography: Jomel Tadeo
Makeup: Crystal Milarose Rodis
Hair: Kristine Rodriguez-Lucas

Model: Monica Louise

Photography: Cyrene Leicht

Makeup: Crystal Milarose Rodis

Have a great EDSA Day guys!

How Much Does It Cost to Keep You "Beautiful?"

2011-02-23T10:00:00.002+08:00

Like I said in one of my previous posts, I'm not into branded bags, shoes or clothes. Instead, I put my money into prettifying myself. That wouldn't be a problem if I were rich, but I just started working less than two years ago, so I can't say that I'm making a lot lot lot of money. When I recently started computing how much I spend a month to maintain myself, here's what I got:

Dermatologist: 1,600

Waxing: 450 (thank goodness I have an epilator for other body parts) + tip

Pedicures: approx. 500 plus tip

Hair maintenance: 600-800 for hot oil treatments and haircuts. This is still apart from my rebonding sessions.

So that's already more than P3000 a month, which is still exclusive of rebonding, beauty products, makeup, etc. Yikes!

What about you? How much do you spend on prettifying yourself?

Stila Kitten Eyeshadow and Smudgepot

2011-02-21T10:00:00.001+08:00

Stila Kitten is undoubtedly Stila's best-selling eyeshadow. It's so successful that they just had to make a smudgepot and a lip glaze version! I don't have the lip glaze but I have the smudgepot and the eyeshadow. I got the eyeshadow as part of a set. At first, I neglected it but now it's actually my favorite highlighter! And since I love Stila smudgepots I got myself one in the same shade too!

I don't have the container for the eyeshadow since you have to buy it separately, I think.

Here are the swatches. On top is the eyeshadow swatched once. Beneath it is the smudgepot, swatched twice.

As you can see, although they are similar in shade, they differ in terms of intensity (to think I already swatched the smudgepot twice). The eyeshadow can't work on me as an all-over lid color, it's just too light and obvious on my NC25 skin tone. This is really meant to be a highlighter. On the other hand, since the smudgepot is less intense, I can actually apply this all over my lid as an everyday color! It just gives the right amount of shimmer on my lids.

Here's the Kitten smudgepot on my lids:

The camera wasn't able to capture it properly, but it does give a little shimmer to brighten the eyes up. Perfect as an everyday all-over lid color! And the best part? Smudgepots are very crease-resistant, so even without an eye primer, they last around 5 hours without creasing! That's a long time for my very oily lids. With a primer, it stays crease-free even longer!

Have you tried Stila Kitten products? I'd like to know what you think!

NARS Lipstick in Niagara

2011-02-19T10:00:00.000+08:00

I've always eyed NARS lipstick in Niagara and now that I have it, I'm loving it! It might look different onl your screens, but it's actually a lovely pink-coral that brightens up the face, but doesn't really steal the spotlight.

Here is a swatch on my hand:

I love NARS lipsticks! They're easy to apply and are long lasting! I only own two shades, though: this one and Schiap.

To give you an idea on how it looks, here's an FOTD:

Isn't it nice how it just brightens my face? What are your thoughts?

Product Spotlight: L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream

2011-02-17T10:00:00.000+08:00

Let us not forget to take good care of our hands. I myself am guilty too of leaving my hands un-pampered. As a result, my hands look less than goddess worthy :(

One hand cream I've been curious about is the famous L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream. When an online seller sold a mini size, I grabbed the chance to try it out.

I like that the scent is light and not overwhelming. It's richer than normal lotions (it's made of 20% shea butter) since it's made for our abused hands, so you cannot expect that the lotion is absorbed by the skin in an instant. I apply this before I go to sleep, and my hands are still soft the next morning.

Overall, I think this is a good product, not amazing, though. Hand creams are meant to work slowly, and not change the texture of your hands in an instant. However, I cannot justify shelling out P495 for 1 oz. If anyone gives this to me, though, I'll gladly welcome it and use it!

Have you tried this? What are your thoughts?

Note: My Experience as a Guest MUA @ Clinique Trinoma

2011-02-15T21:03:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! I'm sorry for being MIA. I've been very busy. As you know, I was a guest MUA at Clinique Trinoma. It was a very new experience for me as I have never worked at a booth before.

It's really no joke to stand around for 8 hours in shoes that are not flat. At the end of the day, my feet were so painful that I really walked slowly to the parking lot. Working in sales is never easy. A lot of patience and perseverance is required. Kudos to everyone that works in a mall. Working long hours is never easy.

Thank you Clinique for a unique experience!

Catch Me at Clinique Trinoma!

2011-02-11T16:15:00.000+08:00

Hey guys! I'm going to be a guest makeup artist @ Clinique Trinoma tomorrow and on Sunday. Be sure to drop by if you're in the area. I'll be giving makeovers there!

Charles and Keith Virgin No More!

2011-02-09T10:00:00.002+08:00

I don't really blog about fashion nor do I plan to make it a habit (unless my readers think it's a good idea?) but I just want to show you my first ever buy from Charles and Keith. You might not know this about me but I'm not really into branded clothes, shoes or bags. I spend my money more on makeup, skincare, pedicures, and waxes. Yes, I love to pamper myself. When it comes to fashion, I'm happy with my department store purchases. If I bought branded everything, then I'd be broke! LOL. I don't own anything from Zara and Mango. I haven't bought anything from Forever 21 here in Manila but I bought a couple of pieces on sale when I went to the US last year. The only branded bags I own are gifts to me. Up until two weeks ago, I've never owned anything from Charles and Keith. Well, now I'm a Charles and Keith virgin no more!

Presenting, my first ever buy from this popular shoe brand...

Another view of the shoes.

I'm loving it! It has a low heel (I don't own any heels that are 3 inches and above and my only 2-inch heels are reaaally comfy) so I can definitely use it around!

HOTD: Hairstyle of the Day

2011-02-07T10:00:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! I'm really sorry I've been neglecting my blog. I've been unbelievably busy the past week and will continue to be busy this coming week. I'm really going to try to blog. For the meanwhile, I'd like to share with you this hairstyle I sported for the album launching of a composer. I was asked to play, but I really didn't have time to fix myself because of the errands I had to do that same day. So I just put on my Babyliss Hot Rollers, and during the 15 minutes it took to set my hair, I just did my everyday makeup routine (since I didn't have time). I really love how hot rollers, set my hair. As you can see, my hair is not flat even though I didn't tease it at all!

And yes, in my haste, I wasn't able to put hairspray on my hair :P 'Til next time!

whats your age ??

2011-02-05T21:36:00.002+08:00

This was a question left for me in my formspring account. It's not that I'm ashamed of my age, but seriously, it's very weird for someone to not introduce themselves and then just ask me how old I am O_o Come on people...

Ask me anything

MAC Summer Rose Beauty Powder Blush

2011-02-01T09:48:00.000+08:00

Ever since I tried MAC Beauty Powder Blush in Summer Rose when it first came out with the A Rose Romance Collection, I knew I had a keeper. I really love pink blushes! This one is pink, but it has warm tones in it so I can pair it with either warm-toned or cool-toned lipsticks. I love the texture of this blush and how it makes you look naturally flushed. It goes on sheer so it's really very hard to overdo your makeup.

The rose engraving is really cute!

No matter how many new blushes I develop a liking for, I always go back to this one. I guess I'm not the only one who liked it, since it was repromoted in the Give Me Liberty of London collection.

Despite its soft pigmentation, it still lasts the whole day on me! Even more than 12 hours on my oily skin! My only complaint is that the top layer tends to harden even though I use it often :(

Here's me wearing Summer Rose:

What do you think? I really DO love it.

Product Review: Block and White Intensive Whitening Lotion SPF 28/PA+

2011-01-26T12:00:00.000+08:00

Good morning everyone! How's the week so far? I'm still battling a cough and cold. Hopefully, I'll be better soon. Anyway, I'm really such a sunblock addict. I don't leave the house without slathering on some sunblock. Which is why I consume a bottle pretty quickly. When I ran out of my favorite Vaseline Healthy Sunblock, I asked my sister to buy me a new bottle. Unfortunately, they were out of stock and my sister came home with this instead:

Block and White Intensive Whitening Lotion SPF 28/PA+

I've been using this for around a week as a sunblock, not as a whitening lotion. So I can't say anything about its whitening effects. As a sunblock, here's what I've found so far:

PROS

It's very affordable. Around P200 for a 250 ml bottle
In addition to having SPF 28, it also has PA+ for the UVA rays
Has a nice scent. It reminds me of the early Ponds Whitening Cream products I tried way back when I was in high school
The scent is quite long-lasting. I put it on before lunch and by around 8 pm, there is still a bit of smell left.

CONS

It's not easily absorbed by the skin. You have to wait for at least 10 minutes before it feels comfortable. At first, it will feel slightly sticky and maybe a little bit hot.

Conclusion: All-in-all, I think this is not bad at all! If you are looking for a sunblock on a budget, this is a good one to try!

I Couldn't Help Myself

2011-01-24T10:00:00.000+08:00

I couldn't help it! I caved in and bought myself a set of hot rollers! I've been debating whether or not I should buy them. After all, not all hair stylists consider this to be essential in their kit. But after reading what a time saver it could be, I bought myself a set!

Presenting... my new hot rollers from Babyliss! Yes, all my hair tools are from Babyliss! I actually love that these rollers are very affordable compared to other brands! When I got home, I immediately tried this out for myself. During the first few rollers, I was still adjusting since it didn't have anything to make it adhere to the hair unlike the velcro rollers that I'm used to. It took me 15 minutes to set my hair during my first try (I was still getting used to them), and then while waiting for my hair to set, I could do my makeup! This will be very useful when I'm alone on gigs. I really can't spend all that time doing makeup and then using a curling iron to curl their hair afterwards. This way, I can do makeup while waiting for the hair to set! This is a real time saver! I mean, I've always loved the big hair effect I get from ordinary rollers but it just takes too long! This way, I can get the effect with a short amount of time. Can't wait to use this for my gigs!

My HG Finishing Powder!

2011-01-22T10:57:00.000+08:00

Even from the picture, you can already guess what my favorite finishing powder is!

It's Guerlain Meteorites Illuminating Pressed Powder Mythic Parfait!

Product Description:

What it is: An illuminating pressed powder.What it does: The latest member of the Meteorites family, Guerlain Meteorites Pearls Compact draws its inspiration from the classic pearl. This high-tech powder accentuates light, conceals blemishes, and brings out radiance, without shine.What else you need to know:Each compact contains an array of four complementary shades that create a luminous glow, the correcting color in the center can be used to conceal redness, cover blemishes, or tone down dark undereye circles. Swirl on the corresponding matte and pearlescent hues to touch up your look with a subtle iridescence.

I don't know why it took me so long to review this powder since I've had this for more than a year. I haven't tried any other shades of the pressed powder form although I have one of their loose meteorites. Since I bought this, I've never looked back.

As you know, I have the oiliest skin on the planet. I've tried so many oil control powders out there and I have to say that this is the best! Why? Because I still do oil up after a few hours but this is the only powder out there that made me look dewy-oily not grease-pan-oily! And really, this is the most I can hope for, since all the oil control powders out there can only keep me oil free for a maximum of 3 hours.

So here are my pros and cons:

PROS

gives my face a nice sheen, not too shimmery and not matte either
compact doesn't look cheap
helps control my oiliness
looks dewy when I oil up instead of greasepan oily

CONS

Expensive
It lasts a long time. I've been using this almost everyday for more than a year and I still haven't hit pan!
The compact is bulky
Regarding the color correction, I'm not really sure if it works because the powder is very sheer when applied to the face

All-in-all, I'm loving this to bits! I'm sorry I didn't swatch it but it's really hard to make it show up because it's very sheer. Although this retails for P3,000+ at Rustans, I bought mine for around P1,600 (can't remember the exact price) because it came from the LuxeAsia sale. So it was around 50% off the original price. I will buy this again when I run out, definitely!

Product Spotlight: Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Scrub

2011-01-18T22:33:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! Today I'm going to talk about my favorite body scrub lately: Asia Secrets Lulur Whitening Scrub.

This product has been creating a lot of buzz in the internet and for good reason: It's very affordable at less than P180 for 200g, it's not too harsh on your skin, and it smells good! I believe that scrubs need not be expensive, since its main purpose is to exfoliate. This does the job--exfoliation is not too harsh nor too mild. It's just right. As for the whitening effect, I haven't noticed if I've gotten any fairer since I don't use it often enough. I actually wouldn't have tried this if my sister hadn't bought a tub. I'm happy she did!

Have you tried this? What are your thoughts?

Another Day, Another Shoot

2011-01-16T10:00:00.001+08:00

Hello everyone! It's the start of the work week for most people. As for me, I've been a little sick and I feel like I'm coming down with a cold, so I'm going to leave you with a pre-nup shot I did a few months ago. I've done a good number of pre-nup shoots, but I never get to have some copies of the shots. Thankfully, I got a hold of this since the bride-to-be was very generous and when we saw each other again, she let me have a few copies of the shoot.

Photography: Derek de los Santos

Hair and makeup: Crystal Milarose Rodis

What a pretty girl! She's very nice too.

I'll be leaving you with this while I try not to get sick :P

Have a great week everyone!

Product Review: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup

2011-01-13T10:59:00.000+08:00

Good morning everyone! How are you doing? It's a thursday today meaning most of you are already looking forward for the weekend. As for me, well, things get busier during the weekend.

Anyway, today I will be reviewing Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup. Pammy was kind enough to give me a sample and she also raved about it in her blog.

After trying it out a few times, I was really sold! I don't normally use liquid foundation except for events, since I find that it starts looking ugly after several hours because of my uber oily skin. But I think my skin has finally found its match!

This foundation gives a medium coverage. The bottle looks scary because the foundation looks cool- toned when in the bottle, but it actually is warm-toned when applied to the skin.

PROS

classy packaging
great staying power
creates a smooth finish
comes with SPF 10 for those who skip sunblock
even after a few hours, my skin just looks dewy instead of looking oily! that way, I'm not so conscious of whether or not I have to blot

CONS

doesn't come with a pump, so it's hard to get the foundation out
can be a little hard to blend
pricey at P1900. but I just think of it this way, I'm just adding P300 to a MAC Studio Fix Fluid, but I get better results!

Topped with my favorite finishing powder (which will be revealed in future posts), I finally look decent and not like an oil mine!

Here's an FOTD of me wearing Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup. I'm sorry I can't take a clearer FOTD, since the lighting here in the house is pretty bad.

Have you tried this? How do you find it? :) Have a great day!

My Favorite Moisturizer Gets a Makeover!

2011-01-10T10:00:00.001+08:00

I went to Sesou Nature Source in Trinoma to buy what was supposed to be my 4th jar of my favorite moisturizer when I was in a surprise.

Leyende Face Canvas is in a jar no more! No more unsanitary dipping, which shortens the life span of your product because of bacteria. This is especially necessary for organic products. Now I'm more confident that my moisturizer will last!

I've said many times how much I love this moisturizer! Although Leyende is more expensive than most local organic brands, P550 for 100 ml is seriously not bad! I'm very happy that Leyende place it in a tube.

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Have a nice day!

Product Review: Clarins Double Fix Mascara

2011-01-06T11:00:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! How's the new year treating you so far? Anyway, today I'm going to review Clarins Double Fix Mascara. If you've been following my blog, then you know I included this in my top finds for 2010. Wanna know why?

Like I've said for the nth time, I have the oiliest lids on the planet. None of the so-called waterproof mascaras stood a chance on my lid. Even the most waterproof of the waterproof mascaras smudged on me after two hours. I've tried a few products that are supposed to help make mascaras more smudge-proof but they all failed to work for me. This product was part of my things-to-try list.

Product Description:

An exceptional transparent, fixing gel which guarantees perfect mascara hold in any environment...bathing, traveling, late nights and more. Also ideal for use to groom and shape eyebrows.

Application:

Use alone or over your favorite mascara.

I was finally able to buy this during at Duty Free Bangkok Airport for 880 Baht. It would have been cheaper if I bought it in the US, but I guess this price will have to do. The mascara is more of a top coat that you apply after mascara. If you plan to use this alone it will not give you much lengthening or volume. I dare not use this for brows because this is too expensive to be used as a transparent brow gel when there are cheaper alternatives.

I've used this several times and I can say that it has changed my life! I no longer have raccoon eyes after two hours, although sometimes it still smudges a bit when it's hot. But seriously, this has made a huge difference for someone who is extremely oily like me!

PROS

It works!
Despite its hefty price tag, you can actually use this for a long time since it has a lifespan of 36M. Although, I recommend throwing it out before that. After all, liquid is liquid.
This will still come out cheaper than buying an expensive mascara and then throwing it out after three months! Maybelline mascara + Clarins Double Fix mascara will still be cheaper in the long run.

CONS

expensive

Conclusion: I'd recommend this to someone who has extremely oily lids that no waterproof mascara is waterproof enough for them. This is one good product for that purpose. Otherwise, you can skip buying this and just stick with your trusty mascara.

New Year Blog Sale

2011-01-04T17:35:00.001+08:00

Hello everyone! Like I said, I bought myself a new phone so I'm selling some of my make up to somehow soften the blow of getting a new phone.

Lot of Revlon Custom Creations Foundation - 1000
(original price 800+ each)
1. fair
2. fair/light
3. medium/deep
-perfect to get all the shades needed. around 80% left for each. 1 bottle its missing its cover. FREE SHIPPING FOR THE LOT

Suesh Brush Cleaner - P50
(around 50% left. original price: 300)

Urban Decay mini sized 24/7 Glide on Pencil in Zero (around 70% left) - 250
Urban Decay mini sized 24/7 Glide on Pencil in Zero BRAND NEW - 500
Urban Decay FULL SIZE 24/7 Glide on Pencil in Zero BRAND NEW - 800

Coastal Scents Neutral Palette - 500

Coastal Scents 88 Matte Palette - 500

Loreal HIP Concentrated Eyeshadow Duo in Retro - has a matte blue eyeshadow and a highlighter. Not available locally - 50

Free shipping within Metro Manila for purchases of P1000 and above.
Reservations good for 3 days only.
Payment thru BDO or GCash.
Shipping via Xend or Air21.

You may text me at 09053474599 for faster transactions :)

My Top Beauty Discoveries for 2010 + My New Gadget

2011-01-03T11:00:00.001+08:00

Happy New Year everyone! Finally I'm going to show you my top beauty discoveries for 2010. I know I haven't made individual reviews of a lot of these products yet so stay tuned, guys. I will do my best to do individual reviews for those that I haven't done. Mind you these products have no particular order.

1. Cream Silk Precision Repair Treatment

What can I say? For around P200 for a 250 ml tub, this is a great steal! I use this once or twice a week on my damaged hair and it really does make it soft!

2. Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Scrub

Another affordable product that can be easily found. Like the previous product, it costs less than P200 for around 200g. I'm not sure about the whitening part, but as a scrub it does the job. It's not too harsh but not too mild either. It has a great scent too!

3. Clarins Double Fix Mascara

If you know me, then you'll know I have the oiliest lids on the planet! I've tried all the so-called "waterproof" mascaras, but they don't stand a chance against my oily lids. Instead, I've had to use fiber mascaras which are great for everyday, but don't really give the extra oomph that I want during night outs. This mascara has solved my problem! I put it on top of my waterproof mascara, and it stays on! It comes with a hefty price tag, but it's worth it for me!

4. Urban Decay Naked Palette

I'm surprised that I haven't seen this in lists so far, considering that this palette has a very high demand and is always sold out on the website. This has become my go-to palette especially for weddings!

5. Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup Foundation

I tried a sample of this and loved this! I'm definitely going to write a more in-depth review about this. For now, let me just say that this has become my skin enhancing foundation. And it's cheaper than foundations from Shu Uemura, Bobbi Brown and MUFE, although you get a little less product.

So there you have it everyone, my top beauty discoveries for 2010.

On a side note, I finally bought a new phone after three years! Meet my new gadget: my HTC Aria! I've been wanting to try an android phone for some time now, since my techie friends are recommending it to me more than an Apple phone. Besides, lets face it, I don't have enough moolah to buy an IPhone 4. Hihi!

I'm really enjoying my new phone!

Watch out guys, I'll be doing a blog sale within the week. I sort of have to make up for the money I spent on my phone!

Reader Questions

2011-01-02T10:14:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year Everyone! Before I start an official post, I'd like to answer a couple of questions readers left for me on my formspring.

Q: Where can i buy mama lotion?

A: I bought my mama lotion (now called M2) from skincarerx.com but they don't ship to the Philippines. I believe it's also available from amazon.com and in local derma offices as well.

Q: Hi, where did you buy ur urban decay palette? Can u send me a link to the seller? Thanks for being a doll.. ^^

A: If you're referring to my Naked palette, I bought it from http://carefreeshopper.multiply.com :)

That's all for now everyone. Happy New Year again!

Ellana Mineral Lip Palettes Swatched

2010-12-29T15:00:00.001+08:00

I was so excited to see that Ellana has come up with Mineral Lip Palettes. I love glosses and tints for everyday use and I only use mineral lippies since they are less damaging than traditional lipsticks. Since these palettes are not available in their weekend bazaars in SM stores, I made time to go to their showroom in West Avenue to buy these.

Look at the front. It's very cute!

Let's look at the Butterfly Kiss Lip Palette first:

top (L-R): Impress, Venus

bottom (L-R): Bubble, Smitten

Yes, I was so excited that I actually tried one of the shades before taking a picture of it. My bad!

Here are the swatches and descriptions from the catalog:

From left to right:
Impress - tinted magenta
Venus - tinted purplish pink
Bubble - tinted light rosy pink
Smitten - tinted magenta

Thoughts:

This palette is the one with the pinkish shades. I like this palette better because I'm biased to pinks. These are lip tints, so don't expect them to be very pigmented. Some shades are more sheer than others. My favorite shades in this palette are Venus and Bubble, because they make nice MLBB shades. I recommend Smitten if you are going for a bright pink lip.

Next is the French Kiss Lip Palette:

top (L-R): Infatuation, Bliss
bottom (L-R): Honey, Passionate

Here are the swatches:

from left to right:
Infatuation - tinted rose red
Bliss

Honey - tinted light peach

Passionate - tinted earthy red

Thoughts:

This palette is more for the ones who like peachy, earthy shades. I find Bliss to be different from all the other lip tints. It's very matte and much more pigmented that the other sheer, glossy shades. Honey is my favorite in the quad. It's the sheerest among the four but will make a nice MLBB shade.

I'm excited about these palettes and can't wait to use them!

The Haul Before Christmas + I'm in a Catalog!

2010-12-27T20:00:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! How was your Christmas? I'm just enjoying my 4-day break. Breaks these long come so rarely. Anyway, I just want to show you some of the stuff I bought a few days before Christmas.

First, I gave in and bought a bottle of Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation. Pammy gave me a sample and I loved it! So I bought a bottle for myself :)

A new brush belt from Suesh! I have too many brushes which won't fit in my two brush rolls so I think it's about time that I bought a big brush belt.

Some stuff from Ellana Minerals: Papaya Kojic soap, Lip Treatment in Cucumber Melon Fresh, Butterfly Kiss and French Kiss Lip Palettes.

I really love lippies so these are great because I get four in one container! And they are mineral lippies so they are much better just for everyday use.

On a personal note, if you've seen their December catalog, you'll find that I'm in their pages! Can you spot me? LOL

And last but not least, my Urban Decay Jackpot that I ordered during the Sephora Friends and Family Sale has arrived. This set has 9 mini-sized 24/7 liners plus a full size pencil of Zero. I really can't wait to use these! I just feel sad that shortly after I ordered these, they released their Urban Decay 15th Anniversary set which includes all of their 24/7 pencils! Wah! At least I didn't spend too much money.

Anyway that's all. Belated Merry Christmas everyone!

All I Want for Christmas is...

2010-12-21T15:24:00.000+08:00

An HTC Aria! Or maybe an Ipod touch instead! What do you think? What's more useful? I'd really appreciate any thoughts.

BTW, I've started to become addicted to lip pencils, so yes, any kind of lip pencil would be great for Christmas! And also more mineral lippies!

Something New: Stila Eye for Color Palette

2010-12-12T21:59:00.000+08:00

I've been eagerly awaiting this palette, so I was happy to finally get my hands on it. I like Stila palettes because they have good pigmentation for a reasonable price. And packaging is cute too!

It opens up to reveal 13 shades.

Here are some swatches. They have good pigmentation, not chalky, although some of the light colors a little light to see. I just wish they had some matte colors, since they are all shimmery.

Have a great week everyone!

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita

2010-12-08T09:58:00.000+08:00

Ever since I tried Pammy's lip pencil, I got hooked! Lip pencils are so much easier to use because the application is very precise, cutting lipstick application time. From my previous post, I showed you that I recently bought my first NARS lip pencil in Dolce Vita.

I was really excited to use it. I used it for an event but I wasn't able to put on a full face of makeup due to time constraints. Here is Dolce Vita on my lips:

I like how it looks like, and it will also be a good MLBB shade for gals with darken skin tones.There's no hint of any gloss, it's definitely matte. Lasting power is okay. I wouldn't say it lasts really long. It lust lasts a little longer than lipstick.

I'm loving this purchase! Too bad NARS products are so expensive :( I'm also eyeing another lip pencil in Sex Machine plus one more from a different brand. Oh no! :P

Quick Post: Rustan's Mini Haul

2010-12-06T12:00:00.002+08:00

Last saturday, I went to Shangri-La and really couldn't resist buying a few stuff from Rustan's. First I went to Stila to get the Eye for Color Palette, which I've been waiting for since the month began. I also got a Kitten smudgepot! I love the Kitten e/s so I wanted to try out the smudgepot version.

Then I went to the back of Stila, which was NARS! I got a blush in Amour, which is great because I'm really lacking in matte blushes. I can't wait to try it out! I also bought a lip pencil in Dolce Vita, which I'm loving! Reviews to follow shortly, starting with the Dolce Vita Lip Pencil.

Here's my small haul that still burned a hole in my pocket:

But I don't feel so bad because I get to use them on my gigs (nevertheless, I'm going on a makeup no-buy after this month hehe)! Yey for a fruitful December! Have a great day everyone!

I'm Sorry for the Lack of Updates

2010-12-03T22:43:00.000+08:00

How is everyone doing? I'm really sorry my dear readers, I've been busy lately, so my blogging has really lessened. As you know, the ber months spell busy-ness for all of us. So I'm going to leave you with a neutral FOTD I put on during my friend's wedding last week.

Forgive the bad lighting. This was taken in my bathroom. Hehe

Here's the version with flash. I added it just so you have a clearer view:

FACE
MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC25
MAC Select Cover-Up NW20

Guerlain Pressed Meteorites in Mythic Parfait
Stila Contouring Trio

EYES
Urban Decay Naked Palette
Stila e/s in Kitten
Maybelline Volume Express Cat Eyes Mascara
Clarins Double Fix Mascara
The Face Shop Brow Pencil in Taupe
Kate Brow Mascara

CHEEKS
NARS Deep Throat

LIPS
NYX Frapuccino

Have a great weekend everyone!

Urban Decay Naked Palette Review Part 2

2010-11-29T17:00:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! Still enjoying the holiday? I for one enjoyed the rest. Anyway, I promised that I would show you the Naked Palette in action. So here is some sample work showing the colors in action. I told 'ya guys that I haven't been able to put it down since I got it last week. I reckon that pretty soon, I'll be needing a new one.

Here are some samples. Note that I'm only listing the colors that came from the Urban Decay Palette. For pictures 2 and 3, I used a different brand for the highlight colors.

Sample number one using the most matte colors in the palette:

photo by John Richard Velasquez

Highlight: Virgin
Lid: Naked
Crease: Buck

Sample number two:

photo taken by John Richard Velasquez

Lid: Half Baked
Crease: Smog
Outer V: Dark Horse

I hope this last picture won't hurt your eyes too much. I'm posting this to show some more samples. Tee hee!

photo taken by Jomel Tadeo

Lower lid: Hustle
Upper lid: Toasted

And there you have it. The colors in action! If you do a lot of neutrals, this is the palette for you :)

Urban Decay Naked Palette Review Part 1

2010-11-25T13:43:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone! It's a thursday, and normally I have a good amount owithf time during this day so I'll be making a post about my Urban Decay Naked Palette. If you've been following my blog, you'll know that my Naked Palette arrived last week with a broken mirror. Sad as I was, I immediately took this baby around with me, and you know what? I'm very happy! Thanks to this palette, I can finally let go of my Coastal Scents 28 Neutral Palette. I've been using it for a very long time, and now I can replace it with something way superior.

Here are the colors:

This palette is perfect for office use, bronzy looks, neutral smokey looks, and bridal looks. They contain the same creaminess and pigmentation that Urban Decay is known for. I have to say, though, that the two completely matte shades (Naked and Buck) are not as pigmented as their not-so-matte counterparts. Sidecar is a little too shimmery in the pan, but it's not that bothersome when applied.

So here are the swatches. Sorry I couldn't take better shots. The lighting in my house is not so good.

from left to right: virgin, sin, naked, sidecar, buck, half baked

from top to bottom: smog, darkhorse, toasted, hustle, creep, gunmetal

I couldn't swatch gunmetal properly, since I was using only the side of my thumb. I'm sorry for that. All shades were swatched lightly, dry with no base.

The swatches really don't do the palette justice. They're really much prettier in person. I also love how they included my most favorite eyeshadow: sin! Now I'm not so worried about running out of it.

Wanna see these colors in action? Stay tune for part two of my Urban Decay Palette Review.

My Azta Urban Salon Experience

2010-11-23T20:46:00.000+08:00

If you've seen me recently, you'll know that the longest part of my hair reaches my waist. Honestly, I've been wanting to have a haircut for a while but I never got around to it. I really needed it, though, since my hair is really doused in chemicals from both rebonding and coloring. I finally found some free time, in Katipunan, while waiting for rehearsals to start. Among the salons there, I finally decided on Azta Urban Salon. I've only gone to Azta once, for a pedicure, back when I was still a student. Even back then, I loved getting pedicures but really didn't want to shell out a lot of money for a haircut. Heck, if I could get a haircut for only P50, I would. I remember that one of my friends frequently got her hair cut in Azta, and I'd always say, "mahal!(expensive)" Now that I'm working, though, I can afford to pay more than P50 for my haircut. Haha! Nevertheless, I'm still not willing to spend more than P300 for a haircut, so Azta was right within my budget. Yes, I'm stingy I know :P

All-in-all, I'd say it was a pleasant experience. The staff is very courteous. The place is comfy and I love how you don't need to lie down when it's time to rinse off your hair because of the way the seats are positioned. Plus, since it was raining, they said they'd give me a free hot oil treatment! It smells guy-ish but I'm not that bothered by it. Hey, for P200 (I got the most junior stylist), you really can't beat that!

The downside, they do try to sell you some products, but they're not too pushy about it. The assistant was telling me about a product good for my hair since it's rebonded and colored and then I asked him what it was. He then left me to get that product, but I told him to finish drying my hair first. He didn't push me again after that, so it's not so bothersome. Another downside, most of the magazines were Candy! Haha, I'm a little too old for that, I think.

I just got a simple layered haircut, nothing too fancy but I love it! I have a little bit of side bangs going on. I'll definitely be back there. Since I still have my coupon from my 2010 BDJ planner, I'll be having my INOA there before the year ends!

Here's me in the grocery a couple of hours after. Yes, I was bored. Excuse the messed up hair, I didn't have a mirror. I just took shots :P LOL

Urban Decay Fail

2010-11-20T11:20:00.000+08:00

Everyone knows that I've been lemming for the Urban Decay Naked Palette for a long time, so I finally bought myself one. First of all, I'd like to say that when the item was shipped via Air21, there was a big fragile sticker in the plastic. I opened up my package and excitedly took pictures of my new baby.

But when I opened up my palette, this is what I discovered much to my surprise:

The mirror is broken :( The broken mirror is not a huge deal for me, because at least the pans were intact. It still sucks, though. I contacted the seller about it, and at least she offered me a discount for the damage. I've had more breakable items shipped via Air 21 before, and this has never happened to me. Take care guys. Hope this doesn't happen to you.

Blog Sale!

2010-11-17T21:38:00.001+08:00

Hey guys! I'm selling some of my pre-loved items.

6 piece contour and blush palette.SOLD

28 Neutral Palette - There's still a lot of product left since I didn't use this that often - P500

MAC Lucky Tom Palette from the Hello Kitty Collection - 800

Shipping is by Xend or Air 21 (to be shouldered by buyer).
Payment is through BDO or GCash.
Reservation is for 3 days only.

Don't forget to check out my accessories sale HERE

It's Finally Here! The Urban Decay Book of Shadows III

2010-11-10T10:11:00.000+08:00

I totally love Urban Decay eye products. Their eyeshadows are great value for money! Good pigmentation and creaminess that isn't heavy on the pocket. So when these babies became available, I immediately ordered one for myself. So now, here she is in it's splendor...

It lights up!

It comes with two travel-sized pencils in Zero and Ransom as well as a mini UDPP.

Here it is side-by-side with the BOS II. This is the only other BOS I have, since I passed on Alice because I already have a lot of the other colors on that palette. BOS III, though, also has a few colors that can also be found in the Ammo palette but that's okay since I use my Ammo palette quite a lot.

Both of these palettes contain Perversion, a matte black, and Midnight Cowboy Rides Again. I'm happy to say that the new version of this shade has less chunky glitters, since I'm not fond of glittery shades.

Here are some swatches. I had to manipulate the colors a bit to make them as close to the real thing as possible. These are all swatched once, dry and without a base:

from left to right: Perversion, Uzi, Loaded, Kush, Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, Last Call, Rockstar, Money

from left to right: Haight, Maui Wowie, Smog, Bordello, Radium, Snatch, Suspect, Psychedelic Sister

Plug: Unique Accessories for Sale

2010-11-05T11:23:00.001+08:00

Hey guys, I'm just gonna squeeze in a little plug. I'm selling some unique accessories at affordable prices!

All earrings are P150 per pair.

Necklace and earrings set:

P550

P450

P550

Shipping via Xend. Contact me at 09053474599 if you're interested :)