Home at Last After Typhoon Ondoy

As many of you have heard, we are currently experiencing the aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy. This disaster is the worst typhoon that has struck since Typhoon Milenyo, or maybe even worse because even though Milenyo caused a LOT of damage, I cannot remember any typhoon that caused THIS amount of flooding my entire life. I just read in the news that the death toll has already risen to 100. Thousands more are in evacuations centers or on the roofs of their houses waiting for rescue. I'm just thankful that I and my relatives are safe and none of us were severely hurt.

During the day of the storm, I wasn't home because I was in UP and I was about to leave for work when I heard that there was a storm coming (although the rain wouldn't stop already the night before). By the time they announced that all my lessons were going to be cancelled and that the concert for that night was going to be cancelled (at around 10:30 AM) it was already too late to go home because it was already too dangerous to go home. By lunchtime, news about the flooding spread out and we (meaning I and my three friends) knew that there was no chance that we were going to be able to go home that day. Meanwhile, my sister was in her car around 3 blocks from our house but it took her more than 4 hours to go home because the traffic and the flood was terrible. Luckily, she made it home before dark because I learned later that same night that the spot she was in flooded more than waist-high and was already deemed as impassable.

I spent the next two days in UP with my three friends. We knew that there was no way that we were getting home. Now, I'm finally home. I'm so thankful that during the two days that I was stranded, water didn't get in where we were staying. So many more people are going through much worse. Let's pray for the Filipino people, and help if we can.

Product Review: Saizen Charcoal Masque

Good morning everyone! I'm sorry I've been MIA. I've been so busy lately but today I have some time. Today is a holiday but the world doesn't stop turning for me since I'll be following my usual schedule for the day. But before that, let me leave you with a review of Saizen Charcoal Masque.

After reading a lot of raves in Girltalk, I just had to try it out. It's a masque that's supposed to take out whiteheads and blackheads. Being a gal with really oily skin, I'm very prone to skin impurities so I badly need stuff like these. I was able to try it out for the first time and I was surprised because it really did a good job of removing whiteheads. I didn't expect that there would be nothing left (that would be asking too much considering my skin type) but it was still able to remove a good amount.

At first I wasn't sure how to use it, like if I needed to wash it off or peel it off. Thank goodness my sister can read Japanese and she told me it's most likely to be peeled off.

This masque works better than other nose packs I tried such as Biore, IWhite and Bench plus the added bonus is that you can use it on your whole face or just in your nose or T-zone, depending on your problem. The tube is quite small and you do need a lot of product to make the masque black, so I think one tube will last me about 5-7 uses only if I use it on my whole face. Thank goodness the price tag makes me happy!

So here is my rundown of pros and cons:

PROS

• Cheap at P85 (less than $2)!
• Does a good job at removing blackheads and whiteheads

CONS

• Only available in Saizen, which has only one branch so far (Robinson's Galleria)
• Stocks are so hard to come by! Seriously.
• It can hurt when taking it out (I actually teared up!)

TIPS

• Take it off right away once it dries because it can hurt!
• Make sure the masque is black and not just almost black because a thick layer removes the whiteheads and blackheads better
• Keep it away from your eyes, mouth and your hair parts such as your eyebrows and upper lip because it hurts more if it goes through the hair.

Will I buy this again? Definitely!

The Drama Queen's Giveaway

The Drama Queen is having a really, really fabulous giveway for her Philippine readers? Don't believe me? You have to check this for yourself, a free teeth whitening session! Click here to find out more.

Shen's Birthday Giveway

It's Shen's birthday and she's having a giveway for Philippine readers! Above is a picture of what you could win and there are other prices as well. Click here to find out how!

Reader's Request: Pre-makeup routine

This post is for Sulli, who requested that I do a post on how to put moisturizer and sunblock before makeup. I hope you find this post helpful! Anyway, let's start talking about the CTM routine. Just so we get everything straight, CTM stands for cleanse, tone and moisturize! So let's get started.

Cleanse. Of course, it's best to put makeup on a clean face. Slather on your favorite facial wash. Just make sure that it's right for you and your skin type. For myself, I use Cyleina Black Pearl Soap, Cyleina Rice Bran Soap or Skintel pimple soap.

Tone. Toning is an extra step but it gives your skin added benefits. Likewise, know the type of toner that is right for you. For dry to normal skin, choose a toner that's very gentle and make sure that it's alcohol-free. For oily skin, some people prefer to use astringents. Again, it all depends on each person's skin. When applying toner as a pre-makeup routine, apply it in a DOWNWARDS motion. Why? Applying upwards will make the pores more visible and will make the hairs stand. The toner I use is Dickinson's Witch Hazel. It's alcohol free but still helps clean my face. Make sure that the face is already dry before proceeding to the next step. If you'd like to apply a face serum, you can do so after this.

Moisturize. I recommend that everyone should use a moisturizer regardless of the skin type. I have REALLY oily skin but I still use moisturizer twice a day. It really helps makeup glide on your skin. And besides, putting makeup tends to make dry spots more obvious so it's best to moisturize those spots before putting on makeup. As always, apply moisturizer in a downwards motion for the reasons I mentioned above. Be sure to choose one that's non-greasy and non-comedogenic. In my case, I use Leyende Face Canvas.

Sunblock? It's not part of the CTM but I recommend that you slather one on. If you do, apply it BEFORE moisturizing and wait for the face to dry before applying moisturizer. Just note that a lot of sunblocks give off a whitish cast that's why some MUAs recommend not using one during shoots. Personally, though, I can never leave the house without putting sunblock. Too lazy? Choose a moisturizer that has SPF protection already. Just make sure that it has UVB protection too!

Now we can begin our makeup routine. But wait! There is still something that you can slather on: a primer! A primer can help makeup last longer as well as blur imperfections and control the oilies. People with dry skin can opt to skip this step. For people with combination skin, you can choose to just apply primer in the oily areas. However, for people with oily skin (especially me since I'm a greaseball) I'd recommend using a primer on the whole face especially if you notice that your makeup tends to slide off during the day.

I hope that this post was helpful. I'm on to a very busy week! I'm hoping that I'll still have time for blogging. Ciao!

Basement Academy Graduation

Hello my dearies! Sorry I took this long to post this but I'd like to show you some pics during our graduation from Basement Academy. I was absent from class the day before so I was very unprepared for our last day. We had to do two looks: a bridal look and a high fashion look.

So here's my bridal look:

I need some more blush, tee hee!

Here's my high fashion look:


Model: Miki Kierulf
Photo: Andy Jutba

Here's my picture with our teachers, Ms. Nina and Gina:


And of course, our class pic!

I learned a lot from makeup school and it was fun. Yes, it was tiring, but I love it! This isn't the end of my makeup photos. I still missed two classes so I'll be posting some more pictures soon!

A Review of Primers I've Tried

After Kyuu, one of my readers asked me which primer I'd recommend, I decided to make a run down of different primers I've tried. Just so you know, I have REALLY oily skin, so primers are very important for my makeup routine.

What is a primer? A primer serves as a base for makeup. It helps makeup stay longer, helps control oiliness and helps blur pores, wrinkles and other blemishes.

I use a primer everyday, so I choose the ones that are not heavy on my pocket. So I don't have any of the high end primers.

So anyway, here is a rundown of all the different primers I've tried:

1. BARE NATURALS SKIN PERFECTING PRIMER

photo taken from barenaturals.multiply.com

I'm currently loving this primer because it's very affordable (less than P500 or $10 for 30 ml), readily available (no long waits) but still gets the job done. This is an upgrade from the previous S5 primer. This skin perfecting primer dries faster than the old one, plus with added ingredients like tea tree oil to help combat acne and pearl powder. It also helps control the oilies. This primer doesn't have any artificial preservatives, meaning it's good for the skin but it also means that it expires easily. This primer might not be suitable for people with dry to normal skin because of the tea tree oil, though.

2. CAMELLIA ROSE SKIN SOOTHING PRIMER ORIGINAL VERSION

This is another favorite primer of mine, but it's also the most expensive one I own! Like the BN primer, this one doesn't have any artificial preservatives that's why it's good for the skin, but as I said, it also expires easily. It also helps control oilies, but it takes a while for it to dry.

3. MONISTAT CHAFING RELIEF POWDER GEL


Monistat is one of the most popular primers out there because it's very affordable and yet delivers good results. I have to say, they are right. It dries immediately, blurs pores well and has the best oil control power among all the primers I've tried. But this caused some breakouts for a lot of people. For me, I did feel that my skin got rougher after using it continuously. I suggest not using this for more than three days straight to keep your pores unclogged :)

4. AVON MAGIX SKIN PROTECTOR SPF 20

I really wanted to love this primer because it had SPF, good oil control, dried quickly, had a wonderful texture that blurred out pores. A lot of people love this primer and it's easy to see why. However, it did not hold my makeup as well as other primers. For a full review that I did previously, click HERE

TIPS

• Use a moisturizer before applying a primer. A moisturizer really helps in making a clean canvas
• Make sure that the moisturizer is dry before applying primer.
• Likewise, make sure that the primer is dry before putting on makeup.
• People with dry skin can opt to skip primers.
• People with normal or combination skin can also opt to just apply primer in their oily spots (like the T-Zone)
  

Spotted: Konad Nail Art in Shopwise

Good news for those who've always wanted to try nail art. I spotted this in Konad booth in Shopwise Alabang. According to the multiply site, it's also available in Shopwise Cubao and Pasig. I always prefer going to shops than ordering online so I can see the items for myself and won't have to speculate on sizes, shades, etc. I'm not sure if prices in Shopwise are the same as the prices online. But this is still good news!