-Chase Beautiful Things-

FEATURE: Shimmer Twins Treasure Lashes

2012-02-11T17:14:00.001-08:00

I believe that in our eyes lie our true nature. Our beauty is hugely revealed by the luster, the sparkle and even the lushness of our eyes.

If you're feeling avante-garde and ready for superstardom, you will enjoy Shimmer Twins dramatic collection of bold and note-worthy false lashes. These A-list favorite Treasure Lashes: Shimmer Twins are British Star, Jaime Winston's favorite. Warning: Wearing Shimmer Twins may result to a long line of killer photos.

Rockstar eyes, a million wish a blink.

Star-kissed lashes as featured Style Bible ID magazine.

EVENT: Majolica Majorca opens the Lash King's Royal Chamber

2012-02-11T06:27:00.000-08:00

I feel like it's very safe to say that if you love make-up, you're bound to have a lash-fascination phase some time or the other. Perhaps, you're one of those who moved on and chose a different fixation--but if not, then you're surely one of Lash King's royal subjects!

Majolica Majorca just recently opened the champers of the king of all lashes and I am super happy to share with you a sneak to Majolica Majorca's royalty-romantic Spring 2012 collection.

I am so amused that while other cosmetic brands go for the pastel colors this Spring, Majolica Majorca dared to go otherwise. As you would see in the photos below, the Majolica Majorca's Spring 2012 collection is a different form of femininity. It is the type stirred with mystic, magic and enchantment.

Lash King, the king of all kings, landed the shores of our tropical country and brought forward an astonishing event that would definitely change the lash world permanently. Ever gotten tired of choosing between length and volume? Have you ever been frustrated by the need to sacrifice curl just to have fluttering lashes? Well, with the new Majolica Majorca Lash King Mascara, you need not choose no more. It has everything you need in one tube. Its trusted acrobat catch brush coats every single lash evenly. It offers limitless length thanks to its 5mm lash fibers that blends perfectly well with your natural lash hair. It also promises thick coverage, so rich, so full and so dramatic.

Let me tell you a secret... you don't have to be beauty-crazed to love the Lash King. If you can only have a few make-up products with you, the Lash King should be part of that limited line-up. It can easily brighten up the face just by bringing added life to your eyes. Fulfill your wishes...

I am still in the process of testing the product to determine its ability to hold a curl but lengthening and volumizing results are astoundingly amazing. If you want to make your eyes even more lush and beautiful, tend to your lashes using Lash King. You're bound to be a queen of all courts.

Here are photos from the event. Feast on the royal new product range of Majolica Majorca. Like Majolica Majorca on Facebook for more updates! Three new products were launched and if you should try another product from the collection, it has to be the new fragrance! Oh my goodness, its a unique blend of fruity, floral and vanilla scent. It's limited edition too so if you're a collector, you shouldn't miss out.

You should also try their notable lip and cheek tint. Blood On is a red-pigmented lip and cheek tint. It's in a black pot and at first glance, it looks like your ordinary lip balm but upon swatching it, it unveils a healthy flush of red color.

Majolica Majorca Lash King Spring 2012 Collection

With great people.

With great entertainment.

Irresistible food.

We also got to enjoy some tarot reading on the side. I will be sharing what ate read from my cards soon! Here's Shen having hers read.

Stay tuned for my review of the products. Follow Majolica Majorca on Twitter too.

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EVENT: Cosmetologie 2012

2012-02-09T22:31:00.001-08:00

Mark your calendars and ready your wallet for the biggest beauty trade show in the Philippines. Who's excited? Are you going?

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FEATURE: Nature Republic Nail Polish

2012-02-09T16:54:00.000-08:00

I know a lot of you are playing with the thought of monetizing your online habit. With that, let me invite you to Lyst. If you love fashion and would not mind promoting your blog to a wider audience, please sign up via the link below. :)

It's very easy. It's like you're getting paid to window shop!

follow my lyst / make your own LYST

So anyway, the February fever's making you wear a lot of red lipsticks, huh? It's the case with me!

Back in the days, women strictly followed wearing the same red color on their nails to match their lipsticks (hence nail red nail polish became so huge); however as times change, so does trends. Although you can still wear a bold red on your tips to pair with your kissable lips, remember that you can also tone things down by wearing a muted color for your tips and toes.

Try these fabulous nude polishes from Nature Republic. I chose these three for their different finishes. These shades would look stunning with your perfect smile--not to mention these colors also make for great holding hands while walking moments. Stay happy in love!

Please don't forget to + Follow me on Lyst

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LIFE: The Boy I First Loved

2012-02-07T17:46:00.000-08:00

Although I'm a firm believer of "Love is a year-round feeling."; nothing stops me from ever considering February as the love month. Because of that, let me share with you the story about the very first boy I loved, so much. His name is Raleigh. He's forever going to be a 5-year-old prince to me. Some people say he can be such a brat. Sometimes I agree; but I often rest my case when I remember he's not being a brat. He's just commanding special treatment. I don't mind. To my heart, he's royal.

And to be royalty is to have a Jr. :p This video best viewed on my Fan Page. Click this link.

Just yesterday, her sister said he asked about me when he found out there was an earthquake in my country. He asked if I was where the "er quake" happened. I was beaming when I heard of that story. To have this little boy care for me so much too, is just aww...

FYI, I'm not where the "er quake" happened. Thank God. Prayers to those who were affected though.

Anyway, back to good vibes. Here he is with the stuffed toy I still wish I have... in his Batman briefs hihi

With his savings so he can visit me here in the Philippines (he's in LA).

With his hot (maybe now chubby) body at the beach.

I just checked my email and saw these photos. He had one taken because he thought (what he was holding, ice cream?) was a heart and he wanted to show it to ate Kumiko. Things this boy do is enough to melt the world to a scrumptuous fondue.

With his royal feast.

His sister knows this but would probably never know the extent of it being true, but the only reason I ever want to go to LA is this boy.

Maybe when I visit, we can play Call of Duty Black Ops all day. We used to play by network but lately I couldn't make time, it stings. :( ugh

This video best viewed on my Fan Page. Click this link.

On a brighter note, here are some moments I share with the kids I spend time with here in the Philippines. I love children.

This video best viewed on my Fan Page. Click this link.

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FEATURE: Muji Mall of Asia

2012-02-07T04:01:00.000-08:00

Would you judge me if I say shopping at Muji is orgasmic?

Ninja photos of Muji MOA. I swear to God, I can forget my name inside that store! Before you go any further, visit Muji online, turn off any music playing in the background and just enjoy the Muji experience (a Japanese song would play upon entering the site)

So orgasmic.

Besides organization, Muji offers office supplies, skin care, cosmetics, apparel, kitchenware and even food!

I already placed a reservation for this baby. It's Php1,250. That's roughly $30! meh.

I am also eyeing this. It's Php950 (?). That's roughly $23. I think it's so much money to spend for organizing eyeliners and mascaras BUT I promised myself I won't get it if the 5-level acrylic drawer (photo above) won't pass my taste (requirement actually. I need the drawers to be thick enough to hold my blushes but unfortunately, according to the SA, they might just be able to hold eyeshadow palettes).

The 2-level acrylic drawers are actually perfect BUT I can't survive with just two drawers. I would have to stack three pops and that would total to almost $100. No way am I spending that much for make-up organization, not yet. I just don't feel deserving yet! :( This is the 2-level drawer. We have this at our store. If by God's will mom decides to change the make-up organization at the store, I am gaining custody of those cases by hook or by crook, hehe. This is priced the same as the 5-level drawer.

TIP: Never drop any of the acrylic cases on display. It's going to be very very awkward, embarrassing and frightening to wait for the verdict: is it damaged or is it not? The guards are very very particular with the items.

Here's a little something from Muji's catalogue. It's an instructional page on the "art of washing the face".

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REVIEW: Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Brick Red and Pink Peach

2012-02-07T03:05:00.000-08:00

I've been on a blogging hyperdrive lately so if you haven't been on my page the past few days, you might want to continue reading the posts before this one as it seems like I published a new article a day, yes, like as if I'm a whole company of people working in an online publication house. Oh well, that's the goal this year. Last 2010 I started the blog thinking, "Oh, I want to start a habit. I will pretend I'm a columnist and write an article every Tuesday." Fast forward to 2012, I'm a team!

I bought these stunning Maybelline Color Sensational lipsticks along with some Watershine Pure lipsticks for my friend Krystal. I told you, I am hooked on this beauty swapping thing. I just get really excited when a reader approaches me and sparks a friendship. I'm a very friendly person, don't be deceived by my sometimes brooding aura.

As you can see, the lipsticks are at Php299 each. That's a very affordable price for a stunning lip color. I got these shades with the blog in mind. As I was choosing shades for Krystal, I checked upon these fabulously named colors and ended up picking them up for me too.

What I love about Maybelline's Color Sensational line is their packaging. I love how easy to understand it is. The Browns are in a bronze metal case, the Pinks in a pink case and the Reds in a red one. I brought home Brick Red. Let me share with you what Brick Red looks like. I think she's a beauty.

Brick Red is a classic red lipstick.

It is an extremely flattering color and it can work perfectly well with any skin tone from fair, honey, oriental and olive. I'm on the fair side, I think?

It glides easily on the lips, it doesn't feel thick nor sticky and it has a dewy finish, great for those who like to keep their lips looking dimensional and not flat. Here's another look at it's beautiful effect on my lips. Take note, my pictures are cropped only not altered for enhancement. Brick Red doesn't need any photo-shopping.

Besides having a great red lipstick, Maybelline also has a gem of a pink tone. Along with Brick Red, I got Pink Peach. To be honest, I got Pink Peach because of its name. For those who don't know, make-up wise, I'm very much drawn to love pinks and peaches. Now to have a make-up product named after the two colors I am attracted to, a lipstick no less, you have to give it to me, the freedom to buy it.

Pink Peach is like your best friend turned to a lip color. It's something you can truly just be yourself with. It brings out the best in your smile and it can brighten up any gloomy day. Check it out in action, teasing with a blurry shot cause even with a blurry photo, it looks so angelic.

This is Maybelline Color Sensational in Pink Peach. Because of its natural pink tone, this lipstick works best with your "every day" make-up. Pink Peach is the type of lipstick you can consider always keeping in your kit cause it is very appropriate and very wearable.

Avoid Pink Peach if your have naturally dark lips as your natural lip color might overpower the prettiness of the shade. You don't want muddy pink. You want cotton candy pink.

Here's a final swatch of the two lipsticks for your comparison. Let me ask you, which lipstick are you more fond of? Comment please. :)

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FEATURE: Loops and Pluto

2012-02-06T19:33:00.000-08:00

I'm sure a lot of you are already thinking of ways to celebrate the upcoming, and could be among the most dreaded holiday of the year, Valentines. If you're in a relationship, perhaps you have already jotted down a number of gift ideas. If you're the aggressive type, perhaps your Valentine's gift is already tucked behind your clothes already. If you're single (and happy), you're probably listing down ways to show some self-love. Maybe you'd be spending the day with your friends, maybe with family; either way, I believe there's always time to include additional dosages of fun in anything.

The universe seem to have aligned because as I was browsing the net, I found myself laughing heartily over the cute and comic t-shirt designs from Pluto... Loops and Pluto that is.
cute dog!

Loops and Pluto is a collective of ingenious, quirky and lovable shirts for both men and women. Here's a little something from their About Page.

Loops & Pluto began in a far, far away galaxy known for its fresh peaches and pine trees, Atlanta, GA. Founded by owners, Michael & Shayna, as a screen printing company for local bands and artists. They quickly befriended the indie art scene and developed a new found love for the art of t-shirt design.

In 2008, Loops & Pluto was born and began selling top quality tees designed by new and well-known artists alike. This later branched into offering more mainstream vintage-style designs inspired by music, movies, and pop culture. Soon Loops & Pluto found their own unique spot on the web right in between the established funny t-shirt empire and the small indie apparel boutique.

I am inviting you to check out their numerous designs if you're looking for a fun gift to give this February. I'm sure you'd be surprised to find at least one shirt that embodies one of those precious inside jokes you share with your partner (or your BFF). Visit http://www.loopsandpluto.com. Personally, I'm a huge huge fan of their dinosaur shirts! OMG

My favorite designs from Loops and Pluto:

This is actually the first Loops and Photo shirt I saw. Because of this shirt, I stumbled upon their page! So yeah, I have hands a-clappin!

Dinosaurs! :)

Funny food jokes :)

Quirky and funny shirts.

And my personal favorite... cause snap, that's like my head!

Get 10% from your first order just by joining their mailing list!

Follow Loops and Pluto on Facebook here.
Follo Loops and Pluto on Twitter here.
Photos were taken from Loops and Pluto Facebook fan page and website.

You can also join Popcakes giveaway if you want to win a free Valentines gift!

Visit Popcakes fan page now.

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HAUL: Nail Polish for my friend from the past

2012-02-06T06:33:00.000-08:00

UPDATED: I updated this post with better photos for some of the blurry ones I used earlier. Enjoy!
RE-Updated: Had to go Pro with my photohosting service. Sorry to those who saw this blog during its photo-error hours! I worked my fastest to fix things! Sorry and thank you for always visiting.

My friend Eileen loves nail polish and she has been nothing but sweet so everytime I see polish I think of her (and I end up buying)!

So here's a sneak on what I have for her because I want to tease her and show her what I can't send yet (cause I've no funds for shipping--she's from CA LOL). I hope she likes the selection I prepared. It's like an East meets West thing. I got her these Asian polishes because these are not available in California yet (?)--no Skin Food because she said it just opened there.

I made her "window shop" but as expected a lot of the items posted online are sold out so I just chose what (1) I think she would like and (2) I think would look great on her already fabulous nails.

(I'm posting this because I would like to have seasonal haul posts cause I realize I enjoy reading haul posts and maybe if I do the same, I can pass on the joy.)

First I got her one of my favorite polishes. It's a favorite because it's the perfect kind of purple. I love how it complements my skin tone and I also love how pastel it is. It's from Etude House VIP Girl line, BL505. I think this is from Etude House's "mid-level" collection. The rest of the polishes I got from Etude House are from their more premium line cause I don't think Eileen needs basic colors anymore--especially since she has hundreds of nail polishes!

Also from Etude House, I got her this sparkling blue polish, BL019.

I was supposed to get Eileen a Blue Bling Bling but oh dear it is sold out so I just got her the closest thing. I am thinking of giving her my own Bling Bling. If she's fine with my used polish, it's flying to CA with the rest of the gang. :)

Also from Etude House, I got her some Lucid Darling polishes. I got her Lucid Darling 03 because I love it's unique sea blue green color;

while I got her Lucid Darling 02 because it's a lovely Barbie Pink color and Eileen loves pink. :)

Both are very sparkly.

Last from Etude House, I got her glitter bombs! Also from the Lucid Darling collection, I got her 07...

and 05. I like 05 more because it's so.. it's so uniquely festive to my eyes. :)

I mean, damn it's so beautiful.

The huge bulk of the stash I got her are from Etude House because I love their line, their bottle design and their nail polish consistency the most. I think among all the Korean nail polish brands we have in the Philippines, Etude House houses the more interesting ones. I really love their bottle design compared to the rest, that's for sure.

But since another blogger I'm beauty swapping with requested Nature Republic, I stopped by the store and got some polishes for Eileen there too. These are very basic metallic colors but I love how bold the hues are and they're right on to how I want my forest green (GR601) and how I want my navy blue (BL502).

Of course, I can't leave the store without getting anything that sparkles! :) SGR601, technically, I got this polish with my preference in mind LOL But in comparison to the other available colors, I also figured Eileen would like green more.

Then as requested by Sneakerette herself, I purposively went to Tony Moly to get her polish. But I didn't find any interesting colors from the available selection and I didn't think Eileen would like white, yellow or black ones so I got her these. Maybe she can compare these to the Lucid Darlings I got from Etude House. This is GS01.

This is GS03.

Please don't expect a review of these polishes from me. I won't be using them hahaha I just got them for my friend. :) Beauty swapping is crazy addictive; and if you're the type who loves making other people happy, you're bound to get hooked. :) Sorry if some photos were blurry, my camera (with super makro) kept on dying on me until it had no power so these are the pictures I got to save.

Have you tried any of these polishes? What do you think of my choices... is it lovable? :)

Do you beauty swap too? :)

PS. I call her my friend from the past cause I'm ahead timezone-wise.

P.P.S. I also got her my favorite top coat, also from Etude House haha :)

KUMIQUOTE OF THE DAY:

Generosity requires sincerity not quantity.

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HAUL: Snoe Beauty, Nature Republic and Etude House

2012-02-05T08:53:00.001-08:00

Just a quick post to share how I ended/begun this week. I've been dying to visit Nature Republic at Festival Mall and I needed to restock on my anti-acne HG of all HG face wash so it's all good. I went to Etude House and bought some Snoe Beauty products too. I know Festival Mall is a very busy and noisy mall. It's also very messed up (I don't like its zoning); but I'm very happy it houses these three fabulous beauty brands! I went home with this (had to make it extremely blurry because most of these items are for my beauty swapmates and I wouldn't want them to see what I got for them! :) I love beauty swapping. I've been hooked >_< How about you?

Anyway, I'm feeling the "need" to share with you the items I NEED in my life.

Snoe Beauty Hair Heroes Honey Olive Clementine Shampoo and Conditioner. I reviewed their Cleansing Conditioner here and since I liked the product, might as well try the others, says my mother. I love it cause it's green and there's the Clementine factor to it. If you know me, you know why I love "Clementine". (hint: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)

Snoe White beauty bar in Oatmeal and Goat's Milk. Snoe has TONS of beauty bars and I reviewed them here. Photo also shows the Black Bleaching Soap, standing sideways.

Etude House AC Clinic Facial Foam Cleanser. LOVE IT so much. I talk about it here and here.

Basically I'm on a shopping ban right now which leaves me a little depressed because I really want to review the Beauty Angel palette in Purple, Gold and Blue from Snoe Beauty. Oh wow, even their Four Seasons blush palette and their body scrubs were potential! Ugh.

I'm on a shopping ban not by choice but because I really went overboard spending and I can't afford to spend more. Oh well at least I brought home freebies from Nature Republic (the masks with the Korean guy's face are freebies, the rest I bought. The promo is, for every 2 face masks, you get 1 for free. I think I bagged 7 free masks... do the math.).

I also brought these home. You get one BB Cream for every Php500 purchase.

You also get one face cleanser for every Php300 purchase at Nature Republic.

While you get a box-load of travel essentials from Etude House for every Php3,000 purchase.

Haha! Just realized, only Snoe Beauty did not give me a freebie today! >_<

COMING SOON... Nature Republic Collagen BB Cream

KUMIQUOTE OF THE DAY:

There's no stopping love.

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FEATURE: Bare Escentuals Force of Beauty inspired Wishlist--Items are on Sale! Upto 82% savings!

2012-02-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

Because I like chasing beautiful things, you can't blame me for loving this campaign (2011).

I don't think I'm growing tired watching the Force of Beauty videos on YouTube! Here's what Bare Escentuals' Force of Beauty campaign was all about:...

So don't blame me for checking out their products soon after! Pleased to share their brushes are on sale on amazon! Sad because even if I get them on sale, shipping to here would still kill me. Funny because I have loads of Bare Escentuals buxom glossies and colors that I apparently bought online... all the while I've been keeping a mental note that the make-ups were available at Beauty Bar! Are they not?

Here are the items on sale that got me saying this: Ugljfakhawo;fnvvkjsfhlguwi;qrpjfwantwant

Savings up to 82%! eep! (Sale is ongoing as of 020512)

So did I leave you tempted to shop... or you already shopping? :p

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FEATURE: How to organize your make-up (PICTURE-HEAVY)

2012-02-04T06:44:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy... please like this post if you liked how I organized. :) Oh, all organizers (acrylic and the box) are just approx $2! hahaha nye nye! :p

That, my dear friends, is a nylon towel. I guess I should call it a Japanese Nylon Towel, and you use it when you shower. It exfoliates the skin gently and it also makes for easy scrubbing those hard to reach places (aka. your back). I got it from a Japanese Supplies Store yesternight and I really love using it. :)

And because I was at a "Japan-Japan", I looked around and scored myself organizers for my make-up collection. First, the cutest box ever.

This is how it should look like.

Taken out of the pouch, it got cuter!

And cuter!

But it's not the only polka-event going on here. I also got pink acrylic cases with polka-dot design! IKR CUTE! I got a pair, the last two pieces!

It came in three designs. I would've gotten all pink but since there was only two of the polka pink one left, I got two of each design. Here are the other designs for the acrylic case.

I love them because they're so cheap (P88) and they're so cute! I also love them because the sticker label on the case are easy to remove! I hate it when stickers are tough to remove, especially if they leave a little bit of glue behind!

So basically the acrylic cases are for my lippies. I think they aren't cosmetic cases but they're perfect as lipstick stands if you ask me.

So anyway, the trick in organizing your stash is to try and try until you succeed haha Enjoy!

Then switch the location of the box because at this time it had my skin care routine and I figured the skin care products should be more accessible!

Then I realized I would use the boxes as storage boxes for my make-up. I took out the pair of acrylic cases inside the then skin care box and placed it in a row with all the other cases. I placed my concealers and bb products there for a while. Tried to make it work.

So I worked on arranging my storage boxes. I put silica gel sachet so it doesn't breed mold (not that it'd be wet).

Trivia time: a lot of my eye shadow palettes have tissue paper on top of the pans because I hate it when out of nowhere a shade would break and create a mess. I would hate for my pink strawberry boxes to be stained so I continued with the tissue thing. I know it's harder to determine which is which but I think opening up a palette to check if it's what you're looking for is a lesser job than having to clean up a mess... esp if it messed up all the other neighboring palettes!

I put all my color cosmetics for the eyes and for my cheeks together. I used packs of cotton balls and tissue as separator.

On a different box, I put all my face products such as powders and foundations. I also temporarily placed my pencils and mascaras there. PROMISE I will improve how everything are placed in storage box #2. I just ran out of organizing ideas... suggestions?

There you have my strawberry field. :)

Placing all my eye products in strawberry #2 gave me an empty box to think about. Immediately, I remembered my face masks and took them out of their shabby home, a Nivea paper bag!.

Now they're happy inside a vintage-inspired Papelmeroti box.

I thought of putting the box on top of the field but didn't like it.

So I decided to arrange the third row of my shelf (it used to hold my desperate attempt to chase down my book lag!) Underneath all those labelled items is my face mask box. :)

And here's the final look of my beauty corner. :) I feel proud.

It's so pleasant to look at. How would you rate my final set-up? :D

Happy to have found a way to make my lippies feel loved. Happy to also have found a way to make skin care more convenient for me! :)

How do you organize? (If you already have a similar post to this, comment with a link! I wanna see!)
I'm so happy... please like this post if you liked how I organized. :)

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REVIEW: Avon 24K Lipstick (Ruby in Gold) and Avon Smooth Minerals Lipstick (Pink Quartz)

2012-02-03T22:58:00.000-08:00

I hope you're not growing tired of seeing my lips on my blog! :p I really marked February as my lipstick month so I'm really sharing a lot of lippies in the coming days. It's my own little way of celebrating love and my love for make-up, which is excessive in the lippie department. :) If it's the same for you, say "aye!"

This February expect a lot of reds and a few pinks only though. I will not be sharing other bright or nuder lipstick reviews or features because I want to paint the town red with my smoochers! February is a good reason, right?

Let me share with you the lipsticks I got from Avon. It's very random actually. Friends were suddenly looking for an Avon lady because they wanted to buy some brassieres and what nots. When a catalogue was within vicinity, I enjoyed custody and was able to order some make-up products that I thought were worth trying. Sadly, not all the products I wanted to review was available. Dear Avon, I still want to review your White Gold lipstick line. Where are they available? :(

First we have Ultra-Moisture Rich 24K Gold Lipstick in Ruby in Gold. I feel silly, cause at first I thought it's with a black case but it's actually in a gold case. No complaints because I think it's apt, the lipstick has gold specks anyway. Oh yes, I love make-up with fancy things on them and gold baby is fancy enough for me.

I got the Ruby in Gold shade. Let me just take this opportunity to commend Avon for the transparency and the quality of their products. Check out the bar code sticker. Read the manufacturing date. It states there, 120112. I'm assuming that means the product was manufactured last January 12, 2012. If I'm wrong, I'd be happy to be corrected but if I'm right, I am very happy that I'm receiving a fresh product! I hate receiving products that have been on the shelves for a while now cause to me it means two devastating things: (1) product is old obviously and (2) no one's buying it that's stocks are still on shelf.

Also very happy to find out thet the lipsticks were made in the Philippines! The lipsticks are made in Calamba, Laguna. (Sorry for the blurry photo). Another thing I love about the product is the name. You should know by now (for yourselves even) how difficult it is to remember and recommend a product that has no name! I'm pleased that although the lipstick has a code, it also has a name. :) ... a catchy one even.

So anyway, the black "design" was just plastic. You tear it off and tada, let the gold roll.

This is Ultra-Moisture Rich 24K Gold Lipstick in Ruby in Gold. Who else thinks the gold detail's charming and elegant? Don't be surprised though. It is a "ruby" lipstick anyway. It's not going to be THAT red. I won't be swatching on my arm because I found out that both lipsticks featured on this post are not as opaque, instead let me share with you the lipstick swatches as glided on the lips.

Ultra-Moisture Rich 24K Gold Lipstick in Ruby in Gold on my lips.

Ultra-Moisture Rich 24K Gold Lipstick in Ruby in Gold on my lips.It's like a tint, isn't it? But it's lipstick! It's not creamy not sticky. It's very light but it's moisturizing. I love the gold specks the most!

Would I repurchase? I'm not decided yet... I really want to try the White Gold lipstick to review here. :( I want to compare!

Good thing the Avon Smooth Minerals lipstick in Pink Quartz I ordered was available. It has SPF 15.

If you love mineral make-up, then you might enjoy this line of lipsticks. They're not completely just minerals... but at least there's a little bit of goodness in it? Sadly for both lipsticks I can't list down the ingredients because the ingredients were listed on the plastic seal (which I immediately tored wide open!) but I don't mind.

Same with Ruby in Gold, it's a newly manufactured product. I'm satisfied. Same as Ruby in Gold, Pink Quartz also has a counterpart code... but let's stick to calling it by its Pink Quartz name.

Don't be disappointed with the sticker label at the bottom of the lipstick. Oh my goodness, the Avon Smooth Minerals lipstick in Pink Quartz is ooh lala I like it. I love how powder pink it is! It also comes with light shimmer.

And... you know I love it because my lips look so young and innocent and sweet with it! :) I love Avon Smooth Minerals lipstick in Pink Quartz to the max and it is this shade's fault that's why I'm dying to try the pink of Avon's White Gold line.

How about you? What Avon product have you tried?

What do you think of the lipsticks I just bought? :)

Coming soon... my response to a BLOG AWARD from Rebel Sweetheart

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REVIEW: Ever Bilena Red Lipsticks (793, 704, Love the Red)

2012-02-02T17:45:00.000-08:00

When you're fascinated with cosmetics, it's inevitable to find yourself debating (with yourself) regarding the value of finding affordable make-up. I hate to call them cheap cause cheap is tainted by bad experience. Affordable is more apt. If you're fascinated with cosmetics, I'm sure somewhere down the road you "met" that one thing that would make you accept the fact that you don't need to spend top dollar for quality make-up. Because it's February, let me again share with you a lip color that satisfied my skittles.

Oh snap! The swatches are the other way around. Meaning the first lipstick from the right (on first photo above) is swatched as the first lipstick from left (in the second photo above). EPIC FAIL lol.

If you know me personally then you should know I love grocery shopping. I can't think of a person who doesn't anyway. Grocery shopping is such a therapeutic errand, don't you agree? So while I was grocery shopping with my mom I separated to check a rack of lipsticks by Ever Bilena. The SM Hypermart near us only had Ever Bilena cosmetics among their "beauty section". They have lots of hair care and skin care products though... but for make-up, it was just Ever Bilena, so being the junkiee that I am, I stayed on that rack for a while and tested a lot of products. I went home with these three red lip colors. I bought these for Christmas but because of the name of the lipstick in the black box (Love that Red), I decided I should just feature these tubes come February. Sorry but I forgot the exact price of these lipsticks but definitely they're under Php200. The boxed one is, if my memory serves me well, Php 150; while the ones in the plastic silver casing are a hundred a pop.

Check out how red they are. Fabulous right? One can never go wrong with the right red lipstick and because I'm a "lipstick lady" (first time to have a friend call me like that!), I can't get enough of my reds. Right shade is 703 while left shade is 704. I know right! I don't understand why I bought two lipsticks which varies in very little ways! Even their number codes are just right next to each other! LOL

I am not happy by how these tubes were named. I hate number "names"; but oh well. This 703 shade is the lighter red among the two I took home.

To me, 704 has a little hint of wine red going on if you judge it by the bullet.

Their cases are not special. They don't lock as securely as I hope all lipstick caps would but I can't say I'm not happy with lipsticks that come in clear cases. It's always easier and more convenient to know which is which especially if you're looking at a "collection".

Let me swatch them for you. Here's my naked lips for reference.

This is 703 on my lips. Photo was taken last night, inside my room.

This is 703 on my lips. Photo was taken the morning after, inside my room.

Oops against the light!

This is 704 on my lips. Photo was taken last night, inside my room.

This is 704 on my lips. Photo was taken the morning after, inside my room.

I'm sorry, I really have shakey hands and sometimes I get lucky and get my shot but oh dear lately, I've been failing myself with swatches and I get frustrated. Is that reasonable? To use what is usable. Rest assured though I don't edit the photos so color-wise, my swatches are right smack at centerpoint of the ballpark.

As expected, 704 had a deeper red but it is for that reason that I ended up liking the brighter 703. Next
let me share Love that Red. I can't help but be reminded of Mac lipsticks based on the packaging. I also really appreciate how clearly they indicate the batch and lot code of the product. I'm very particular with that! Also, compared to the first two lipsticks, I like this one more because of the name but let me first note that this apple came from a different tree. Love that Red is from EB's Matte lipstick collection.

It's a few peso more expensive and with the little increase in investment though they remain so affordable, there's huge improvement in packaging. It looks a whole lot more formal now.

This is Love that Red on my lips. Photo was taken last night, inside my room.

Sorry I just realized my photo of Love that Red in the morning is just yuck. Any tips on swatch shooting?? I'm such a novice LOL

This is Love that Red on my lips in broad daylight, but I got bored with the matte finish so I coated it with Maybelline Fruity Jelly in Sparkling Guava :p Ever been like that? Getting a matte product then coating it with shine in the end? LOL

See, I told you sometimes I get my shot! LOL

I don't think I'd repurchase just because generally speaking, I don't feel the need to have the same tube of lipstick twice (unless I mean it's THAT amazing). For lipsticks, I find trying something at least once is enough. :) If you're looking for red lipsticks that would not break the bank, you should check out EB's collection. They're not as long lasting and because of that, reapplication would be required; but they don't leave my lips a-crackin' and they have superb colors. They have nice pinks and nudes too! Would you like to know more about those (aka. tell me yes so I have reason to buy them haha)?

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BEAUTY SWAP: Essence Stay with Me Lip gloss in Trendsetter

2012-02-02T04:46:00.000-08:00

My passion for beauty can be narrowed down to three things: (1) make-up brushes, (2) lippies and (3) hair care. Since it's February (I did swear I'd take advantage of the season) here's another quick post on my weakness... lippies!

Let me share with you one of the amazing products my friend E sent me. I received this last year and it was my first time to try anything from the brand and I'm just so happy to have been given the chance you know... especially because the brand isn't available in the Philippines! I'm talking about the European drugstore brand Essence and one of their lip glosses from the Stay with Me range.

Can you please comment which shade is which? So curious about the first four (from left)

I have the one farthest right. It's the shade called Trendsetter.

It's a very bold and hot pink color. When I first saw it I immediately smiled from ear to ear. It's a stunning shade and when I opened it, I had more reasons to smile. It smelled like candy and I think anything pink and candy-scented is welcome to my world. :)

Essence Stay with Me lip gloss is a pigmented and a longlasting pick. Funny because it didn't feel like a lipgloss to me. It wasn't your expected sticky and warm on the lips product. Trendsetter, for example, sets in like a thick lip tint that despite it's pretty darn hot pink shade, it doesn't come across as tacky.

“The name of this lipgloss could not be more appropriate: if you try it once, you'll never want to give it up again! The color-intensive texture is so wonderfully creamy and durable – without leaving a sticky feeling behind, that it's simply irresistible. The special shape of the precision applicator allows an effortless application. seven trendy colors are waiting to awaken those spring feelings and invite you to a creative styling session!”

Before I share swatches, let me first share what I found most amusing and unique about the product, the applicator. It's weirdly shaped and frankly I don't know what purpose the disorienting shape serves. It's cute though. :p (Sorry, camera keeps on focusing on the bottle not the wand, and I just got ultimately frustrated!)

Anyway, here's a photo of my bare lips.

Then I applied the lip gloss on my lower lip (I always apply on my lower lip first if it's a gloss then on my upper lip first if lipstick. IDKY)

Here's a photo of my puckers with Stay with Me Trendsetter :)

Then here's a photo taken with flash.

What do you think? Me, after experiencing Trendsetter, I can totally imagine getting the entire collection!

Don't forget to check out and abuse my lifetime-no expiry- discount code for www.emo.ph. If you love accessorizing, check their website now. Website's new but check out the many products uploaded already. I can just imagine how many new offers are to come!

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REVIEW: Human Heart Nature Mineral Lipsticks in Lucky in Love and First Kiss

2012-02-01T07:43:00.000-08:00

I don't know how long people can keep up counting the days on Twitter but there's something about meeting the first day of February. It's the "love" month and isn't it enough reason to ask yourself "Am I Lucky in Love?". Maybe it's also that time of the year when you think back on your first love... First Kiss maybe? Oh let's cut down the chase. Let's talk about Human Heart Nature's Lucky in Love and First Kiss Mineral Hydrating Lipstick.

These two were the two new shades Human Heart Nature launched last Christmas 2011 season. I can just imagine how many Human Heart Nature fanatics got excited when these colors came out since Red and Pink are two all-time favorite lip colors across ages. Personally, I love how these two were named. You know how some brands name their lipsticks with number or letter codes? I hate that! I love it when cosmetics are named creatively.

To satisfy your curiosity, here are swatches. First I swatched the lipsticks on white paper, below.

But I'm sure you'd find the swatches below more believable. The lipsticks swatched on my arm. They aren't as pigmented and I wish the colors would be a little more opaque. They glided smoothly though and the tubes weren't sticky even if I applied a thick amount already.

But like I always prefer, I like lipsticks when they're swatched on the lips. Keep on scrolling down to check my lip swatches.

First Kiss is a mauve pink lip color shade. I love this color so much because I like standing between bold and sophisticated. It's the type of color you can wear day in and night; and you can also wear this shade with natural or even sexy smokey eye make-up.

First Kiss on my lips. I'm quite pleased by how Super Makro captured the color of First Kiss. I also love how Super Makro captured how the lipstick filled in my lip flaws with moisture and all natural nourishment.

Next of course it the much-awaited Carmine Free red lipstick, Lucky in Love.

Lucky in Love on my lips. I like that the two new lipsticks are a bit more "glossy" now compared to how the first and second "edition" of Human Heart Nature Mineral Lipsticks were (since they were somewhat semi-matte). I also like how Lucky in Love is not a screaming red color. It's warm and is great for the Filipina skin tone.

To date, Human Heart Nature has 5 wearable shades (used to be six but temporarily they stopped selling the shade Pink Skies due to formulation issues.) I featured the rest of the collection here. I've been through so many Human Heart Nature lipsticks already and I still am a fan of the Passionfruit scent of these tubes. Some people don't like it, but I do. To me, the scent is a candy-sweet treat.

Because these lipsticks are clean of harmful chemicals, not to mention crushed insects eew; I am predisposed to love 'em. The only thing I didn't like about the lipsticks is the limited shelf life they follow. I love lipsticks a lot and I don't think I can rotate my tubes and ensure I finish the tubes in less than a year--so case in point, I won't be able to finish the lipsticks before it expires. :( I hate waste.

These lippies are only Php225 each. It would please you to know that each tube also supports a cause so you're not just prettifying your lips but you're also helping build a sustainable farming community in Davao. The lipsticks are available from your Human Heart Nature dealer, website or Beauty Bar. :)

FOR A GLOSSY FIX... check out my feature on Majolica Majorcs Honey Plump Gloss Neo

Sparkling tubes of joy right here.

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REVIEW: 100% Pure Camellia (Tsubaki) Oil

2012-01-31T10:14:00.000-08:00

Here's a post about a product I tried from Wawaza, a Japan-based beauty concept store.

If you love anything Japanese, you are bound to find such an amusing time going through the traditional Japanese beauty and wellness essentials from Wawaza website.

I use moisturizing body oils like a maniac so I'm super happy Wawaza sent me one of their top-selling products for review. I can't get enough of how it feels and I always enjoy the process of applying it. To me, it's a very luxurious "me-time" habit to practice. I take quite a while to dress up not because I take so long doing my hair or makeup, it's not even because I choose clothes so meticulously. I take so long to dress up because I take my time applying oil and letting my skin be nourished from deep within.

Among the many body oils I've tried, the Camelila Oil or Tsubaki Oil I tried from Wawaza stands out in my mind because it is the first traditional Japanese skin care product I've tried. I tried a lot of Japanese brands already but one that is a cultural heritage? Tsubaki Oil's my first.

Here's the Camellia Oil that I got from Wawaza.

It's in a 30ml glass bottle wrapped with a hand painted sticker label. It's very simple yet I find it very elegant at the same time. I love simplicity in a product especially if it has that "personalized touch" to it. Suffice it to say, the simple sticker label with beautifully painted flowers got me smiling every day.

If you're interested to try this Japanese Tsubaki Oil, it's only $18 for a 30ml bottle; but you know if you're going to get this, you should get it in its 100ml size already cause it's just $38 for a 100ml bottle. After trying it out, I don't see any reason why to skimp out on the product size. Get it here.

Besides its Japanese authenticity, Wawaza's Camellia Oil is purely organic and is purely Camellia Oil only. It has no additives and it has so many hair and body uses! (This is why I would recommend you get it in 100ml if you'd try it out) Below is Wawaza's brief description on the different uses of their 100% organic Camellia Oil.

As a skin conditioner, it is an excellent natural moisturizer and emollient (skin softener,) protecting skin from chafing and drying out, and replenishing vital nutrients. It restores skin's pH balance and shields skin from penetration of environmental pollutants, and acts as a natural sun block by forming a barrier against harmful UV rays.

As a hair and scalp conditioner, Camellia oil supplies nutrients to the scalp and gently protects hair by replenishing vital nutrients which do not readily oxidize and deteriorate. Camellia oil softens hair and is especially effective on dry scalp and stiff hair.

Camellia oil is best for people with dry or normal/dry oil scalp. It is nearly scentless, making it ideal for men, women, toddlers and children of all ages.

Beauty Junkies may be able to answer this question so I won't ask it to know and listen, but rather I'd ask it to leave you something to ponder on. Why use so many products for your hair and body if you can just use a 100% pure Japanese Camellia oil instead?

I only got to use the product for a week since I only had a 30ml bottle and I meant what I said about using body oil like a maniac. I use a lot of body oil per "session" as I apply it generously all over my body, from shoulders, arms, torso, stomach, back, and legs, oh especially on my legs. Noticeable was its unquestionable ability to moisten and soften the skin. For a body oil with a "medium" thick consistency, it didn't feel sticky at all. It wasn't even too warm on the skin. It didn't clog my pores and I didn't break out even if I use it sometimes thrice a day.

So definitely as a skin conditioner it's something you should definitely try at least once. It's amazing after a body scrub treatment or after shaving.

I only used it as a hair conditioner once. I used it like a leave on or cuticle coat. It didn't feel sticky and greasy on my hair but it did weigh my hair down. I wouldn't recommend it if you're planning on wearing your hair down and you wish the wind between your locks. I would recommend it however for styling hair. If your hair is unruly and you like your ponytail to be perfect, this product is great.

It's very cute and small, that's true, but it's also very important to note that the product is travel friendy.

The only thing I didn't like about it was its bottle. It was a bit difficult to get the product out of the bottle's mouth. In a bizarre way however, the bottle's "difficulty" in terms of dispensing the product, the good side it it's great for travelling knowing it won't spill; and two it helps ensure that the product doesn't go to waste. Since you would only need 3-4 drops of the product to apply the oil on your body, having a "difficult" mouth is a helpful bottle characteristic.

How about you? What's your body oil?

Just visited their site and you should check out their new product called Lady Butterfly... sexy name!

Centuries old Japanese secret for a shine-free complexion. For fresh looking complexion all day long, without the need for frequent makeup touch ups and makeovers. For oily, normal, dry or sensitive skin types.

Visit Wawaza.com for more info.

RANDOM THINGS TO LOVE THIS LOVE MONTH!

Nescafe Dolce Gusto Machine.

VMV Hypoallergenics SALE!

NEW Product from Garnier for those who are starting to feel the heat of our tropical land!

FREE SWEET TREATS From Max's Restaurant

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MOVIE: Chronicle

2012-01-30T17:07:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you've been asked already, but if not, let me ask you. If you can have one super power, what ability would you like to have? I know the most common answers would be to fly, which is also my answer. Some people would like to read minds but I always make them reconsider because I think it'd be a problem you know, if you can read people's minds. I think some things are left beautiful as a mystery too so you won't find me asking for that ability.

However, have you considered wanting the ability to do anything? I mean, anything. . . I can imagine it being overwhelming and dangerous. Well, wouldn't that make a great movie?

Gravitating towards the disturbingly unimaginable, “Chronicle” reckons what teens are capable of when given such endless overwhelming powers.

20th Century Fox brings Josh Trank’s debut feature film to the big screen – “Chronicle,” like so many of us, the lead teen actors portray regular everyday people obsessed with chronicling their lives, however mundane – or in their case, however extraordinary. For Andrew, Matt and Steve have stumbled upon something beyond their – or anyone’s – understanding. Their discovery leads them to acquire powerful telekinetic abilities; in graphic novel parlance, they have superpowers.
They’re now capable of, well, almost anything. They can move objects just by thinking about them, crush cars through force of will. They learn to fly…the ultimate wish fulfillment. Then things get dark.

What would you do if it happened to you? What would you be capable of? Those are the intriguing questions posed by “Chronicle,” a new film unlike any you’ve seen before. It’s a superhero movie that’s not really a superhero movie. On the surface it belongs in the relatively new sub-genre of “found footage” or “P-O-V” films, but it turns their conventions on its head. It’s thrilling, yet relatable; rich with creatively conceived and executed camera work and visual effects, but grounded in reality.

So, what would you do if you suddenly obtained abilities beyond comprehension? Would you don a special suit, fly off, and battle evildoers? If you were a teenager, the likely response would be: hell, no. You’d have a blast with them, pull elaborate pranks, and maybe exact revenge on those who’ve wronged you. Maybe those powers would amplify your less noble qualities. Or worse.

“Chronicle” opens February 2 in theaters nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

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DISCOUNT CODE OFFER: Accessories and trinkets

2012-01-30T07:57:00.000-08:00

I was having a typical lazy day off when I received an email from Geraonline asking if I'd like to have a code for my readers to avail of for discount. I'm like, okay sure why not. I love getting discounts so I'm sure it'd be amazing to share a code for you guys! Hope this helps!

Enjoy 10% off from Geraonline Multiply Shop for every minimum purchase of P300.

If you're into vintage accessories, you might find something to love from their store. The selection's a bit limited, I'm hoping they upload more products, but I am quite surprised, a lot of their accessories are really cheap, y'know!

Here are some that caught my attention.

Visit them at www.geraonline.multiply.com

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RANDOM: It's More FUN...

2012-01-30T00:54:00.001-08:00

Like this post if you love make-up because you find playing with colors worth your while.
Follow this blog via GFC if your goal is to live a colorful life.

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REVIEW: Guerlain Rouge Automatique

2012-01-29T21:15:00.000-08:00

Although I'd love to think that love is a year-round thing, you can't blame me for mulling over the idea just because it's almost February. With that, let me share with you my holy grail of red lipsticks. This is just so amazing, I don't see anything wrong with it. It's from Guerlain, it's from the Christmas 2011 collection and it's the Rouge Automatique 121 lipstick.

I was supposed to upload a photo of the tube while it was brand new but I can't find the file I hosted. I've been having problems with photo hosting actually. See I've used up Blogger's hosting services and my photobucket monthly bandwidth has been, should I say, always full so I fear that sooner or later I might have to pay for it! Unless, well unless you have recommendations. What photo hosting site would you recommend?

Anyway, I've been using the Rouge Automatique lipsticks the whole holiday season because it's the best red lipstick to paint the town red with. I sometimes top it with a glitter gloss to make it more festive especially because last Christmas season was all about sparkling beauty, but this coming Valentine's month, I'm excited to just whip this baby out as it is: a fierce red color.

Besides, red was not made the color of love and passion for nothing.

Before I share with you swatches of my red lipstick HG, let me share with you my other reasons for letting myself fall entirely in love with this tube. Keep on reading and you'd find my swatch for Guerlain Rouge Automatique lipstick in 164 at the very end of this post..

I love Guerlain Rouge Automatique lipstick in 121 because I love how timeless the gold case is! I have two Rouge Automatique lipsticks, thank you Sigrid! and just look at how timeless and glamorous they are against natural light!

I love Guerlain Rouge Automatique lipstick in 121 because the tubes are conversation pieces. Despite being "timeless", the gold casing is also very hip and modern. Why? Don't you notice how the lipstick case has no cap? Well, judging by the name, you're right to quickly assume that the lipstick has an automatic mechanism, similar to your loved auto-liners, which make them so convenient to use. These tubes are great for those who love to travel and attend events as these lipsticks don't take up much space in your kit and you won't also have to worry about losing a cap and damaging the lipstick because, voila, it has a modern "push-up" case mechanism.

Here's where the bullet pops out.

I love Guerlain Rouge Automatique lipstick in 121 because it doesn't stain my teeth. It isn't messy to work with and I just don't like how some red lipsticks are just all over the place!

I love Guerlain Rouge Automatique lipstick in 121 because during the day, when I want to tame it down, I can use the lipstick as a stain and I end up enjoying a just-bitten look. The lipstick's just so versatile.

I love Guerlain Rouge Automatique lipstick in 121 because it glides on smoothly and makes my lips look "younger and healthier". Doesn't it annoy you how some lipsticks end up emphasizing your cracked lips (if not also causing your lips to crack) so you end up looking beat and disgruntled? Well, the Guerlain Rouge Automatique even leaves a very moisturized and noticeable softness to my puckers I end up smiling more often and more comfortably.

I love Guerlain Rouge Automatique lipstick in 121 because it's very pigmented. I would let the photos speak for themselves. These photos were taken indoors but with natural lighting peeking through my window.

My bare lips (and what other people find to be a mischievous smile)...

Me wearing Guerlain Rouge Automatique 121.

See, I told you. It leaves a very healthy plump lips to smile with. My lips are not perfect but check out how it healed and even hid any signs of cracked lips.

Me wearing Guerlain Rouge Automatique 164. For those who don't like to wear red too often, you could try out this pinkish-red shade instead. Funny how it's surely red as a tube but every time I wear it, I notice warm pink all over.

So, what do you think? If you're curious to try these tubes yourself, you can visit Guerlain counters at Rustan's Makati and Rustans Shangri-la. If you do visit the counters, don't forget to also try out their famous Meteorites collection.

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FEATURE: Keeping Promises with Majolica Majorca Honey Plump Gloss Neo

2012-01-29T17:26:00.000-08:00

They say it takes 21 days to make a habit. Judging by the 30 days of 2012 that passed, I am confident to say I'm happy with my new habit. The habit of appreciation.

There are soooo many things in life that would leave us disappointed and although these "things" are definitely not the type you would like to get on an everyday basis, disappointments serve a purpose of their own. They make realizing your fulfilled wishes all the more exciting!

I got sick the past week, and that's one of my disappointments lately. I had so much planned and now I have myself catching up with things. On the brighter note, I love living on the edge. I love always chasing rainbows--or beautiful things as my blog title suggests.

Now let me share with you a product I have been using since last year! Ever so often I post about products so soon out of excitement but for these particular items, I figured to take my time because I was not immediately floored by how it performed at first glance; but there are a number of reasons why I kept "sticking" to it like honey. Let me share with you my thoughts on the Majolica Majorca Glass Trick Honey Plump Neo glosses.

You might remember me talk about Majolica Majorca here. To give you a brief idea, here's what Majolica Majorca is all about (from their fan page). Do like their page for product updates, contests and of course lovely media finds like this wallpaper!

Like a magic spell hat makes your wishes come true in an instant, these cosmetics are amazingly effective. They are serious products, carefully formulated with selected ingredients. All of them are packed with the knowledge and know-how to make your dream "transformation" come true."MAJOLICA MAJORCA!" Make your wish and it'd be granted.

As for wish granting, the glosses from Majolica Majorca Glass Trick Collection are all so delightful because as much as they seem like your ordinary glosses (only smaller, I can't help but notice how exceptionally petit their lip gloss tubes are); they aren't your plain janes. In fact, the Glass Trick collection was quite a magical ride if you ask me. I got to try these absolutely divine products. If you'd like to learn more about the eyeshadow palettes and if you'd like to see proof on why their Lash Expander plus is such a rave-worthy product, please visit this feature. From the Glass Trick collection, my favorite would have to be Honey Plump Gloss Neo #22, which I'd be talking about more below, and the Limited Edition Lash Expander Plus in Midnight Blue! I never thought my eyes could sparkle as much as it does when I am using Midnight Blue.

Glass Trick Honey Plump Gloss Neo are the new shades of crowd favorite honey glosses. They come in #22, a clear gloss with a hint of subtle pink sparkle; and BE133, a lovely light honey-toned gloss.

The consistency of these glosses are quite thick and heavy BUT it's surprising that they don't feel sticky or too warm on the lips. At first I thought my lips would have to "sweat it out" because the gloss felt thick, but it didn't disappoint. It is the perfect kind of shine. It doesn't look like you drank cooking oil before stepping out of your room. The most important feature of this gloss however, despite its very pretty sparkling finish is its plumping effect. Majolica Majorca Honey Plump Gloss Neo did not disappoint. I thought it was a promising gloss at first glance, well it was. It kept its promise and gave me sexy full lips... and you know how I love having pretty lips.

For real-time Majolica Majorca updates, check out their twitter page here.

Swatches in different lighting. Photos were cropped but not edited. Hope these shots help you decide which gloss to check out, or maybe buy both! Majolica Majorca is available at Watsons.

First, my lips without anything.

Check out the sparkling effect of gloss #22

I love how full my lips turned out after using BE133

What Majolica Majorca products have you tried? Or... would you like to try them out?

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KUMIQUOTE OF THE DAY:

Promises are not made to be broken. They're made to inspired and to ignite hope. Don't take promises for granted. Some people have only promises to hold on to.

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FROM THE VAULT: Pixi Energy Blusher in No.2 Pick Me Up Pink

2012-01-28T17:32:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been suffering from episodic "feelings" moment. Few months ago I heard my friends talk about "feelings night", pretty much a type of friend-date where you talk about feelings (not necessarily bad feelings). I liked the idea. I mean, as we become older and busier and stuff, how often do we bother sit down and just ask someone, "how are you feeling today?"

I saw this from a blog I just visited yesterday but lost her url. If you're that blogger, do comment so I can tag you! :)

I am suffering that "My Heart Will Go On" fever, not really because of the song or the movie, but the feeling of it. I feel like my heart should go on especially since earlier today as I was getting ready for work a read this very moving quote on saying yes to life (and to real events). I took it as, picture this, accepting any event, no matter how good or bad, as the reality or as the now instead of ignoring it and pretending it would get better--and by "get better" morph into the kind of real that we aspire for.

So I figured I should share some of my random yet to be shared happy moments. What could be happier than opening packages wrapped in pink duo-chrome foil paper!

The wrapped boxes contained these fragrances. Presently, I have the FCUK and the Harajuku Girls bottle as my "ongoing scents". The Lanvin bottle has long been used up. The CK bottle is with my mom and the Prada one, I'm not sure if it's with her, my grandma or my older sister. I don't see it at home.

With the fragrances is one of my pink blushers, a "Pick Me Up Pink" energy blush from Pixi. :) Who is Pixi beauty?

The blush I got had a fancy the box. Like any Pixi product, it's so fairy tale-esque.

One should ask, what's an energy blush? Well, according to Pixi info, it's an energy blush because it's an awakening blush and highlight duo. Essentially, the mixture of the two colors should make you look more hyped and lively.

This is a shot of the compact under bad lighting. I figured I should shoot it like so so you could check out the gold yet very simple Pixi logo. I like it. I don't like logos that take over a product's packaging or design.

Here's a shot of the compact as it is opened. It shows the mint green case as it should be minty and I hope you're all adoring how lovely the blush color is! Don't even get me started with the mirror design. :)

For those who are curious, yes it comes with a blush brush. In fact, it comes with a fan brush that at first I wasn't a fan of but upon repeated use, I realized it's the perfect shape for this compact. It has it's own drawer too! How fancy.

I dipped my finger on the pan and found that the highlighting powder (the lighter one) is a bit chalkier than the pink blush (the actual "awakening" blush color). I thought of it as a bad thing at first but upon repeated use I figured why it's a different consistency. The blush was my kind of pigmented and my kind of subtle shimmer while the highlighting powder helped subdue the color and make it more natural--plus it was also easier to dust on my face because it was captured by the fan brush as a bit more loose powder compared to blush which had a proper blush consistency, enough for precise application.

I got lucky to find a way to capture how the blush is in action under two important circumstances: strong lighting and low light. It's a very light color and I like if for days when I want to fake a feminine glow (cause ironically, I don't have that girly-girl vibe going on).

These products were purchased from Strawberry Net few months back. Would I repurchase, maybe not. I just wanted to try it out and I didn't fall in love with it entirely. I do love how it's so easy to work with though. It's a no-fuss blush duo.

Like Pixi beauty here. Follow Pixi on twitter too. :)

COMING SOON... Red Lipsticks for the month of Love

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LIFE: Etude House Portable Fan Brush

2012-01-27T17:08:00.000-08:00

Have you seen this SUPER cute make-up brush from Etude House? :) I just saw it online and I posted it on my Facebook page and was just lemming real hard.

I thought I would search high and low to find it. Oh wow I was so happy that within the day of my posting it on my wall page my sister got it for me!

She's coming home this weekend and she said she'd be giving it to me. :) I'm so excited to shoot it and try it and review it for you guys! I would love to have you all lemming for it too! It's just so darn cute right?

Plus the fact that Etude House brushes are exceptional! My all time favorite stippling brush is from their cosmetics accessories range. It's so amazing! Oh yeah, I'd re-review it along with this brush for everyone's reference.

How about you? What's your favorite cosmetic brush?

KUMIQUOTE OF THE DAY:

Being thankful should be our common denominator.

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REVIEW: Human Heart Nature Purifying Facial Scrub with Strawberry Seeds

2012-01-24T01:44:00.000-08:00

This 2012 Human Heart Nature started the year fresh, clean and pure! They launched new products that is reminiscent of the fresh summer breeze, the cleanliness of nature's care and the pureness of our God given beauty. I was so psyched to try the new products, and try them I have! Starting from the best product they opened the year with, let me share you my thoughts on the new Human Heart Nature 100% Natural Purifying Facial Scrub with Strawberry Seeds.

Human Heart Nature says:

I love how clearly they stamped the product's expiry date and batch code.

Knowing Human Nature, the packaging may still be improved, but for it's version 1.0, I think it's good enough. I like the simplicity of the tube the most. I'm not a fan of how hospital-esque the white squeeze tube is. I don't think it embodies the beauty of strawberries!

♥ No harmful chemicals: no parabens, pthalates, SLS/SLES or other toxic substances (Ingredients are stated below, continue reading)

As always, the new facial scrub is free from the harmful and toxic chemicals other skin care products are made of! It's even the improved version of the previously loved Super Fruits Facial Scrub with Black Rice--improved because it's now 100%, before the Human Heart Nature facial scrub was just 98%? :p

It's a creamier formula. The first time I tried it, I compared it to body butter, but scrub. As you can see below, one squeeze of it has rich body, but do you notice those granules? Isn't it lovely to witness how the facial scrub is indeed made with real strawberry seeds?! :) I can't capture on camera (and can't see myself) but the scrub is also loaded with bamboo granules which works so efficiently in exfoliating that dull layer of skin! It's my right kind of exfoliation--feels harsh enough to be considered effective, but gentle to the skin that you don't end up looking like someone beat you up!

Ingredients: water, stearic acid (vegetable derived), decyl glucoside (coconut derived), glyceryl stearate (vegetable derived), sodium lactate (sugarcane derived), sodium gluconate (sugarcane derived), bambusa arundinaceae (bamboo) stem extract, fragaria vesca (strawberry) seed, levulinic acid (rice/corn derived), coco glucoside (coconut derived), glyceryl oleate (coconut derived), xanthan gum, fragrance (all natural), phytic acid (rice derived), anisic acid (anise acid derived), iron oxide (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)

It doesn't leave a foamy lather, it's just like this when you scrub it on your skin. It doesn't feel like such an effective cleanser and I wouldn't recommend this as a make-up remover/wash alternative for that reason. It's bound to be hell to get this product in your eye; but with careful and proper use, this is an angel. It can bring back the life to any tired face. :)

I would recommend this if you are feeling stressed out and you need an easy-to-understand and manageable skin BFF. Just use this at least twice or thrice a week, depending on your skin condition, and notice in at least 5 washes how improved your skin could get!

I would also recommend this for those with oily skin because strawberries are very helpful in controlling sebum production too! The trick about "fixing" oily skin problems is by teaching your skin well! Excess oil production can be a sign of would you believe it dehydrated skin, so properly nourishing your skin and helping it reach that balanced state is essential in teaching your glands to stop over producing moisture.

The Human Heart Nature Purifying Facial Scrub is sold with an introductory price probably until March. It's only Php 99.75 for a 50ml tube. So affordable. :)

Have you tried strawberries for your skin already? What product would you recommend?

AVAIL OF THIS... February Promo at Lay Bare Waxing Salon

KUMIQUOTE OF THE DAY:

Doing good is far more important than doing right.

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