Makeup, Rants, Musings and More

Workshops!

2011-08-09T16:05:00.004+08:00

Just some interesting things I saw on the web, for those who are interested in taking Makeup or Hairstyling classes. Just thought i'd share :)

Enrollment is now on going at Style Studio Fashion Design School!
Course: Hairstyling for Makeup Artist
1st schedule: Auguest 20-21, 2011 (Saturday and Sunday)
Time: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Instructor: Michelle Cabrera (Commercial and Celebrity Hair stylist)

For more info : 889 7484 / 0916 703 1570 look for Coleen Mariano

Make-Up Workshop with MAC Cosmetics on Saturday Aug. 13, 2011 from 1:00-5:00pm. Workshop fee is Php 2,500. Get 15% off when you register as a group of 3 or more participants. Limited slots available. For interested participants, please call 8970383 loc 103 or 106

Mega Fashion Crew

2011-07-28T20:17:00.004+08:00

Mega Fashion Crew is finally airing! Please watch to find out what happens to me and 59 other finalists as we battle it out! haha :) :) Also part of the show are some of my most beloved collaborators, Lyka Orhel and Phoebe Rutaquio! :)

Backstage is the new Front stage
MEGA, the Philippines' best fashion magazine, launches the
second season of Gen M

From the success of Mega Publishing Group’s initial venture into television comes yet another exciting offering called MEGA Fashion Crew. "Life here in MEGA has been a constant search for these people," shares Sari Yap, editor in chief of MEGA magazine. Thus, in the same line, the show is dedicated to finding the individuals who will make it big in the fashion industry. With a total of 60 hopefuls, MEGA Fashion Crew Gen M Season 2 aims to find the next top photographer, fashion stylist, make-up artist, hair stylist and female model. During each episode five members will be grouped as a fashion crew, and they will have to execute a fashion shoot. As Executive Group Creative Director Suki Salvador says, "Backstage is the new front stage" and this show aims to offer a unique peek into the fashion industry.

Experience the drama over 13 weeks as contestants go through a grueling series of shoots where MEGA Publishing Group’s executive creative director Suki Salvador and MEGA Magazine’s publisher and deputy editor Meryll Yan act as mentors for the season. To further the challenge, at the end of each show, fashion crews will be judged by top personalities in each discipline. Together with Ms. Yap, celebrity fashion designer Avel Bacudio and top model Raya Mananquil round up the resident panel. “Aside from fabulous items and cash prize of Php100,000 each, a promising career awaits the winning individuals. The five winners will also have the chance to work with the MEGA editorial team for a fashion editorial,” says Ms. Yan.

MEGA Magazine invites you to witness yet another milestone in the publishing-television industry. MEGA Fashion Crew Gen M Season 2 airs every Saturday nights at 7:00pm, starting July 30, 2011 on ETC. Catch the replays every Sunday at 10am. MEGA Fashion Crew Gen M Season 2 is created for television by the MEGA Publishing Group. Visit www.megastyle.ph and like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/megamagazine and follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/mega_magazine.

SALE ALERT: Urban Decay

2011-07-05T23:11:00.004+08:00

Urban Decay Friends and Family sale!! It's all on the poster but what the hey, 25% off from July 5-10 when you use the code FFSUMMER11 at checkout. Discount unfortunately does not apply to the Naked Palette! Have fun shopping!! :)

Faux

2011-06-30T01:47:00.011+08:00

I'm on a roll and posting again, I obviously have some time on my hands, haha! Anyway, just sharing some photos from a collaborative shoot with the amaaaazing Lyka Orhel (I swear, she is beyond amazing! I love her to bits!) and the very beautiful, Phoebe Rutaquio.

Please right-click on images to view in full size :)

photography: Lyka Orhel
Styling by: Patty Baligod and Lyka Orhel
Hair and Makeup: Maui Manalo
Model: Phoebe Rutaquio

Here are some of the essential products that I used :)

Product images from MAC and Makeup Forever website

For more photos, follow this link to Lyka's blog post :)

Mario Badescu - Drying Lotion

2011-06-29T19:24:00.000+08:00

I am sure many of you have heard of Mario Badescu's Drying lotion, a favorite and a "life-saving" product for so many. It helps to keep breakouts at bay and zaps those bumps before turning into a full blown pimple.

My skin has tendencies to be problematic at times so I decided to purchase this after reading so many raves about it.

Ingredients: Isopropyl alcohol, Aqua, calamine, Camphor,
colloidal sulfur, salicylic acid, glycerin, talc, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide

You're supposed to wait for the pink substance to settle in the bottom of the bottle, get a q-tip and dip. Apply the pink substance on your blemishes and leave it on. I did this nightly, because well I dont want to look like a dalmatian.

For a week, I did this. Applied on little bumps here and there...And what did I get out of it? I broke out!! I kid you not, it made my skin much worse. It was not like other creams where it made the area where I applied it extremely dry, but I noticed I ended up with more bumps on areas where I applied the drying lotion.

Mind you, this isnt exactly cheap. It costs 1,095 pesos and you get about half a bottle worth of the pink substance. I couldve gone with panoxyl instead! haha. A friend told me, to give it more time so I did and uhhhh it isn't working at all!! What a waste!

So there you go...Just because you read on someones blog that something worked for them, it does not mean that it will work for you!

MAC Cosmetics for less

2011-06-29T15:48:00.005+08:00

M.A.C Bloggers' Obsession Collection....

Fashion Flower Collection....

Pro longwear foundation....

Lady Danger, kinda sexy and Angel lipstick....

Itching for M.A.C items or product shades that we don't have locally? Get your fix at MAC Cosmetics for less! I realize its a bit late to post this since preorder and downpayment deadline is tomorrow. But im pretty sure any junkie will do just about anything to get everything sorted out on time.

Preorder and downpayment deadline: June 30, 2011
Items will arrive on July 20, 2011

For more info, check their Facebook Page :) :)

FOR SALE: Traincase

2011-06-28T14:34:00.003+08:00

Train case for sale! Exactly like mine but super discounted. This is second hand, but in good condition. You may check my posts on this traincase if youre curious hehe. Hurry and contact Jo NOW! :)

Price: 5,500
You may contact Jo Chan if you're interested at 09178283898

Memory Plus TVC

2011-06-26T21:12:00.006+08:00

Still trying to get back into the rhythm of blogging. Feels weird now, after the long hiatus. So while I reorganize my blogging habits, let me just share a video of a TVC we shot a few months back :) :)

30sec TV Commercial Spot for Memory Plus Syrup.

Client: Greenleaf Herbals Inc.
EP/DP/Director: Lambert Pangilinan
Ad Agency: Razor Com
CCO/ECD: Tom Yboa
Copywriter: Tom Yboa
Accounts: Epie Yboa
Art Director: Tin Carceler-Pangilinan
Casting/PM: Jonski Jones
Make-up: Maui Manalo, Zoe Mambuay
Props: Don Pangilinan
Jingle Composer/Arranger: Ebe Dancel
Audio Production: Cutting Edge
Production & Post: Zoom17

Aren't the kids so cute? They all had so much energy too! haha :)

Traincase: Update

2011-06-24T21:18:00.005+08:00

I cannot believe that my last post was from December! It's already half of 2011 and its only now that I am typing a blog post. Currently, there is a typhoon in the Philippines and 2 of my shoots scheduled today were canceled.

Anyway, just posting an update regarding my traincase on things I learned just recently. HAHA. It is 100% waterproof, I couldnt be more happier to find that it was. I was so worried that my kit would be swimming inside while I trudged along wet roads. ugh.

If you want to read about the post I made when I had purchased my traincase, follow this link: http://suushh.blogspot.com/2010/11/finally.html

Lights were working perfectly even though it was completely drenched. Also, no need to worry about the exterior getting ruined because its made of (some sort of) metal. So happy with my purchase, though I have to warn anyone who has this traincase to make sure that all the makeup is placed level before closing it. I have broke the mirror on mine :/

Im not updated on how much this is now, last I heard they were selling it in quiapo for 9,000! Unbelievable! Suesh also has it now, in white though and for P11,000. I wouldnt be surprised if it costs the same now in Quiapo so you can save yourself the trouble and just buy it from Suesh. To check it out, follow this LINK

Photo from Suesh.com

Pretty Little Things

2010-12-16T23:47:00.010+08:00

There's nothing like new makeup to make any girl grin from ear to ear. My recent acquisitions are some cute makeup items from Paul and Joe's 2010. These items are part of their 2010 Autumn line, Clair de Lune.

My favorite is the line of lipstick they came out with. I have the shade "over the moon" which is a sheer lipsitck with a hint of orange. Though sheer, it contains a variety of champagne gold frost which gives off a translucent sparkle.

Isnt it so cute? I super love the cat print that I use this with a lip brush and get some product off the back of the tube haha. I like my lipstick with more color and rarely use sheer ones, I sometimes apply a thin layer of concealer on my lips before applying this lipstick to make the shade pop more.

Other available shades (cant wait to get my hands on these too!)

"Moon Shadow"
Exotic red with a hint of pearl

"Clair de Lune"
Soft Pink

Another new item in my kit is Paul and Joe's Face Color. Its a highlighter in pressed powder form which has 2 shades which can be mixed and worn together. Its high shine shimmer powder is perfect to highlight your cheekbones! Whats unique about it is its formula. It's formulated to absorb excess sebum and to adhere to the skin - because you dont need to be oily and luminous at the same time haha.

Here is the one I have =)

"Luna"

Other available shades:

"Harvest Moon" and "Pagan"
(I have my eyes on Pagan, looks so pretty! )

Dont forget to drop by Paul and Joe this weekend, and finish off that christmas list! 25% off on all items =)

Primed and Poreless

2010-12-16T00:47:00.004+08:00

About a month ago mi hermano flew to San Francisco for a quick vacation, since I couldnt tag along you bet I made a list of things I neeed him to buy me haha. After much consideration, I narrowed it down to just the essentials which was pretty tough. But when he arrived, a whole bag of goodies including the ones I asked him to buy and so much more greeted me haha. Thanks to my mom who is ever supportive of my makeup adiction.

One of the things she got me that was not in my list was Too Faced Primed and Poreless. I didnt think much of it since I also asked them to get me Benefit's The Porefessional. I also dont really use any other loose powder aside from my trusty ol RCMA or Kryolan loose powder.

However, switching to a bigger case has proved to be more difficult in terms of keeping track of what I have and what I dont. And during one stressful week I forgot to replace the Kryolan loose powder inside and had no other choice but to use the Too Faced Primed and Poreless.

Photo borrowed from: Sephora

Too Faced - Primed and Poreless Powder - $28 (o.16 oz)

What it says:

A silky, translucent finishing veil that adjusts to any skintone while minimizing the appearance of pores and fine lines.

Primed and Poreless Powder contains a high-resolution, reflective powder technology that transforms skin by visually minimizing pores, fine lines, and imperfections for an airbrushed-looking finish. Our weightless powder can be worn alone, or under and over foundation to prep skin, lockdown makeup, and control shine for a complexion-smoothing, flawless finish.

Why you should buy it:

- This powder has a velvety feel to it. Much like the regular primers were used to.
- Instant mattifier and helps control oil.
- Great for quick touch ups and retouches through out the day.
- Will not make your makeup look cakey after several applications (i've used this on a wedding gig and the bride remained flawless from start to finish! )
- Does give the illusion of slightly smoother skin and pores look a little less more noticeable
- Blends with your complexion. Initially leaves a sligh cast, the powder is sort of very light yellow. But within minutes of application, it blends with your skin tone or foundation.
- The packaging is just too darn cute, much like any ther products from Too Faced.

What you should consider:

- $28 dollars is a bit steep for a 0.16 oz loose powder, imho
- I wouldnt use this as base for makeup unless I was just going to put powder foundation. For regular liquid/cream i'd stick with smashbox, benefit, etc.
- Needs constant re application. While it does not make your makeup look cakey, it doesnt give you that flawless finish all day unless you re apply every now and then.
- I love love it but I wouldnt say that its comparable to RCMA and the kryolan loose powders.
- I hate loose powder containers just because it always makes a mess.

Would I repurchase?

Probably not anytime soon. I can get the same effect with my trusted loose powders without costing me $28. Put that money into good use and just get a regular primer. Its a nice product to have but not necessarily something you need.

A Chic Christmas!

2010-12-13T00:34:00.002+08:00

Head on over to Paul and Joe to get a fill of all the makeup goodies you need to be chic this Holiday Season! Get 25% off on all items and get a chance to meet Makeup Artists Paolo Maranan and Isabelle Arches!!

Fine tune your fabulous look with perfect base makeup to carry your color all through the holidays. You’ll be attracting a lot of whistles with sexy lip colors, pick the one that gets you in a party mood. Make all your holiday parties that little bit more colorful and unpredictable with stunning facecolor that suits every occasion. Harmonize your eyes this holidays season and lead admirers on a merry dance. Come on, show them your moves. Get skin that’s smooth and lustrous and super healthy, treat your skin well all year round and you will glow with beauty. Be perfect right down to your fingertips with the perfect nail colors. Creating your makeup masterpiece needs the right tools, these deliciously soft brushes are ideal for any and every occasion. Complete your Paul & Joe look with the cute range of pouches and makeup accessories, beautifully designed and oh-so convenient

See you there!

XOXO,

Paul & Joe

Kryolan Blush Palette

2010-12-13T00:00:00.003+08:00

I recently got the Kryolan blush palette after looking around for a replacement for the blush palette I was using. I decided to get this because the shades were all matte and it had a good range of colors. All the shades are very pigmented.After using it for about a month here is a short review. =)

What I like about it:
- Shades are vibrant, good color payoff, not chalky
- The color range in the palette is good. You have a soft pink, darker pinks a red-ish shade and a peach shade
- Palettes are handy to have instead of bringing a lot of singles.

What you should consider:

- It has a tendency to streak when not applied carefully. I now use a fan brush to apply it to avoid uneven streaks. Even with a very light hand, it has a tendency to deposit unevenly on the cheeks.
- I also found that its not very long wearing, much to my surprise! You might need to re apply after a while, also has a tendecny to fade unevenly which I find weird.

Here is photo of the Blush palette (Photo from Cabyness' blog haha )

SALE Alert: Urban Decay

2010-12-07T00:32:00.003+08:00

After the Primer potion and the Naked Palette im totally sold on Urban Decay. If you haven't tried any of their products, nows the best time!

Finally!

2010-11-21T00:18:00.011+08:00

I've been scouting and looking around for a train case that perfectly suits my needs. And let me tell you, it took quite a long time! I didnt want to buy a traincase and then replace it just after a few months so I had to make sure I get the right one. And finalllllyyyyyy I have it! A sort of early Christmas gift for myself too!

Okay so here were a few of the most important things I was looking for in a traincase:

1. Lights and a mirror

I wanted/needed one with lights. Sometimes the lighting is just impossible! Ive done makeup under GREEN lights, a badly lit room with well barely any lights haha so this was a must because you never know when you might need to reinforce the available lights at the location. I also wanted a traincase that needed bulbs instead of the flourescent tubes? whatever you call those haha

The mirror is a plus. I used to bring a huge mirror with me and I broke it. I cant keep breaking any more mirrors, its bad luck! haha

Double plus! The lights can be adjusted. Im not sure if you can tell from the first 2 pictures but you can adjust the lights intensity. One of its coolest feature! :)

2. It has to be lightweight

Now this was tough. There aren't a lot of options when it comes to lighted traincases. Theyre almost always huge and as heavy as I am! But I needed something that I could carry, because well I dont have a car of my own so lugging a 40 pound (I don't weigh 40 lbs, btw! haha) traincase is just going to be a nightmare and would possibly break my back.

It was a good thing that a friend showed me his traincase and it was considerably much lighter than the ones I've seen. Mine weighs approximately 20 pounds with all the necessary makeup stuff inside.

3. It has to have wheels

Again, I have to consider that I spend a lot of time walking here and there. Wheels are a must because I almost always was in the verge of tears when I had to go to a gig carrying my old traincase. Needed a traincase that I could handle carrying for short periods but not the whole time. I considered getting a makeup suitcase or that smaller one with lights at Suesh but it would be like carrying my old traincase, it would be hell-ish.

4. It has to be sturdy

It does not make me happy to see it with scratches or dirty. But let's face it, during times when my weak muscles fail me haha I could accidentally hit it against something. I cant have a traincase that could easily break from carrying and walking around for too long.

I liked that the wheels look sturdy. I didnt like some of the huge traincases that had really small wheels. It's also made of ehrm some metal thing (im sorry im not sure what it is exactly haha)

Im perfectly happy with my new traincase! Plus I no longer needed to choose between which of my stuff were more important haha I could bring more makeup! But this traincase is elusive! I couldnt find it anywhere else except Quiapo! I was told it would be available after a week, which turned into 2 weeks, 3 weeks and then a month. I actually kind of forgot about it until I found their calling card. I called in to ask and they said it was available and was selling like pancakes. Ofcourse you know what happened.....I dragged my butt and Caby's to Quiapo and got it! haha

The Damage: 8,000 Php (I was actually told the first time I went there that it was 7,500. Greed oh well. They wont let you haggle, we tried for an hour! haha) It comes with the power cord and 6 light bulbs (which I was afraid to use, replaced the bulbs right away haha)

Where to buy it: That mall near the Quiapo church (2nd floor, they have it on the 3rd too but their prices are more expensive. If you want a good deal, dont look rich! hahaha)

A peek at whats inside (and more on that some other time):

Can fit around 15 powder compacts on each side. Compacts on the left, Foundations and some palettes on the right. Kryolan and Urban Decay Palettes on top

It actually comes with a box/container for the middle part which
has a divider that splits it into 4 parts but mehh my palettes wouldnt fit.
And more palettes in the middle haha!

Anyway, the only downside is that it doesnt have a lot of space. It was a bit frustrating trying to arrange it at first. I finally managed to get everything I could possibly need inside. Its a good thing a lot of my things are already compact - Foundations, lipsticks and eyeshadows are mostly in palettes. I end up bringing an extra case for a few more things and my brushes. But other than that, im completely happy with it and its perfect for me so all in all it was worth the wait! =)

I'm alive?

2010-11-01T17:27:00.004+08:00

I know ive been neglecting my blog, but the past couple of months have been crazyyy. With just a few more weeks left before this year ends, I promise to blog more often ( haven't I said that more than 1,000,0000 times? LOL )

This usually is the time of the year when I blog like crazy trying out Halloween looks. Unfortunately, I kinda lost track of time and next thing I knew it was Halloween already. Out of fresh ideas, I stole my boyfriends costume mwahaha.

Presenting.........................................

Me, freshly dug out of my grave!! hahah

And the boyfriend from whom I stole my costume from hahaha

He actually did the skull part on me, isnt he awesome? haha I did his makeup but hmm I think he did better than me. Well, what can I say? Cant compete with an artist haha. Oh and we used snazaroo for this. I would die if we had to use my regular makeup for this haha

Happy Halloween Everyone! :)

Kryolan Loot (Pic Heavy!)

2010-08-30T13:19:00.007+08:00

Finally got to post this! One of the many awesome gifts I got from my lovely mother for my birthday! :) This was the last one I saw from the gift bag, and I tell you my eyes welled up when I opened this one! haha =) Thanks Momma!

Look at how cute and handy the case is. It has the compartments (which are detachable) on the side. The are a few slots for your brushes and a handy (also detachable) mirror.

Palettes!

Kryolan Dermacolor Palette, Concealer and

Lip Palette and Eyeshadow Palette

Aquacleanse (makeup remover), Brush Cleaner, Cake Mascara,

Individual Lashes, Translucent Powder and Hand Sanitizer

Brown/Black eyeliner, Lip pencils, spatula, two brushes

There are so many things in the kit, I actually haven't tried everything. But there are a few favorites already, here are the top 3!

Kryolan's Concealer and Lipstick Palette
BU201911

Concealer Colors: D61, D5, D375
Lip Gloss Colors : LP641
Lip Colors: Natl' 4, 080

The first 3 from the swatch are the concealers, next is the lip gloss and the last 2 are the lip colors. I use all of it as lip color. I find the consistency of the concealer a bit too thick and a bit dry for my liking. What I love about this palette though is that it allows me to mix colors! I sometimes just bring this and leave the other lipsticks at home and just mix the color I need

Mixed the colors together on my palette.
And here they are quickly swatched:

Kryolan's Transculent Powder
Art. 5703
20g/ .7 oz

A good alternative to RCMA's invisible powder, i've been using this a lot lately. Similar to the RCMA powder, this doesnt not change your foundations color and does not leave a white cast. This costs more than RCMA but I believe this is locally available through the distributor here in the Philippines. It is finely milled and dissapears as soon as it touches your skin.

Kryolan Professional Makeup Brush
Art. 4308

I find this brush very handy. Its a square tipped synthetic brush. And I use it for concealing, applying concealer, cleaning and defining edges.

That's it for now! Will post the rest when I've had
the chance to use and play with them hehehe =)

Golden Dusk

2010-08-29T20:17:00.006+08:00

Someone obviously has free time to blog =) Trying to make up for the lack of posts. Seeing that i've only blogged 3 times this month irks me haha. With still a few days left before september, I am bent on getting that number up to at least 5 haha.

Anyway, just posting a look i did the other day. Should have taken a picture of it earlier though, after a long of day of going here and there, the colors have faded a bit and the eyeliner not as dark as it was earlier. Here it is anyway..

The eyelining on the inner corner starting to fade haha.
Ewwie lashes maybe I should wear falsies everyday, yes? haha

A weird angle but I love how the color
gradient looks. But my lashes are looking rather sparse, boo!

*What I used for the eyes:
-M.A.C Woodwinked (lid)
-M.A.C. Free to be, Hot hot hot, Expensive Pink and Coppering (crease up to brow bone)
-M.A.C. Nocturnelle and Shadowy Lady (Outer Crease)
-M.A.C. Carbon (outer v)

* I know I tend to go nuts with all the eyeshadows I use. But you basically just need a few key things to do this look: Woodwinked, Hot hot hot or free to be (for the crease) Nocturnelle and Carbon =)

Havent had much time to make an effort with my makeup lately. So with a new month coming up, I promise to myself that I will wake up earlier to do my makeup haha and then hopefully i'd get some free time to post and share them with all of you :)

2bU

2010-08-29T16:10:00.007+08:00

A few weeks ago, me and a couple of friends got to do makeup for a shoot featuring the UAAP girls. Some of the UAAP players' girlfriends that is =)

2bU: Philippine Daily Inquirer
(August 21 Issue)

It's always so lovely to see your work published. I get giddy with excitement haha and so I immediately went to a store nearby and grabbed all available inquirer papers (there were only 2 left though haha), gave one to my friend Nikka and kept the other one for myself. Here are some BTS shots.

I did makeup for Rikki who also happens to be a courtside reporter from the University of the Philippines. Isn't she adorable? I super love her hair! She made me want to cut my hair shorter again haha

Photographer: BJ Pascual
Styled by: Kat Cruz
Makeup Artist: Maui Manalo (for Rikki)
Hairstylist: Muriel Vega Perez

I looove love the outfit she had on! I had to ask where the corset was from, but Rikki was one step ahead of me haha she had already asked. She told me it was from the Ramp. I am quite sure its the exact same one thats part of the outfit being given away by Little Miss Dress Up =)

Have a fun long weekend everyone! =)

Dress me up!!

2010-08-29T15:43:00.006+08:00

Its your last chance to join Little Miss Dress Up's month long birthday giveaway! And up for grabs are two amazing outfits and a chance to win a beautiful satchel from Aranaz!

To join, head on over to Little Miss Dress Up. All you have to do is answer this question, "Who is/are your style icon/s?"

1. "Like" the giveaway
2. Leave a comment with your name and email address.
3. Follow us on twitter.com/lmdublog, facebook or on blogger.
4. Winners will be chosen via Random.org

Goodluck! =)

Brow Stylist

2010-08-17T22:45:00.006+08:00

Aside from august being my birth month, ive been blessed with wonderful work opportunities as a makeup artist so I havent had time to update my blog as much as I would like to. And so, after a long hiatus from blogging, im back with a product review =)

I've been in constant search for a good eyebrow pencil. Ive finally found one that i've lked about a year ago, M.A.C. Lingering! Found it to be the perfect shade I wanted, the right consistency? (I dont like overly waxy ones) and it doesnt make your eyebrows look like they were fom the 1920's - nobody likes obviously drawn in eyebrows. The thing about the MAC lingering pencil though is, it only lasts me about a month (or less) and thats for persoal use only. It also is quite expensive if I keep on buying 1-2 every month. So I was bent on looking for a cheaper alternative. I've heard of L'oreal's Brow Stylist a few motnhs back, but unfortunately when I had gone to check it they didnt have any stock. But a few days ago Caby and I were going around Landmark, and I decided to go look at the L'oreal Counter and surprise, surprise..

L'oreal Brow Stylist in 501 light brown

(both ends hads caps btw, I just uhm misplaced the other cap haha)

The brow Stylist has 2 shades, the lighter one is taupe and the other one is a medium brown. I swatched both, and out of impulse bought the lighter taupe brow pencil. I woulsnt exactly say its inexpensive, but its a lot more affordable than the M.A.C Lingering pencil. It costs Php 695 ( I think, a few pesos short of 700)

What I like about te brow stylist was #1 it wasnt overly waxy, meaning it doesnt overpower my naturally thin eyebrow hair. #2 the shade looked natural, thoug you wouldnt think it would based on the actual color of the pencil. #3 It being an actual pencil, rather than the mechanical? type of pencil, it would last longer and #4 it allows you to build the color. Unlike the other pencils, it doesn' t shade like a Sharpie! haha

I've been using it on myself a lot lately, especially hen im in a hurry. I do like using brow powders, but it takes me quite a while to even out my nasty baldspots. With the brow stylist, i simply fill in the spots and it just looks like I naturally have nice even brows hehe.

Here is the swatch!

Top: swatched heavier ; Bottom: swatched lighter
As you can see, the light brown has a hint of gray which is perect for eyebrows

I'll post a mughsot of myself using it on my next post =)

Living the dream!

2010-07-30T10:28:00.002+08:00

Please grab a copy of Chalk's 10th Anniversary Issue
featuring Kim Chiu on the cover =)

I am no Kim Chiu (a local celebrity here in the Philippines) but I can definitely say that I am living a dream! One year ago, I wouldn't have thought that i'd be doing what I am doing now. When I took a 6 month vacation to think about what to do with myself, I didn't think that this is where I would end up.

Funny how everything all comes together before you even realize it. And this blog, which I started out of boredom, turned out to be the storybook of how I got to where I am at the moment. Now, I have a part of my life in my own little space on the internet for me to read someday and reminisce. hahaha!

Anywayys, was super lucky to have done makeup for this months issue of Chalk. 10th anniversary issue, no less! how monumental! haha Me and Caby were tasked to do makeup on 2 college beauties who also talked about how their own style has evolved in the last 10 years. I loved that we asked how they normally do their own makeup and added our own twist to it. Wee! anyway here are the scanned pages (thanks Cabs! )

Beauty Feature
Lexi and Honey

Wee! =)

Getting your work published in a magazine, is such a dream come true for someone who is pursuing a career in Makeup. And to have this and the Lifestyle Asia, overwhelms me when I think about it hahaha. And so a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has made this possible, everyone who helped shove me right along this path haha =)

Words are not enough to express my gratitude but THANK YOU, thank you, thank you to Michelle Katigbak-Alejandro for this wonderful oppurtunity, RB Chanco for being the most wonderful mentor in the whole wide world!!! and Chad Tyler Meadows for the amazing photos!

And that ends my Oscar speech *bow*
Have a great weekend everyone! =)

Makeup Competition!

2010-07-29T23:31:00.004+08:00

Hey Beauty Junkies! Ready to showcase your work? Join the first International Online Makeup Competition which is sponsored by Faceup1.com! This landmark makeup event eliminates the barriers of location via internet submission - and is a terrific opportunity to get you or your school on the beauty map!

Get the word out across the world and represent.

Details:

Application Deadline: August 08, 2010
Competition Begins: August 12, 2010

Competition Levels:
1. AMATEUR /STUDENT
2. MAKEUP ARTIST
3. MAKEUP MASTER

Events:
1. WOMEN'S FASHION MAKE-UP 2010
2. PIN-UP BABE
3. CREATE YOUR OWN HERO

Register yourself:
1. Send a letter of interest to press@faceup1.com
2. After the response e-mail, you’ll receive a registration letter with the registration code
3. Activate your registration via the website provided in letter

Go to http://faceup1.com for more details! =)

Brow Powder + Swatches

2010-07-24T01:53:00.004+08:00

Just swatches of a good eyebrow product. Fanny Serrano's eyebrow powder! I do like this although some people find it powdery. I dont have problems with it though, except for the 2 shades on the left being too dark (its darker in person) but I have seen some with lighter shades, so perhaps the new ones have lighter shades than the one I have.

First 2 are shades on the righ side of compact, last 2 are the shades
on the left side of the compact. Shades look a bit lighter in photos than in acutal.

Most of the time I use the first 2 shades swatched (the shades on the right side of the compact) I find the other 2 are too dark and barely use them. I wish they would come out with single pot shades or just the 2. But it comes handy when you do makeup since you never know which one you'll need. I really like it because the shades have a hint of gray to it, pure brown shades on eyebrows look really fake. And its very pigmented. Ive had this for almost 6 months now although im running a bit low on the 2 ligher shades.

Would I repurchase this? I would, but i'll probably go and try a different eyebrow powder after running out. In any case, its affordable so I can just go and get it when I get dissapointed with whatever product I will try after this ( around 400 PhP).

Another great product from a local cosmetic brand! Now I wish they would reformulate their powders and make them unscented haha. Anyhoo, have a great weekend everyone! :)

Mugshot

2010-07-23T13:22:00.003+08:00

Can't let a week go by without posting another mugshot of myself haha. Was trying my Kirkland Mineral Powder on myself. I use it as a highlighter because its yellowish. And blech it looks patchy and uneven on photos. I used it under my eyes. Theres goes another 100 points for mineral powder. I know many are happy with it, just doesnt work for me. But anyway here are the mugs hehe

Patchy and uneven coverage. blechhh

Mac Twig is <3