My Makeup Blog: makeup, skin care and beyond

Three Incredible Eye Brushes from E.L.F

2012-01-25T08:50:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, I ain't gonna lie: I love makeup brushes. In return, they love me. Magically, they have found their ways to my home and sometimes, the ones that cost me the least money seem to work better. Since I discovered E.L.F brushes, a few of them managed to impress me enough to make me venture out to new ones. The three brushes I am about to show you are my E.L.F eye brush trifecta to complement my $1 eye shadow brush. The cost? $5, even less for moi since I bought them during sales. My three favorite eye brushes: (top-bottom) E.L.F contour brush (from the Studio line, $3), defining eye brush, and blending eye brush (both from the regular Professional line, $1 each) First of all, the E.L.F Contour Brush: Since it is...

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Unleash Your Inner Dragon!

2012-01-23T07:12:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! Happy Lunar New Year! May the Year of the Dragon bring you success, wisdom, strength, and courage! By the way, that awesome picture of the apricot flowers were taken by yours truly using the Canon G12 camera =) Since the annual Flower Festival opened on Saturday, we decided to go there to take lots of pictures. I was floored by the sheer amount of flowers and creativity from this festival! I kept on taking picture after picture of flowers and half a day later, I had 284 photos in my camera! Also, it was a sunny day and my pictures required almost no editing, which is an extremely rare occasion for me. A gilded dragon statue that I saw in China. By the way, it only costs you $2,653 USD just in case you want...

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My Makeup Trial

2012-01-20T07:27:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, Last night, I was playing with my makeup stash and an idea came to me: "Why don't I do a makeup trial on myself?" The thing is, I have a wedding to attend at the end of the month. Before, I just winged it as I went and sometimes it worked. Since this is an important wedding with the bride being my cousin and all, I don't want to embarrass her and myself by wearing some really interesting makeup to her wedding. Let's put it this way: lately, my taste in makeup has changed and I don't wear demure makeup anymore. Everything has to be ostentatious and RuPaul-esque. For a wedding, that would not fly. I need to tone down. After half an hour of meticulous makeup-ing, I came up with this: It was supposed to be a look...

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The Hardest Thing to Find in Vietnam

2012-01-19T06:41:00.001-05:00

Hello folks! While I can buy my essential makeup items in Vietnam, there's this one thing I can't seem to find. Scratch that, it is impossible to find. You know what it is? Self-tanner! I'm not even kidding. I haven't seen a bottle of self-tanner anywhere while browsing low-end to high-end makeup counters. Insane, right? Snookie would be mad if she vacay here. I guess you can always get a good tan from the sun since it's always sunny here. However, the glowy and bronzy goddess skin from the bottle is something nature can't do to you. On top of that, the two self-tanners I have tried smelled so damn good! I can't believe I miss self-tanners! That's all for today, folks! Are you a self-tanning person? With love from you...

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Mentholatum Acnes Oil Solution Is My Foundation Primer

2012-01-17T07:36:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, It took me a while to realize how much I needed a face primer. Until the end of last summer, I was without one. My FOTDs suffered: no matter how much I buffed my foundation, it did not look the same without a primer. On film, the foundation just looked bad and lumpy, as if I did not do a good job applying it. But noooo! I buffed and buffed and blended and blended but still, it did not look fine. The Vietnamese market is still a skincare-centric place and it took me a while to find a foundation primer. The irony? It is not even marketed as a foundation primer but as an oil control gel. Since I tried a couple of products from Mentholatum before, I trusted its quality and got this Mentholatum Acnes Oil...

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New Hair, New Hair!

2012-01-16T07:45:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, Guess what? I got a new haircut like...a few weeks ago =) I know, I'm late in updating this kind of thing and my actual hair is about an inch longer now but it's still better late than never, right? The last time I had a haircut was around the end of July, 2011 (around the time I did this FOTD.) I waited a good 5 month for my hair to grow out before getting a haircut. The previous haircut was more of a Rihanna hairstyle with the front longer than the back. As I grow it out, that style no longer works and the new guy who cut my hair decided to do the traditional layered look on me. This is a funny looking but decent shot of moi sans makeup :) Believe it or not, I just woke up and realized my hair looked awesome so I...

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My Accidental Weight Loss and Update on Hip-Hop Abs

2012-01-12T07:53:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone, If you have been following me on Twitter, you already knew the drama surrounding the removal of my wisdom teeth. Last month, I tweeted quite excessively about it and luckily, some of my followers already did the procedure. They ensured me it was a piece of cake and they were right. I removed two wisdom teeth from my lower jaw and the procedure was painless. I did not feel a thing as the dentist pumped me with anesthesia. However, the pain before and after that was quite something. I was unable to chew solid food for a month. As a result, I lost 6 lbs! However, that was not just it. During the time, I had to rely on soup and it was not plenty. The first week was painful. I could not even chew properly and my stomach...

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Faith Hill True Perfume Is Clean and Breezy

2012-01-11T07:44:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone, I love Faith Hill and her music. In fact, the first CD I bought in the U.S was "Breath" and I still have good memories when I heard the title song. When she came out with her first and eponymous fragrance, I bought and loved it a lot. Like Faith, her perfume smells very chic, classy, and feminine. Then, last year I got a travel size version of her second fragrance, Faith Hill True, for a dollar! This perfume has been traveling with me to many, many places. Yet, I manage not to review it. Well, not anymore. Today, I am going to give my best shot at reviewing Faith Hill True perfume. According to the website, Faith Hill True is described as the ultimate casual allure of a musky floral fragrance. This passionate and...

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Ms. Fix It Fixed Her Retractable Brush

2012-01-10T06:51:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, This is my EcoTools retractable kabuki brush which I love very much. Only, there is a tiny problem: the brush is not retractable anymore. As you can see, the case is separated from the brush and I did not do it purposely. After a few washes, the glue at the bottom of the brush fell off the case and I have been using this brush without the case for a while now. Even in this contouring tutorial, you can see I used the brush by itself. It is ok that way but I want my retractable brush, not a kabuki on a stick! So far, this is the softest brush I have ever used. There is no way I am going to toss it away. Besides, replacing it is out of the question. So, with a little bit of patience and super glue, I managed to...

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Why We Buy Makeup + My Internet Can't Handle True Blood

2012-01-09T07:41:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, Yesterday, I was playing with my makeup stash and I've realized how little it has grown since 2011. While my move to Vietnam put a damper to my makeup shopping habit, there is something more to it that makes me not buying makeup as much as I used to. I could not put that idea out of my head and kept on asking myself why I haven't bought makeup anymore. Of course, the love for makeup is still there but why? About a year before I started makeup blogging, my stash was relatively small. An eyeshadow quad here, a couple of lipsticks there, and probably 5 brushes. I was happy and my mind was not cluttered with the question of what products should I use during my makeup session. And then, I discovered makeup blogs. The...

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Nghia O'Beauty S019 and that Obnoxiously Pink Nail Polish from Odessa

2012-01-04T07:18:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, I guess I'm one of those people who prefer having a pedicure over a manicure. Most of the time, my fingers are not painted while my toes endure some really interesting colors (but mostly, I prefer red.) Recently, the moon and stars synced up or something because I finally had painted fingers and toes. The products I used are from Kem Nghia shop, a place where they sell the legendary Nghia cuticle nippers. Both are utterly cheap and after wearing them for a week, I was very happy with the results. (L-R): Nghia O'Beauty in S019 and a nameless Odessa nail polish which I call "Obnoxiously Pink" First stop, let's take a look at the fingers, shall we? The picture does not do justice to this nail...

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Hands and Feet

2012-01-03T05:50:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone, This is a preview of what's coming up tomorrow. Yup, an obnoxiously bright pink nail polish on my toes and some Angelina Jolie-inspired greige for the manicure. I've been wearing these colors for a week and so far, I'm impressed! Now, I've gotta go kick some butt with Shaun T. Gotta grove with Hip-hop Abs, yo! Have a lovely day! Dao xoxo P.S: If you like my blog, please subscribe to my feed. Thanks a lot!

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How to Make Your New Year Fitness Resolution Stick

2012-01-02T07:54:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone, The new year is here and I bet a lot of us are keeping a short list of New Year resolutions. The thing is, by January 15th, a whole bunch of us are dropping out of the race. By March 31st, those who wrote down their New Year resolutions already forget what they are all about. I know. I've done it so many times that I finally come to realize why my resolutions did not work in the past. The main reason is they are not specific enough. Another reason is the lack of rewards. And last but not least, resolutions need to be reminded and evaluated once in a while, too. So, in 2012, I am determined to make one of my resolutions work. Yes, it is my fitness resolution. I know a lot of us want to lose those extra pounds and...

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Hello 2012!

2012-01-01T06:26:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, Happy New Year! May 2012 bring exciting opportunities to your life and may your heart be filled with joy and love throughout the year. Thank you for your continuing support to My Makeup Blog and I hope 2012 is going to be a wonderful year of makeup and beauty blogging to all of us. Hugs and kisses from your beauty blogger, Dao xxoo

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Guest Blogger: Hot Nail Trends For 2012

2011-12-29T07:54:00.000-05:00

Hi everybody, Today, My Makeup Blog has an honor to welcome guess blogger Aleya. She writes the blog for LI Beauty School which is a beauty school college and Hair Design Institute which is a hair and makeup school with locations throughout New York and Florida. I hope you will enjoy her post. Take it away, Aleya! The New Year is right around the corner but the nail trends that are going to be in style in the coming year are already being worn by women of all ages. The good news is that there’s something for everyone. The bad news is that there’s going to be so much to choose from you won’t know where to begin. REDS Source Whether it’s a true red or a dark wine shade, red is in the forefront of nail polish colors this...

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Post-Christmas Loot

2011-12-27T08:33:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone, Boxing Day was yesterday and I had my intention to blog. When I sat down and revved up my blogging engine (aka Blogger), poof went le internet. For a whole day, we didn't have internet. It was rough, y'all! Anyways, I've been shopping my heart out lately because (a) it's the holiday season and (b) I need some stuff, mostly shoes. Finding a pair of size 8 shoes in Vietnam is harder than finding gold. I went to many, many shops and tried on hundred pairs of shoes to get only two. Same thing with clothes, although I have better luck with them now that I'm slimming down a little bit. Talking about losing weight, I had 2 wisdom teeth taken out earlier this month and seriously, for the month of December, all I have been...

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The Amazing 3W Clinic Lash Building Eyeliner

2011-12-23T07:41:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, Lately, I've been focusing more on basic makeup items. Gone are the days when I could apply layers after layers of beautiful colors on my eyelids. Now, all I need are a good mascara and a few reliable eyeliners to complete my task. Believe it or not, the Vietnamese makeup market is friendlier towards skincare. While there are Korean, Japanese, American, and French brands available, the prices for makeup are not that affordable. Since my MAC Fluidline is running low and my ELF black liner is not that awesome anymore, I set out to find a black waterproof eyeliner that has the intensity of Blacktrack without breaking the bank. With a touch of luck, I found 3W Clinic lash building eyeliner when I was browsing for nail...

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A Poor Woman's Clarisonic

2011-12-21T07:26:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, My beloved facial cleansing brush that I just bought about a week ago. Yup, that's my frugal version of a Clarisonic. Read on for more details! A few Christmases ago, I received a gift that transformed my skin. You see, my Secret Santa put this tiny facial cleansing brush inside her gift package for me without saying anything. It was just a brush, nothing so impressive about it. Then, a few months later, my face decided to give me a hard time. I broke out so badly that I had to go back to ProActiv, which I hate. Still, it did not tame the zits or make my skin better. I was desperate and there, I saw that facial brush again. I wet it, put a tiny bit of face wash on it, and brushed it in circles around my face. After...

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Feliz Navidad para mí!

2011-12-19T07:28:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, Last Saturday, I went to this charity event with my brother. It was a Christmas celebration for handicapped and orphaned children. We all enjoyed the performance and felt the early spirit of Christmas during that time. I got a moment to walk around and there were a lot of vendors selling hand-made goods. All of these goods were made by the children and the profit is used to feed and shelter them. Needless to say, I decided to do some good deeds and brought two items. I bought a wallet and a bracelet. The Nyquil pills were for my cold :( I love this bracelet from the first moment I saw it. It's so unique with all the glass beads and they look even more stunning under bright light. LOVE this embroidered wallet....

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Justin Bieber Has a Perfume? What Is Going on???

2011-12-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, Recently, I was browsing the Ulta email ad and something caught my eyes: Like, srsly, Justin Bieber has a fragrance? What is going on??? o_O I could not believe my eyes! I mean, this kid is 17, his rise of fame is faster than anybody else's in the music industry, he wrote a book, and now he has a perfume?! What else hasn't he done? Running for the president? I just don't get it. People are treating him as if he's Baby Jesus's second coming or something. While I know he is talented, I also believe that he is over-promoted. Over and over again, we have seen child stars turned into troubled adults once they grew up and did not resemble the cute kids they once were anymore. I hope he is not going to be in that...

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"Where's My Order?" and the Art of Complain

2011-12-14T07:01:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, Christmas is coming and for those who have ordered their gifts online since Black Friday, I hope they are coming to you. Although the internet is a good place to shop and you tend to have better deals than purchasing in store, it is the waiting that gives us a lot of jitters. While a lot of companies deliver their goods on time, some don't, mostly due to overwhelming orders placed from such sales. Usually, I would give them a week to 10 days before I start making some noises. Although I am not like Dr. Sheldon Cooper in "The Big Bang Theory," I do believe in complaining to customer service to get my orders. After all, it's my money and it's their responsibility to deliver the goods to me. This is a tried and true...

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Dove Beauty Cream Bar: an Oldie but a Goodie

2011-12-12T05:16:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone, It has been cooler during the past few weeks and my skin decided to have its own crisis. The body wash that I used before started to give my skin rashes and I felt unclean a couple of hours after taking a shower. Very strange, indeed. Thankfully, I found a bar of pink Dove beauty cream bar and gave it a try. Best decision ever! About 3 days after I started using the Dove bar, my skin started to heal. No more itching and the rash began to calm down. Yay, thank you Baby Jesus! On top of that, my skin felt smooth and nice. I actually smelled nice, too! Lovely! Dove bar is probably one of those body care products people tend to overlook because it is so familiar. I mean, a lot of us know what it is when we were...

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SinfulColors Holiday Collection: Wish

2011-12-09T08:21:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, The holiday season is coming and while it is busy to juggle everything together, we girls still need to pamper ourselves. While 2 dollars cannot get us a lot of things these days, we still can have a spanking new bottle of nail polish from SinfulColors. Their holiday collection called "Wish" just arrived and the colors as well as the price are lovely. The Wish Collection, Sinful Colors Holiday 2011 (L-R): Out of this world, Midnight Blue, Sugar Sugar, Daddy's Girl, Last Chance, Flower Girl, and Fashionista This collection includes 5 nail polishes and 2 nail art colors. The five gem-inspired shades of polish are: SUGAR SUGAR: a candy cane, red-hot tint MIDNIGHT BLUE: a bold, bright twist on navy LAST...

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Lipstick Shape Psychology

2011-12-07T10:23:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone, Today's post is courtesy of BeautyPress.com. If you haven't heard about it already, BeautyPress is a service to link companies and beauty editors together. As I do have a beauty blog and I do write about beauty, makeup, and their related topics, I was granted the access a while ago (probably 2+ years already!) Yet, I haven't used any of their materials here, although they have a lot of beauty releases for us beauty bloggers to use. Recently, BeautyPress posted an interesting article about lipstick shapes and their owners' personalities. I think it's an interesting article so here we go: Lipstick Shape Psychology Originally from BeautyPress.com A lipstick reveals more than a thousand words Short...

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Do You Subscribe to a Beauty Box Service?

2011-12-05T08:17:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, Lately, I have seen a lot of beauty box services online. A lot of blogs I subscribe mentioned Birch Box and recently, Michelle Phan opened her own beauty box company called My Glam. As diverse as they sound, these beauty box services one few thing in common: for a monthly fee ($10-15 USD), you get a box of full-size and sample-size beauty products delivered to your door each month. Initially, the idea sounds wonderful: with $10, you can hardly get any reliable drugstore makeup these days. However, the box services give you a few full-size products from department store brands. Wonderful, right? However, most of the monthly reviews I have read were full of disappointments. Some people received products they did...

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