Weekend Nails: ~polkadotted tip~

This is just a quick post.
A simple way to spice up your nails. It would just take you a maximum of 20 minutes to do it....
^_~

Sorry for the blurry pic..

• As always start with a base color...

• Then make a french tip using a contrasting color...like white or yellow...or anything.

To make it 'edgier' i decided to make my ring fingernail different from the rest of it...(& actually it's also a way to hide the fact that i broke my nail on that finger ^_~)

• Make some dots on the tip by dipping your tool (dotting tool, toothpick, hairpin, etc) on your base color.

• Then apply it...

Its easy to make dots, just touch the tip of your tool on the surface..like so

• Now decorate your nails with dots
  

• Finish it off by lining it with black line using a thin,long bristled-brush or nail art pen

• Then top it off with a clear polish & top coat!

Don't forget to clean the edges of your nails...

This actually just took me 15 mins (provided you have fast dry polish)..including the drying time...pretty fast i might say!

Didn't i say that this is just a short post?

Have a nice weekend,girls!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

oil cleansing method (OCM) ~ a natural way to clean your skin~

After 2 months of being a draft, i finally finished this! *whew*

This post would be another installment for my home remedies post. As what i said i prefer to use natural ingredients on my skin rather than buy all those expensive stuff...especially if natural & organic is way better than them..

Did you ever ask yourself why Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil is such a great cleanser?
We have heard so much about it...lots of raves about how it really cleanse the skin. But have you've ever stopped & think what is the major ingredient on it that made it that great?

I did!
& guess what...it's oil! (yeah...as if the name didn't indicate that it IS oil!)
ok....i know..i know..olive oil removes makeup..i use it too..
most of the eye makeup removers out there have OIL on them to help remove "even the waterproof mascaras"..sounds familiar,eh?

Now that i got your attention, let me tell you first the boring detail of how i found out about this one...

I wouldn't have known this up til i started using Castor oil for my lashes. I first heard of it being used by Karma Cee's post on why her lashes are long. And i believed her because you can see the results! Her lashes are great!

I forgot all about it up until i went to Watson's & saw the bottle of Castor Oil..so i grabbed it as a gift for my lashes. Before i actually started using it, i made a research about it, which then lead me to the OCM - which stands for the Oil Cleansing Method.

I know that some of you uses Olive Oil to remove makeup..which i guess is actually better for its more natural rather than makeup removers. But i guess its pretty hard to remove all the traces of it unless you put a gunk of facial wash or soap then scrub your face hard, which would just result in doing more damage to your skin.

You can click HERE for the full info.

Ok, after the lengthy introduction, its time for the how-to's (i know you've all been waiting for this..sorry about all the blah blah XD) in doing the OCM

Here's the how to:

• castor oil
• olive oil
• small bottle to store your oil mixture

The mixture should depend on your skin...
if you have a normal type of skin, then it should be 50-50 (50%olive oil, 50%castor oil)...
if you have dry skin, add more olive oil than castor oil..like 70%Oo & 30%Co...
it should be the opposite for oily skin...add more Castor oil..like 70%Co & 30% Oo...

This is a trial & error sort of measurement...see what works for you...

Now this is how i prepared mine...

• i measure castor oil & put it on my empty bottle, i just used the cap.

• i put 7 capfuls of castor oil on it

• then olive oil...

• this time i put 3 capfuls of it

• then i added tea tree oil too (though this is optional)

• this would be how it looks like

number 1 - olive oil - is lighter & more runny in texture than castor oil
number 2 - castor oil - is thicker than olive oil
number 3 - tea tree oil

• then shake it!

Now for my opinion...

OCM is a good natural way to cleanse your skin., but remember you are applying RAW OIL. If you did not rinse this completely, you'll end up with blocked pores that can become cystic acne later on...

yikes!!!!

Maybe you'll ask me what was the effect of this on my skin.
Did it really made my skin clear like how some sites advertised this?
Is this a fool-proof way to achieve clear smooth skin?
Is it really like how people raved it?

This is MY own opinion:

When i tried this out, i massaged my face for a long time because you can really feel those beads of dirt coming out of your skin...like the blackheads. I can really feel my face being cleansed, grime being removed, skin feeling soft... So i 'rinsed' it out based on how IT is supposed to, that I have to put a hot towel on the face so to open up the pores & the oil will be removed (you can click the link here to read more about it, i won't add it here because it will just make my post longer than it already is.hehe).

Big mistake!
Why?

It's been said by OCM too that oil can only be removed naturally by oil.So why did i expect that putting a hot towel can actually remove it?! But i still did & i ended up having cystic acne! eekkkk!

A couple of reason can be the culprit:

• i have super oily skin (ill let you know how on my upcoming posts)
• i live on a very humid place
  
• i was not able to remove all of the oil completely
• i did not 'close' my pores right after opening it up

I stopped doing it because i wanna work on my cystic acne first, that's why i used Kojie-san. After realizing all of the reasons, i try to see if i can make it work out on me. I found out that i have to do all of the steps, but

• NEVER forget to wash my face with soap, just to make sure that there are no traces of oil left on my face.
• 'close' my pores by rinsing my face with cold water
  

I still used the mixture everytime i feel some blackheads on my face & it does help remove the blackheads which is good.. I don't use this as my regular cleanser anymore.

Now on my research i found out that this works better for those who lived in cold places. For those who lived in humid places, you have to be careful...do some researches. You might find my 'opinion' as lacking, it's because i have so many things to say but don't know where to start. But feel free to ask any questions on the comment section.

Each of us have different skin, what works for others might not work on you.

Now, ill try to answer your questions as much as i can, but im no pro.

excess:
I haven't updated my hairstyle101 section yet. I'll try to update it with this big bun

XD

Hope y'all have a nice day!

Jaa ne~!

Maybelline Lash Stylist vs Rimmel Volum'eyes

I have 2 mascaras that i currently adore, which are the CG Lash Blast (for waterproof) & Lancome Hypnose (for non waterproof). I am still on the lookout for a good non waterproof mascara because much as i love Hypnose, i find it too expensive only to be used for just 3 months. I'd rather buy a product that would at least last for 6 months with the amount that i paid for it.

I make it a point to not spend more than $15 for a tube of mascara. So im on a lookout for a cheap mascara that can do what the expensive mascara can.

Now in comes comb mascaras...
Im skeptical about this because i always thought that mascara wands are supposed to have bristles to have that va-va-voom look! Its just like how you use a hair brush, the strands would have to pass the bristles to give it that soft polished look..in lashes, the bristles are there to evenly coat each lashes with the mascara formula.

But never did i realize that comb mascara can actually surpass what i expected from a regular brush wand...& so much more at that!

How come?!

Ok, everytime i use a mascara i have to open it, scrape the excess product on the rim of the bottle, literally open my eyes out (until it looks like its gonna pop out!), put the mirror below (like below my chin - so to have a better look), either wiggle my face or the wand just to coat each lashes, then use a lash comb to separate each of my lashes...lots of work, but since im used to it i don't have any complaints. I thought ill be doing that for the rest of my life!


But i was wrong, comb mascaras can make a heck of a difference & can cut all of it in a single motion with half the time! I don't need to use a lash comb to separate my lashes at all. It can evenly coat every lashes with the right use. Once you open the tube of it, the product will be scraped off, apply it, combing your lashes while doing so so that the product would be evenly distributed...then voila! your done!


No more wiggling!
No more scraping!
within a minute you can have long lashes...

Enough with the talk.
Time for the pic..this is how my bare lashes look like...again, i have to take a pic like this because if i do a front view you wouldn't see my lashes at all..

Now this is how it looks like with mascara on...

One coat of mascara on each lashes

Two coats of mascara on each lashes

Ok, let's start it first with the formula.

The Lash Stylist is more watery than Volum'eyes which i think makes application easier. You can easily coat your lashes with continuous combing.It might take a little practice, but nothing that you can't do.
The downside of it is that it clumps in a weird way, like when you apply it, there would be some small clumps on your lashes. Like small bumps, it's not very obvious from afar, but when you look closely at it you would see it. So i think this is best used if donning a dark smokey look so that it won't be too obvious. Once coat is enough to have that va-va-voom look! (look at the pic) Less is more for this mascara.
^_~

Volum'eyes is more waxy & it's a little bit hard for me to apply it because the formula is just stuck in between the bristles. Whenever you pop open it, you would feel it being scraped, but then since this is waxy, the product will just go in between the lashes therefore making it look like the wand is not a comb at all but just a stick.
As for the downside, it just clumps plus it feels heavy. It uncurled my lashes after a few minutes.

Then lets go with the wand.

Lash Stylist has a V-shaped wand, with small sharp bristles which makes the spreading of the formula easier, plus its stiff enough to maneuver it.love it!


Volum'eyes on the other just have the ordinary comb, which doesn't work for me, again, because the product just gets in between the bristles. I have to remove it first before i can use it...which is just useless because if you dip it back the product will be stuck again (-_-") i hate this....plus the wand is easily bendable, that you can't use it for fixing clumps. You have to use a separate comb just to do that.
the last one, which can hold the curls better?

Lash Stylist does! See the Volum'eyes? my lashes were as straight as hell (-__-")

The gist of this post is...
I like Lash Stylist.
It can be a good replacement for my Lancome Hypnose, but since it is already discontinued then there's no way it can. But then Maybelline has Cat Eyes,right? Im pretty sure ill be buying it the next time & im looking forward to it!

Have you tried any comb mascaras?
If so, how was it?

That's it!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

rants & ramblings ~ lemming for les meteorites~

Today i found out from Amynaree that there is already a miniature guerlain les meteorites collection out in ebay...& my finger is really itching to let my paypal do the talking...

True enough, when i checked Ebay there are a couple of sellers who have these...& im really dying to buy it....i think its actually pretty cheap for the price... $45 for all 3?!& it comes with a brush!!!
how can i resist that?!
OMG! they look so nice!!!
finally i can feel it...they are within my reach...just a couple more..

all 3 of them!

i know that i have to snatch it since this is a LE...but practicality comes first... (-__-") *sigh*
i am all girl, but hey, earning money is not easy...

especially now that im being extra careful with what im putting on my face...I only use Celeteque moisturizer & if ever i go out, i just put BB Cream....the Kojie-san is still on trial for me...a few more days & im about to write my final take on it..so wait for that..

also the fact that i haven't received any of the purchases that i made early this month...
I find that ranting about how late my packages are will make the waiting less easier...so im gonna start it..

First & foremost, i bought Coty airspun powder right when i had the chance.

I keep on forgetting to buy one to think that my friend, (who have all 3 of les meteorites) recommended that i buy it if im on a tight budget. She said that its a good alternative for LM (les meteorites) for it still gives that nice finish...but as i did my research..it would be perfect IF you have your shade...i know that they have an extensive shade selection, but on Ebay, there's not a lot...so here's to hoping that the shade that i bought will somehow suit me...

Then the other one is the makeup mix shop haul on which i just bought ELF studio line...i have heard so much about their brushes, so grabbed some for myself...can't wait to try it out...

This is hardest thing to do..waiting & worrying where the heck your package is?!
especially here in the Philippines..knowing that there are some instances where they just get lost (or just being snatched away)..be picked by someone..or be kept somewhere...
*horrible thoughts keep flashing on my mind*
eeekkkkk!!!!
get it out! get it out!

*sigh*
i can't do anything but just sit here..tweedle my thumbs..& keep praying that it will arrive safe & sound...

I wanted to try the VOV balls on cheek first....
I found one local reseller of it, & i will buy it as soon as i have the money....i have to say that its pretty cheap too... so for the meantime that would keep my les meteorites lemming...(for now)

Maybe ill try & check to see if Rustan's have this...
For pinays who are near Rustan's, can i ask you a favor & please check if they have this?
ill be eternally grateful if you get back at me about the availability of LM...

For the meantime, i have had these for a couple of days already but just haven't posted...


The BRTC samples that i ordered weeks ago had already arrived & it was my mum who actually used it first... I used it on her Wednesday last week, when i did her makeup for her b-day celebration...

I did her makeup & for some reason when i took her before & after pics, she look somewhat pasty on the photos so i just did not post it...but her friends said that she look great...she even looked like "Rosalinda" ( a local TV drama character) because what i did to her... of course i felt happy knowing that i did a good job...too bad my cam did not cooperated

Then my first stila cosmetics...

waaaahhhh!
i love the box...

i think its made of recycled materials & i can't help but touch it because i love the texture..it reminded me of the days where i used to write letters to my friends using papers that got the same texture...

I haven't actually opened it..until now its still sitting on my cosmetic cabinet along with some of the products that are still unopened...

I promised myself not to do hauling until i get all of my packages...but the temptation is too hard to resist... for the past 2 weeks, i only bought the Stila cosmetics & i think im doing an ok job with resisting temptation..though not that good...

Once i received my packages, im gonna go shopping..but not for cosmetics....the only thing on my plate now is my wishlist, bb creams....& skin care stuff...that's it!...cosmetics is out...i guess except for mascara & the pearl balls (i call LM & other like products as pearl balls)....

Ok, enough with the rant...i feel all better now...
^_^

How about you,girls...have you fulfilled your ultimate 'item lemming for quite sometime'?
or have you started project 10 pan?

Im gonna start that project as soon as i have some bb creams... & pearl balls...

Hope you're having a nice day!

Jaa ne~!

my first take on arabic inspired makeup

Arabic Makeup is mostly a combination of bright colors with heavily-lined eye....

This is my first time doing an arabic makeup...lining my eye is the most difficult thing for me because i can never quite get it right... I always ended up smearing it because i tend to blink whenever i do it...i guess it because it tickles...but then im up for the challenge!

When Sharlene announced her contest, i knew right there & then that i will join it even if i haven't tried making it yet...

Now tell me what you think...

It's a pink to purple gradient look...

I don't have a black scarf..only this colorful one... XD

Emphasis on the eyes that's why i have neutral lips...

Now a little tutorial on how i achieved the look...

These are what i used...

• UDPP
• 88 palette
• Skin Food Cactus Bb cream
• mineral blush
• fashion 21 brow duo
• Maybelline Lash Stylist
• ELF liquid liner
• Lancome pencil concealer
• NYX lip gloss in neutral
• Avon shadowstick in vibrant blue
• Ever bilena eyeliner in black
• face & eye brushes

Now let's start with the mini tutorial...i labeled the colors that i used on the palette..i numbered it as 1, 2, 3, 4...i forgot the highlight..but the highlight color is the top color on the left side...


After prepping your eyes with primer & shadesticks..then line the 4 colors on your eyes...like so

then blend colors 1 & 2...& also 3 & 4...like what i did...

blend the 2 colors now so that there would be a nice soft & gradient color on your lids...

don't forget to also bring the colors down...just do what you did at the top eye.... ^_~
& the highlight too!


As for lining it...i lined the top lash line & also the bottom lash line...so if you take a closer look

you will see that i have 2 'wings'..one at the top & the other is below...then i just finished it with rhinestones....

& for the first time in my life....i love my lashes...I don't even have to use falsies....can you see my lashes?!

my short asian lashes was given life all because of Maybelline Lash Stylist...i love that mascara...review will be up after a couple of days...

Lesson learned:
Lining the eyes takes practice & steady hands...If you are having a hard time using liquid liners, you can line your eyes first using a pencil liner....then if you are satisfied with it, then you can top it off with the liquid liner
^_~

Anyways...freestyle shots....
It's always nice to finish everything with a nice fun pic
^_~


For those who wanted to join her contest, these are the details:

Theme:
Create an Arabic Style Inspired Makeup. From what I noticed, when I google 'Arabic Style Makeup', They usually have flawless, porcelain-like skin, and really bright colors on the eyes yet it still looks smokey because of the heavy eyeliner on both the lashline and lower lashline.


Rules & Requirements:
·First of all you must be a member of blogger.
·You must be a follower of my blog.
·Post as an entry to your blog. Copy these rules onto your entry and link back to this post.
[To copy, highlight and then press ctrl+c, right click has been disabled]
·Take a picture of: Your face, one with your eyes opened and one closed. And a freestyle pose. ·Also include your inspirational photo, if any. Don't forget to list down and take a picture of the products you used.
·Send in your contest entry url as a comment to this post only [for organizational purposes].
All others will not be aknowledged, sorry!


Deadline:
August 31, 2009 11:59 PM Guam Time - That's about 3 weeks from now, so you have plenty of time.
Note: Guam time is advance a few hours from U.S.

Im pretty sure you will have fun doing this too

Jaa~!

Nails: Vivaciously pink or Playful blue...

Remember my nails last Wednesday?

As usual i try to stick with 2 colors....except for the white one that i used to line it...Since im about to cut my nails short...i decided to do the tut now instead of waiting until it grow back...So it might look at its best... XD

Now go for a polish that shares the same color....So i used pink & red...then as a twist, i did a blue version for those who are blue lovers, a light metallic blue & navy blue...so it means you can mix & match the colors..as long as they are in the same family...you can go for light brown & chocolate brown...light orange & red orange...so on & so forth..

As for the rhinestones....these are what i used...
i used 2 kinds...a big one & a smaller one

then this is to be used for the blue version together with the small pink stones...

Well then, let's start this!

• Apply a base coat & the base color....

• then apply the darker polish on the tip...much like a french tip..

• Put the rhinestones...sorry about this pic..im using both hands..that's why XD

• This is how i arranged the rhinestones....

the big stone on the far side, then the 3 small ones beside it..so it resembles like a paw print...albeit a 'bling paw'...

Now for the blue one..i put the flower stone in the middle...


then the small stones around it...like a triangle...

• Now put a thin white line where the red meets the pink...it just lifts the whole look...

For a touch of flair, top it off with a glittered polish...or just a clear polish..its your choice..in this case, i just topped it with glittered one...


Then finish it all off with a top coat...

A top coat gives the nails a 'plasticized look'...it makes it shinier... & lasts longer too...plus it dries faster

Note:
When you apply the stones, you don't need to use any glue at all...When my cousin saw my nails she asked if i used 'mighty bond' (an instant glue)..i was horrified! just thinking that i would use it on my nails makes me cringe...If the polish is already dry, then apply a clear polish over it so that the stones would adhere to it...


If ever you did this design, let me know,k?

Have a nice weekend,y'all!
^_~

Jaa~!