What a day~!

Today, i woke up with the sound of our dogs barking.

THE END...

Haha..lol!! XD
Just kidding of course...

I have not posted this because i seem to have a couple of post that i need to put yet so this is going to be lengthy.

But i did woke up with the dogs barking, it's because mum was talking to the mailman. I have a package delivered straight to our house. OMG! This is the 2nd time that it was delivered..How awesome!

Mum gave me the box together with another slip indicating that i have a parcel to pick. Yipee!
I immediately tore it open & out came goodies from Miss Yaya. I won a couple of her contest & these are the prizes..w00t! w00t!


Yep, a lot of stuff there. She even sent me the Revlon Fantasy Length in Intensifying. I actually used it today & i freaking love it!!!! I just wish it's available here in the Philippines though.. I sure would love to be able to get some more.


Wow!
My first Korres stuff... it's the Soft Eyeliner pencil in Black. It's really soft..like khol..i guess this is khol since its great. Just like Lancome Le Crayon Khol!


The Pixi palette is awesome. This palette is No.13-Lavender. Packaging is really sleek!See how thin it is. It doesn't take up a lot of space, but it still has a nice selection of colors. I used it today & it's great!

Oh, that's the swatch of the Korres Eye Pencil. Looks good,right?

I love everything! Thanks,Miss Yaya!

My mum asked me to run an errand today (that's why i get to try some of the stuff that I received). I was about to go out the house when Kuya Xend arrived for another parcel. This is turning out to be a good day, i said to myself!

These are what's inside...


More aquazorb towels! I went to Shangri la the other day & went to the Aquazorb stall & asked if they have these (3 in 1 face towels). They said that they don't carry this anymore, so when i saw a multiply seller selling this, i immediately bought some myself. I also included the Cyleina Black Pearl...the one that i keep on hearing good feedbacks.

Let's see if this is equipped to handle my blemishes...
*Acne Update*
Im able to keep my acne from flaring up...I guess my new skin care routine is working! Will post it some day when im sure about it.

Going back, I ran an errand, went to some malls looking for some random things. I passed by 1 store saw a lipstick stand & i bought it so that my babies would have a new home...

& here they are!


It's pink & it matches my case!
& the best thing is that it's sooooooooo cheap...


See that?! it's only Php 66 (approx $1.25)...oh the one on the right is the pack of fimo clay to be used for my nail arts... Yipee!

These are my Fimo clays

I read it from Nikki's post. I have Fimo clays before, but its so big because i use it for scrapbooking so i bought a smaller one at Ebay.

Will do a nail post sometime using these.

Last but not the least, I bought the Neutrogena Wave at Nikki's blog sale. I said i also wanted the Avon Magix Perfector but it was already reserved. She is so kind to let me buy 1 of her back-ups. She included a lot of freebies..Thanks,sissy! i love everything!


& speaking of Neutrogena Wave, did you know that they have an ongoing promo?

Neutrogena is giving a fifty-percent discount for its Deep Clean Foaming Pad refill pack upon purchase of the Neutrogena Wave starter kit from January 28 to February 24, 2010.

This is a good way to experience Neutrogena Wave. I actually like it, I've been meaning to do a review of it.

*sigh*
Today is a bit tiring because i spent half of my day walking..but then with everything that i got, i won't complain!

Well, that's it for today!
Hope y'all have a great day,hunnies!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

Minute Maid Contest Entry

Define FRESH looking...
What exactly does that mean to you? Most likely you will say very light make-up or almost a 'powder & lipstick only' look.

In my case, fresh-looking make-up means a look that will make me look good & feel good. Applying make-up makes me feel fresh for it covers the imperfections that i have...acne. It makes me feel confident to face the world all the while feeling naturally beautiful which is highly likely since my bout with acne is still on going.

With that said, this is my entry to Beautynomics & Minute Maid's contest.


I had a hard time thinking of how my entry would look like. I want it to be an avant-garde one but bf insisted that i just stick to simple look since it has to be 'naturally fresh'...

He said, i'll never go wrong with simple neutral looks because it brings out a woman's feature better than the avant-garde ones...He even choose the pics that i should post!
Well, he's a guy & im pretty sure he knows what he is talking about so here it goes...


The orange 'pulps' at the left side of my face is inspired by Minute Maid. I kept my face make-up subtle since I'm aiming to emphasize the eyes.


Aside from make-up, a smile would make anyone look great!


Here's a close-up of my eyes...


Again...Minute Maid inspired that's why i decided to go for an orange/coral-y color.

I dunno what the heck happened here..i guess the primer that i used made my skin looked sallow when i took it with flash. But at least it was able to get the details of my eye make-up so it's ok...

I really had fun rocking this look. Im not exactly a fan of orange look, but i think i can get away with this.

It was very challenging for me covering my acne marks without using BB Creams. Yes! I stopped using BB Creams already. It's just aggravating my acne.

Final photo to show how much i had fun!

It's that obvious,huh? hahaha!

These are the list of products that was used in this look.

Face:

• primer - Avon Simply Pretty Fresh Radiance Make-up Pink Glow
• foundation - Neutrogena Fine Fairness UV Compact in Natural Beige
• concealer base - ELF Studio Concealer Palette
• concealer powder- Everyday Minerals concealer in Intensive Medium
• cheeks - The Body Shop Roseflower blush in Pink
• highlighter - Eyeko Cream
• finishing powder - Guerlain Les Meteorites in Beige Chic
  

Eyes:

• primer - ELF Minerals Eyelid Primer
• eyeshadow base - Fashion 21 Eyeliner pencil in Pearl
  
• eye lid color - Hard Candy in Butterscotch
• eyeshadow & pulp - Make-up Masala pigment in Tuta
• eyeshadow crease - Lancome eyeshadow in Couture
• highlight - Everyday Minerals pressed powder in Fairly
• inner eye corner highlighter - Benefit Gilded
• mascara - Maybelline Volum' Express Cat-Eyes Mascara
• liquid liner - Fashion 21 liquid eyeliner in black
• pencil liner - Ever Bilena eye pencil in blck
  
• faux lashes - Kinepin eyelashes
  

Brows:

• ELF Studio Eye brow Kit in Dark

Lips:

• Nivea Lip balm in Strawberry
• MAC Lipstick in Blankety
  

Show us your fresh-looking makeup!
click HERE for more info about the contest.

By the way, i used the Bedazz blending brush when i did my eye make-up & i freaking love it! It blends really well! Review will be up soon!
Holla at me if you want me to do a tut on this eyelook.

Hope you will have an awesome day!

Jaa ne~!
^_~

lippies swatch + brush review

Remember my last haul post?

I said that i'll be swatching the MAC lippies that i got. I bought the Blankety & Brave. Here is how they look like...


I prefer Satin & Amplified Creme & i guess Matte finishes when it comes to lipstick compare to Lustres & Cremesheens. I have a pretty pigmented lips & since i prefer nude lip colors, i dig the ones that can provide more coverage.

Blankety is the perfect nude lipstick for me. This is L-O-V-E!

I knew that it has a reason why i keep on looking for swatches & the word 'blankety' always creeps up on my head when i see my lip concealer. It's already calling out to me! Im glad that this is not a limited edition for i don't plan to haul in.

Im trying to get back into doing eye make-ups & now i can rock smokey look once more because i have my HG nude lipstick! Though i think Myth can be a good candidate for being a HG nude lipstick...i guess i have to find out for myself. I'll be posting a look tomorrow where i used Blankety.

Brave on the other hand is more of a pinky beige & is great for those who are still looking for nude lips but with a slight color. I love this one! This is perfect for an everyday look!

Overall, i'm so satisfied.

Actually, i'm more than satisfied i can stare at it the whole day..LOL! I'm so happy with my purchase that i keep telling bf that my lipsticks look so nice. He just nods while grinning then making a comment that he can't see the reason why im so happy with a tube of lipstick. I said how could i not be happy if i have found the perfect lipstick... & he burst out laughing because of that..

Why can't they understand the need for us women to be beautiful & be surrounded by beautiful things?!

It's just like how they go 'ohh & ahh' over a carburetor or tires...

To find the perfect make-up item is already an achievement for a make-up addict like us! Don't deny...we are beauty bloggers so i know that you know what i'm talking about. XD
Men!
hahaha!
But i guess if im a guy, i'll also be laughing my ass off if i see someone looking like how i did.

Moving on, Part of my haul is the powder brush that i saw on Landmark that reminds me of a MAC brush. Hey, you gotta admit that there's a likeness,right?

The thing that got me sold is the handle plus the fact that it's soft. hehe

Seriously! I think its actually neat. Its black & it's matte. It's also long & a bit heavy. I prefer brushes that are a bit heavy as opposed to those that are so light that i fear that i will break them with my clumsy hands. This is how it looks like.


I don't even know if you can see the number on the handle, but it reads '150'. I know that it's not as black as a MAC brush, but i still like it. It's not dense but at least it's not flimsy. I'd actually choose this over my ELF Studio Complexion Brush. The bristles are very soft. When i washed it, it bleeds & sheds.

I like how i can apply finishing powders with this without making me look like i had that 'in your face' look. Since the bristles are not densely packed (unlike a kabuki brush) you can have a very light powder application no matter how much powder you put on it.

Plus it's soft enough to be used for those very light buffing/blending out face powders. hence, it's perfect for removing those excess powders sitting on your face.


The thing that i don't like is the smell though. When i bought it, it smells like how a cheap make-up brush smells like. I have to wash it 3x to remove the smell....though now, i can still smell a very faint odor from it, but then it's tolerable now.

I think its a nice brush. For me, that is, since i don't really go for heavy coverage (unless i am doing a make-up for my blog). It's soft enough & it doesn't poke my pores unlike some brushes...Im not a brush expert so i'm not even sure if im doing a good job in reviewing this. I know that this is not comparable to a MAC brush, but still! It looks like one & it does its purpose..enough said.

*edit*
Sorry that i forgot to include the price,ladies. I bought this in Trinoma Landmark at Php300 (approx $6.50)

Well, that's it for now.
Hope y'all have a great day,ladies!

Jaa ne~!
^_~

ps:
I've updated my blog sale. Just click the icon on the right side to take a look.

The Face Shop Quick & Clean Oil-free BB Cream Review

I've had this for months & it's time to give a review. If you haven't read my post about BB Creams, you can go over HERE to read my introduction about it.

The Face Shop's Quick & Clean Oil-free Blemish Balm...whew!what a mouthful!

This is the product description on the website:

Concept
It is a tinted-moisturizer-like balm that provides light coverage and skin-caring functions at the same time. It can replace foundation or can be worn under foundation for extra coverage.

Description
1.It provides a light and very natural coverage with Healthy Glow.
2. Contains blemish-fighting ingredients. (Soothing + Antibacterial)
3. Oil-free type.
4. Creates veil to make skin appear smoother.

This is how the back looks like:

Sorry if it looks blurry.

This is the 1st BB Cream that i had in full-sized & i just bought this through a blogsale. If you watched my slideshow, this is what i used as a face base.

It's in a tube packaging which is 35ml. It will last you a long time even if it's just 35 ml since you don't really need to use much of it.

I swatched it on my arm & also blended it out. The circled one is the area where i already blended it. As you can see, it's a bit dark when blended out. It has a grayish undertone that's why it seems like a cast. They did said that it will leave a veil-like,right?


Being a BB Cream, it's ok for you to not use a moisturizer underneath. It can act as your base instead of using a foundation.

For reference, my shade is NC20.
*edited*
I went to MAC just to know my shade, the SA tested it out & it did turn out that im NC20 (doesn't look like im NC20 here,huh?)...& funny thing is, a day after she tested a part of my jaw area, a zit popped out!grrrr!!!.. so im officially declaring that i'm allergic to MAC face powder...*sigh*

Sorry for the blemishes, but i think this is way better so that you can judge for yourself what is the coverage. How it covers blemishes & redness & stuff...

This is the before photo

• blemishes
• zits
• open pores
• uneven skin tone
  

This is the after photo


Yeah, the color is different from my neck. So make sure that when you put BB Cream, apply it on your neck too so to make sure that your facial tone jives with your neck. You don't want to look weird,do you?

This product actually provides light coverage. So for those looking for heavier one, you have to use a foundation/powder for an added coverage. What i like most about this is that it gives me a great finish!..same applies to all BB Creams i've tried.

It gives me that flawless-look but again, as what i said before BB Creams broke me out. But since i love the finish, i still used this even if i know the effect on me. It's like this is the cause of my acne, but im willing to overlook it because it gives me a flawless finish. The problems start once i remove it...hahaha! I forgot the term to use about this effect, but i know that there is a name for this kind of effect..care to help me in on this?

I used to use my hands in applying BB Cream because i feel like im wasting a lot of product when i use a brush, but the more i use my hands, the deeper i push it on my pores therefore resulting to zits. I began using a stippling brush & it gave me an even greater finish. Its just that i use more product than i used to with my hands.

I sure wish there's a way that i can make this work for me, but it seems that i can't. *sigh* The next day after the pic 2 zits popped out on my left cheek...oh my! im so tired of this unwanted stuff popping out. (-__-")

Anyway, here is a side by side comparison so that you can see for yourself.


So tell me if it did actually help cover my imperfections....you be the judge!
You can purchase this at The Face Shop for Php 525 i think (approx $13) .

Pros:

• cheap
• available locally
• scent is not overwhelming
• gives a great finish
• oil-free ->according to the product but i don't think so
• moisturizing
  

Cons:

• only has 1 shade
• doesn't have sun protection
• doesn't have any skin whitening properties
  

For something that claims to be oil-free, this one does have a lot of oil on it!

Sorry if the pic is blurry..but you are still able to see it,right? I put a dollop of it on an oil-film (for those who are wondering...yes, this is a Clean & Clear oil film..albeit a pink one!) & within minutes, the film began to absorb the oil from it. How can this be oil-free? No wonder it broke me out! grrrr!

Have you tried this?
What do you think about the pic? Did it actually cover my blemishes?
Let me know on the comment box.

Hope y'all have a great day,hunnies!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

BB Cream introduction

What is a BB Cream?

I asked that question over & over during the time that i started beauty blogging. I see it being reviewed every now & then & with people swearing that they got good results, i eventually became interested & decided to test it out for myself.


It stands for Blemish Balm Cream. BB Cream originated in Germany especially formulated for those who had undergone cosmetic surgery. Since Korea is known for its brilliant cosmetic surgeries, BB Cream came more popular there. It promises to soothe the skin while helping it recuperate from the surgery.

It's like a tinted moisturizer which provides better coverage. Aside from the coverage, you'll be getting a lot more like sun protection, pore-tightening, healing, whitening, moisturizing, anti-aging, & all of those good -ING ending words (every cream targets different areas,ok?).

Why, it sounds too good to be true?!
Yeah, it is...except for 1 major flaw...it only has LIMITED SHADES!

BB Creams are available in either just 1 or two shades from a specific brand. The reason for this is that BB Creams are formulated to adjust to your skin's tone. Though we have yet to wait for that to happen. Don't ask me about the scientific explanation of how it does, but it does. You apply it, wait for a couple of minutes before you go out (especially if the shade is way darker/lighter than your actual tone).

But it doesn't necessarily mean that it will magically adjust exactly to your tone, it will adjust just a shade or two, but not more than that. So if you are really pale or dark, you might have a hard time looking for the perfect shade for you. That's why hunting for the perfect BB Cream takes time, patience & money!

On the other hand, it doesn't also mean that it will work for everybody. In my case, i have tried using BB Creams & it just made my acne worse. Yup! it did...So imagine my disappointment. I thought that BB Cream is the answer to my prayers. I jumped from 1 BB Cream to another hoping to find the solution to my problems...but alas! my acne also jumped from worse to worst.

But don't be discouraged, i guess the BB Cream team decided to boycott me or something..LOL
I know a lot of people who swears by the power of BB Cream.

Have you tried BB Creams?
If so, what worked for you?

Hope you all have a great start for your week!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

weekend nails: swirly & funky

At last!
After weeks of not doing a nail art post, i'm able to make one. Sorry girls, lately, im digging the simple one-color look or the 'cracked nail-look' so i didn't do nail arts.

I decided to do a funky but easy-to-do nail look.


Im sure for those who got nail pens, will have an easy time doing it. For those who doesn't have pens, it's ok. Just use a brush with a very thin bristles to make the swirls, it might be hard but with patience im sure you can do it!

Things needed:

• base color of your choice
• nail art pens
• rhinestones
• base coat
• top coat
• glitter polish (optional)
  

This is an easy do. Let's start:

• Start by applying a base coat & the base color for your nails. You can opt for an opaque one if you want to.

• Pop the cap of the pen, then test it first prior to application to make sure that nothing is blocking the opening of your pen. You can test it on a paper towel.
  

• Once you already got the grip, start making swirls on your nails. Apply it randomly.

• The more random it is, the more fun it will look. I even made some half-swirls at the sides.

• Red all done, now it's time for the different colors. I only have 3 nail pens....

• with white swirls added
  

• with black swirls added

• Since i still have some space left, i just filled it with random swirls.

• You can stop if you want to. It already look pretty as it is. But since i have some rhinestones that i don't use, so i decided to put some. If you don't have rhinestones, you can just make some random dots on it.
  

There ya go!
Don't forget to top it with a clear/glitter polish & a top coat to make your art last longer. Tell me if you did a version of this nail so that we can see the contrast of colors.

Hope y'all have a great weekend!

Jaa ne~!
^_~

Major haul - my 1st time at MAC

Today, i went to MAC because i have to do some field research for my future posts.

I can't seem to finish my drafts because of it. I don't normally go to MAC, but since i love my readers, i don't mind doing the extra mile (literally because it's very far from where i live!). So basically, i went there to know my exact MAC shade so that when i start doing face products you would have an exact reference.


Anyways, I went to Marks & Spencer first because they are on sale & boy im glad i did! I bought jeans & under garments! How awesome! I won't show it of course, but i just want to share the happy news. By February, they will be releasing new items that's why they are trying to make room. You have to check it out. The items are cheap! I got the jeans that i bought for 70% off! Outrageous!

Next stop is MAC Outlet (at Shangri la Rustans), the SA is so nice. She accommodated me as much as she can, too bad i forgot to ask her name. So very unlike the SAs at one MAC Outlet somewhere in the city.

I was in a hurry so I wasn't able to question her that much, but i think they have the Warm & Cozy collection. Tsk! I forgot to include the Warm me up lipstick...to think that it's a limited edition. I have to go back for that. Siss is a permanent one, so im not in a hurry for that. I so love nude lipsticks! I think im beginning to understand why beauty mavens prefer MAC.

Though i will not be trying their face powders since i heard that some girls broke out because of it & i won't risk my acne-prone skin with it. I'm happy with the others...

I bought Blankety & Brave lipsticks...Sooo pretty~! I think i found the perfect nude lipstick for me! swatches will follow soon. ^_~


Another reason why i decided to go is that i've received a text message from the SA at Elena nail polish about the polish that i've wanted. So i went there to buy some..& i saw that powder brush..will tell you about the brush afterward. I bought it because it looks like MAC 150!..just my impression,of course, since im not that familiar with the brushes.


I bought wooden combs since i read before that it's better because it won't cause any static electricity therefore avoiding split ends, hair loss & fragile/broken hair.

I haven't had a good silver polish so i also bought some & the Blistex lip tone. Im so in love with the scent of this. I can't pinpoint exactly..but its like a creme brulee. I just love it so much! It's also like a nude lipstick. Oh...& it tastes good too! I can lick my lips to death with this balm on!

I did not go into details because i wanted to do that on the next post. Post after this would be my weekend nails series. I've neglected my nails & it's time to glam it up!

Until my next post...have a great day,lovelies!

Jaa ne~!
^_~

palette & a blending brush....

As you might have noticed, i changed my layout already. I used the old layout on my contest blog. What do you think about it? I'm hoping that it won't act up again. If you experienced anything weird at all about my page, feel free to tell me,k?

I was about to start my class yesterday when mum called me out to sign the form for my packages. I immediately went out to receive it & boy was i glad! I have 2...yay!


Let's see what i got...

Whoopee!

My very own Neutral Palette & the Bedazz Blending brush.

I said countless of times that i want the 217, i have decided to actually buy the 217 this saturday but when i saw this at Carla's multiply & it's very cheap i freaked out! I have to have that brush, i said to myself.

I texted her right away without even filling up the form.hahaha! Now i got my hands on this pretty nifty brush. Let's see if my 217 lemming will go away with this brush.


She wrapped it nicely. Thanks for making sure that you keep my baby safe from the transport,hun! I appreciate it.


This is how it looked like. It is made from goat hair & it is soft! I'll let you know about it as soon as i have washed it & tested out,ok?

Hope y'all have a great day!

Jaa ne~!
^_^