Weekend Nails:sunny-flower!

Yep!
Another sunflower nail art!

Sunflower is my 2nd favorite flower, with tulip being the first. I can feel the heat of the summer here in the Philippines & i always relate summer to sunflower so to jump-start my summer nail tutorials, i decided to go with this design first. I already had a sunflower nails but it's not as bright & fun as i want it to be.

This would be perfect if you are longing for summer (especially for those in places where it's still cold, like New York) & would want to bring the sun right at your fingertips... or nail tips on this matter...LOL!
^_~

I think it's better if you go for an off-white/light neutral polish instead of a white polish so that the flower would  stand-out. Yep, it's better if you do it on a different background especially because the flower petals are white & yellow.

I used acrylic in this nail design... white, yellow, green & black also a detailing brush as well. So let's start with the tutorial..

1. Paint random circles on your nails, this will act as the middle of the flower. I used yellow as an underbase so that it won't have a strong green, plus the combination of yellow & green is pretty nice as well.

2. Then using white acrylic, i made flower petals surrounding the circles. You don't need to worry if it's not neat or if you accidentally drew over the yellow circles. These are just under bases to make your colors stand out the more.

3. Then, using the yellow acrylics, draw random yellow streaks inside the white petals. you don't need to cover the whole petals, just the inside of it. I said streak because you just need a small yellow color to give life to the petals.

4. Then apply green acrylic on the middle of the flower. Even if you use a pthalocyanine green it won't be very dark because the yellow color would contrast it. You don't need to cover the whole yellow. actually uou can leave some yellow parts as well for added color combination.

5. For the finishing touch to give definition to our sunflower you just need to add dots of black on the surrounding of the middle. Drawing a line would make it look somehow too...uhhh..."drawn"...i can't describe it. But just trust me on this... dots is better in this case..hehe

Then wait for it to dry before you apply your top coat!

You're ready to greet your summer!
^_^

Sorry if i wasn't able to do nail art posts for quite sometime.
Actually i had already cut my nails short because i broke my ring fingernail. I know i could just repair it using nail glue & tea bag but since i have bad nail stains i figure that it would be better to just let it grow naturally at the same time it would give my nails enough time to get back to its natural state.

Anyway, hope you like this one. it's not as hard as it looks.
Do tell me if you were able to make the same design.

Have a great evening/day!
Jaa me~!
^_~

Mascara Review: Etude House Oh~ m'Eye Lash Double Up Longlash

I love fiber mascaras!

I think everyone who have short lashes should use fiber mascaras because it makes a heck of a difference! My first fiber mascara was NYX Doll Eye Mascara (pardon the unsightly pictures, that was one of the posts that i made on my early blogging years & the quality is not that good) & my fascination with fiber mascaras had grew. My favorite FM (fiber mascara) is Fiberwig, but since it's not available here in my country the search for an alternative had me checking every cosmetic line out there if there is a good substitute.

Luckily, Etude House has one.

It's called the Oh~ m'Eye lash Double Up Longlash. The bottle reminded me of the NYX Doll Eye Mascara, just the bottle.

I love the wand!

note:
my nail design is a full water decal.

It is quite thin which makes it easy to work with on your lower lashes compare to traditional bristle wands.

See the fibers?

Actually when i opened it i noticed that the formulation is quite dry....quite disappointed...

I thought this was a complete waste because i  prefer my mascara to be watery which would make coating each individual lashes easier. But it proved me wrong when i applied it. Even though the formulation is drier than what i'm used to, it was still able to coat my lashes & extending it with the fibers! Another thing is that since the formula is dry, it would avoid clumping of lashes!

Goes to show that you can't judge a mascara based on how it looks like! XD

Look at this picture to see how it made my lashes look fuller & longer!

If you notice the first pic, it is just curled. Sorry if the lighting was a bit off, i was indoors when i took the 1st pic.

Curling your lashes would open up your eyes, as we all know, but since this is a fiber mascara, it would weigh the curl down, which i think is just natural. It managed to maintain my curls, albeit only half though..hahaha! .... not bad for a fiber mascara! i always use a clear mascara or a lash primer to prep up my lashes/maintain my curls whenever i use FM, but i guess since the formulation is already pretty dry so it's highly likely to add any unnecessary weigh.

tip:
You can give your curl a boost by using a heated lash curler after mascara application (especially fiber mascaras). As what i said before, combing your lashes upwards will make your eyes look rounder, combing it outwards will give you that cat-eye look.

I'm not sure if this is waterproof. I think it's not because i was able to easily remove it just by washing with soap & water (when used alone). The only thing about this is that i have experienced very minimal flaking... not too obvious though.
Hey, even Fiberwig flakes on me! no big deal!

This is how it looked like compare to my other eye without any mascara. See how mascaras make a big difference in the eyes! sorry for the unkempt brow though..tee hee!

As for the price, this is really pretty cheap! I bought mine for only Php198 (approx $4), i think... dirt cheap if i may say so!

I have found a cheaper alternative to Fiberwig! yay!

PROS:

• gives you that falsies-look in just a couple of swipes
• wand is great!
• no clumping
• dirt cheap
• locally available
• can be easily removed with water & soap

CONS:

• might not be able in other countries
• i think this is not waterproof
• minimal flaking

Will i buy it?

Why, Y-E-S!

It makes m'Eye Lashes look really long & full so this is already a must-have item for me.... plus it's pretty cheap! Yay for that!

I found my 2nd Etude House favorite product!

I mean i think most of you know that i buy at Etude not really because im a fan of their products but the store is really cute... hahaha! But now, i have 2 items that i can't live without! This mascara & the proof 10 primer!

Way to go, Etude House!

I hope i'll be able to find more products that would make it on my "favorites" list. I would like to try their Jelly Top Coat next!

Have you tried any fiber mascaras?

Hope you all will have a great day!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

my new MLBB lipstick: Avon's Simply Pretty

I have been looking for a good nude lipstick ever since. I have tried a lot but it just doesn't work with my lips. My first nude lipstick is MAC Blankety. It gives me that perfect nude lips without the cadaver-look.

But the search for a "my lips but better" is not yet over. I still want that nude lips but with a touch of color. Blankety, while it is the perfect nude, it is really NUDE. What i want is a subtle hint of color without overly shouting that i have lipstick on.

I have tried a couple of nude lipsticks but it just doesn't seem to work on me...
*sad*

Boy, was i glad when Sis Thriszha gave me Avon's Simply Pretty Love in Bloom lipstick because it is exactly what i am looking for!

It looks cute with that heart-shaped tip though i still prefer my lipsticks to have that normal pointy tip for easier application. I find that i can get away with using it without a lip liner just by having a very evened-out pointy-tip. The shade that i love is the Pink Rose. I don't even know how to describe the color for i'm not good in describing color details but this is how it looks like.

.. uhhh... mauve pink?!
shiranai! i don't know...

Anyway, i love how it looks on my lips. Here are the pics of my bare lips & also the one with it on..

Doesn't it look nice?
It is able to even out my natural lip color, which is pretty pigmented!

Staying power is pretty decent. I was really surprise when it lasted on me for hours! No heavy eating or drinking of course. I don't need to reapply every now & then.

Just make sure that you use a lip balm underneath to prep your lips prior to application. This is not matte so it won't really dry your lips out but it still helps to put a balm underneath. If im going to compare it to a mac finish it would be like Satin finish.

What's great about this one is that it is really cheap! I bought a back up for this & it's only for Php 130 (approx. $3), though it only has 3.5g, but it's no big deal for you can just buy it again & again at your avon dealer. You can just wait for a certain sale period, because i know that Avon usually give discounts every now & then. If i am able to catch it at a discount price i'll gladly buy 5 more of this! LOL!

So, let's make a summary:
PROS:

• pigmented
• staying power is ok
• cheap
• locally available
• doesn't make my lips chap like crazy unlike other lipsticks.

CONS:

• none that i could think of

Will i buy it again?!
Definitely! It's already a must on my make-up case!
^_^

Have you tried any Avon lipsticks?
What's your favorite?

Hope that you all will have a good day!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

Weekend Haul: Etude House again + Ever Bilena Matte Lipstick

I decided to start blogging exactly a week after my last post because when i checked how many posts i have just made for the first quarter of this year it made me realize how lazy i have been blogging. I'm sorry if i'm not able to update my blog regularly as i plan to.

I just have a lot on my plate lately. I think i really should buy a netbook if only to help me blog more often. Though i still prefer to use desktops when doing heavy computer work but netbooks would be a lot more convenient,ne? Well, i'll just have to wait & see...

I went to Sm manila last weekend because i just need to buy a gift for Walter because we are about to celebrate our 8th anniversary this March 23. Neither did i know that they are having their 3 day sale. I didn't know if i felt relief or annoyance because knowing that it's a sale period so the temptation to buy things is very overwhelming. I decided that i will not be buying any "unnecessary things" for the time being.

I gave myself a maximum of 30 minutes only inside the mall because if i not i might add more things on my shoping cart than i what i had intended to buy. Luckily, i was able to stick to my 30 minute limit but i wasn't really successful. hehe....

But hey! 30 minutes is really a record-breaking time limit for me inside the mall because we, ladies, could spend the whole day browsing the mall,ne? This time no nail polishes..hehe!

Anyway, i only visited Etude House because just to buy an eyebrow pencil. I remember seeing the brow pencil & it looks kinda nice. So i went there with just the intention of buying the pencil... but when i saw the Miss Tangerine collection i got curious. I'm not a fan of orange/tangerine color but it just looks cute. I was thinking of not buying anything from the collection but when i saw the lipbalm, i decided to buy it.

The SA said that it's a color changing lip tint. I haven't tried any color-changing lip tint yet & there's always a first time! Then i asked if they have any water-proof eyeliner pencil & he recommended the Proof 10 auto pencil. I like the Proof 10 primer so maybe the proof 10 liner would also be good. Then i asked if they do have the cleansing oil, they said they only have the one from the ----- line.

I asked what was the Baking Powder mineral water is for. He said that it's just for cleansing.. At first i thought of not buying it since i still have the Cleansing Water but he said that he even uses it & he love it! With that strong recommendation then who am i to ignore?! Anyway, i have tried the Baking Powder facial wash & it smells nice so i added it on my basket...& of course, the brow pencil..hehe

They are so nice to give me a free Moistfull mask with my purchase.
^_^

I was about to go out of the mall when i passed by Ever Bilena when i saw that they still have the Matte lipstick so i bought 2 matte lipstick from EB. I have to say that the red lipstick is to die for! I love red lippies so i'm glad that they still have the Love That Red shade!

30 minutes...that's all it took me to go shopping last Saturday but i already felt tired. I guess i'm really getting old already.. hahaha!

I already have a lot of product reviews that are left on my drafts to be finished. I'll get to them one by one, hunnies. Next in line is my new MLBB lipstick!

Hope you all had a good start for your week,sweeties!
^_^

ps:
is facebook down?
i can't seem to check it no matter what browser i use. the page can't be fully displayed & i can't even read the messages that i have.....argh! annoying!

Del Sol Color Changing Nail Polish Review

note:
please read the excess note below for i will be on a blog hiatus for a while.

I was so excited to get these babies for they are something that i'm sure is not available here in the Philippines. As a nail polish lover, to own something as fun as this is something that made my heart go crazy just thinking about it.

The thing about these polishes is that they change the color when they are in the sun! Take a look at the pic at the top. See how the shade is different with the one below, especially the first one?! Cute,eh?

The shades that i got are Ruby Slippers, Island Fever & Heartbreaker.

I'm not really a fan of glitter polishes for starters but i'm beginning to love them! I love how fast this polish changes color when it's hit with the UV rays. Take a look at the picture...

This is only taken in just manner of seconds. The more you stay in the sun the better the color change is!
Sugoi!
^_^

Now, these are the shades that i have. If you take a look at the right side you'll see that i have put the word "outdoor" whereas the left would be "indoor". I took this pic when i was out in the sun & i just turned the bottle exactly before i press the shutter so you'll get to see how's the color in just 1 bottle.

Again, Ruby Slipper has the most dramatic color change. From a silvery glitter polish to a dark ruby red (if you're on the sun for long, but not in this picture for the ray is not as intense).

It's fun to see the change happening right before your eyes! I'm so looking forward to using this when summer is at it's full swing especially since it would be way hotter! This is perfect for the beach!!!!

Island Fever is not as dramatic Ruby Slipper but it's still fun to use. The change will only be really obvious if the sun is very intense. This is the only reason why it took me this long to do a post about these polishes because i can't quite get the look.

This is something that i'm not really fond of because it's sheer, i used 3 coats for this (i mostly only use 2 coats in every polish application).. it would be better to be used underneath an opaque color or for layering. Anyway, im not a fan of green to start with... plus the fact that i have a bad nail stains so it's so hard for me to work with sheer green polishes. I was finally able to take a better pic... just excuse the messy application, ok?

I love how Heartbreaker looks on my nails. It makes my hands look pale which makes the color stand out all the more!

Not much color changing happening right there but since i love red nail polishes so this easily made it into my favorite red polish!

I thought that it would turn to purple but it didn't...
awwww... but i still like it!

I have no top coat issues. The top coat won't affect the polishes... anyway these polishes changes when exposed to UV rays & i dont think there's a top coat that has a UV protection..is there?

A good thing about this is that it's free from the big 3 toxic chemicals in nail polishes plus the fact that they did not do any animal testing so it's definitely a keeper for me!

Another plus point about this is that it dries fast! I love polishes that dries fast because i don't have the patience to wait it out. I find it a pain in the neck not being able to move because you're scared that it would ruin your nails. I might be lazy but i like being productive...LOL!

I have not experienced any major chipping for 2 days that i have this on without any top coat.. just very minimal chipping at the edge, but nothing that's too obvious. Only a maximum of 2 days though because i got so impatient to wait it out so i removed it to wear another polish..hehe.. But those 2 days are still good because i cooked, typed, scratched Charlie (our dog) a thousand times, etc & it withstood my everyday wear & tear.

I am planning to get more shades if i can but for now what i want to add to my collection would be the mood changing polish!

Let's summarize it....
PROS:

• it's very fun to use! perfect for summer!
• dries fast
• DBP, Toulene, Formaldehyde free
• no animal testing
• was able to withstand minor wear & tear, no major chipping for 2 days \
• bottle is big so it could go a long way!

CONS:

• color change will only be seen when you are exposed to UV rays so only during daytime
• not locally available

There ya go.
This might be wishful thinking in wanting this to be locally available but i sure hope that it would be...hehe

I got mine from Sis Annie!

Have you tried any color changing polish?
If you can, try it! You won't regret it! The fun factor is really heaven-high!
LOL

Have a great week!
^_^

Jaa ne~

ps:
I feel guilty posting this one while the Japan disaster is still fresh but i decided to get this out of the way since i have promised a couple of my readers that i had this originally planned posting last weekend. I won't be blogging for a week just as a way to somehow share the grief of Japanese people.

Feel free to drop me an email or messages if you want to, i'll still reply. I just don't feel like sharing "kikay"/girly things while a good number of people are still suffering. You can go over my last post if you want to.

Until then,hunnies.
May God help us all!

Let's help~

I was devastated upon hearing that a tsunami just engulfed the northern most part of Japan. Once a place that's prosperous, now it's filled with grief from all the lives that was taken away from a single sweep of water.

credits to photostark.com

 I just can't imagine the loss of the victims. If i put myself in their shoes, thinking of how everything...my dreams, properties, happy memories that i had with our houses, things that have sentimental values for me, etc.. being swept away in just a single flash just reduce me to a teary-state how much more for these people.

My heart goes out to Japan. Japan is one country that is really very dear to me, same with South Korea. If you can donate, please do so for im sure a small amount can go a long way! You can click HERE to get to know how.

If you can't provide any financial help, uttering a simple prayer would also help. I'm sure that this is something that we all can do. I hope that as you read this post, you utter a simple prayer to all the people who died, is still missing, experiencing grief, etc. that they may be able to find peace/recover from this. 

As what we always say, God only gives us something that we can overcome. I'm sure that this is something that will leave a big mark in Japan's history. Let's try to help as much as we can.

Weekend haul:going ga-ga over nail polish & mac dazzleglass~

I went to SM North Edsa because my mum asked me to buy her a printer... aside from that, i also heard from my nail art group that Elianto's polishes are on sale. Being a true blue girl at heart, i have a weakness for the word "sale" so i happily asked Walter to accompany me even though he already had a very tiring Saturday. hehehe

Walter delivered his usual line every time i try to buy nail polish... he said in tagalog, "diba meron ka ng ganyang kulay?" (you already have that color,right?) & i would automatically reply "wala pa, light/dark kasi yung sakin e" (none yet, mine is light/dark) hehehe. I especially love looking at the array of nail polishes in the store for it's so colorful!

Anyway, the Elianto Spakling Diva nail polish collection which was regularly priced at Php 199 is on sale for only Php 69 at SM department store area, while it's Php 59 only at the free standing store in SM Annex. When you buy 5 pcs at the department store you will get 1 polish for only Php 1, so basically, it's just the same price.

The other day i was in Homesavers & the Ottie nail polishes have caught my attention so i bought 2, a base coat & the Diana nail polish as well. They are all korean nail polishes.

from left to right: elianto-glittery nickel, shining ebony, burnt amber. base coat, olive, bronzy

diana-1133

ottie-metal silver, tender apricot, pure base (base coat)

My nail polish collection is steadily growing! It makes me so happy just looking at them~

Since i was in the mall, i did not pass up the opportunity to  drop by Etude House to check if they have the Proof 10 primer & they do~! They only have 4 & i grabbed 2 already... har har har~!

I don't have any plan in buying mascara but when i saw that the Oh m'Eye Lash Double up Longlash is a fiber mascara so i added it on my basket. I hurriedly paid for my purchases because i feel like if i am going to linger in the store longer my wallet would be in danger. I saw that they have a cherry blossom cleansing oil (reminds me of Shu Uemura~!), water based sunblock & also the jelly top coat. Good thing that the claw of temptation wasn't able to fully grasp me.!

*wipes forehead*
(-__-")
Yokatta ne!
My wallet was able to come out in one piece! LOL

Last but definitely not the least would be my new babies~! I never did like glosses but i am glad that i was able to try Dazzleglass for it is L-O-V-E! I have been using them ever since i get them. They are perfect in creating that pout-y lips!

I can't stop looking at them for seeing those tiny glitters makes my heart go tokidoki~!
I'm sorry i wasn't able to get a better picture of it's awesomeness but it is to die for! By the way, this is my nail art for this weekend, credits to tartofraises for the idea.

Now i understand why a lot of girls go crazy for Dazzleglass! Will do a review sometime.

I hate it when the weather is crazy. It was so humid early in the afternoon so it rained later on in the afternoon & i felt all sticky & sweaty because of the humidity. But i am really happy with my nail polishes. yipee!!!!

I have to get back & get some more~! Anyway, i will really have to go back to the mall because i wasn't able to buy my mum a printer. hehehehe

Weekend is almost over...back to work again....

Hope that you'll have a happy start for your week,honeys!
Jaa ne~!
^_^

ps:
My giveaway is about to end.
For those who want to join my contest just click HERE for more information.

Etude House Sun Guard Cooling Body Review

First of all, im sorry if im not able to update my blog every now & then. I also wasn't able to comment that much for i have a lot on my plate for the past couple of weeks... I hope that i'll be able to update my blog regularly. The pictures that i have been saving for my posts have been piling up & is taking up a big save in my HD.

When i dropped by Etude House & i saw the word "cooling" i was sold! As what i said i before i like cooling products plus the fact that this is a sunblock so i automatically added it in my shopping basket. I actually like it! It's like a cool body mist so reapplying is actually a welcome relief when i'm out in the sun!

I know that it's a must to use sunblock. It's just that i sweat a lot & aside from the fact that reapplying it every now & then is a pain in the neck for sweating washes the sunblock off of the skin, it feels like my skin is being suffocated every time i slab lotions on it. So i just go out without sunblock at all...*sigh*

But then now i make sure that i apply sunscreen as much as possible so looking for a sunscreen is a really hard thing for me to do. I'm actually quite happy that i came across with this video which shows how to actually choose the correct sunscreen. I recommend that you watch it too.




Going back to the product, this is the description at the back...

It is in an aerosol can which is better compare to the conventional lotion which could be pretty annoying. This is a mess-free sunblock that you can just spray especially if you are on the go. Being in an aerosol, there's no danger of the product spilling when you are travelling so it is very convenient. The cap also seals tight so i would highly recommend it when you are looking for a mess-free type of sunblock.

It got SPF 30 which i think is already pretty high. I know that there are a lot of sunblocks out there in the market that got higher SPFs though. I suggest you watch this video first before commenting about those high SPF products.

I'm not saying that buying sunblocks with a high SPF is a rip-off but in my case, my standard sunblock (whenever i buy one to go swimming) is at least 25. So i consider SPF 30 already pretty high. In this case, i am quite satisfied with it already. My 'swimming sunblock' is the Blue Sun Guard SPF 50, which is also from Etude House, so SPF 30 is ok for me for everyday use.

I use a different sunblock for my face so this one is just for my body. This is a staple for me so i make sure that i have it with me every time i go out.

This has a feel-good factor because it's cool when you applied it to your skin. Not cool type that lingers on the skin, mind you, but it's better compare to ordinary sunblocks. It's a sunblock mist!

While i may be singing it's praises it doesn't mean it does not have any downside because it have a couple:
First is that since this is in aerosol, you might not be able to get to use ALL of the product since every time you press the top, there would be excess product that would be wasted.
Second, every time i use this i find the scent overwhelming if apply this in a closed room. The scent lingers for a while but not on the skin.... it disappears after a while. It's just that the "excess product" on the air which makes me nauseous every time i smell it. So if you going to use this, better make sure you are in an open area.

Aside from those two, i don't have any complains at all. In fact, those two things that i enumerated doesn't bother me for this is the only sunblock that i reach out every now & then even though i have a whole arsenal of unused sunblock sitting on my dresser.

As for the price, it's Php 498 so i'll leave the price to you.

Let's do a summary...
PROS:

• SPF30 PA+++
• convenient mess-free packaging
• cap is tight so there's no worry of loosing it
• it's cool when applied to the skin
• locally available

CONS:

• you will not be able to maximize product usage
• bottle is bulky
• should be used only in open area

Will i buy it again?

Yes. 

For now this is a staple product for me i will be buying it again. As what the video said, you have to choose a sunblock that makes you feel good whenever you apply it & this one does! The cooling sensation it provides is a definite feel-good factor so i re-apply whenever i can.

Have you tried this?
Give it a try.
What is your favorite sunblock?

Hope you all have a good day,ladies!
Jaa ne~!
^_~