Vintage Vixens & Vamps II

After so much fun in May we couldn't resist the beautiful historical backdrop of the Fremantle Town Hall for Vintage Vixens and Vamps II...so its on again!

Fremantle Town Hall

Sunday October 17th

12 noon - 5pm

$3 shopper fee

Join us for a fun afternoon celebrating with Perth's quality retro and vintage fashion at affordable prices!

Vintage Fashion Stalls

Gorgeous Cupcakes and Barista

Mini Events

Entertainment plus!

If you'd like to get involved in this fun event on the day as a VOLUNTEER (model or event assistant) conact Maureen at maureenmcdaniell2@hotmail.com or call 0408 941 481

If you're interested in becoming a STALLHOLDER request details by emailing Dee or Fern at vintagevixengirls@gmail.com or calling Fern on 0415 375 820 or Dee 0408 03 7896

Product Review: NYX Make Up Box

Last Friday, I was depressed when I lost some of my make up toys along with my other stuff. I have scribbled those that I have lost in my other blog. Anyway, on a positive note, I may have lost some of my favorite items but God was so good - He blessed me with another toy! Thank you, too, CareFreeShopper!

On NYX's website, you can find the following description of this make up box:

" All-in-one convenience case for easy and beautiful make-up application whether at home or jet-setting accrosss the world! 16 eyeshadows, 3 blushers, 4 lip colors. Comes with applicators and mirrors."

*All-in-one convenience case

The case got the basics but of course this is not a true-blue all in one kit (you still need your foundation, mascaram eyeliners, etc, right?). The compact feature makes it a very convenient kit and thus it is so portable for the people on the go!

*16 eyeshadows

The eyeshadow collection is the flagship for me. Sixteen different shades and colors just make the eyeshadow application more exciting. Upon opening the kit, you can easily choose what to mix and match and the combination pattern is less hassle. The shadows are also a good combination of light, dark, shimmery, and dull colors. All of them are wearable, too!

The pigmentation is also commendable and it just put a right amount in your eyes when you sweep them naturally. They also easily blend with each other making your mix and match workable.

*3 blushers

The blushers are wearable also. The set is a healthy mix of shade a barely there, bronze, and hot pink. I use the barely there to tone down my heavy eyeshadow and hot pink if I have a simple overall look. I'm thinking of using the bronze if I decide to get a smokey look Would it match? Hmmm, that I do not know.

swatches of the blushers

*4 lip colors

One thing I noticed about the lip colors is that they have a more decent staying power compared to the NYX RLs. This alone is a winner for me! I tried doing swatches of them but they all look the same. So I guess the the photo below could give more justice to the lippies. It's an equal combination of a safe and wild shade. :)

*Applicators

The applicators are the downside for me as they are very mediocre. I do not use the blusher brush as it is too small and flat. I still use my Ellana brush in applying the blush. The eyeshadow applicator is a normal one. It does serve its purpose but there is really nothing outstanding about it. The lip color applicator is actually a question for me since the design of which is that it is pointer and stiff. This led me to ask if the lip colors above are for lip liner alone or serve as a real lipstick?! Anyhow, I seldom use it and would rather use my fingers when applying the lip colors.

Overall Comments:

The kit is a wise buy for only 850 php! It is best to use if you don't have a particular look in mind and later on play with the combination. It is great for everyday use considering the low key price. After all, that is what NYX is all about!

Product Review: Nichido Eye Pencil

It was during my last formal make up activity when I realized that there are still good products amidst the downgrade image local brands such as Nichido, Ever Bilena, and Careline. It was also when I read Lauren's blog that my trust on these make up line were strengthened.

During my last visit to Robinsons, I dropped by their department store and look at those modest shelves carrying the lines mentioned above. My eyes were caught by the sleek pencils beaming on the side of the shelf and I remembered Lauren telling her readers how great the pigmentation of this eye toy. The pencils themselves are already interesting to look at, and so I did not hesitate to haul five different shades. Each is priced at 80 php so it was not a big risk if it will turn out that this purchase is a fiasco.

Lauren was right, they are very pigmented (for darker shades) considering that they are really cheap. The dark colors are really dark, and the light ones are really light.

 

nice gal, smoke green, deep plum, metal blue, pink diamond

The two ends of the pencil come in the eyeliner form and the other is for smudge purpose if you intend to use the pencil as an eyeshadow and not as an eyeliner. Generally, it is a bit sharp and pointed so you have to be careful when you glide them on your eyelids. The best way is to apply it in a slant position if you intend to use it as an eyeshadow. In this way, you have a wider application and it is easier to smudge. The smudging part is also a pain for the eyes so do it gently and smoothly.

After several glide on the eyes (even in one make up session), the pencils though become dull and you should sharpen it so as to get a better surface for further application.

Why I like it:

• Readily available in department stores
• Cheap!
• For darker shades, it has a strong pigmentation
• Flexible (eyeliner, eyeshadow, eye accent)
• Wide variety of colors

Why I do not like it:

• It gets easily dull, you need to have a readily available sharpener
• The lighter shades (nice gal and pink diamond) has an unreasonable type of lightness
• The smudge foam could have been more friendly to the eyes
• Staying power is not reliable

Will I buy it again?

It's nice to have these pencils on your treasure chest but for me they are best worn as eyeliner and as an added accent to the eyeshadow but not as the primary eyeshadow. If you are in the mood to play along with eyeliners aside from doning your neutral ones, then these pencils are for you. But if you think of having them as your eyeshadows, I guess it is not a wise investment.   

A Superb Online Shopping Experience With The CareFreeShopper

If you have been following my blog, you'd see a lot of entries mentioning a multiply seller in the name of www.carefreeshopper.multiply.com. There are two major reasons why this site always made it on my articles: the store is selling well researched stuff at a very competitive price and the fierce lady behind the store is a dear friend. I used to have a hand on my stuff either through a friend who's coming here to Manila or personally getting them from Armie when I have the chance to go home to Bacolod.

It was last Wednesday when I caught the newly posted items CareFreeShopper has that brought me to another online shopping experience. I was simultaneously talking to another dear friend, Erma, and told her about the new stuff and that I know she's been yearning for that smokey eye kit from NYX. She got three items and I got my NYX make up box!

Saturday morning came in and I already have the package via Air 21. I was ecstatic knowing that I have a new toy after I lost some of my makeups last Friday. Oh well, I'll weave another entry for that "loss" when I am ready to finally let go of those (I am still in denial stage!).

I am not really a fan of online shopping because I'd rather get my stuff personally at the malls and see them tucked into paper bags. That way, I know they are very well protected. With online shopping, all you'll actually get are stuff stuff effortlessly thrown inside the courier's lousy plastic bag. BUT, with CareFreeShopper, my perception changed dramatically! Won't you do another purchase if you receive this very neat package?

 While other sellers would prefer not to spend on those boxes, Armie sheds of some pesos to get a decent box and place your stuff safely on it. Isn't that sweet?

Bubble wraps! Oh, another expense that Armie does not really care about as long as it is giving her clients the best possible service! I love how it gives extra protection on my dear make ups!

Business card! A proof that CareFreeShopper is really serious with business!

...and I got on my hands on my untainted make up box! I just love it!!!

I really admire those people who thinks beyond the usual to give their craft an edge. I love business-minded people and how they strive to make a mark on their niche. Armie and CareFreeShopper are classic examples. 

There are tons of online sellers, but who gets the best service? I FEARLESSLY VOTE FOR CAREFREESHOPPER!

Product Review: Olay Ultra Moisture Bar

The back of the packaging tells me about this soap. It says:

"Regular soap can leave your skin dry. The Olay Ultra Moisture bar is specifically formulated creamy, Olay lather, and Shea Butter. It does beyond cleansing, delivering Olay deep moisturizers to the skin while helping to wash away dry surface cells. So after you dry off, all that's left is skin that feels clean and petal soft. It's even gentle enough to use on your face."

Having read that, I tagged this soap as a promising one. Why? For one, I love soap that is creamy. The Shea Butter in it was a plus points! I am also a lazy freak when it comes to putting on lotion or moisturizer everyday.  I also don't need to swipe any card to have it paid as it is very affordable at less than a hundred bucks. And, uhm, I love the gold-ish design of the package. I must admit, I am easily convinced by good packaging AS LONG AS the price is not sky-rocketing.

The moment I had the bar glide on my skin, I instantly felt the moisture it has for me. I normally can't go on with soaps and shower gels without a scrub but this morning was an exception. I know that the scrub can give you a richer lather but I was amazed as to how creamy it was on my skin without the scrub. I just love how it "interacts" with my skin, and not just merely sitting on it. The smell was decent too.

After shower, I did not bother applying lotion because as I have confessed, I am too lazy to put them on. But as I am writing this, its has been more than four hours since I took a bath but my skin still feels so soft and moisturized. I tried scratching my arms with my growing nails but I did not see any mark of it. I love it!

So if you ask me, would I continue using this? Hell, yeah! :)

 

The Art Of Make-Up

I once believed that low-end make up brands do not give justice to your face. I would see common people who seemed to be a participant in a merry-go-round when they wear their make ups. I thought the very reason was that they are using supermarket make-ups. But the wedding I attended two weeks ago proved me wrong.

I was a secondary sponsor on Perry and Gemma's wedding in Pangasinan. With that, I really need to fix myself since I have a role to play during the ceremony as well as during the reception. My friends - Nels and Erms and I were actually hesitant to entrust ourselves to the make up artist. Pangasinan. Gays. They might be just one of the many badings who would love to pour on all the palette's content on you. Yet, our social etiquette told us otherwise. It would be rude that we will alienate ourselves among the other sponsors just because we are not confident as to how they will do justice to our over all look. And so we took the risk of giving them the tag as our MUA.

A little something is still  holding me back still when I saw their make-up brands and started putting them on my face. I was really at the verge of telling them to use what I have because more or less I was already confident as to the result of those on my face. But then again, I trusted them wholeheartedly. One thing that requested - make it a nude make-up.

And so after like one hour.... the results were really, really amazing!

Look at how my eyes were turned into smaller ones and less the bulge!

Make-up: random supermarket brands like Ever Bilena, Careline, and Nichido

Hair was done in such a way that it will give less emphasis on my face!

Gown was from Cinderella at 80% off:  Php 750.00

Clutch was from Liberte, Robinsons Department Store: Php 200 something

Stilettos was from Gibi on sale: Php 700

The motif was bright red and bright yellow so what I did was to have a minimal yellow accent

Nail polish was in Mango Tango shade

Watch is from Trinoma tiangge at Php 100

"Brooch" was actually the so-called flowerettes which are used for designs on hairs or cakes. :D

The gays behind our stunning looks!

I saw the importance of the skills of applying make-ups. Yes, branded make-ups are more pigmented, has stronger lasting power, has nicer shades, etc, but then the key to a best make up look is to know how to apply them whether they are branded or not.

Thank you Adrian and Co!

RawHemline Update

Been so busy sewing, I haven't been out and kicked my bare feet about for a while- apart from going to the gym!

I have so many new ideas buzzing about in my head, but not the time to create them, so they remain on paper !!!
If I'm not following your blog it's because I'm still trying to figure out how to click on the right buttons...!! xxx

Hearty Food: Spinach Fettuccine in Creamy Seafood Sauce

What you need:

Spinach Fettuccine. Healthier alternative to flour pasta.

The three-step pasta sauce. total calories is only 120!

Alternative to oil for sautee.

seafoods! everything is from the frozen area of the supermarket. :)

General Procedure:

1. De-frost the seafoods. This practically takes a longer time so what I did was to place them in a strainer and put had some water flowing through it to get rid of the ice.

2. Season the seafoods with salt, pepper, and some garlic powder.

3. Sautee seafoods with garlic and butter. Note that you will see seafood broth which came from the shrimps. Do not take it out as this will promote the seafood taste on your pasta.

While waiting for it t absorb the garlic and the seasonings, pour in the fresh milk on the cream powder. 

4. Mix the cream sauce on the sauteed seafoods. Bring it to boil.

5. While waiting, boil water for the pasta. Cook the pasta for 11 minutes or until it is "eatable" and drain it out with a strainer.

6. Get some cooked pasta, top it with the oh-so yummy sauce, and finish it with parmesan cheese! Enjoy!!!!

Complexity: Low

Affordability: Carry lang

Taste: Superb!

Product Review: Maybelline's B.B Cream

When I started out exploring the make-up world, I was amused by the discovery of the likes of make-up base, eyeshadow primers, finishing matte, etc. I did not realize that there is really more to make-ups than lipstick alone. Now, I am more than interested to know anything and everything in this area where women dominates.

My new knowledge leads to yet another type of product - the B.B. creams. I originally saw this in one of the blogs but I did not mind roving the mall to get one as I find it as an auxiliary rather as a prime component in my daily make-up routine. But when I visited Watsons last week, I found one from Maybelline. Don't ask me what the double B stands for - I don't know. :p

The product has tempting promises. Eight in one is definitely something that you will get curious with. It does promise to brighten your skin, cover imperfection, and moisturize plus protect your face. Three worst enemies of our face are being countered by one product. Promising? I know it is.

 

Priced at Php 249 in Watsons, I did not mind shedding my two one hundred peso and fifty bills. It is relatively inexpensive and so I can ditch the product if it does not suit my face type.The product's little tube makes it also a portable one where you can insert it comfortably on your vanity kit. It is very handy.

The texture of the product is very likable! It sits fairly between being a fluid type and a dense type. You can apply it on your face in a controlled manner since the texture is very manageable.

Upon applying the cream, I noticed how smooth it blends with your face. It is an instant foundation! Notice also ont he above photo how it covers my skin imperfection - the uneven skin tone and the unwanted redness in my face. On this note, I knew Maybelline delivered its promise. :)

You have to be wary though when you apply the cream as you might love applying them and you will later realize that you put on too much. Take a little time to let the cream set in. In this way, you would see how much have you put in and decide on whether to further the application or not. This is also the best time to

I personally hoped that the oiliness of my face will decline but I did not get such wish. I would say that it is not one that could buster an oily skin. As to the moisturizing part, I really don't feel it in my face. How should a moisturized skin feel like, by the way? :p Lasting power for me is relatively a so-so primarily maybe because i did not stay in an airconditioned room over the past two days that I wear the cream.

Tada! After washing my face with my usual Ponds routine, I directly applied the BB cream on my face and I got the reult above. I love how toned, even, and smooth my skin looks. BB cream is definitely included in my daily routine! It is a must for me!

Photo Feature: NUDE

Face washed by: Ponds Facial Wash

Applied Maybelline's B.B. Cream

Make up: None

Hair: Sported as it is; no hair blower or iron

Product Review: Avon Smooth Mineral Lipstick

 Photo grabbed from Avon's website

I am into lipstick shades these days. Before I got hold of my two new NYX lipstick, I was able to grab two new shades from Avon. This new line from Avon offers a wide variety of shades to choose from. I got pink quartz and rosy brown.

Unfortunately, my pink quarts was already in a state of R.I.P. when my niece smashed it and used it as her crayons. Awww... Anyway, here's my review of my rosy brown smooth mineral lipstick.

I always adore a very good packaging, and this tube passed my taste of exuding a sophisticated look. I love the black and brownish silver combination of the product.  As to its shade, I favored this one for the purpose of matching it with my smokey brown eyes (in case I think of doing so in my eyes). As you can see, it is not much of a pink and at the same time, not much of a brown. It balances these two colors making it wearable not just for a smokey brown eyes but for other make-up theme as well.

As evidenced by the photo above, you'd see it's luminous effect. There are small sparkling elements which gives my lips a fuller life. The sparkles are just enough and does not offer a christmas-light effect. My lips is also showered by a shea butter making it smoother and I felt like the pigment is absorbed more by my lips than merely sitting on top of my lips. Longevity wise, it is decent enough to stay relatively long.

One thing that I hate about this product though is that you have to glide it over and over again to see to it that you applied the shade, otherwise, it seems like you are having a nude lips which is not suppose to be the case. And just like the other lipsticks that I have, I still apply this over a lip balm or lip shiner.

 Wearing my rosy brown lippies!

Overall, I am starting to love this product primarily because of its shea butter and conditioning oil ingredients. It is more friendly on my lips and decently stays at an accepable time frame!

Healthy Food: Pizza Hut's Crab Spring Rolls

What is it made of?
These are cucumber and crab sticks rolled in a thin rice wrapper. These rolls sits in a bed of lettuce and the centerpiece is, uhm, a mayonnaise dip.

Why is it healthy?
Minus the centerpiece, all of the ingredients are healthy! Cucumber and crabsticks are runaway winners for a healthy diet! Admittedly, rolls are best eaten with the dip, so why not put a smallest amount of it when you much on those rolls? :)

NYX Electra As My Accent!

When you have no time to do your make up or blowdry your hair, pull out your RED lipstick and you are good to go!

 Sorry for an unclear photo!

Shorts: People are People
Tank Top: Mango
Vest: Thrifted
Bag: Charles and Keith
Necklace: JC Plaza