Make Up Trial #2 - Make Up Contouring

For round faces like me, it is always a challenge on how to get the right angle everytime your face is kidnapped by the camera lenses. More often than not, you will end up taking another round of photos when you see a healthy face beaming at the camera. Hassle.

Thanks to a boring night one time. I spent my night clicking several pages in google to see results of what they call "contour" when make up is the meat of the topic. Makeupgeek actually had the best article for this one and I was glad I stuck my monitor on her page because I have really learned a lot.

Needless to say, before you start with contouring your face, you are already done with the basics - washing your face, applying make up primer, and applying foundation. You got to have an angled make up brush (the one I used was my Ellana blush brush) and a shade that is two steps darker than you. I did not fathom that much as to what product will I use as I found my inactive Avon eyebrow case winking at me. But ideally, choose a blush color that is two steps darker than your skintone. A fluffy brush would be best!

The most important part of contouring is knowing where to glide the brush on your face. Marlena of makeupgeek gives her readers a tip - create a face like below:

Those little white doodles say, CONTOUR HERE!

1. In this look-like-a-fish moment, you can locate your cheekbones and contouring will take place right below them (your cheekbones). 

2. Get some powder of your chosen shade. In my case, I prefer to squeeze the brush so that that I can define first the contour line (and not to mention that I have a very slim portion of the shade I chose). 

3. Position your brush in such a way that it "fits" your contour line. Glide them over. By this time, you'd get the a contour line that is darker than your tone.

4. So as to get rid of that obvious effect of the line, make use of the fluffy feature of your brush and gently smudge the shade. In this way, it will look more natural.

The result:

 

I still have big face, I know, but now I have a more defined cheekbones. :D

 

I like how the contour came in naturally like as if I was slashed by something brownish. :p

Make ups can really do wonders, I swear! This is only an "another try" moment for me and as makeupgeek has said, it will always take a lot of practice to get the best contoured face and defined cheekbone! So hell yeah, let's play along with make ups! :D

Another NYX Haul!

Although having that drawback of NYX's lasting power, this does not discouraged me to continually use the product. Why? It is because the affordability and the tremendous shades outwit the weakness. And so because of this, I  availed of CareFreeShopper's Independence Day Sale. Ooops, I am not confused of the Independence and Inauguration Day, it's just that this is a super late post. :p

I left the shade choices of my first haul of NYX to Armie, the woman behind the successful multiply site mentioned above. I love the variety of shades that she picked up for me each has their own use in my task-filled everyday schedule. Everything was wearable. In my second purchase, I thought of getting a more daring and wilder shades.

wild, wild shades!

Electra and Medusa. You'd feel a strong personality when you hear these words even if not in the make-up world. Strong, fearless, wild - that is how I describe these two shades of NYX! 

 You want the truest RED? Get the Electra shade. I honestly do not have the guts to use this in a normal day but maybe, if things are in rush and I don't have time to do my make-up, this will be a best alternative. And oh, this will certainly be a runaway winner during an all-night party! 

Medusa takes the place of being the most difficult shade that I have right now. I seriously do not know if I will ever get the chance to use this. :p Costume parties will definitely make this shade useful though. 

I love seeing my make up collection grow and I don't regret getting these unusual shades. After all, my ultimate reason was to get wild, bold, and extremely unusual colors! Hooray to NYX!

Services Review: Asian Massage

Perhaps, massage is the most effective therapy for a tired body. Well, that's how my system works with massage - especially if I get to have a very good masseuse. I have tried a LOT of massage and spa centers and I have my share of hits and misses with these therapists.

The first time I availed of the services of Asian Massage along South Superhighway, I was torn between loving and hating them. The service was good enough but the place was just too crowded and noisy. The place put the term "relaxation" to a Hebrew language - it lost its existence. Oh well, that was the price oh getting an affordable massage.

I never went back to 24-hour massage parlors since I experienced the same scenario - too crowded, understandably because they need to cover their 24-hour operating expenses. But last Sunday night, my body aches as bad as my hair is when I don't put shampoo and conditioner on. I really have no choice but to call a home service massage and hopefully get rid of the pain and start a brand new week at the office. Asian Massage topped my google search so I got their services again.

The moment my masseuse landed her hand on my back, I know I have one of the best therapists in town! She is young and seem to be a trainee but when she started the massage, every muscle in my body was clamouring for her touch. As I said, I've had my share of hits but it was the first time that all of my body aches were gone right after the massage. I just love it!

Another thing that I like about their home service massage is because they have lots of branches so they would refer you to the nearest one if you happen to call the farther branch. In this way, you will both save time and you could have your massage in a relatively short waiting time.

And the most important thing is that, they are just for CLEAN massage. So no worries with all these hocus pocus regarding massage business. He he.

Product Review: St. Ives Blemish and Blackhead Control

I was spontaneously telling Levy that his nose was as rough as a sand paper one day when I spotted a tube on his bathroom the next day! I fancy how I effectively convince Levy to be a little vain. Ha ha! I look through it and I found out that it was from the same brand that I use to exfoliate my face - the St. Ives. The product is specially formulated for blemish and blackhead control.

I checked on Levy's nose (and face as well) to see if the product has done some good into his face and was surprise to see that indeed it made wonders! Touching his nose was a LOT smoother than the last time I touched it. I closely examined his face and I realized that his blackheads significantly decreased. I was really impressed and he was actually happy with the result!

I can't help but try it right at that very moment to know how it really feels to have this product landed on my own face. Just like my St. Ives, I feel the powerful grains enticing the unpleasant particles in my face to go with them. It is rough and at the same time a relief to my face. After washing them off my face, I felt I have a lighter face not because my cheeks shrank but because I felt those nasty elements had gone off!

The verdict:

St. Ives for me is a good product not to mention that it is relatively affordable and easy to find. You can get it in grocery stores. Effectivity-wise, I am convinced that this product does its duties well. This is definitely in my list of basic toiletries. :)

Healthy Food: Jack Link's Beef Jerky

Everytime someone from the States would ask me what I want for a "pasalubong", I have two default things in my list - Crest and beef jerky!

A friend of ours has come to visit Manila and of course, Levy and I got our packs of beef jerky! So what do we like about this product? Simple - it is one food that is truthfully healthy! It is made of lean beef exuding a 98% fat free and only 5 grams of total carbohydrates for each pack. Super great food to be incorporated on your diet plan. It can be a snack, a meal, and even a pulutan!

I wonder why we don't have these food products on our normal grocery stores. It is very seldom that you can spot them here. I've got to see them in Subic but boy, the packs there are "too old" that you have to protect your teeth from permanently saying goodbye to your gums! And not to mention it is kind of expensive.

So next time when you are asked by a friend or a family member of what stuff to bring for you from the US, include beef jerky on your list! :D

Product Review: Ellana Mineral Make Ups

Ellana mineral make-ups. I personally think the owner behind this product has a revolutionary mind. I love the idea that she comes head to head with foreign brands with three most distinct winner factors: affordability, quality, and very good customer service. These factors make up a promising business venture.

Let me get down to their products and services. Ellana offers a FREE sample for each individual who are interested to try out their products! You can get it from here.

Ellana encourages that their clients to go to their office so that they can take a look at your skin undertone. One make up tip that I learned from them is that in order to know the best foundation shade for us, one should look into our undertones.  There are warm, cool, and olive undertones. Each has a corresponding foundation shade.

I have warm undertone so my Ellana make up artist recommended the hazelnut latte. Matched with Ellana Foundation brush, the loose mineral foundation glides smoothly on my face. The effect was so natural looking and it was just very flawless. I love how it finishes in my face! The good thing about this one is that you can buy them for as little as 100 php! Yes, 100 php for a mineral make up - how cool is that? :)

Just like the other mineral make ups, I just find it less efficient in applying them because of the very reason that they are loose. The tiny powder forming on your clothes just makes it more time-consuming whenever you apply them. So I do use this if I have ample time to play around. But if I am so tight up, I use my VMV compact powder since I can easily apply it even if I am inside a car.

Dainty is a pale reddish brown frost

Inspiration is more of golden beige frost

Next stop are the multi-purpose mineral powder. Why multi-purpose? It is because you can use them as an eyeshadow, a blush, and can even be blended on your lip glosses! Now, this is much, much cooler! What I like about these two shades are basically the effect they give on your eyes and lips. I have used Dainty as a blush but I can't seem to picture out Inspiration as a blush. For me, it is a bit brighter to be used as such. Both give you a very natural look and just shimmers at the right amount. It is best to wear the shades during daytime.

Just like Liz, I also find it hard to get the right amount of lip gloss during my furst few tries with this tube. The worse feeling is when they gush out of the tube giving you a total mess. I learned then that rotating it twice at 360 degrees would give you the right amoun of gloss that you need. Lush lip gloss is now my lip's found friend. The minty feeling makes it distinctive of the other glosses. Lush is best combined with Dainty powder. The duo exudes a sexier lips even on a day time.

The verdict:

The same Ellana Make Up Brush Set, I highly recommend the products to the beauties who seek for an affordable yet very high quality products and gearing for a less harmful type of make up!

Product Review: Ellana Make Up Brushes

I never believed that one should invest on those make up brushes. I thought they are just a waste of money and once the make up product is good, it will definitely be good onto your face. My theory was proven wrong when I had the opportunity to go to Ellana Store at Quezon City. They had that so-called "make-over" thing and that was the time I experienced make-up brush that loves my face. And so without any thought, I grabbed a set of their make-up brushes along with my other purchases (to be reviewed on my next entry!).

These five sticks made up the brush set I got from Ellana. Boy, they are just so gorgeous! Priced at 850 php, it is already very reasonable to get these stuff. The unbelievably soft and gentle glide on your face makes it a run-away winner. And yes, these are not animal hairs (it's a gross revelation for me to know that some are animal hairs! nyay!). I am not an animal lover so it's just gross for me to know that there can be other brushes made of animal hairs!

First stop is the buffer brush which is specially used to apply your foundation. It is a dome-shaped brush making it easier to distribute the loose powder in your face and getting a flawless and well-polished finish. It is also easy to tap off excess powder so as not to make your face like a star in a ghost film. :D

The next brush is the "blush brush". I only knew that you need an angled brush in order to get a smooth and nicely tapped blush on your cheeks. This will definitely save you from a someone-punch-you-with-a-strawberry-jam blush-on look. Because of its seemingly diagonal shape, it distributes evenly the blush powder down to your cheek bone.

On the left is the eyeshadow brush and honestly, I am not sure if the one on the right is the eye contour or the concealer brush! Apologies, I was too excited to buy the set so I forgot to ask them what was it. :D Anyhow, the eyeshadow brush is serving its purpose too well. Because it is relatively small and the hairs are fine with a gradient effect making it easier to apply the eyeshadow thinly and without messing up with the eye liner and the crease area.

I am more convince that the other brush is the eye contour brush as I am using this to apply a different shade on my crease area. It is fuller and wider as compared to the eyeshadow brush understandably because we have wider crease area than the eye lid. I love how the crease shade combines smoothly with my eye lid shade. :)

One drawback of these two is that the hairs are not secured tightly on the handle which gives an irritating feeling everytime you glide them over on your eyes. Some hair strands would loosen out that you need to push them back from time to time. Worse, sometimes you have no choice but to take them out.

I have not much to say about the last member of the set as there is nothing special about it. It's the tool to actually tame your brows and I seldom grip this tool in my hand.

The verdict:
I am a renewed believer of the importance of make up brushes. Invest into it for a more meaningful and enjoyable experience with your make ups! Ellana make up brush set is a good buy except for the drawbacks I mentioned above. Personally, I should have not bought the last member as I find it rather useless, unless there is really a special purpose to it that I don't know. Pardon me for my ignorance. :D But in totality, this is a good buy for me!

For more Ellana brushes, check out their site.

Product Review: Urban Decay Face Case

When I first laid my eyes on the photo exhibited on CareFreeShopper, I instantly fell in love with this violet case. It took me ages to resist this but having a dear friend as the seller, you can't help but simultaneously utter the words, "yay" and "nay"! Yay as Armie brought this make-up set on top of what I ordered from her (knowing that I badly want it!) and nay since I can't let it off my hands the moment she handed it to me - it means, I am shedding another 1200 php off my pocket. LOL! Bottomline of it is equals to SOLD.

But it seems like it's not yet time for me and UD Face Case to be partners in crime. When I went back to Manila after my normal weekend Bacolod escape, I realized that I haven't got any make up for my other friend Ermalyn. Since she was asking me to get a blush and eyeshadows for her, the closest that I can hand to her is my new-found love. Another yay-and-nay moment for me!

Nevertheless, I wanted to make a review of this one at least on how I see and feel about it. 

I always believe that the silent salesman of a product is the packaging. And for make ups, I have that biased feeling that every time I see neat and classy packages, I feel that they are good ones. After all, who would want to put their very good products in cheap cases or tubes? :p This UD Face Case is packed in a violet suede texture which puts you in make-up mood whenever it rests in your palm. I love it!

A sneak peek! The rest of the case contains the exciting shades and colors of eyeshadows, blush, and lip glosses. But before we get into the real deal, take a look into the small brush. One this that is good about it is that it is a two-end brush. At first I thought it is solely for the eye shadows but when I checked on it again, the two brushes are not exactly of the same size, length, and thickness. So I supposed, these are for eye shadows and lip gloss. Personally, I would not prefer having the same brush for my different lipstick shades. It's just messy. On the other side, I thought this might be for the inner lid and the crease. Either way, you can use them as a brush - in whatever manner you want to use it. :)

The Face Case's pride! Three shadows, three lip glosses, and a blush just makes it the most compact case I've seen. This is best for the beauties on the go! It is getting rid of bringing all your vanities in your bag especially if you don't know what to wear on your face or if you have two separate events with different mood to go into for a day. 

And.. that's me beaming! Hehe.I am dying to share the swatches of these shades but I will leave it to the hands of the new owner. :D Rest assured I will post it here once I get one.

Latest Piles of Shoeboxes!

My new kicks. Different style, different purpose!

A. Nike Running Shoes

I am aiming for a healthier lifestyle nowadays as I am fighting my inconsistency as well. :D I was originally in love with the gray and pink combination (that check sign in pink, how cool is that?!) but unfortunately after roving the mall, I can't find the perfect size for me. So next choice, gray and orange combination! If I may add, this is my first real rubber shoes. :D

My running shoes is as light as a feather! This makes my usual running less hassle and makes me feel a "real" runner! :D Oh well, it all boils down to psychological mindset. LOL! Additionally, investing in good running shoes is investing to good health as well. Agree? And so with this thought, shedding close to five thousand bucks for a kick is just alright for me.

B. Parisian T-strap, high heeled sandals

 I am practically in love with gray nowadays and I am looking for a cute pair that would go along with the Esprit bag that Levy gave me months ago. This SM brand has actually a number of good pairs that can go head to head with the higher brands. I love how wearable it is and the heels are acceptable for everyday use in the office, at night outs, and even on daytime! 

This pair is fairly priced at Php 499.00. A good pair at a good price = good buy! When this pair get boring for me, I plan to put on studs to give it a new look. Good idea, eh? :) By the way, my cute polish is from The Face Shop. :)

C. Avon Flat Silver Studded Sandals

Sorry for the messy photo! Anyway, this black studded pair from Avon Mix is pretty good for everyday use. The silver studs along with my silver accessories make my plain get up lively! This is also reasonably priced at Php 599.00 but I think the Parisian pair is a better buy. Their biggest size is also a bit tight for me. :(

I realize I am "kuripot" these past few weeks... Hmmm, does this mean I have a reason to treat myself to "bank-account-robber" price tags?! Just asking, Lev. LOL!

So, how about you? What's your foot's latest best friend? :)

Another Accessories Hoarding!

Do you reckon my excitement when I got this accessory? Well, double it up as I found exactly the same type, the same design, the same quality... at more than half the price! Where else did I find it? JC Plaza!

 

I can't help but muse on these trendy, everday / night out earrings at a very affordable price. The upper set costs me php 16 per pair and the lower photo was only php 21! How economically fashionable is that, huh? :D

If there are incredibly low priced earrings, for sure there are necklaces as well! And if I may add, they are vintage style necklaces! Each strand just costs me php 77! They are true-found treasures! I am in awe. :D

So if you ask me if I will regularly visit the shop, hell yeah!And why don't you, too, check out some of their stuff? Uhm, well, that is if I will leave something for you. LOL!

Make Up Trial #1

In my quest for a rather fruitful long weekend despite the annoying first day of my "red alert", I managed to spend less than an hour of my Sunday afternoon playing up with my make up kit!

I am not a photographer so bear with me on the photo I took. It seems like the make up is not evident. I tried getting a dinner-get-together look and I believed I got it in person. The photo speaks otherwise, it denotes a barely-there look instead. LOL! And yes, apologies for an oily skin. :D

On Face:

• Avon Fresh Radiance Make UP Base in Pink GLow
• Ellana Perfect Blend Mineral Foundation with Macadamia Nut Oil and Silk Powder
• Maybelline Pure Mineral Blush in Original Rose

On Eyes:

• Stila Smudge Pot in Bronze
• Ellana in Dainty Shade
• Nichido Mascara

On Lips:

• The Face Shop Lip Balm
• NYX in Tea Rose

In an objective evaluation, the look achieved a classy aura which really fit my taste. Not bold, not pale. Just perfectly blended!

Quality of Yesteryear

Look at this dress ... it is beautiful. Permanent pleats, the dress has weight, metal zipper, it will last forever .... exactly what clothing made today doesn't do - and neither does it generally do justice to the women we have grown into! Recently I purchased a mature woman's wardrobe of yesteryear .... they no longer fit her. I don't know her name, but all her clothing is marked with a 'J' ... a woman called J. As I sorted through the bags of items memories were stirred of my own clothing over the years. I used to make all my own clothing once, and then Target came to town and we all thought that to be 'hip' meant to wear clothing mass produced in Taiwan or Hong Kong (China wasn't on the scene then). And to be honest the quality and style of Target back then was good. But little by little we have all been hoodwinked, quality has deteriorated, each year style is a variation on the 'bag' look (I went for it in a big way for while), we all look remarkably the same and unfortunately black has taken over. It's time for a revolution. Can we recall what we looked like in colours that belonged to us, made us look gorgeous regardless of our body shape and size? I have started to remember and to notice. Have you ever bought an expensive item which looked fabulous on the shop mannequin only to don it at home and wonder why it didn't give the thrill you expected it to? And then have you ever bought something not quite what you would normally purchase and then found it really makes you sizzle? Colour and shape and our personalities, manufacturers can mass produce as much as they like but the truth is we aren't mass produced replicas of each other - we are all wonderfully unique!

From 23 - 27 June Vintage Vixens and Vamps will be at the Everywoman Expo in the Perth Convention Centre. We will have our range of vintage and recycled clothing and will be accompanied by She Seldom Blushes of Fremantle and Winifred and Bance of Inglewood. We are taking the style, grace, colour and quality of vintage and retro fashion to the women of Perth. Our recycled clothing is the best that we can source from hours of wracking through racks! In our op shop hunts we are looking for styles that suit our mature shapes, quality of local and European made labels and wherever possible - colour! We want to show you how, in combining the quality and style of Vintage and good recycled clothing you too can look fab on a frugal budget and rekindle feeling like the goddess you felt at 18 and are even more so at 38, 48 and older!