Getting ready for work with my purple look...

'twas not Friday, but i felt like playing with a bit of color. I am still in the process of making my officemates get used to me wearing makeup...and i think i'm going there for i went to work once with just powder and lined brows and of them actually asked "how come you're not wearing makeup today?" lol..

and this is what i usually wear in the office. now you know why i just can't wear LOUD colors...hehehehe

and yeah, i need to clean my mirror.

LOL!

Tutorial: Golden Brown

For this look, i used my neglected Shiseido Silk Eyeshadow quad in Thunder and Lighting. I got it last year and i haven't been using it that much. Personally, i find the eyeshadow too powdery. And the shimmers, it falls off like crazy! I ended up with shimmers on my cheeks...argh.

anyways, on with the tutorial:

1. Prime your lids. I used Too Faced Shadow Insurance and topped it with MAC paintpot in Soft Ochre:

2. Apply the yellow gold shade on the inner 3/4 of the lid:

3. Apply the brown shade on the outer lid:


4. Blend with the yellow, add more if needed. Blend, blend, blend:

5. Apply highlighter (MAC Shroom), curl lashes and apply coats of mascara. Line the upper and lower lashlines:

Hope you like it!

If you have any requests on what look (can be one of my previous EOTDs), leave me a message on my cbox or shoot me an email.

tata!

Product Review: Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder

Smashbox HALO Hydrating Perfecting Powder HALO is the first anti-aging powder with the science of skin care built in. It's advanced formulation of pure gold, 48 minerals, 11 amino acids and a powerful peptide deliver powerful anti-aging benefits while the patented hydration system continuously revitalizes skin and provides a hydrated look that won't accentuate lines and wrinkles. The built-in shaver allows for the convenience of a pressed powder combined with the radiant finish of a loose one, and the super-sized brush deposits the perfect amount of powder every time.

What else you need to know:

The powder is made for all skin types and is free of oil, talc, and parabens. Includes a custom Travel Kabuki Brush for flawless application plus a sample of our award-winning Photo Finish Foundation Primer.

Clinical studies show:

After 10 minutes there is a 33% decrease in the appearance of wrinkles around the eyes.- After 6 weeks of use, there is a 67% decrease in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles overall.

* Smashbox.com

comes with a small Kabuki brush

sleek packaging

turn dial to the left to "scrape" the right amount of product to use

swatch

swatch of "FAIR" blended in

swatches of "Light" and "Fair"

the Kabuki brush

a whole lot of product at 21g

Swirl brush

Tap, and be ready to Buff!

I got this in two shades: Light and Fair. I find the first one to get a bit darker, so i had to go back and get the lightest shade, which is fair. I sometimes mix the two, most especially when my face is getting a bit more red from my Obagi regimen. But most of the time, i just use "Fair" alone.

This is a good highlighter, IMHO. Oily people must stay away from this one, for it tends to make you more oily. It gives you this lovely glow, but if it gets mixed with your oils, it would look messy. This is good for people with dry skin...it gives moisture and makes wrinkles appear less visible. I am oily myself, but i use this when i am going out at night. It gives that shimmery, glowy look which looks nice at night..but not at daytime. I use this as a highlighter, but i use it sparingly.

You should also make sure that you use a primer when using this. You definitely something to keep your oilies at bay, or you'd look like an oil mine in hours. But like what i've said, this is really good on dry skinned people. I used it on my mom, and it looked great on her. It gives that flawless look, with a healthy glow.

what i love about it:

• sleek packaging. great for travel, for it avoids spillage unlike other mineral powder foundations. just turn the dial to scrape off the right amount of product you need, and presto!
• great for highlighting. also great as a foundation but oily skinned people must beware
• provides sheer to medium coverage
• makes wrinkless less visible
• provides moisture to dry-skinned people

what i hate about it:

• expensive. Priced at $59 (got this for Php2850)...but for the amount of product you get which is 21g, i think it's just okay
• the kabuki brush that comes with it. it's horrible! really scratches my skin and i don't think it does a great job on blending the powder into the skin. i use my MAC 182 instead
• too bulky for my makeup kit. hmmm, probably i would need to get a bigger one? lol
• makes me oily after just a few hours. i have to make sure that i primed my face and i have lots of blotting papers on hand. i don't think this should be used at day time, though. it gives you that shimmery look that is great at night time, but definitely not during the day
• limited shades available. I think they only have four: dark, medium, light and fair. I got Light first but gets dark on me...so i had to get Fair.

will i purchase again?

• No. I already have two 21g of this...and i hardly use it.

I can't say that i am INLOVE with this product. But i can't say that I HATE it. Probably just so-so..not something i can't live without. Mom loves it though. And i must say, it suits her. But she hates the idea of buffing with a brush...it enlarges her pores according to her. LOL

Do you have this? If you do, do you love it or hate it? For those who are thinking of getting this, make sure you test it first. I've read some reviews that some people broke out because of this. I never had that experience though, but it surely won't hurt to make sure first.

Updates....

i missed you, ladies. i haven't been able to post for days, my work load has been crazy like hell and i hardly had time to do something else than work. i wake up (after 3-4hrs of work), prepare and go to work. stay in the office for more than 12 hrs and then go home. sigh.

today was my second day of driving lessons. it was okay. still nervous though, but i'll get used to it...i need to, anyways. it's weird...an hour later of my lessons, i felt sick. i slept for the rest of the afternoon, and i was starving when i woke up. it's hard not having somebody around you and you're feeling sick. i am feeling weak but i have to look after myself or else...

oh well...my bday is a week from now. i still have no idea how to go about celebrating my 30th (shucks, i'm getting old!) bday. for sure, i'll just be stuck at work. sniff.

i wish i'll be back to blogging in no time...it really helps me de-stress and not feel all alone.

tata!

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a realization...

okay, so this would be a non-makeup/vanity post...

like what i've previously posted, i've been feeling so low these past few days and i must admit...i began to lose trust on some people and on myself. i've been crying myself to sleep and was on the verge of giving up. yeah, i can be like that at times...you know, when you feel like you're always messing up and your life is going nowhere.

i feel so alone...and i asked HIM why i am again feeling like this. well, i can buy stuff that i want...some of you might say "why on earth is she feeling like that? she looks so happy and she always talk about makeup.." but you see, this is one side of me that most people don't know. i might be smiling most of the time, when in reality, i am crying inside.

nope...this isn't like my April Fools post. (sorry again for being such a meanie on that...) but like a friend of mine once described me...i am a what-you-see-is-what-you-dont-get type of person. not that i am plastic...but i can be really pretentious when it comes to my real feelings.

so today, i went out to enroll in a driving school since X asked me too. i've been really having a hard time getting a cab in the morning on my way to work. i end up looking like i just had a shower because of the scorching heat. i know, i know that there are people having bigger problems than me...but when i'm all stressed and depressed, i tend to complain even at small things.

after the school, i walked around the mall...and then decided to eat my late lunch at our favorite restaurant (i miss you girls...). i looked around and saw other people dining in. they look so happy...and poor me, i'm alone. i try to eat as fast as i could, besides, i planned to hear mass after.

during the mass, i was absent minded. until the priest started his sermon. he talked about TRUST. trusting in yourself, in other people and most especially trusting in HIM. i listened carefully...and when he said "people who are having a hard time trusting other people are those people who don't trust themselves..." it's like hitting me bulls-eye. ouch. i've been hurt a lot...so many times that i already lost count. sometimes, i tend to be cynical already about people and a lot of things. when good things come my way, i would ask "so what's the catch? am i to be hurt again after this?" and when bad things happen...i would say "see, just like what i've thought"

pathetic, i know.


i was touched by the priest's sermon. he said that people must trust in HIM all the time. and that of course, we should be thankful of what we have. if bad things happen, it's always for a reason...and yeah, HE won't give us something we can't endure.


at the end of his sermon, he made us watch a video of Susan Boyle. It was at a show Britain's got talent, you might have watched this already...but if not, click here. i almost cried after seeing it.


we should not be cynical at all. and yeah, it's not good to look down on people just because they don't look pleasant or they are not famous or something. i admire Susan for trusting in herself. she knows what she can do and she believes in herself...something i can't seem to do. i felt ashamed of myself.


i prayed...and promised that i will do my best to feel better. i know i am not the only one having problems or the one worrying too much about the future...but even though i feel like i'm going down, i will still trust in HIM that everything will be alright. and of course, i'll do my part as well. i'll trust in myself that i can go thru anything.

and besides, i have YOU my dearies...you girls have no idea how your comments make me feel better. i am deeply touch each time i get comments/emails from you. i am so thankful to have friends like you.

For those having any sort of problems, we will get thru all these. There's always a rainbow at the end of each rain.

tata!

Tutorial: shower "Despair" with "Compassion" look...

(pathetic title, no?)

I'm back with another tutorial...and this time, it has a bit of colors as compared with my last tut. I tell you, i don't want to scare off my new officemates with my uber-colorful looks. i prefer to shock them bit by bit. hehehe

1. Apply eye primer on the entire lid

2. Apply AWG e/s in Compassion on the lid

3. Apply Aromaleigh e/s in Strawberry Despair on the outer lid

4. Blend

5. Apply Hoppin' (from MAC Heatherette Trio 1) as highlight and blend.

6. Apply MAC Stylin' (from Lucky Tom HK palette) on the lower lashlines, line upper lash lines with Stila smudgepot then curl lashes and apply coats of Mascara.

Final look:

hope you like it, dearies.

muaaah!

just one of those days...

i hate being stressed...who likes being one, anyways!?

ughhh.

so, last week, when i started with my new job i got all stressed out already. and on top of that, i feel so sad and alone...probably because my birthday's getting near and i'd be alone that day (and worst, still going to work!) i've always celebrated it with my family or with X...but this year's gonna be different. i'd be all alone...sniff.

i went home early and went straight to the mall where i got so stupid again and bought stuff when i should be saving in the first place. but i didn't pass by MAC...so i guess, i wasn't such a bad girl at all. right, Phoebe? LOL

after shopping, i found a long line of people waiting for a cab...i was too tired to stand so i decided to eat first. I went to Hotshots and had these:

tsk...and i said i am going to diet just the day before.

yeah..i eat like a pig.

those are my loots

was so excited to finally get one of this..(review coming soon)

i got sad even more coz i was eating alone. well, i'm used to eating all by myself but surely there are days when i wish i have somebody with me. most especially when i'm feeling all sad and stressed out. i really it when i feel like that.

would you believe the entire stuff from Watson's costs more than Php6k? Gosh, it's so expensive being a girl.

i also got the following from Ensembles and Plains & Prints:

i need new clothes since i gained too much weight. i usually fit in size S, now i'm size M. dammit!

and that's me with my beloved bear from X...sigh

i cried myself to sleep that night...and i still feel the same way until now.

damn, i hope to feel a lot better on the next days to come.

orange-gold look...

(which turned out not to be orangey at all...lol)

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

MAC Soft Ochre paint pot

MAC e/s in Peppier (all over the lid)

MAC e/s in Espresso (lightly patted on top of Peppier)

MAC e/s in Creme Royale (from the Lucky Tom HK palette as highlight)

Stila smudgepot in Black on the upper lash lines

PAC eyeliner in white on the waterlines

MAC Plush Lash mascara

(my face is getting all red again...obagi-overdose, i guess)