Sale Alert: Beauty & Minerals Summer Sale!

summer is one good time to stay away from traditional makeup and wear makeup that's light and natural. nobody wants to look too made up while in the beach, right? so the best makeup to wear during this hot season would be mineral makeup.

good thing our beloved Beautynomist is having a great summer sale:

so what are you waiting for? check out her items and still be gorgeous in this scorching heat of the summer season.

promo runs from March 18 to May 1, 2010!
(click on the image for sale details)

My humble MAC Spring Forecast loot...

honestly, I am trying (too damn hard) to keep myself from buying more makeup. i still have a few stuff that I haven't used, and tons that I haven't been using that often. I told myself to stop buying more but i just can't pass up some of the items from this collection that I really like.

Fresh Salmon
a fresh and almost like an MLBB shade that can be used everyday. This one came just in time for summer :)

Naked Lip Liner
you know how i love dark eye makeup, so this nude lip liner topped with a pinkish gloss would go well with it

lipglass in Electric Fuchsia
I am not into this kind of shade, but this is just too beautiful to pass up! I am sure I can find a good use for this one though

Blush Ombre in Ripe Peach
Got this just because it looks so good on Carlos (MAC MUA) and I have too much pinks on my kit already. I just wish it would work on me. i usually look muddy (and weird) with peaches. But i'm sure this would work well on some of my clients!

purrrty!

I wish I can get more...it's kinda unusual that I passed up on the eyeshadows. I didn't like even a single shadow that came with this collection. But the lip stuff...gosh, I wanted to get ALL!

but yeah, I simply can't!
I'm still happy with my loot though. So how about you, what did you get?

Product Review: CUTEX Nail Whitener

lately, i've been noticing that a lot of girls out there are getting addicted to nail polishes. let's have our very own, Sol as an example...hahaha but don't get me wrong. i envy them! i wish i can go gaga over nail polishes too, but aside from having ugly, short nails...i often suffer from yellow nails! and no matter how hard i try to remove it with a nail polish remover, it just won't go away.

i can actually scrape it off, but truth be told, i have really thin and weak nails and i rarely use a nail pusher when i'm having my nails cleaned.so i don't use nail polishes that much. i would love to have nails matching my outfit, or even my makeup on certain days but the thought of having dirty, yellowish nails for days just tick me off.

so when i saw this promising item during my visit at SM Beauty section weeks ago, i realized that maybe there's hope for me and my (yellowish) nails after all:

CUTEX NAIL WHITENER

Optically brightens yellowish and discolored nails caused by nail polish with dark pigments

(esp if applied without protection or base coat), smoking, fungal/bacterial infections and more

Gives a whiter, brighter and healthier-looking glow to nails

Contains green tea extract (an antioxidant) that protects nails from environmental pollutants

Can be used on natural and acrylic nails

what i love:

easy to apply
quick drying

no strong chemical smell aside from the usual scent of a nail polish

cute and travel-friendly packaging
conceals the yellowish tinge on nails
stays long, mine lasts for almost a week before it starts to chip off
easy to remove
doesn't leave a stain. i've used some "colorless" nail polish and they leave a stain on my nails

it does look "too white" at first, kinda fake-looking, but it does tone down a bit giving you the illusion of clear, glowing and healthy nails

my nails after 5 days

what i hate:

a bit expensive for an 8ml bottle (Php209.75) . but it does the job, so it's worth the price!

now, i get to wear nail polish more often and a lot longer without the fear of yellowish nails after. so, does this mean you'd see me with nail-related posts from now on? hmmm, maybe when i have longer (and a lot stronger) nails!

tata!

Happy Friday Look: Fresh Greens...

work's still crazy (will even get crazier) and i spend most of my wake hours in the office...i haven't been blogging as much as i used to and i haven't been able to grant any requests =( on top of that, i haven't been wearing eye makeup for weeks because i'd rather sleep for a few more minutes instead of waking up early to do my makeup.

i think i'll be losing my mind in no time...rAAAARRR!

to finally be able to add some color on my face is like a breath of fresh air for me. it somehow uplifts my mood...and makes me feel a lot more energized despite the lack of sleep and working almost 15hrs a day.

so last friday, i ignored the fact that i was running late already as i took time to come up with a fresh look that will help brighten up my day:

PAC brow kit

MAC brow set in Beguile

UDPP

MAC e/s in Bitter (lid), Humid (outer-V and crease), Shroom (highlight)

MAC Blacktrack

UD 24/7 liner in Zero

Maybelline Cat Eye mascara

Laura Mercier primer

MAC SS concealer in NW20

Revlon Colorstay in Buff

MAC blush in True Romantic

Shu Uemura matte loose powder

MAC Shape and Sculpt

MAC l/s in Peachstock

TBS Hi-shine lip treatment in Pink Cream

i came in late for work...but I didn't care. the 30 extra minutes i took to come up with the look was all i needed to jumpstart my day and be ready for another toxic weekend that i'll be spending in the office (AGAIN!)

Contest Alert: Digital Traincase's first giveaway contest!

Sol is having her first ever giveaway contest in her blog for reaching her first 100 followers!

What's at stake?

tadaaaah...

3 powder blushes
3 single eyeshadows
1 trio eyeshadow
1 double sided eyeliner and shadow
1 megashine lipgloss
2 round lipgloss
1 round lipstick
1 glitter
1 cream blush in Orange (NARS Exhibit A dupe)
1 MAC lipstick in Hue

all these goodies will be placed inside a brand new Sigma Makeup Pouch in Black!

so what are you waiting for? click here for the mechanics!

goodluck!

updates!

sorry for the lack of updates ladies...work's been crazy this past week and probably would be crazier on the weeks to come. i haven't had a decent sleep for more than a week and no matter how much lotion i apply, my skin's drying up! i wish i won't break out soon....please.

i've done some shopping last week to de-stress:

would you believe I haven't read any of these magazines? that's how toxic work is...(sigh)

loots from SM Beauty section:

can't get enough of conditioners, huh! and yeah, i'm planning to color my hair again..i am getting tired of my black hair. i miss some highlights, too!

that nail whitener from CUTEX seems promising and i'm in a bad need of that. i've been wearing DARK nail polish for the past weeks.

i'm also going back to my HG eyecream from Olay...and i wasn't able to find my HG wipes from Purederm, so i went back to Elianto's

and an unplanned purchase:

surprisingly, this pair's comfy. i was wearing my Melissa sandals which i got in a wrong size, ended up with blisters so i had to buy this. i saw this pair (in a different color) on my officemate and i initially thought it could hurt my feet...but i was so wrong!

it's another weekend and i'll be stuck in the office, AGAIN!

(sigh)

by the way, it's X's birthday today.

Happy Birthday to my dear husband...

i miss you and i love you so much!

TAG: 40 Beauty Question...

It's been a while since I last got tagged. This one's kinda long but I had a lot of fun answering all the questions. This one's about beauty secrets and I'm sure everybody wants to know somebody else's views on anything about beauty :)

SKINCARE

How many times do you wash your face daily?

Whenever I feel my face is dirty. Though the ideal frequency is just twice since we don't want to strip off our skin's natural oils

What skin type do you have?

Super, duper oily!

What is your current facial wash?

I alternate Obagi Foaming gel and Lancome Blanc Expert whitening foam wash

Do you exfoliate?

Yes, 3-4x a week

What brand do you use?

St. Ives, Eskinol, Clean and Clear, Origins

What moisturizer do you use?

I alternate between Lancome Blanc Expert and my Obagi creams

Do you have freckles?

A few on my face...a LOT on my arms, wah!

Do you or did you have acne prone skin?

Yes I do

Did you ever have to use Pro-Activ?

No.

MAKEUP

What foundation do you use?

MAC (SF, Full Coverage, Studio Sculpt) MUFE HD liquid, Shu Uemura Face Architect, Revlon colorstay, Monave, Lauress, Shiseido supplist

How about concealer?

Cinemasecrets, MAC, Skinfood

Do you know your undertone color?

I think i'm warm.

What do you think of false eyelashes?

Great to be worn with dramatic eye makeup for special occasions

Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months?

Yes. I have some that would go beyond 3months, but they are still okay. I just check on the smell to make sure it's still good to use.

What brand of mascara do you use?

Maybelline, Lancome, VMV, L'oreal, Covergirl

Sephora or MAC?

MAC!

Do you have a MAC Pro-card?

I wish i do.

What makeup tools do you use in makeup application?

Brushes, sponge, eyelash curler

Do you use makeup base/primer for the eyes?

Always

For the face?

Always

What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?

Any dark color

Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?

Both

How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?

Never did.

What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?

Messy to use, but great color pay-off!

Do you use mineral makeup?

Yes. Taylormade, Monave, Lauress, Ellana, Lumiere, etc.

What is your favorite lipstick?

Hmm, those from NYX. Because they don't dry my lips

What about lipgloss?

MAC, Artdeco, NYX

What is your favorite blush to use?

MAC Dainty, Pretty Baby and True Romantic

Do you buy your makeup on eBay?

Sometimes

Do you like drugstore makeup?

Yes!

Do you go to CCOs? (Cosmetic Company Outlets)

We don't have them here, AFAIK.

Did y0u ever consider taking makeup classes?

I already took makeup classes twice. First was just for personal and the second is makeup artistry

Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?

Hmm, i'd like to think i'm not.

Name a makeup crime that you hate?

Foundation shade not matching the color of the neck (which i sometimes commit, lol)

Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick, eyeshadow) or neutral ones?

Colorful eyemakeup, semi-nude lips

Which celebrity always has great makeup?

Beyonce, Rihanna, Kim K.

If you could leave the house using just ONE makeup item, what would you use?

Foundation

Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?

Yes.

Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?

NO.

In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?

MAC!

What do you think of makeup?

Makeup is to enhance your natural beauty, not to make you look like a different person.

Thanks to Nehs for this tag, now I am tagging YOU!

here comes spring -- by MAC!

i got these from the mail today...

I WISH!

actually, they are the MAC Spring Forecast 2010 collection! and YES, they are finally here.

BUT..

won't be sold until March 14!

well at least, you still have time to save up so you can grab these purrrttttyy babies.

I only rely on swatches/recommendations I read online so i'll know what to get. And to make sure that I get those that I like, I'd call the MA to reserve them for me. Yeah, I place my orders first before getting to test the items.

But now's a different story...

Carlos of MAC Shang is so kind that he showed us the testers even before the launch on March 14! We were like kids playing with crayons!

the Viva Glams: Cyndi and Gaga

(to be launched April 1)

surprisingly, i didn't like any eyeshadows from the collection. don't get me wrong, they are pretty but i have too much e/s already and i don't think i'd be able to finish them all up. i swatched all of them and didn't find any that i still don't have (or in the same shade) in my stash.

i must say the lips stuff from this collection are all gorgeous that I wanted to get ALL! but of course, i can't...boo-hoo. i'm not even sure if i'd be able to use those i reserved.

the blush ombres are to die for, though.

don't hate me if i dunno the shades of these pretty lips stuff! i had Carlos rummaging through them one by one after I pointed out to him what i'll be getting..LOL!

so ladies, if you want to see these testers for yourself, drop by MAC Shangrila and look for Carlos. He'll be more than happy to show them to you. Just be nice by remembering what shades you'd want to get and don't be like me! hahaha! and oh, don't forget to mention that you were referred by Sol.

prices:

Eyeshadows - 870
Lipstick - 970
Blush Ombre - 1,470 each
Stackable Pigment - 1,600
Quads - 2,300
Lipliners - 850

(thanks Sol!)

and here's a somehow disturbing and scandalous pic of me and Carlos:

who's who!?

oh please don't tell X.

LOL

thanks Carlos =)

and of course, thanks to Sol for tagging me along and for the pics.

so ladies, see you at the launch?

tata!

got a question?

weeee...i heard about Formspring from Shen a couple of weeks ago, i checked it just today and it seems cool! so i jumped in as well :)

if you have anything (and i mean anything) to ask me, just go here or type in your Q in the Ask Me section of this blog.

i'm looking forward to your questions, dear readers!

tata!

the story behind the V-day cakes...

(...another late post)

LOL!
(i bet you know who salvaged this poor, cute cake)

yeah, 3 cakes from X last V-day. actually, it's 5...the other two are marked "Very" and "Much." But because of confusion, we thought we have 1 cake each (i was in the province for last V-day and we are 5 in the house). X's brother delivered them and didn't say anything...so we had no idea. and stupid us didn't even check them one by one so we didn't know they are labeled!

hahahaah!

i got the one labeled "Love" and salvaged it but didn't finish...we ended up eating the other two.

so i was surprised when X asked for a picture, and i sent the one labeled LOVE. He asked where's the other 4...and i said "they are not mine, so why would i take pictures of their cakes!" LOL he even called his brother to confirm if he had the cakes labeled differently and well, okay..it's our fault!

i honestly felt bad about it...and called mom. she also felt bad about it...actually, the whole family felt bad! but good thing they still have the other two..and because i'm afraid that the cake would melt on my trip back to Manila, i also left it with them. Mom took the pictures and sent it to me so i'd feel better.

i was so embarrassed and kept on apologizing to X...he said it's okay. he tried calling the bakeshop here to ask if they still have V-day cakes available, and they don't since it's only being sold during V-day. he thought of sending me another set...awwww. and guess what, mom also called the bakeshop to get two more, labeled "Very" and "Much" just to have their picture taken.

oh well...at least those 3 important words are complete, no?
and yeah, i learned my lesson....DO NOT ASSUME and CHECK! CHECK! CHECK!

Urban Decay Book of Shadows vol I: Scandal + Roach EOTD

and yet, another look from Urban Decay's Book of Shadows, but this time from the first one that i got...Vol I from Ate Gracie (that i miss so dearly!)...

PAC topped with MUFE brow corrector in 01
UDPP
UD e/s in Scandal, Roach and MAC Carbon
MAC Blacktrack
Maybelline Cat Eye Mascara

Laura Mercier primer
MAC SS concealer in NW20
MAC SS foundation in NC25
MAC MSF Natural
MAC Accentuate and Sculpt
MAC blush in Dainty
Shue Uemura matte loose powder

Maybelline lipgloss

now i am beginning to take notice that i have been ignoring my MAC e/s...if only they can talk, they would probably scream "hey, what about us!"

tee-hee!

Product Review: MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation

ahhh, another foundation! i must admit, i will never get enough of foundations! if there's only one makeup that i can't live without, it would definitely be FOUNDATIONS!

A creamy, luxurious, gel-based foundation that provides medium buildable to high coverage with a natural satin finish. Hydrating, instantly revitalizes the skin while keeping it looking smooth, soft and plush. Long-wearing, water-resistant.

(photo and product blurb from MAC)

i remember trying this on one of our lunch break trips to MAC in shade NC25. i immediately fell in love with the coverage but unfortunately, it's OOS. i asked the SA to give me a call in case it gets available again.

months have passed, and i totally forgot all about it.

until a friend offered this as a swap during one of our (very good) deals:

finally...in shade NC25

swatches

what i love:

• it's gel like consistency that is easy to blend and dries to a matte, powdery finish that looks natural
  
• moisturizing but not greasy
  
• very pigmented, a little goes a long way
• has SPF. but since it only has spf15, it would be better to apply a separate sunblock with higher spf prior to this
  
• provides medium to heavy coverage
• no creasing and settling on fine lines
• looks natural
• won't cake even if you applied too much
• hygienic packaging and since it's in a plastic tube, no danger of breaking and not heavy like those bottled foundations
  

now let me show you my BEFORE shot...
warning: not for the faint hearted!

yeah, my skin's that terrible!

but thanks to this foundation, it helps me make my skin a little less scary:

foundation also used as concealer, then set by stippling MAC MSF Natural in Light

what i hate:

• can be a bit oily after a few hours, but it's nothing that a little blotting won't be able to fix
• a bit more expensive than Studio Fix (i think it's priced at Php1850), but i bet the tube will last me for a long time since i only need a little (2 pea-sized is more than enough)

will i buy again?
yes. but probably in NC20 since NC25 goes a bit dark on me (i'm uber acidic..sniff)


TIPS:

• this goes well on drier skins. if you're oily, don't forget to apply primer first
• can be applied using a brush or your fingers. i find it better to be applied with fingers...but of course, use a brush when using this on clients
• tap, tap, tap on spots you'd want to cover and let it dry for a while before setting with your finishing powder of choice

so ladies, have you tried this foundation? did you like it, or hate it? in my case, i am really loving this foundation. this is what i've been using on most days and this never fails to cover those nasty scars i got from a recent breakout.

let's hear from you!