Makeup Shakeup

new bombay's got the best masala!

2010-09-26T08:13:00.001-07:00

last week i partied w my best girlfriend tatz..

place is called new bombay. it is in greenbelt 2.

they serve the best chicken masala.
and the worst chicken curry.

i looked like this by the way.

we're a bit drunk..

she had beer (unbelievable how much beer this girl can drink)

i had whiskey, rhum and..

plenty of this.

fun, fun times..

be glorious,
R

finally was able to try the cracking nail polish, a bargain find: comfy shoes

2010-09-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

i first saw cracking nail polish via thiamere's blog and i was so amazed by it. the possibilities are enormous. too bad i cant seem to find it in the malls or shops in my area.
today however i was surprised to find it on my regular nail salon's rack of imported and local nail polishes!
before i went to the nail salon, i was already thinking a lot about combining baby blue with gold. however the only blue cracking enamel they have is of glittery dark blue so i really had no choice. good thing the gold underneath is uber sparkly.
check out..

the color combo is classy isnt it?

notice that the cracks though are inconsistent? some nails have more cracks than the others. i guess the brand isnt that good (somethin that has a BK logo, didnt see any other markings on the bottle sorry), or maybe the nail tech is new in using the cracking so she hasnt developed a technique yet..

i went on a shoe shopping spree the other day and bought shoes for my daughters, my mom and myself. got this red wedgy pumps for 400pesos (less than 10usd!). was 800pesos.

it is from artwork, a local brand and the only reason i even went there is cuz somebody told me he got some flipflops from there and i went "thought they only sell shirts? might as well check when i pass by the shop". when i got there, this pair immediately caught my attention. they are so comfy!

im determined to lose weight so instead of tuna salad for evening snack, im having grapes. wish me luck!

this is where i's resting my hand when i's showing off the notd. my tania's play table that i recently got. cute eh?

be glorious,
R

fotd, notd and my new blunt cut bangs

2010-09-10T21:17:00.000-07:00

what do you think of my bangs?

eversince i dyed my hair lighter, i's thinking whether to lighten my eyebrows as well but finding face hair bleach is so difficult so i keep putting it back. now that im sporting bangs again, i started thinking maybe there's too much going on in my face = bangs + brows darker than my hair.. so im again itching for eyebrow bleach.. what do you think girls?
is there too much going on in my face? do i need a lighter eyebrow shade?

and today im wearing this design. kinda reminds you a baby's bedroom right? it has a gold base, and with baby blue and baby pink designs. didnt use nail stickers or guides for this one.

the sleek brush tip of etude house's mini french made it possible for me to draw the random pink designs

hoping to go the re-opened mall nearby and get some inneresting stuff :D

be glorious,
R

notW: rosebuds

2010-09-05T10:57:00.000-07:00

i can finally show you how my frankened nail polish looks like in vivo.

i wanted to do rosebud nails, hence the green and rose pink shades that i used. i dont have nail art pens or brushes however so this is not as i wanted it to look.

this took 2 days (or nights if you may) in the making lol..

NIGHT 1. first i coated my nails this frosted mint green polish from the face shop.. it must have taken 4 coatings for me to achieve the right opacity. that also explains why i had to do the design gradually, cuz it takes ages for 4 coatings to properly dry.

NIGHT 2. i had to french tip stickers from the face shop as guides.

and painted on the rose pinks (derived from 40percent sally hansen bamboo shoots, 40 percent the face shop red #2 and 20 percent the face shop gold). thankfully i only had to use 2 coats of this.

FINAL LOOK! tada! i know it's simple compared to gurus (like thiamere's designs and anastacia's too) but i've finally done something not plain & im glad! i'll do more inneresting stuff soon.

be glorious,
R

i missed all my sisters! FOTD, frankened nail polish, outfit of the day, new hair color, etc

2010-08-29T09:47:00.001-07:00

so i have been away for sooooo long and i didnt even wanna check my blog for weeks for embarassment of not being able to update.
but finally im back and i just wanna show in a nutshell what i've been doing for the past few weeks (mostly had to nurse both my daughters who've been hospitalized but thank god it's ovah! they're well now and very happy)

attended a friends' house blessing

decided to switch back to loreal revitalift.. (yea i know i know.. no loyalty to vmv but hey, my face is getting a bit dry and had to rest from glycolic acid altogether)

"discovered" that bowls are useful as drying racks for makeup brushes heehee

frankened using my useless sally hansen bamboo shoot plus the face shop's cream red and glitter gold polishes (i shall be talking more of this soon)

took the kids for a walk (can you see i've gained weight? ugh!)
by the way im wearing a rather beautiful fuschia colored fringed top that i bought from thailand and paired it with a fuschia colored bottom of a shalwar kameez

been doing makeup of course

i was gonna try an indian look for this but got lazy in the midst. i rather look like my usual self.
(realized too what a mess my 4-month old highlights is..)

so i decided to have my hair colored :D

that's all for now. will be updating more and more hopefully.

be glorious,
R

notW + JUST ACQUIRED

2010-08-09T15:04:00.001-07:00

had my manicure, pedicure and foot spa done at a local salon. i actually brought my camera to show you the place but it was a mess. last time i've been there was last year and while the place is small, it had been a pleasant enough at that time. they still have the same manicurists though and i can say their people is one of the best in the nail business. they are careful, gentle and precise.

im wearing sally hansen fuschia power. it is FUSCHIA with blue undertone that i dislike so much.. why put blue undertone in anything anyway? if someone wants blue, then we can choose blue outright!!!

this is what my hand was resting when i took the photos.
this beautiful purse is HANDMADE and gifted to me by my very good friend lyza.. love you sis!
i would take orders in her behalf if not that she is tied up with orders from the states and from my sister to (who is planning to offer it to her ever-growing clients).
nevertheless, you may leave a comment if you like it :D

be glorious,
R

just acquired + out and about at the spa

2010-08-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

due to emotional and physical stress, i have been aiming to have an alone time maybe out of the country. i have been planning on going from the moment my little daughter turned 5 months, but she's 10 months now and i still havent gone. im honestly scared leaving my 2 kids behind even for just a few days (even if friends are telling me i deserve a break from everything to keep my sanity. yes! sanity.) now, i find myself still feeling too scared to leave and honestly thought maybe i should just go out of town to relax for a couple of days. guess what? still chickened of the idea with the kids not having mommy beside them at night. so i thought i'd just go for some retail therapy to unwind.

in the mall, i find another little problem. you see, we are staying for a few days in my mom's house in the city (plan is leaving the kids there while i go away for a few days but since i didnt leave im also here :P) and so i brought clothes enough for only 2 days so i will be forced to go shopping for new clothes. yes yes, for the longest time i have lost the desire to shop for clothes and i thought being stuck with nothing to wear i will be forced to buy. the little problem is, i still dont feel like shopping. nothing is enticing enough for me to even get inside a single boutique. i just decided straight away to go to the spa since from the bottom of my heart i know any solo travel is in my distant future. at least going to the spa will relax my tired self.

it is called THE SPA and i bought the volcanic rock massage.

of course i used the wet facilities first. this is the cold bath and beside it is the hot bath
had a steam bath too, unfortunately the sauna is still unavailable when i was there (it is available only for limited time due to safety reasons)

then lounged for a while drinking sri lankan tea while waiting for my service

the volcanic rock massage is an executive service at Php 1,500 (35 usd) and so i got my own room. it took 75 minutes and indeed relaxed my muscles.

the massage itself, before the use of the volcanic rocks are disappointingly mediocre and i thought i should have had shiatsu instead cuz they give the best shiatsu at the spa. when the masseuse started pressing the hot rocks to my body though, it went better. it was relaxing and i fell asleep. i think stroking massage always does that while those that use point pressure such as shiatsu always gives a feeling of more energy. i left the spa still feeling groggy but somewhat light-footed.

i looked around hoping to find clothes but nothing caught my fancy so i just bought an assortment of stuff. i was on the way to the face shop to get a nail polish base but to my delight i found a newly-opened accesorize. of course i had to check it out too.

so i got a nail polish base from the face shop Php 95 (2 usd) and a rice soap too Php 255 (5 usd)
and from accesorize a bunny mask for my daughter. it was on 70% off so i only had to shell out Php 69 (less than 2usd!)

lingerie as accesories? why not! these are also from accesorize and prized at Php 450 each (about 10 usd)

the best acquisition of all! ecotools? NO! it is a Naya brush set
(looks identical to ecotools doesnt it?)
and i got it for FREE

cuz i bought a pair of NAYA sandals by naturalizer, Php 5,990 (130 usd)
comfortable enough to be used while im carrying a baby (or two) around

i myself am wondering what is so special about the NAYA line, and found this description on the shoe box

and these pair of boots? on SALE at Php 2,295 (a little over 50usd) and since these are naturalizers, i will brave the mall with them soon

i still didnt have my holiday but at least i feel a lot more relaxed. after all, i have 2 new pairs of shoes to wear, just no clothes. haha.

images of the spa facilities are borrowed from The Spa website.

be glorious,
R

fotd

2010-08-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

i love greens and blues on my eyes!

i have a bit more time so i got the chance to read on my kevyn aucoin's books. he creates simplified looks using a little bit of makeup but all his looks turn out so amazing and beautiful. im wearing plenty of eye color here but not much else.

benefit lemon aid
different hues of blues and greens from my dollface 88 palette
stila tinted moisturizer in shade 01
light dusting of dior pressed powder

be glorious,
R

FOTD (a very tired face) + korean food night out

2010-07-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

posting an FOTD (if you can call it that) but mostly just showing you how im looking these days.

MAC prep + prime skin
revlon photoready in shell
benefit coralista
pink eyeshadow from stila all doll'd up
gold shimmer eyeshadow
black gel liner from dollface cosmetics
AND NO LIPSTICK AS USUAL :)

we had new korean acquaintances who are very nice people and tonight they treated us for korean dinner.

lots of love,
MAKI

im baaaaaaaaaackk.. (i hope)

2010-07-22T02:13:00.001-07:00

i missed all of you guys!

these past few weeks have been crazy.. i owe you an update and let me just list what i've been doing that kept me away from blogging:

- i was preparing for my eldest's birthday party

- a typhoon hit manila and the surrounding areas that we had power outage for 18 hours straight! then sporadic power outages thereafter.

- me and my kids moved.unplanned. and so the party never happened. now living in a very strange province outside the metro.

- the kids and myself got sick. we are still all sick until now. allergy due to the new environment.

yea yea im not giving any details cuz i've been blue and i really didnt wanna blog cuz there arent any excitement going on but i realize the more i keep away from blogging the more depressed i get.

im sharing some photos for your enjoyment. we are still adjusting to the new environment and until then i wont be able to post makeup related stuff.

cake from mama

cake from papa

my kids w my brother in law

the eldest in a carousel ride

in an inflatable playground

riding a cart

im not exactly miss little ray of sunshine but im hoping hoping to go visit your blogs one by one cuz i know i shall get a lot of entertainment and fun by doing so. :D

be glorious,

FOTD

2010-07-06T05:35:00.000-07:00

i miss you all ladies (and gents :D)
too busy obviously. i owe you a lot of "cuento" i know. will be doing that soon.
meanwhile an FOTD. yes! i tried my stila all doll'd up palette for the first time yesterday. i used the violet and teal shades. and i have also used it on top of my benefit lemon aid.
good news is, i think i have found a workup so the lemon aid wont crease on me. plain ol' (and cheap) mineral veil!. yay!

i used:
banana boat sunblock spray
maybelline foundation whose name i dont care to remember as i got it for free and besides it's too runny i dont care to use i ever again
translucent mineral veil
vmv flush blush in cabana cutie
benefit lemon aid topped with mineral translucent veil (the veil did the magic and stopped lemon aid to crease. so happy.)
stila all doll'd up palette - violet and teal
stila smudgepot - violet glitters
maybelline long extreme double stretch mascara

again, missed you all. will be doing rounds of blog lovin now. see you on your blogs :D

be glorious,
R

just acquired + FOTD

2010-06-29T11:57:00.000-07:00

been feeling low the past few days and lemme tell you the music below isnt related to what i've been feeling.
i am now feeling a little better and in the coming week we shall see what is up next in my life. :D
for now i wanna show you what i got recently..

you can see there a:
maybelline age rewind corrector makeup (which i havent figured out if it's a foundation or a concealer)
yes! my benefit lemon aid which you know i have already tested on a previous post
stila all doll'd up palette from the barbie collection
a marionnaud eyebrow and lash brush
a cuticle scissors to be used as brow scissors
an atomizer cuz i shall be "concocting" my own mixing medium

we've all been bombarded with swatches and inside look but let us admire the packaging one more time.. cute. my niece is envious :D

went out to a salon and i looked like this..

used:
rosehip oil all over the face, great product for an instant glow and lift on your skin i tell you!
revlon photoready in shell cuz it's spf27 and i dont wanna wear separate sunblock earlier. lazy!
maybelline dream mousse bronzer, forgot the shade sorry
dior lip liner as eyebrow pencil, yea i know! crayzay
dollface gel liner, black
brown and pink dior eyeshadows

that's a very quick post but im soon gonna be showing photos (and giving review) of my recent salon visit.

be glorious,
R

feelin low :(

2010-06-25T15:13:00.000-07:00

feelin low.. if you dont fancy tlc and swv then skip this post and check out my benefit lemon aid review

be glorious,
R

in FOCUS: benefit lemon aid for a VIBRANT EYE MAKEUP

2010-06-25T13:27:00.000-07:00

so i broke up with udpp after realizing it is the reason behind the muted colors of my eye makeup. as im into intense colors, wearable or not, i started looking around for something that will enhance the vibrancy of my eye pigments. i looked into foiling and using mixing mediums as well but i had to find something to put on my lids too.

too faced shadow insurance, the all natural face eye primer, kryolan eye primer, urban decay primer potion in eden (since i love yellowed lids) came to my mind.

decided to get benefit lemon aid as i love benefit cosmetics & their witty labeling.

see here.. (excuse the bare face, clumsy eyebrows & lack of lid space)

these are UNBLENDED pigments
i didnt use anything except benefit lemon aid on the "clouded" eye,
the other lid is without any primer.
used the sometimes powdery dollface 88 palette. this is matte as i love matte shadows.
matte = solid colors

notice that some pigments have already fallen off from the lid without lemon aid?

i find that lemon aid "hugs" the pigments allowing it to properly get concentrated on the area where you slapped it on, hence lesser fall offs

removes easily with jojoba oil and a wad of cotton too :D

OOOPS!
not so fast! benefit lemon aid also creases big time. within an hour of putting it on! so a lid primer is still needed.

yea i know.. all of a sudden most of you who placed a mental note to get their hands on benefit lemon aid asap decides to throw off the idea within minutes.

pretty reasonable. who wants an extra step in their already tedious eye makeup routine anyway? i dont mind though. still sticking with my lemon aid and find a lid primer or some other way to prevent creasing as im much much much in love with rich colors than i hate creasing.

p.s. udpp eden cant replace lemon aid, google a comparison and you'll know. so any idea what primer i should partner with lemon aid?

be glorious,
R

cherry on top award

2010-06-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

i was going through my daily dose of bloglovin and to my surprise the beautiful leah of theroyalblush.blogspot.com got a treat for me. thanks girl! really enjoying your blog. we share the same dilemmas. oh we do and i say if you ever come visit here i can play hostess to your beautiful balikbayan self.

and i got a..

CHERRY ON TOP AWARD! how sweet.

Here are the rules:

1. Thank the person who gave this award to you - Thank you LEAH♥
2. Copy the award and put it on your blog.
3. List three things which you love about yourself.
4. Post a picture you love.
5. Tag 5 people you wish to pass this award on to.

the 3 things i love about myself:

1. my skin. or rather the skin on my face. it is not acne-prone and i havent had much problem with zits.

2. my memory. it is very very good.

3. the fact that i am honest with everything i say and i can speak my mind without being obnoxious.

picture i love..

love him :D

and i'm tagging:

vivarjitha
kanwalFUL
LOLanne
Makeup with MBA
anamika

great day ladies and let's spread the love.

be glorious,
R

beauty breakthroughs: let the fishes eat their way to your beautiful skin

2010-06-21T04:05:00.000-07:00

we all heard of cockroaches on the face, nightingale poo for younger skin, even leeches sucking blood for detoxification..

for dead skin cells, one can opt for a special kind of fish to work(or eat) their way so you can have buffered skin. these fishes are called garra rufa or "doctor fishes".

it isnt exactly something new as years back, i saw a feature on discovery channel about turkish spas wherein people with skin problems (or those who just wants to keep their skin beautiful and young) from different parts of the globe would make a pilgrimage to turkey just so their skin (their dead skin that is!) will serve as feed for these fishes. being the skin and anti-ageing buff that i am even as a teenager, i took a mental note that someday i will go to turkey for just that kind of treatment.

haha! didnt have to! fish spas have recently gained popularity in the world over and more and more salons, spas and beauty clinics are now offering natural exfolitian via garra rufa fish therapy. neat!

at the manila ocean park, we only had to pay extra Php 120 to have 10 minutes of this fish treatment.. too bad that since it isnt a spa but merely a trial, we can only soak our feet.

the moment when you're dip your feet, it is a bit scary. especially when you see the fishes "attacking your feet". then as they give their first bites, it gets really ticklish

only a few fishes feeding on my feet, some people there has their feet completely covered by fishes. lol.

im not satisfied with this 10-minute trial to be honest and am still hoping that spas near my place would start offering fish therapy.

what about you? any eccentric beauty treatments you've tried lately??

be glorious,
R

cleaning our makeup brushes the proper way

2010-06-18T07:20:00.000-07:00

i wont be exactly teaching how to clean your brushes ladies (and gents)as im not claiming to be an expert. rather, im showing you how i do it. in that way, you can pick up some of my ideas and you can share wise ideas to me and our other sisters (brothers) too :D

i only know of cosmetics brush cleaning from what i have been reading on girltalk, from reading other blogs and from the leaflet that suesh so nicely attached on their brush sets here:
(all photos are zoomable of course. so go ahead and have a better view)

very useful right? :D

so i finally got the chance to wash my marionnaud pencil brush, a couple of suesh eye brushes and my blush 15-piece brush set by suesh. yea.. i know.. took i while..

i used loreal for kids shampoo in passion fruit.. it's my kids'. as im lazy and have limited time, i washed 2-4 small brushes at a time :D

put shampoo on my palm and used the other hand to hold and swirl the brushes on it. the shampoo smelled so delicious btw..

rinsed it with running water from the middle of the ferrule down to the bristles as advised on the suesh leaflet. it didnt take a while to rinse cuz the brushes didnt bleed nor did it shed (except for the angled contour brush which shed two tiny strands)

I N T E R M I S S I O N

after washing and rinsing all the eye brushes i had to take a break cuz i have to check on the damage that my little candy have created by that time (yea.. nanny-less again.. threw out the latest ayah as she's shouting at the kids.. but that's another story)
extremely cute, eh?

i dried the brushes on top of a towel and it is slightly angled to make sure the excess water will drip the proper way

meanwhile i prepared a gingham pillow case and placed it inside the pages of a big book

while some of the brushes have dried (and some havent cuz i cant wait anymore lol) i lined the brushes on top of the gingham cloth (which is by the way clean and sterile as i dont want my newly washed brushes to be dirtied again)

then closed the book. (wrong choice of a book as a softbound book would have "hugged" the brushes in place better)

so i found a way to use my yellow nail enamel from the face shop which is soooo runny

used it to paint my brush butts. i reckon it is better to just color code our brushes than put sticker labels on it. easier to spot which brushes are yours even from afar. that way, when out with other people who also have plenty of brushes laying about, the brushes wont get mixed up

i know i should probably used a longer lasting paint but i dont have any. besides, i might change my mind and nail polish is so easy to remove.. didnt make an effort to apply the color either as by this time im just too eager to get over the cleaning and marking part and go on with the using!

while waiting for nail polish to dry, i also sanitized my brush roll and some brush guards using alcohol and cotton

it is important to sanitize the brush roll too. see? the dust and germs that would've made contact with my brushes is removed.

and here's my brushes arranged according to my preference.

i hope you picked up something from my demonstration. if im doing something wrong or if you think i can do something better please let me know..

be glorious,
R

animal printed storage boxes for this and that

2010-06-16T07:07:00.001-07:00

i's looking for study charts for my toddler in sm office and school supplies store when i passed by these cute boxes.. :D they're on sale too!

i've been meaning to get some storage containers for my nail polishes and i wasnt expecting to find something from sm department store.

these are made of cardboard so i had to think twice if i's gonna get it or not, however the cuteness won. besides, i can wipe it clean with a damp cloth and alcohol if it gets dusty anyway (which i just did). i think these are meant to be gift boxes.

there are also other shapes such as octagon. i should've gotten more.

the box has heart-shaped windows so i can easily check what's inside. it's Php 99 and im estimating that the size is 7 x 7 x 6 (height inches). this is the biggest box i got though there are 2 other smaller sizes of this model

these buckets sell for Php 89 and has a string handle. it's 6 inches in diameter and about 6 inches tall too. there are bigger sizes and smaller sizes of this design

any of you girlfriends are lovin animal prints? needing some storage containers too?

be glorious,
R

just acquired + notd

2010-06-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

got these nail polishes a few days ago. still crushing on the face shop polishes those days.. and speaking of "crushing" you can see karl leuterio's blogspot on the background which i pulled up on purpose so y'all can see it.. im crushing on his eyebrows haha..check him out..

also got those strawberry scented nail file and french liner guides from the face shop

here are the swatches of my new polishes.. see the yellow? it's 3 coats and still lookin like that..

and i love doing odd ones out on my fingernails lately..

be glorious,
R

FOTD

2010-06-12T20:25:00.001-07:00

actually this is my sister's fotd :D
she's ultimately way better than me in putting on makeup. she started early with makeup while i only got innerested on makeup when i's 27 :D

sofina primavista liquid foundation
missha oven blusher
nyx cafe latte round lipgloss
benefit coralista
shades from dollface 88 palette
dior eyeliner
random dark brown eyebrow pencil whose brand have long since faded
avon mascara (no falsies, she has naturally long lashes)

p.s. yes, except for the mascara & brow pencil, all makeup items are mine. she likes using my stuff

be glorious,
R

do you post your unflattering photos?

2010-06-12T06:25:00.001-07:00

most of us, when posting photos in our blogs, websites, facebooks etc. filter out the unflattering photos..might be a bad makeup, wrong outfit, or unbecoming angle that we dont want our followers, friends and readers to see..

the other day i's at the manila ocean park i had the chance to try bungee jumping..

here are my photos.. enjoy laughing at me.. lol..

n

be glorious,
R

out and about at the manila OCEAN PARK

2010-06-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

be glorious,
R

just acquired

2010-06-09T16:32:00.000-07:00

maybelline 2-in-1 impact shadow liner (Php359) which i got from sm department store

the maybelline eyeliner is silky white (ignore the lipstick swatch, i know it's a lovely coral shade!)

maybelline long extreme double stretch (Php 599) which i got from sm department store. i saw this on camille's (little beauty bag) lashes and swore to get it asap. thanks sis!

ever bilena dual ended brushes. these are disposable brushes that has a pointed tip in one end and a sponge tip on the other end..it is about 3 inches short by the way so if you want longer handles it's not for you. got it for Php 48 per 3 pieces at watson's.

i have already used the sponge end of ever bilena dual ended brushes but i thought i ought to show them still. these are disposables i repeat and probably useful to some ouf our makeup artist friends

this is the marionnaud brush that donna of my lucid intervals likes.. cant pass it up for Php89.75. been wanting a pencil brush and i hope it will be useful. havent even washed it though so i cant say anything more

from the suesh studio i got this smudge brush (Php 300) and eyeliner brush (Php 250). i like that the ferrule is black. plus the eyeliner brush looks promising compared to the eyeliner brush that usually comes with the set.

and my blush 15pc brush set (Php1,600). also from suesh, they describe it as a brush set for makeup artists on a budget. im not a mua but im definitely on a budget and so i decided to get this set. i know there've been reviews about how the face brushes arent dense enough but i particularly got it for the eyebrushes. & besides, for 1,600 pesos can i really complain? haha. i used my sister's belle du jour 10% off coupon and only had to pay php 1,440. sweet!

here are the eyebrushes.. extra large eyeshadow brush, large eyeshadow brush, medium eyeshadow brush, small eyeshadow brush and extra small eyeshadow brush.. i like the extra small eyeshadow brush particularly.

see that they have tapered bristles? in my opinion it will make it easier for me to slap on the color on my lids with these tapered bristles. i dont know how they will perform though for picking up pigments..

and here are the angled browliner brush, bullet brush, mascara brush, angled contour brush and eyeliner brush. just from the picture you can already see that i wont be using the eyeliner brush, it's too flimsy and the ends are not pointed enough. the angled contour brush however looks beautiful with a flat plane.

here's the lip brush and i love the fact that it has a lid

the fan brush

and the face brushes..

that's all for now. i shall be washing these new brushes and be giving some initial thoughts on them in a few weeks time.

be glorious,
R

HELP! serious skin emergency!

2010-06-04T14:22:00.000-07:00

yesterday afternoon i woke up with this thing on my left cheek!

go ahead and click the photo for a better view if you must

and it's not from sleeping cuz up until now (5:25am or GMT + 8) it's still here on my face..

i didnt even know it was here until my mom told me i got a mayjah pimple coming up. i told her i dont feel anything so i went to look at the mirror and sure enough the red mark is there.

now my sister's opinion is that the skin got scraped raw but im sure it didnt cuz like i said, i dont feel anything. IT'S NOT ITCHY, IT DOESNT STING, IT DOESNT HURT AT ALL.

im sure if it's an allergy, it will be itchy.

and while time to time i get smacked by my kids (or their toys) while we are playing, im sure it would hurt if that was the reason i got this red blotch..

i even consulted with my fellow skin addict claire of extrarys and she asked me if there's any new product im using.. no there aint anything new on my skincare regimen..

the only thing i did out of the ordinary is that i slept on my stila illuminating tinted moisturizer the other night (when i slept on a product it's usually a liquid foundation haha) but i have washed my face the following morning and this nasty red blotch didnt spring up until the afternoon.

do you girls have any idea what this is?

im so uncomfortable that something on my face doesnt feel anything but just wont budge there. i would have been more comfortable knowing i scratched my face, or got sunburnt or allergy cuz i would know then how to treat, but being clueless like this isn't helping at all.

grateful for your comments, ideas and advice.

btw, here are shots of my sad face :(

be glorious,
R

50 QUESTIONS TAG + INNERESTING PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

2010-06-03T21:27:00.000-07:00

1. What time did you get up this morning?
I HAVENT SLEPT YET
2. How do you like your steak?
WELL COOKED
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
4. What is your favorite TV show?
DISCOVERY CHANNEL SHOWS
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
INDIA, SINGAPORE, AUSTRALIA OR ITALY
6. What did you have for breakfast?
FRIED RICE WITH LAST NIGHT'S ULAM
7. What is your favorite cuisine?
FILIPINO, INDIAN.PAKISTANI, ARABIC,ITALIAN
8. What foods do you dislike?
GINGERY FOODS, BLAND-FLAVORED FOODS
9. Favorite place to eat?
MY HOUSE, IN HOTELS, ON A BEAUTIFUL STREET
10. Favorite dressing?
TARTAR, MAYO,
11. What kind of vehicle do you drive?
CANT DRIVE
12. What are your favorite clothes?
RED AND GOLD
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance?
RIGHT NOW I WANNA GO TO LAHORE.. YEA YEA, UNSAFE BUT I WANNA CHECK ON MY SWEETIE AND HIS FAMILY
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full?
HALF CUP FULL.
15. Where would you want to retire?
IN A MOUNTAIN HOME
16. Favorite time of day?
NIGHT TIME, 10PM ONWARDS
17. Where were you born?
MANILA
18. What is your favorite sport to watch?
TENNIS
19. Who do you think will not tag you back?
NO IDEA.
20. Person you expect to tag you back first?
NO IDEA.
21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this?
MY SISTERS IN THE BLOGOSPHERE :d
22. Bird watcher?
NO.
23. Are you a morning person or a night person?
NIGHT PERSON SINCE I'S 7.
24. Do you have any pets?
NO.
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share?
NOTHING I WANNA SHARE. IT'S TOO PERSONAL :p
26. What did you want to be when you were little?
ASTRONAUT
27. What is your best childhood memory?
HANGING OUT AFTER SCHOOL WITH MY PALS CALLED CARLA, LHYZA, JAUNTU AND MYRICH
28. Are you a cat or dog person?
NEITHER. IM A GOLD FISH PERSON :p
29. Are you married?
NO.
30. Always wear your seat belt?
YES.
31. Been in a car accident
YES. I RAN OVER A BASKETBALL COURT FENCE. FROM THAT DAY ON, I NEVER WENT BEHIND THE WHEEL.
32. Any pet peeves? INSECTS = INSECURE SUCKERS WHO BACKSTAB OTHER PEEPS.
33. Favorite Pizza Toppings?
ONIONS
34. Favorite Flower?
ROSE I GUESS.
35. Favorite ice cream?
VANILLA
36. Favorite fast food restaurant?
MCDONALD'S, SBARRO, JOLLIBEE TOO JUST CUZ IT MAKES MY DAUGHTER HAPPY :d
37. How many times did you fail your driver's test?
NEVER WENT FOR IT. HAHA. BY THAT TIME I'S TOO CHICKENED OUT.
38. From whom did you get your last email?
TOTALBEAUTY.COM
39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?
DE BEERS.
40. Do anything spontaneous lately?
NO. I USED TO BE ALWAYS SPONTANEOUS LIKE I TRAVEL OUT OF THE COUNTRY WITH ONLY A FEW HOURS PREPARATION HAHA BUT SINCE I HAD KIDS, CANT BE DOING STUFF LIKE THAT NOW. BESIDES, I DONT HAVE THAT MUCH MONEY ANYMORE.
41. Like your job?
MOMMYING? YES.
42. Broccoli?
SURE.
43. What was your favorite vacation?
THE TIME I DIDNT KNOW I'S PREGNANT W MY WANIA YET & I PARA-SAILED LOL.
44. Last person you went out to dinner with?
THE WHOLE FAMILY AT A CHINESE RESTAURANT.
45. What are you listening to right now?
MY KIDS WITH THE NEW AYAH. PLAYING
46. What is your favorite color?
RED.
47. How many tattoos do you have?
NONE.
48. How many are you tagging for this quiz?
EVERYONE READING THIS!
49. What time did you finish this quiz?
12:26PM
50. Coffee drinker?
NO.

photo credits to this article.

p.s. please answer this tag my gorgeous friends ;D
be glorious,
R

NOTW: muted gold

2010-06-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

nail of the WEEK..

one coat of sally hansen hard as nails in bamboo shoots
one coat of the face shop nail enamel in gold111
one coat of the face shop high grade topcoat

here's my nails halfway done. you can see sally hansen bamboo shoots there..

be glorious,
R

i took home AKSHAY KUMAR

2010-06-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

lately, i really really started craving again for indian food, thanks to some of my co-bloggers' food posts :P and so i decided to look for indian restaurants in manila. i know of kashmir (my jamil told me about it and i have seen it couple of times while in makati) and of course places like jaipur, (bollywood in greenbelt is no more :( )but those are too far from me. plus, I DONT HAVE A DATE! THANKS JAMIL :p so i googled indian restaurants in manila and there've been a lot of references about u.n. avenue. i knew i had to go there soon.
coincidentally, i needed a new digital camera and i found a seller who offers cheapest in manila. so great luck for me. i'll be hitting 2 birds in one trip :)

i ate at assad cafe cuz there aint any other restaurants there :p
& bought some stuff at little india

their lassi sucks.. made my throat itch cuz the mixture isnt properly done

chapati is ok

chicken masala is more of a chicken tandoori poured with masala.. but i aint complainin..
it was my man who taught me to eat indian/pakistani food and just like a man, i didnt stop eating until i can breathe no more.. hahahah..

the prices in case you wanna visit
i also took home chicken biryani cuz i wanna make the most of my trip. my dad also likes biryani
and aloo gobhi for my wania..
and keema too (which ended in the garbage as i forgot about it so the maid had to throw it out :p)

the ladoo that never reached home..
this i got from little india. i tasted it & it's not freshly made! i threw it out on the way home

also at little india, near the counter, i saw BOLLYWOOD MOVIES.. automatically i looked for my beloved shah rukh khan, but his movies are sold out..
didnt see anything i fancy so i took home the second best.. akshay kumar.. blue :P

p.s. re-posted it from my other blog.

little by little, i'll include other inneresting things in my life cuz i thought if i love seeing other peeps' adventures, maybe some folks out there need an info i have (such as an advice on where to get indian food in manila!)
this blog shall remain beauty-inclined of course! just mixing it up with some masala!

be glorious,
R

just finished

2010-06-01T07:56:00.000-07:00

a box of fine white hyaluron

a can of meiji amino collagen

and 1 bottle of emu oil (still have 2 bottles left)

for meiji amino collagen's review, kindly check my post here.
and since i have only used fine white hyaluron and emu oil for the first time, i shall be making a review in the next few months as i dont wanna blab about something that i barely know about :)
that's all for now! so happy to be finishing my acquisitions little by little :D

be glorious,
R

cosmetic fix: salvage your dried gel and cream liners

2010-05-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

a few months back when i bought my first gel liners from dollface, i know that the time will come and they will dry up.
there are plenty of advice i have read that gel liners must be stored in a glass jar for longer shelf life, they must be tightly capped all the time too.
i have tried my best to always have the dollface glass jars capped and i must say that my turqoise and black liners have remained creamy.
sadly though, my favourite blue liner have gone powdery and it started tugging when im applying it.

from the picture, you can see that it has solidified and gone pasty.

i wasnt that alarmed though cuz when i blogged about these same gel liners when i got them, the beautiful sonali gave me an advice right there that if ever they dried up, all i have to do is put a drop of glycerin to make them good as new. and sonali girl, am i glad i kept a mental note of your advice.
cuz sure enough, in a few months, i needed that drop of glycerin.
well didnt know at first i can easily get it from a neighborhood drugstore. (im in the philippines but im sure you sisters can find it easily in your drugstores too :D)but here..

got it from south star drug cheaply at Php31.50 (saw this in mercury drugstore too, but who wants to waste time in the lines right?)

so i used two drops of glycerine (not sure why i used 2 drops and not a drop honestly, lol. i just thought that maybe a drop wont be enough.. here i am again getting excessive)
and i mixed it using a brush butt aka a craft brush handle

you can see it's a bit "wet-looking" isnt it? tried to press the gel into a nice shape but failed.. see the mess i made on my fingers and on the gel? well, it still looks that way and will remain so. im just glad it has indeed gone creamy and when i glided it, it went on smoothly than even before i first got it :D

now the big question.. and the most important of all is..
did the staying power of the gel remain so or did it turn smudgy because of the added ingredient?
and my happy answer is..
it did not get smudgy and the staying power of my dollface gel liner, mixed with 2 drops of glycerin remained fantastic.
see my fotd before this post? it was the "fixed" gel liner that i used for that fotd. manila's heat + too much arcading + sweating and the gel liner has remained in place :D
there.. i hope i had been of some help. you have dried up gel and cream liners? go ahead and fix it!

p.s. my daughters' ayah is gone. boohoo. will be busy in the next few days and might not be able to go online as much as i'd like to. i'll miss you all!

be glorious,
R

FOTD

2010-05-30T00:16:00.000-07:00

sofina primavista liquid foundation
vmv gorgeous cheek flush blush in cabana cutie
styli style lip pencil in crimson
maybelline color sensational in pink petal
dollface gel liner in blue

be glorious,
R

NOTD: christmassy nails!

2010-05-29T17:10:00.000-07:00

one coat of the face shop nail enamel in red301
topped with a coat of the face shop nail enamel in gold111
protected with the face shop high grade topcoat

be glorious,
R

in FOCUS: (and just FINISHED) vmv skin savvy 60 liquid foundation

2010-05-27T06:50:00.000-07:00

so i just finished my first ever liquid foundation. it is VMV skin savvy 60 and i bought it early last year even before i got innerested in makeup. i actually got it as an alternative to vmv armada 60 cuz both of them has spf60 and i thought if armada is great, then this liquid foundation must be great too.

here's what it says on the vmv website:

Ultra-High Protection, Creamy Perfection, Liquid-Créme Foundation Skin Savvy 60 Ultra-High Protection, Creamy Perfection, Liquid-Créme Foundation Ultra-high protection and creamy perfection. This skin lightening, skin-caring coverage is Armada Face and Body Shield 60 in a perfect –finish foundation. Opaque, full-spectrum protection against indoor and outdoor UVA, UVB, Infrared, and Visible Light: SPF 60, High PFA, PFI, PFV. Helps prevent hyperpigmentations, photoageing and skin cancer. Regular use can help lighten hyperpigmentations and help enable overall skin to lighten naturally. Full-coverage liquid-créme masks blemishes and gives skin an up-close-touch-it-perfect finish. Light weight comfort. All Skin Types. Full Coverage. Validated Hypoallergenic: VH-27. SPF 60. 100% All-Types-of-Fragrance-Free. 100% Preservative Free. Usage and Patch-Tested. Non-Comedogenic. Net Content: 0.88 Oz. (25g) To Use: With bare fingers or a sponge, apply over face and neck as needed. Blend well. Active Ingredients: Zinc Oxide – 6.9%, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid – 5%, Titanium Dioxide – 3.62%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane – 3%, 4-Methylbenzilidine Camphor – 1%. Other Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Triethanolamine, Glyceryl Laurate, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Dimethicone/Methicone Copolymer, Tetrasodium EDTA, Aluminum Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Zirconium Dioxide, Iron Oxides. May Contain: Talc.

and here's what i say about vmv skinn savvy 60

coverage: perfect 10! it has full coverage and whenever i feel my undereyes have gotten too dark i only wear this and there's no need for a concealer. i may not have acne scars to hide but i think this shall be able to hide acneic skin as well.

finish: i give it 8 out of 10. it's because it gives inconsistent finish, depending on how my skin is and how the weather is. sometimes i get a dewy finish and i mostly get matte finish with this one. take note that im not crazy about face primers so im pretty sure it's my skin condition + the weather that's making it behave that way. i would prefer a liquid foundation to give me the finish i want (always matte or always dewy) so i can decide whether it will go with the look i want for the day.

staying power: oh oh oh! another perfect 10 for this category. i know there've been raves about revlon colorstay and i honestly cant compare vmv skin savvy 60 with it cuz i havent tried colorstay but im pretty confident about the staying power of this one. picture this: i put on the makeup 8am, went to the zoo with the kids, imagine the p.i.a. heat in manila, the stress of chasing after a toddler, checked my face 11am, makeup still good (and i havent used finishing powder or spray on my face). went to the mall for lunch and more games, imagine me playing at the inflatable playground w my toddler, checked my makeup, and only the area on my upper lip and nose looked a bit worn off. i just used my fingers to fix and :) 4pm at home from a very active day and makeup still good :D

sun protection: a perfect 10 again. it has spf60! and if you read what vmv said on the above quoted description, i wouldn't need to say anything more.

consistency: well, it is a bit hard to blend being thicker than your regular liquid foundation. so i give it an 8 out 10 points.

skin matching ability: another perfect 10! it has loads of shades to choose from (and im pearl) so all you gotta do is try it on IN PERSON to get your match.

hypoallergenicity: it is vmv HYPOALLERGENICS. what else but a perfect 10. it is rated vh-27, free of all 27 known (and sadly common to most cosmetics) allergens. fragrance-free. paraben-free. and for someone like me who gets allergic rhinitis from nasty scents or ingredients in cosmetics or even food (like right now!) it is important that a foundation is hypoallergenic.

availability: 10! it is available in sm department stores (who doesnt have an sm in their area?lol), i believe robinson's and landmark carries it as well and vmv has their own booth in alabang town centre and has their flagship store at bonifacio high street.

affordability: it can be relative. just in my opinion the price is good. i believe it cost me Php 1,660 (website price is 50usd). some would say it's expensive cause you get less than an ounce of the product, but imagine a sunblock and foundation in 1? i save on the sunblock when i wear it. perfect 10 in my opinion.

and there you have it. so happy about this review as i really am confident im giving you an honest and great advice about a product that i truly believe in.

p.s. skin savvy 60 is on sale right now on the website!

be glorious,
R

swatching: a handful of inneresting mineral pigments

2010-05-26T08:37:00.000-07:00

check it out..

i simply got these from my online shop inventory :D

planning to do some eotd's with these.

the sparkling white is amazing by the way.

be glorious,
R

just acquired

2010-05-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

the face shop nail enamels (Php95 each), topcoat (Php 185) & nail polish remover (Php95)

my supply of pantene 3-minute miracle treament at Php300 at watson's

evian face sprays from pcx at Php410 for the biggest bottle & Php189 fore the smallest bottle

glycolic soaps at Php550 for 10 bars
sebamed sunblock lotion

p.s. i know, i know i'll give more in focus entries about my previous acquisitions.. :)

be glorious,

out and about: manicure and pedicure at a local spa

2010-05-22T06:15:00.000-07:00

last weekend my sis and i went out for a manicure and pedicure.
we decided to go to a spa instead of the regular nail salons cuz we want to relax and nail salon ambiance isnt exactly too relaxing as they have mostly cramped space.
we went to my spa. it's a local spa in the south of manila and i'm a member so i get to have 10percent discount on the service.

while my spa is not as chic as the spa, it's a definitely a step up from other spas around

i chose the face shop nail enamel in BL604 for both fingernails and toenails

they put on two coats of the said nail enamel plus a topcoat of the same brand.

paid only Php560 (or 12usd) for me and my sister's mani and pedi :) and the ambiance is great and relaxing (especially if there wont be other guests who wants their tv tuned on a sleazy show! and they want full volume too!)

p.s. if you're from the south of manila, we can totally bond here :)

be glorious,
R

in FOCUS: jojoba oil as eye makeup remover (raccoon eyes and heavy eyes no more)

2010-05-21T06:20:00.000-07:00

so i have purchased these essential oils a few weeks back and i initially intended to use the jojoba oil as a body oil as it promises to make the skin supple for even upto 24 hours after the application.
due to the p.i.a. heat in manila though i just feel too lazy to use oil for my whole body and just put on sunblock lotion whenever i go out.
of course the jojoba oil wont go to waste. as i read on the bottle, time travel products (where i purchased my jojoba oil) says it is THE BEST makeup remover. and so i thought my "almost best" is shu uemura cleansing oil premium a/i, cuz of its ability to takeoff my vmv skin savvy 60,-however i call shu uemura cleansing "almost best" for a reason-it failed to takeoff my diorshow mascara. so having found out jojoba oil can be a powerful eye makeup remover gave me hope. i made a mental note to try it asap.
the happy thing is: it didnt fail me. while shu uemura cleansing may be able to takeoff my eyeshadows and other such eyeliners, it makes my lids heavy and sleepy after using it (yea, even after rinsing thoroughly thoroughly..). jojoba oil didnt do that. it removed my eye makeup easily and while it might feel oilier than shu uemura cleansing oil, it didnt leave any residue on my eyes and didnt turned my lids heavy as well.
here are the photos so you can see for yourself.

used dollface and stila gel liners
missha oven blusher as highlighter

used about 5 drops of jojoba oil on the cotton and it easily removed the gel liners

see? nothing!

more deets:
also tried emu oil as eye makeup remover and contrary to most raves, it didnt work as great as jojoba oil. also tried jojoba oil as foundation remover and no it wasnt as effective as shu uemura cleansing oil. so this jojoba oil is really meant to be EYE MAKEUP REMOVER!

i hope my review had been of some help!

p.s. notice my lashes? rather thick but short :P bleh

these are my daughter's lashes. yes. im bragging :P and yes she got it from her papa!

be glorious,
R

fotd

2010-05-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

emu oil as primer
vmv skin savvy 60 in pearl (which is almost used up! yay!)
benefit coralista
urban decay primer potion in original
dior travel palette eyeshadows in frosted pink, mauve and frosted white
mac hug me lipstick
evian brumisateur

be glorious,
R

do it at home: facial exfoliation

2010-05-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

too much whiteheads & blackheads?

why dont you get yourself a facial sauna & exfoliate as often as you like at home?

got my watson's brand sauna for only Php650

you can also put A DROP of your favored essential oil on the water to set your mood :)

be glorious,R

in FOCUS: pantene 3-minute miracle treatment (younger hair!!!)

2010-05-03T10:11:00.000-07:00

so i just recently acquired pantene 3-minute miracle treatment and i have used it once. got it for Php 299 (8 usd) for a box of 3 tubes from sm supermarket.

i must say i just got it randomly cuz i remember seeing it from a tv ad once. i thought to give it a try for my dry hair brought about by my most recent hair color and highlights. i did get loreal powerdose treatment from a salon recently, but i find that powerdose never really helped much when it comes to my damaged hair.

when i used pantene 3-minute miracle treatment, im honestly clueless whether to use it dry on its own or wet like a conditioner. never saw any detailed instructions on the box except to leave it on my hair for 3 minutes (isnt it obvious?) and to use it once a week (or as often as desired!?!) yea. another case of the manufacturer assuming their consumers will figure out how best to use their product. well, probably it's ok to use either way, i however prefer a personal, educated instructions and descriptions about the products i buy it makes me feel the sincerity of its manufacturer that they really want their product to help me, instead of me just to buy the product. (VMV hypoallergenics i love you). but with most products that you can get from your drugstores or the supermarket, you're on your own.

going back, i used pantene 3-minute miracle treatment wet just cuz i remembered to use it after i already put shampoo on my hair :P

i first squeezed (or squoze according to the sweet potato queens - love them!) the extra water from my hair after i rinsed my shampoo. then i applied pantene. it felt just like a regular conditioner.. plenty of conditioner since i used the whole tube for my shoulder-length hair (am i supposed to do that?) i must say, i dont fancy the hard plastic tube. i had to put a lot of effort in squeezing out all of the product so i dont waste any. halfway through the process, im thinking "omg! did i just used this much conditioner on my straight hair?" and felt a little remorse that maybe im just actually using an overpriced conditioner. started worrying too that it will make my hair limp and flat. anyways since there's just no going back, i rinsed it the usual manner and just made a mental note to check my hair when it dries.

busy the whole day and forgot to really take a close look at my hair until very late at night when i's doing my vmv regimen. i pleasantly noticed my hair looks kinda like it was 3 years ago and not until the following day did i realize it must be pantene's effect cuz it's looking like that consistently (yep until now, day 3! will any conditioner do that?) im bulleting now as we're on the real reason why you're still reading this entry:

good things about pantene 3-minute miracle:
- contrary to making my hair limp, it actually added volume to my hair. beautiful volume and not bushy at all like some other volumizing products would do! a happy happy thing for someone who's got very straight hair
- it really did moisturize my hair without making me feel icky because of oiliness. not as much as i'd like, but it's definitely here, 3 days after i treated
- it's 299 pesos for 3 tubes or about 100 pesos per treatment. that's 400 pesos a month against loreal's powerdose of about 1,000 pesos for a monthly treatment. and it's even better than loreal's powerdose too (in my case at least)
- you can do it at-home and it only takes 3-minutes
- easily available. who doesn't have an sm near their place?

it sucks though that:
- like i said you can't get much advice from the box or the tube
- hard to squeeze out the whole thing from its tube

and that's about it..why don't you give it a try girls! it's definitely something i'd buy again :)

be glorious,
R

just acquired

2010-05-02T15:28:00.000-07:00

vmv hypoallergenics re-everything cleansing cream
got this for Php 800 (18usd) from sm department store
initial feedback:
i have used it 3 times and the first two times IT STUNG MY EYES! im so unhappy as i never expected something from vmv to do this. the third time i used it i just applied the cleansing cream from my cheeks below and didnt put any on my forehead and on the corners near my eyes for fear that it might sting again. i's successful in minimizing the product that would get near my eyes but it is a slow process as i gotta be careful that the water i use for rinsing isnt too much lest it will spread near my eye area.

pantene 3-minute treatment
got this for Php 299 (7usd) per box of 3 tubes from sm hypermarket
watch out for an in focus entry on this product

meanwhile, take a look at the card attached to the vmv re-everything cleansing cream

that's all for now girls!

be glorious,
R

be glorious,R

a piece of me May 2010 + an award

2010-05-02T04:58:00.000-07:00

the sweet and uber talented nada of arabian eyes gave me this happy award! thanks babi!

and a piece of me entry

I like: my neew hair highlights :)

I don't like: sleeping late again.

I want you to know: i may be starting work soon.

I've planned:a lot of things for the kids.

I want to say to someone special: im still waiting.

what about a piece of you girlfriend?

get on here sister!

be glorious,R

just acquired

2010-04-21T23:40:00.001-07:00

stila illuminating tinted moisturizer, which retails for Php 1,400 (32USD)
victoria's secret lotion "pure seduction", which sells for 9.50usd but i got for php300 (7usd) from a good friend ara who imported it from canada. and she gave me a free glycolic soap too(yea that's a soap not a cocoa bar you're seeing beside the lipgloss)
stila smudgepots in kitten and violet from the holiday smudgepot collection, got them both for Php500 (12usd) thanks cha!
nyx round lipgloss in cafe latte, freebie from cha!

and here's a random photo of my lips wearing nyx round lipgloss in cafe latte
lovin the color of this one, im actually been lookin for something like this..

and these are natural oils i bought from the uk that i got for a total of 36GBP plus 1,200Php for the taxes (or a total of 100usd almost). by the way i have 3 bottles of emu oil. the other 2 are unpictured as i've stored them in the fridge already. (emu oil spoils). still a lot of savings compared to when i buy the same stuff from a local seller. made the computation and if i buy the same amount of these oils from a local seller, i'd be paying almost 2,000Php (35usd) more. here are what i got:
rosehip oil, for fine lines under my eyes. i got 1 tiny line on the right and 1 and half (cuz the other one is really really small i call it half :D) on the left
jojoba oil, for my hair and all over the body as it's supposed to make the skin really supple. by the way it's pronounce "ho-ho-ba" and no joe-joe-ba (as i thought it was)
emu oil, to moisturize my face and for better absorption of rosehip oil and other lotions or creams that im using

i also got 3 boxes of fine white hyaluron powder. this is a product that has combined powers of hyaluronic acid to provide moisture for the skin (which i totally need!) and l-cysteine to clear up and prevent sunspots, freckles and liver spots.
i got it for 1,980Php (45usd) per box from a local seller. no positive feedback to that seller!

and here's a close up of fine white hyaluron's contents

2 cans of meiji amino collagen powder that i got for 1,500 (35usd). my dhc nameraka is almost finished and im going back to powdered supplements for better results (cuz powdered supplements and liquid supplements are supposed to be absorbed by the body way easier than capsules or tablets)

and im finally gonna try the much raved about fine hyaluron plus collagen powder
got this for 2,500Php (57usd) for a can. it's similar to meiji amino collagen but it has hyaluronic acid and pearl coix extract that's supposed to enhance the work of collagen.

and those are my acquisitions. i shall be making in focus entries on the supplements in a few months time and you can expect some eotd's using my new stila smudgepots :D

be glorious,
R

just acquired

2010-04-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

or to be more precise, "shall be acquiring" as i will get my hands on these pieces the day after tomorrow..

a little intro.. this month i got invited to my good friend's wedding and she wanted her guests to party it up in summer attire. that plus my most recent obsession which is everything peacock started my fishing for the latest accessories out there.

not so easy. these days you can find anything anywhere in our consumer-driven world, cute and chic accessories included. at affordable prices too! but cute and chic and good prices arent enough for me. i want it unique and handmade if possible. i want it to be MINE.

and so began my quest (online window shopping you might say) for my special pieces.

started at etsy but too bad that there is a very short list of local etsyist.

but in multiply immediately fell in love with this..

princess, its creator calls it windblown.. it's mine now :)

and since my shopping style is to buy plenty, i decided to have these too..

a junior version of windblown. it's actually an mto for my tot. so we can wear the chokers and look fab as a mom and baby. i love matching outfits with my daughters!

and the most exciting part!

i have a beautiful necklace of 3 long strands of keshi pearls. i love the pearls so much but i feel they are outdated so i had princess's genius re-work it for me :) here are more mto's that she made from my keshi pearls (should've taken a photo of the 3-stranded necklace so i can show you a before and after photos, still these pieces below are definitely eye candies)

waves and blues, seashells and fishes is what i asked for this long necklace

paired with equally inneresting bracelet..

old rose and fall leaves inspired this cleavage necklace

and i shall wear this vintage bracelet with it

beautiful? yes, i know :)

to view more of princess's works, visit her shop :)

p.s. can you read what it says on the book pages? lol

be glorious,
R

funkify your lashes

2010-04-12T10:13:00.001-07:00

wanna know where to get these lashes?

continue reading here.

be glorious,
R

my laptop charger is busted

2010-04-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

it sucks!

im so uncomfortable.

im using my mom's lil notebook. it's pink. and it's little.

ima have the charger fixed tomorrow.

dont you hate it when these things happen?

R

dissect and compare: which collagen supplement is best for you

2010-04-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

this blog is originally created as "my makeup contemplating cyber couch" but beauty should be part of every woman's (and man's) life and putting on makeup is just one aspect of making ourselves beautiful.

from now on i will share with you dear readers other stuff that i believe is essential in keeping ourselves beautiful from outside and within.

most of you aren't aware of my beauty regimen. while i am obsessed with lotions and creams (since time immemorial) and essential and natural oils, health supplements has also become my obsession (yes obsession) for the past 3 years.

i would like to share with you today my experience with these supplements and we shall start with collagen.

below are 3 of the most popular collagen brands in asia. all 3 are japanese brands and i have been using these alternately for the past 3 years so i am confident about my review.

DHC Nameraka

DHC Nameraka isn't just a collagen supplement. nameraka being a word for "smooth" in japanese contains five active ingredients that claims to give back the healthy glow to your skin. it makes your skin smooth as the name suggests.

These active ingredients are supposed to work together to battle stress and give make your skin revitalized.

Fish collagen 405mg
Fish elastin (proteins included 90%) 30mg
Pueraria Mirifica plant extract (Puerarin 97%)
Pig placenta extract 105mg
Hyaluronic acid 45mg

my experience with it

how effective is it?
true to its claim, it does make my skin uber smooth even on places where i normally have large pores. my skin felt extremely smooth all over. honestly thought that even brad pitt can lick my arms and be impressed. haha.
how soon did i see and feel the results?
my very first ever intake of dhc nameraka, i swear that i felt the results on the 3rd or 4th day. i woke up in the morning and was confused how the skin on my arms felt tautened. when i felt my arms, it was very smooth, only during the 2nd day after the effect took place did i realize that it must be the dhc nameraka making my skin feel taut at first and then smooth smooth smooth all over.
how long will the results last after i stop taking it?
after a month or so of using supplements, i sometimes give it a rest for a few days before i start on the same food supplement of a different brand. with dhc nameraka, when i stop taking it, i noticed the smoothness will stay on for a couple of days and within less than a week it is all gone.
how easy is it to take?
fairly easy. all you gotta do is pop 3 capsules with water after dinner!
any negative side effects?
for those with dry skin (like me) the tautened effect at the initial stage of taking the supplement can feel weird. no allergic reaction on my part.
who should take DHC nameraka in my opinion?
those who is after having a super smooth skin all over. those whose skin isn't too dry. great especially for women who have significant others. im sure your sweethearts will be delighted to caress that porcelain texture.
how much is it?
bought mine for Php 1,300 (approximately 25usd) per pack of 90 capsules, good for a month. my stocks since it came from 2008 and 2009 hoards are still kinda expensive. yea it sucks. but now that there are more sellers, hence more competition, the price has been lowered for as low as Php 1,000 (approximately 20usd). just look 'round ebay, multiply, sulit or forum marketplaces.

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Meiji Amino Collagen

there are 2 versions of meiji amino collagen, one is such as pictured above, also known as "regular" and there is the premium variety which has the same ingredients but has additional hyaluronic acid and coenzyme q10 for added benefits.

it boasts of 5,000mg of fish collagen peptide among others and here are the rest of the ingredients:
450mg of Arginine (A type of amino acid that is essential for maintaining healthy skin)
50mg of Vitamin C (Necessary for creating collagen. The essential vitamin that supports collagen)

my experience with it

how effective is it?
i find that my skin became smoother after prolonged use of meiji amino collagen. my face looks like it has a healthy soft glow.
how soon did i see and feel the results?
the result is very gradual but it's definitely there. within the first month (or before i finished one can) it is already apparent.
how long will the results last after i stop taking it?
just like its effect, the result wore off very slowly, probably after a couple of weeks after i stop using it
how easy is it to take?
together with the can, they provide you a scoop. you're supposed to take 1 scoop of meiji amino collagen with any beverage of choice such as juice, coffee, milk. you may even mix it with your soup. it doesn't have the most desirable taste, by the way.
any negative side effects?
i didnt get any allergic reaction while using this one. it has been claimed however that increasing intake (or going beyond the recommended 1 scoop per day) will make one's face bloated. i did try taking 2 scoops per day for a week or so and true enough, my face fattened a bit. stop doing that and it will go back to normal.
who should take meiji amino collagen?
meiji amino collagen is for those who are concerned that they are losing their shapely figure. for those whose skin is just starting to sag, it is a good idea to combat cellulite and old, sagging skin by taking meiji amino collagen. i find it also that for those who want rosy skin, this particular collagen brand helps you achieve it better than other brands as it doesn't overpower the other supplements as much. continue reading about my experience below to find out why.
how much is it?
from most online sellers, you can get meiji amino collagen for Php 1,500 or approximately 30usd per can, good for 28 days. they also sell a refill pack, good for 30 days, with the same price. check the usual ebay, multiply, sulit and forum marketplaces.

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Shiseido Collagen Update

from a very popular international cosmetics brand, shiseido collagen update is actually an old version of shiseido collagen (they now have shiseido THE COLLAGEN).

shiseido collagen update contains more anti-ageing and beautifying ingredients than the first two collagen brands mentioned above:
1,000mg collagen per 6 tablets
hyaluronic acid
herbal extracts
GABA
ornithine
royal jelly
ceramides
Vitamin C

how effective is it?
it is highly effective. i find that its hyaluron content effectively moisturized my skin a lot more than dhc nameraka's hyaluron ever did. its effect is comparable to when you use loreal revitalift, (its original formula). your facial features becomes well defined. i love the moisture it gives on my skin very much. do you love how your skin feels and looks glowing after you hit the gym? you will get that healthy glow when you take shiseido collagen update.
how soon did i see and feel the results?
saw the results within the first week of using it. it is impressive i tell yah! you will want to keep looking at your face in the mirror.
how long will the results last after i stop taking it?
noticed that within a week after i stop taking it, the results wore off.
how easy is it to take?
you are supposed to take 4-6 little tablets with water everyday. i just took it in 3 divided doses.
any negative side effects?
didnt cause any allergies on me. but since it moisturizes even the driest of skins, it might cause breakouts for some people. i, however, didn't experience any breakout with this since my skin seldom gets a pimple.
who should take shiseido collagen update?
those whose top list is to get extra moisture for their skin. i am not that old yet and i don't have wrinkles but im sure this is an hg material for those in their late 30's or older looking for an oral collagen supplement. and of course people like me who wanna avoid that, or in the early stages of developing wrinkles and fine lines, whose facial features is giving up on them (sadly..), whose showing signs of laugh lines and nasolabial folds, take shiseido collagen update (or the new shiseido the collagen). however, i am also positive that shiseido collagen update easily overpowered my other supplements such as l-cysteine (for skin brightening, whitening and melasma prevention). so you choose what suits your needs :)
how much is it?
there are not much sellers of shiseido collagen update (or the new shiseido the collagen). at Php 1,900 or approximately 40usd, it is on the pricey side. and you get only 126 pills on a bottle, enough for 21 days.

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and there you have my honest and unbiased dissection of the 3 most popular collagen supplements out there.

there are other brands i have tried such as boots luminese silk and nuvite collagen tablets but as i have only used them for 2 cycles max i dont feel like i can give an in-depth review of them.

p.s. writing this dissection made me smile. im a follower of many makeup gurus (such as you!) in blogosphere, thinking i shall never come close to their expertise, but i realize i may be a guru myself when it comes to health and beauty supplements :P

i hope this post helped you (and encourage you maybe) to decide if you are in need of collagen supplements.

what do you think?

be glorious,

eotd: peacock!

2010-04-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

for some reason, i am lately very fond of peacock colors. these colors are the only shades that come to my mind whenever i conceptualize looks that i'd wanna try.

i actually just came in from a little shopping trip taking home with me a plum colored top, a turqoise colored dress and a bangle that has a swirly blue and violet design. these color combination is just so beautiful, classy and exotic all at the same time.

here is my very first eotd post, a simple peacock inspired eye.

i used:
urban decay primer potion, the original formula
light violet shade from dollface 88 matte and satin palette
dollface gel liner in turqoise
dollface gel liner in light blue
benefit high beam
shu uemura eyelash curler

and there you have it. wanna show us some peacock inspired look too? please do!

be glorious,
R

just acquired

2010-04-05T08:11:00.000-07:00

here is a few acquisitions i have..

evian face spray (it is a big bottle yea i know.. lol)
since the day i got it i have been using it on myself and for my tot too..i say it is a must-have for the summer. got it the 150ml bottle for Php339 in pcx and i shall get a 60ml bottle (when i find one) to keep in my purse. it is very refreshing and i believe it does its job well fixing my makeup

mac prep + prime skin
this is just my 2nd ever face primer (etude house's pore smoothing peach base being the first) and i like the way it makes my foundation glide more easily on my skin. others claim to have allergic reactions against it but not me (so far!)

mac lipstick in hug me
i've read lots of raves over this product being one of the best nude lipstick there is but i aint so happy with the shade right now as i prefer paler nudes..while it not exactly is the very moisturizing lipstick, it is not as uncomfortable as nyx's round lipsticks (when both are worn alone)

sally hansen extreme wear in bamboo shoot
got it for php 220 in pcx. haven't worn nail lacquers for over 2 years (since i conceived baby #1) but im gonna wear this shade for a wedding i'll be attending this saturday.. i plan to make it my signature nail lacquer just like dita von teese wears her vintage red lacquer for years. signature items, yea.. i think it is classy that people can identify you with something you keep on wearing over the years..

and here is a collage of my lips wearing mac hug me..

what about you? do you have signature items that you've been using exclusively for years? or maybe planning to have one?

be glorious,
R

a piece of me, APRIL 2010

2010-04-04T07:03:00.000-07:00

I like: to go to the beach.

I don't like: the impossible heat in manila right now.

I want you to know: i still breastfeed my 6-month-old baby daughter.

I've planned: to move the trip i's supposed to have to again next month due to the reason stated above.

I want to say to someone special: that i love you.

what about a piece of you girlfriend?

get on here sister!

be glorious,
R

blog awards

2010-03-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

thanks thanks thanks to the arabian eyes for this blog award!

here are the rules:

give 10 things that make you happy.

list 10 of your favorite blogs.

here's the list of ten things that make me happy:

my daughters
family
a great book
arabic food and indian(punjabi) food
travelling
acquiring shoes and more shoes
makeup acquisitions
quiet time alone
being beautiful
JOHNNY DEPP

and here's the list of my favorite blogs:

jing's Girl with Glasses

thiamere's on beauty stuff and what else's

khymm's Shopcoholic for Makeup

cha's love affair

donna's My Lucid Intervals

sonali's Asian Beautifier

cynthia's Indian Vanity Case

the arabian eyes

pink sugar ichigo's Life of Pinksugarichigo

aika's diary of a RECESSIONISTA

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and there you have it. be lookin forward to your responses girls.

be glorious,
R

expeRimented: dollface gel liners + my thoughts on eyeliners in general

2010-03-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

what really got me innerested in makeup is seeing those beautiful eotd's from famous bloggers. in my opinion, their eye looks are much more beautiful than most celebrities would sport in the red carpet.

i wanted to be great at eye makeup as it is the best part of the face where talent can be shown without limits. and so after the basics of learning how to put on foundation properly, i immediately looked into eye makeups. been trying products very carefully.

i have delved into different eyeliners and sadly my lids just wont cooperate with pencils, no matter how they say this or that brand wont tug the lids, my lids still gets tugged by eyeliner pencils. i realize now that it may be my dry skin. when most people are having issues with oily skin, oily lids (oil mine as they call it), my skin is dry dry dry. tried liquid eyeliners also but the problem with liquid eyeliners is the applicators that come with it. the brands i've tried have useless applicators that just gets me frustrated. either it gives very thick lines, or the brush is too flimsy you get liner formula all over your lids. and the liquid eyeliner bottles wont let you use other brushes too as only the useless brushes that came with it fits the opening.

glad that people like me have another option when pencils and liquids wont work! there's gel eyeliners!

i dont buy cosmetics without researching about it as much as i can, my readers know that as i keep reiterating it in my in FOCUS entries.

for gel liners there are such brands as mac fluidline ("great but with a hefty pricetag"), bobbi brown long wear gel liners (more expensive than mac's yea?) indelible gel liners (that most mineral makeup companies carry but is sadly not readily available in manila), stila smudgepot (read SMUDGEpot), and the coastal scents gel liners :)

i have read numerous reviews about coastal scents gel liners and the claims that it's as good as mac's fluidline but with a reasonable price. so for the longest time i've been wanting to get my hands on those babies. coastal scents dont have a store here but they do ship to manila (at a ridiculously high price compared to other brands), so when i stumbled upon a local blogger's opinion that the gel liners that dollface cosmetics carry is just really of the same formula as coastal scents', haha! i went right on and contacted pearl of dollface to order.

and that's how i came about my first gel liners!

here below is a photo of the shades i picked:

black is a matte black like i want it to be. it is extremely pigmented and applies smoothly too.
light blue is really more of a royal blue to me. smooth application with it too. the finish is matte. it is a lovely color.
turqouise really got me excited when i saw it from the website but im disappointed to find out it's shimmery, therefore making it less pigmented than the other two shades. to get the color you see from the bottle(which is very beautiful), you have to swipe the gel thickly onto your lids or lower lashline. nevertheless, i know its shimmers will come handy someday. meanwhile let me enjoy its color :)

i have been using these gel liners any chance i can get and with only these 3 colors im extremely happy to discover a lot of beautiful looks that i will be posting time to time.

for now, im sharing with you an experiment i did on my dollface cosmetics gel liners.

on the above is a collage of photos i've taken of my eyes.

the first and second photos showed my lids wearing dollface gel liners. i line my upper lash line with BLACK, then applied BLUE right above the black line. i applied it around 5pm.

i decided to sleep (or i's really too lazy to remove the liner as i's too sleepy) with the liners on.

on the third photo, you can see my lids show some hint of the blue and black lines. that photo was taken 5am the following day. i checked my pillow and my hands to see if the gel transferred there but my hands, pillows and bed clearly dont have any trace of the gel. im thinking the gel got dissolved by the oil from my skin.

lastly, when i finally decided to wash off the liners, you can see that the remaining gel didnt smudge nor did it give me racoon eyes.

the photos speak for themselves.

more facts on this experiment:
i used charm eyeliner brush for the black (great!)
i used etude house eyeliner brush for the blue (looked great but after one wash it's suddenly a bit flimsy)
i didn't use any lid primer
i used shu uemura cleansing oil to washoff the gel

and there you have it.

after this experiment, i know i made a great great great purchase.

now if only i have better eyeliner brushes.. anyone can make a suggestion?

p.s. you can also look forward on my in focus entry about these gel liners too.

be glorious,
R

lipsticks in FOCUS: maybelline color sensational, maybelline mineral power, styli-style l3 timeless

2010-03-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

i have recently posted some lipstick acquisitions and im sharing with you lipstick swatches and reviews today.

im talking about styli-style timeless lipstick, maybelline color sensational and maybelline mineral power lipstick

for reference, above is my bare lips..

and here's my lips with styli-style l3 timeless lipstick..

i have previously called this particular shade "fuschia pink", but to be more precise, they call it UNITY

bulleted details about it:
the shade is much much sharper in person than my camera was able to capture
it is non-drying
it smudges
color pay-off is good but staying power is not, like i said, it smudges
no i won't get another shade thank you very much..

moving on..

above is my lips with maybelline color sensational in pink petal
thanks to our good sister donna's timely review.. i's actually on the hunt for a pink lippie and found out how good maybelline color sensational is so i immediately bought this one in ebay..

here are the bulleted details on maybelline color sensational:
the shade i picked (pink petal) is an mlbb, you can see that it has a satin finish too
yes it is non drying
it doesnt smudge too
color pay-off is wonderful
staying power is good (when applied alone) and i bet it will stay better with a good base
doesn't transfer much when you drink or eat something while wearing the lipstick
YES im definitely looking to buy more shades!

and lastly..

you can see my lips wearing maybelline mineral power lipstick

this shade is called PINK PEARL and you can see a bit of a frost in the shade of pink that almost copied the shade of my pale lips..before i purchased this i researched about it via total beauty reviews (like i normally do with before i purchase beauty stuff) and it says that it's great for a lipstick newbie (which i totally am), i knew too that it has a poor staying power..

so here are bulleted points about it:
yes, like they all said in total beauty, STAYING POWER IS BAD
the shade is very natural with a bit of a frost
it is poorly pigmented, you gotta build it up baby
moisturizing
it smudges a bit
no, i won't repurchase other shades.. i maybe a lipstick newbie but im quickly getting a grip of how lippies should be

and there you have it.. hope this review helps..

and if you got some color sensational lippies of different shades there, please do share it to us!

thank you

be glorious,
R

in FOCUS: etude house plumping lip tint in red

2010-03-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

i recently got myself an ETUDE HOUSE PLUMPING LIP TINT IN RED and im sharing with you a review (and some lip porn too) of the product.

above is a photograph of my bare lips for reference

and below here are photos of my lips wearing the product

you may click on the photo to zoom in. it shows my lips just right after i applied the plumping lip tint upto the 5th minute after i applied it

on the above photo im showing my lips in different angles wearing the etude house plumping lip tint in red..yes it says red but you cant see red in there can you? more of a wonderful shade of pink that can totally flatter any lips..
i've been using it almost daily since i got it and..here's what i reckon:

plus points are:
the shade aint off..even if at first you'll be surprised(hey i bought red, and it is red from the bottle but why isnt my lips red? but hey! looks good! it IS great!)
it actually moisturized my lips without making it icky sticky, can work as a great base for drying lippies
it can convert your matte lipstick into a satin-finished lippie, just like it did on my nyx round lipstick in snow white (or maybe just add shine to your lippies without the frost or shimmers)

but too bad that it:
didnt really plump my lips..i dont know with you people but that's what i see.. you be the judge cuz the reason why i took that much pictures is for all of us to see if it did really plump my lips or not..did it? or did it not? (not that my lips are too thin, i just wanted a little bit of help of course.. DO YOU THINK MY LIPS ARE TOO THIN??)
it did give a tiny bit of sting that can be expected from lip plumping products (the sting is comparable to when you eat mentos..yes that's about it) and may give an appearance of plumping action cuz it made your lips shiny, but to me i dont see real plumping action :)

so my overall take on the etude house plumping lip tint:
i still love it even if it's more of a lipstick base than a lip plumper. i think it will be a staple lip treat for me.

i hope my review helped you decide whether to get this product or not..

oh and by the way i also checked the pink variety of the plumping lip tint and it's a pale pink. if you're into pale pinks maybe you can try it and share a review to us?

be glorious,
R

just acquired

2010-03-18T17:50:00.000-07:00

styli-style timeless lipstick in fuschia pink
maybelline color sensational in pink petal
maybelline mineral power lipstick in pink pearl

etude house plumping lip tint in red

revlon photoready in shell

purederm dual well-being pack

etude house romantic beauty box
etude house duo fibre brushes
etude house eyeliner brushes
etude house eye patches

and a closer look at the brushes
(these duo fibre brushes will be back-ups :D)

dollface gel liners in black, light blue and turqoise

swatch of the black gel liner

the light blue gel liner on my palm

turqoise gel liner

and a sad photograph of what happened to my palette :(

hang on for my initial reviews on these stuff girlfriends.

be glorious,
R

a piece of me, March 2010

2010-03-07T05:52:00.000-08:00

I like: to watch Alice in Wonderland

I don't like: the weather! sooo hot!

I want you to know: that i'm 28 years old today.

I've planned: a trip for myself by end of the month.

I want to say to someone special: that i love you.

what about a piece of you girlfriend?

get on here sister!

be glorious,
R

just acquired

2010-03-06T07:29:00.001-08:00

maybelline dream mousse bronzer in sun glow
i love it. been using it daily since i got it. i think the best way to apply it is simply by using your fingers and make circular motions on the apples of your cheeks. it's sheer. very hard to overdo it. therefore it gives me the natural glow. my skin looks definitely healthy and ready for summer. it's so soft, as expected owing to the fact that it's a mousse, therefore it's whipped.
pot is small. im getting a backup soon.

look how it made my cheekbones beautifully defined.

tropez lip liner in pink, w a lipbrush
styli style waterproof lip liner in crimson
styli style waterproof lip liner in nude
wet n wild lip liner in nude 666
maybelline forever metallics lip pencil in red

swatches and initial review
tropez pink lip liner - the shade is cute but the formula is too waxy, havent even finished swatching it and it starts smudging.. only great thing is that its other end is a lipbrush
styli style line and seal water proof in nude - nude shade is a bit darker than the nude that most of us would expect; it is waterproof though, creamy when swatched but a bit harder to apply on the lips
styli style line and seal water proof in crimson - love the color..same with the nude version, harder to apply on the lips, tugs a bit..
wet n wild lip liner in 666 - looks more of a dark bronze than nude on me
maybelline forever metallics lip pencil in red - i love the color! it is a fat pencil that gives a creamy shade of metallic red. rich rich rich! yea and smudges big time too.. still thinking of a way to fix that issue as i really love its shade

nyx round lipsticks in:
indian pink - i expect since it's an "indian" pink, a hint of saffron is to be expected..color is beautiful for that casual walk w my kids..there are days though that it turns too orangey on me..i wonder why..
circe - peachy, with a little bit of frost
snow white -looks red on the tube but gives matte crimson shade when applied, a bit drying but the color is very rich..

charm travel pro
only able to use the stippling brush for a lot of times and i love it!
it does the work giving me a flawless look when used with a liquid foundation. its size is just right for my face. im so happy. its hair dries faster too! sadly though, i noticed some hair breakage, no, not shedding. the black hairs i noticed breaks when i wash it. 2-3 hairs for the past 3 washes have broken :( too bad its no longer sold these brushes.. not sure if it's discontinued but i really want another one and i'm not sure that if i get the full-sized ones, i will love it the same as the travel-sized version..

be glorious,
R

the naked truth

2010-02-25T06:43:00.000-08:00

these past few days i've been feeling lazy putting on makeup. the reason..

that's my naked face. absolutely nothing in there.

might not be a big deal for you sisses. for all i know, your skin looks much much better. but for me, at almost 28 years old, i'm happy to see my skin looking and feeling like this. after all, seeing old people from my class, i can be proud that i'm one of those who look the least "harrassed" and worn out.

not that im thrashing anyone but all those things like vices (caffeine, nicotine, alchohol, prohibited drugs, sex), stress, illness, mothering (or fathering), work, sun exposure etcetera can all add up to tired, old, sagging, wrinkled, dry, problematic skin.

we cannot control ageing but we can all prevent looking fugly.

i have resorted to supplements mostly.

and i give credit to

grapeseed oil extract, dhc nameraka, and everesh white ex.

these are the particular supplements i'm using religiously for the past weeks.

i'll be posting more in-depth review of each product soon...

meanwhile, would you mind sharing what supplements you are using right now?

be glorious,
R

i'm an anti-aging smarty

2010-02-12T10:31:00.000-08:00

says totalbeauty..

well i'm glad my research, studies and efforts are clearly very beneficial.. i dont mind growing old mind you... i believe that wisdom comes with age and that's what i wanna be.. a wise woman.. however i wanna keep my beauty too.. and by taking care of myself properly as i age, i can be a beautiful, wise woman.

how well do you know about anti-aging?

take the quiz here and let us know.

be glorious,
R

lucky chinese new year tag!

2010-02-08T08:23:00.000-08:00

thank you jing for the tag. i'm giving all these lucky chinese characters to you!

virtue

prosperity

money

love

longetivity

harmony

happiness

good luck

beauty

auspicious

8 TV SHOWS I LIKE TO WATCH

1. news like cnn, bbc, gma 24 oras

2. chismis shows like the buzz, e! news

3. discovery channel shows

4. natgeo shows

5. magazine shows like kapuso mo jessica soho

6. a suite life on deck

7. jonas brothers

8. hannah montana

8 FAVORITE PLACES TO EAT AND DRINK

1. Home

2. cafe francais

3. seahorse in borakay pque

4. indian restaus in bkk
5. arabic food place called scheherezade along sukhumvit

6. sbarro

7. sm foodcourt or ayala foodchoices

8. hotels

8 THINGS I LOOK FORWARD TO

1. my children's development day by day

2. losing my pregnancy weight

3. having those treatments again

4. working! or earning!

5. travelling! maybe this summer i can spare a couple of days to go alone

6. meeting new people

7. more inneresting things to get me occupied

8. my dad's visist

8 THINGS THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

1. blogged

2. fed my panganay. scolded her cuz she's so makulit.

3. can't figure anything else to put

4. in here

5. cuz

6. my life

7. is really

8. that monotonous

8 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT WINTER

1. easier to move around

2. i can dress my kids more fashionably

3. nicer to go out

4. i dont have to use the ac!

5. nice to cuddle my kids

6. pleasant to go out at night for hot choco

8 THINGS ON MY WISH LIST

1. losing weight

2. a job that can pay well or a business that will support me and my kids' needs

3. learning to put on makeup

4. more travels

5. peace of mind

6. happiness

7. my man

8. secured life for my children

8 THINGS IM PASSIONATE ABOUT

1. everything that has to do w my children

2. books

3. my figure

4. my supplements

5. looking good

6. my skin

7. internet

8. hollwood. lol. and bollywood too

8 WORDS OR PHRASES I OFTEN USE

1. yay!

2. oh em gee!

3. lol

4. kisses to you!

5. yea right!

6. inneresting!

7. mal-edukado!

8. mama's here

8 THINGS I LEARNED FROM THE PAST

1. don't be so gullible

2. keep some love for yourself

3. be practical

4. save and save

5. patience pays!

6. say what you feel and feel what you say

7. nothing is permanent

8. there's more to life than this!

8 PLACES I WANNA VISIT

1. egypt

2. all of arabia

3. china

4. all of europe

5. the moon or at least a chance to go to the outerspace

6. brazil

7.australian outback

8. bali indonesia

8 THINGS I WANT OR NEED RIGHT NOW

1. cellphone load

2. a massager

3. new keyboard! wania picked on my laptop keyboard cant type properly

4. digital camera

5. my own rf machine

6. a layz boy

7. massager!

8. massager!

whew! it is long indeed.

would like to tag:
1. rys
2. madam cru

3. aika

4. cynthia
5. sonali
6. sol
7. angel
8. babyjaprn

take any(or all) of those lucky characters and spread the good luck!

be glorious,
R

blog sale part 2

2010-02-07T09:22:00.001-08:00

FYI'S:

1. payment can be made thru gcash only
2. shipping is via air21 only, to be shouldered by the buyer

there are only 2 pouches, the silk hello kitty pouch and the plastic hello kitty pouch.
these are authentic and rare sanrio items bought from japan and gifted to me by my auntie recently. my daughter is using most of the sanrio stuffs that i were given and i dont want these to go to waste.
please. they aren't comparable to those imitations that you can get in hongkong, macau, or divi for a dime a dozen.
Php 600 pesos each. the silk pouch retails for 15usd at shop sanrio. the plastic pouch i can't find there anymore.

the tag, zipper handle detail

hello kitty cosmetic pouch made of silk
the one left in shop sanrio is only the the little twin stars version

the inside of the silk pouch

the tag

front view, beribboned detail, plush pink material atop the ribbon

the back view

be glorious,
R

just acquired

2010-02-07T09:05:00.000-08:00

and..here are the photos of my not-so-recent acquisitions..

THE books, by THE kevyn aucoin.. been sneaking here and there to read a few pages, haven't really found time to go in-depth but all i can say is.. carla is one lucky gal to have kevyn for a brother!

urban decay primer potion,
mineralize eyeshadow in silversmith,
sofina primavista
and innisfree troublecare bb cream

haven't tried udpp and the mac eyeshadow though..busybusybusy *sigh*

what eyeshadows have you been wearing lately? or you don't have the time too?

be glorious,
R

a piece of me

2010-02-07T06:16:00.000-08:00

This photograph of the sun emerging from behind the clouds best depicts my a piece of me post for february 2010. full of promises. first to myself. then to my loved ones.

I like: to get active soon.

I don't like: that i'm binging on chocolates again.

I want you to know: of my other blog alcantara artistry

I've planned: to put up a business or start getting back to work.

I want to say to someone special: that no matter what's going on right now, you'll be able to pick up soon and life will get better.

there. my first piece of me post.

i sure would like to see more of my blog girlfriends having their own "a piece of me" posts.

get on here sisters.

be glorious,
R

my first blog sale

2010-02-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

FYI'S:

1. payment can be made thru gcash only
2. shipping is via air21 only, to be shouldered by the buyer

prices:
etude house pore smoothing peach base - Php400
etude house peach skin pact - Php600
vov ball on cheeks -Php400
nyx jumbo eye pencils - Php 170each
jessie and rosie double touch eyeshadow -Php160
missha shiny bb cream -Php300
lioele beyond the solution bb cream - Php300
dior travel palette - Php2,000

ETUDE HOUSE PORE SMOOTHING PEACH BASE, used 3x max, the mint green variant which works great for ruddy complexions or those w mostly red marks on their faces due to acne or broken capillaries

ETUDE HOUSE PEACH SKIN PACT, usage as shown, sponge will be sanitized

VOV SHOWCASE GIRL BALL ON CHEEKS, used 5x max, will sanitize the puff

MISSHA SHINY BB CREAM, 70percent left
LIOELE BEYOND THE SOLUTION, 70percent left

NYX JUMBO EYE PENCIL, in oyster and cottage cheese, used a few times, never been sharpened
JESSIE AND ROSIE DOUBLE TOUCH EYESHADOW, tried once, bronze and gold colors

the bronze tip of jessie and rosie eyeshadow

the light golden brown tip of jessie and rosie eyeshadow

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

DIOR TRAVEL PALETTE, PHOTO OF THE ACTUAL ITEM, retails for P2,950 in multiply (where i got it)
clearer view of the palette is here

THE BRUSH, uber-soft,will be sanitized prior to shipping

THE PRESSED POWDER FOUNDATION, used 5x max

EYESHADOWS, the brown is used maximum 10x, the rest of the shades have been swatched 2-3x

LIP ROUGES, usage as shown

lip pencil, eyeliner, eyeshadow applicators, lip brush, usage as shown, brush will be sanitized

be glorious,
R

OPI is partnering with dell.. inneresting..

2010-02-04T08:04:00.000-08:00

now i'm no nail care fanatic but a lot of you blog girlfriends are!

i'm sure you'll go crazy if you find out that your fave nail lacquer by OPI can now be worn on your laptop!

yep. you read it right. coco perez says..

OPI Nails It With Dell

be glorious,
R

taylor jacobson's blog for everyday minerals

2010-01-29T07:40:00.000-08:00

taylor jacobson, raisinface's ex-assistant stylist has a new blog! everyday minerals hired her to blog about anything she likes.

i just got the buzz from coco perez and im now gonna check it out!

just thought you girls would wanna know about it too :)

be glorious,
R

and another annoying thing

2010-01-29T06:48:00.001-08:00

found out about kevyn aucoin's book - making faces from khymm's post regarding contouring and i haven't finished the short post but i got so excited about the book. now that is a makeup manual, complete with colored illustrations and all.. i thought it wasnt available in the PI so i asked khymm about it but unfo she just borrowed it from a friend.. good thing i tried powerbooks.com.ph next.

can't visit the physical store as im uber-tied up what with 2 kids here and all.. so i ordered online and i found out about a newer book. it's called face forward. can't decide which to get (although i kinda am expecting the newer one to be a revised copy of the first one which usually happens when an author releases another book of the same interest), however there might be great stuff on the 2nd one that aint in the 1st one and vice versa. and these are books after all. i love books. so i got two.

here is what they look like

now i wanted to show you my actual copies but unfoooooooo powerbooks havent delivered it yet. that's how they are anyways. i ordered last saturday, they "approved" it monday night and today is a friday they didnt have the decency to at least inform me what's going on. i emailed them last night but nobody replied to me today. i finally called them and that's when i found out they're still checking the stock! what the hell?! yes powerbooks may have an online store but it's just for show. they don't have auto-approval of orders, or even online inventory. hmpf.

oh well i have no choice but wait for my orders to arrive!

i'm surely be gonna sharing tips from those books :D

the books by the way are Php 969 or about 20usd each. powerbooks charged me a hundred bucks or 2usd for the shipment.

be glorious,
R

now how ANNOYING can this be..

2010-01-29T06:39:00.000-08:00

not that i buy fake perfumes.. i have very limited perfume collection.. i have only bulgari and d&g light blue but these days i only wear davidoff cool water anyways.. i have 3 big bottles as a backup :) and if somebody gives me perfume (like my auntie got me a dior addict the other day) i give it away to my sis usually..

but my sisses who'd sometimes get fake perfumes, knowingly or unknowingly (fake being that the faker copies the minutest detail including the bottle of the original perfume that is) will definitely be PISSED!

follow it here you sisses

be glorious,
R

our men wants us to wear less makeup

2010-01-06T10:13:00.000-08:00

yea yea yea. i know about it.

ALL of them guys i've ever been with don't want me wearing makeup.

they said:
i don't need it. (ha! but i was in my 20's with a skin of a young girl! of course i look perfect without makeup on!)

apparently most men have the same idea.

Prepare To Be Stunned: Men Prefer When Women Don't Wear Too Much Makeup

be glorious,
R

exciting kerastase giveaway!

2010-01-04T06:53:00.000-08:00

omg!

hair in manila is giving away a complete kerastase hair treatment line.

wanna see how? follow here.

glorious,
R

in FOCUS: some skinfood scents

2009-12-24T14:18:00.000-08:00

lemme share my thoughts on some SKINFOOD SCENTS

cactus agave - i got as a freebie a toner and emulsion.. smells like an herbal clarifying shampoo. i like it a lot. the scent.

gold caviar - i got as a freebie a toner. smells like men's cologne, un typical bench/penshoppe brand cologne. i dont like the scent pang lalake e.

peach sake - my bb cream. smells like a typical kiddie cologne. mediocre.

orange and mint - i got as a freebie a body wash. nightmare. smelled like halls candy and it made me sweat right after showering.

i must say, w skinfood i aint really expecting a lot from its skincare line. but im kinda excited about its scent. after all, who among us dont swoon over at least a single BBW or VS or other american brands that use fruity/food scent in their skincare/haircare/cosmetics line?

but the not-so-special fragrance that skinfood put on their products aren't impressive at all.

i feel sad. and to think i's interested using their different product lines to give my olfactory senses a treat..

be glorious,
R

rouge on lips

2009-12-22T17:04:00.000-08:00

look at how nyx cream rouge looks on my lips. i used hot pink

and look at the damage i did on the pan.

and no. it didnt happen when i used the cream on my lips. it happened when i first dipped my finger onto the pan to test the cream blusher. didn't know it was that rich. haha.

why don't you try some cream rouges on your lips and show it to us?

be glorious,
R

just acquired

2009-12-22T13:49:00.001-08:00

i got my korean makeup orders from the mail today!

lioele beyond the solution bb cream
skinfood peach sake bb cream in #1
ecorre bb cream samples

etude house pore smoothing peach base in mint (i wanted it in lavendar but this product has been discontinued and i guess these are the last ones that can still be bought so i settled for a different shade than i wanted)
etude house peach skin pact

included here in the all together photo is my etude house duo fibre brush
and the jessie and rosie double ended shadow pencil in bronze shades

these are all online buys as usual. the only pieces of makeup i get to buy in person are the old vmv stuff i have..

being a mom of 2 little girls, i have no time visiting the cosmetic counters cuz im too busy w the baby and children's section at the mall all the time. the SA's in the nearby malls are on the first-name basis wit my eldest can you imagine? lol.

what have you got lately sisses?

be glorious,
R

my shake up muzik - MOULIN ROUGE

2009-12-20T15:29:00.001-08:00

don't you feel inspired by the muzik while putting those blushes on?? i'm channeling the lil kim in me.. so lewd! i love it.

be glorious,
R

The Shades of U is giving away MAC BRUSH SETS

2009-12-19T11:17:00.000-08:00

Yay!

Great news for all of us!

These gorgeous babies are up for adoption:

The 2009 Holiday Magic, Mirth and Mischief brush sets: the Wave of a Wand Sweep and Define Brush Set. It contains the following special edition (SE) brushes:
129 SE Powder/Blush Brush
190 SE Foundation Brush
227 SE Large Fluff Brush
212 SE Flat Eye Definer Brush
275 SE Medium Angled Shading Brush

And the MAC Holiday 2008 Adoring Carmine Face Brush Set which has:
187 SE Duo Fiber Stippling Brush
190 SE Foundation Brush
168 SE Contour Angled Brush
194 SE Concealer Brush

If you are a subscriber of TheShadesOfU, then fill out the form on her page and get a chance to win one of these MAC brush sets.

If you aint a subscriber sissy, i suggest you be a subscriber now. haha.

This is exciting!

be glorious,
R

i love nyx

2009-12-13T08:49:00.000-08:00

i just got a few nyx items today....

jumbo pencils in cottage cheese and oyster

cream rouges in hot pink and natural

i tried the hot pink cream blush first. when i dipped my finger on the pan, OMG.. it's so rich and creamy and i think i picked far too much cream.. i tried putting it on my right cheek and it took me a while to blend it because i had too much of the stuff on my fingers.. i thought cream blushes would be easier to apply than powder blushes for a newbie like me..i's wrong. but i think i'm sticking to these cream rouges because when properly done (and painstakingly for me that is), it looks so natural on the face.. i love the effect. these rouges are super pigmented and the pans are actually big it definitely will go a long way!

i didn't bother to try on the cream blush in natural cuz i's afraid i might accidentally pick up too much of the stuff again (it's so hard to washoff)

then i tried the jumbo pencils. they're super creamy and very blendable.. the first thing that came to my mind after i swatched it at the back of my hand is - "i gotta place more orders with sis sol before the next order deadline" haha.. i love it!

tried it on my eyes though but of course it's harder to apply on the lids. I NEED A PRIMER!

i'm so happy to have discovered nyx! all i need now it to come up with is a technique on how to apply the rouges properly.. tips anyone?

waaaah! my face!

2009-12-11T09:21:00.000-08:00

OH.MY.GOD. is all i can say when i say my face this afternoon. sleepless nights are finally taking its toll and my face is screaming for attention.

let me tell you that because i'm breastfeeding my 2 month old daughter (and of course since i found out i's preggy back in february) i decided to stop my face regimen altogether - vmv hypoallergenics - illuminants and glykeros combination. vmv says it's not for pregnant women and nursing mommies too so i followed them and thought i'd go back after nursing my child..

today though, i looked at my face in the mirror under natural light and OH.MY.GOD. i notice pores on my cheeks are big and my face generally looks so tired. for someone who's pride is her youthful face (waha) i felt like i lost my weapon. now im thinking of a way to go back to my regimen and still make it safe for my nursing baby.

glykeros's active ingredient is glycolic acid and kinetin growth factor, while illuminant's is kojic acid, melfade and gigawhite (of 7 alpine plants). i've been doing a lot of reading even before i went on my glykeros/illuminants regimen and in my own discretion, it's only kojic acid that i'm not really comfortable about..

so i'm thinking to take away illuminant's primary/advance formula altogether, stick with glykeros's primary/advance formula instead and just use illuminant's toning essence which only has gigawhite and no kojic acid. yes that's what i'm gonna do.

just let me find time to do this all. haha. soooo busy even putting on face moisturizers is a big deal now!

benefit cosmetics

2009-11-07T06:15:00.000-08:00

i's so lemming for benefit high beam eversince i read about it and im so happy to have finally got it from an online seller. im just worried it's a fake cuz its print on the bottle is lopsided. however my seller claims that she gets her stock straight from her aunt working w benefit SF. i guess i just better give her the benefit of the doubt.

tried high beam by the way and... it didnt show on my cheekbones much. or maybe it's the light. i's so in a hurry i only applied and run off without much looking at the mirror. i let my sis use it and she put it on her browbones. it really did make her browbones glow.

got coralista too. haven't tried it though. soon posting a review once i've tried it properly.