Make Up Haul at Make Up Store :)

I was at Vivo City today to have dinner with my friend Allotte.  While waiting for her to arrive, I stood near the Make Up Store, I couldn't resist going in and looking at their products! I mean, it was right in front of me! I was thinking I needed a new concealer since for some reason my current one is too dark for me now.  It makes me look even more tired.  I know right, could I get any whiter?!  So I asked the saleslady to point me to their concealers and based my (future) purchase on the price tag.  Future meaning I already had it in my head that I would ask the hubby to buy me a concealer before we head home *insert evil laugh here*.  So I saw their concealer stick which was around S$45 I think, and tried it at the back of my hand, and instantly I liked the shade.  Okay, so that was a little impulsive.  But I did convince the husband to buy me a concealer since I've been good lately anyway. :D  I asked the sales consultant what she would suggest for very very dark eye bags.  She pointed to a pot of concealer with 3 shades that was S$60!  So I panicked because I told the hubby what I wanted was S$40!  But he was such a doll that he let me try the pot on one eye and the stick on the other.  We ended up choosing the pot since it had 1 shade to neutralize the dark circles, and another shade to lighten the under eyes.

3 colors to (1) neutralize bluish tones, (2) neutralize reddish tones, and (3) the concealer itself.

Now we had another problem, the concealer was creeping into my crow's feet!  So the lady suggested another product!  A Quick Fix for wrinkles!  It's some sort of primer that I must say had my husband wanting to buy it for me!  

Primer to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Then she noticed I had dry skin! Gosh, dami kong problems!  She suggested I buy a moisturizing face primer.  My husband agreed again! I thought to myself, I must be in a dream!

Moisturizing primer with UV protection.

Then I needed to purchase something at least S$12 more to become a member and we thought, I'm a makeup freak, I need this membership!  So I decided to buy an eyebrow pencil.  

Will try out their Brow Color #2.

And of course, I went home a happy camper. :D

I'll be writing reviews about these products once I start using them.  'Til then, stay beautiful!! <3

    

Eyebrow Makeup

If our hair is our crowning glory, and our eyes are the windows to our soul, our kilays are the frames of our face. Lol! But seriously, eyebrows are uber important.  Eyebrows can change your look in an instant.  Eyebrows can open up your eyes and can even make you look younger! Ding ding ding! That got you listening didn't it?? ;)   

But first, let me tell you something.  I am OBSESSED with eyebrows.  I started plucking my eyebrows during my summer vacation before first year high school.  Yes, that early.  Ever since I was in 6th grade, I would collect Seventeen Magazines, and I couldn't help but notice that the eyebrows of the models were all so perfect!  So I started experimenting with my own, and started plucking.  Of course, my first trial was a failure.  My eyebrows were too thin.  But eventually I was able to pluck properly, just removing the stray hairs.

But when it came to makeup for eyebrows, I learned this from my super obsessed with eyebrows makeup teacher RB Chanco.  RB is one of THE best makeup artists in the industry.  And it can't be denied that she is really good at shaping eyebrows!  Just google her portfolio online!

There are a lot of things to consider when applying makeup on your eyebrows.  First of all, you have to have perfectly shaped eyebrows before you even apply the makeup.  If not, you will just emphasize your unruly brows.  I think eyebrows are taken for granted by most women! Not good!  Below is a diagram of where your eyebrow should start (1), where your arch should be (2), and where your brow should end (3).

Source: http://naturalnigerian.com/2011/01/basic-eyebrow-shaping/

Remember, not all of us have perfectly shaped brows.  So we should just work with the natural shape of our brows.  Don't force it to look like Megan Fox's if your brows are naturally straight.  That was one reason why my brows got bald the first time I tried.  It wasn't Megan Fox though, I was trying to mimic Winona Ryder's brows. Lol! She was my favorite actress back in 1995! :))  

Okay, so once you shape your brows to it's optimal shape (How nerdy! Optimal!!), we can now move on to eyebrow makeup.  There are a lot of types of eyebrow makeup to choose from.  The most popular are eyebrow pencils.  But there are also eyebrow powders, eyebrow mascaras (or whatever you call them), and eyebrow gels.  I find that the easiest to use for me are eyebrow powders.  But, I have yet to find the perfect color for eyebrow powders.  

What I am in love with now is Kate Eyebrow Gel in BR-1.  I discovered this from my friend Jasel.  It is the perfect color for brunettes like me.  Although, my friend Jasel has very light hair, but it also suits her color! 

  Me using Kate Eyebrow Gel BR-1

My friend Jasel also using Kate Eyebrow Gel Br-1 here

BR-1, a brownish gray shade applied with a stiff angled brush is perfect for asians with brunette or brown hair!

Powders are another option that you could try.  My friend Rhia recommended Mac's Browning.

Rhia using Mac Browning

This should also be applied with an angled brush.

For those who are not pasmado and has a steady hand, you may opt to use eyebrow pencils, like my cousin Aoui here.

Aoui uses this Palladio Brown Eyebrow Pencil and gets lots of compliments on her eyebrows! :)

There are a lot more other products out there for eyebrows, but these are just some products that have been tried and tested.  If you have other suggestions that you have tried and love, please tell me!!  I shall try it out! :)

While waiting for my roast pork for Noche Buena to finish in the oven, I decided to clean my brushes.  And my husband gave me the best idea on how to dry my brushes upside down!! :)

What a neat idea! :)

Anyhoo, I'm off to check my roast pork.  Merry Christmas guys!!! <3

What is in Jacqui Manzano-Yllana's bag?

It's time for our second bag raid! :)  Let's see what's in Jacqui Manzano-Yllana's bag.  But first, of course, introductions. :)  Jacqui may be more known as the wife of Anjo Yllana.  But way back when she was in grade school, she had her stint in show business.  She started off in the kid series Ang TV, then later on starred in Palibhasa Lalake where she met her future husband Anjo.  And the rest is history. :)  Now, Jacqui and Anjo have 4 kids.  Yes, we have another hot momma in the house.  Her children are ages 13, 11, 8, and 4.  After show business, Jacqui worked also as a flight attendant for Cebu Pacific, but right now she is a hands on mommy and housewife.  Just a segue from makeup, there's something really important that I learned from Jacqui.  Jacqui treasures her family more than anything else in the world.  She can lose all her friends, but she can never live without her children, her husband, her mom, and her sister.  When I see Jacqui's relationship with her sister, that's when I feel bad that I don't have a sister of my own. :(  They're super close and are practically best friends! How lucky can they be? :) That's why I've applied that in my life too.  Everytime I visit Manila, I make sure to spend more time with my family than with friends.  And me and my husband, his family, my 5 brothers, their wives and girlfriends, and my parents, have never been so close.  Let's admit it, there was a time when we all thought our friends and "barkada" were the most important people, and we'd flake our families for them.  Thank you Jacqui for opening my eyes to who should be the most important people in our lives. :)      

    Meet Jacqui! :)

 During her flight attendant days.

 Jacqui on a road trip with her sister and 2 kids. :)

 Jacqui with her 4 children.  Wow!! 

And Jacqui with her husband Anjo.

Okay, now on to the kikay part.  Let's see what's inside her bag. :)

She can't leave the house without her Blackberry.

And malamang daw wallet.  Sino nga ba daw lumalabas ng bahay without their wallet? Hahaha!

She has different shades to match her mood, but right now, she carries around her Aviators from Ray Ban.

She can't live without her Denman brush. It has to be this size. She doesn't like using the small Denman or any other brands. It has to be just Denman.

Rosary

Canon Ixus

Vaseline Petroluem Jelly

Bath and Body Sweet Pea intense moisture body butter - She can't not have lotion in her bag!

Holy Seat toilet seat sanitizer

Bath and Body Hand Sanitizer

Colgate wisp Water less toothbrush - Ooohh I want one of these too!!

Hair tie and hair clips

Blackberry car charger - Bawal ma-lowbat! :)

This Ralph Lauren pouch has been with her since 2nd year high school! (Well now we know Ralph Lauren has really good quality! Haha! ) She barely has any makeup here because the stuff she brings are more for retouch only.  

Chanel 247 Gloss

MAC Oversexed - She loves putting this on top of any lipstick.  

Victoria's Secret Very Sexy in Passion - Lipgloss again! :)

Benefit Coralista blush

Mac Blush in Mocha

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder -  For her under eyes.  I asked Jacqui how she applied this, because when I use this, I end up with reverse raccoon!! She said she just gets a teeny tiny bit of powder on her finger and apply it to her under eyes.  What I used to do was pick up some of the product with a MAC 217 brush and brush under my eyes.  And when there are pictures... disaster!!! So follow Jacqui's advice instead.  Apply a very small amount with your fingers.

Shu Uemura eyebrow manicure - To turn her eyebrows brown for a more angelic look haha!

MAC Lightful Ultracharge foundation

BADgal Waterproof eyeliner

Benefit D'finer D'liner - She uses this when she wears dark lipstick, specially red lipstick, to avoid feathering.

MAC Russian red - A staple in her kikay kit for the biglaan party or whatever (We really are friends! :) ).

Benefit Benetint - She doesn't really wear make up most of the time. She just uses this to give her that rosy glow.

Khiel's tinted lip balm - She's a lip balm addict. (Obviously!:) ) 

Jo Malone lip balm - A bit pricey but really moisturizes your lips and she love the smell.

Carmex cherry flavor - Her favorite. Can't leave the house without this!

Shu Uemura curl lash

Smashbox blush brush - This is just for retouching, she uses her bigger brushes at home only. (It's just like my cheapangga Sasa brush!  But the difference is, this one isn't cheappangga.)

Goody clip - For when she gets irritated with her bangs.

So all these go in her bag.  She loves pink doesn't she? :)

So I asked Jacqui to give us a sneak peek of her makeup since we only saw her retouch ones.  And wow! It is heaven for a makeup junkie like me!  When I saw Jacqui's makeup, I got inspired to fix all my makeup on my dresser.  And when I finished, it was only 1/8 of Jacqui's makeup. Hahaha! :)

Jacqui's dresser.

My kawawang dresser. Haha! :)

The Pink Lip

So, we've tackled the red lipstick.  We can't not talk about the craze in lipsticks for the past 2 years.  The pink lipstick of course!  Now this one is a look more and more people are getting accustomed to.  I guess people feel safer with pink compared to red.  It's more subtle and less "pansinin", depending on the shade, that is.  My love for lipstick was in stages.  The first stage was a nude lipstick I got from Shiseido.  The next stage was MAC Angel which I discovered suited me well after I borrowed my friend Suy's.  Then there goes the red stage and all the other bolder colors in the color palette! :)  Angel is a pale pink that matches any type of makeup; Day makeup with no eyeshadow or smokey eyes.  It's a very versatile pink that's not loud at all.  Perfect for those who are still a little too shy to wear makeup. :)

       MAC Angel

Me using Angel.  It is a very very VERY subtle pink.

Suy, the discoverer of Angel wearing Angel. :) 

If you're used to wearing makeup already and are willing to go for a bolder look, the best buy for you would be the most sought after MAC Pink Nouveau.  This one is a more Barbie pink.  If you wanna look like Barbie, go for this color! :)  This lipstick has more pigment than Angel but is still a bit subtle. 

    MAC Pink Neuveau

My friend Tina sporting the Pink Nouveau.

What I did notice about pink lipstick is that it makes you look fresh and young. Just look at Jinkee Paquiao!

And me and my friends below! =p

 I mixed Pink Nouveau and Russian Red to achieve this color so it would match my skirt. Hehe. :)

 Rhia wearing a hot pink shade.  What a beautiful pop of color!

  Janet with a dainty pale pink tint.

Naomi wearing a matte fuchsia to work.

So try it out!  Mix it with other colors to fit your mood or the occasion that you're attending.  Any pink shade has got to be fabulous! Don't you agree? ;)

   

The Red Lip

I'm sure most of you are reluctant to put on the red lip.  You may think it's too much, or it doesn't suit you, or it's an old school color.  But fear not, because surprisingly, it fits most people!  I too was too scared to use a bright red lipstick.  But when I tried it, it actually looked okay on me (I guess)!  I'm not a lipstick type of person.  I just usually use a nude or a very pale pink lipstick.  But once I got used to wearing a red lipstick, I became more adventurous and bought more bright lipsticks.  I even got an orange one!  I realized that your lipstick can ultimately change your look.  But always remember that there are no rules.  In makeup school, we were taught that if you wear really heavy eye makeup, you shouldn't use a dark lipstick and that you should go with something nude.  But if you try smokey eyes and red lips, it gives you a more classic look compared to smokey eyes and nude lips.  Both looks look great!  It's just really up to you what look you're going for.  In my opinion, red lipstick is so versatile.  It can go from day to night.  That's why it's a staple in my makeup kit.  Let's look at a few looks so I convince you to start wearing red lipstick! :)

You can wear it during a simple gathering with girlfriends or on a romantic date just like Jill.

Hanging out with girlfriends.

Jill wears a pinkish red lipstick on her romantic date.  This is also the night her then boyfriend now fiancé proposed to her! :) Congratulations Jill! :)

      

The red lipstick is also suitable for a movie date with the hubby or when you're out drinking with friends just like I did.

On the way to a movie date.

Out drinking with friends.

You can choose to wear your red lipstick with a fresh face like Jacqui and Luci below.  

Jacqui wears the red lipstick with neutral eye makeup.

Fresh-faced Luci with bold red glossy lips.

Also, like I mentioned earlier, you can wear your red lipstick with bold eyes, like Jacqui did.

Jacqui wears the smoky eye with bright red lips.

Try different shades of red lipstick.  If you don't want to go out and buy different shades of red lipsticks (if you're kuripot like me),  you can buy a classic red shade and mix with your other colors to create different shades.   I like to mix my MAC Russian Red with an orange one, MAC Good To Go, to create a Lady Danger red.  You can mix in a small palette or what I do is I apply Russian Red first to my lips, then apply Good to go on top, then press my lips together to mix the colors.   The MAC Lady Danger is a more bright lively type of red that I like too, but too kuripot to purchase it!

MAC Russian Red 

MAC Good to Go       

Again, don't be afraid to experiment, experiment, experiment!  Wear whatever suits your mood like these ladies did on a night out! :)