Makeup Tips and Secrets from an IT Geek

Make Up Haul at Make Up Store :)

2012-01-27T23:54:00.001+08:00

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

2012-01-16T22:43:00.000+08:00

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! :)

2011-12-24T18:49:00.001+08:00

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?

2011-12-24T13:08:00.001+08:00

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

2011-12-15T22:24:00.000+08:00

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

2011-12-11T18:38:00.000+08:00

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! :)

Hey Girls! Guess where I am? :)

2011-12-11T18:28:00.001+08:00

What is in Shaz Santos-Gonzales' Bag?

2011-12-08T20:37:00.002+08:00

I'm really excited about this portion of my blog! I'm so happy that my friend Shaz allowed me to rape (I mean raid =p) her bag. And she was the perfect choice as my first victim, because she gave me everything I needed!! She even did her own write up! And everything was done through BBM! Plus, she also loves makeup and had so much tips to share! So let's get started. :)

First, let me introduce you to Shaz. Everyone say "Hi Shaz!!"

She does her makeup immaculately! Perfect brows, highlighted cheeks, and flawless foundation!

Shaz is a wife, a mother of 3 (Yes I said 3!! She has an 11 year old, a 9 year old, and a cutie 4 year old!), and a very hardworking businesswoman! In short, she is Superwoman! :D Shaz is an event stylist and she also has a blog. Do check it out! http://shazeventstyling.blogspot.com/

Okay, now that you've met Shaz, let's now rummage through her bag. Here's her write up on all the stuff she had in her bag:

Essentials in my bag I simply just can't live without:

1. Blackberry phone with internet
With my job, I always have to keep track of my busy schedule filled with client meetings, event prepping, household chores, and other appointments!haha
Dapat may internet. Thanks to bbmax, I can always check my client's emails, tweets, Facebook gossips, stats, and more!

2. Handbag Organizer
Since I'm always on the go, it's impossible to ever find anything in my bag! Sa diname ng laman ay good luck kung mahanap!

Here are all the pouches that she keeps in her bag!

3. Make up kit
It is a necessity in the life of a busy mom and stylist. Being a stylist is not a glamorous job since I run here and there. But that doesn't stop me from 'looking fresh'. Sabe nga ng client ko.. "I always handle grace under pressure!" Haha

I want to steal her makeup kit!!! (Again, I'm not a clepto!!)

My make up essentials:
- Maybelline Magnun Volume Waterproof Mascara
- MAC eyelash curler
- Cinema Secrets concealer
- Eyebrow pencil from no brand eh
- Blotting paper
- Smashbox loose powder
- Smashbox photo finish primer and foundation- for night time make up
- Lipstick - Matte Nude Pink from Revlon
- Smashbox O-Gloss Lipgloss
- Cookie mirror
- VMV highlighter
- Chanel Earth Eyeshadow Palette - I use this for contouring as well
- Nichido pink cheek tint - good for daytime
- Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Liner in Dark Brown

4. Necessity and Emergency Kit

- Baby powder
- Rosary
- Tissue
- Alcohol or Alcogel
- Call card keeper for my business cards
- Shades
- Eye glasses
- Perfume
- Wallet
- Toothbrush
- Kiehl's ultimate for my hair

5. Stylist and Mommy Kit

- Sewing stuff
- Tape measure
- Pins, hair pins
- Band aid
- Neosporin ointment
- Scissors
- Cutter

5. Mini notebook and pen :). Yan ah kumpleto! :) assignment,complete! :)

Shaz also mentioned that all the makeup she has are all tested and highly recommended by her. So, since for some reason, my MAC fluidline was failing on me, I did some research on the net and asked friends about the Bobbi Brown Gel liner, which Shaz also highly recommended, and got myself a jar today! :) Regarding concealers, Shaz and I had something in common. We don't set it with powder. We both find that it cakes and creases when set with powder. She did have another tip for concealer. She uses it not only for her under eyes but also for highlighting the middle of her nose and brow bones! What a great tip! We should also try that. :)

So that's about it on our first bag raid. I'd like to thank Shaz again for exposing her bag to us and sharing her makeup tips! Til our next one! :)

Kalkalation! Lol!

2011-12-07T10:08:00.000+08:00

I love to make "kalkal" other people's bags! Ever since I was in highschool and college it was a hobby of mine. But it was with permission ha! I'm not a clepto. Swear! So since "making kalkal" has been a hobby, I will be raiding my beautiful friends' bags and kikay kits! Watch out for it! I'm sure we'll learn so much from them too. Let the raiding begin! :)

The Little Mermaid

2011-12-06T21:44:00.003+08:00

My skin is uber dry. Partly because of my hyperthyroidism, and partly because I'm a mermaid. I seriously have a serious case of kaliskis on my legs! I know kadiri right?? Mana ako sa dad ko. Sorry dad, but you know it's true! It gets even worse in dry places like in the US! But for people like me who have really really dry skin, a really effective lotion is Stiefel's Physiogel. I saw on the commercial that it doesn't wash off as quickly as other lotions when exposed to water or sweat. That was what attracted me to this product. So ever since, I've been using this lotion. And I heard somewhere that we should apply lotion (and moisturizer) right after showering. As in right after talaga. Because those are the few minutes that our skin can retain moisture. So it would be the most efficient time to put lotion. The best thing about Physiogel is that it's also suitable for those of you with sensitive skin. It has no perfume, colourants, or preservatives. This is perfect for tandercatz (middle-aged ;p) like me who are conscious of wrinkles already. We gotta avoid dry skin ladies!! :)

All About Blush

2011-12-06T20:15:00.001+08:00

I used to love Nars Orgasm (I still do actually!). It received high reviews because it was one of those blushes that fit almost any skin tone. Be you light skinned, olive skinned, morena skinned, name it! And of course, because I am lucky as always, another good friend Kriselle gave me one as a Christmas gift! :) I would still be using it if it didn't die on me. As I was putting my makeup on one morning, I sleepily dropped it and the powder crashed into pieces on the floor. I was too kuripot to buy a new one after that.

Nars Orgasm is a peachy pink shade. The shade looks natural, except that it has a bit of shimmer which sells you out that you are actually wearing blush. But other than that, I can't think of anything negative about this blush. It lasts the whole day so I hardly ever have to retouch even if I apply it on early in the morning. So by the time I get home, it's still on my face! I definitely would say this is a good buy!

Boohoo! ;(

This is me using Nars Orgasm.

I went back to my old VMV Cream Blush when my Nars disintegrated. I would say that this is almost the same shade as Nars Orgasm when applied. I know it looks purple-ish in the tube. But when applied, it gives a perfect flush. If you really want a natural look, cream blush is your bet. It gives that flushed effect, like you just went jogging or got out of a really hot shower (ano daw?!?). Basta it looks natural! When I go to the beach I use my VMV cream blush. I either apply it with my Sephora Angled Blush Brush or with my fingers. Just make sure that you blend it perfectly or else it will look like you literally painted on your face!

The shade of my VMV blush is #182.

Here I am with my fake flushed cheeks.

But since cream blush is a bit too time consuming for me in the morning, I discovered that the blush that comes in my Bobbi Brown Powerful Palette is also the perfect shade for a natural look! It's also matte so it doesn't give you away that you're wearing blush! And not only that, but just like Nars Orgasm, it fits almost any skin tone! San ka pa?? :) Plus, the palette has nice neutral eyeshadow colors for everyday use, which I'll talk about in a separate post. It's not exactly the same shade as the Nars Orgasm. It's actually not on the peachy side, but more on the pink shade. But when applied on your cheeks, it has the same natural effect.

My beautiful friend Roda on her wedding day. I used the Bobbi Brown Plum Blush on her.

I also used it on my pretty morena friend Kaycee, and it also looked natural on her as well!

On my cute chinita friend Quay, it looked naturally cute too! :)

And lastly, on my cutie morena+chinita friend Jen, it looked perfect too! :)

The best way for me in applying blush is applying on the apples of your cheeks while you're smiling and blend towards your ears. I even go back towards my nose when I bring my brush back coming from the sides of my face to make it seem really natural. Try it out and see the difference! :)

Pango??? Never fear, Contouring is here!!

2011-12-05T21:46:00.010+08:00

Ahhh contouring! My favorite subject on makeup. <3 Contouring can do wonders to your jimongous forehead, box square jaw, or uber flat nose. Ever since I learned to contour, I practically cannot live without it anymore. It's part of my daily routine already! It's like applying blush or face powder! I cannot not do it! So enough about me, let's talk about you and how you can apply contouring techniques on yourself. Below is a sample diagram of how to contour your face. Do not fret!! I know it looks freaky and lola-ish. But this is just a guide. DO NOT draw stripes on your face!! Lol! ;p As you can see there are the brown areas and the white areas. The brown areas are where you are to apply your contour, and the white areas are where you are to highlight.

Source: http://makeupforlife.net/2007/08/contouring-and-highlighting.html

First, you will need a powder a shade darker than your skin tone. Or what I use, and for me it looks more natural, is a bronzer. As much as possible, use a matte bronzer. You want to recede those features, not put more emphasis on them. Apply the powder with a big angled blush brush. Blend blend and blend! Make sure that there are no harsh lines on your forehead, below the cheek bones, and jaw line. For highlighting, I actually don't follow the "use a shade lighter than your skin tone". I just use my regular face powder and apply in the middle of my forehead, down the middle of my nose, and on my chin. I find that if I use a shade lighter, I look super white in pictures. I apply my face powder with the puff that comes with it. I press it on my skin lightly, with a patting motion so that it stays longer during the day. I'm oily so I can bet you guys that I get oily faster than most of you. :) Oh, I don't apply the powder under my eyes, because I'm middle aged (yes I am!!), so I have wrinkles under my eyes, and I haven't yet found a powder that doesn't sink into my wrinkles. To highlight my under eyes, I instead use a concealer. I also do not set my concealer with powder because it emphasizes my wrinkles more.

I use a Bobbi Brown bronzer which works wonders on my big forehead!

I use this Angled Blush Brush I got from Sephora to apply my contour.

But I bring this cheapangga version of an angled brush I got from Sassa, because the one from Sephora is soooo long it doesn't fit in my makeup bag!

For the nose area, if you want to make your nose seem a little skinnier than it really is, you can also apply the darker powder or bronzer on the sides of your nose. The lady at Bobbi Brown taught me to apply it with my pointer finger, but I find that it's a bit messy. I like to apply it with an eye smudge brush that I bought from Bobbi Brown also. But since I wear glasses on a daily basis, I skip this step since my nose gets oily right away and the makeup just fades.

You can apply your nose contour with this type of brush for more precision. But be sure to blend like crazy or else you will turn out looking like a baklang parlorista did your makeup!

Blend with a Mac 217 blending brush like this for a flawless effect.

Remember, always experiment! Through experimentation, you will figure out the best look for you. :)

XOXO <3

Cheapest Makeup Remover

2011-12-05T20:01:00.005+08:00

The makeup remover that I've been using for about 2 years now, is none other than... Johnson's Baby Oil! It's cheap, doesn't dry, and it's easy to find! Just go to any grocery or drug store and you'll definitely find it. I got the idea from using Shu Uemura's oil cleanser. I used to buy the Anti-ageing cleansing oil of Shu. And one day, I just felt really kuripot and got myself baby oil from the grocery store! I thought, Shu is so great at removing makeup because of the oil in it's cleanser. So when I got home, I tried it. I placed the baby oil on my skin while it was dry, rubbed it gently with my middle and ring fingers to make sure the makeup really comes off. Then I either wipe it off with cotton first before using my normal facial cleanser, or, I directly apply my facial cleanser on my oil slicked face then wash it off with water. ;p And walla! The makeup is gone and my face feels streaky clean but doesn't feel dry at all. Try it out at home! But if after the first or a few uses you notice that you're getting pimples or rashes, discontinue use immediately. Your skin may be too sensitive for it. Try Cetaphil or the like instead, which is made specifically for sensitive skin.

The cheapest and most effective makeup remover for me :)

Best Foundation Brush So Far!

2011-12-04T21:24:00.010+08:00

I am one of the luckiest persons everrr, because my very good friend Naomi sent me this wonderful brush all the way from the US! (I know, so babaw! ;p) I heard of this brush from her. And she was totally raving about it! So I had to get my hands on this brush! Unfortunately, they did not have it here in Singapore. :( If I'm not mistaken, they don't sell the Sephora Professionnel line of brushes here yet. So that is why I'm so lucky because she had it sent to me when I visited Manila last November. :)

Since I started using this brush, I would get compliments about my foundation. An officemate even asked me if I airbrush on a daily basis! Crazy huh?? She's such a doll. :) This foundation brush is supposed to give you that airbrush effect. What I do is I place some foundation at the back of my hand, pick up the product with the brush, and brush away on my face. The brush is so big that it takes me less than 2 minutes to apply my foundation. I first apply on my forehead, then on my temples, cheeks, nose, above my lips, then on my chin and jaw. For my eyes, I use a smaller version of this brush, which is a concealer brush. I apply the foundation with that brush. I'll talk about that brush in a separate post. If I want to, sometimes, I also apply on my neck. If in the middle of the routine I run our of foundation on the brush, I just add more at the back of my hand and pick up the product again with the brush. Let's hope and pray that this brush comes to your country soon! It is a must have!

Sephora Professionnel Brush #55

The brush is about 1 1/2 inches wide

And here I am after using the brush to apply my foundation. :)

Blog Overhaul!

2011-12-04T20:59:00.003+08:00

So I've decided to do an overhaul of my blog. For those new to my blog, this blog used to be very heavy. I mean very heavy. This is where I used to spill my heart, my anger, or frustrations. It was my public diary. But ever since I got married, my life turned around, and all the drama disappeared. :) So, I had nothing to write about anymore! Haha! :) Now, I bet you're asking, why makeup? Well, I took a certificate class in makeup artistry back in the Philippines in 2007. And that's when I really got obsessed with makeup. Before that, I was into makeup. But it was all about powder, blush, and concealer. That's it! When I took the class, I was so overwhelmed with what makeup really was! I heard of terms and tools like the stippling brush, contouring, angled brush, primer, and all those other things I've never heard of! So during that time, I got OBSESSED. Seroiusly. I bought everything I needed, all the tools required and I went on my way to my journey of trial and error with makeup! And until now, I'm still on that journey. But I've had some success. :) I've shared a lot of secrets with close friends and I saw how they were so eager to learn how to put makeup on themselves and how to improve any imperfections they had. So that's when I thought, aha! I should make a blog all about tips in makeup! So this is where our journey starts... together. I will be posting tips that work for me and how you can apply it to yourself. Let the journey begin! :)