I'm Back! [+Tutorial]

WOW. It's been so long since I last posted (in October!), and I feel so out of it. I've just been so busy with school, and couldn't find the time or inspiration to play with makeup. For a few months I barely even touched my stash, except for my daily face powder+lippie combination. Haha. But now that I'm back I realize just how much I miss blogging and makeup in general. I also miss reading blogs, which I now have promised myself to devote at least half an hour to every night.

Many things have changed since I last posted in October. For one, I've gotten a lot more health conscious and I've been exercising more, and because of this I've gotten rid of, or am in the process of getting rid of several health problems I've been having for a while now. Not only that, I feel much more energetic, and my change in diet (aka change in lifestyle) has allowed me to keep my skin a lot less oily and almost completely blemish free! Of course, this was with the help of a dermatologist, but at the same time I know that my current eating habits are very helpful to maintaining the smooth skin I've managed to achieve.

I've changed my bedroom around, moved furniture and whatnot, and I now have a desk by the window which would be perfect to do my makeup on (finally, even light!).

My friend Sam and I are working on something that we hope to finish soon. I'll give you more details on that later.

But for now, how about an FOTD and a tutorial for it? I've completely missed doing this, it's crazy! Haha. For today, I wanted to try using L'oreal's British Red lipstick, so I decided to do a pin up look.

I started with a cleansed and moisturized face. I concealed my undereye circles and put on Maybelline's Clear Smooth face powder (yes, no foundation) for light coverage. I moisturized my lips with Nivea (3-in-1) Pinkish Boost lip care


Items used:
FACE Celeteque Moisturizer, ELF Studio undereye concealer/highlighter, Ellana Minerals concealer in Smile
CHEEKS Shawill blush in #01 (used very sparingly), Physician's Formula pears of perfection bronzer
EYES ELF Studio eye primer, NYX ultra pearl mania in Mink, Jesse's Girl quads 432A-2 and 432A-3, ELF eyeliner in coffee, MAC Zoomlash, Jordana kohl eyeliner in silver
LIPS Nivea Lip Care 3-in-1 pinkish boost, L'oreal lipstick in British Red




It's optional that you use eye primer, but I prefer to use it so I primed my eyes first. Then, with the a fluffy angled eyeshadow brush (pictured above), pick up NYX ultra pearl mania in Mink (color 1) and pat onto eyelids going just above the crease. Build to desired intensity like in the picture below.

Use a small fluffy domed brush (pictured above) to deposit color 2 (a matte brown) onto crease, buffing and blending carefully in order to achieve an effect like pictured below. Don't forget to bring the color lightly toward the inner corner of the eye.

Above: Use a fluffy eyeshadow brush (I used ELF's eyeshadow brush, the one that sells for $1 each) and pick up your highlight color (color 3). I used a soft/pale gold. Sweep the highlight color generously under the brow bone and apply to the inner corner of the eyes to achieve an 'awake' look. Blend into dark brown color on crease.

Line your eyes with your choice of eyeliner. I used ELF's eyeliner in Coffee--it's hardly visible in this picture so using EcoTool's angled brush I picked up some of color 4 (a shimmery brown)

and I went over the line I made with ELF's eyeliner in Coffee, so now it will stay put better, not to mention look more prominent. I did the same thing (ELF's eyeliner in Coffee + Color 4) on my lower lid.

Fill in your eyebrows and apply mascara to your upper and lower lashes, and we're done!

If you feel like looking more fresh-faced, leave it at this. But because I wanted to try the L'oreal lipstick in British Red, I just put some on. And that's the finished look!

More pictures:

I think L'oreal's British Red is gorgeous. I'm not so sure about how it looks on me, but for those who are a fan of red lippies, I think this is a definite must-have! I might review it sometime soon.

I guess that's all for today. I hope you enjoyed the tutorial. :)

So how is everyone? I miss you all!

Pink Day/Night look tutorial + NOTW

I know, I know, I'm on a look/tutorial roll lately!! Hehe, I can't help it, I've been deprived of my time to play with makeup since school has been keeping me busy. Lately though I've become more of my slacker self...which is bad, but I've never been the type to be exceptional. xD Yes, I'm lazy. But I'm working on it! LOL.

So today I have a couple of things to post about. First of all, I have another tutorial for a day look or night out look, done using pinks (Since I've been neglecting my pink shadows). x.x Here is the look:

I think this look can be worn day or night. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Lately I've been focusing more on wearable looks, I guess the more 'fun' looks are just for when I play around or when I join contests.

TUTORIAL:

As usual, first step is optional. Prime your eyelids if desired, today I used Art Deco Eyeshadow Base.

For the next step, grab your favorite eyeshadow brush and NYX loose pearl eyeshadow in baby pink (or a similar color). Pat and sweep onto eyelids.

Then take a crease brush and a hot pink color, I'm using Makeup Masala Minerals eyeshadow in Agni (thank you Toma!). Pat/sweep this color onto crease, sweeping inwards into the inner corner.

Using the same crease brush, take some black eyeshadow (I'm using PAC black) and with it define the outer V and crease, blending well into the crease and above the crease. Don't want any harsh lines!

To highlight under the brow and in the inner corners, get a wider/thicker eyeshadow brush and use a color similar to the one I used below (I used my Coastal Scents 28 Neutral Palette):

Lastly, line your eyes and apply mascara. You can also fill in your brows if it's part of your routine (I hadn't yet in the following images).

The other products I used are: Celeteque facial moisturizer as base, Mineraux mineral foundation in warm medium-tan (you can view their products here http://mineraux.com.ph/) and Ellana oil absorbing finishing powder in espresso con panna. On my cheeks is Mineraux raspberry blush (if I remember correctly) and on my lips is Revlon matte lipstick in Mauve It Over (and clear gloss on top of it). I contoured my cheeks with Physician's Formula bronzer, and I used coastal scents gel eyeliner in true black to line my eyes (ELF brightening eyeliner in black for lower lashline). The mascara I used is Maybelline volum express cat eyes mascara.

The final look:

Artsy picture! :D

That's it for the tutorial! :) I hope you liked it.

The next thing I wanna show you is...

I finally had the time to do my nails! I bought a new shade of Bobbie nail polish (local brand) in Snow Glitz, and it is a really nice platinum silver glitter. It took me three coats to get it opaque, but application was a breeze (as it seems most of their polishes are easy-ish to apply). So I did my nails in Snow Glitz and stamped a design over it.

Thank you for reading! Hope you had/have a good day. :)

Green and Blue Summer Look Tutorial (video + pictures)

I'm back again everyone, thanks for all the nice comments you left on my Disney contest entry. :) How are you today? I'm doing this quick post before I get to bed because I don't want to just have this video and pictures sitting around on my computer. I might forget about it. Hehe.

Don't you just hate it when you tell yourself you have to do something and then you forget about it in a minute or two? That always happens to me. Grr. Anyway...

I decided a while back that I would do a tutorial or at least an FOTD with my new NYX loose e/s's and my Jesse's Girl eye dust. It made more sense to me to use the green and blue together, especially since the Jesse's Girl eye dust was a pretty pretty duochrome blue and green e/s...so this is what I came up with.

I think this would be better for a summer night out. Lol.

Here is the video tutorial:

I know my face looks oily in this, but I swear I had it matte..I just got sweaty because of the weather!! OMG. PS, I realized that it's the weather that's got me oiling up like crazy.

And for those who don't want to watch the video, I have a picture tutorial. Well, sort of. :) PS, sorry for the messy brows. Been lazy to groom them...but that's the first thing I'll do tomorrow morning. :)

What I used:

FACE: MAC studiofix powder in NC35, Ellana Minerals foundation in hazelnut latte for setting powder
CHEEKS: Generic blush + ELF natural radiance blusher in Glow
LIPS: PAC satin finish lipstick in misty brown, ELF super glossy lipshine on top
EYES: Art Deco eyeshadow base, NYX ultra pearl mania in Lime, Jesse's Girl eye dust in trouble maker, Jesse's girl bejewelled quad (gold color) for highlight, Coastal Scents Gel Eyeliner in black, PAC white eyeliner pencil, Maybelline volum' express cat eyes mascara (HG!)

So here is the photo tutorial!

OPTIONAL STEP: Prime lids (I used Art Deco eyeshadow base--I love it, it really really minimizes fallout!)

STEP 1: Using a regular eyeshadow brush, pat NYX ultra pearl mania in Lime all over lid and a little above the crease.

STEP 2: Taking Jesse's Girl eye dust in Troublemaker (with the same brush), pat it onto the eyelid starting from the outer corner working to the middle part of the lid, also pulling the colour in the crease into the inner corner just a bit. Blend!

STEP 3: Taking a fluffier brush (or crease/blending brush if you have one--I don't), get a bit of black e/s (I used the black in my PAC palette for this) and get it onto your crease starting from the outer corner of the eye. Blend upwards into the blue.

STEP 4: Using a smaller angled brush or a stiff, thin eyeshadow brush, get some of the NYX ultra pearl e/s in Lime and line your lower lashline with it. Then take some of the Jesse's Girl eye dust in troublemaker and start from the outer corner of the lower lashline, line it and meet the NYX Lime in the middle. Blend.

STEP 5: Taking a highlight color (I used the gold in my Jesse's Girl bejewelled e/s quad), sweep from under the brow to the e/s and blend, should look like this below:

Also in this step: Line upper lash line (I used Coastal Scents gel eyeliner in Black) and waterline (optional--I used white to make me look more awake). Apply mascara (Used Maybelline Volum' Express Cat Eyes Mascara)

FINISHED LOOK

Look at me in all my silly-face glory! Rofl jkjk

So that's it for this tutorial, I hope you girls liked it!! If you have any requests I'll gladly take them. :) Anything at all.

Don't forget about Gia's and my contest!! The theme is Beijing Opera. We have already started to accumulate prizes, so you can expect a prize post soon.

Life update of sorts: Today I've done nothing but laze around. I had told myself I would do something significant or at least productive but I ended up just playing around on the internet. Some days you just gotta have some downtime, I guess...I'm still recharging after all. Aside from that, I guess I just had the usual Monday laziness. Haha.

So I guess that's all for today/tonight, ladies! I hope you had a good weekend and that you have a good week. :) Happy Monday!!

Hauling and nail-painting fun!

First of all, this is me taking the time to tell everyone that it's going to be tough for me to be around until Tuesday--I'll be intensely busy due to schoolwork. But I'll still be around commenting and stuff, so you won't miss me too much. I love reading your blogs and I don't want to miss anything!

Anyway, guess what came in the mail!! This sent out around 20th of April and I got it yesterday. I was totally expecting to have to wait for a month so I am definitely happy with the shipping. :)

My Makeup Masala/Makeup Mix Shop haul. :D

Anyway like I said I'm doing the 10 pan project, but this doesn't count because I bought this in April. Hehe. The contents:

Top to bottom, left to right: NYX round l/g in real nude, LA Colors Art Deco nail art pens black and white; LA colors metallic e/s in fabulous, NYX loose pearl e/s in baby pink, mink and lime; LA colors metallic e/s in mesmerize, Jesse's Girl loose e/s in troublemaker, Jesse's Girl bejewelled quad

I also got a free sample of Makeup Masala mineral e/s in Agni, and a promo card thingie for a free NYX product under $5 for my next purchase of $30+. Let me just say I really love MakeupMasala, really really smooth transaction, and great customer relations. :) 

I have swaaaatchesssss!

Flash pic overexposed--sorry

1. Jesse's Girl loose eyeshadow in Troublemaker (blue/green duochrome)

2. MakeupMasala minerals e/s in Agni 

3. NYX loose pearl e/s in baby pink

4. NYX loose pearl e/s in lime

5. NYX loose pearl e/s in mink

First of all, let me say that I just love the Jesse's girl e/s and the MM Agni e/s. They are so pigmented--I just used a tiny tiny bit, and wow. :) When I have money, I'll be buying more of Jesse's Girl stuff, and I'll be giving MM minerals a shot. I like their colors. I can't say anything about staying power and the like, but when I have time to play around with makeup I'll definitely see how things work out, so I'll have a mini-review up for that.

LA Colors palettes in Fabulous and Mesmerized

Now I know my swatches suck--I'm sorry about that, but I know someone who has better swatches.

Sofeeah of Sofeeah's Brighter Days has swatches of all the LA colors palettes. http://sofeeahh.blogspot.com/2009/05/la-colors-swatch-crazy.html

These are so very very pigmented, I like them! Very blendable, too. Good quality for cheap.

The Jesse's Girl Bejeweled Quad.

I love it. Really pigmented too. It'll be really great for every day when I go to school. And the case is just so pretty. And there's a handy mirror in it too. :D I think this will be the quad I'll stuff into my bag if I need to go somewhere. :D

While I was swatching, I was playing with my little brother EJ...and I just had to annoy him by smearing my 'girly stuff' as he called it on his face. Here he is with e/s all over. LOL. He looked bruised when I was done.

Moving on, I got NYX l/g in real nude, so I tried it on...and lol. It was barely visible on my lips b/c welllll, it was kinda the shade of my lips. Not exactly, but yeah. But I definitely like it. More shine than I would normally wear, but nice nonetheless. 

Here. My lips without the l/g

My lips with it. It's not really obvious without flash, but yeah. I love it. I wore it to school today! :)

That ends my haul post. Technically I have another minihaul that I bought today, but it doesn't count when it's for a mother's day gift. :) Speaking of mother's day gifts, Noi has made a list of stuff that you can check out to give as presents for your mom on mother's day (as it will be mother's day on May 10 in the Philippines). Check the list out, here is part 1 and part 2.

 

Moving on! I was supposed to post my Monday "nail-do" but I kinda forgot to...well really I was mostly busy so I didn't get the chance to. Here it is! It's not perfect at all, but see--what I did is I just used an old eyeliner brush since I had no other options. Lol.

And today I did my nails again because I got my new pretty nail art pens. :D

It's so much tougher than I thought, but I'm improving! :) :) The stupid camera didn't pick up on the glitter.

I used my LA Colors nail polishes, and to be honest, I barely had any trouble applying it like my other polishes. Certainly better than local brands. :) Filipina bloggers: if you wanna know, LA Colors is located at USave@99 at Farmer's Plaza Cubao. Not completely stocked but...better than nothing.

Sooo, I have midterm orals for PolSci on Monday, and long exams on Tuesday..and crappppp I am so stressed! Wish me luck, girls, because omg, I don't even know how I can study for everything on time. :(

Have a good weekend, girls! Pamper your mothers this coming Sunday/Mother's Day! :)

ETA; I read from Temptalia's blog that Stila is BACK!! http://www.temptalia.com/welcome-back-stila#more-7983