My 3 Favorite Travel Brushes

If I could only bring 3 brushes with me on a trip, or to work, it would be these three from Marrionaud- the N35 (flat eyeshadow brush), N37 (eyeshadow crease/pencil brush), and N38 (double-ended angled brush and mascara brush).

You might be wondering why I need 3 eye brushes and nothing for the face/cheeks. Personally, when I don't have the luxury of time/baggage allowance, I prefer to use my fingers for foundation/blush application for liquid/cream/mousse formulations; or I bring along powders which come with their own sponges and brushes already so there won't be any need to lug around an entire set.

 I don't like doing my eyes with my fingers only- my nails are long and there have been a couple of times when I poked my eye while attempting to apply makeup.

Use it to: Apply your base eyeshadow/lid color. Can even work with cream shadows

Tightly packed bristles, but not scratchy

Doesn't shed or bleed when washed

Php 70

Use it to: Apply crease color, contour eyes, smoke out lashline

Very soft and not scratchy

Doesn't bleed or shed when washed

Php 90

Use it to: Apply liquid, gel or powder eyeliner; fill in or shape brows

Tightly packed yet soft and not scratchy

Doesn't shed or bleed when washed

This is the other tip of the double ended brush, the mascara spoolie

Use it to: Separate clumpy lashes post-mascara application; groom eyebrows

This is very soft too! Not hard and stiff at all like some spoolies

Php 60

Great brushes at rock bottom prices. They're soft, handy, and multi-purpose. Sounds too good to be true? There must be a catch, right? Well, there actually is- these brushes aren't built to last forever, especially if you don't take proper care of them. Improper washing and drying (as I've experienced) can lead to:

• Loosening of the handle from the ferrule (the metal part of the brush)- this happens when water gets inside and loosens up the glue holding it together
• The brushes losing their original shape- due to improper cleaning

So here's what I currently do to avoid ruining them:

• Wash with mild baby shampoo, swirl around on my palm until water clears out
• Make sure to rinse out all shampoo/soap residue
• Get a glass, put a few pieces of tissue at the bottom, and place the brushes inside the tissue, with the bristles facing down
• Don't dry them standing up (bristles facing up) as this will cause water to get inside the ferrule
• Don't use until completely dry
• Change tissue if it gets super soaked

You'll like these if:

• You're on a budget
• You like to travel light
• You can't live without eye makeup brushes even when you're on a trip
• You don't mind that it's made of synthetic fibers

You won't like these if:

You're extremely picky with the quality of your brushes

Where to Get?

Watsons

Have you tried any one of these or any Marionnaud brushes? How did you like them? :)

of beach trips and lip stains

Hi girls! I've been MIA for the past few days, we just got back from Nasugbu, Batangas. We stayed at the Canyon Cove Beach Club, and it was great to be able to see all my counterparts since we only get to see each other a few times a year. I was finally able to visit a beach and go swimming after 3 years (yes, I'm so lame, Boracay can be travelled by land from here and there are so many gorgeous beaches that are even nearer but I never took the time to go).

I stayed with my usual room mates/bed mates, C and L.

Hello Jessica Sanchez

Super gorgeous view to wake up to!

Of course, this post wouldn't be complete without beauty chorvas. For this trip, aside from the quintessential sunblock, my 2nd favorite beauty product is Etude House's Dear Darling Lip Tint in 03. 03 is an orange-based red that looks really nice and natural whether you're on land or swimming in the waters. 

What I Like:

• Great staying power. After eating and swimming, it still stayed on 
• Easy to apply and goes on evenly
• Very pigmented
• Non-drying
• Mild, fruity scent
• No weird taste
• Comes in 3 shades, so you can pick one that matches your skin tone best
• Cute packaging

What I don't like:

Nothing

How to Use:

 Swipe on your lips and spread. For cheeks, start with 3 small dots first (since it's pigmented, try building up the color gradually until you get desired color to avoid clown-red cheeks) and blend out to get a healthy, flushed look

Where To Get:

Etude House, for Php198

Would I repurchase?

Yes!

How about you? What's your favorite lip/cheek stain? Drop me a line! :)

Of Marriage and Make up

As a 22 year old single girl, marriage may very well be the farthest thing from my mind. But not for some of my friends, as there are already quite a few who got hitched or are getting engaged! Sometimes I go into panic mode and start thinking that I should find myself a boyfriend fast, if I don't want to end up sad and alone forever haha.

But since that's not bound to happen anytime soon, I'll stick to attending my friends' weddings which is just the perfect excuse to getting all dressed and made up.

My good friend from college, Q got married a couple of weeks ago in Bacolod City. I took the first trip out to Bacolod on the day of the wedding, and because I woke up late I wasn't able to do my make up before leaving the house and I had to do it in the ferry during the hour-long trip (good thing I didn't have seatmates, haha). I also did my friend J's make up.

The wedding was very nice and intimate, held in a small chapel away from the city. It was just the bride and groom's family members and a few close friends. It was followed by a garden reception held at their residence. If I were to get married someday, peg ko talaga ang wedding ni Q! Hehe.

The wedding dress, designed by Q herself...

Pictures from the reception...

The lovely bride, Q

And the very happy couple... Mr and Mrs. G!

 So now on to the kikay part of this post... If you want to see how J and I look like sans make up, check out this photo:

@ Cafe Bob's

For myself, I chose to do a neutral eye and a bold lip:

Face:

First, I primed my face using Loreal's Base Magique primer to make sure my make up stays put until nighttime. Concealed under eye circles using Coastal Scents Camouflage Palette. I then applied Maybelline Aqua Gel Foundation in Natural Beige all over the face with a foundation brush.

Eyes:

I applied a pale gold shade from lids to browbone, then used a soft matte brown eyeshadow to countour along the crease. After doing the eyeshadows, I put Elf Eyeliner in Brown, following a thin to thick pattern as I went along from the inner part to the outer part of the eye. Curled my lashes then added 2 coats of Estee Lauder More Than Mascara. To define my brows, I just used a dark brown eyeshadow and a slanted brow brush to fill in and shape.

Cheeks:

With a slanted blush brush, I used the Soft Pressed Powder Pink Blush from Clinique's Color Surge Eyeshadow duo on the apples of my cheek. Didn't do any contouring at all; I just wanted a nice, soft glowing look.

Lips:

I exfoliated my dry, flaky lips with a toothbrush, then filled in the entire lip area with Stila Lip Liner in Contour no. 2, which is a deep red shade with brown undertones. I layered Wet n Wild Lipstick in 522 A (Dark Wine), which has a silk finish, on top to offset the super matte look of the lipliner. 

J, who is averse to all things girly and is practically allergic to make up (and i mean that figuratively), just wanted to enhance her over-all look. She didn't want strong colors, just something that didn't require so much products.

Face:

I used Celeteque moisturizer for J's dry spots (the areas around her nose) then applied Maybelline Aquagel Foundation in Natural all over her face using a wedge sponge just to give her sheer coverage, while covering problem spots.

Eyes:

I used a fleshy matte shadow from lids to browbone, then a shimmery brown gray shadow to contour. I lined her eyes with Elf Liquid Eyeliner in Black. I curled her lashes and used 2 coats of Maybelline Great Lash Mascara for enhanced but natural-looking lashes. For her brows, I just filled in the sparse spaces using Etude House's Drawing Eyebrow.

Cheeks:

For a subtle, flushed look, I just dabbed Allue (from HBC) cheek tint on her cheeks.

Lips:

She didn't want any pinks/reds so we settled for a nude lip using Ever Bilena Matte lipstick in Mauvey.

Photo credits to: J.K.V.G