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! :)

Darks and Pastels: Eye looks

I came up with these eye looks last Holy Week, when I was stuck at home with nothing to do. I initially wanted to try doing one look only, a deep green smokey eye inspired by a Make Up Forever Ad. But when I opened my 88 Original palette I saw all the yummy pastel colors and I just had to do a pastel look too. I was too lazy to do separate looks so I did it like the old times (when I was in grade school haha) and did different looks for each eye.

The first one I'm going to show you is the green smoky eye look. This is the ad that inspired it. I'll probably try to redo the entire look again soon.

My version:

The shades in numbers:

1. Mint green e/s all over eyes as base color, from lashline up to browbone and in the inner corners of the eye

2.Forest green e/s from lashline up to crease

3. Choose a dark green color for the outer V and the crease to contour the socket

4. Use black e/s and blend it in with the dark green to deepen the contour of the eye. Blend out to avoid harsh lines

5. Take a black pencil liner and tightline your eyes. 

The model in the ad is wearing false lashes, but I couldn't find my lash glue that time so I just used mascara.

Where to Wear: since it's a dark, smoky eye, it would be great for parties, special occasions, or nighttime events. But if you're bold and daring enough to wear this during the day, go!! Smoky eyes for day are so ferosh.

 

The second look is all pastel colors, very light, fun and girly:

 

The shades in numbers:

1. Icy blue all over the lid, from lashline to browbone

2. Orchid e/s all over lids, from lower lashline to crease

3. Lavender e/s on outer v of the eye, use this also to contour the eye socket. 

4. Hot pink e/s applied with a slanted brow brush to line the upper and lower lashline only

Where to Wear: great for daytime events/occasions, or for ordinary days when you want to add a pop of color to your face

 

The two looks on me (sorry if I look like a crazy person, I do not recommend you do it like this going out btw).

Myra E Vitasmooth Shine-Free Face Powder with SPF15

Last week, I accidentally dropped my Johnson and Johnson's powder compact and broke it into a million pieces. I would usually rotate between J&J and Maybelline face powders, so this time I thought about trying something I haven't used before.

When it comes to face powders, I just want it to be super basic- mild, non-comedogenic, translucent, no heavy coverage. With or without SPF is fine, because I always use a moisturizing SPF before heading out. Face powder is something I use on a daily basis so I don't like anything heavy to avoid clogging my pores.

After a few minutes of scouring Watsons' aisles, I got Myra E's Vitasmooth Shine-Free Face Powder with SPF 15 in Light.

Swatched on fingertip

The Claim:

Myra VitaSmooth Shine-Free Face Powder is a light face powder that covers blemishes for a naturally flawless and shine-free look.  

It is enriched with Vitamin E that nourishes skin and SPF 15 that protects you from the sun's UV rays.

Directions for use:  Apply gently and evenly on face. 

What I like:

• Small, compact packaging
• Vitamin E-enriched
• Hypo-allergenic
• For those who like multitasking products, this one already has an SPF of 15
• Nice, even coverage
• Not heavy/cakey. The shade light doesn't make me look like I dipped my face into a bowl of flour
• It didn't break me out
• Does a very good job of keeping the oilies at bay- sometimes I don't even have to retouch at all

What I don't like:

None

The Verdict:

I super like this product! It has good coverage and evens out my skin tone. It covers up like Maybelline's powder foundation but it's not as heavy. I patted some product on my undereye area and it brightened up a bit, so I didn't even have to wear concealer. And the thing that amazes me the most is that during the one week that I've used this, 4 out of 7 days I didn't even have to retouch at mid-day! (Note: I have combination skin, with my T-zone oilier than the rest of the face; and my work involves a lot of walking and sun exposure). And the days that I did retouch, I only did so once. 

Would I repurchase?

Yes!

Where to get and how much:

Watsons, Department Stores, Php 130 for 10g

Iloilo Spa Feature: Shana Lacs Spa

Fun Fact- my high school thesis (published 2006) was all about the derma clinic and spa business in Iloilo City. At that time, there were only a handful of them in the city- no more than 10 as I recall, and I was fortunate enough to do a qualitative study where I was able to interview the managers and the owners of these establishments.

I shall spare you the deathly boring SPSS results and the detailed analysis and will jump straight to the point- the study came to the conclusion that the future of this industry was looking bright in this side of town, and more wellness and beauty centers will surely open their doors to cater to the Ilonggos' growing consciousness of their health and wellness.

One of the must-try places in the city is Shana Lacs Spa. I came here through the recommendation of a friend, and I was happy I took her word for it! One day after work, I was bone-tired and couldn't even walk properly because my feet were killing me (that's what I get for traipsing around in 4 inch heels for 12 hours). I remembered my friend's suggestion and immediately went there to try it out. When I stepped inside the spa, the ambiance was calm and relaxing- lights slightly dimmed, aromatherapy scents wafting through the air, with lounge-y music playing in the background.

I was greeted by the courteous staff and was offered a menu of their services for my perusal. The menu book was so cute, Thai-inspired and bound in satin, which perfectly matched the Balinese-style interiors. They have a variety of services available from body massages, body scrubs, hand and foot therapies to facials (all at affordable prices) that it was hard to choose one. They also have spa packages available that are more cost-effective if you want to have more than one service. During my first visit, I chose to get their Signature Body Massage (Php 258).

They actually took my blood pressure first before proceeding with the massage. I remembered that in the past 4 massage centers I frequent, none of them had ever taken my blood pressure before starting. Kudos to Shana Lacs for taking into consideration their customers' well being!

I probably got lucky that night, because at 10 pm and without an appointment, I was able to get one of the single rooms and get a massage right away (the next time I returned, I wasn't as lucky because the rooms were occupied and I had to wait a bit, and I wasn't able to get a single room).

Foot massage area

Single room- super like how they were able to prettify such a small space! I got inspired to decorate my room like this haha

Cubicles with cloth partitions

Needless to say, it was 60 minutes and Php 258 well spent. I didn't even feel like driving myself home, I just wanted to stay in the massage bed and sleep there undisturbed until morning came. I left the spa feeling like all the tension in my body has gone, and I clocked in a super restful 8 hours of sleep the second I got home.

If you want to relax and unwind after a long day,visit Shana Lacs Spa at Room 205 Adelina Bldg cor Gen. Luna and Jalandoni Streets, Iloilo City. Book your appointments through their contact number at (033) 338- 3206. They are open daily from 12pm-11 pm. Last call is at 10:00 pm, but just to be sure, make a call first to confirm availability of rooms/therapists if you plan on coming near closing time. For a sneak peek into their menu book of services, check out their Facebook page here :)

Photo Credits to: http://shanalacspa.blogspot.com/

Rainbow Brights

It's Holy Thursday and I'm stuck here at home doing nothing, making the most of my stay-cation and hiding from burning rays of the sun. I decided to play around with make up and wanted to do something bright and summery. I ended up doing a little something I call "Rainbow Brights", taking inspiration from the 6 colors of the rainbow.

I Used:

• Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer
• Beauty Cosmetics 4 Wheel Concealer Palette (I used the white shade as eyelid base color)
• Coastal Scents 88 Original Palette
• Nichido Intense Color Eye Pencil in Metal Blue
• ELF Liquid Eyeliner in Black
• Estee Lauder Magnascopic Mascara in Black

The Base:
1. Prime lids with eyeshadow primer.
2. Apply matte white eyeshadow all over lids, from lashline up to browbone. A matte white eye pencil can also be used.

The Colors:
1. Apply the first color, a matte bright yellow onto the inner eyelids

 

2. Apply a matte green shadow from where the yellow stops, and up until you're about halfway through the eye.

 

3. Select a light orange shade, apply it next to the green

 

4. Using a small/fine-tipped eyeshadow brush, take a red color, apply it next to the orange, and pat it on the eye's outer V. Then with a very light hand, draw a line on top of all the other colors. Make sure that the red line is really, really subtle.

 

5. Using a slanted brow brush or any fine-tipped eyeshadow brush, take a purple color and make a small line beside the red color. Apply the same purple color all the way down to the lower, outer lashline.
 

6. Using a blue eye pencil (I used the one by Nichido) line the inner lower lashline and blend with the purple color. Go over the blue eyepencil with a pale blue shadow to soften it.

 

7. Lightly blend everything together.

8. Line eyes with black eyeliner and apply mascara.

 

And that's it!

Hope you enjoyed the look, message me if you have any look requests/suggestions! :)

Plum or Pink?

When I was a teenager, the only thing I felt comfortable enough to put on my lips on a daily basis were lip balms and lip glosses. Lipsticks (especially dark-hued ones) were saved for dressier occasions and the very few parties that I were allowed to attend. Very manang right?

Today, I got two lipsticks that looked like throwbacks to high school days. I got them from lines actually targeted for teens. One is a deep, dark, plum (which my mother would have banned me from using 10 years ago) while the other is a nice, pale pink (mom-approved for high school me).

First up is Avon's Simply Pretty Colorbliss Lipstick in Pure Plum. I actually discovered this from a friend- I took one look at her plum-colored lips and fell in love. I had to have one. I didn't know that Avon made dark shades like these for their teens' line; and what's even better is that it's such a steal at only Php 109!

I got the 4U2 lipstick in Pink 02 while browsing through the department store's beauty section. The cute, girly packaging caught my eye. It's small, pink, with polka dots, super girlaloo! All of the shades are in Pink (from 1-6) and since they had no testers, I had to rely on the swatch on the front of the packaging to select a color. I got number 2, the lightest among all the shades (number 1 wasn't available anymore).

Super dark, pigmented, with a very slight glossy finish if you apply it without blotting. I tried blotting it out with a tissue and I was left with a very deep, dark matte berry stain on my lips- it looked like what I'd imagine a vampire would look like after drinking blood haha.

In contrast to the more mature and vampiric quality of Very Plum, this pale pink lipstick just evokes innocence and youth. It has a glossy finish which kind of reminds me of Maybelline Watershine lipsticks, only less greasy- looking. I like this a lot and I think the shade is very wearable for young girls.

Individual Reviews:

Avon's Simply Pretty Colorbliss Lipstick in Pure Plum

What I like:

• Super pigmented and doesn't smudge. 
• Staying power is good, 6-8 hours if you don't eat/drink/do anything with your mouth; and if you do something with your mouth, it still manages to leave a nice, berry stain. 
• Feels hydrating, doesn't dry out my lips even after hours of wear
• It's also very affordable at only a Php 109. There are 2 other colors from this particular line (Valentine Colorbliss Collection) so do check them out if you like pinks more than plums.

What I don't like:

• I'm not exactly a fan of its packaging
• Some Avon stocks are pretty limited, so it might take some waiting time to get your order if they ran out of stocks

Would I repurchase? Yes

Where to get: Your nearest Avon lady/outlet

 4U2 lipstick in Pink 02

What I Like:

• The packaging! It's practically the reason why I bought it in the first place
• The finish- what I had hoped for in Maybelline Watershine (but had failed to deliver)
• The versatile color, great for daily use

What I don't like:

• They don't have product testers, so if it's your first time buying this and if there's no sales lady around, you wouldn't be able to know how the actual shade looks like, and if it's matte/shimmery/glossy
• Limited shades available, only pinks (great for pink addicts)
• Affordable at only Php 154

Would I repurchase? Maybe not. Ok product over all, but I find it a tad bit mediocre. Nothing special, and at that price point there are so many other better lipsticks out there available which I would rather buy (NYX, Wet n Wild, Ever Bilena)

Where to Get: 4U2 counters at Watsons and SM Department Stores

So which one do you prefer? Are you more of a pink girl? A plum girl? Or both? Feel free to drop me a line! :)

After-Party Rituals

There is nothing more annoying than waking up with a throbbing headache, extreme nausea (may be accompanied with more vomiting), and sensitive eyes. No, you are not pregnant. You just had a little too much to drink last night.

Parties and drinking are fun, but it's so not fun to wake up feeling and looking like a wreck. After years of going out on Saturday nights and having my Mom drag me to church at 10 am the following day, I had no choice but to find the best ways to avoid hangovers.

I'd like to share my after-party rituals that have proved to be very useful in making me a functional human being (as opposed to just walking around like a zombie) the following day after a night of drinking copious amounts of alcohol:

•  The root cause of a hangover is just plain and simple= dehydration. A simple cause calls for a simple cure, so be sure to load up on agua before you sleep. Avoid caffeine-based fluids, as these are also dehydrating. The first thing I do when I get home is drink water. I try to force not just one, but 3-5 glasses of water down my throat. It's actually recommended that you drink a glass of water for every glass of alcohol you consume. Also keep on drinking water the next day to replenish the body's water losses. 

• Another important post-party step that shouldn't be missed is removing every trace of make up and washing your face. Partying in itself is bad for the skin- alcohol dehydrates skin cells, exposure to cigarette smoke has been proven to cause changes in skin cells as well, and staying up until the wee hours of the morning robs us of restful beauty sleep. Personally, I make it a point to wash my face even if it means I have to crawl to the sink to do it. It's not a pretty sight to wake up with make up smeared all over your face and pillowcase. Make up left overnight can also cause irritation, pimples, and clogged pores. Skin regenerates while we sleep, so slather on a moisturizer too to combat the dehydrating effects of alcohol.

• If you have to get up early and be somewhere the next day, but you just can't bring yourself to get up, or much less open your eyes, try this: splash your face with water to wake you up, then use a chilled gel eye mask over your eyes for 10 minutes. This really works like a charm for me. The photosensitivity goes away, and I feel super refreshed, alive and awake and ready to face the world! 

• Eat a light meal for breakfast. I usually don't have much of an appetite after a night of drinking, so I just eat fruits, cereals, crackers or a sandwich. 

I've been practicing for almost 2 years now, and I must say I don't get major hangovers anymore. No more dizziness, nausea, listlessness, and break outs when I wake up. I still get a little tired, but taking a mid-day nap takes care of that.

How about you? Care to share your secrets to managing hangovers? Drop me a line! :)